"The Big Date" Part VII Monday, 27-Nov-00 11:42:17 (To all participating writers: I would like to finish this up by Christmas-- or my next break--and thus, I am laying the groundwork for a conclusion. And I promise to add to the story more than I have in the past--starting with this portion. Now, on with the show!) ----- *So far...* The Evil Force exited Aivars, and was now looking for a new target. Strider himself seemed appropriate enough. Widget and Leviathan, meanwhile, were still having a great time on their date. And Man-Child had finally found someone to cheer him up--Palmon, from "Digimon". Plus, some "kart races" had just started up at the Coffeehouse. And since the Evil Force assumed that betting would be involved--and betting involved corruption--he set out to the Kart Races. But what of Strider, Man-Child, the dating duo...and the long-forgotten Pokemon gang? ----- Strider sat at his table, looking out at the Coffeehouse. He pondered his next move in quiet though. The Evil Force was definitely looking for vengeance in some way; after that, he would still try to ruin Widget and Leviathan's date and, in turn, all love in the Coffeehouse. Suddenly he had an idea. "I know just what'll stop that maniacal Evil Force. He knows I exist... but what about...oh, Sa-age?" A interdimensional rip in the fabric of time opened up, and a figure stepped out before it closed. The being was an anthropomorphic wolf, with grey fur and brown hair. He wore glasses, a red t-shirt, and jeans. He was built much like Strider himself, minus of course the wolf-ish features (long tail included). "Yeah, whaddya want?" the wolf said as he sat down next to Strider. ----- "Who is *this*?" the Evil Force screamed, unheard by anyone else for the fact that he was invisible to anyone he was not currently possessing. "I don't know who this is...and unless I get some info on him, he could put a dent in my plan!" ----- "...and that's our problem. I don't know if you can do anything about it, but it would make me feel better if you stuck around." Strider smiled as he laughed inwardly, knowing he'd just outsmarted his foe. With Sage Freehaven around, there was a wild card that the Evil Force couldn't counter. And that only made Strider feel better. "So, who's who around here?" Sage asked, wiping his glasses with a nearby napkin. "Lessee...well, that's the Pokemon gang--I'm sure you know them..." "Right--Ash, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, and the 'Triple Non-Threat', Team Rocket. Next?" "There's the Tenchi group--with Sakuya, too. Over there at the bar is the Enduring Man-Child, Attic Rat, Dyglo, Jack, and...some female rat." "No name yet?" Sage asked. "Nope. There's Chipper, Kuwani, and Kat...and just behind them is Aivars, Lawhinie, and Lawainee." "But--" "I'll explain later," Strider interrupted. "The J.A.M. is around here somewhere, as is Chip, Dale, Monterey Jack, Zipper, and the lovely Gadget Hackwrench. Grace Gigabyte is currently helping our two daters, Widget Bernoulli and Leviathan Walker. And I believe that's everybody." "Good. I look forward to meeting everybody. I hope they like me," Sage said, sounding a bit cautious. "Well, looks like you'll get a good start. Hiya, Kat!" ----- Jesse sighed. James sighed. The rest of the Pokemon gang sighed. "When do we get back into the story, guys?" Ash asked. ----- [And now, a note from the author.] Now...you're probably all wondering just who Sage Freehaven is. Well, I really couldn't tell you--just go to the site listed here: http://tassmoj.ctrl-c.liu.se/vcl/Artists/Stephen-T.-Stone/index-by-date.html This should give you your answers. Thank you, and to quote Mick Foley, "Have a nice day!" ----- "Quote the Strider, forevermore." Triple-S ------ "Hiya, Strider! What's up?" she replied. Bleh...couldn't get that site to load, so I'm flyin' blind here --- "I want you to meet a friend I invited." Strider gestured toward the wolf. "This is Sage Freehaven." Kat grinned. "Well met, Sage. Any friend of Strider's is okay by me." the cat-earred human held out her hand in greeting. The wolf responded by gently shaking her hand and saying, "Likewise." Kat looked at both of them for a moment. "Hey, you two bear quite a striking resemblance to each other." she noted out loud. Sage laughed. "Gee, I wonder why..." Strider grinned. "You noticed, huh." "Yup. 