I'll Be Dog-Gone (29)
Kaybe0 -- Are we about ready?
asked Kaybe. "Has everyone decided what they want to do?" Thinking of all the illness and injury in the group since they got here, and seeing the look on Chryse's face, she knew they needed to do something fast to get out of there. And this being Halloween, she also feared, that if they weren't ready, that terrible things could happen to them. With a determination and a braveness that she didn't quite understand where it came from. She straightened up, and said, "Let's go kick some vampire ema."
KaraS -- Artist struggled as the arms...
pulled him underneath the water. Dead fingers, stronger than iron gripped his arms, his legs and were tangled in his hair. Artist grabbed one last deep breath and then he was covered by water. He wiggled and he struggled but the merciless arms didn't relax their grasp. Yellow spots swam before his eyes. He felt as if his lungs were about to burst. He had to take a breath!
ArtistStudio opened his mouth and gulped in the scummy water. He coughed and tried to spit the water out but he only got more water in his lungs. His struggles started to get weaker as he drowned...
Then, suddenly, there was air again. Artist rolled over on his stomach and coughed out the water he had swallowed, gasping in great breaths of air. The air was dank and moldy smelling but it was wonderful all the same.
Then, he was jerked rudely to his feet and the blind vampire sank his fangs into Artist's neck.
The pain was incredible. It felt like someone was trying to draw his soul out. Artist screamed and flashed with bright light but the blind vampire was not impressed. The pain seemed to last forever. Then the blind vampire pulled his fangs out of Artist's flesh and tossed him to another vampire. Artist, in shock, was unable to resist as the second vampire drank of his blood, his power, and a little bit of his soul. After the second vampire, a third, a fourth and a fifth vampire took their turns. The last one dropped Artist back down to the floor.
ArtistStudio lay there, in shock, in pain, week as a newborn, his power and his soul in shreads.
(Off in the woods, Rae looked up startled. "We have to hurry." she said. "We don't have much time.")
The sighted vampires, finished with him, walked away, taking the light with them. Now Artist was in total darkness, as though he were as blind as the remaining vampire.
A gruff voice chuckled in the darkness and a pair of hourglass eyes glowed from the corner.
"You thought to make a fool of me illusionist. Who is laughing now?"
Then the blind vampite picked Artist up and dragged him over to a huge stone sarcophogas and tossed him in. Artist landed in a heap at the bottom. Then the vampire levered the huge stone lid, which had to weigh tons, into place.
Artist heard the gruff chuckle from outside his stone prison.
"You have had your last drink illusionist. Let's see how long it takes you to die in there. Will you die of blood loss, soul hemorage, or will you last long enough to die of thirst?"
Then the owner of the gruff voice left but the blind vampire stayed as a guard...
Sixth Sense Dreamer -- 6th walked in darkness...
her swords drawn and ready. The pale blue fire glowed, casting shadows on the walls of the tunnel. Up ahead, she could hear voices, the heavy grating of something stone sliding into place.
Peering around the corner of the tunnel, she saw a hooded figure walking away from a large stone coffin, the blind vampire standing guard. 6th could sense the presence of other creatures in the dark; she knew the blind vampire would not be the only guard.
*and if it's standing guard by the coffin...* 6th thought, realizing who must be inside. She frowned, momentarily wondering how she would get the lid off the coffin, then decided she'd worry about that after she took out the guards.
Stepping lightly from the shadows, she advanced on the blind vampire.
The blind one sniffed the air, his head turning in her direction.
"Who is this now?" he said aloud, his tongue flicking over his pale lips in anticipation of fresh blood.
6th said nothing, but edged closer, her eyes narrowed, a slight smile on her face. The vampire's head turned as she moved around him, his sightless eyes seeming to watch her every step.
6th felt rather than saw the creatures sneaking up behind her. She whirled, facing the multitude of vampires, their hands already outstretched towards her, hungry looks on their faces.
"Come to us, little one. Let us feed..." came a whispered murmur of voices.
"Come to me." 6th hissed back, her lips peeled back over her teeth in a wicked smile. "Come and die."
The creatures advanced on her at once, their clawed fingers reaching for her throat. She gutted three before they even knew what happened. The creatures withdrew a few steps, growling and hissing at her. 6th ran her thumb up the blade of one sword, watching the vampires out of the corner of her eye. A trickle of blood ran down her hand. The undead creatures moaned, all eyes on her bloody hand.
"Hungry?" 6th murmured, "Come and get it." She raised her sword, running her thumb down her cheek, leaving a red streak. Then she drew her other sword, the blades glowing, reflected in the eyes of the hungry creatures. They lept as one, howling in bloodlust, and 6th lept to meet them, her wicked grin stretched from ear to ear...
Mouse2000 -- As one group,
The Scoobs moved slowly through the thick underbrush. "Where the frell is that tunnel?" Mouse whispered, annoyed. She had psyched herself up for this encounter, armed and ready, but it wasn't helping that they couldn't find that frellin' tunnel.
"Rae!" she whispered, "can you get a lock on Sixth?"
Raven-Kat -- “Sixth?”
Rae closes her eyes. "Yeah, I see her. She's fighting..."
"I meant on the machine." Mouse clarifys, staring. "WHERE is she?"
"Oh..." Rae stares down at the tracker. "She's... there. We are here..." Rae closes her eyes again. "This way." She drops the tracker as she plunges into the forest.
