First off, I must apologize for the EXTREME lateness of this C&C...I can't seem to
find the time to do much of anything anymore.  Tis what I get for going to one con
after the other and try learning to use PHP and college work and regular work and
video games and even more video games...DEAR LORD THE GAMES!

Not to mention I stumbled upon several anime series I've found quite
enjoyable...Onegai Teacher being a surprising one to myself, I assure you.  Saw the
first ep of that during Anime Expo and went and got the box set, breathlessly awaited
the second DVD, and gots me the Manga.  Now I breathlessly await the third DVD, even
though I couldn't wait and acquired some fansubs (September 2nd for the 3rd DVD?
How'm I supposed to last that long?)  I must admit:  if one doesn't feel good after
the 13th ep (or at least aren't rolling around laughing) then one is in serious need
of a hug.  I personally raised some b33r in salute...several times.  The women of the
series were quite nice to look at as well.

Somewhere around this I want to start writing fanfiction again. ;_;

Anyway, without further sharing of troubles on my part, I will start ye ol C&C.

---------------------------------

Once upon a cloud, there was a tiny white spore that flitted about, never passing
beneath the stratosphere or ever seeing the ground. There, it sprouted and began to
mature. However, once its primary development phase

<<I'm not going to tell you the mental image I got of a white wriggling thing
flitting about in the clouds.>>

was completed, a small meteorite came unexpectedly from behind and knocked it down to
the ground. What

<<< <God> Heheheh, let's fuck with the little spit, eh?>>>

happened then can only be properly described in verse:

Within a crater, a Green ArbyFish did spy,
A tiny White one, its eyes all sly.
Out of the basin Flanburger did take,
A tiny spit, covered in milkshake.

<<< Hey, spits are high in vitamin C!  Good and good for ya!>>>

"Yew'z quite fine 'cause a' me soft drink,"
The Green one chortled.
"Shroomsyeruncle, Oye say, n' fasta' than a wink,
We will take yew inta' custody before yew can think."

The White one was startled.
"DIE!" he shouted, and pulled out a switchblade.

<<< And due to anime and more importantly Arbyfish physics, no one thinks to ask
where he got this from.>>>

"'Ello sez Oye ta yew ta me," the Green one did bade,
As the tiny knife entered his neck.
Then what happened was a scene out of Star Trek.

"...N' yew back in return. Yew'z a cute lil' spit,"
Green did say to White.
"Noice knoife ya gots there. Only missed by a bit.
Me jugular vein, if Oye one did 'ave,
Would've been split, roight down to the calve."

"Die, I repeat," White growled to Flanburger.
"Screams you should make, like right-bloody murder!"
And twist he did his knife,
His red eyes so full of life.

<<< I like Bruce.  Got to respect a guy who says "Kill em all!" and means it.  Lord
help us if he ever plays Blood Omen.  For some reason I could imagine him shouting
"Vae Victus!" every 5 seconds as he hacks through more and more sentient beings.>>>

"A cute lil' pinprick,
You've proved y'self to be.
Now tell me by what 'nick,
Oye should call your name for free?"

With eyes aflame, the spit began to shout,
"Bruce is my name!
For this I shall bring you shame!"
As if to cause more blame, he turned 'round to pout.

<<< I have little talent for rhyming, so I all I can really do here is throw in the
occasional witticism.  I can only imagine how writing this part must have been for
you.  On that note, how was writing this part, for you? Hehehehe>>>

The grown one rubbed his chin,
Wisdom of ages trapped within.
"Bruce is not a name by which,
A young 'spit in twain should itch."

So think he did, and before long,
A better name he found; it could not be wrong.
"Mouldey Pants, think Oye should you call.
A 'shroomy name, it does make more o'erall."

So with no more protest, or shout, or cry,
Flanburger spirited away the great big short fry.
In his ways, he did teach,
And customs he would preach.

But the nature Bruce courted,
Could not quite be thwarted,
And into the books of history we will hear his cry.

<<< Vae Victus!  Let all suffer and die! ^_^>>>

<<< Wow!  That fits pretty well, heh.  The translation from the game was that Vae
Victus means "Suffering to the Conquered." Others claim it means something like �Woe
to the Vanquished.�  I'm not sure how accurate that is, however.>>>

-Revised ArbyFish History Books
513th Green Poetry Edition
Axiom Publishing Co.
Idiom, Andromeda. Nointeen-Nointey-Foive

Thus it was that Bruce, the White ArbyFish, found himself taken from his natural
environment by an equally natural disaster. He spent his years apprenticed to
Flanburger, the Second One, in order to become a right proper ArbyFish when he grew
up.

<<< That's almost like a Jedi having a Sith apprentice. ^^>>>

Naturally, the only school available was a segregated Green school, which meant that
all colors would attend in protest. However, Bruce's group tended to consist more of
yokel Greens from the swamp than of any other group.

<<< All others would attend in protest...and I bet that makes perfect sense to them,
heh.>>>

During every day at class, Flanburger would initiate roll call.

"Mossweed?"

"'Ere!"

"Compost 'Eap?"

"'Ere!"

"Mushin' Rheum?"

"Present!"

"DeadlyShrub Itchin' 'Edge?"

"Oye'z 'ere!"

And then Bruce would typically show up a bit late, much to the chagrin of his
well-paid volunteer tutor.

