Spyral looks around (1)

This is great! I haven't been to Arizona since I was five. And now I get to chill out here with my favorite viking & angel. What could be nicer?

Suddenly she's swept into a rush of air and is dropped high on a mesa overlooking one of the most beautiful sunsets of her life. She shakes her head, decides to just go with it instead of analyzing what just happend, and sees Spyral.

Mouse sits down on the rock and watches the sun set. "I hope you have a jacket in that wing for me, it's gonna get cold after that sun goes down..." she whispers, unwilling to break the magic of the song that is still echoing in the distance. Or she could just move over a little and share some of Spyral's radiant warmth. If he doesn't mind, that is...

JilaCosa wonders where the sounds of voices are coming from. Stopping by the jukebox she hears bits and pieces of conversation, "Arizona", "mesa", "stars" and the voice of Spyral saying that the rest of the group will reach *this plane* if they *Really* want to.

She thinks to herself, "Please, help me find you." And in the space between heartbeats she finds herself next to a blazing campfire face to face with Spyral.

"Holy Dren!" she mutters quietly. "That was incredible! How did that happen? On second thought, I don't think I want to know. Let's just leave it that it happened and I'm here!" Turning slowly to look at her surroundings she sees those who arrived before her.

Lurkingghost floats into the room, and is immediately entranced by the desert scape that surrounds her. She settles down close to the fire, saying "It's almost like home. I haven't seen a sunset like this for a long time."

Spyral pulls out a large and thick blanket and drapes it over Mouses' back and shoulders. Pulling out several more, he sets them by the fire just in case is other friends get chilly as the sun sinks below the horizon.

"I lived in Arizona for almost two years," Spyral says staring into the fire. "A little town named Salome. Out in the middle of nowhere. My grandparents had retired out there, so after my dad pased away, my mother had decided that that was the place to be."

"One of the things I loved the most about this place. It always seemed like you if you stayed out here long enough and looked, you could see every star in the sky sooner or later." he says.

"It's a beautiful place to share," he smiles then as he looks at Mouse, then the rest of the 'Scapers. "Especially with good friends. Thanks for coming. Anyone else have a good campfire song?"

for the blanket, and the invite." Mouse moves closer to the fire and gets comfortable, ready for a great night of star gazing. "Wish we had a telescope. Where I live, there is so much light pollution that stargazing is pretty difficult. But when I visited Montana, the stars where as bright and clear and close as these are. Just beautiful."

Mouse looks at Rae, and Rae reads her mind. Pulling out a thermos, Rae asks, "I guess this is what you were hoping I would bring?" She proceeds to pour the cocoa and hands it over to Mouse who is just about to start shivering, but not willing to give up the night just yet.

Then Kara hears the voices of her friends singing. She walks toward the voices and finds a campfire and her friends belting out 'Home On The Range' with more gusto than talent.

and dumps it out before her. Bags of Marshmallows, Graham Crackers, and Hershey bars roll out onto the ground. She picks up a couple of sticks, and puts marshmallows on them.

(Mouse seems to be shivering a bit) Spyral takes an offered smore from Sixth and begins to much on the gooey goodness. Marshmallow spills out from between the graham cracker and glops onto his hands. Trying to lick off the melted mallow, Spyral succeeds in getting a glop on his cheek, and his chin. Attempting to wipe his face, Spyral only smears it more.

Mouse watches Spyral and Rae as they make their S'mores and immitates them. But how do you hold it over the fire so the stuff melts without burning yourself? (It's pretty obvious Mouse was not a girl scout!) She pulls out a wet-wipe for Spyral to use and he dries his face with the hankerchief Rae gave him. She passes aroung the wet-wipes for everyone's hands. "I hate when I get all sticky..." Mouse fusses.

Mouse, you toast the marshmallow FIRST. Then you put it on a graham cracker and top it off with the chocolate and another cracker. Squish the sandwich a little so the heat from the marshmallow melts the chocolate a little. Then you eat the gooey treat trying not to burn your tounge if possible.

Having explained the fine points of making s'mores, Kara makes one to demonstrate. First she torches her mallow turning it into a little fireball. After letting it burn for a few seconds she puffs it out and makes her s'more.