"What is she doing?" Mouse asks, retrieving the tracker.
"And how?" Chryse wonders.
"I'm not sure we want to know." Sweetie suggests, following Rae.
"Hey, bird-brain." Rae says without turning around as Sweetie comes near.
"Feather-head. ...You sure this is worth it?"
Rae shruggs and keeps walking. "Eh, you know..."
"Not really, no." Sweetie grumbles. "How are you doing this?"
"My powers are strong here." Rae shrugs. "The others are coming."
"Rae, shouldn't we be following the road or something?" Jila wonders.
"Why?" Rae inquires. "They're this way."
"But the tracker says-" Mouse begins.
"The tracker is wrong." Rae says firmly. "They're this way. I can smell them." She plunges further into the forest.
Kaybe0 -- Mouse picks up the tracker
murmering to herself. "What is it Mouse?" asked Jila, not quite able to make out what she was saying. "Well, the tracker says we should go in that direction," she said pointing one way. "But, Ray went that way," she pointed. "Well, I am inclined to follow Rae's instinct. Besides, we can't afford to lose someone else." Chryse stated logically. Mouse tossed the tracker to Spyral, who reached back and dropped it in his wing, and the group took off in the direction Rae had went.
Raven-Kat -- “This will be fun....”
Rae announces to no one in particular. She reaches a front pocket and produces a pair of ray-ban sunglasses.
"Uh, Rae, isn't it getting awfully dark for those?" Raegun inquires nervously.
"Is it?" Rae slides the glasses on. "I hadn't noticed... I though it was still rather bright out."
"You're not getting a migraine?" Raegun asks carefully. "'Cuase if you are, you're not going to be of any use to anyone in a fight."
"My head feels fine." Rae assures him. "Great, as a matter of fact. This way." Rae makes a sharp turn and leads the others deeper into the woods.
Sweeetiepie Parrot -- Sweetiepie flew up and landed
on Raven_Kat's shoulder.
"You sure you know where we're going?" the bird asked.
"Yup." said Rae.
"Why aren't we following the tracker?" Sweetiepie said.
"This is a short cut." Rae said.
"How do you know?" Sweetiepie asked.
"I just know." Rae said. "Any other dumb questions?"
"Yeah, we ARE going to get there in time to save the jerk, right? I know you don't like him. We're not just going to walk around in circles out here until it's too late are we?"
Rae came to a stop and looked at the parrot perched on her shoulder.
"Do you really think I would do that?"
"Yeah." Sweetiepie said. "I do. If you were mad enough. Not that I care about the jerk per sae. But I'd miss Sixth if she got killed trying to rescue him with no backup."
Rae looked at Sweetiepie for a long moment.
"No worries bird." she finally said. Then she started off through the trees again.
Back at the end of the line...
"What's wrong with IQ?" Kaybe asked. "He looks awfully nervous."
Indeed, IQ did seem nervous, slinking back and forth, stopping to sniff the air. Then he started to growl. Another wolf came out from between the trees.
"Oh no! Another werewolf!" Kaybee said.
"That's not a werewolf." KaraS said. "That's Nata, Artist's wolf."
Nata and IQ sniffed noses, then Nata took off with IQ right behind. The two wolves dashed to the head of the line and Nata looked up at Rae.
<Hurry it up child.> Nata said (in canine) to Rae.
Rae looked down at Nata.
"Don't worry. We're almost there."
As she said that, Rae pulled aside some brush to reveal the opening of a cave in the hillside.
"We go right down here."
Everybody looked at the cave opening. It looked dark and scary inside.
"Well." Ragnar said, taking the lead. "Let's go."
And one by one everybody filed into the cave...
KaraS -- Sixth fought bravely against
the vampires of the crypts. But even with her great skills they were too much for her. By sheer force of numbers they overwhelmed her and soon the blind vampire held her pinioned from behind. Sixth turned her head to see a hooded figure regarding her with hourglass eyes.
"You!" Sixth gasped.
"I knew if I took him you would come." the husky voice rasped. "My revenge would not be complete if you did not share in it. You too sought to make a fool of me in my place of power. Now my position as head of the Council of Wizards is lost. But with your power added to my own I will regain all I have lost and more."
Raistlin turned to the blind vampire. "Bring her. I have prepared a place to cast the spell."
Struggle as she might, Sixth was unable to free herself from the blind vampire's grasp. He dragged her off in the mad wizard's wake.
Inside the stone sarcogaphacus, ArtistStudio listened to what passed outside. He lay on the sarcogaphacus' floor, filthy, soaked to the skin and too weak to move. He was cold and uncomfortable but he was more interested in what was going to happen to Sixth. He strained his ears to hear but Sixth and her captors were soon out of his hearing range. So he waited in darkness and tried to regain his strength...
Raven-Kat -- A voice filled the cavern...
"LET'S GET READY TO RUMMMMMMBLLLLLLE!!!" Rae's voice echoed off of every wall of the cavern, causing the others to wince.
"So much for the element of surprise." Ragnar muttered in the back of the line.
"Oh, like they don't already know we're here." Rae snapped at him. "This way."
"Uh, do you think if you took the shades off you could see a little better?" Sweetie suggested.
"I can see just fine, thanks." Rae assures him, heading into the cavern. "Here Sixthy, Sixthy, Sixthy... I know you're down here..." Laughing loudly, Rae led the group deep into the cavern.
