III-05 Slip Me a Mickey

[Darquirrin]

Danny shrugs and sighs, "Well if you want to think that, sir, that's your right. You probably know more about than I do. I'm just stating my thoughts, dumb or not. However, can you offer a more plausible explanation on why he and he alone seemed to be so directly targeted?" He looks over at Tom and shrugs, "I could do it."

John says, "I don't know... I mean, this is all a little over MY head, personally. I don't really know what the best course of action is except I don't really like Franky but if he could change, I can put up with him."

~~~~~

Franky sighs, "I don't know why you would... But...thanks, I guess... " He looks down, "I guess it's a possibility. Though the Professor told me to wait. The thing is, though, I don't really WANT to....think about all this stuff, Firefur. I don't even want to .... remember any of it. None of it ever works out. Nothing I ever do seems to come out right. And I'm pretty sure if I did join you.... Your whole pride would probably end up suffering for it. That's....why I chose the permanently....ending....route. So no one else would ever have to suffer again because of me."

[Lord Pouchlaw]

Lord Firefur shook his mane then stated something scary. "Yas probably 'ave no idea what will 'appen when yas get unmade, do yas? Let me spell it out for yas. This is the exact reason no one throughout the planes likes to even think about it, let alone talk about it. When yas get unmade, everything yas 'ave ever touched and everyone yas 'ave ever influenced... or even saved in any way shape or form... all of that is completely undone. All of it. So if through yer actions yer friend Edward Adams is alive today... when yas get unmade, 'e instantly ceases to exist. That's right. It would be like yer killing 'im on purpose this time. Could yas forgive yerself for that? 'ow is that fair to 'im? Yas think about that while Ah go pitch my offer at Diablo. Ah actually want yas. Do yas 'ear anyone else saying that? Yas think it over." And he disappeared out of the room.

~~~~~

While the debate was near closing, Lord Firefur appeared next to Diablo PHYSICALLY. "Emperor Diablo? Ah need to talk to yas about Franky. Ah want that boy -- alive. Ah care about 'im enough to give 'im the life that would make 'im happy in the long run."

Diablo replied, "He isn't going to die, Firefur. I don't know where you got that idea from."

Firefur turned to the club boys. "Franky 'imself told me that 'e wants to be unmade. And before yas boys get to thinking that might be the best thing that 'as ever 'appened, let me spell it out for yas since Diablo obviously chose not to explain it to yas... The exact reason no one throughout the planes likes to even think about it, let alone talk about it, is that when yas get unmade, everything yas 'ave ever touched and everyone yas 'ave ever influenced... or even 'saved' in any way shape or form... all of that is completely undone. All of it."

"So if through Franky's actions Eddie lives today... when Franky gets unmade, Eddie instantly ceases to exist. That's right. It would be like yas boys 'elping Franky kill Eddie on purpose. Could yas forgive yerselves for that? No Eddie means no Eddie's club. No Eddie's 'elping ALL of yas in any way that might 'ave made yer lives better. No rescue from yer parents, Danny... a fate worse than death. And that is why yas cannot unmake Franky. If yas want yer club to survive, 'e 'as to live. And Ah want 'im myself because Ah 'appen to really love 'im. Ah want 'im."

"And before yas complain, Maatz... yas don't own 'im anymore. Ah asked the Yuskay Lawyers about it before Ah came up 'ere. Believe it or not, my claim on 'im was with a stipulation. 'e would be yers until the day yas released 'im from Triple I. And yas recently did that with this silly TIDE suggestion that Franky cares nothing about. It was made to please yas; not to placate Franky."

Eddie paled at this information. "oh shit. THAT is what he's wanting? That's the dumbest thing ever!"

Tom made a horrid face. "Before I got in the club, Eddie convinced my parents not to move to a desert town in California. Without Eddie, I'd been in the middle of no fricking place. I owe Eddie a lot for my even being here now. And I don't want his involvement in that decision to be erased."

Masya then said, "Firefur... what guarantee would we have that Franky's parents wouldn't suddenly call the police the moment he failed to come home after a sufficient absence? Think about this scenario... Franky joins your pride thus failing to come home. Maybe never again. The parents call the police and someone happens to have remembered that the last person to see Franky alive was... Eddie. Suddenly Eddie is getting questioned and he fails a polygraph test because he can't tell humans the truth about where Franky went, so they accuse him of murder."

Firefur replied, "Ah would permit Franky to 'ave the freedom to check in with 'is parents day to day. Ah'm not an idiot. Ah've even offered to 'elp 'im fix 'is Talent and even give 'im a life away from the club."

Tom then asked, "Are you wanting Franky because he has potential to be a good pride member... or because he was a good fuck one time?"

Diablo muttered, "Nailed it."

Firefur growled at Diablo. "No, 'e did NOT nail it. Ah 'appen to LOVE Franky. End of story. Oh sure, the yiff 'elped me see 'ow nice 'e was. But later Ah kept secret tabs on 'im and saw that 'e is a very loyal boy. And that appeals to me. Besides, Mr. Tom Sawyer... until yas 'ave been FUCKED by an Underworlder, then yas 'ave no room to make comments."

