Hi JilaCosa..... (conc)

Hi JilaCosa..... (conc)

RagnarRB -- Lovely Ladies

Ragnar nodds his acknowledgement to Ticker and shakes off the last of his suprise.

He's just not used to all this attention! Stupdifies him sometimes. You are all lovely, adorable, and charming!Ragnar has enjoyed himself emensely and hopes you all have as well.

A toast to all you ladies!

olpaint -- Thanks Mouse!!

I havent been kissed under the mistletoe in decades.

Now I must go to bed so Santa doesn't find me awake.

He might give the new Tomb Raider game i've been asking for to someone else!

mouse in the lab -- Olpaint if you mean

the newest Tomb Raider, (Last revelation) santa gave it to me, but I'll share it! It's fantastic. Wait till you try it.

SWORDandMUG -- Oh what a Merry bunch

Having adjusted to the strange magic of this place, the Scapers nestle back into the comfortable spots around the fire and discuss the wondrous gifts they hope Santa will bring. While Olpaint and LabMouse laugh about the new Tomb Raider, Brothermoser holds up a finger for quiet and listens intently beside the fire place.

"Do you hear a scrabbling noise?" he asks.

Ragnar takes his helmet off and lends an ear. KaraS and 6th listen intently as well.

"...cough cough cough..." they hear echoing in the chimney followed by "...hey, am I on fire??!!!??"

As he hears the sound of "waaaiiioowwwww!!!" dissipating from the fire place, Olpaint takes off his glasses and cleans them while calmly pointing out, "Well, sounds like a banshee caught in the garbage disposal..."

The others nod in agreement only to then hear a tumbling sound on the roof and see a red clad form fall past the window.

WHUMP! And a flurry of snow falls after.

The door opens, and a very sooty, smoking, and battered SWORD stands in the doorway dressed like Santa Claus with a bag over his shoulder. He shakes his head in defeat.

"...I just don't know how Santa gets down these chimneys when there's a fire lit in the fire place..."

Ragnar gets up, trying but failing to stifle his laughter.

"SWORD! Where have you been, buddy?"

"Christmas shopping..." he replies as he takes off the still smoldering Santa suit to stand forth in his typical black clothes.

"Last minute, eh?" Brothermoser asks him knowingly.

"Am I a man?" SWORD asks defiantly. "The answer is Yes, so why would it not surprise you that I do all my shopping on Christmas Eve?" He digs in the bag. "Now, lets see if these things survived that conflagration in the chimney..."

He pulls out a gift and hands it to Ragnar. He opens it, and his eyes get very wide.

"A chainmail hauberk! Wow! It's beautiful!"

The others gather around to see the gift. Raven_Kat jumps forward. "What did I get??!!!"

SWORD stands dumbfounded, more surprised than Ragnar.

"But... but... that's not what I wrapped up..." He looks back in the bag. "Same wrapping... that's my hand writing... All I got you was a sweatshirt with the Armorall guy on it... you know, a gag gift?"

"What about me?" Raven_Kat continues to ask, her feet dancing.

SWORD hands her the gift marked for her. She opens it and finds a studded leather cat collar with a heart-shaped bell.

"Wow!" she says. "This is so cool!" Then she laughs, "Kinda kinkoid though, doncha think?"

SWORD just swallows and the corner of his mustache twitches.

"...and what was this supposed to be?" TickTick asks.

"A tie-dye T-shirt with a catch phrase of Grow Your Own Catnip..." SWORD replies, smiling weakly.

"Interesting," Brothermoser says. SWORD raises an eyebrow and tosses him a gift. The others watch with curiousity to see what is in the gift. Brothermoser carefully opens the wrapping and holds up a Phantom of the Opera mask. "...and this is a cape?" he says as he unwraps the large folded cloth beneath it...

...and a pie launches out of the fabric into his face!

"Wow!" Ragnar says with great mirth. TickTick erupts into furious giggling. The others chuckle.

"Hmmm..." Brothermoser says as he cleans pie out of his eyes. "Had a dream of getting me back for all those Phantom launched pies, SWORD?"

SWORD stands amazed and trying to understand what is happening. "...I was thinking about that..."