'Freehaven', eh? Ever been to Enroth?" "Where?" asked Sage. "Heh. Guess not. There's a town called Free Haven in Enroth." she explained. Sage gave her a blank stare. "My Writer has been playing Might & Magic 6." she clarified and then grinned mischeviously. Kat ------ All-righty, then. "So, anyway, I told Sage about our troubles here, and he's glad to help out in any way possible," Strider explained. "Besides, he can't possibly be controlled by the Evil Force, and will always be on our side." "That's good to know," Kat replied. "And I'm glad to finally be introduced to all of you here. I hope you'll like me," Sage said cheerily. ----- "Drat. Now with that...wolf here, how am I gonna get to Strider?" the Evil Force asked itself. ----- Oh, here's another link to my Sage art: http://velar.furry.org.au/vcl/Artists/Stephen-T.-Stone/Sage_Freehaven/index.html "Quote the Strider, forevermore." Triple-S --- An exellent plan - that may succeed... - I need a distraction, - EP thought out, while considering his options. not much had been left out to be tried - and one look at the pair that was on teh date, made EP into very interesting shade of green. - i better do something, and quickly! - EP shuddered. One thing it couldnt stand was some people in to deep love. ---- Meanwhie, Aivars had managed to escape two Lawainiees arguing about their plans in his future, had hid into far corner of room behind some greens and thought out, what to do now. "Have some plans?" cheery voice asked from his left side. Aivars near felt down from the chair. "Bet you didnt include us into them?" similar voice answered from the right side. Aivars sighted. It looked, these duo wont left him in peace. "Now lets talk about what Alex blurted out," Lavainee Lait on the right side smiled, while her hand caught Aivars' elbow into steel grip. "About the story, you havent yet finished in a ten years," her doppelganger did similarly on the other side. "And about some plans to... get rid of me..." Lait shuddered, then flashed her smile. Aivars thought, he had overdid a bit on the her intelect and vilainous, but nothing he could think could help him now. He tossed a pleading look to Alex, but the mouse gentleman just shrugged shoulders, like saying - sorry, pal, you on your own... - i just want to get out of this situation, - Aivars thought. ---- - Yes! - the EP grinned. - You just have to say the right words, and there i come! The more, nobody probably would suspect him trying same trick twice! ---- Two lavainies felt a slight breeze passing over them. "Oh, dear, i sure didnt plan to kill you," Aivars (or bettrer to say - TEP now) smiled back. "Who gave you such an idea. To kill my most favourite personage?" It seemed, TEP had learned one of lessons, every Cafee members had learned - newer annoy Lawhinie or her doubles. Ever. "In fact, the ending will be even more about you, that about the Gadget, and then there will be sequel, the one named "Time flows backward", where you will have the sole main female role!" "Sure?" Lait sounded unsure. Her writer had newer expressed big love to her. Yes, he had wrote much, but to say she enjoyed staring with the hand in cast, or to run from a hungry cat... wont be exactly trye. "So, why dont we left this crowded room, find some quiter place and there discuss our plans?" actually, TEP already had plans - and that was get The trio od two mice and man close to teh pair of lovers, and then set up another explosion. knowing the Lavainies sore point, it should be as easy as to take candy from a kid. Well, TEP had never got chance to do so, but he had heard, its easy to do and its the worst a trye evil persona can do. Nothing much could be worse. The trio carefully maneuvered around the room, carefully staying away from the wew arrived wolf, and some of the others that had previousley sensed TEP's presence. Aivars --- It was quiet... Too quiet. For the moment, things were almost normal. Jack was disturbed at this, being an ex-Doom