The Big Date (Part 4: In 3D) Wednesday, 11-Oct-00 16:00:20 As the two identical Lawhinies glared at each other, their two identical compact mirrors spun on the floor until, by some unimaginable chance, they lined up exactly, mere inches apart. An "infinite hall of mirrors" effect instantly occurred though none could have seen it unless that one were looking out through one of the mirrors... A thin scream of anguish and horror was audible to the suddenly quieted party-goers, who had all turned to see the Lawhinies duel. The sound was oddly stretched out, as though someone had been pulled by terrible forces into an infinitely long,infinitely thin, strand... Between the two compacts, a glowing energy field grew, as the scream went into the ultrasonic range. The mirrors simultaneously exploded. Karl ------- "Whoa! What was that?"... Saturday, 14-Oct-00 14:02:38 ...asked the cat-earred human, who had heard the strange noise and saw the mirrors explode. "I hvae no idea. Looked like trouble." replied Aivars. "Was there anything, er, unusual about Ms. Lait's mirror before?" inquired Kat. "Shouldn't have been." Aivars frowned. "And she isn't Force sensitive or telekinetic, right?" Kat asked, making sure she'd covered all the possibilities before ruling it as a Weird Incident. "No. So what just happened?" Aivars asked. Kat looked at the remains of the mirrors. "I have no idea." "Should we take a closer look?" "With those two going at it?" the look on Kat's face implied 'are you cuh-razy?'. *** Over at Chipper's table...a few minute earlier... Bunnie and Knuckles came over to where Kuwani and Chipper were sitting. Before either could say anything, Kuwani saw 'em, said,"El J.A.M. is about 6 tables over." and pointed in the jaguar's general direction. "Actually, Ah was looking for Kat." Bunnie replied and wondering if anybody would notice her blushing. "Yeah, we were supposed to pose for some drawing, but Kat wasn't in the Lair." clarified Knuckles. Kuwani grinned impishly. "She's about 4 tables, that way." the Tari pointed to an area near the bar. Everyone at the table saw Lawainee and Luwhinie run into each other--literally. "Uh, oh..." Chipper mumbled. "What?" asked Knuckles, who had no idea how much potential trouble could come from those two mice. "Those two are alternate dimensional versions of somebody we know." explained Kuwani. "And if they are anything like her, things could get ugly." added the Jedi. "So, why isn't anybody doin' anything?" asked Bunnie. "Lemmie put it this way...if you saw two versions of Robotnik about to throw down, would YOU try to break it up?" asked the Tari mage. "Naw...but I'd have a heck of a time figuring out who to cheer for." declared the red echidna. Bunnie giggled. A flash of light, followed by a small explosion, caught their attention. "What th' hoo-hah was that?" asked Bunnie. "Trouble." Chipper and Kuwani said simultaneously, as they rose from their chairs. Kat --- In a distant and evil place: Saturday, 14-Oct-00 16:39:04 A figure sat slumped in an elaborate throne before the smoking remains of his best scrying mirror. Groaning, he pressed his hands to the sides of his head. "I haven't had a day like this in quite some time." He muttered, then arose and went in search of aspirin tablets. A few hours later, he had tormented a few lost souls and was feeling much better. "At least I managed to plant a few ideas into that wonderfully twisted mind." He sighed in remembrance of his brief look into Lawhinie Lait's thought processes. Selfish, manipulative, an utterly amoral borderline sociopath... "What a woman!" He mused, admiringly. Karl --- Disaster in making Monday, 16-Oct-00 12:46:43 Lavainee was about to explode into another verbal abuse upon her doppelganger from other universe, when she noticed Alex stretching paw toward the bucket with ice. She exploded into laugh, when seconds later bucket tipped and splashed her opponent with could water. Lawhinie shrieked. Lawainee guffaved and bent to pick up her compact, only to find it destroyed. Since only other person standing close by was her doppelganger, she was the prime suspect for the crime. *** Aivars watched the exchange at teh bar, half resigned to give up on the problem and let it resolve itself somehow. Talking with Kat was more pleasant that getting between TWO Lawhinies that were ready pour out their souls