Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 8 Chapter 4 Subject: Re: AAE 8: Film Splicing On Fri, 03 May 2002 01:30:11 -0700 Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00010859 >On Mon, 29 Apr 2002 23:40:32 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00010853 > > "All stations! Report!" > As anime "ordered babble" filled the air in the >Godphoenix,Dhyrclhanc could see outside the ship...MEGATRON?! > "Show no MERCY!" Megatron roared. > "Do we ever?" Starscream replied with evil glee. > "That vehicle has enough energon to power Cybertron for years! >Imagine what it could do in the hands of the Decepticons! Capture it >intact, but destroy all who oppose us!" > >/Uuuummm...honey?/ Morgan began, a bit too calmly. /I haven't watched >a lot of this stuff, but _those_ robots don't belong in _this_ >cartoon, do they?/ > > /No, they don't,/ Roland replied with equal faux calm. "Tiny, >Immelman, NOW!" Tiny obeyed, banking and pulling the classic aerial >stunt. Mark's fingers flew across the controls on the captain's >chair, and holoscreens popped up around him. Harlock was sitting in Derek Wildstar's quarters, learning about the Argo's mission and the problems they had had with the Gamilons, when the howl of a klaxon split the air. Derek jumped to his feet. "The GQ alarm! We're under attack!" Glancing at Harlock, he asked urgently "can you pilot a Black Tiger?" "I'm afraid not. All of my training was for ground assaults. We left the ship handling to the Navy. I should prefer to watch from a viewport, if you've no objections." > "Holes" were appearing in the space around them. Holes to the >Transformers universe, to Wacky Races, to the Looney-verse...and they >were increasing in number by the minute. > "Tiny-!" For a moment, the Godphoenix went from its '94 variation >to its classic '72 version, the "OAV"-clad characters reverting >costumes as well, as it passed through a hole into the '67 Spider-Man >cartoon. Peter looked up in surprise. > "Well _there's_ something you don't see every day, even if you >_are_ a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man," he quipped. As soon as the Bard managed to find a viewport, he looked out into a scene of chaos. Klingon Birds of Prey were battling giant, mechanized lions while various mecha squared off. One that particularly caught his eye was the sight of two virtually identical mecha shifting from robot to jet form and back over the course of their duel, only the purple insignia distinguishing one from the other. [Scorecards! Getcher scorecards here! Can't tell the players apart without a scorecard! Hmm. Looks like I'll have to try something I've been trying to avoid. I hope my lack of practice doesn't cause any problems.] *Morgan? Roland? Anyone? What's going on out there?* ----- Meanwhile, on the bridge of the Argo, Nova has been busy with her scanners. "Captain? Something odd has appeared on our scanners. It would appear to be the size of a planet, but it is moving toward us." {I am Unicron. I require your vessel.} "Captain, I don't think he's talking about transportation, somehow." "Ready the Wave Motion Cannon." ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Film Splicing On Fri, 3 May 2002 08:04:32 -0700 (PDT) Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00010860 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00010853 > >Morgan used the link to check in with the house computers. After a >few seconds of back-and-forth, she sent to the rest of the team, >/Joy. It seems that between our little adventurers running amok, and >us getting tossed hither and yon looking for them, the boundaries >between tooniverses have...weakened. I don't think we have to worry >about the tooniversal continuum itself; it's just doing what's either >funniest or most exciting. Meanwhile, be prepared for anything./ >Elsewhere, >Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00010848 > >/Looks like the Big Three are closer on the trail than the 'Buzz >Lightyear' universe is. I'll keep looking./ > >With that, Rob creates a wormhole and jumps in. [Hope I stay in the >tooniverse...] Which he does, taking a mad tour through The City, Tokyo-3, Tortuna, and a places from a dozen other universes, before landing in a run-down section of town. [Still animated, but I have no idea where this is.] Looking around, he sees the back of a sign, about the size of a "Welcome to" road sign, and walks to the other side to take a look. The sign is dented, has apparently been clipped by passing semis, and looks to have been used as a practice target for BB guns, but it still says "Welcome to Dakota" in large type. [Dakota? A -city- named Dakota?] Rob looks around for a moment, then begins walking toward the better portions of town. /I don't know where I am, but I'll see what I can dig up here.../ ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Film Splicing On Fri, 03 May 2002 14:41:59 -0700 Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00010861 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00010853 > > Another "hole" appeared in front of the ship, and it was back in >the Gatcha-verse, amalgamated back into the version Roland and Morgan >had found it in. > The only difference being, Morgan was no longer "in" Jun. She >looked like herself, albeit an "anime" version of herself, riding >Dhyrclhanc and wearing jade green armor. > > Roland, meanwhile, is still "Quantum Leaped" into Mark. Jun shakes >her head briefly, then examines her scanner. "I'm getting strange >readings all over the place!" > "Yeah, and some lady just appeared on the dragon." Jason paused. >"Nice armor, though." High above another "hole" appears. Only this one is large enough to swallow a planet. Which essentially it does, as Unicron "comes" through followed closely by Galvitron and HIS decepticon followers, and the Autobot defenders of Cybertron. Aurora left alone momentarily scans the tooniverse she is in and determining that the children are not there, follows. /*#"Optimus Primes, you and your autobots keep Galvitron's and Megatron's forces busy, I'll take Unicron for you."#*/ She tells the Autobot commanders. "Will you indeed?" responds Unicron as he transforms into a planet sized robot "standing" in space. /*#"Yes, indeed. For YOU I don't even need to take on my battle form."#*/ Aurora answers, as she expands, and shifts size to match the cosmic robot. She raises one arm before her, and a heater shield appears on it. She holds one hand out in Unicron's direction and a huge sword, fully three quarters of her current body length appears in it. /*{"En Guard."}*/ She tells Unicron as she shifts into a shield fighter's stance with shield in front, and her huge sword above and behind. "THIS is not your battle form?" Queries a puzzled and somewhat surprised Unicron. /*#"No. I don't bother to take on my most powerful shapes to fight vermin."#*/ She replies. {to be continued} ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Film Splicing On Tue, 7 May 2002 23:03:46 -0500 Martin and/or Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00010862 >Back on Fri, 3 May 2K2, Rob Nishakawa (aka Peter Eng) Said (and sister Suzie's sewing shirts for soldiers... ) >[Still animated, but I have no idea where this is.] Looking around, >he sees the back of a sign, about the size of a "Welcome to" road >sign, and walks to the other side to take a look. > >The sign is dented, has apparently been clipped by passing semis, and >looks to have been used as a practice target for BB guns, but it >still says "Welcome to Dakota" in large type. [Dakota? A -city- named >Dakota?] Rob looks around for a moment, then begins walking toward >the better portions of town. > >/I don't know where I am, but I'll see what I can dig up here.../ After he goes a little further into town, and as soon as he gets to secluded spot, a small-ished sized "wyrm-hole" opens slightly above him. Through which pokes everyone's favorite Dragon-Lensman's head and neck. Dhyrclhanc makes a great show of looking around and then pretends to finally see Rob. "Hiya Rob! Listen, I'll try to make this quick; I'm going to be needed elsewhere real soon now. You're in Dakota. This is a suburb of Gotham City in an era which roughly corresponds to about 50 to 100-years in the future. There are three people here who might be able to help us. Him {mental picture of a child's idea of a slim, simplified, C3PO-style humanoid robot}, he's Zeta and he's the least likely to be able to help us. Mostly 'cuz you'll never see him coming and he's got problems enough of his own. Now him {mental picture of a young African- American kid flying around on what looks like a trash-can lid and dressed in a costume that makes him look like some kind of demented bumble-bee}, that's Static, I don't know if he'll be able to help us 'cuz he's not always privy to the big picture but he's a better shot than ole' Zeta there. Him, on the other hand {mental picture of a young man in a costume that looks like some Japanese Manga Artist's idea on how to redesign a Batman suit}, he's the current era's Batman -- long story, don't ask -- if you can find _him_ then you've got the best chance of seeing if the twins are in this node of the Toon-iverse. Then again, if he's anywhere around here, chances are good _he_ might find _you_ first. Keep an eye out for a big black aerodyne that looks like a cross between the first movie's Batmobile and Rick Deckard's Cop Car. Whoops! Must Dash! C-ya!" Whereupon, Dhyrclhaanc pulls his head and neck back up through the "wyrm-hole", which promptly snaps shut with a "Pop", and leaving Rob feeling like he did after he saw "The Wizard of Speed and Time" for the first time and wondering how Dhyrclhanc could say all of that without taking a single breath. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Film Splicing On Mon, 13 May 2002 12:33:06 -0700 (PDT) Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00010863 >On Wed, 1 May 2002 07:55:46 -0700 (PDT) >Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00010856 > > /You've been hanging around Dean Washuu too long,/ Melissa >mused. > /Shhh, no telling the future, Mom. Our younger selves are still >active around the Place in this timeline, though not at the moment or >David wouldn't have called us./ /May I remind you both we still have a sky full of Decepticons to deal with?/ Walkabout forwards drily. /Right,/ Tink sends back. Her bubble of atmosphere moves over to meet with Walkabout's forcefield and a portion opens between the two. Mew passes through. /Mew, take over relaying for Walkabout, let's go kick some butt./ Tink said. Tink sent the teacup somewhere and shifted to a cross-legged position, hands in her lap. Her sphere moved to intercept the leader of the Decepticons while Melissa piloted Walkabout to take up a covering position behind her daugher. /{"Megatron, if you want that ship, you'll have to go through me first"}/ Tink sent out. Megatron smirked, {-Really?- I don't know how we come to be here, but that ship will help us defeat the Autobots. How you think you can stop the Decepticon Empire from taking it is beyond me, but if you wish to die, I can certainly provide that.} Megatron raised the black barrel of the fusion cannon that rested on his right arm and fired, brilliant pink energy flashing out of the barrel to strike at the young Time Lady. It never reached Tink's atmosphere bubble, an outer force sphere surged into the visible spectrum as it was struck. Tink's reply was instant, a phaser beam appeared just within that outer shield, lancing outward to strike the Decepticon leader. Megatron was thrown back, his chest smoking. (OOC: Toon Physics.) Megatron snarled, {Decepticons, destroy these two!} The group of F-15's surged forward, Starscream flanking Megatron, and suddenly the sky around Walkabout, Melissa, Tink and the Pokemon was full of weapons fire. To Be Continued... ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Film Splicing On Mon, 13 May 2002 20:19:53 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00010864 >On Wed, 1 May 2002 07:55:46 -0700 (PDT) >Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00010856 > >>On Mon, 29 Apr 2002 23:40:32 -0700 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00010853 > > As Mew and Porygon were also okay, Tink looked around only to >see Walkabout and Melissa appear. Melissa seemed to have a similar >experience, but Walkabout transformed beneath the twenty-five year >old Melissa, switching from motorcycle to some form of space-capable >cycle with built-in atmosphere forcefield. > /Hi, Aunt Morgan, Uncle Roland,/ both mother and daughter said >in unison, /Need a hand?/ /Depends,/ Roland sent as the Godphoenix whirled around like an E-ticket ride. /Got any inter-dimensional super-glue on you?/ >> The Godphoenix rocketed down, skimming the water and the island. >>Another squadron, attempting to mimic Tiny's expert piloting, proved >>that you should never send an extra to do a hero's job. Tiny gasped >>in relief. Jun slumped in her chair. Jinpei whistled a very >>Keyop-style response. Jason hissed in pleasure as the last Galactor >>fighter craft chasing them exploded. >> Mark drained his cup and put it on the chair arm. It sunk back >>into the panel from which it had come. He smiled slightly. "We're >>there, then?" > > /How can you drink tea at a time like this, Uncle?/ Melissa >asked, incredulous. /Cool factor,/ Roland replied. /Requirement in this sort of universe. Besides--/ > /It's anime, mom,/ Tink replied, a pillow appearing under her, >as a teacup /Beaten to the punch again,/ Roland chuckled. > /You've been hanging around Dean Washuu too long,/ Melissa >mused. > /Shhh, no telling the future, Mom. Our younger selves are still >active around the Place in this timeline, though not at the moment or >David wouldn't have called us./ Mark/Roland shook his head. /Paradox. Oy./ Then... >On Fri, 03 May 2002 01:30:11 -0700 >Harlock Said As CAoL Message # 00010859
>As soon as the Bard managed to find a viewport, he looked out into a >scene of chaos. Klingon Birds of Prey were battling giant, mechanized >lions while various mecha squared off. One that particularly caught >his eye was the sight of two virtually identical mecha shifting from >robot to jet form and back over the course of their duel, only the >purple insignia distinguishing one from the other. > >*Morgan? Roland? Anyone? What's going on out there?* */Your guess is as good as ours,/* Morgan deadpanned. */Other than 'total chaos,' that is,/* Roland added (un)helpfully. >Meanwhile, on the bridge of the Argo, Nova has been busy with her >scanners. "Captain? Something odd has appeared on our scanners. It >would appear to be the size of a planet, but it is moving toward us." > >{I am Unicron. I require your vessel.} OOC: "What does God need with a starship?" >"Captain, I don't think he's talking about transportation, somehow." > >"Ready the Wave Motion Cannon." And _then,_ >On Fri, 03 May 2002 14:41:59 -0700 >Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00010861 > >High above another "hole" appears. Only this one is large enough to >swallow a planet. Which essentially it does, as Unicron "comes" >through followed closely by Galvitron and HIS decepticon followers, >and the Autobot defenders of Cybertron. Aurora left alone momentarily >scans the tooniverse she is in and determining that the children are >not there, follows. /*#"Optimus Primes, you and your autobots keep >Galvitron's and Megatron's forces busy, I'll take Unicron for >you."#*/ She tells the Autobot commanders. > >"Will you indeed?" responds Unicron as he transforms into a planet >sized robot "standing" in space. /Okay, _TWO_ Unicrons is definitely more than enough to make even _me_ go "yipe!" If anyone has plan "B" or the Autobot Matrix (which would qualify as plan "A"), I'm all...uh...synapses,/ Roland comments dryly. And finally... >On Tue, 7 May 2002 23:03:46 -0500 >Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00010862 > >Now him {mental picture of a young African-American kid flying around >on what looks like a trash-can lid and dressed in a costume that >makes him look like some kind of demented bumble-bee}, that's Static, >I don't know if he'll be able to help us 'cuz he's not always privy >to the big picture but he's a better shot than ole' Zeta there. /Ah, sib? Isn't Static in _modern_ Dakota? Modern by my timeline, that is -- contemporary with Bats #1, etcetera?/ Roland points out. At which point Mark mind-faulted (similar to a facefault, except it's all in your head ;^) and Roland got the boot... (OOC: BOOT TO THE HEAD! *thwack*) TBC... ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Film Splicing On Tue, 14 May 2002 01:22:46 -0700 Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00010865 >On Mon, 13 May 2002 20:19:53 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00010864 > >>*Morgan? Roland? Anyone? What's going on out there?* > >*/Your guess is as good as ours,/* Morgan deadpanned. > > */Other than 'total chaos,' that is,/* Roland added (un)helpfully. *Oh, jolly good. I'll just stay here and chew my nails, then, shall I?* >>Meanwhile, on the bridge of the Argo, Nova has been busy with her >>scanners. "Captain? Something odd has appeared on our scanners. It >>would appear to be the size of a planet, but it is moving toward >>us." >> >>{I am Unicron. I require your vessel.} > > OOC: "What does God need with a starship?" OOC: Given that it's Unicron talking? Fuel. Victis Enim Vermis, as 'twere. >And _then,_ >>On Fri, 03 May 2002 14:41:59 -0700 >>Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00010861 >> >>High above another "hole" appears. Only this one is large enough to >>swallow a planet. Which essentially it does, as Unicron "comes" >>through followed closely by Galvitron and HIS decepticon followers, >>and the Autobot defenders of Cybertron. Aurora left alone >>momentarily scans the tooniverse she is in and determining that the >>children are not there, follows. /*#"Optimus Primes, you and your >>autobots keep Galvitron's and Megatron's forces busy, I'll take >>Unicron for you."#*/ She tells the Autobot commanders. >> >>"Will you indeed?" responds Unicron as he transforms into a planet >>sized robot "standing" in space. > > /Okay, _TWO_ Unicrons is definitely more than enough to make even >_me_ go "yipe!" If anyone has plan "B" or the Autobot Matrix (which >would qualify as plan "A"), I'm all...uh...synapses,/ Roland comments >dryly. Wherefore two? Unicron starts heading towards the Argo, then Aurora makes her appearance and he transforms to face the new threat. Sets up the following sequence quite nicely, with apologies to Dane for coopting his character, however briefly. With nothing to interrupt the countdown save a pesky Decepticon or two (which are promptly chased off by the shock cannons) the Wave Motion Cannon fires at Unicron. Harlock has just enough of a view forward that he sees the energy beam lance out at Unicron's torso. He smirks a bit at the mental image of a bee stinging an elephant until the beam reappears on the other side of the planet-sized robot. Frozen in horror, he watches the impossible tide of energy bearing down on Aurora. Aurora, however, merely smirks and shifts her shield slightly. The beam hits with no visible impact, then reflects off the shield at a slight angle, this time punching through Unicron's head, a stray asteroid, and several generic (but villainous) mecha. Either blow alone might not have felled the mighty planet that walks like a 'bot, but the combination of the two in such a short time is more than even it can handle. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Film Splicing On Tue, 14 May 2002 05:53:17 -0700 (PDT) Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00010866 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00010864 > >>On Tue, 7 May 2002 23:03:46 -0500 >>Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00010862 >> >>Now him {mental picture of a young African-American kid flying >>around on what looks like a trash-can lid and dressed in a costume >>that makes him look like some kind of demented bumble-bee}, that's >>Static, I don't know if he'll be able to help us 'cuz he's not >>always privy to the big picture but he's a better shot than ole' >>Zeta there. Rob studies the image for a moment. /Why is he wearing a yellow bra on his head?/ > /Ah, sib? Isn't Static in _modern_ Dakota? Modern by my timeline, >that is -- contemporary with Bats #1, etcetera?/ Roland points out. > At which point Mark mind-faulted (similar to a facefault, except >it's all in your head ;^) and Roland got the boot... /I can't say about relative placement in the timeline, but.../ A green, glowing skeleton smashes through a nearby wall, tied up in chain-link fence. Flexing its...arms..., it melts the fence and glares at Static, who has pulled the "yellow bra" over his eyes. Apparently, it's eye protection, not mammary support. "Man, what kind of Bang Baby are you?" Static asks, as he lifts a car with a stream of electromagnetic energy. "By now, the word's gotten out that Dakota is -not- a smart place to go robbing banks." "I do not know what you mean by 'Bang Baby,' but that is unimportant," the skeleton replies, as he turns the car into slag. "What matters is that I am Blight, and you will die." "Sorry, man, my schedule's full." /...if tooniversal dimensions are screwy, is it possible that some time-slips could occur?/ Rob finishes. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Film Splicing From: Michael Seven On Tue, 14 May 2002 11:11:12 -0700 (PDT) Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00010867 >On Tue, 14 May 2002 05:53:17 -0700 (PDT) >Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00010866 > > /I can't say about relative placement in the timeline, but.../ > /...if tooniversal dimensions are screwy, is it possible that some >time-slips could occur?/ Rob finishes. /Hi, Rob, Tink here. As it looks like we've entered crossover land, I'd say 'yes' it's entirely possible. Continuity has taken a day off over here at least in favor of action, adventure, and that E word./ ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Film Splicing (REALY LONG!) On Tue, 14 May 2002 14:58:10 -0500 Martin and/or Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00010868 OK, first things first and one thing at a time, as my Boss likes to say... First... >Way back on Mon, 29 Apr 2K2, Roland X Said > >Mark merely smiled. "Tiny, take us around, bearing 3-1-niner. There's >an island nearby; you can drop us off and circle around to watch >for--" > An explosion rocked the Godphoenix. > >/Aw, craters,/ Morgan sighed. > "Holes" were appearing in the space around them. Holes to the >Transformers universe, to Wacky Races, to the Looney-verse...and they >were increasing in number by the minute. > "Tiny-!" For a moment, the Godphoenix went from its '94 variation >to its classic '72 version, the "OAV"-clad characters reverting >costumes as well, as it passed through a hole into the '67 Spider-Man >cartoon. Peter looked up in surprise. > "Well _there's_ something you don't see every day, even if you >_are_ a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man," he quipped. At which point a Dhyrclhanc, in T'Skrang form and wearing a 1940's era-tux appears on one of the adjoining rooftops. Backed by an all-Dhyrclhanc big-band-style orchestra, two spot-lights fall on him as he begins to sing and the orchestra begins to play a familiar beat. "Spider-Man, Spider-Man, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man." "Is he strong? Listen bud, he's got radioactive blood." "Hey there! Were? There goes the Spider-Man." "Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can." "Spins a web, any size. Catches thieves, just like flies." "There goes the Spider-man." "In the heat of the night, at the scene of a crime, with the speed of light, he arrives just in time." "Look out! Where ever there's a bang-up, there'll be a great big hang-up. You'll find the Spider-Man!" Instantly