SunAeryn -- Grabbing Rae’s
magic back pack, Sun whispered to it..."Give me protonblasters...lots of them!" Sun started pulling out protonblasters (you know the kind, like GhostBusters used) and started passing them out to the rescue team.
"So, this vampires like power, huh? I'll give 'em power!" Sun said as she pulled out the last protonblaster. "Give me extra power packs, lots of them." She told the backpack and started pullin' out the back up powerpacks and tossing them to everyone with a protonblaster.
"I'd say it was time for a kicking some Vampire booty!" Sun said, walking up behind Rae, ready to blast some power hungry Vampires.
Raven-Kat -- Rae eyes the Proton-Blasters
scornfully. "Wow, I guess 'understated' really ISN'T in the PK vocabulary." She yawns and adjusts her shades. "Ah well! This way, please." She gestures like a stewardess before walking on.
"Uh, Rae?" Chryse asks nervously.
"Mm?"
"How DEEP are they? We seem to be pretty far under ground, and-"
"SHHH!" Rae holds up her hand. The others stare around in alarm. "Be vewy, vewy quiet... I'm hunting wabbit..." Giggling, Rae wanders on.
JilaCosa -- Thinking hard about Sixth
Jila calls quietly to Pandora. The young fire-lizard appears quickly and lands on Jila's shoulder.
"Concentrate." Jila speaks softly to Pandora. "This is 6th. Find her, but be careful. She may be in bad trouble. She'll know we're close when she sees you. Help her if you can. Go." Jila sighs as Pandora disappears into thin air. "I hope that works."
The group stops and strap on the Ghostbuster Proton packs.
"uh, Sunny?" Jila says, as she clips the last buckle. "I don't want you to think that I think this is a bad idea, but I saw that movie too. Aren't these kind of dangerous in small quarters like this? Especially when it's going to be too easy to cross the proton streams?"
Raven-Kat -- “Ah...”
Rae waves her hand dismissively. "Crossed proton stream never hurt anybody..."
"Uh, that's not my recolection of the movie..." Jila protests uncertainly.
Rae shruggs. "Then watch where you point the thing. Me, I'm sticking to Raegun and these." She reaches into her bag and pulls out a squishy rebber sphere.
"Water balloons?" Jila asks.
"Holy water." Rae explains. "Harmless to us, death to them." Smiling, she hefts the balloon once or twice. "Fragmentation grenades for the righteous. Can I have an Amen, Brothers and Sisters!"
"Amen!" Raegun chirps enthusiastically.
"Who wants one?" Rae asks.
Sweetiepie Parrot -- Sweetiepie lands on Ragnar’s
shoulder.
"Um, does Rae seem a little... odd to you?" Sweetiepie asked him.
"Yes." Ragnar sighed. "She's acting very erraticly. Even for Rae."
"Let's keep a close eye on her." Sweetiepie suggested.
"Don't worry. I will." Ragnar promised.
Raegun -- “Uh, Rae....”
Raegun whispers, "Did you hear--"
"Every word, baby." Rae assures him quietly, patting him gently on the butt. "No worries. Rae's got it covered."
Kaybe0 -- Pandora
sure is dissapearing a lot, Jila." Kay said, all the while, keeping her eyes on the actions in front of them. "She is frightened", Jila replied. "She is going 'Between' and is confused. "What is 'Between?' asked Mouse, weapon drawn in wait. "The place of nothingness between locations", said Jila. "It's the way dragons and firelizzard get from one location to another in the blink of an eye." She is nervous, and by nature, trying to go back to her place of birth in her fright. She is confused, however, because her memory tells her it is on Pern, but, her actual birth was on Fantasy Island. Firelizzards have enormouse memories of the anscestors. She is trying to communicate with the only help she knows to try to bring for me. The dragons on Pern. And, she can't decipher how to get there, since her actual memory is only fantasy island. She sees no help for us there." "Jila, you could think the coordinates of Bendon Wher to her, couldn't you, and she could get there from that? Kay asked in a panic." She liked nothing about being in this place with vampires. "I seem to remember Lessa telling us that when she told us some of the stories of the dragonriders. That if you thought of a place or time correctly, that the dragon could go there." "But, I don't see how dragons are going to help us get out of this." said Jila with a frown on her face. "Well, maybe instead of blowing fire, they could blow holy water." said
Kay in desperation. "Anything to get out of here."
Chryse74 -- Actually Jila, that’s not a bad idea.
"Vampires don't like fire much either you know. It will kill them as well as a stake through the heart." whispered Chryse. "Maybe Pandora could go back and get us some air support. It may not do much good underground, but we may need it on our way out of these tunnels with 6thy and Artist."
Just then, Rae halted the group and looked around excitedly. "I think we're here. YEEEEHAAH!!!!!! CHARGE!" she yelled as she ran into the chamber.
JilaCosa -- Jila hangs back...
She is neither armed nor armored, except for a proton cannon that she's real nervous about using. She tries to search the room from where she stands but Pandora's continuous appearing and disappearing keeps distracting her from her search.
"Girl, if you're going to be any help to me we've got to do this right. Dog! Thor! I need you!" All of the animals made their way to Jila while the melee progressed.