at any intruder, possibly even forgetting their differences and joining at outsider before getting back at the duel. Un fortenately, just sitting out seemed out of option, when Alex splashed one of Lavainees with water. Aivars couldnt tell, which one, but either one was bad. Resulting shriek near left him deaf. "Wonderful, Alex..." Aivars sighted. "Excuse me, ladies, i feel i had to intervene. I knw its bad idea, Kat, but even if this coffeehouse could withstand just anything, i doubt it will survive two angry&wet Lawhinies..." He stood up... --- The Evil Persona decided that it had better to lay low for a some time, "to lure them into false sense of security". In reality, it has to get rid of the migraine and figure out, what went wrong with the scrying mirror. His most beloved model, by that! These persistent defenders of love and peace were to pay for this too! Aivars --- Suddenly, Ms. Lait and the other islander levitated up and away from each other (and any innocent bystanders). However, since both were madder than a wet hen (*snicker*), it took them a few minutes to notice. "That's ENOUGH!" Kuwani roared. "What's going on here?" demanded Chipper. Kat --- And in the shadows. . . Monday, 16-Oct-00 21:33:58 [...unWARP!!!] Good evening. ************* Just moments after he caught Bunnie's scent, the Jaguar noticed the two Luhwanies bickering with each other. He was about to dismiss that, but remembering that somewhere near the first Luhwani was the Tremendously Evil Presence, he decided to continue watching before going with Bunnie. Naturally, he was quite as shocked as everyone else was when the mirrors exploded, and right at that moment, the TEP vanished. Quite intrigued, he decided to warp closer to investigate, just close enough to try to sense any more evil, but still in the shadows so to avoid the insipidness of the islanders. There was no TEP anywhere, just insipidness. "That's ENOUGH!" Kuwani roared. "What's going on here?" demanded Chipper. Both islanders were now floating in the air, courtesy of the Tari and the Jedi. This looked like a job for the Onça, well, a response, at least. [UNWARP!!!] He did so between Kuwani and Chipper, and explained, "Whatever happened, it had to do with those mirrors. I don't know if either of you detected it, but I sensed a Tremendously Evil Presence coming from Luwhani. Now, I know something was wrong right there, because while I know that both of these Islanders are evil, they're not as evil as I sensed just now. The TEP vanished the moment the mirrors exploded. Um, I don't know if you can sense anything more specific coming from that thing?" As Chipper and Kuwani looked down at the mirror, The J.A.M. turned and saw HER. "Um. . . .Good evening, Bunnie. . . .what brings *you* here?" The Lagomorph began to blush. . . * * * * * * * Somewhere in another dimension, the TEP was alerted. "Yes, YES!!! The last couple is FINALLY reunited!! How foolish of them to gather all their eggs in one basket!!! Now I can proceed with my plan, A HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!" ************* Until next time, remember: I AM THE J.A.M. Good evening. [WARP!!!] The J.A.M. --- Typical coffeehouse rambling - Monday, 16-Oct-00 23:38:10 - grunted Jack with some humor... "No, I'm serious!" Attic Rat contested hotly, "This kind of stuff keeps happening around here, and I've figured out the reason!" "Coffee!!?" "Why not? Caffeine makes people react more strongly to all sorts of things! Why, just last week, I snuck up behind that skunk waitress and yelled 'BOO!' after she'd had three espressos..." "Tell me what happened, all of it!" The two were so engrossed in Attic Rat's proof of a link between coffee, MFP's and TEP's, that they failed to notice much of the action. Floating mice, telekinetic tari and least of all, a face peering out from the shimmering depths of Kuwani's beverage. "I see... I have some competition," the evil presence mused darkly... Karl --- Back at the base one Aivars sighted in relief, seeing Lavainee and Lawhinie getting separated. "At least i won't need to step in between them," he thought, turning back to the table, he was enjoying cofe and company of Kat. "Things definitely had to settle down," he thought... Aivars --- Strider finally snapped out of his euphoric daze, and took a quick look around his surroundings. He saw: two different