Opening Night: the Humans

[Kat and Bunnie are playing Mortal Kombat (Sega Genesis version).  
Not much of the screen can be seen because the girls are kinda blocking 
the view, but we can see enough to conclude that Bunnie is playing Sonya 
and Kat is using Raiden. ] 

"Eeeeeww!  Why'd ya go an' do -that- for?" asks Bunnie in a disgusted tone.
"Hey, you know darned well that everytime you jump at me like that I'll 
nail you with an uppercut!" teases Kat.
Raiden throws a lightning bolt and Shang T’Sung’s voice proclaims “Finish her!”.  
The screen darkens and we hear Raiden shock Sonya.
“Okay, Kat.  It was cute th’ first time yuh did it--but 5 times in a row!?”
asks the Mobian hare in an annoyed tone.
“Well, if you’d win more often, you could do one on me.  Besides, you’re 
the one who broke the Sega last time.” rationalizes Kat
(see “A Show of Farce”.)
“Why don’t be play somethin’ else, then?” Bunnie suggests as she holds up 
the Sonic 2 cartridge.
“We would, but Nightcrawler, Gambit, and Psycoke are coming over for poker 
night.” declares Kat.  “You’re welcome to join us.”
Bunnie remembers who the people in question are & what they’re like in a 
card game.  “Um, no thanks Kat.  Ah need t' get back to Mobius, anyway.”
Kat shrugs. “Your loss, Bunnie.  Oh, and next time you come over, could 
you bring Sonic along?”
Bunnie giggles. “Ah don’t think Sally would like that idea.”
Kat winks.  “Who said anything about telling Sal?”  They both laugh.
Bunnie walks toward Kat’s workshop (and the arch).  She turns around and 
waves.  “Bye, Kat!”
Kat waves back.  “Later, Bunnie!”  
The window to the Marvel Universe opens.  Nightcrawler, Gambit, and 
Psycoke slide through it.
Gambit pulls out a deck of cards from a pocket in his trenchcoat.  
“Ready to play, cherie?”
Kat gestures toward a table & 4 chairs.  “Certainly.  And, Remy, don’t 
call me Cher--I don’t look a thing like her.”
Psycoke and Nightcrawler smirk while they sit down at the table.  
“Thank goodness for that.” Comments Nightcrawler.  
Kat and Remy take their seats.  “Darn straight, Kurt!” declares Kat.
“Dat’s no’ what I meant an’ you know it.” Remy replies and uses his 
charming grin.
“That grin doesn’t work with us, Remy.  We know what a rascal -you- are.” 
comments Psycoke.
“Guys against frauliens?” suggests Kurt.
“Sure.” replies Kat.  “But which game? You can't play poker like that.  
Hmm.  Hey, does everyone know how to play ‘Shanghai’? ”

Sometime later... (I won’t bore you with the details of their game)