game sprite marine. Normal wasn't, well, normal, as far as he was concerned. The Enduring Man-Child was beaming happily, industriously scribbling, erasing, and rewriting on a yellow "legal" pad. The Lawhinies weren't causing trouble any more (He, being a single male, was relieved at that. They had been, for a few moments, virtual avatars of Cupid - or at least cupidity!) and as far as he could tell, the date was going on as planned. Even that dim feeling of hovering evil had vanished. Wait a sec... Maybe that's it. Jack began wandering around, looking for anything out of place. Anyone or anything missing... Karl --- During the lull in the action: Attic Rat, seated on the floor and still a bit woozy from shock, looked up at the Nameless Rat Girl. "Welcome back," she smiled. "Whoa, head-rush!" "I'll take that as a compliment." "Heh, uhm... have you ever wanted something so much that it scared you? That you had to put it out of your mind to keep it from tearing you up?" "I was created only a few days ago, but keep talking. This sounds good." "It is, I hope." He paused, then,"I'm not real sure what love is supposed to feel like, but I think I love you." Inside, she was dancing, pumping her fist in the air and shouting "YES!!" but to anyone watching her, she seemed quite calm. "It's about time you figured that out, but.." She gently pressed the end of his nose and said "BEEP!", then, "This is your wake-up call, Mr. Attic Rat! What are you going to name me? I was created at you request, remember?" "I could name you after part of a roof, as I was." "None of the words that come to mind sound very nice.." She replied, "Joist, truss, shingles (ewww..)" "How about 'Eave'?" "Then we'd be... oh, that's awful! Attic and Eave!?" "Hey, it's better than 'Erma', as in 'Erma Rat'" "Yes, you are!" "Indeed, and proud of it!" "OK, that's settled then. I'm Eave Rat!" The Tremendously Evil Presence winced, "More of that love stuff! I'd better hurry." Karl --- Strike [...unWARP!!!] Good evening. ************ Strider and Sage were sitting by themselves- [UNWARP!!!] "Good evening." The Wolf nearly jumped out of his chair. "Huh? What?" "Sorry. I thought it was time I introduced myself properly. I AM THE J.A.M." "Oh, well, pleased to meet you, J.A.M." "Same here. I really don't have much to add to this since I know as much as the rest of you, except that I can more or less sense where the TEP is moving, thought right now I think it's lying low somewhere, but still inside the Café. Oh, and this is my -very- close friend, Bunnie Rabbot." The Luppine and the Lagomorph shook paws. "Ah'm glad yew're heyer to help us. This TEP thin' is out to deestroy all the love in the universe!" "Well, don't you worry, Miss. With several of you being able to sense that thing, and with there being plenty of love in the air, we'll have this thing defeate-" KAZAP!!! The Jaguar dropped to the floor, on his face, with a smoldering hole on the back of his shirt. "J.A.M.!!!!!!!!!!!" screamed Bunny. *** "These fools should know better than to leave loaded weapons around," said the TEP to itself. "After all, someone might come along who can bypass all their security measures, take one blaster, and knock out one of the creatures who can detect my presence. Silly Jaguar, you're not the only one who can sneak around. And thanks for 'teaching' me the ways of stealth!!" The TEP paused for a moment, and then continued, "Drat. He's not dead. His heart must have been on the other side. No matter. Now to get that Jedi and Tari. . ." *** ************ Until next time, remember: I AM THE J.A.M. Good evening. [WARP!!!] The J.A.M. --- Aftermath of the strike Monday, 04-Dec-00 09:28:48 "Oh, no...Sage, go find Gadget and the Rangers, and tell them we need medics out here immediately!" Strider yelled. "No problem." Sage started to go towards the back room, but then spotted something out of the corner of his eye. "Uh, guys...should Aivars have a high-powered blaster in his hands, or is it just me?" ----- "Quote the Strider, forevermore." Triple-S --- Re: Aftermath of the strike Monday, 04-Dec-00 12:08:31 "Oh no!" Aivars shouted. Unfortunately, ony one capable to hear him was the TEP, and IT didn't care. TEP calmy turned the barrel, picking the next target. The newcomer, who was pointing at him, just begged for being shot, and TEP pressed the c--- of the blaster, this time aiming for head. 