III-05 Slip Me a Mickey

[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

[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]

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]

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]

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

[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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Diablo hummed. "So you're suggesting that Franky is some sort of Cosmic Shield who has been protecting the rest of you, yet he never even tried to open up to anyone but Eddie? Pardon my saying so, but do you know how dumb that sounds? If he is so important, then why hasn't he personally made the effort with the whole team instead of solely on Eddie? I think it's because he doesn't really care about the rest of you, but because Eddie does care, he protects all of you."

Tom hrmed as he groped on Diablo's ass absently. "Danny, how is this for a command...? Make it so Franky regards us all equally. That way all the pressure is taken off of solely Eddie and then as you suggested, we could get to know him because he couldn't possibly hang out with all of us at the same time. What do you think?"

~~~~~

Franky suddenly becomes aware of his being watched. When he lifts his head to look, he sees the ethereal form of an eerily, glowing with heat radiance, orange, red, yellow, and silver demon lion with horns and a warm looking mane and a prehensile thickly furred tail.

It was Lord Firefur (from III Episode 2.) "'ello Franky. Ah 'eard that yas decided to end yer life. But before yas go that route, Ah want to remind yas that Ah personally like yas and Ah always 'ave. Ah 'ave not forgotten yas at all. If yas want a reason to live and be accepted as yas are... Ah can give yas a new life. Do yas remember our first yiffing together? Was Ah turned off? Not a bit. Did Ah make a big deal out of yer Talent? Again no. It's yas Ah wanted; not yer Talent. But if yas want a solid and permanent Talent, agree to join my Pride and Ah'll support yas all the way and... give yas a new Talent. Ah can even improve on the fading Talent, although its caused yas nothing but trouble. So give me a smile, mate. Ah love everyone in my Pride. And Ah want to share that with yas. Will yas willingly swear yerself over to me?"

[Darquirrin]

John shrugs, "Sounds great to me. Works out best for everyone and we don't have to deal with him."

Danny sighs, "Of course you'd think that, John." He looks at the others, "To play Devil's Advocate, no offense to the infernal presences here, we're deal with a soul who has been through all he has. It is true, he's got issues, and I understand, Tom, the problem his infatuation causes for Eddie. The problem is... He's been beaten down so much... He's been treated like a parasite. He's been TREATED like he wasn't wanted," He looks at the devimice, "Including you two, Yasma, Masya," He looks back at the others, "Until he wants to die... or be unmade...whatever that is. He would rather DIE that continue on as he is. And that's a problem. And that's NOT a problem that a mere club change is going to fix. Think about. All your saying to him is, 'Yeah. We don't want you to die... but we don't care about you enough to try and help, so .... go play in the kiddie pool and leave us alone, you poor, poor thing."

Danny shakes his head, "I know what that feels like, okay? I've been there! I've done that! I have the fucking T-Shirt." He looks down and sighs again before looking up, "I am okay if he's still our friend and in our club, but the fact is... WE need to spend time with him. ALL of us. If he starts to fawn, one of us, needs to tell him. And if he makes a complaint... THEN we can work on the problem. But all of this... even my ideas... Aren't going to work in the end. Not until he has a reason to live. And.... really... what reason does he have to live? That's what we need to get a grip on."

Danny gets up and walks over to look out across the park, "People.... when they're together... when they believe each in other.... they can be stronger than anything... I believe that. I think that's why Franky is important as he is. I think his Gift.... Maybe it's obvious now." He looks at the Professor, "Maybe you should have thought of it. Maybe.... Maybe it's Sacrifice. Think back over the course of everything that's happened. He develops True Senses... when? Just when needed to get us all here? I don't' know if it's even something he has control over. Every time, every failure, leads back to him. John, you remember when you got hit by that car? Not a scratch on you. It was....a miracle... right? But what happened a few days later? Franky got mugged by bullies and beat to a bloody pulp. Same..." He looks back at the screen, "Same with my parents... when they would throw things....fight... I've never been...physically hurt... I thought I had just gotten away Scott free but none of us bothered to care what might be happening with Franky. Cause we didn't like him. But we liked each other. He's been the collective crap-collector for all of us. And it's always disband the Club but the ONLY one of us TARGETED for being attacked.... is Franky."

Danny shrugs, "And maybe I'm entirely wrong... Maybe... I just am crazy but all the shit he's been through... It seems like more than just bad luck or happenstance. ... Maybe he's been protecting us."

[Lord Pouchlaw]

Maatz hummed. "From the beginning, Yasma, you never wanted to give him a chance and-"

Masya interrupted him. "Back up a spot, Maatz. I also only wanted Eddie at first. So don't get on Yasma's case simply because he doesn't like the kid. Yasma knows bad boys at 20 paces and beyond and he simply stated what he knew on sight about Franky. But in Eddie we saw the complete opposite. He was a team player; he was willing to help out on cases; he never second guessed himself. Unlike Franky who you had to COAX in order for him to participate. The fact stands, boss... Franky was never a team player. And to have these other boys confirm this just proves the point. Even in these videos we can see that he never actually takes the initiative unless it meant his keeping his mitts on Eddie. Now I don't want him to be unmade; every life has a use somewhere. I think we should just give him to the Ange-Cats who were after him to start with, although they probably don't want him now."

"But then there is the other thing we're overlooking... the Stranger who attacked John. We have pretty much already figured out that this Stranger does NOT want Eddie's boys together, but the important part of the equation as much as it pains us to admit is that Franky is the skeleton key that binds whatever the four of you can do when you powers are combined. Without Franky, the threat this Stranger fears cannot exist. Apparently you four are the only ones who can ultimately stop this guy. But only if Franky is in your club. Otherwise, he's ultimately all-powerful. He's afraid of you guys otherwise he wouldn't be trying to scare you all out of the club," finished Masya. "Sometimes it pays to be an information Devimouse."

Maatz was quiet after that. Put in his place by the PRO Information Devimouse.

Tom sighed. "I'm sorry I talked down on Franky. I know he's never had it off good for anything. But like I said, its a super turn off if he can't stop smothering Eddie all the fucking time. In that aspect, I agree with John. I mean, enough is enough. But like Danny, I don't want him dead. There have to be species, packs, prides, herds, or someone who really wanted him for him and not for his failing Talent who is out there... waiting."

He paused for a moment as he thought of something. "Wait a minute... in that one video... didn't Jansy offer to be Franky's instructor? Maybe Franky would fit in with the Lancer Crew. I mean, that's a club with hundreds of members... maybe a few just like Franky. Just call Jansy and remind him of his legal contract with Franky. The video never shows Jansy telling Franky that the contract is null and void, so he still has a claim on Franky."

Diablo hummed. "I was there and you're right, Tom. The contract was never cancelled. I was just waiting for someone to remember that. It was a fail safe of legality in case Lady Angela tried to pull something underhanded because I still don't trust her very much. She's a prick."

"I agree that the fawning has to stop," said Eddie as he hummed to make his decision. "I would be okay with Franky still being in the club, but only if he continued his training with Jansy and the Lancer Club boys, too. Jansy claimed him and legally, that is binding whether he likes it or not. What about you guys, John and Danny? What do you think?"

[Darquirrin]

Franky just sighs and waits. He doesn't have any motive to eavesdrop... Or do anything for that matter.