the whole set-up disappears, leaving the Web-head furtively searching around for some sign of a certain criminally inclined special-effects genius with a strange penchant for wearing a fish-bowl on his head. > Another "hole" appeared in front of the ship, and it was back in >the Gatcha-verse, amalgamated back into the version Roland and Morgan >had found it in. > The only difference being, Morgan was no longer "in" Jun. She >looked like herself, albeit an "anime" version of herself, riding >Dhyrclhanc and wearing jade green armor. (Consider that all this happens concurrently with Tink & Co.'s actions. It'll take care of any of the G1 Decepts that Mike's crew missed) Dhyrclhanc looks back, goggle-eyed, at the "new arrival". "Sib? Morgan? Is that you? Nice Armor, by the way!" Simultaneously, quickly a small (in comparison) Transformer, composed of emerald green fire-like energy, and that bears more than a passing resemblance to the "RiD" version of Megatron in dragon form, albeit one-headed, appears in mid-air next to each one of the G1 Decepticons, including the G1 Megatron. Although it's hard to tell if its just one or a swarm of similar ones, but they all speak with Dhyrclhanc's voice, albeit a slightly higher pitched version. "'Scuze Me." "Low Bridge" "Hot stuff! "Coming through." "Hey, watch it Buddy!" Each one places a small (1' x 2' x 2') module somewhere on the Decepticon it appeared next to. Each module, in turn, causes a disruption in the Decepticon's systems as if it'd been hit by two lightning bolts, at the same time. (Preferably, this'd mean that they were all headed towards the surface of the ocean in a downward spiral.) "Once again, this is all your fault, Starscream!" "Yes, Megatron!" ------ Second... >Then back on Tue, 30 Apr 2K2, Morgan Said >Oh, and sib, don't worry. I'll get Morgan off your back before that >armor morphs into a guymelef . Sis, trust me. As long as that armor doesn't morph into either a Guyver or a suit of Tekka-armor, I'll be fine. :^) ------ Third... >On Mon, 13 May 2K2 Roland X Said >>Dhyrclhanc Said >> >>Now him {mental picture of a young African-American kid flying >>around on what looks like a trash-can lid and dressed in a costume >>that makes him look like some kind of demented bumble-bee}, that's >>Static, I don't know if he'll be able to help us 'cuz he's not >>always privy to the big picture but he's a better shot than ole' >>Zeta there. > > /Ah, sib? Isn't Static in _modern_ Dakota? Modern by my timeline, >that is -- contemporary with Bats #1, etcetera?/ Roland points out /Er, Roland that was not me./ Sends back the Dhyrclhanc on the back of who's neck the Freelance Immortal's equally Immortal Highlander-Druidess wife is riding on. /At least it was not the _now_ me, that is here _now_. Er... you get the point, I hope./ };=8) I don't know. I though somebody on the list here had said that there was an episode of... well... _something_ which placed Zeta, Static and he Terry whassis-name Batman in the same place at the same time, and which didn't involve any kind of time-travel. >At which point Mark mind-faulted (similar to a facefault, except it's >all in your head ;^) and Roland got the boot... At which point one would assume that Mark's Psyche finally got rid of the squatter, right? ------ Fourth, and Finaly... >On Tue, 14 May 2K2, Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said >>Roland X Said >> >> /Okay, _TWO_ Unicrons is definitely more than enough to make even >>_me_ go "yipe!" If anyone has plan "B" or the Autobot Matrix (which >>would qualify as plan "A"), I'm all...uh...synapses,/ Roland >>comments dryly. You mean the "Autobot Matrix of Leadership", don't you sib? >Aurora, however, merely smirks and shifts her shield slightly. The >beam hits with no visible impact, then reflects off the shield at a >slight angle, this time punching through Unicron's head, a stray >asteroid, and several generic (but villainous) mecha. Either blow >alone might not have felled the mighty planet that walks like a 'bot, >but the combination of the two in such a short time is more than even >it can handle. Just in time to see Unicron, or pieces of him, start crumbling into the sea, the Mother of All Boom-Tubes opens up above where Unicron stood. Shifting out of the Boom-Tube is an fully Adult Dhyrclhanc; 81' tall, 93' long and with a 252' foot wing-span, in all his draconic glory. Standing in a defiant pose with a to scale An'lashock Pike held out in front of him, he quickly looks around and realizes that most of the "heavy lifting" has already been done. Muttering something like, "Fine, I guess I'm not needed here, after all" the adult Dhyrclhanc disappears into the mouth of another huge Boom-Tube which forms at a 90-degree angle from the first one. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Film Splicing On Tue, 14 May 2002 14:53:51 -0700 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00010869 >On Tue, 14 May 2002 14:58:10 -0500 >Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00010868 > >Instantly the whole set-up disappears, leaving the Web-head furtively >searching around for some sign of a certain criminally inclined >special-effects genius with a strange penchant for wearing a >fish-bowl on his head. OOC, quoting from Spider-Man Unlimited: "Give him one hologram and he thinks he's Mysterio." >> The only difference being, Morgan was no longer "in" Jun. She >>looked like herself, albeit an "anime" version of herself, riding >>Dhyrclhanc and wearing jade green armor. > >(Consider that all this happens concurrently with Tink & Co.'s >actions. It'll take care of any of the G1 Decepts that Mike's crew >missed) > >Dhyrclhanc looks back, goggle-eyed, at the "new arrival". > >"Sib? Morgan? Is that you? Nice Armor, by the way!" "Thank you," she said with a smile (voice and expression). >>Then back on Tue, 30 Apr 2K2, Morgan Said > > >>Oh, and sib, don't worry. I'll get Morgan off your back before that >>armor morphs into a guymelef . > > > >Sis, trust me. As long as that armor doesn't morph into either a >Guyver or a suit of Tekka-armor, I'll be fine. :^) > OOC-R: Don't worry, sib, she won't be using Tekka-armor. That's _my_ job. Thanks for the idea! ;^) A guymelef, however, is MUCH bigger than a Guyver and about four times the size of Tekkaman Blade... And yet another portal opens up, five purple mecha with capes flying through it. They look around in surprise briefly, when the lead mech points at Dhyrclhanc with one fist-like hand. "The dragon!" he says with fiendish glee (and a tone that Starscream would appreciate 8^). "I'm _coming_ for you, Von! And when I _kill_ you, I'll be a prince among the Zaibach! HA ha ha ha ha..." "But Lord Dilandau--" one of the (adolescent) pilots begins. "Silence! Destroy these other Guymelefs," he orders, waving at Autobots and Decepticons alike. "That one's MINE!" "/*Oh, I know _this_ one,*/" Morgan grins. "/*Stupid little twit thinks you're a mech, sib. I always thought he could use some comeuppance.*/" She anime-leaps off Dhyrclhanc's back, her armor growing and morphing. The green is replaced by white on all but the shoulders, a red cape flows from the mech's back, and grows to about 26' tall. "Some 'Dragon Slayer,' can't tell a live dragon from a Guymelef," Morgan taunts, landing with an astonishingly light grace, considering the length of the drop. "Is _this_ what you're looking for, Zaibach?" "Vaaaan!!!" Dilandau roars, a blade growing from the weapon holes in his "hand." "I'm going to tear you in half!" As the other mecha pull their cloaks around them and vanish (yep, you guessed it, they're cloaking devices 8^), Dilandau charges furiously at "Escaflowne," flying in sword-point first... >>At which point Mark mind-faulted (similar to a facefault, except >>it's all in your head ;^) and Roland got the boot... > > At which point one would assume that Mark's Psyche finally got >rid of the squatter, right? OOC: Bingo! At that point, yet _another_ portal opens up, and out comes the Blade II version of Tekkaman, rocketing forth and pounding some Decepticon extras rather impressively! /Hi folx, me again. At least this time I've got my own body; the armor was in a bad-guy ship. According to the specs, they'd torn off a crystal from the original and "grown" a duplicate. 'Scuse me, I've always wanted to do this./ As Roland says this, "Tekkaman" flies up behind Starscream and *clang!* slaps him on top of the head. "Tag, you're it!" he laughs and shoots off. "Wh-how-WHO DARES MOCK STARSCREAM?!" the Decepticon cries. "Well, just about everyone, really. I always thought you were a neat character, though," Tekka-Roland shrugs. Starscream stops, confused -- he's not complimented often -- then decides to go with the insult. (It's what he's used to, after all. 8^) "DIE, you puny AUTOBOT!" The considerably larger Decepticon tries to stomp on Tekkaman. Not Starscream's wisest call; Tekka-Roland catches the foot in one hand. Roland chuckles as Starscream feels a very familiar emotion for him...fear. "Stick to hit-and-run tactics and backstabbing, 'Screamer. It's what you're best at." The wind-up...the pitch...and he's outta here! Tekka-Roland tosses Starscream well out of frame. At which point he hears the whine of a VERY big weapon directly behind his head. "Ulp." "Impressive, Autobot," Megatron says in his best Darth Vader voice. "But you concentrated on the lackey when you should have concerned yourself with the master." (OOC: After about half an hour searching for the original Megatron's "real" height...I'm estimating based on how human characters related to them. IOW, I'm fudging. Sue me. 8^) "Good point. Can I go back and do it over?" Roland asks hopefully. Megatron chuckles. "Courage in the face of annihilation. I respect that, Autobot. You will die nonetheless, but at least your death will be quick and painless." "I certainly hope so." In a lightning-quick move, he places one of his double-headed sword's blades (see http://www.geocities.com/bluearths/data/mecha/ for a picture of the mech; it's the one at the top) in the path of Megatron's cannon. That deflects the blast just enough to send Tekka-Roland sprawling instead of incinerating his head. He flies back into Morgan's...uh, back. /Hi, honey. I hope you're doing better than I am.../ /I'm in a sword fight, what do _you_ think?/ she quips back playfully. /Um, better get clear before you get stepped on...there's four other cloaked 'melefs around here somewhere./ /Thanks, love,/ Roland responds, flying out to keep Megatron from drawing a bead on his hunny. "Hey, Megs! I thought you were the baddest of the bad, and all you give me is a headache? Puh-LEEZE!" [What am I _saying?_ Did I Leap into the JL Wally?] Megatron's eyes narrow. "I'll show you power, Autobot insect." "Oh, yeah, and another thing -- I'M NOT AN AUTOBOT! Human in suit, _duh!_ You baddies are really clueless today, aren't -- YOW!" A blast as wide as Roland is tall narrowly misses obliterating the Tekkaman suit. /I think I have his attention.../ TBC ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Film Splicing On Mon, 27 May 2002 09:38:36 -0700 (PDT) Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00010872 >Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00010867 > >>On Tue, 14 May 2002 05:53:17 -0700 (PDT) >>Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00010866 >> >> /I can't say about relative placement in the timeline, but.../ > >> /...if tooniversal dimensions are screwy, is it possible that >>some time-slips could occur?