Rae and Raegun stand in the middle of the room happily zapping the vampires who are airborne, while Ragnar stands at her back, his battle axe singing through the air slicing the ones on foot. Sunny and a few of the others spray proton beams through the shadows trying to pick off any vampires in hiding.
Chryse walks into the middle of the room and stands, just stands, perfectly still her arms hanging at her side. She is sure that if the She is neither armed nor armored, except for a proton cannon that she's real nervous about using. She tries to search the room for signs of Artist or 6th from where she stands but Pandora's continuous appearing and disappearing keeps distracting her from her search.
"Kaybe, IQ, I think I'm going to need you too." Jila said softly. She could see that Kay wasn't real sure what she should do to help the others. And with so many weapons at work it was probably safer standing back a little. "Dog, I'm going to need...."
*His name is Elvis.* Thor offered.
"Thank you Thor, that's very helpful." Jila smiles brightly at Thor, noticing the worry in his thoughts. "Ok, Elvis, I need you to help us find Artist. Thor I need you to help us find 6th." A low growl and whine are heard behind Kay and Jila, which startles them.
*It's the male, IQ, who is a werewolf* Thor tells them * and the other is the wolf of the Artist. She says that she will find him with no problem. *
"Is she sure?" Jila slaps herself on the head and rolls her eyes. Once again she has forgotten that the ‘animals’ can understand ‘human’ speech perfectly well. “Are you sure?” Jila says directly to Artist’s wolf friend. The wolf nods her head once with assurance. “Thor, while she’s looking for Artist I need you to find 6th’s scent in this mess. Once you find it DON”T leave this room without taking either me or one of the other Scoobs with you. Ok?” Thor nods vigorously. *Gods, I hope he remembers. * Jila sighs.
*I will try * Thor pouts. Jila sighs again, so many things to remember about all of little Scoob friends.
“And now for you, Pandora.” Jila takes the fire-lizard in her hands and looks her straight in the eye. “Go to 6th. Do everything you have to do to stay with her and slow down whatever might happen to her. Help her get free if you can. Be Careful. GO!” Jila lets go of the fire-lizard quickly and Pandora disappears.
“Artist first. Let’s go.”
JilaCosa -- *It is time.* Chryse sighs
Walking to a clear spot in the room, Chryse hopes for the best. She takes the bandages from her wrist to expose the torn flesh and newly oozing blood. *It will work* she reassures herself, *If they drink enough of my blood they'll take the iron poisoning along with it. I'll be fine.* How long will it take before they notice her?
"Chryse, NO!" Jila screams as one of the Vampires takes notice.
Sixth Sense Dreamer -- Down the passageway..
Up a long spiraling staircase, and down countless hallways, 6th was dragged, kicking and screaming, by the vampires. Raistlin led the way, glancing back at 6th and smiling a tight, grim smile.
They came to a large chamber, and all hurried inside, barring the heavy metal doors behind them. The vampires dumped 6th in a pile on the floor in front of a emormous throne. Raistlin seated himself as 6th leapt to her feet.
"What the holy frelling dren are you doing???" 6th shouted, her hands on her hips, a snarl on her face. The vampires drew closer to her, but she shoved at them, her eyes never leaving the evil mage. Raist leaned back, his fingers tented in front of his chest. He smiled, narrowing his eyes.
"Things always seem to go better for me with you on my side." he said softly. The vampires surrounded 6th, looking hungrily at her, but Raistlin snapped his fingers and the creatures stepped away, muttering.
"Not her!" Raistlin hissed at them, "Never her." He turned to 6th. "Stay with me. I need you."
"Bite me." 6th snapped. She eyed the vampires, but they stayed where they were.
"6th...or should I say, Lillith..." Raistlin grinned as 6th's eyes widened, "You can't go on pretending. You can't hide what you are behind that facade of goodness. You are evil, now and forever. Come back to me. We can rule the world together."
"Don't call me that!" 6th practically screamed, "I'm NOT her anymore!" but part of her screamed just the opposite, cried out for release, to be evil once more...
"You are." Raistlin crooned, his voice no more than a whisper, but echoing in 6th's head all the same. "Don't fight it. I need you. I need your power, and your help. And you need me just as much. You can be so much more."
"MORE evil?" 6th snorted, "Who couldn't be MORE evil?"
"Not like you."
6th stared at the floor, saying nothing, while Raistlin looked quietly at her. Finally she looked up. "What about...them?" she looked back at the doorway, thinking of her friends.
"Join me, and they can go. ALL of them. Even that fool Artist." Raist licked his lips, "Refuse and I'll kill them one by one while you watch, until you agree to stay."
"So I don't have a choice then." 6th muttered.
"There's always a choice." Raistlin smiled.
6th turned, staring at the heavy doors, then glanced at the vampire minions, who held her weapons. They all looked impassively back at her.
She couldn't let her friends die, and she knew that here, in his home, Raistlin had enough power to destroy them all in the blink of an eye. He had only been toying with the Scoobs so far, and she knew that.
She sighed. "Alright."
Raistlin lept to his feet. "You'll stay?" he sounded like an excited child at Christmas.
6th turned and looked at him. "I'll stay. Let them go." there was something in her voice, a commanding presence that made the vampires surrounding her back away.
Raistlin nodded, and the vampires hurried away out a different door,leaving 6th's swords behind and glancing back over their shoulders at her.
