After the group finishes their papier-mache evolution project for anthropology class, they leave to go attend Greendale's animal shelter-sponsored Puppy Parade, although Pierce has to wheel away in his breath-powered wheelchair after he broke both legs. Unfortunately, Annie notices that her pen is missing. No one else really cares, but Annie's furious. She's convinced that this is the ninth pen that someone in the group has taken from her, and she screams in frustration because of it.

Britta is the first to receive Annie's blame for stealing the pen until she dumps her bag onto the table, used Q-tips and condoms and all, and refrences martial law and the Patriot Act. Next is Shirley, whose Christian values could be a front for her thieving ways. Pierce is a suspect because he'll use anything to stratch his legs, but he points out that Troy is statistically more likely to be the thief because he's a black male. Finally Jeff tries to put an end to it, but Pierce and the others ... read more Britta is the first to receive Annie's blame for stealing the pen until she dumps her bag onto the table, used Q-tips and condoms and all, and refrences martial law and the Patriot Act. Next is Shirley, whose Christian values could be a front for her thieving ways. Pierce is a suspect because he'll use anything to stratch his legs, but he points out that Troy is statistically more likely to be the thief because he's a black male. Finally Jeff tries to put an end to it, but Pierce and the others think this is suspicious as well. Jeff then cancels the date he was scheduled to go on and no one leaves the library until the pen is found. read less

The pen search descends into chaos after everyone dumps their bags and it's revealed that Shirley had a pregnancy scare and Abed's charting the women's menstrual cycles. Jeff trashes the library and finally they all strip and even cut open Pierce's casts to find the pen, but to no avail.

Jeff decides that it's just easier to blame the stolen pen on a ghost, which is what Troy had been saying all along, rather than tear up the group (and the library) even further. Troy creates a romantic story about a love letter-writing ghost, and even though they missed the Puppy Parade, they're all friends again. The real culprit, however, is shown to be Troy's escaped pet monkey, who's been hiding pens and other objects in a vent.

Dean Pelton MC's the Puppy Parade.