“T’ree runs?” inquires Remy.
“Yeah,” replies Kat. “This is the last hand.”  Kat discards a 10 of clubs.
“I’ll buy dat.” says Remy.
“You want it, Kurt?” asks Kat.
“Danke, but no.” replies Kurt, who is sitting to Kat’s left--thus getting 
first chance at Kat’s discards, but last chance at Psycoke’s”
“I can’t use it.” declares Psycoke.
Remy picks up the 10 and draws a card to go with it.  Then Psycoke draws. 
 She lays down ace through 10 of diamonds, 7 through 4 of clubs, and king 
through 10 of hearts.  She discards a 4 of hearts and has one card 
remaining in her hand.
“Whew!  I’m glad you didn’t go out!” the other three players respond 
simultaneously.
“Ach!  There was the jack I needed!” declares the fuzzy, blue mutant.
“Heh.  Doesn’t look good for your side, Remy.” comments Kat.
The cajun draws and smiles.
“Uh, oh!  I think he’s going to go down!” declares Psycoke.
“Uh, oh!  I think he’s going to go -out-!” exclaims Kat.
Remy lays down ace through jack of clubs, 10 through 6 of clubs, and 6 
through 2 of hearts.  (No, Gambit wasn’t cheating--Shanghai is played 
with -2- decks when there are 4 players.)  He had two wild cards (the 2 
of clubs and a joker) taking the place of the king of clubs and a 5 of 
hearts.  Finally, Gambit discards the last card in his hand--an ace of 
hearts.  “Out.” he says with a big grin.   Kat and Kurt groan.
“Gambit, mein fruend, look what I got caught with!” declares Kurt as he 
holds up a couple of aces, kings, and queens.
“Ha!  It’s a good thing I decided to go with the low cards this hand!” 
exclaims Kat.
As they count the cards and calculate the final scores, a young human 
walks into the main room.  He is wearing blue jeans and a jacket with
“A.I.A.” on the sleeve.  If you’ve read “Extended Vacation”, you might 
recognize him as Jason Briggs--the 14 year-old A.I.A. agent who had an 
unusual encounter with the Rescue Rangers.
“Hey, Kat!” he greets the Lair’s owner.
“Hiya, Jason!” Kat returns the greeting.  “What brings you to the Lair?”
“I’m on my way to the Coffeehouse.  It -is- opening night.” he explained.
“I know.  Kuwani left earlier.” replied Kat.
“When are you coming?” Jason asked.
“Er, I’m not.” states Kat.
“Why not?” inquires the A.I.A. agent.
“Aw, it doesn’t seem right.  I’m not from a Rescue Rangers universe.  
Besides, I don’t know many of the fics who will be there.” explains Kat.
“Aw, c’mon, Kat!  Those are lame excuses.  If you don’t come, I’ll be the 
only human there!” Jason gripes.
“But my friends and I were having a nice game...” Kat begins to explain.
“Opening night sounds like fun, Kat.” interrupts Psycoke.
“Yeah, but...” Kat tries to reply.
“Your friends appeared in a CDRR fic, right?” asks Jason.
“Yeah, -technically- they did but...” Kat tries to answer.
“So you can bring them, too--if they want to come.” Jason declares.
“I dunno...” Kat comments.
“Vas?  -Us-, miss a party?  For shame!” teases Nightcrawler.
“Did somebody say ‘party’?” asks Gambit, knowing quite well somebody had.
Kat sighs.  “Okay, but I’ll check with TPL to see if it’s alright first.”  
She sits down in front of her computer and clicks on an icon.  Everybody 
comes up behind her and looks over her shoulders.
“What?  Can’t I read my e-mail in peace?” grumbles Kat.
“No.” the guys answer simultaneously.
Kat groans and looks at the screen.  “Hmm.  Looks like TPL just sent me 
something.”  Kat clicks on some text.
Kat reads the message aloud. “Turn on the cam.” 
Psycoke turns on the cam and the VID window pops up on the monitor.  
It shows TPL, who is currently in  human form. “It’s about time!” his 
image gripes, “What’s keeping you, Kat?”
Point Of View changes to TPL’s control room.  We see Kat, Psycoke and Kurt 
on one of the screens.  TPL is sitting in front of it.
“Oh, we were just finishing a game of Shanghai.” declares Kat.  
Psycoke & Kurt wave.
“Well, people have been asking about you.  You’ve already missed half of 
the show.  At this rate, you’ll miss the fireworks, too.” rants the energy- 
based being.
POV changes back to Kat’s Lair.
“Alright.  We’re coming--right guys?”
“Too right!” Kurt, Remy, and Psycoke reply.
“Great!  See you soon!” TPL says, cheerfully.  Then the VID window closes.
Kat shuts down her computer.  Everybody else is waiting near the silver
arch in the workshop.
"Hurry up, Kat!" says Psycoke.
"I -am-!" replies Kat.
Kat enters the workshop. She puts her hand on the parm-pad and activates 
the arch.  Static forms inside the arch and then clears into a view of the
Ranger Coffeehouse.
--------------------

VID ==> Video Image Display