6th took a deep breath and let it out slowly. *For them* she thought. *What else can I do? I can't watch them die* she closed her eyes *So long, Scoobs. Get out of here while you can.*
Raistlin watched 6th as she walked slowly to the heavy barred doors and laid her hands on them. She bowed her head, and her shoulders sagged for a moment. Then she turned, a different light in her eyes, one few of the Scoobs had ever seen, but that Raistlin found comfortingly familiar. She held herself differently, each movement she made calculated for sensual evilness. She looked like 6th, was 6th, but who she had been so long ago leapt to the foreground, after being hidden inside for years. 6th was buried under this other side, the thoroughly wicked other half that was Lillith.
"Raistlin." she purred, and walked sinuously towards him, a look on her face, one that said pure evil was all this woman ever thought. And she was thinking evil now.
"Lillith." Raistlin said, his arms held wide for her.
Neither of them noticed a small dragon perched on one of the high beams of the ceiling. Pandora winked out, and went to tell Jila what she had seen.
Raven-Kat -- “Well this isn’t good.”
Rae announces once Jila has relayed to them what Pandora saw. "She went between. How are we supposed to find them?"
"And what do we do with them?" Mouse asks, pointing to Artist and Chryse, both still weak.
Rae frowns in confusion. "Uh, we get them out of here. This place isn't good for them. Some keep an eye on them, the rest of us go on."
"You mean split up?" Ragnar demands. "Weren't you the one telling us how stupid that was?"
"OF COURSE IT'S STUPID!!!" Rae shrieked, shoving him aside as she paced the length of the cavern.
"She's doing the best she can." Raegun adds mildly.
"And who exactly put her in charge to begin with?" Sweetie asks.
"I put my self in charge." Rae replies softly. "Because I know this place better than the rest of you. I found her once, I can find her again." Rae closed her eyes and walked deeper into the cavern.
Sweetiepie Parrot -- “I’ve got an idea.” Sweetiepie said
"Let's put Chryse and the jerk in the Angel's wing. They can stay safe in there. If they don't move around too much."
Raven-Kat -- “Good idea, Sweetie.”
Rae says, nodding. "See to it." She grabs Raegun and walks into a dark alcove.
"'See to it.'" Sweetie repeats mockingly.
"What's she doing over there?" Mouse asks.
"Go ask." Sun suggests with a grin.
"You ask!" Mouse shakes her head and backs away.
Sunny laughs. "Okay, let's get them in, huh?"
~~~~
~~~~
"Rae, what are you doing?" Raegun asks as Rae crouches over him and begins removing parts.
"Basic modifications. Hold still, would you." Rae reaches into her bag and pulls out a number of canisters which she begins slipping into her pockets.
"That tickles!" Raegun protests as Rae works to remove the laser-sight.
Rae grins. "Then enjoy it." She produces another piece of hardware and slides it onto Raegun's barrel.
~~~~
~~~~
"My god!" Sunny laughs, staring at Rae. "She's field-stripping Raegun."
"She's what-what?" Jila asks, shaking her head.
"Field-stripping." Sun says more slowly. "This isn't really a great time to decide your weapon's dirty, Colonel!" She calls.
"Almost done!" Rae's voice comes back. "Give me eighty microts!"
"Wierd." Sun mutters.
"What?" Sweetie asks.
"She should be able to completely strip and rebuild the thing in less than that." Sunny replies. "What is she doing?"
~~~~
~~~~
"What are you doing?" Raegun asks curiously. "What are you putting on me?"
"You aren't holding still." Rae warns. "Come on!"
"Okay. What--" Raegun trails off as Rae holds one of the canisters closer to his sight. "Aw, no... Rae!"
"Yes." Rae tells him firmly.
"But it gives me the giggles!"
"Deal with it!" Rae kisses Raegun's barrel and slides the gas canister into place. "It gives me the giggles too, okay?"
"And the others?"
"Of course." Rae smiles. "That's why they call it 'laughing gas'."
"Are you going to tell them?"
"Nah, they'd only protest." Rae grins and shoves Raegun's other pieces back into her bag. "If Sunny asks, that's standard-issue knock-out gas. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Rae tests the feed, gets a wiff of the gas and giggles. "Ma'am was my mother's name."
Raegun snickers. "Okay, how's this work, exactly? I'm not familiar with the design."
Recovering, Rae explains, "It shoots a highly concentrated, almost liquid, stream of the gas at the enemy. The farther out it goes, the more it diffuses. So we will all get a little, but they'll get more. Go for the face."
"Will do."
Rae rises and rejoins the group which has already tucked Chyrse and Artist safely away. "Follow." Rae orders, cradling Raegun against her chest and happily anticipating the coming confrontation.
Raegun -- “Uh, Rae....”
Raegun whispers as Rae leads them unerringly through the twisting corridors.
"Yeah, babe?'
"Does the, ah... 'weapon' work on vampires?"
"Funny story behind that." Rae responds quietly. "Ask me about it later. But your answer is yes. It work BETTER against the undead for some twisted reason." Rae stops dead in her tracks and is nearly bowled down by Ragnar.
"Hey!"
"Sorry!" Rae points to a stone stair-case. "They're up there."
Mouse2000 -- Mouse notices
that Raegun has a slightly different profile. "Rae," she asks, "what's up with Raegun?"
"Just a few special... modifications." Rae answers smoothly as Raegun stifles a un-Raegun-like giggle.