'Thank you for the time, you spent into your army training,' TEP said. Aivars couldn't see, but he was 100% sure, TEP was grinning. 'As well as the time you spent playing FPS games instead of writing...' 'Just let me get hands on you...' Aivars promised. 'I'll show you what else i learned...' The barrel smoothly moved to the next target, TEP not even checking if he had hit the wolf, as he was lining sights on Kat, leaving Kuwani and Jedimunk as the last ones in the sweep. 'NOOO!' Aivars shouted. He fought for a control over his body, and just for a moment he got it back. The shot went over the heads, shattering one of the ceiling lamps. 'That wont help you much...' TEP cursed. 'You wrong,' Aivars answered. 'It did all that was necessery...' Next moment TEP found himself struggling to keep Aivars from regaining control. There also were shouts from every side, and TEP saw several Cafee members charging at him-aivars. 'Okay, im leaving,' he grinned. Next moment the grin wanished. 'WHAT?' he roared in anger. 'You wont. Not this time...' Aivars gritted throught the teeth. 'I'll take off your mask... even if its last thing i do... And i take you with me if i go down...' Aivars --- The ceiling lamp above Kat shattered. The noise startled the cat-earred human into teleporting instinctively. Several patrons gasped, and those nearest to the lamp scattered to avoid falling glass. Kat re-appeared on top of the bar and frantically searched for her assailant. She saw Aivars holding a blaster. "Crud!" she exclaimed. "Aivars has been possesed again!" Kat teleported the blaster away as several Coffeehouse patrons rushed the Writer. "He didn't have a blaster when he came in here--so where'd it come from?" Kat thought. Kat --- Down for the count Monday, 04-Dec-00 21:17:21 [...unWARP!!!] Good evening. ************* "J.A.M., Sugah, speak to me!!" pleaded the Cyborg-Lagomorph. As the staff of Sickbay rushed to the scene, the Jaguar suddenly jerked and opened his eyes. "Confound------it-----that's the THIRD------shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh----------" "Sh, quiet, Hun, let the doct'r's help yew!" The medics were lifting him on a stretcher, and as they did, Leviathan rushed up and said, "Don't worry, Bunny, The J.A.M.'s tougher than he seems. After all, he's endured electric shocks, out-of-control warps, explosions, dragon attacks, sonic booms, and being dragged across the surface of a lake at 600 miles per hour! One shot in the wrong place can't do him in, not by the least!!" "WHAT??!! When did all that happ'n to him??!!" Leviathan got confused for a moment. "You mean he hasn't told you yet what everyone did in order to find the Dragon Balls and bring me back?" Before Bunnie could reply, the Panther stirred. He saw everyone rushing toward Aviars, who was still controlled by the TEP. He sat up and growled, "Miserable PEDAZO DE---" [wwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaa--------] [THUD] His warp was disabled, and he was on the floor again. . . ************* Until next time, remember: I AM THE J.A.M. Good evening. [WARP!!!] The J.A.M. --- "Why am I under the bar?" Monday, 04-Dec-00 23:27:13 Jack had instinctively thrown himself behind the nearest cover when the sound and flash of the blaster had filled the room. He looked up just as the crowd landed on Aivars. Nearby was a medical team with a cyborg bunny, working over THE J.A.M. "Crud, one of our best fighters was hit!" He had seen, or received, about every sort of injury a body could survive, during his stint in Doom. He looked over the feline's injury, and sighed in relief. "It was set to the default medium beamwidth, designed to wound while saving battery power." No few looks tuned his way seemed to ask the inevitable question, "why default to wound?" so he went on to explain. "In a battle, a wounded soldier has to be rescued by his buddies. That means they're doing that instead of shooting at you." Karl --- "Dont hit on the head" Wednesday, 06-Dec-00 12:22:13 "Whatever is up there, dont let anyone hit me on head," was a single thought in Aivars' mind that wasn't at the moment about how to hold TEP down and prevent him from getting away... He as thry the mist saw Kat teleporting blaster away from their hands, they shared with TEP, and felt short moment of gratitude. At least, he no more needed to worry about stray blasts hitting someone. Next moment he was under pile of several Cafee patrons, screaming "Hold him down!" "At least, they suspect im again victim of TEP..." was a quick thought... Aivars ------ ------ The Big Date--Possible Conclusion Monday, 11-Dec-00 16:41:09 With apologies to "Strider" Stephen T. Stone. If you don't like this post, just ignore it! Leviathan's and Widget's date had not turned out quite as its participants had anticipated. Instead the love present had acted as a magnet for a Totally Evil Presence who desired the destruction of all love. He had attempted to destroy various Rangerphiles and characters and had even possessed a couple. Now his patience had worn out. He would destroy them all!!! "Puny ones!" the Being cried out in a rage as it became visible and showed itself for the first time. It wore a flowing black cape and was hidden behind a dark mask. The attention of everyone in the Coffeehouse was removed from wherever it had been before and was now riveted on the evil presence. "I am through playing games with you! I have attempted to destroy love through others but now I will destroy you all myself!" And the Being began to charge up in a blaze of unearthly energy. Everyone in the Coffeehouse began to prepare for the fight of their lives. Pikachu, Ryoko, and Princess Ayeka powered up. Serena slipped discreetly into a broom closet in order to transform into Sailor Moon. The J.A.M. prepared to warp the warp of his life. Biyomon and Palmon prepared to digivolve. No one was looking forward to this. They all wanted to avoid such a battle but knew that this insane power was determined to destroy all love even at the cost of its own existence. It was truly mad. But just at that moment, just as all seemed lost, suddenly Mrs. Brisby came and stood in their midst, the doors being shut, and spoke to them. "Nay. There shall be no destructive battle here today, nor loss of life or limb. For I have summoned help from a someone who will teach you, Mr. Totally Evil Presence, about the wonders of love." "Bah!" the Presence sneered in fury, "I have never been loved and never shall be. Who are you, Mouse, to interfere???" Instead of answering Mrs. Brisby beckoned to the ceiling with a forepaw and thereupon there descended, as it were an angel, a most lovely Creature. She was a young girl with what appeared to be a skateboarding helmet upon her lovely head, and most important of all, she was wearing GLASSES, the very symbol of faux approachability. It was none other than Yolei from "Digimon," and when she had descended to just above the Totally Evil Presence she opened wide her bespectacled eyes and GAZED upon him. Immedieately all rage, all anger, all resentment left the heretofore Totally Evil Presence, as he observed her beauty, her shyness, bookishness, intellecutality, and apparent (even if deceptive) vulnerability. Then in the voice of an angel she commanded "GAZEINTOMESPECS!!!!! The TEP had to obey! Don't you understand??? It could not resist!!!!!! [Hey, you try it some time!] The Formerly Totally Evil Presence was reduced to pure unadulterated mush. "I understand now!" it said in a calm, quiet, happy voice. "Now I know what it feels like to be loved (even if it is merely an illusion). Never again shall I attempt to destroy love, disrupt a relationship, or possess another character. Not now, after I have beheld this vision, which is worth the viewing even though one should be stricken blind at daring to behold such perfection! AND SHE'S WEARIN' GLASSES!!! TEE-HEE!!!!!" "SILENCE!" commanded the siren. "You cannot speak! You cannot utter a sound!" And sure enough, the TEP could not! (Scary, isn't it???) "Ven you a-VA-ken, you vill remember . . . NO-t'ing!" she commanded. "Now go . . . go