versions of the same mouse (Lawhiney and Lawainee Lait) floating in mid-air; Jack and AtticRat discussing something over coffee ('at least I hope it's coffee,' he thought); Bunnie and J.A.M. talking; two smashed mirrors; Team Rocket sitting quietly and watching the chaos unfold; the Tenchi gang (with the extremely lovely, yet semi-airheaded Galaxy Police officer Mihoshi ^_^) off in their own world; Leviathan and Widget Bernouli enjoying their pizza; Chipper and Kuwani surrounded by a group of Rangerphiles and fictives alike; and Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu sitting at the bar. Usagi Tsukino, AKA "Sailor Moon", was nowhere to be found. And Grace was still helping Widget and Leviathan feel a little less nervous. Suddenly, he looked around the Coffeehouse. J.A.M. and Bunnie. Jesse and James. Chipper and Kuwani. Leviathan and Widget. Tenchi and...someone. :) And even himself, after that blast of Magical Female Powers[tm]. 'Whatever this evil force is going to do to destroy love, he's got plenty of targets,' Strider thought. 'Four different couples, Tenchi's situation, and even me. Unless...' "Everyone, listen up!" Triple-S shouted. "Whoever or whatever is trying to destroy love, he's gonna try to take us all down!" "WHAT?!?" the entire Coffeehouse shouted (making Strider glad he had put in earplugs just after that blast of MFP, so he wouldn't be distracted). "We have four couples, Tenchi and Co., and myself, thanks to the ladies," the young man stated. "Any of us would be a prime target, and if just one of us went, the rest of us would fall in due time. We have to be on our guard now, or we'll never love again!" ***** "CURSES!" the Evil Persona shouted. (Oh, and until his identity is revealed, I will call the TEP "Persona".) "He...he figured it out!" With a wave of his hand, he opened a portal. "That...is IT!! If I cannot hire competent lackeys to do the job, or trick one of them into doing it, then there is no other alternative...I will do it MYSELF!!!" And "Persona" stepped through the portal, which dropped him right at the front door of the Coffeehouse. "First, I will destroy Strider. Then I will rid the world of love by destroying his creation! And then, I will RULE THE WORLD!!! BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!!" ***** "Wait a minute...what was that, guys?" Strider exclaimed. ====== "Quote the Strider...forevermore." Triple-S --- Alert. . .alert. . .alert. . .alert. . .alert. . . Friday, 20-Oct-00 23:04:40 [...unWARP!!!] Good evening. ************ Instinctively, the Jaguar's back fur stood on end. "It's here!!" he hissed. "The Tremendously Evil Presence is here!!" Slowly, he, turned his attention from the shattered mirrors toward the door. Also sensing the source, Kuwani and Chipper turned as well. "Well, Bunnie, looks like our sketch session with Kat's going to have to wait," said Knuckles. "You came here to see Kat?" asked The J.A.M., still looking at the door. "Yes. She wasn't at her lair, so we came here. Of course, Ah don't mind the company." The Panther thought a moment, and said, "I have an idea. If the couples would move apart for a moment, it might make it more difficult for the TEP to attack. Bunnie, go ahead and go with Kat. I'll warp and remain a moving target. The rest of you, be on your maximum guard!!" [WARP!!!] And the Onça was gone from sight ************ Until next time, remember: I AM THE J.A.M. Good evening. [WARP!!!] The J.A.M. --- Nudge - nudge - wink - wink... Saturday, 21-Oct-00 00:15:36 "I've got an idea!" Jack drawled with a mischievous grin, "Let's each pair up with a partner we don't especially care for, and pretend like we're in love." He winked at the ladies. "If Mr. TEP decides to make us hate each other, the play acting might keep 'im occupied while whoever can sneak up on the feller, does that little thing." He paused. "Meanwhile, Bedivere ol' buddy, you got any more of those peppers?" Karl --- Re: Nudge - nudge - wink - wink... Aivars looked at Jack with a worried expression on his face and tehn changed directions, dropping Kat a 'sorry' look. "Excuse me, my friend, but i think, your advice is wrong. And before you jump at me, i'll tell you, why." He looked at the Strider and Jaguar as well. "What this Evil Persona wants - to separate the lovers. You all suggested just so to do likevise. Dont you see, that if they