"If they really are up there, do you have any more Holy water?" Mouse asks. Artic, Kaybe, and Kara nod in agreement. They ALL want some more Holy water!
"Hold still in there!" Spyral whispers to his wing as the injured Scoobs try to make their way through his mess inside his wing. "You're throwing me off balance, and that's the LAST thing I need now!" He says, swaying slightly.
They start up the stone steps...
Kaybe0 -- Smiling at Raegun
as she passed to get some holy water, Raegun responded with
"Wanna see what I have, Kay?" He sprayed some of his laughing gas into the air, and it landed on the group closest to him. "No! Raegun, not yet." said Rae, too late. Kay, Jila, Rae, Mouse, Spy, and Kara all started giggling. "Oh boy," said Rae, grinning, because she couldn't help herself. "This is gonna be fun". giggled Kay.
"No, Kay, pull yourself together. This is serious." Rae managed to get out with a straight face before convulsing with laughter."What's going on with you guys?" asked Ragnar with a scowl. "This", said Raegun, under the influence of his own laughing gas, as he sprayed once more into the air. This covered Ragnar and the rest of the group. "This isn't....funny" Ragnar got out before laughing his big viking laugh. Hearing a kind of choking sound, the group turned to see IQ who was laughing as only a dog could. Then, as they watched, he jumped behind a stone pillar. The group, between giggles, watched with the best concern they could muster, as they saw the wolf legs slowly turn into human form. Then the hands. Amazed, they then heard IQ's voice from behind the pillar. "Uh guys,(giggle) I sure could use something to wear." The laughing gas, for some reason must have turned him back to himself. Laughing and slapping each other on the back, the group is joyful as Spy reached into his wing and pulled out a jogging suit and some sneakers. "Here pal," he said, handing the clothes behind the pillar. "This should do it." Then, he almost doubled over with laughter. "Really guys. We have to fight the vampires. We have to pull ourselves together." Pleaded Rae, giggling to hard to be commanding." The whole group roared as if fighting vampires was the funniest thing they had ever heard. "Like this?" asked Kay, spraying holy water on a vampire that had come unnoticed by the group ready to jump on them. Kay chuckled as the vampire shrieked, and then fell to the floor smoking. Grinning like a cheshire cat, Kay turned to see Rae looking at her with shock. Kay had never been so bold. "Maybe Raegun had done a good thing by getting this group wasted on laughing gas. They certainly seemed to have lost their fear." Rae thought, and then turned to hear Jila say "Take this big guy" as another vampire made to jump on them. Kay gave Jila a high five as the vampire screamed and fell writhing to the floor like the other one. Suddenly, vampires were everywhere. "Go Scoobies!" yelled Mouse as the group laughing hysterically started spraying holy water on every vampire that came at them. Soon, there was laughing gas everywhere as Rae and Raegun went to work on the vampires.
Raven-Kat -- “What’s the point of being a Scoob?”
Rae asks with a laugh, "If you can't have a little fun every now and again?" Snickering, she passes Raegun and several more gas canisters off to Jila. "Keep it up, cutie!"
"Will do!" Raegun squirts out another stream of laughing gas, and a vampire doubles over, howling hysterically.
"What is going on down there?" Raistlin demands, frowning.
"Dunno," Sixth says casually, "but it sure SOUNDS like fun." Petulantly, she adds, "Just like Rae to decide to throw a party the minute I'm not around any more. NO FAIR, RAE!" she bellows loudly.
"Quiet, woman!" Raist orders, looking around for an escape route.
On the stair-way, Rae hears Sixth's yell and grins. "YOU WANNA MAKE SOMETHIN' OF IT?" she yells back, pulling a gas-grenade out of her pocket and chucking it into the door-way. Jumping over vampires unconcious from laughing so hard, Rae bounds into the room.
"Hey!" Sixth laughs merrily. "Look who decided to show up!"
Rae smiles. "Sixth, long time no see. Looking good. Can't say I approve of the company you're keeping these days, though. Raist."
Raistlin stares at Rae in hatred and confusion. "You!" He calls Rae a rude name.
Rae smiles widely. "You remember! How sweet!"
*The gas isn't working on him!* For some reason, this thought struck her as amusing and she snickered.
"Downstairs, now, Sixth." Rae orders mildly, shaking off the effects of the gas.
"Aw, but I wanted to see you kick his eema." Sixth protests, giggling.
"Maybe next time." Rae assures her. "Right now, the others need you."
Sixth shruggs and lets out a war-cry as she joins the battle on the stairs.
"Raven." Raist rasps, glaring.
"Raistlin." Rae murmmurs sweetly.
~~
~~
Below, the battle is being won. Most of the vampires have retreated or are imobilized by the gas.
When Rae retrieves Raegun from Jila, most of the others don't even notice that she has rejoined the group.
"What happened?" Jila asked quietly. "Is he... gone?"
Rae nods. "He won't bother us for a while now." They rejoin the fight, which is beginning to wind down.
Raegun -- “I don’t think they’re a threat
anymore." Raegun announces.
On the floor, a vampire stares up at him and giggles.
"Uh, definitely not." Raegun concludes. "Let's get out of here before I run out of gas."
"Sounds like a plan to me." Rae says. "All in favor?"