"It would seem that the magic of this place continues to effect things," KaraS says a little uneasily.

"Toss one here, SWORD," Olpaint says. SWORD tosses him a gift, and he unwraps a French chapeau, a painter's bib, and a pallet. "Hmmm..." SWORD seems to relax a little.

"Okay, my turn," TickTick says. "Gimme!"

He hands her a gift, she tears furiously at the paper, and pulls out an elf costume. "Gee, this is cute... but the shirt sure is short... and the front is rather low cut... and what are these? Fishnet stockings?!!? What kind of elf do you think I am?"

SWORD looks mortified and turns red. He seems greatful when TickTick kicks him in the shin.

"I'm afraid to see what I get," LabMouse says. KaraS agrees, so they open their gifts together. LabMouse tilts her head, trying to figure it out. The white lab coat makes sense, but the stethescope??? KaraS seems relaxed as she tries on the trench coat but looks quizzical as she asks SWORD, "Please explain the high heels..."

SWORD just gets more and more red and more and more uncomfortable. He looks left and right as though he can't remember where the door is at. At that point, 6th reaches into the bag while he is distracted and pulls out her present. SWORD suddenly comes back to the present and tries to stop her.

"No, 6th! Don't open that!" he says as he tries to take the gift away. She pulls back.

"...it's better if you don't..." he says as he pulls, but the wrapping rips. He stands there in a panic, holding only paper as 6th holds the half unwrapped present.

"Okay, that will be enough O that," says a small Irish voice.

"Charlie!" Ticker exclaims and runs to hug him. The leprechaun gives her a quick hug and peck on the cheek and then returns his attention to SWORD, who looks ready to die from embarassment.

"My but aren't you a bit O trouble, lad! You just had to wander in here with all of those nasty hidden thoughts O yers, didncha? Well, the magic O this castle is not fer the likes O ye, nay!" He grabs the swashbucklers by the ear and leads him to the door. "We'll just have to be havin' a talk, you and me lad. The problem bein is that yer only half Irish but the other half Scots! That's where ye went wrong! Ye needed a good Catholic Irish muther to teach ye to think like a gentleman instead O those heathen Highland ways ye got. Now, ye come wit me, and we'll be sittin down to have a talk wit me good friend St. Patrick..."

Tick just whistles, and Ragnar swallows hard.

"SWORD sure is in for it now..." Tick says, almost feeling sorry for him until she looks at the present again. "Give it to him good, Charlie," she mutters and makes a twisting motion with her finger and thumb.

"So what was it?" KaraS asks 6th, who stands confused trying to figure it out.

6th shakes her head.

"It's just a white dress shirt... beats me..."

The girls all look confused, mutter about it, and then go back to their cocoa, making jokes about SWORD (which is so very easy to do).

Ragnar purses his lips and looks at Brothermoser and Olpaint. He silently asks for confirmation. Brothermoser nods agreement, and Olpaint chuckles as he cleans his glasses. Ragnar mouths, "I thought so," and gets another cup of cocoa.

Sixth Sense Dreamer -- 6th sits down on the couch

among the other girls, who are laughing about poor SWORD.

"I can't believe he gave you that!" Raven_Kat giggles, pointing at Ticker's sexy elf costume.

Tick grimaces momentarily "Speak for yourself Raven. What do you THINK he was thinking, giving you a collar?"

6th looks down at the white dress shirt, puzzled. It looks like one of the ones she'd seen him wear before. She lifts it to her face, and sniffs the shirt. A faint scent of SWORD's colonge is all she can smell. 6th runs her hand softly down one sleeve of the shirt. She thinks as hard as she can...

Slowly, her eyes light up. A faint smile crosses her mouth. She chuckles softly to herself, and the other girls notice.

"What is it 6th?" Mouse asks her friend.

"I think I just realized what this means." 6th says, holding up the shirt.

The other girls lean in. "What?" the all ask, but 6th just shakes her head, her smile getting slightly bigger, and a lovely blush creeping over her face.

"No. I don't think I can..." 6th trails off, and the girls, after a moment's silence, shrug and turn back to dragging SWORD over the coals for his "Odd" gifts.

But 6th just sits there and smiles...

Who ate all the cookies!?

KaraS -- “My very own Trench Coat!’