"Hi everybody! It's so good to see all of ya!" artickat ((((the gang)))) and takes a seat by the fire. Looking at 6th "Don't suppose you have any S'mores in there with my name on them?"

Mouse is all proud that she finally made a s'more the right way, thanks to Kara's instructions. Come hang out, stay a while, enjoy the stars and the fire...

"What we need now is a story. Maybe a scary one. We can pass it around to each other." Spyral reaches down and plucks a small piece of white quartz from the ground. "Okay!" he says. "This is the majic speaking rock. Someone will start a story, then pass the rock to someone else, and they will pick up the story where the lst one left off and it will just go on from there. Think we can handle that?"

"A story huh?" KaraS says. "Hmmmm, once apon a time, (always a good way to begin) there was a....scary killer baracuda. It lived in the shallow waters of the Carribean Sea. It had long sharp teeth and swam fast as a thought. It was alway hungry and what it wanted to eat, it ate. Many pretty, harmless little fish disappeared into it's terrible maw. The more harmless and innocent it's victim, the more it enjoyed it's meal. Then, one day...."

I missed you all! Job's going...well...we won't get into that! he,he! A little crazy! But I asked for it so I can't complain...Much! he,he. Teach me to be careful what I ask for! :D

Rae passes the rock to artickat...*No way I'm going in the water...and I don't want any of my friends to get eaten...hmmmmmm....* artickat smiles and starts...

"The Scooby Gang member that went in the water was sooo new to the Gang that they only new his name...'Bob'...and that he liked to wear red trunks and a red T-shirt when he went swimming."

Next? Sorry about adding 'Bob'...but I would much rather him get eaten then one of you guys...or me for that matter! ;D He has the red t-shirt on so...

"So Bob turns around and see's the shark fin heading straight for him at top speed. He freezes like a deer in headlights, even as the rest of the 'Scapers on the shore begin yelling at the top of their lungs for him to get out of the water. The shark closes within feet of Bob, and suddenly rises up out of the water...."

for the rock, and once Spyral hands it over, she says," Ok, we've got Bob. We've got water. We've got barracudas. I don't see this ending well. How about giving Bob a boat?"

The fire is dying, so Mouse gathers up her blanket and goes to look for some firewood. The mesa they are on is pretty bare, but there is some deadwood around, so Mouse starts to gather it up. Big pieces, little pieces, at least it's all dry! She can see the fire and the people gathered around it clearly, and forgets she is in an astrally-projected hallucination for a while. Suddenly she looks up and sees the Moon. Startled by how big and clear it is out here, she sits down, and stares. Through the wind, little noises sound.

"Think I'll go check on her. These astral projections are completely safe. But it is possible to get lost, at least until I void it. And I hate doing that unless I have to." Spyral says rising from the log.

He made his way along a narrow trail that winded along the mesa top. His gaze up to the sky, watching the stars rather than where he was actually going, Spyral suddenly came to a very sudden and soft halt.

Suddenly realizing it was indeed Spyral, Mouse moved forward lightly slapping at him. "YOU! YOU SCARED THE DREN OUT of ME! JEEEEZ!" she whispered. "What are you thinking sneaking up on a girl like that?"

Having left the story circle for a stretch and to restart her circulation *Rats I think my butt's gone to sleep*, JilaCosa jumps at the sound of a short high-pitched squeak.

"You know." Spyral whispered. "Godzilla vs The Thing. The movie that introduced Mothra, the giant moth monster. There were these two tiny priestesses who could stand on the palm of your hand. They sang to summon Mothra to battle Godzilla. This was an early Godzilla film, before he became a good guy."

"We've got Bob in the water." she said. "We've got a hungry baracuda bearing down on him with carnivorous intentions. We have a boat bobbing in the water nearby."

"I'll save you!" Ragnar yelled. He dove into the ocean and swam toward Bob, hoping to save him from the deadly baracuda. But Ragnar had forgotten something important. He was wearing chaim mail which made swimming very dificult. Swiftly, he sank to the bottom. Fortunately, the water was shallow here and he was able to stand up with his head above water. But the baracuda saw him and the shiny metal of the chain mail attracted it. It bypassed Bob and headed towards Ragnar, ready to chow down. But eating a mail covered Viking is a dificult propositon and..."