Kaybe0 -- I’m Ready
Said Kay, almost knocking into Rae in her readiness to leave. Lead the way.
Raven-Kat -- “Time to get the hezmana out of Dodge.”
Rae announces.
Raegun sprays the vampires once more with NO2, and the group follows Rae once more through the twisty corridors. Along the way, Raegun randomly hits the others with jets of the gas, giggling madly as he does so.
"Don't waste it all." Rae orders. "And stop getting my friends stoned, please."
"Hey, happiness is meant to be shared." Raegun inhales deeply. Giggling, he breaks into song: "Happiness is a warm gun."
Rae sighs, considers muffling him, and decides against having an angry pulse-rifle. "Here we are." She leads the group into the bright morning sun.
"Oh my god." Jila breaths softly. "It hasn't been day since we got here."
"Of course not." Mouse tells her. "Remember? It's never really over as long as it's still dark."
"Oh, right." Jila nods and looks around. "It's actually kind of pretty in the day-light."
"Can we just get back to the boat already?" Sweetie suggests, "And marvel at the big orange thing in the sky later on?"
"Works for Rae." Rae begins leading them through the forest. "I was getting WAY too fond of this place. My vote for our next stop is 'Early Sixties Sitcom' Land. I could use some sachrine in my coffee after this nightmare."
"Amen to that." Mouse mutters.
Rae leads them through the forest for several more hours, not letting them stop once, and then herself stops abruptly, with a soft, "My gods."
Ragnar walks right into her. "Hey!"
She looks up at him and takes his arm. "Is that not the most beautiful sight you've ever seen?"
Ragnar looks out over the sandy beach and takes in the long-boat moored proudly in the bay. "Yes, yes it is."
"Then let us leave this foresaken land never to return. By the way, I'm making a special celebratory supper tonight, guys, and I want all of you in attendance. There's pancake batter in the fridge for breakfast, and English muffins and jam. I'll be meditating. Please don't disturb me."
The others stare at her as she hurries off.
"Gee," Artist remarks, "she sure changes track fast."
KaraS -- “All Aboard!” Ragnar shouted....
as he cast off and the longboat left Horror Land.
They had returned to find that Nata, Artist's wolf, had rounded up all the dogs and they were snuffling around the sandbar waiting for the humans to return. Everybody marvled at the mini longboat that Capt'n Kitten had commanded and Ragnar took it aboard and stowed it in the hold. Never can tell when something like that might come in handy.
Rae prepared her supper and everyone partook of it with great pleasure. After experiencing all the violent feelings Horror Land had stirred up in her she was at her most domestic and cheery. Even Sweetiepie's acidic commnts about June Cleaver wielding a meat cleaver didn't faze her. And after dessert, everybody turned in for a good night's sleep.
But as they slept, a storm blew up and soon the longboat was tossing about like a twig. Ragnar changed the longboat to sub mode and they rode out the worst of the storm underwater but when they reemerged into the daylight Ragnar had no idea where they were. Then...
"Land ho!" Sweetiepie called down from the crow's nest.
Ragnar examined the approaching coastline through his spy glass.
"Can you tell where we are?" Spyral asked.
"Yes." Ragnar sighed. "I don't really want to go there, but we'd better pull into shallow water and go over the boat for storm damage."
"Where are we?" Kaybee asked, concerned.
"And why don't you want to go there?" Viridian said.
"See for yourself." Ragnar said, passing his spy glass to Kaybee.
"Oh wow!" Kaybee said, passing the glass to Vi.
"What do you see?" KaraS asked impatiently.
But by this time, the land was close enough to make out a few details with the naked eye. The coastline was covered with snow and all the pine trees on the shore were decorated with colorful winking lights. Then the longboat was buzzed by a low flying sleigh.
"There it is." Ragnar sighed. "Welcome to Christmas Special Land."
Chryse74 -- “No Way!”
"no, no, no! I can't go there! They all expect elves to be 3 feet tall and wear tight green clothes with bells on! I'd die in that outfit!" whimpered Chryse (who recovered very quickly from the iron poisoning after the vampire sucked it out of her). "Oh, gods above and below, I won't leave the boat." She ran off into her stateroom and locked the door behind her, vowing not to come out until they were safely away from that sugary, saccharine place.
JilaCosa -- “ALL the Christmas specials?” Jila asks
"You mean like Charlie Brown, Frosty, Rudolf, Scrooge, Scrooged (and all it's other variations) and The Grinch??" Jila laughs. "Now This should be fun! It's too bad the kids aren't here. They'd Love this place." Jila blushes as she notices the stares of most of her friends. "Sorry, the only Christmas specials I really know are the animated type. What Christmas specials are you hoping to find?"
JilaCosa -- I didn’t mean to forget about you Chryse
Jila said knocking on her cabin door. "I don't think it's that bad in all of Christmas Special Land. In "The Santa Clause" there is a very lovely elf who is wearing a floor length dress. And when the elves have to rescue the new Santa they are all dressed like regular kids."
"Oh, come with us, please Chryse." Pleads Kay. "We'll make sure you don't end up dressed that way."
PLEASE???
RagnarRB -- Not having the heart
Ragnar was a little reluctant to mention the fact to Chryse that it was probably too late anyway. Christmas Special Land was like most of the rest of the lands and included the surrounding waters as well. The various ghosts of Christmas past, present and whatnot could and likely would find her just as easially if she stayed on the boat as they might if she were ashore. Actually ashore you had a better chance of advoiding such things.