"I always wanted one of those." KaraS beams.

She tries on her new coat. It is long and black and bells out sinesterly as she twirls about. When she puts her hands in the pockets she pulls out a few things.

"Oh cool! Mirrorshades. Now I can look just like that chick from The Matrix! And a black silk scarf!"

KaraS puts on the shades and the scarf.

"Oooh. You look great." Mouse said. "But what about the shoes?"

"I have never worn a pair of high heels in my life." Kara declares. "I'd probably break my neck if I tried. Do you think they'd morph into a pair of cool black boots if I left them in the upstairs closet?"

"Hey Ticker." KaraS grins. "Why don't you go try on YOUR gift?"

BTW TickTick, weren't you supposed to be at the North Pole today? Did Santa give you the year off or something?

RagnarRB -- Handing Tick some more cocoa

Ragnar tries hard to supress a smile as he looks at the tiny outfit in Tickers package and then back at her. He cann't resist the urge...<<WINK>>. The rosey color on her cheeks is almost too much! In fact all the ladies seem to be in various states of grins and smiles!

Poor SWORD. He was just trying to give them all something nice for christmas. :) He couldn't help but shake his head at thoughts of his friend. No matter how hard he tried things just always went askew for that boy.

Ragnar throws another log on the fire and turns to look at all the others. What is the magic of this place!? Whatever it is he thinks he likes it.

KaraS -- The fashion show

KaraS, still twirling around in her brand new black leather trenchcoat, puts her hand in the other pocket and pulls out some other....things. There in her hand were a pair of brief black silk and lace panties with matching bra, a pair of black fishnet stockings and a red and black lace garter.

*Hoo boy!* Kara thinks to herself. *Now I get it. I'm supposed to wear the coat and almost nothing else. SWORD sure has an active imagination.*

"Say, ladies." KaraS suggest's innocently. Lets all go and put these things on, just to try them out. That means you too TickTick."

KaraS grabs the startled elf by the arm and drags her upstairs. The others follow.

Giggling, the fem"Scapers put on their gifts from SWORD.

"There you are Mouse, all ready to play doctor. Rae, that collar is YOU. Sixth, that shirt is long enough to make a (short) dress out of, here belt it with this sash. TickTick, we're waiting."

With a sigh, TickTick changes into the extremly brief elfette costume. She knows from the look in the other's eyes that there is no getting out of it. Once the costume is on she looks in the mirror. "Not as bad as I expected." she murmers.

"I didn't get any new clothes." artickat sighs.

"I don't think that bag was empty when Charlie appeared." TickTick noted. "M_E didn't get his gift either."

The girls look startled when Kara takes off her jeans and sweatshirt and puts on the lacy lengerie. With the coat closed in front it is hard to tell the difference.

"Don't let me fall down the stairs in these heels please." Kara asks and the others agree not to let her fall.

Sexy outfits on the girls troop back downstairs. Ragnar, olpaint, brothermoser and M_E do doubletakes at TickTick and Sixth_Sense_Dreamer. They don't notice anything different about KaraS.

Everyone takes their places on the couch, waiting for SWORD to return.

A few minutes later SWORD bursts into the room, his face a bright scarlet.

"My God, that leprechaun has a mouth on him." he gasps. As he takes in the fact that the ladies are wearing their new clothes he gets even redder. His eyes start to pop out of his head and he backs up a step in alarm.

Sixth uncurls her bare feet from underneath her, gets up and pads over to SWORD and kisses him on the cheek.

"This was just the sweetest gift." she breathes.

"Yes." Raven_Kat agrees from the couch. "It was."

As Rae bounces a little on the couch her heart shaped bell chimes softly.

On the couch KaraS shifts her legs to cross them in the other direction, letting the coat fall open a little to reveal a length of fishnet clad leg and garter. As SWORD's eyes pop wider she smiles. *Let him wonder about the rest.*

*I should change my handle to Shameless.* Kara thinks. *First ArtistStudio, then Ragnar, now SWORD. What is it about these 'Scaper men that is SO attractive? Is it the wit, the humor, the obvious intelligence? Perhaps it's the flair for creative writing. I never throw myself at men like this. But these guys are....irresistable."*

By the door SWORD was stammering as Sixth held one of his arms, Raven_Kat dragged on the other and Mouse was standing on tiptoe to kiss his cheek.