follow your advice, this Evil persona has near won already - with our own hands?" He pulled in air. "I suggest that these that are here without teh pair, be ready to fight and to help those who have found their love. Right?" Aivars --- And then, everyone stiffened as the door slowly opened. . . The J.A.M. --- Moving quickly to the hinge side of the door.. Wednesday, 25-Oct-00 01:16:18 "So it was a bad idea, whaddo I know 'bout love anyway?" Jack muttered as he positioned himself to attack whoever might be entering the room. His plan had been to make himself (not in love at the moment) a falsely high-priority target for the TEP, allowing the more powerful or magical Rangerphiles a shot at the Presence while it was occupied destroying him. Jack knew from long experience just how much damage he could absorb and remain standing, and it was an impressive amount. He hoped his new cartoon body-armor was up to Doom standards... Jack, the Ex-Doom Marine --- Puzzlement. Friday, 27-Oct-00 Aivars was a bit vary, when the door started to open. He had vitnessed last attemt to take Coffeehouse by force, and to say the truth, didn't want tto meet any more of possible invaders. The fact, he had watched "Turtle Ninjas II" recently, didnt help the least, him imagining the overgrown versions of monsters charging in. He saw the Marine taking position near doors, and te others tensing up. In back, there were two soft crashes, as someone removed levitation spell from two Hawaiian mice forgetting to lover them beforehand. The door now was wide open... Aivars --- Suddenly. . . Monday, 30-Oct-00 23:00:04 [...unWARP!!!] Good evening. ************* Everything went in slow motion. The TEP saw Stryder. Stryder saw the TEP. The TEP raised both hands and aimed at Stryder. Both hands crackld with Hate Energy. [UNWARP!!!] The Jaguar suddenly appeared in front of the TEP, and he shoved its arms up. The shot went wild. Actually, no. It just went through the roof. With the reflexes a feline is born with, the Onça smashed a powerful uppercut on the TEP's chin, sending it staggering out the door. The TEP, however, had incredible powers of recovery, and now focused on the feline in front of him. All of the sudden. . . ************* Until next time, remember: I AM THE J.A.M. Good evening. [WARP!!!] The J.A.M. --- All of the sudden... Tuesday, 31-Oct-00 ...Bunnie shouted, "Hey! Tall, dark and creepy! Over here!" the cyborg rabbit turned sideways and continued, "Here's your target--right here!" she taunted while pointing to her tail. The cloaked creep snarled and dashed toward her when Kat appeared above him, locked her legs around its neck (or where a neck should be), and used the evil one's head as a punching bag. The Evil Presense disolved into a dark cloud and then re-formed, thus forcing Kat to teleport away to avoid kissing the floor. However, after the Evil Presense became solid again, Chipper used the Force to yank off the black cloak to reveal... (c'mon guys, surprise me ;D) Kat --- Revealing...!!! Wednesday, 01-Nov-00 00:04:03 "You!???" Gasped most of the group, more or less simultaneously (except for Jack. He was attempting to bind TEP's arms behind it's back with a lamp cord. Being a new Coffeehouse dweller, he hadn't recognized TEP's face.) "I thought you'd left us forever! After w-what they did to your fanfic (and it was an improvement, but I won't say that just now) you stormed out saying you'd never come back!" Attic Rat stuttered in amazement. "I must destroy all love in the Rangerphile universe, and some day I will!" Was TEP's only snarled reply. "Because you couldn't -write- a believable love story if your worthless life depended on it!" Kuwani muttered under her breath, unheard by the group. Karl --- Recognition Wednesday, 01-Nov-00 02:25:23 "Wow, i just said it as joke," Aivars gasped, looking at the prisoner. Somehow, even with Doom Marine sitting on it's back, and JediChipmunk holding it with force, he felt uneasy, like any moment TEP would just shrug the capturers off and rise again like a phoenix from the ashes. The worst, he couldn't bring himself to hate the TEP, despite all the wrongs it had done, because, in his heart he felt that just a slightly different fall of dice of fate, and it as well could turned out be him standing - ok lying - in place of TEP. "Why?" he just asked. Aivars --- to be continued...