/ Rob finishes. > > /Hi, Rob, Tink here. As it looks like we've entered crossover >land, I'd say 'yes' it's entirely possible. Continuity has taken a >day off over here at least in favor of action, adventure, and that E >word./ /Terrific./ Glancing at the melted fence, Rob notices something. The material is still glowing, although the color is more a muted green. [Uh-oh.] He pulls a piece of metal from his pocket and touches a discolored spot. The metal flows around him, turning into a spacesuit. [Scanners on...that's 'hot,' all right. Which means that this fight has to be moved out of town, fast.] The boosters on the suit switch on, launching Rob over the fight, then redirecting him into a literal flying tackle. "Whoa," Static exclaims, "they're just poppin' up like crazy today." "Static! Blight's radioactive!" [And it's a good thing that my sprocket blocks cosmic rays.] "I'm on it," Static answers. Diving into a nearby junkyard, Static spends a few moments searching out material, and a few more arc-welding the pieces together. Rob, meanwhile, is busy trying not to be strangled. [It figures. He's not only radioactive, he's strong. But if he's still human under this...] Blight howls, and drops Rob, clutching his elbow. [Yup. He's still got a nervous system.] "You will pay for that." "Hackneyed cliches 101? Blight, I expect better from you," Rob sneers. [That's it, get mad, rush at me...] The boosters snarl again, leaving Blight to crash into a wall. As Blight digs himself out of the rubble, Static returns, wrapping Blight in several layers of lead and steel. "Thanks for the tip, mister. I can hold him from here." "Glad to be of help. Maybe you could do me a favor." "What kind of favor?" "I'm looking for two kids..." * * * * * /They've been through here, but not recently. Any ideas where they might go next?/ ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Film Splicing On Thu, 30 May 2002 00:06:39 -0700 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00010873 >On Tue, 14 May 2002 14:53:51 -0700 >Morgan and Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00010869 > /Thanks, love,/ Roland responds, flying out to keep Megatron from >drawing a bead on his hunny. "Hey, Megs! I thought you were the >baddest of the bad, and all you give me is a headache? Puh-LEEZE!" >[What am I _saying?_ Did I Leap into the JL Wally?] > Megatron's eyes narrow. "I'll show you power, Autobot insect." > "Oh, yeah, and another thing -- I'M NOT AN AUTOBOT! Human in suit, >_duh!_ You baddies are really clueless today, aren't -- YOW!" > A blast as wide as Roland is tall narrowly misses obliterating the >Tekkaman suit. > /I think I have his attention.../ Meanwhile, Dilandau's blade crashed into Morgan's hyper-oversized claymore. "Not _bad,_ Van. You've been practicing. That'll make it all the more satisfying -- WHEN I CUT OUT YOUR HEART!" Morgan parried the lunge easily, and the guymelef's head shook with amused tolerance. "Dilandau, Dilandau. I expected better from you." Dilandau's eyes widened with rage as Morgan continued. "Mistaking the live dragon for Escaflowne, I can understand. But _me_ for _Van?_ You have some _serious_ gender identification issues..." Dilandau's eyes bulged to the point where they nearly popped out of his skull. A lens slid into place on his viewscreen, giving him just enough sight to notice a flash of long red hair. "rrRRAAHHHAAA!!!" he screamed, flying forward at top speed sword-point first. Morgan simply sidestepped, parrying his blade so that it buried itself to the mech's fist in a nearby tree. /I thought we _left_ the Looney Tunes universe,/ she quipped to the CAoL. /Oh, yeah, laugh it up,/ Roland groused as he traded blasts with Megatron. Meanwhile, Dilandau simply twisted the blade, tearing the tree in half. "I don't know who you are, girl, but if you think you can escape with Escaflowne..." within his guymelef, he snapped, and two other 'melefs uncloaked to either side of Morgan. "...I'm willing to forget your insults. That's _not_ something I do often. But come out of that guymelef _now,_ or...you'll _wish_ that all I did was kill you!" Meanwhile, two of the other guymelefs foolishly uncloaked around Roland and Megatron. "Hold that thought." Morgan gestured, and the tree flowed back into one piece, the massive wounds sealing themselves as her hand moved. Dilandau's entire guymelef shook with his stunned surprise. "Now, where were we? Ah, yes. You were trying to take the coward's way out, since you're obviously not good enough. With a blade, that is." Dilandau's entire guymelef trembled. "KILL HER!!!" he roared. One claw shot out from her left, and flames spewed from a mecha fist on the other. Meanwhile, Dilandau did an anime leap and flew down at her in a deadly guillotine-like arc. Morgan quickly backed out of the flames, letting Dilandau's 'melef "take the heat" while parrying the slash. The several-meters long claw, however, was able to find its mark while she was dealing with the other attacks. It pierced the torso, penetrating into the pilot's compartment and coming away with her entire left arm. A few wires hung from where it had been attached to "Escaflowne's" controls. "YESSS!!!" Dilandau roared. Though his 'melef was glowing from the flames, he ignored the heat. "Where are your taunts _now,_ you -- ?!?" The lens, still in place, showed her _growing_ a new arm where the other one had been sheared off -- right into the control straps! "Ow," Morgan said, more offended than anything else. She stared at her regrown arm, then looked at the offending extra. "My wedding ring," she added in a low, dangerous tone. The Zaibach pilot almost screamed -- she _did_ let out a quick, desperate squeal -- and immediately dropped the arm and flew back. "COWARD!" Dilandau roared. "Destroy Escaflowne, or I'll kill you both MYSELF!" The two other pilots looked at each other, swallowed, and flew back into battle. The worst Morgan would do, after all, was kill them _quickly_... The faux-Escaflowne leaped into the air, soaring twice its own height as the two Zaibach followed her. Suddenly, the entire body contracted into a thin diver's pose, feet pointed down and sword straight up. Escaflowne stopped in mid-air and began to plunge. Just as the two guymelefs froze to react, the arms swung out and Aramegil stabbed to her left. It plunged deep into the first one's energist, the source of a 'melef's power. Then she shifted, and with a single fluid motion, Aramegil went from left hand to right, and with a single corkscrew motion she cut the energist _out_ of the second mech. She landed, holding out her left hand, as the two powerless guymelefs slammed into the ground. The first energist was on the tip of her blade; the second fell into her open palm. "I'd threaten tae cut out _yuir_ heart, Dilandau," Morgan said coolly, "but ye dinna have one." Dilandau spluttered for a moment. Incoherent sounds echoed from within the pilot's chamber. Then he reared back with one arm, primal screams surrounding the guymelef as steam began to pour out of the weapon holes at the end of the fist. At that moment, another toon "hole" opened up above them, and what looked like a white dragon-mech flew out. Astride it was a young man holding what looked for all the world like reins, with two young women (one a human in a girl's school sailor-suit, the other a catgirl in Gaea's ugliest dress) on either side of him. "Dilandau!" Dilandau looked up, staring at the dragon above. Then he looked back at Morgan and the fake Escaflowne. "A _trick._ A gutless _trick!_ But it won't save you, Van! You're MIIIINE!" The guymelef shot back up, and Van evaded, protecting his passengers from the mad mechajock's rage. Morgan's "Escaflowne" shot into the air, her mech remaining in humanoid form as it took position on Van's wing. "Hitomi, Merle, over here!" she called out, holding out both hands. (Aramegil shrunk back to pendant size, hanging from Morgan's neck once more.) Hitomi hesitated for a moment. Then her red crystal pendant glowed, and she leaped into one of the outstretched hands without a second glance. "Hitooomi!!" Merle blurted, hesitating for a second more. "GO, Merle!" Van shouted. "Ohhhh..." Merle bunched up, and then leaped (with noticeably _less_ than catlike grace) into the other hand, just as Van dodged a flame blast. Meanwhile, Roland and Megatron were back-to-back as claws shot out from "empty air" at them. Roland parried with the Tekkaman Blade (pun intended 8^) while Megatron formed an energy shield in his off-arm. "Just what I needed. Fighting alongside the deadliest Transformer in history. How do I know you're not just going to turn around and blast me?" "Enlightened self-interest," Megatron replied evenly. "Like it or not, we are allies now, against a common foe." "How...Megatron of you," Roland quipped. "Speaking of which, we've got to stop fighting defense. Any ideas?" Megatron smiled. It was not a pleasant smile. "As a matter of fact..." A visor slid down from his "eyebrows," displays flickering across it for a few moments. "Ah. Scan on the higher radio frequencies. The cloaks emit a noticeable exhaust of low band energy while bending the upper frequencies." Roland concentrated for a moment. "Good call. On three?" Megatron considered briefly. "Very well." In unison, they smiled wickedly. "THREE!" Both pilots screamed as their opponents charged right at them. Megatron crashed into his mech, sending both sprawling off-panel, while Roland bore his down to the island on which Morgan had dueled Dilandau. The double blade ripped off the mech's right arm and tore it to bits, while the left arm shot a crima claw through the Tekkaman's torso, and Roland's with it. Roland grunted, then clamped the blade to his back and grabbed the offending claw with both hands. Plates opened up on his armor, revealing a series of lenses. A fraction of a second later, white light exploded out, reducing the melef's left arm to free-floating molecules. The Tekkaman suit opened, and Roland staggered out. He held the wound shut with one hand, gesturing with the other. The chest plate of the melef peeled itself back with a sickening crunch of crushed metal, and the pilot flew into his waiting grasp. The blue-haired pilot stared in terror as he dangled a few feet from the ground, where they both floated. An anime "sweat drop" formed on the right side of his face. "Care to go a few rounds _without_ the suit?" Roland said flatly. The pilot shook his head hard enough to send the sweat drop flying into Starscream's windshield a kilometer away. "Too bad." Roland dropped the pilot back into the armor and crunched it around him; he'd be able to squirm his way out, with a lot of work -- in about an hour. Then he slowly walked over to where Morgan's previous arm was laying. He picked it up, gently removed the wedding ring, then searched the sky for his beloved. A few moments later, Morgan landed a few yards away. She gently dropped off Merle and Hitomi; then "Escaflowne" flowed back into her Power Ring. "I believe," Roland said gently, cradling the arm in one arm as he slipped the ring back on her (regenerated) finger, "that this belongs to you, my heart." Morgan smiled lovingly at her husband, then frowned at the wound running through him. She lightly touched the detached arm, flowing the biomass into the badly-torn area to speed up the healing process. "It's not like we're not already a part of each other, my love." "Oh, how cuuuute," Merle said, sighing happily as she leaned forward and watched, her chin on her knuckles. Hitomi stared wide-eyed at Roland's newly-healed midriff, then back at the cat-girl with a mix of shock and annoyance. "You've got a weird idea of 'cute,' Merle." At which point the bottom dropped out of the moment; a hole appeared beneath Roland and Morgan, and before they could react (except to hug one another, look at the camera, lift one leg behind each, and cry out in surprise), they had fallen into it. (OOC: TBC in another universe; have fun for as long as you want in the anime-verse, but we're on to Gargoyles. 8^) ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Film Splicing On Thu, 30 May 2002 06:10:39 -0700 (PDT) Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00010874 >Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00010872 > > /They've been through here, but not recently. Any ideas where they >might go next?