The Professor coughed at that moment, blushing. "Well... actually..."

Tom went silent and BLUSHED HARD at that moment.

Firefur grinned. "See? Ah'm not the only one."

[Darquirrin]

John rubs his head, "Kinda surprised anyone would stand up for Franky... but heck... it gets him outta our hair so... I don't care."

Yasma hrms, "Well..." He looks at Masya and Maatz, "I have to admit. Sounds like a good deal to me. Franky's outta the picture. Eddie and the other boys are free to do what they want. If something comes from this whole 'Stranger' thing, we know where to go find him if it turns to be anything serious. I'd say let the cat have his toy since it sounds like he has a legal claim on the boy and if I remember correctly, any claim has to be resolved before Unmaking can even be considered."

Yasma hrms again and suddenly says, "Hey, I have another idea as well... Why not simply use time-travel to fix this mess. Diablo, with your contacts and Chronus owing you a favor... Why go back in time, snag Franky's soul before he killed Eddie, give Firefur the soul AND a blank body to do whatever he wants with Franky. Then we just ensure the life-loop still happens and ensure the club still forms, etc. Not very difficult. And all partys are happy."

~~~~~

In the back room, with everyone else now occupied. Franky gets another visit but he can't see who it is. Well. well. Looks like you really stepped in it now. And now, the only person who really supports you is the cat you insulted and ran away from. Pitiful, isn't it? The only person in your life to love you...Is a cat you threw away. Oh the DELICIOUS irony of the situation.

Franky sighs, "Go away... whoever you are."

The voice seems to grin as it replies, I will... Just not... Yet. You see I have one more thing to say. Obsession is not the seat of compulsion. Nor the seat of love, little boy. They will die.... Just as you've always feared... And you'll continue to live on... while all around.... everyone dies. I hope you can enjoy the play, your scene is just about over, Killer. Face the curtain.... with a bow! Then it left, laughing and gloating as it faded away.

[Lord Pouchlaw]

Diablo grinz. "Chronos. Of course. Yasma, I think you just slam dunked the solution without meaning to. Now I know how to fix this whole mess. Be right back." BA-DAMF! He vanished.

Eddie arched an eye. "I for some reason don't like the way he left just now."

Firefur said, "Ah will wait right 'ere for 'im to return."

The Professor went back in and fetched Franky, helping him get dry and back into his clothes, then brought him back out to the others... before looking at John. "Your turn, John. And don't give me any trouble."

Tom looked at Franky. "You don't look so hot, Franky. In fact, you have a look as if you saw someone you really didn't want to see."

Masya and Maatz both agreed with that statement.

[Darquirrin]

Franky shrugs and sighs, "Just a little birdy.... Gloating and being annoying. Nothing... too bad." He half-smiles.

John nods, "Alright, Proffy. Let's see what you got.... Oh I'll be good. Promise. I won't seduce you, unlike Tom." He giggles and goes with the professor.

Yasma says, "Well if it involved Chronos, it's something involving a Dragon and Time... and those are... usually my last resorts and a very, VERY scarey combination. But I did suggest it."

[Lord Pouchlaw]

Inside the chamber, the Professor performs the same with John as he had the others. And what does he find on John?

[Darquirrin]

John's innate talent is a rather rare one indeed and much more aggressive. His ability is, Soul Wielder known to humans as Artifact Warriors. He has the ability to created demonic artifacts of great power through soul binding and manipulation of raw soul energy and instinctive learn and utilize any Artifact he bonds with. This includes creating artifacts designed to house and imprison demonic entities, angelic forces, and even extract abilities from those souls to grant power to the item for a desired effect or be used natively by himself. It's a very volatile power as the Soul Wielder is pretty much constantly in danger of letting the souls of others overwhelm him. Once activated, it also allows the person to see the souls of others, read auras, and see spirits.

[Lord Pouchlaw]

The Professor tells John about it and teaches him how to use it, before getting him presentable and returned to the others where he tells them what John's Talent is. Then he says, "And now that I have done my job, I will resume my usual work. You may wait for Diablo to return or do whatever else you like." And he heads back over to his lab table.

BA-DAMF! Diablo reappears. "Chronos would like to meet with the entire club, if you please. All five of you. He didn't tell me why. If Triple I would like to come along, they may. Firefur, you may want to hear what he has to say about your claim."

Maatz hrmed. "Then Chronos knows something. That isn't surprising. I've heard that he has records on everybody throughout time. Triple I will definitely come along."

Tom woos! "So we get to see a dragon now..."

Eddie exclaimed, "Be on our best behavior. If Chronos needs to see us, then it must be to answer the big question finally."

[Darquirrin]

Yasma nods, "It's never good to keep him waiting. We want to be on time!"

Franky looks at Yasma, "Okay that was BAD..."

Yasma smirks, "Time is just so full of puns, though! Not as much as Ice though."

John says, "Let's just get going already! Dragonward!"

[Lord Pouchlaw]

Diablo gathered the group together and they vanished together from Disneyland... reappearing at...

THE END! (just kidding!) To Be Continued...

End of III-05 Slip Me a Mickey

Stay tuned for III-06 Time Passages for the Next Train Home