~~~~~

Every important scene pretty much backs up their opinions. But it depends on the lenses you view it through. Franky has a pretty shitty deck handed to him. He's loyal, he loves Eddie. But he's utterly skill-less and pretty worthless. He was the second pick, everyone pretty much established he had no use. The only person who REALLY stood up for him the most was Maatz. In every situation, he's always come in second, which only make him try to work harder... and cling tighter. Strangely though, when he thought he was loosing Eddie... he didn't stalk him. He actually pushed him AWAY during the Hell Cat episode. So he at least respects Eddie's decisions.

Yasma says, "Well everything I see pretty much says what I've always said. He didn't belong, couldn't cut it, and is a creepy stalker. Though... I suppose we could find someone to take his place in TIDE. I knew a few boys who would probably suit them better anyway. And would be less of a pain to deal with."

[Lord Pouchlaw]

The Professor hummed. "Okay, you stay here and I'll return in a while. I need to go ask the others about their feelings about you. If they agree with you, I'll... arrange your request. But don't eavesdrop or snoop. Just stay in the shower and think about things."

And he exits the room.

~~~~~

Masya says, "Here comes the Professor by himself. I wonder what happened?"

The Hell Unicorn walked up to the group and said, "Franklin Kennedy has an issue that I need an answer on before I comply with his request. I need to know how the rest of you feel about this boy. And before you answer, allow me to tell you the results of the identification. He does have True Senses, but... it's deteriorating rapidly and in a few months... it will be totally gone and he would be completely normal after that. What this means, my colleagues... is that someone implanted that Talent in him and did a shitty job doing it because it didn't stick like an innate Talent should stick. You know me, Diablo... when I grant someone a Talent, it's firm and strong. This is... sloppy. Anyway... Franky is miserable, and not because of this news."

He then looked directly at the club boys. "He asked me to unmake him."

Maatz went pale at the suggestion. It was a subject that even he didn't like to hear about.

Diablo ewwed.

Eddie arched an eye. "Unmaking sounds nasty. And judging from how everyone is reacting to it... it probably produces a messy outcome that would affect all of the Planar realms, especially since TIDE was created to accommodate Franky's Talent and since he is losing it... Heaven will be ticked off to the point of thinking Hell deliberately set them up."

Diablo commented, "Correct. And you saw how Lady Angela gets when she's in rival mode."

Tom shrugged his shoulders and proceeded to tell the Professor the truth. Everything they all said before the Hell Unicorn came out with the question. "So you see... we have mixed feelings on this subject. None of us want him dead, but if he would just stop fawning all over Eddie, it might improve his standing with all of us a lot faster. And as for what you said earlier, Danny... if you think Eddie and the rest of us are exaggerating about Franky, then go command him to shift his entire focus to you and then you can learn for yourself just what Eddie has been dealing with. You'll be recanting your statement pretty fast."

Diablo hummed. "Better yet, why don't we simply re-watch every important scene involving Franky when he was 'fawning' all over Eddie, as you put it, and then Danny can not only see for himself, but with the thought balloons turned on, he can see what they are thinking as well." He sets up a second screen and turns it on for the group to watch.

How spot on is what John, Tom, and Yasma said?