"On all of you," the angel answered. "When I create these, its like a daydream of sorts. Only more projected. What happens when I project them myself is all up to me. But when I allow others to follow me in...It's like I am bringing you into my dream. You have just as much dominion here as I do. You all have just as much control over what happens as do I. The only difference is that I am the only one who can pull the plug."

"It's as real as you make it," Spyral said. "In your mind, if you believe that Godzilla is there, then baby you had better be ready for a battle, cuz he's on his way!"

Rae sits down to think for a minute, then wills a large howitzer into existence. "Or good. Interesting, at any rate." She leans over and whispers to Spyral. "Can you turn it off?"

Ragnar is not thinking those thoughts that the gang at this moment suddenly thinks he's thinking. But then that would mean THEY were thinking them....oh this could get interesting!

at Ragnars tirade of questions and comments. "Gosh, Now I'm confused! If I'm thinking what you're thinking, but you came up with the thought in the first place."

A low rumbling is heard, getting louder and louder. A heard of stampeeding cattle round the corner of the mesa heading straight for the astonished 'Scapers.

Artickat starts to back away from Ragnar, her hands out as if to ward him off "I'm sorry! I was just thinking of the Christmas present that kid got in the movie "A Christmas Story!"

Ragnar finds himself bringing up the rear. Glancing over his shoulder at the ensueing doom he notes the lead steer...and the lead steer notes him. Suddenly, unspoken, both man and beast come to the same understanding.

Picturing himself running really, really fast Ragnar headed off across the mesa, stampede and all. His voice could be heard echoing thru the night...."I'll get you for this!!!!!!........"

"I, I, I..." Spyral puffed. "I can't. I've lost control of the projection. Everyone is adding so many things to the mix that I can't do a thing."

Off in the distance, Ragnar and the heard of cattle were still visable. Ragnar was still keeping ahead of the angry beasts but only by the skin of his teeth. Suddenly, he stumbled, and the man in the pink bunny suit fell flat on his face.

Rae shruggs. "We need to do something about this. It's getting out of hand. Spy, earlier you said anyone could come or go at will. Can we still do that? Could we will ourselves out of this one at a time? I BELIEVE we can. What about you?"

are sustaining this projection, by everyone leaving, I should be able to reassert control of it," Spyral said. "But you will all have to get yourselves out. You can't just walk out of it though. Maybe something like a plot hole you know? Think of this as a script that you have to write yourself out of."

"No!" the angel said. "You don't have to die. Just figure out a way, some creative angle to get yourself out of here! If enough of you get out, I should be able to dissipate this myself."

She wraps her hand around the round knob, and tries to turn it, accomplishing nothing. Then she makes a few adjustments to the door, changing the knob from round to lever.

It could be dangerous. Not that I BELIEVE it is or anything, but better safe, eh?" Rae hefts her pulse-rifle and follows Ghost through the door.

As soon as Lurkinghost and Raven_Kat went through the door it slammed shut and disappeared. This left KaraS, Mouse, Jila,artickat, Spyral and Ragnar in the Arizona desert.

"I don't know." Spyral sighed. "They're not in this projection anymore. They could be back in the ballroom. But they could also have split off an astral projection of their own."

"How could they do that?" artickat asked. "I thought you were sustaining the projection. If they aren't in here with us anymore they have to be back in the ballroom, right?"

"With ordinary people you would be right. But Lurkinghost is a spirt and Rae is a scorceress. Maybe they can't initiate a projection of their own, but either one could sustain one by herself. And with both of them working together, even unconciously, it could be quite real."

There was a rumble of thunder. With a deafening crash a bolt of lightning hit a tree right next to the startled 'Scapers. Everyone threw themselves to the ground, hands over their ears. It began to pour down rain. It was the hardest, most drenching rain any of them had ever experienced. It was like standing under a waterfall.