Better to stay clear of the choppy water as well. The water wouldn't harm them but the isle was surrounded with the usual pleatheria of Christmas sales catalogs and such that always seemed to come before the season. It might rain advertisements at any moment.
Maybe they would luck out and not stumble on Commercial Land for a while.
Kaybe0 -- Chuckling to herself
Kay ponders, "Hmm, I wonder if we can give our Christmas lists to Santo while we are here. Nothing like going right to the scource."
SunAeryn -- “Just don’t mess with the Miser Brothers
and we should make it through Christmas Special Land just fine. They tend to fight and not care who gets caught in the middle." Sun mumbled, dragging herself and her new fave green blanket on deck. She was bundled up in it...holding her head.
"Man, this is one frellin horrible head ache. Remind me to NEVER let Rae use laughing gas on me again!" Sun added as she headed to the kitchen to find food and drugs.
(Hello all, sorry I haven't been around as much...just haven't felt story creative lately.)
Raven-Kat -- Lying in her bed,
Rae is visited by a ghost.
"Raaaaaae..."
"Frell off." Rae rolls over and pulls a pillow over her head.
The pillow vanishes. "Raaaaaaae..." the ghost repeats more insistently.
Rae sits up. "Which part of 'frell off' aren't you clear on?"
"Damnit, Rae, could you just work with me here?"
"No!"
"Hey, I'm just a simple Ghost of Christmas Past trying to earn a living!"
"Earn elsewhere." Rae points to the door and pulls a bottle of aspirin off of her nightstand.
"Headache?" the ghost asks sympathetically. "Probably all that guilt."
"Frell off!" Rae repeats. "Don't make me tell you again."
"What'll you do? Sue me?"
"Sounds like a start. Raegun!"
Raegun, asleep on the table, wakes up. "Yeah, Rae." He looks around. "Geez, not another ghost!"
"Yeah. Well, I want to sue him for harassment. Can you draw up the paperwork?"
"Gee, Rae, I'm not sure if mortals can bring legal proceedings against the undead." Raegun begins. "Maybe a restraining order? I think we might be able to swing that in one of the lower courts."
"Sounds good." Rae rises and pours herself a cup of tea.
"You wouldn't--" the ghost protests.
"Watch me."
"Okay, okay!" the Ghost vanishes through the bulkhead.
"Geez!" Rae mutters, washing down her aspirin with the tea. "It's going to be a long stay..."
Lurkingghost -- Ghost bumps into...
the Ghost of Christmas Past. (If two etherial creatures can be said to "bump.")
As they both brush themselves off, the GoCP says, "Say, don't I know you from somewhere?"
"I don't know, I don't have any memory of before I was a ghost, and I certainly think I would remember such an important spirit as yourself."
Kaybe0 -- At first sight of the ghost of Christmas
past, Kay jumped. Oh no. Not another ghost. But, then, she realized by it's grumblings about Rae, that it was nothing like the horror land inhabitants. Smiling to herself at Rae's boldness with the ghost of their consience, Kay started on down the corridor. She looked back to see the ghost of Christmas present about to enter Rae's room. "I wouldn't do that if I were you" she said to herself, grinning. "You have no idea what you are dealing with."
Raven-Kat -- “I can handle this.”
The ghost assures Kaybe, drifting through the door. Five seconds later, it streaks back through the door, casting horrified looks over its shoulder.
"She always like that?" the ghost demands of Kay. "Or is she going through some kind of Peacekeeper Military Sh-"
The ghost falls silent at the sound of a charging pulse-rifle on the other side of the door.
Kay does her best not to smile as the Ghost retreats, muttering to himself.
SunAeryn -- Sun walks up as Kay is smiling...
"Um, Kay, I wouldn't stand that close to the door if I were you...I don't think Rae can see through doors." Sun said, loudly enough for Rae to hear.
"What?!" Rae says as she snatches the door open "You talkin' about me?"
"I wouldn't antagonize her if I were you Sunny." Raegun cautions
Sun smiles, "Thanks for the warning Raegun, but I can handle her. Rae, what the big deal? They are a couple of harmless Ghosts of Christmas...they aren't gonna hurt you. Remind you of stuff, but..."
Rae inturupted Sun, "That's just it...they will remind me of stuff...stuff I don't want to remember." Rae tried to slam the door in Sun's face, Sun stuck her foot in the door. She then kicked it open
"Rae! You are freaking everyone out! Am I gonna have to headbutt you?" Sun asked closing the door, on Kay.
Kay just stood there, with her mouth hung open. Soon Ragnar and a couple of other Scoobs came by.
"What's all the yelling about?" Ragnar asked, heading towards the door.
Kay jumped in front of the door, "Um, I wouldn't go in there if I were you. I think Sun can hanle it."
"What?! Handle it...like the last time?" Ragnar asked, remembering when Sun and Rae disappeared, then reappeared with bruises. Ragnar shook his head as he and the Scoobs walked away.
Ragnar turned, walked back to the door, pounded on it, "If you two ladies damage anything on my boat!"
Sun opened the door, smiled sweetly, "Now Ragnar, would we do that?"
Ragnar just looked at Sun, "Just don't do any damage to the boat...ok? Please."
"No worries, Ragnar." Sun said as she shut the door.