/ Since Rob's mini-lens link is "networked" via Roland, it's easy to understand the silence; he's busy, so most of the traffic that comes through is Roland and Morgan. [Yipe. It's a good thing I'm not there. I don't have anything that would handle giant robots...or even extra-large robots. So I'll just sit down, shut up, and wait for them to finish...] >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00010873 > > At which point the bottom dropped out of the moment; a hole >appeared beneath Roland and Morgan, and before they could react >(except to hug one another, look at the camera, lift one leg behind >each, and cry out in surprise), they had fallen into it. [Dimension jump!] Punching through space-time, Rob creates a wormhole, and dives in. [If I'm lucky, I'll end up following the trail they lea-] "Ow!" [...or I could pop in just ahead enough to get kicked in the butt...] ================================= Subject: AAE 8: Guardians of the Night On Tue, 04 Jun 2002 20:43:13 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00010875 >On Thu, 30 May 2002 06:10:39 -0700 (PDT) >Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00010874 > >[Dimension jump!] Punching through space-time, Rob creates a >wormhole, and dives in. [If I'm lucky, I'll end up following the >trail they lea-] "Ow!" [...or I could pop in just ahead enough to get >kicked in the butt...] *SLAM* "Ow ow ow..." Roland groaned, rubbing his backside. "Great. A hard landing, and me without my armor." He ignored the tail sticking out from his spine, stretched his wings, and looked around. The moon smiled down at Roland; he scowled back and looked around. The "hard landing" was from stonework. "Huh. A castle..." he began as he stood, "...in the middle of New York? _Above_ the Empire State Building?" Suddenly, the tail registered. And the wings. And the claws on his hand and feet. "Oh, no. NO. DON'T tell me I'm a gargoyle with no Eternal powers." He glared at a loose piece of masonry. It floated into the air, did a little pirouette on one corner, then settled to the ground once more. Roland smiled. His grin was full of sharpened, gleaming teeth. "Huh. Now _that_ is more like it. Now all I need to make my day complete is--" "Well, well. A gargoyle's skin looks good on you, Wayfarer." Roland looked up. His smile broadened unpleasantly. An attractive female gargoyle with brilliant red hair that hung down to below her shoulder blades was perched on a parapet a story or so above. "...Demona. There _is_ justice in the multiverse after all." Demona looked at the smile and took a step back. "Wonderful. Roland, wait--" Roland's blue-gray form shot up, Demona diving away just in time. "I've waited _years_ for this, Demona." Roland hovered in place, Demona blinking in surprise as the tables turned with lightning speed. "I think I've waited long enough." Demona sighed. "Very well, Wayfarer. Just remember -- you wanted this." She dove from the enormous building, Roland gleefully giving chase. Just as the furball vanished from sight, Morgan landed in Castle Wyvern. She looked at the castle, looked at the skyline, and looked at the castle again. "This 'toon' thing is getting ridiculous," she muttered. "Why is a Scottish castle on top of a New York skyscraper?" "Aye, an' that's a long tale in the tellin', lass," a gargoyle with grayed hair and a touch of a potbelly asked, in a thick brogue (of course 8^). Beside him, a wingless gargoyle-ish 'dog' sniffed at Morgan and growled half-heartedly. "But I think a better question is, who are _you,_ then, an' what are ye doin' here?" "An excellent question, Hudson," said another gargoyle, built like "da Ahnuld" in his wildest dreams (sans claws and wings, that is), as he came out of a lower level of the castle. "Well, that's...rather a long tale, as well," Morgan replied, slipping into the brogue as well. Hudson leaned forward, his ears perking up. "Mm! Is that the Highlands I hear in yuir voice, lass?" A broad smile formed on Morgan's face. "Seadh," ("Yes, it is," -- translated from the Gaelic) she replied, and continued in Gaelic. "Born and raised." She looked up at the castle again. "Castle _Wyvern._ I thought it looked familiar. But how...?" Goliath smiled faintly as Hudson nodded. "The old tongue," Hudson replied, also in Gaelic, "though a bit...odd, if ye'll forgive me for sayin' so. A thousand years ago, we were cursed to remain stone until the 'castle rose above the clouds.' From there, 'tis a much longer story, involving 'science' --" the still-unfamiliar word he spoke in English, "-- as much as sorcery." "If you know this century," Goliath added in English, "it involved money. A great deal of it." Morgan nodded understandingly. "I'm familiar with it, though I'm a bit of a time-traveler myself. I visited the abandoned Castle Wyvern...about three hundred years after your time, I would figure." She grinned. "The stories were, the place was haunted." "Aye, an' it was," Hudson spat with a scowl. "By Demona." "Now is not the time for that," Goliath said with finality (and again, in English). "Demona has been welcomed back into this clan, and though that gargoyle who just attacked her no doubt had good reason, we must aid her as best we can." "'Just?'" Morgan asked. As she considered her next question... "Aye," Hudson replied, also switching back to English (albeit with a touch of reluctance). "Though he bore a remarkable resemblance to Wayfarer Roland. Ye don't suppose..." Hudson trailed off at the look on Morgan's face. The Highlander held her head as she lowered it, all but grimacing. "_Don't_ tell me, Roland's a gargoyle here..." "So. It _was_ Roland," Goliath said, nodding to himself. "That explains his...interest...in Demona, though he was quite human-seeming when he was here last." "Oh, he's normally _quite_ human," Morgan replied. "Really," Hudson commented dryly, as Bronx (the gargoyle-dog) decided Morgan was cool and began pacing around her and rubbing his head against her hand. She took the hint and scratched his ears absently. "A 'human' who can lift masonry with his mind and recover from a sword in the belly in minutes. Demona didn't think he was, poor lad." "Oh, well...he _does_ have some unusual powers, but he's _mostly_ human," Morgan smiled, figuring she should give them the rest of the information. "He's my husband." Both gargoyles smiled. "Ach! Congratulations, though a bit late if I'm any judge of character a'tall," Hudson said with enthusiasm. "Agreed," Goliath added. "Still, if we're to prevent any further damage, we should probably get after them. Can you fly?" "Do ye see _wings_ on her, lad?" Hudson commented dryly. "Roland didn't have wings the first time he was here, yet he flew more truly than any gargoyle," Goliath pointed out. TBC ================================= Subject: AAE VIII Tooning around On Tue, 4 Jun 2002 20:51:54 -0700 (PDT) Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00010876 Two cloaked figures sit in the shadows of a toon town alleyway, watching the bustling activity on the street beyond. The taller one looks donw at the four footed one and sighs. *Don't they ever go to bed?* Roscoe looks up and rolls his eyes at Driss, *They're toons. you really think they ever need to sleep?* Driss frowned and crouches down, looking at the building across the way. *I just don't like making this grab with all these other toons around. You never know with toons what side they might be on...* Roscoe mentally chuckled. *You just don't like them because they remind you of Chaos.* Driss's face soured, *That too...* He straighted up and adjusted the dark suit he wore, feeling to make sure his pistol and other weapons were concealed where they were supposed to be. *We might as well do it now... Who's damned idea was it to come here anyways?* Roscoe sniffed at the air. *YOU were the one who agreed to come here for Jim to find the Animated Controller... I can't beleive you'r charging him.* Driss smirks, *Hey a service is a service. It's not my fault his nanoculture mind can't grasp toon physics to interact in a place like this...* He grasped the butt of the pistol in his shoulder holster *You watch for reinforcements out here. I'm going in.* Roscoe Blinks as Driss gets ready to dart out into the street *Driss wait!* He winces as Driss continues on, out into the street where he promptly gets hit by a passing bus and flattend out on the street. Roscoe pads carefully to the edge of the alley and looks down at Driss. *I tried to warn you...* Driss groans as he huffs and puffs to reinflate himself. *How could you know that was going to happen?* Roscoe smirked smugly, *Because it would be funny so of course it happened here.* Driss groaned, "Yeh yeh real funny." he finally gets himself back into shape and moves for the building. "I guess I can't be surprised Chaos's curse turns toony here too..." He rushed across the street dodging toon cars and trucks and horses and trains until he was finally in front of the building he was pretty sure he could find his target. Running up the stoop, Driss lowers a shoulder to charge the front door and break it down. He blinkblinks in surprise though as it stretches under his force. He gives a gulp, knowing what's coming next just as the door slingshots him right back into traffic and into the path of a steam roller. Driss groans again as Roscoe runs up and peels him from the pavement. "I'm deflated but not defeated..." he mutters as he starts trying to get back into shape again. Luckily a passing canine offers to help pump him up while Roscoe investigates the building. Driss is all ready to go when roscoe mentally calls donw *He's gone but I think I know where...* Driss heads for the elevator. It opens immediately, but the sight of the short little dog acting as the operator stops him in his tracks, "Ummm thanks, I need the exercise, I'll take the stairs. it's only 34 floors..." The dog tips his hat, "Have a good day sir..." and slams the doors shut. Driss sighs and runs up the stairs, *OK I'm going to take a bit. what have you got?* Roscoe looks about the apartment *Well it looks like he was making some plans to make guest appearances in some other tooniverses... luckily whoever animated this Controller didn't give him much knowledge of magicl abilities so I've been able to scrye for him with residual thought patterns in the room. He headed to a place called Springfield next to find a Frink. What's a Frink?* Driss groaned and kept climbing, *A scientist... he must be getting sientists... and I know where Springfield is...* A half hour later Driss pulled a device out of his pocket that looked like a remote control. Pushing some buttons on it a blue X-window appeared with the number 02 up in the right hand corner. Driss started hitting the channel up button and watching the scenes change until he found the setting he was looking for. He dashed through with Roscoe right behind him. As they passed throught he portal Roscoe made a realization *Ummm Driss... that number... isn't that... FOX?* Driss chuckled, "Why yes it is..." TBC ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Film Splicing On Wed, 05 Jun 2002 17:48:57 -0700 Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00010877 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00010873 > >At which point the bottom dropped out of the moment; a hole appeared >beneath Roland and Morgan, and before they could react (except to hug >one another, look at the camera, lift one leg behind each, and cry >out in surprise), they had fallen into it. Aurora takes a moment to scan for Roland and Morgan's destination, and then with a sweep of her shield reduces a flight of Decepticons to scrap. A flourish of her sword simply annihilates a dozen more leaving nothing behind. No scrap, dust, or even a flash of energy. Nothing. Then seeing that the Autobots can handle the remainder of the evil horde, she shifts to the Gargoyle tooniverse. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Guardians of the Night On Wed, 05 Jun 2002 18:01:10 -0700 Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00010878 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00010875 > > Both gargoyles smiled. "Ach! Congratulations, though a bit late if >I'm any judge of character a'tall," Hudson said with enthusiasm. > "Agreed," Goliath added. "Still, if we're to prevent any further >damage, we should probably get after them. Can you fly?" > "Do ye see _wings_ on her, lad?" Hudson commented dryly. > "Roland didn't have wings the first time he was here, yet he flew >more truly than any gargoyle," Goliath pointed out. Aurora, trying to slip into the gargoyle tooniverse unobserved, finds to her surprise that she has misgaged her apparent size for the first time in epochs. She finds herself standing in the middle of Central Park, looking -DOWN-, slightly, on the castle. She murmers to herself /*"How in the stars... Ah, I see. The Tooniverse sensed my power, and reacted to me as though I were as Oberon, causing me to manifest as HE once did. Larger than life. Well at least I will draw attention away from the others. Roland, Morgan, you are doing alright I presume?"*/ ================================= Subject: AAE 8: The CITY of... On Wed, 05 Jun 2002 21:31:59 -0700 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00010879 TOWNSville. A quiet, peaceful, friendly place-- *crash BANG boom* Hey! I'm narrating here! "SOOO-rry!" Five little voices responded. The three little girls in matching dresses looked at the two toddlers. The lot of them smiled, hovering in place over a demolished mech, then rocketed off in trails of light (pink, blue, green, black, and red) as they zoomed to the rescue elsewhere in town. But first, a reference. http://www.comic21.com/etc/ppg/index.shtml ...and especially: http://www.comic21.com/etc/ppg/villains.shtml Now. Earlier... Liam and Rachel floated over Planet Z, satisfied smiles on their faces. A pile of Hornets the size of Mount Rushmore (and forming the faces OF Team Lightyear on the front) was below them. "That w's fun! Again!" Rachel giggled. "Uh-uh. Too easy." Liam shook his head. "But where?" Both scowled in thought with intense concentration for a moment. Then a light bulb appeared over Rachel's head (literally). "I know! TOWNSv'lle!" Liam stuck out his tongue. "Ick! GIRL stuff." Rachel laughed. "Silly. Townsv'lle _always_ gettin' 'tacked by monsters 'n stuff." Liam brightened. "Oh, yeah!" He grinned wickedly and rubbed his hands together. A few minutes later... The CITY...of TOWNSville. A quiet, peaceful, friendly place-- *crash BANG boom* Hey! I'm narrating here! "SOOO-rry!" Five little voices responded. The three little girls in matching dresses looked at the two toddlers. The lot of them smiled, hovering in place over a demolished mech, then rocketed off in trails of light (pink, blue, green, black, and red) as they zoomed to the rescue elsewhere in town. "Hey, thanks for your help with that giant evil robot monkey," the pink-clad leader commented. "My name's Blossom." "I'm Bubbles," the blonde in blue said. Then she giggled with a cuteness that could send a diabetic into shock. "I'm Buttercup," the brunette with the green dress added. "It was really cool the way you shot those beams and shorted out the whole thing! Zap! Boom!" She chuckled with disturbingly violent glee for a girl in kindergarten. "T'anks," Liam replied. *Pop does that trick all the time,* Rachel added, then giggled. *I wanna be a Powerpuff Girl when I grow up!* "I'm sure you'll do fine once you're old enough," Blossom said with all the seriousness a five-year-old could muster. Meanwhile, back in Mojo Jojo's lair... "CUR-ses!" he cursed. He bent over his drawing board, scribbling wildly. Several plans were crumpled up and thrown into the wastebasket with G-rated sounds of frustration as accompaniment. Then... "Ah-HAH!" "All I need is an optical laser beam, a fan, a book (for me to read), me, a giant robot, (no, wait -- they already defeated my giant robot), a fish tail, a peacock feather, a puppy dog tail, a quarter, and...this doohickey over here. That makes...MOJO JOJO'S MIGHTEST POWERPUFF-ANNIHILATOR EVER!!! AH-hahahahaha! "Now if I only knew how it worked..." (OOC: Dylan helped with the "design" of Mojo Jojo's Powerpuff Annihilator. 8^) Meanwhile, back in central Townsville... "Oh, look, it's the Amoeba Boys!" Bubbles offered helpfully, pointing into the city. Below, three human-sized amoebas with faces and 40s gangster hats were...uh...oozing? down the sidewalk. *Oh, _please,_* Rachel sighed mentally. *We wanna fight _real_ villains!* "Awww! Give 'em a chance!" Bubbles said. "They try _real_ hard." *Yeah. If only they had one brain cell between 'em...* Liam commented dryly. Buttercup snickered for a moment, then turned away and sulked at the glares her sisters gave her. *That would be like momanpop fighting King Tut!* "The Egyptian boy-Pharaoh that reigned in the XVIIIth Dynasty circa 1355 BC?" Blossom asked dubiously, one eyebrow raised. Bubbles and Buttercup looked at each other, perplexed. ^Does Blossom kinda remind _you_ of mommy?^ Rachel sent privately. Liam sighed. *NO. The bad guy from the _old_ old Batman TV show. The people one, not the cartoon.* The Powerpuff Girls looked at each other in abject confusion. "Um, what's the difference?" Blossom asked in the same tone as her previous question. Rachel giggled. ^We're _in_ a cartoon, silly.^ Liam scowled at her. "Be careful, Rach'l. Y'r ego is showin'." "What? Where?" Rachel blurted, scanning herself desperately. Buttercup burst into peals of helpless laughter as Bubbles scowled furiously. "That's not funny!" She threw a glance at Blossom, who was fighting a bout of giggles herself. "Bloooosom!" "Sorry, sorry, *giggle* sorry," Blossom replied. *Hey, _I_ know! We can go fight _Him!_ He's _always_ up to something,* Rachel suggested. *Him? Him _who?_* Liam asked. "Ooo, I don't know about _Him,_" Bubbles gasped. "Him _who?_" Liam insisted. "I think it's a _great_ idea!" Buttercup replied, punching her palm with her fist. "We should have gone after Him a long time ago!" "Him WHO?!?" Liam blurted. All four girls looked at him (Liam, not _Him_) for a moment. Then they all laughed. Liam scowled, his eyes slowly turning redder and redder until they burst into flames. "Sorry, sorry, *giggle* sorry," Blossom replied (again). "The ultimate evil, the source of all villainy, the bad guy who makes even Mojo Jojo cry in bed...is _Him._ Don't let that tutu fool you, he's as bad as they come." Liam gaped. "...tutu?" Suddenly, a crack opened up beneath the five titanic tots, a crack going down to the very bowels of Heck! And out of that crack, came... All four girls gasped, "HIM!!!" "That's riiiight," Him replied in a sweet feminine voice. "I wear a TU-tu," he -- er, Him -- added more sweetly than ever. Him suddenly gained a smoker's rasp and dropped an octave. "YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT, YOU LITTLE BED-WETTER?!?" Him screamed at Liam. "How did -- I mean -- I don't!" Liam insisted, tears forming in his eyes. "He almost never anymore!" Rachel blurted furiously, zooming in front of her brother. "You leave him alone -- um...Him!" She looked at Liam. "Right?" "_Ray_-chel!" Liam gasped. "I c'n take care of myself!" "You'd do the same t'ing fer me," Rachel replied as sweetly as any Powerpuff Girl (even Bubbles 8^), batting her eyes. "Awww..." Liam sighed. "Oh, how cuuuUUUuuute," Him said saccharinely, folding his claws, leaning his cheek into them, and batting his eyes. "It's almost enough to...SEND ME INTO INSULIN SHOCK!" Him leered at Rachel with a too-wide smile. "You make Bubbles look like a Rhodes Scholar!" "I do not!" Rachel insisted. "I don' make Bubbles study roads!" Him stared for a moment. Then he burst into even more hysterical laughter. Rachel's eyes filled with tears. She began to sniffle. The Powerpuff Girls gaped. Then _their_ eyes burst into flames, all three cherubic faces shifting into snarls. "That was low, Him, even for you!" Blossom shouted. "Yeah, let's get him! Uh, Him!" Buttercup growled. "Right!" Bubbles nodded. *Hey, Rachel, this is the part we came for!* Liam sent, interrupting Rachel's funk. The twins looked at each other, smiled, and joined the three light-streaks already headed for Him. "Oops. I think I over-DID iiiiit..." Him said with a nervous smile, which lasted for a fraction of a second. Then enough "Bam!"s and "Pow!"s to fill half a season of the aforementioned 60s Batman series filled the air as all five super-tykes began to pummel Him at super-speed... (OOC: This was just for the fun of showing the kids at work/play. Anyone familiar with PPG can certainly go there, but the Phoenix Twins will be gone by then. ;^) ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Guardians of the Night On Wed, 05 Jun 2002 22:15:06 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00010880 >On Wed, 05 Jun 2002 18:01:10 -0700 >Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00010878 > >Aurora, trying to slip into the gargoyle tooniverse unobserved, finds >to her surprise that she has misgaged her apparent size for the first >time in epochs. She finds herself standing in the middle of Central >Park, looking -DOWN-, slightly, on the castle. She murmers to herself >/*"How in the stars... Ah, I see. The Tooniverse sensed my power, and >reacted to me as though I were as Oberon, causing me to manifest as >HE once did. Larger than life. Well at least I will draw attention >away from the others. Roland, Morgan, you are doing alright I >presume?"*/ /Couldn't be better,/ Roland said with dark glee as he and Demona exchanged blows in Central Park. Muggers were fleeing in terror, until they stopped and stared at the enormous angelic figure towering over the city (if she's taller than Xanatos Tower, she's definitely the tallest thing in the city). /But what do you mean...draw...attention.../ Roland and Demona's vicious furball of a fight slowed, became perfunctory, and finally stopped. Roland's fist was caught in Demona's claw, and both stared up as still as if it were daylight. Several car crashes didn't jar the staring figures (just about every New Yorker looking outside) in the slightest. /Au-RO-ra!/ Morgan blurted in full "mom voice" mode. /Either shrink or 'port out!/ "/Or hide,/" Roland added absently. "Do you know her?" Demona asked with an "in shock" calm voice. "Uh-huh." "I yield," she replied simply. "Aw, nuts." Roland sighed. "I was humoring you, you know," she added. "Oh, really." "Yes. I have renounced my war on humanity." Roland pondered this a moment. "You know, if I didn't know you were making peace with your divinities, I wouldn't believe a word of it. Thanks, though. Not that you need to worry -- Aurora's okay, if a bit 'obvious.' Like I'm one to talk, sure, but...aw nass." Roland gulped. Beside Aurora, a male figure that looked somewhat similar to the Oberon Roland and Morgan know began to grow, until equaling her height. "Pardon me, madame," Oberon-G asked politely. "May I ask what you are doing frightening the mundanes of my universe? Not that I object overmuch, mind you," he added, almost as an aside, "but I must admit to a bit of curiosity." *Xanatos, my granddaughter _is_ safe in the tower, yes?* "Snug in her bed," Xanatos replied without missing a beat. *Ah. Excellent.* Meanwhile, at MIB headquarters... "J, K, get out there yesterday," Zed barked calmly. (Natural command voice. Gotta love it. 8^) "L, fire up the big one." TBC... ================================= Subject: Re: AAE VIII Tooning around On Thu, 6 Jun 2002 15:46:19 -0700 (PDT) Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00010881 >On Tue, 4 Jun 2002 20:51:54 -0700 (PDT) >Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00010876 > A half hour later Driss pulled a device out of his pocket that >looked like a remote control. Pushing some buttons on it a blue >X-window appeared with the number 02 up in the right hand corner. >Driss started hitting the channel up button and watching the scenes >change until he found the setting he was looking for. He dashed >through with Roscoe right behind him. As they passed throught he >portal Roscoe made a realization *Ummm Driss... that number... isn't >that... FOX?