and do not trouble lovers ever again! GO!!!" And the blissfully happy former TEP, with a silly smitten look upon its face, floated off to the ceiling where it faded out. "Well done, my daughter," Mrs. Brisby said to Yolei when the enemy had been disposed of, "but I have one more task for you. The entry of the Totally Evil Presence into our world was made possible by feelings of jealousy and resentment. Those feelings must now be healed." Then, pointing to The Enduring Man-Child (who had been entranced by this vision of loveliness from the moment she had appeared), "Go, my daughter," she said. The bespectacled "g*dess" nodded knowingly and floated over to just above Man-Child, who was already making funny noises. Then she opened her mouth and spake unto him, saying "Come thou unto mine bower, where the spirit of Lisa Loeb ruleth, that I and others of my kind may shower our affections upon thee, as rain is showered upon a dry and thirsty land thereanent. Do not dare not to dare! COME!!!" Thereupon the Bespectacled Beauty ascended towards the ceiling, followed by the now unconscious Man-Child (for he had fainted in ecstasy), his tongue lolling out further than a Likitung's and leaving behind a goodly amount of drool. Then they were gone! Mrs. Brisby looked about her in satisfaction at the now peaceful Coffeehouse and its patrons. "My job here is done," she said. "Never forget what has transpired here today! Remember! Remember!! REMEMBER!!!" And she was gone. Ryoko and Princess Ayeka both looked at Tenchi. Then they each took out there daybooks and wrote down "get eye appointment first thing monday morning!" And there was much rejoicing! The End! Well, maybe! "The Enduring Man-Child" --- Epilogos Monday, 11-Dec-00 23:15:23 [...unWARP!!!] Good evening. ************* At sickbay, The J.A.M. was being treated for his blaster wound. Bunnie didn't mind looking as the doctors worked, partly because she was looking once again at his bare back. "J.A.M., Sugah, that was mighty silly of ya to try to warp in yer condition!" "I know, I know," he replied, without looking up. "It's just that, for some reason, every time I visit this planet I lose a shirt. I had hoped that this time I would keep it since when I first encountered the TEP I was able to deflect its blast. Still, he got me, and he got my shirt, which REALLY got me ticked off. Perhaps you would feel the same if the same thing happened over and over to one of your bionic limbs, maybe. . ." The Lagomorph thought for a moment. "Well, I suppose you're right, Sugah. But the important thing is that yew were willin' to give it yer all to defeat the TEP, even in yer condition." "Hey, all the love in the universe was at stake. And you seemed pretty steamed up at that thing as well." Bunnie walked around and knelt so she was looking at his face. "We all wanted to save each other's love. And now the TEP is gone, and all love is safe. And now, J.A.M., Sugah, Ah hear that yew somehow survived an out-of-control warp, multiple electric shocks, and a collision with a lake? What was that all about?" "Well, that happened on my previous adventure here, to try to bring Leviathan back to life." "And why didn't yew tell me about all that?" she asked, a bit annoyed. "Um, I didn't want to worry you?" "J.A.M., Sugah, I know I hadn't been in contact 24/7, but I would like for yew to tell me these things. Ah care about yew, and even though everythin's already done, I would like to know what happened." "[sigh] Very well. It happens that I decided to volunteer to get the Ball of Wind. . . ." With that, the Panther and the Lagomorph began their own date, sort of, leaving Leviathan and Widget on their own, as they were safe now. There would be laughter, tears, and shock, as the Jaguar told the tale, but all of that was part of a lasting relationship. . . FIN *************** Until next time, remember: I AM THE J.A.M. Good evening. [WARP!!!] --- Y'kow what... Tuesday, 12-Dec-00 08:52:44 If anyone wants to add anymore to this, I'll post it as an "alternate" Part VIII or Conclusion. How about that? (*MY* Part VIII coming in a couple of hours...) "Quote the Strider, forevermore." Triple-S