Kara smiled. Well, Christmas is over. Next stop Y2K.

RagnarRB -- Grinning

Ragnar takes a moments to memorize the appearence of all the beautiful scaper ladies for future prosperity. My what a gerogous bunch they are!

But alas in a moment of gentlemanly behavior he picks up his size 3 extra large/tall shirt and offers to drape it around the Tickers shoulders, knowing her more modest nature. After all he has a shinny new hawburk to wear. Thanks SWORD!

But boy does she look nice in that outfit!...Ragnar cann't help but eye the other ladies as well .

"What say I open a window guys, it's getting a little warm in here!" :)

TickTick -- A little warm? Are you kidding?

"I'm freezing my curly toes off!" Ticker said, wrapping the shirt around her and huddling by the fire. "I hope you appreciate this, Sword," she said sweetly between clenched and chattering teeth.

Sword, meanwhile, had NOT regained the use of his speech. He kept muttering, "bu-bu-bu-yo-you-sixth-the-my-oh-..." and other brilliant pieces of prose.

"Thanks Ragnar. You're very thoughtful... by the way you look great in your present," Ticker said. Ragnar smiled back at her.

"Plus... you seem to be warmer than the rest of us girls. Your face is a bit flushed... as are all of you guys' faces," she added with a wicked grin. BroMo, Ragnar, olpaint, and the other Scaperguys began looking off to the side, clearing their throats, etc. etc.

6thy, Rae, Mouse, and Kara looked at the Ticker and at each other. They all burst into laughter.

"Boy... some party, huh?" Ragnar muttered to Sword.

Sword looked at him and grinned. Regaining his voice, he said with a smile, "can't wait until New Years!"

artickat -- AAAHHHHH! This is great

Artickat looks around at the group of crazy Scapers and smiles. Seeing them all together laughing just gives her a warm feeling inside.

Artickat clears her throat (furball) and all the Scapers look at her "I want to thank you all for letting me be part of Scooby Gang but most of all for making me feel welcome. When I'm with you guys I feel like...I'm with family...and not the kind that you dread having to see! LOL! The kind of family that you can't wait to see and talk too again. You make laugh, cry, and think. You let me be silly...OKAY... you encourage being silly! LOL! I want to thank all of you. I hope your Christmas was better than most and your New Year is filled with laughter." Artickat raises her cup of Rae's excellent coca to salute the Scapers and then takes a sip. (Poke me with a fork I'm done!) #%}

Raven-Kat -- This really IS the life

Rae jingles her bells thoughtfully. "You know, SWORD, I really had NO idea... Still, over all, I'd say this suits me... Thankyou." (((((((((((((((SWORD)))))))))))))))

(((((((((((((((((everybody))))))))))))))))

<<Ps, it should be noted that a collar is NOT the most bizarre gift I recieved this year. My parents got me kickboxing lessons and my aunt got me a shiny new dagger. Love ya' all>>

mouse in the lab -- Thanks Sword

Mouse walks over to Sword (who is still a rosy pink) and slides her stethoscope under his shirt to the middle of his chest and whispers in her sweetest voice, "Take a deep breath, baby..."

She ruins the whole effect by giggling.

I guess it's better than,"Turn your head and cough!" Right?

How long is poor Sword going to have to endure this? I think it's been established that he didn't have _these_ gifts in mind for the girls, but this lovely house has a bit of a mind of it's own??

Mouse is going to drive everyone crazy now by making them let her listen to heartbeats, lungs, those funny voices in Raven's head......

KaraS -- Early next morning....

KaraS woke up with a groan. She wasn't sure what time she finally crept upstairs and collapsed in the bedroom but she knew that, since it was just dawn, she had had far too little sleep.

She started to roll over and then noticed artickat curled up on the other side of the bed and Raven_Kat, rolled in a blanket, draped across the foot. Kara had been so dead asleep that she hadn't woken up when they came in. Quickly Kara ducked into the bathroom and then went down the stairs into the main room of the lodge perched atop the Farscape Mansion.

