[ 005 . THE NEW TRIO ]

As Podcast, Phoebe, and Jules walked through town, Podcast readied his boom mike.

"Okay, we're speeding. Three, two, one. Uh, yeah, just introduce yourself and tell me what you ate for breakfast," Podcast said, looking between Phoebe and Jules.

"Um. Phoebe. Toast," Phoebe replied.

Jules grinned. "And I'm Jules. I had pancakes with syrup. Not just any syrup, the fancy kind."

Podcast nodded, satisfied with their responses. "Okay, um, maybe a little more. Tell me a joke or something."

"A joke?" Phoebe asked, looking unsure.

"Mhm."

Phoebe thought for a moment before saying, "What do you call a dead polar bear?"

Podcast shook his head, indicating he didn't know.

"Anything you want. It can't hear you now," Phoebe said with a smirk.

Podcast laughed and took his headphones off. "Wow. That was funny. You're funny."

Jules smiled. "Hah . Wait I don't get it "she mumbled

Podcast looked at her before he spoke . "Fun fact: Did you know that Summerville has more dead residents than living ones?"

"Yeah, that's how cemeteries work," Phoebe replied dryly.

Jules chimed in, her curiosity piqued. "What's the deal with Wertheimers Hardware? I've heard some weird stuff about it."

"Run by the Illuminati. Lizard people," Podcast said, nodding seriously.

"Lizard people?" Jules echoed, raising an eyebrow.

"Jefferson. Einstein. Beyonce? How do you think we got the pyramids?" Podcast asked, clearly enjoying himself.

"Slaves?" Phoebe answered, unimpressed.

"Movie theater. Oh, yeah. That one's haunted," Podcast said, pointing to the Napier Theatre's sign advertising "Bingo" at 3 pm and "Cannibal Girls" at 7 pm.

"I don't believe in ghosts," Phoebe stated matter-of-factly.

Podcast stopped and turned around, staring at her. "What? How can you--? I mean, all the evidence. You don't believe in spirits?"

"No. I think we're all just kind of meat puppets," Phoebe replied.

Jules nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I mean, there's got to be an explanation for everything."

Podcast shook his head. "There's something you need to see. I'll grab my wheels."

He ran off. Jules and Phoebe followed. They cut to the Shandor Mining Company entrance. The fence was still not repaired from Egon ramming it.

"Are we even allowed to be here?" Phoebe asked, looking around.

"Oh yeah. Totally. The mine's been closed since the '40s. They just put all these signs up 'cause of hazardous chemical leaks and on account of dynamite. I do this. Hmm," Podcast said, covering his nostril and mouth with his shirt.

They walked in, some old cloth covering an entrance.

"The whole town was basically a mining operation. They bore out this mountain like a grapefruit and smelted everything into cold-riveted selenium girders," Podcast explained.

"Why would you make a steel beam out of an electro conductor like selenium?" Phoebe asked, her interest piqued.

"Right? Weird. Until one day, they were forced to close down the whole enchilada," Podcast continued.

"Why?" Jules asked " also what is this place ? I was born here and never seen this shit"

"One by one, miners who had worked for years began leaping down the mine shaft to their death. They called it the Shandorian Curse," Podcast said dramatically.

Podcast backed up behind the raggedy cloth and vanished.

Phoebe and Jules peered in and followed. They looked at carvings against the mountain that matched the New York Temple of Gozer down to the Terror Dogs.

"Who built these?" Phoebe asked, her voice filled with awe.

"Depends who you believe. One day, they just showed up without explanation," Podcast said, staring at a Terror Dog statue.

"Cool," Jules murmured, examining the intricate carvings.

" wait you think it's cool ! Omg Juliana the prettiest and coolest girl in town thinks it cool !" Podcast said into his microphone

" I'm right here ya know ?"

Once getting out wherever podcast took them to , Phoebe, Podcast and Jules continued to walk around the neighborhood .

The afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the neighborhood as they chatted animatedly.

"So, what's your podcast about?" Phoebe asked, genuinely curious.

Podcast shifted his weight, adjusting the strap of his camera bag. "Oh, um, mostly mysteries and the unknown, uh, conspiracy theories, the occasional restaurant review."

Phoebe nodded thoughtfully. "Well, maybe I could check it out sometime."

"Really?" Podcast's face lit up with enthusiasm.

"Yeah," Phoebe replied with a smile, her green eyes sparkling.

Podcast took the his My Little Pony flash drive he offered and slipped it into her pocket.

Podcast continued eagerly, "The show really finds its voice on Episode 46."

"Okay," Phoebe responded, nodding in acknowledgment.

Clearing his throat, Podcast shifted gears. "Uh, hey. Look, this is totally cool if this is a 'no.' Uh, zero pressure. Um, but, um... do you wanna be my lab partner?"

Phoebe chuckled softly. "Well, I don't think we're gonna be doing any labs, but yeah," she replied playfully.

Podcast's smile widened. "Cool, cool. All right."

As they approached the front door, Podcast glanced at the house with a mix of curiosity and excitement. "The Dirt Farmer's house?"

Phoebe nodded again, her expression fond. "Yeah, he was my grandfather."

"No way, dude!" Podcast exclaimed, a touch of awe in his voice. "So you're just gonna walk in?"

He pulled out his camera phone and held it horizontally, ready to capture their adventure.

Phoebe raised an eyebrow teasingly. "Are you recording me?"

Podcast grinned mischievously. "Yeah, just in case your body's pulled apart into tiny pieces by an unseen dark force."

Phoebe chuckled again, shaking her head. "All right. Bye. Come in, Jules."

Jules, who had been standing quietly beside them, glanced up with curiosity. "Hey, is your brother home, Phoebe?"

Phoebe nodded, her auburn hair catching the sunlight as she turned towards the door. "Yeah, he's probably in the garage fixing a car. Come In " Jules modded following Phoebe into the house .