Rae and Ghost pass through the door and it slams shut behind them. "Uh, Ghost," Rae whispers, looking around. "I don't think this is the ballroom..."

(Sorry, Rea, I can't come up with any plot points to get us out of this one. I'm just starting to write and I haven't got the storyteller's touch yet.)

from the threat of a flood. The Gang find higher ground in the form of a cave...but it was no primative cave...heck no...it had a full kitchen, bathroom, living room with a fireplace...even patio furniture.

Looking at the Gang Ragnar notices that they are all shivering "How about we take turns with a hot shower and drying off. You girls go first while Spyral and I start a fire and see if we can whip up something hot to drink."

While Ragnar gets a fire going in the fireplace, Spyral finds Cocoa and coffee in the kitchen. The smell of brewing coffee and Cocoa greet the girls as they return from they're hot showers.

"Yummy Cocoa" artickat sighs and hops into one of covered patio chairs to watch the storm "Hey! Look over there!" artickat points to a little man floating in the flood waters below "Isn't that?...Nah...it couldn't be! Could it?"

at the storm from her lounge chair, as Ragnar hands her a cup of cocoa. "Thanks, Viking," she says to him as she continues to stare out at the storm.

Soon Spyral joins them and sits on the edge of Artickat's chair, and they all look out at the "super"natural rainstorm. The lightning flashes and the rain pours down, but the Scapers are lucky to have found this place. Even with the chill of the rain, this hide-away is well protected and warm. But the general feeling in the air is one of concern and apprehension about 'Ghost and Rae.

Did they make it back to the ballroom? Will they be able to shut off the projection from there? Will they send a sign? Mouse sighs and starts pacing.

"Now Mouse be careful with that worrying. We're all concerned for them but in this place if you start thinking of what _might_ be happening to them...well it just might happen!"

*sigh "I know I know..." Mouse began turning to face the big viking, "It's just that...hee hee, ...giggle...haw haw..." Mouse raised a hand to try to supress her giggles.

Mouse couldn't stop her giggling, she only pointed. Artic and Spyral turned to look themselves. Spyral at least had the grace not to giggle. He even managed to contain his smile...almost. Artic? No question there. She began squirming and rolling about, giggling worse than Mouse. That kitten idea was looking better and better all the time!

Ragnar stood before them. Having been dressed in a pink bunny suit, he had been unable to find anything else to wear and had resorted to half wearing, half tying it about himself. His version of the Val Kilmer look.

Mouse got a little control of her chuckling and patted the indignant viking on the arm. "It's okay Ragnar, it's just...giggle...I'll try to think good things and Rae and Ghost." She quickly turned away covering her mouth.

"I'm sorry artic, I hadn't realized I'd moved" The ever so curtous Angle began. "Which way would you like me to move? Over here or...." His voice trailed off. Artic for some reason was quiet as well.

Ragnar looks down at the little kitten that was artickat "I didn't know you where such a cute little kitten...hmmm...what happened to you when you grew up?" Ragnar can't hold in his glee any longer and he doubles over laughing.

Rae looks at Ghost. "It looks like the inside of an MC Escher painting. And, um, I'n not sure if this is the floor." THUD! "Okay," Rae says, picking herself up off the floor. "This, I think could be the floor."

A look of total shock crosses Spyral's face as he notices the red dress he is wearing. "Who?! Who did this to me?!" Spyral turns to look at the girls but they are too busy laughing.

Artickat yells out "Sorry Spyral...didn't mean to put you in the dress!" But no one can understand her with her Kitten voice. Looking to see where Ragnar is, artickat notices him rolling on the floor with uncontrolled laughter. "Payback time!" Thinking hard to herself, artickat suddenly smiles and jumps to the back of one of the chairs for a better view of Ragnar.

Ragnar is having a good old time laughing at artickat and Spyral until he realizes that everyone is pointing at him and laughing. "Ragnar's an ELVIS impersonator!" 6th cries out between fits of laughter! All the girls are laughing uncontrollably by now.

Ragnar stands up, looking down at himself he sees a white jumper with studs and bell-bottom pants. As he reaches up and feels the wig on his head a growl begins to grow in his chest "WHERE IS SHE?!!!"