Sleeping 'Scapers were strewn around the room. Mouse was curled up under the afgan in the recliner. At least Kara assumed it was Mouse. All she could see was the top of Mouse's head peeking out. Ragnar was stretched out on the furry rug in front of the fireplace with his hands behind his head. Kara had never tried it herself but she was sure that falling asleep in his new mail haubreck would leave the poor Viking stiff as a board this morning. TickTick was stretched out on the couch, still in her brief elfette costume with Ragnar's shirt on over it. Her fishnet stockinged feet were in M_E's lap as he snoozed at the other end of the couch. Olpaint was sleeping on the love seat. SWORD was sleeping sitting up on the other couch with Sixth asleep leaning against his chest. They looked cute but poor SWORD was going to have a terrible hangover this morning.

Most of the 'Scapers had drunk lightly the evening before, having too much fun in eachother's company to want to blur the edges. But SWORD, nervous and upset with his gift giving blunders had drunk like a fish. And all the teasing he was getting wasn't helping.

"I hope you're satisfied." TickTick had said. "I look like I escaped from a fantasy porno flick!"

SWORD had flinched, sure he was about to get his face slapped, but the Ticker had just stalked off and given him the cold shoulder for the rest of the evening.

SWORD had been even more befuddled by artickat's reaction.

"Am I the only female in Farscape Mansion that you don't fantasize about? What am I, chopped liver?"

Poor SWORD had stammered that yes, he did fantasize about her and then proceeded to stick his foot deeper down his throat with every word he said. Finally he had retreated to the corner by the tv and watched Mouse and olpaint play Tomb Raider all evening.

But there Sixth was, curled up against him this morning, still wearing his morning after shirt.

KaraS tiptoed around collecting dirty mugs, cups and plates and taking them into the kitchen. At one point she clinked a plate loudly and was worried that it might wake someone but no one heard it over SWORD's snoring.

Just as Kara finished clearing away the dishes, brothermoser let himself quietly into the cabin. In his arms were grocery sacks filled with croisants and eggs and canadian bacon and other nice, breakfasty things. While he went upstairs to shower, Kara took the supplies into the kitchen.

KaraS -- In the Kitchen

In the kitchen, KaraS put the groceries on the counter and looked at all the dishes stacked in the sink like the leaning tower of Pisa. Would washing them make so much noise that it woke everybody up? Since she and BroMo were up, shouldn't they be too?

"Good Morning Good Morning!"

KaraS jumped about a foot and spun around. In a cage on the windowsill was a small brass cage with a small conure in it.

"Good Morning!" the bird said.

"Well good morning to you too." Kara replied, walking over to take a better look. "I don't remember seeing you there last night. Well your water dish is dry. I'll get you some nice fresh water."

KaraS filled the water dish and replaced it in the cage.

"Thanks toots, I was getting mighty thirsty. Are those bagels I smell?"

KaraS looked in BroMo's bag.

"We have bagels, croissants and three kinds of muffins." she replied. "Which do you want?"

After the last couple of days of magic doors, Santa's castle, devil clothes and magic changing gifts a parot that talked sense seemed positively normal.

"Let me see." the little green bird said. He reached through the bars of his cage, unlatched the door and flew over to the counter where he perched on the towel rack to get a good view of the contents of the bag.

"Corn muffin." he decided. "Toasted with butter. And some of those grapes if you please."

Raven_Kat stumbled into the kitchen.

"Coffee! I need coffee!"

"Sorry, haven't made it yet. The coffee maker is on the counter if you want to get it started."

Rae muttered to herself as she set about making coffee.

Looking up blearily she noticed the bird.

"Where'd that bird come from?"

"New Jersey." the bird said. "But now I live here in the rooftop lodge."

"It talks." Raven said. She didn't seem to be completely awake yet.

"Yes." Kara said. She was a little embarassed by Raven_Kat's behavior. "Bird, this is Raven_Kat. Rae, this is, umm...."

"Sweetiepie." the bird said. "Don't blame me. I didn't choose it."

Raven_Kat stared hungrily at the bird. The bird stared offendedly back.

"Um, let's go into the main room." KaraS suggested hurriedly. "I'll introduce you to the others."