* > Driss chuckled, "Why yes it is..." > >TBC Driss and Roscoe paused a moment to let their senses adjust to the new toonie realm. Then another several moments spewing silent curses at Chaos as they looked around at the jail cell the portal took them to. Driss looks down at Roscoe, "You know.. sometimes I hate my life..." He leans against the bars and fishes in a pocket for a candy bar, tossing it out onto the floor in front of the cell. Cheif Wiggum waddles in leading a rough looking character in cuffs. "You'll never get out of here this time Snake." He puts the shady character in a cell and hangs his keys back on his belt. Then his eyes fall on the candy bar on the ground, "Hey who left this here?" With a groan he bends down to try to pick it up, 'Uhhh almost... there...dang who put the floor so far down." Driss rolls his eyes and reaches through the bars to deftly pluck the keys from Wiggum's belt, slipping them into his own pocket. "Almost...Almost... a little more.. Ah I got you!" Wiggum cries cheerfully as he finalyl manages to pick up the candy bar, "I always get my man!" "I thought that was a mountie Chief..." comes a voice from the other room. "Aww come on guys!" whines Wiggum as he waddles out, "I can get my man too can't I?" Driss sighs and pulls they keys from his pocket, unlocking the cell door. "Sometimes I wonder why he even bothers locking people up..." Roscoe nods as he trots out behidn Driss. Snake blinkblinks, "Hey... the man with the key! Set old Snake free!" Driss looks Snake over contemplatively, "Do you know where to find Professor Frink?" Snake nods, "Yeh I know exactly where he is. Can take you right there but Snake-man's gotta be free first!" Driss sighs and unlocked Snake's door. "ok, let's go." They bothe headed to the window with Roscoe quickly behind. Moments later they races off down the street in Snake's hot rod. Pulling up in front of the elementary school Snake stuck a thumb at it, "You'll like find the dude in a basement there. Doin like all kinds of wierd mad scientist like stuff." Driss and Roscoe stood on the sidewalk looking at the school as Snake squeeled his tires and raced off. Driss rubbed his chin and looked down at Roscoe, "So what do you think?" Roscoe watches three bigger boys beating up a spiky haired kid on the playground, *I think we;re going back to school...* A few minutes later Driss was slipping through the halls of the school silently, glad the kids were out on recess. He opked his nose in doors looking for stairs down but only finding the principal and a teacher making out in one classroom, some burly scotch laborer videotaping the two through a hole in the wall in the next classroom, some other teachers drinking southern comfort in the lounge, and the lunch lady rummaging through the trash in the nurses office for used bandages to add as lunchfood filler. Finally he finds the stairs and works his way down quickly, pausing only to let his eyes adjust to the dimmer light before he started looking for the lab. it wasn't too hard to find as he heard voices and the sound of a struggle. "FROINLAVEN! Please stop with the hitting and the kicking and the kidnapping!" came a whiny nasal voice. "Quiet you fool. You're coming with me and there' snothing you can do about it!" echoes the Controller's metallic voice. Driss ran for the door, giving it a flying kick and rolling thorugh it, drawing his pistol form his shoulder holster, 'No but I bet I can!" The Controller turned, Frink clasped in one metal hand. "That is a bet you would lose!" He gestures with his free hand and an X-window opened up in mid air. Driss Wasted no time, squeezing the trigger on his pistol, feeling the pump on it work, pushing force behind the liquid inside, squirting out the caustic liquid inside... Dip... The Controller seems to almost smile though as Driss fires. One of Frink's robots heeds The Controller's mental command, throwing itself in the path of the squirtgun's stream. It gives out a metallic cry of pain, calling out as it starts disolving "Why... Oh why was I made to feel pain. Help me... help me.. my limbs are flailing! Help me!" Driss silently cursed and lines up another shot just as the Controller races throug the X-window. It closes up behind him and Driss's eyes notice something behind it... a Timer... On a bomb... Counting down... 3... 2... 1... Meanwhile up stairs, Principal Skinner adjusts his suit a bit as he walks down the hallway with Superintended Chaumers, "So you and Ms. Krabopple were having a... Pricipal Teacher conference?" qwerried Chaumers. "Thai's right sir!" replied Skinner quickly, 'We care so much about the childern that we regualrly get together to discuss them sir!" Chaumer raised an eyeborw, 'And you do this... during Recess?" "Recess, Lunch, whenever we can get a moment sir. Oh look! Here's our new Gymnasium! We managed to pay for it by renting out some unused basement space below us to a scientist." Skinner rushed Chaumers on, trying to change the subject. Chaumers looked around the gym and nodded his head, 'Very nice Skinner. No dogs are going to fall out of the air ducts this time are they?" Skinner laughed nervously, "Oh course not sir! though if I did you could almost say it was raining cats and dogs!" "Except there would be no cats." "Um right sir." replied Skinner quietly. "And only one dog." "Umm.. well yes..." "So you really can't say Dogs plural can you?" "Ummm no sir..." "So it really wouldn't make any sense to say at all would it?" Skinner coughed selfconciously, "Umm I would guess not sir." Chaumers sighed and pulls out his clipboard, 'Well I guess I can't blame you for stupid sayings. And force once absolutely nothing negative happened. So I'm pleased to give you a perfect..." The rest of his scentace was cut off by a resounding explosion, tearing up from beneath the floor and propelling both men along with tons of equipment nad a charred Driss up into the sky. "SKINNER!!!!!" Bellowed Chaumers as he sailed away. A short while later after Driss made his way back to Roscoe from off frame, he pulled out his device once more, 'He got away again Roscoe, but I saw through his X-window where he went." The blue x-window opened again as Driss found the right channel. As they stepped through Driss pulled out a Cel-phone and started dialing. Roscoe looked up at him and Blinked, *Who ya gonna call?* To be Continued ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Guardians of the Night On Thu, 06 Jun 2002 16:36:46 -0700 Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00010882 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00010880 > >/Au-RO-ra!/ Morgan blurted in full "mom voice" mode. /Either shrink >or 'port out!/ > > "/Or hide,/" Roland added absently. /*"Roland, just where on Earth would you suggest that a being this size COULD hide?"*/ Aurora says with a giggle that rings out over and throughout the Earth. > "Pardon me, madame," Oberon-G asked politely. "May I ask what you >are doing frightening the mundanes of my universe? Not that I object >overmuch, mind you," he added, almost as an aside, "but I must admit >to a bit of curiosity." *Xanatos, my granddaughter _is_ safe in the >tower, yes?* > "Snug in her bed," Xanatos replied without missing a beat. > *Ah. Excellent.* *"My apologies. I had not intended to cause such a stir, but -other- forces had other ideas. With your permission, Majesty, I will assume a somewhat less attention drawing size."* Aurora answers. Suiting deed to word, she "shrinks" down to approximately human size (if a woman 6' 6" is considered human). /*"Roland I suspect we should talk to this gentleman."*/ ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Guardians of the Night On Thu, 6 Jun 2002 20:37:47 -0700 (PDT) Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00010883 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00010880 > >>Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00010878 >> >>Aurora, trying to slip into the gargoyle tooniverse unobserved, >>finds to her surprise that she has misgaged her apparent size for >>the first time in epochs. She finds herself standing in the middle >>of Central Park, looking -DOWN-, slightly, on the castle. She >>murmers to herself /*"How in the stars... Ah, I see. The Tooniverse >>sensed my power, and reacted to me as though I were as Oberon, >>causing me to manifest as HE once did. Larger than life. Well at >>least I will draw attention away from the others. Roland, Morgan, >>you are doing alright I presume?"*/ Rob was climbing down a fire escape when Aurora manifested. [Landing on a roof-top, not unusual. The clock tower that's being rebuilt, now that's unusual - and -that's- something you don't see every day in NYC. That's probably about...um...Central Park, I suppose.] Dropping to the alleyway, Rob began running for the park. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Guardians of the Night On Thu, 06 Jun 2002 21:55:06 -0700 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00010884 >On Thu, 06 Jun 2002 16:36:46 -0700 >Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00010882 > >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00010880 >> >>/Au-RO-ra!/ Morgan blurted in full "mom voice" mode. /Either shrink >>or 'port out!/ >> >> "/Or hide,/" Roland added absently. > >/*"Roland, just where on Earth would you suggest that a being this >size COULD hide?"*/ Aurora says with a giggle that rings out over and >throughout the Earth. /Grife, Aurora, even _I_ can do invisibility. It gives me a headache, but...anyway, there's intangibility and sink, flight and cloud cover --/ Roland looks up. Clear sky. /--_make_ cloud cover...uh, shapeshift...I guess you'd have to be a building, then...that's all I can think of at the moment, but not bad for a First-Stage brain, IMHO./ >> "Pardon me, madame," Oberon-G asked politely. "May I ask what you >>are doing frightening the mundanes of my universe? Not that I object >>overmuch, mind you," he added, almost as an aside, "but I must admit >>to a bit of curiosity." *Xanatos, my granddaughter _is_ safe in the >>tower, yes?* >> "Snug in her bed," Xanatos replied without missing a beat. >> *Ah. Excellent.* > >*"My apologies. I had not intended to cause such a stir, but -other- >forces had other ideas. With your permission, Majesty, I will assume >a somewhat less attention drawing size."* Aurora answers. "Well, it's hardly _necessary._ I'm more a bit curious as to your intentions, that's all. However..." Oberon-G shrugs expressively and smiles charmingly. >Suiting deed to word, she "shrinks" down to approximately human size >(if a woman 6' 6" is considered human). OOC: Women can be 6'6". It's not _common,_ but I've seen at least one. Oberon looks down, ponders the panicking mortals for a moment, then does the same (except he stops at 5'9" -- to him, size doesn't matter ;^). >/*"Roland I suspect we should talk to this gentleman."