This just makes the girls laugh even harder "YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY?!" Ragnar and Spyral say as one. Suddenly the girls are in sexy French maid outfits and they're laughter stops as they turn to face the guys.

"It really isn't that bad at least 6th can't read anyone's mind...." KaraS stops in mid sentence sentence as the entire Gang stare at her "Oops!"

Mouse tries to soothe “Artickitten” who is still spitting and hissing at Ragnar, while trying not to laugh too loud at Spyral’s new look. “Red’s really your color!” she manages to get out before she collapse in a fit of giggles. Spyral was shocked at the sudden turn of events, but still managed to laugh at himself and even show a little (hairy) leg. Ragnar (or should we call him, THE KING) was still trying to get his wig off.

“Ragnar,” Mouse said in the same tone, “Turn her back. You though of it, so you can bring her back. I tried, but - nothing, so it’s up to you.” Suddenly, POOF... Artic was back. Artic laughed at Ragnar. “It worked! I just thought about it and it worked!”

Mouse went to turn around when she suddenly felt a breeze. On her skin. Her BARE skin. She looked down just to see herself in a cute little costume, little being the operative word. Her feet were encased to the tops of her knees in black leather, high heel boots, then the fishnet stocking continued up to where the black leather MINIskirt began. Her stomach was partially open, and she was wearing some sort of cut-out metal wraparound bustier (black, of course) with most of the back open. Around her neck was a dog’s choke chain collar. She had long leather gloves up to her elbows with the fingers cut out of them, and in her hand was a black whip. Mouse looked like she was going to expire right there and then.

She slowly lifted her head, and saw Artic and KaraS had met the same fate. The three girls stared at each other with horror and then slowly looked at Ragnar and Spyral. One look at the girls’ expressions and they both lost it. Mouse wiggled toward them as threatening as she could in 5” heeled boots and uncoiled her whip. Suddenly the whips turned into those big feathered fans that the sheiks always have someone fanning them with. “Alright!! Which one of you thought of this!!! Which one!!” Mouse, Kara, and Artic yelled as one. Mouse tapped her 5” heel and gave her best stare to Spyral, while Artic and Kara concentrated on Ragnar. “Answer NOW, or you won’t like what you end up in next!”

“Jeez, keep it down,” a voice said as 6th came walking through the cave entrance. “I was hanging out on the mesa, but must have missed you all. Looks like I missed a lot!” 6th chuckled. Ragnar and Spyral were busy trying to escape the wrath of the ladies and were hiding behind each other. They barely noticed 6th’s entrance. Kara whispered to 6th, “I think you really can read minds.” 6th looked at Artic and heard Artic say in her mind * FIND OUT WHO THOUGHT OF THIS!!* “Not so loud, please,” 6th said, wincing. *Only the one who thought of this can get us back into our normal clothes, so you’ve got to find out* Mouse though.

“The hezmana with this,” Kara said. Suddenly Spyral and Ragnar were both in outfits straight out of Tarzan. The guys stared at each other, and, being men, started to flex and pose like body builders. The ladies looked at them and were satisfied. “When you’re done playing “Ape Men”, think us back, and we’ll think you back. Deal?” The ladies didn’t bother to wait for a reply, but stalked off to find some robes as regally as possible and 6th followed, laughing.

if it's real ballroom, I think the problem is us, not it. (Comforting, yes?) On the upside, I don't think we're in any actual DANGER." Rae grunts as she walks into a wall. "Well, except possibly from concusion. Let's try this 'perspetive rearangement' thing again. This time, I think we should start from the top."

Rae stares at the ceiling which slowly comes into actual focus. "Better. We'll have to combine our energies on this, so I think you'd better try, too."

The two concentrate, and suddenly Ghost shouts, "Look, Rae!" She points to a small group shifting in and out of focus in the still-distorted room. "I think it's them. What the hezmana?"

Both girls start giggling uncontrollably at the sight of Ragnar and Spyral in tarzan costumes. Suddenly, both guys are in pink bunny costumes and shouting furiously.