Grabbing the startled bird, KaraS dashed past Raven_Kat and ducked into the other room....

mouse in the lab -- Mouse groggily opens her eyes

in time to see a parrot walking on the back of her chair. *Still dreaming, I guess* she though and closed her eyes. The next time she opened them, the parrot was talking to KaraS. No, I mean really speaking English, and making coherent sentences. *Now I KNOW this is a dream* she thought. But as she managed to sit up, she realized this wasn't a dream.

"Where did you find him?" Mouse asked KaraS. "He was in the kitchen." replied Kara.

Wow, that's one amazing bird. Suddenly realizing she was about to be seen without her face washed, or her teeth brushed, she ran upstairs to jump in the shower. Luckily she realized that it was occupied BEFORE she jumped in, saving herself and BrotherMoser a bit of embarrassment. "I'll wait" she laughed weakly. *That was close... she thought.* She hadn't had to deal with other people in the shower since college!

Mouse wandered into the nearest bedroom - a feminine type with a large four poster bed, light oak furniture, and frilly drapes on the windows. She tried out the bed and found it just to her liking. *I'll have to remember this for future reference*, she thought. Mouse is a great sleeper, and will rarely give up the chance for a nap. As she wandered into the closet (Thanks Sword, but a labcoat isn't enought for me) she found it was filled like the other closet with clothes. Aware now of the house's propensity to play tricks, she cautiously pulled out a navy blue coatdress that was her size. Testing it for vibes, she found it made her feel more confident. That feeling she could live with! Luckily, there were shoes and hose also, and a thick terrycloth robe. She grabbed the robe and put the clothes on the bed. She stuck her head out just in time to see brothermoser exit the shower. He had found a robe too. "It's all yours," he said. She zipped in before anyone else could beat her to it, and smelled something very good coming from downstairs.

Raven-Kat -- “So, Sweetiepie

where'd you come from?" Now that she's had her fourth cup of coffee, Rae is much more agreeable and would never dream of eating the parrot (his feathers, though, would look great adorning her newest dream-catcher). "Jersey? And you're here because?" Rae looks up as SWORD stumbles towards the kitchen. "Morning, SWORD..." <<Jingle, Jingle>>

mouse in the lab -- After her shower,

Mouse feels much more sociable. She dresses, and heads downstairs. She caught the end of Raven's asking the parrot how he got here from Jersey.

Mouse butted it - "Do you live anywhere near Stone Harbor? That's one of my favorite places on this earth."

SWORDandMUG -- SWORD winces

He winces when he hears the bells and puts a hand to his hair but only feels hair. As he reaches for the coffee, he mutters to Raven_Kat, "I hope those bells are on you and not on me, Rae." After pouring in some creamer, he grabs a pumpernickle rye bagel and heads back to the room to sit in the rocker by the fire.

TickTick -- Ticker wakes up on the couch...

"Wow... what a shindig..." she mutters, shivering in the early morning chill. She looks around the room. Various Scapers are in stages of waking. Is that a parrot she hears?

"Sword, my buddy!" She says looking over to the rocking chair.

"Ugh," comes the reply. Ticker gets up, wrapping Ragnar's big shirt around her. She goes over and pats Sword's arm.

"Some night, huh?" she asks. Sword nods.

"Remind me to never bring a bag of gifts into this room again," he replies. TickTick laughs and then stops suddenly as Sword winces.

"Sorry. Don't worry... aside from a little frostbite here I'm just peachy. I'm sure the others are too. How are you feeling?"

Sword shrugs. "Uhh... not peachy, I'm sure. A little guilty." He looks at the Ticker for a sec. "You still wearing that thing?" he asks.

Ticker looks down at her costume. "I guess I fell asleep with it on. You want me to keep it on?" she adds with a wink.

Sword shakes his head quickly. "No! Of course not!" he says.

Ticker laughs. "Just kidding! I just had to razz you about it one more time. You know," she adds in a whisper, "knowing what this place can do, I wonder if we should warn other Scapers?"

Sword sighs. "Maybe... though I wish someone would've warned me..."

Ticker pats him on the arm again. "Ahh... don't worry. We're good sports, even with the cold. But... I'm gonna go grab a shower and put on some WARM clothes if you don't mind."