*/ /Oh, no.../ Roland gulps. "Demona, you're one of the good guys now, right?" Demona smiles a bit wobbily and crosses her arms. "If you think that I am a 'guy,' Wayfarer, your eyes need adjustment." "Now that's the Demona I know and want to disembowel." Roland's returning smile was even more wobbly. "I certainly hope that you don't intend to indulge your desire," Goliath rumbled as he, Hudson and Morgan landed nearby. Demona took one look at Morgan and quirked an eyebrow. She (Demona) smiled in indulgent amusement. "Still a weakness for redheads, Wayfarer?" she chuckled. Roland growled. "An' Scottish ones in the bargain, from th' looks of it," Hudson quipped. "From the past," Goliath finished. "Is someone going to introduce us?" Morgan deadpanned, though a slight grin betrayed her amusement. Roland facepalmed. "That depends. Can I commit seppuku instead?" "It won't stick," Morgan noted. "Yeah, but it'll get me off the hook and probably hurt less," Roland replied. "Only temporarily." "Which one?" "Yes," Morgan deadpanned again. "Introductions?" Demona prompted. Roland sighed (tm Seosaidh). "Morgan, this is Demona. We dated for about three hours before she sucked me into a plot to destroy humanity. The Gargoyles consider me something called a 'Wayfarer,' which is kind of like an Earth-9 Eternal, so I wasn't 'human' in her eyes. Demona, this is Morgan Greywolf-Phoenix, my wife. We met in a running multiversal firefight and fell in love while trying to save a jester-god's brothers on a different world. We're looking for our twin children, a boy and a girl." He looked up at where Aurora and Oberon had been mere moments before. "I don't suppose you've seen them?" "Nice try," Demona quipped. "It's the truth," Roland replied testily. "Oh, I'm sure it is. But you're not changing the subject so easily." Demona grimaced, flexed her arms, and coughed. "They were here briefly. I was, ah, going over my spell book. I think they thought it was a curse." Goliath coughed as well, and Hudson chuckled. "When I found her," Goliath commented dryly, "she was wrapped from her neck to her ankles in a girder." "Sounds like our bairns," Morgan sighed. ^What have you been teaching them?^ she added privately. ^Self-defense,^ Roland replied in annoyance, though he was (of course) blushing furiously... TBC ================================= Subject: AAE 8: Academic Antics (Long! (I think...)) On Fri, 7 Jun 2002 15:16:57 -0700 (PDT) Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00010888 "Hurry up, Baldric, we haven't got all night!" "Coming, Dean Blackadder, sir," the scruffy and unsavory undergrad called to his employer as he hustled after the taller, darker, more handsome, cleaner and yet still entirely unsavory in his own way head of the Political Science and Intrigue department. Blackadder waited, tapping his foot, then sighed and looked up at the statue in front of him instead of back up the stairs leading to the administrators' offices. The black bronze casting was of a woman and her dog, the former dressed as a pioneer, the latter a mountain cur, the sort of animal Old Yeller was written about, though not the dog of the Disney films. "'The Vanguard'. That always puzzled me, not much of an advanced guard for an army. And I seriously doubt whoever this woman was, she wasn't the pioneering sort. Yet here she is, with her trusty dog, unarmed, un-equipped, staring off out the entrance to the university." "Maybe she's waiting for someone, sir?" Baldric offered helpfully. "Pfft," Blackadder scoffed, then sighed as he walked onward toward the PSI building, "Well, anyway, an entire day wasted with the Archdean for nothing, my department's still not getting any more money." Baldric stopped on the steps of the building. "Sir, I have a cunning plan." Dean Blackadder stopped and scowled at his aide. "Baldric, you couldn't conceive of a cunning plan if I took you and a litter of fox pups over to the WUSE building and had your DNA cloned with theirs. The best I could hope for would be a litter of fox pups that upper class twits could hunt when they'd forgotten their dogs and their horses, and their rifles." "No, really, Dean Blackadder, sir, it is truly cunning!" "Alright, enlighten me, but I'm probably going to string you up the flag pole by your jockey shorts afterwards." "No sir, you won't have to do that again, sir," Baldric said, reassuringly, then hazarded to continue with his idea, "What if we got a duplicate of the Archdean and got him to give our department more money?" Blackadder looked thoughtful a moment, then replied, "To the flag pole, Baldric." Baldric looked crestfallen. "Yes, Dean Blackadder," he said, as he headed for the main square, then paused, turning back, "Oh, sir, you were scheduled to meet with Mister Lynch this evening, then you had a reservation at Le Bouquet immediately afterwards." "Ah yes." Blackadder nodded, "Well, Baldric, it would seem you've garnered a reprieve. Bring the car to the WUSE building and I'll meet you there after speaking with young Mr. Lynch." "Yes sir, Dean Blackadder, sir," Baldric said enthusiasticly as he scurried off to comply and earn the Dean's favor again. Blackadder turned, heading for the Weird and Unnatural Science and Engineering building. "Let's hope that little midget, Dean Washu, is taking the night off," Dean Blackadder muttered to himself, "Baldric drives me insane enough as it is. I'd rather not round a corner and find myself in the Cretaceous Age, again." Michael Seven stretched, getting up from behind his desk as he picked up his silver fountain pen and the last of the documents he'd been signing since the end of his meeting with Dean Blackadder. As David had suggested, he stuck to his guns and weathered the plying for more funds. Blackadder's department was already generously funded, more money might give them an edge against the Criminal and Poetic Justice Department, and he wasn't about to have an escalation in the blood feud between those two departments. Dean Worf would have a field day. "Good Evening, Archdean," a cheerful, pleasant, vaguely British, man's voice said as Michael Seven left his office. Michael smiled, "Hello, Dudley, here's the last of the paperwork for today. And please-" Dudley smiled back, saying, "-reschedule your appointments so you're free the next couple days? Already have, sir." Mike nodded, still taken a bit aback at that even after all these years. "Yes, that was it." "I imagine you'll want to go for a drive this evening before you go looking for the Phoenix twins," Dudley said, holding up a pair of keys, "I've taken the liberty of having the porsche fueled, washed and waxed this morning. Therefore, we should get a thunderstorm this evening, late, but you'll be home by then." Seven accepted the keys and walked out the door. On the threshold, he turned back to his secretary, saying, "Dudley, you're an angel." Dudley the Angel smiled knowingly, "Yes I am... Don't forget to buckle your safety belt, sir." Michael Seven only stopped three times, the first to say hello to a pair of professors; Frankenstein ("That's Fronk-in-steen!") from the Medical Sciences and Abominations Branch of the WUSE Department and Odo from the aforementioned C&PJ department; the second stop to instruct an obviously new student working for the campus mail system that she wasn't suitably armed for the job, instructing her to return immediately to the mail room and get the supply of wooden stakes, silver, cold iron and sunlight-tracer rounds that were standard issue for all letter carriers on campus. He stopped a third time to inform the head of the campus mail system that someone had apparently been hazing the new recruits and this was especially uncalled for during Hell Week. He'd already had to scold some drunken frat boys for trying to raise Cthulhu without a permit from his office. Finally arriving at his car, Michael slid into the driver's seat and started the black and silver porsche's engine. Pulling out of his private parking space, he drove out of the administrative staff lot and onto the main thoroughfare. With no traffic at that time of night, he -brought the sports car's engine up to 35 miles an hour and felt himself finally relax. "Oi, you kids get away from Dean Blackadder's car!" Daldric shouted, then ducked behind the corner he'd just rounded as the three youths, wearing C&PJ sweatshirts peppered the wall with uzi fire as they ran away from the car they'd so recently given an impromptu paint job. "Oh no, Dean Blackadder's not gonna be happy about this," Baldric muttered as he approached the once black limo. The undergrads had done a good job of removing any evidence of black, having opted instead for bright pink with rainbows, the license plates and hubcaps gone now, all lights broken, and 'Slackbladder' painted prominently on the hood and trunk in silver on white, cartoon clouds. "I knew I shouldn't have stopped and held the door for that conga line, but who knew they were tryin' ta get into the Guinness Book of World Records?" Baldric lamented as he hustled to get to the relative safety of the limo. Sliding into the driver's seat knowing he was going to be late, Baldric wasted no time getting the car started and out onto the road. He was rounding the corner of the WUSE building when he fish-tailed the back of the limo into the path of a black and silver porsche. Baldric hustled out of the car, running around the back to the porsche's driver's side only to stop and stare at the driver's bloodied forehead, brown hair matted to the large cut on his temple, the gray sideburns and grey and brown goatee making the face unmistakable. "Archdean Seven!" Baldric moaned, "Dean Blackadder's really not gonna like this!" "Well, Mister Lynch, from your grades, I really can't see you having much of a future with the PSI department. In fact, I'd hazard you're going to fail your introductory courses just based on the results of your past tests." The spiky haired British youth looked appalled at the idea, "Bryce Lynch doesn't fail! I'm a child prodigy!" Dean Blackadder folded his arms, looking around the computer lab he'd agreed to meet the young man in. "More like child prodigal," he said, "Wasting your poor family's meager income sending you here, only to come home empty-handed. You've already acquired a sizable credit card debt buying electronics equipment. No doubt trying to pirate video games." Bryce was furious, "No, I'm trying to recreate an experiment I was conducting before I got the offer to come here, the ability to duplicate a human mind electronically!" He gestured at the equipment around him, "With this I can digitally record someone's brain and make it do whatever I want!" "Ah, two Bryce Lynchs, there's a thought. Perhaps one of you can sleep in class while the other continues on the quest to become Pac-man champion," Blackadder replied snidely. A loud metallic crunch drew both Brits' attentions toward the window. Blackadder looked outside and, seeing Baldric next to a totaled porsche and a disgustingly painted limo, turned to leave. "Mr. Lynch, we'll continue this conversation in a few minutes. Perhaps there's some extracurricular work you can do for my department to help keep your GPA at the high levels this university demands." Bryce looked startled, "Yes, of course, Dean Blackadder, anything!" Blackadder smiled as he opened the door, "Good, that's the sort of thing I like to hear from my minions, er, undergrads." TBC ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 8: Guardians of the Night On Fri, 07 Jun 2002 16:05:19 -0700 Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00010893 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00010884 > >>Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00010882 >> >>/*"Roland, just where on Earth would you suggest that a being this >>size COULD hide?"*/ Aurora says with a giggle that rings out over >>and throughout the Earth. > > /Grife, Aurora, even _I_ can do invisibility. It gives me a >headache, but...anyway, there's intangibility and sink, flight and >cloud cover --/ Roland looks up. Clear sky. /--_make_ cloud >cover...uh, shapeshift...I guess you'd have to be a building, >then...that's all I can think of at the moment, but not bad for a >First-Stage brain, IMHO./ /*"We have differing views on what -hide- means."*/ Aurora answers. >>Suiting deed to word, she "shrinks" down to approximately human size >>(if a woman 6' 6" is considered human). >> >Oberon looks down, ponders the panicking mortals for a moment, then >does the same (except he stops at 5'9" -- to him, size doesn't matter >;^). /*"I, and my friends, are looking for a pair of lost children. The children belong to them. I will introduce you."*/ Aurora tells Fairy King. >>/*"Roland I suspect we should talk to this gentleman."*/ > > /Oh, no.../ Roland gulps. Aurora walks the short distance to the small group (presumably with Oberon following)./*"Your Majesty this is Roland, and Morgan. The parents of the lost children. Roland, Morgan this is the local analog of the Oberon that you know."*/ She says. =================================