"Friggin' n' Floomin' Green Beans 'n Haussenfeffah Jolly Rot!"

Three flippers shot up.

"Present!" "'Ere!" "Roight!"

"They'z cute lil' triplets, they is," Flanburger noted to himself, then turned toward
the White ArbyFish that had just tried to sneak in. "Mouldey Pants!"

<<< Would he sneak in, or would he bang the door open, stick a knife in the nearest
student (then receiving thanks for his wonderful gift...yet again,) and then huff to
his seat, but not before kicking the chair into the wall a few times? >>>

Bruce wordlessly hauled his bookbag over to his desk, then sat heavily upon his
closed reading material in the traditional manner of ArbyFish learning. Folding his
flippers, he hunched over to sulk.

<<< My grammar checker says it should be 'desk, and then'  Not sure if that is
accurate or not.>>>

Flanburger cleared his throat.

<<< Hacking up a couple of moldy furballs...>>>

"Oye said: Mouldey Pants!"

Bruce pulled out a pair of long knitting needles and continued the project he had
started the day before: an argyle sock.

The Green teacher hopped up close to indignantly address his star wayward pupil.
"Ahem. Mouldey Pants!"

"It's Bruce!" the juvenile White 'Fish shot back.

"Yeech!" Flanburger wrinkled his snout. "You'll neva' get very far in loife bein
called 'Bruce.'" He straightened up. "We'z gonna call yew Mouldey Pants, n' that's
final."

It was a daily ritual. Young Bruce found himself muttering a great deal of death
threats and otherwise, which everyone else seemed to ignore or take in the best
possible manner.

<<< probably the only place that would call a High School shooting a cute little act
of rebellion. ^^>>>

"I think you all should dry up and die!" Bruce screamed to anyone who would listen.
"I am going to kill you all one day. Right now, maybe!!!"

<<< <Bruce> Just as soon as I figure out HOW!>>>

Flanburger turned away from the smeared mold board and smiled proudly. "Oh, thank you
very much, Mouldey Pants!"

"It's BRUCE!"

<<<Bruce reminds me a lot of Magnesite from Sailor Moon Expanded.  Here he is, a guy
who just wants to kill and maim and destroy in an environment of friendly happy
Arbyfish who take his threats of annihilation in the best possible way.  They don't
run, cower in fear, or any of that.  It's enough to drive an Arbyfish sane, I'd bet,
heh.>>>

"Roight, Mouldey Pants. Now let's get started on the math." Flanburger started
smearing a moist 'shroom on the board. "We'z gots eight 'shrooms in the noight. Wot
'appens then?" He turned around to see one of the chubbier 'Fish turned around in the
back corner, wearing a "genius" cap, raise a flipper. "Awl roight. Mossweed, wot's
the answer?"

"Well, ya see," Mossweed began in a shrill voice that would have sounded better on a
Pink, "ya'z gots eight 'shrooms in the noight, n' they moight multiply if it's real
moist, but they'd need ta munch on stuff ta grow, but since they'z only gots
themselves there, they'd start gettin' inta cannibalism n' such. So, eight 'shrooms
in the noight would get'cha 'ate shrooms in the noight!'"

<<<heheh.>>>

A few in the front row started to clap. A glance from the teacher silenced them.

"Roight. Very good," Flanburger said after a moment. "Next problem." He scrawled some
more mushrooms onto the board. "'Ere, we'z gots two 'shrooms n' anotha' two
'shrooms." He drew an equals sign. "That will surely equal six. Who can answer this
one?"

Like a savannah full of meercats, the faces of Flanburger's class straightened up and
started looking around randomly - anywhere except at the teacher.

<<<  Hell, I'm still trying to figure out what he just asked.>>>

"Roight, then. Just 'ave ta pick someone. Mouldey Pants!"

"Bruce!" Bruce cried irritably.

"Get up 'ere, then!"

"Fine," Bruce muttered, getting off his books and putting away his sock before
hopping up to the front of the classroom.

"Good. Now, we 'ave two 'shrooms n' two 'shrooms. Wot will that make?" Flanburger
handed over the drawing mushroom.

Bruce took the 'shroom and examined the complex problem on the board. Pushing up the
fur on each of his flippers, he took a deep breath and went about solving it. On the
board, he made various calculations. The notation slowly covered the entire line,
then another. Soon, nearly the whole board was scrawled with strange markings. At the
end, he scrawled an equals sign and paused to ponder his work.

<<< strange markings which began to glow an evil red and bled together.  Viscous
tentacles dripping unidentifiable ooze and phlegm emerged from its crimson depths,
soon followed by a face that should anyone gaze upon its carrion filled visage,
they'd be instantly driven into the far reaches of Delirium's realm.  A single horrid
eye focused upon the classroom filled with the simple cat based fish folk of lore,
and with a gurgling cry that would have caused world wide hysteria should the being
had been aloud to utter the least of sounds, the great old one said, "Oh, HELL nah!"
and left with nary a parting word to the somewhat bored populous of the class.

Par for the course really, when ol' Mouldey Pants was called to the board.

Heh, feel free to ignore, was just musing a bit. ^_^>>>

Flanburger cocked an eyebrow at Bruce's proof.

Finally, the White ArbyFish wrote down his answer. "World Domination!" He drew a box
around it with four quick strokes and faced the class with a rebellious look.

<<<Would it be domination or destruction?  Or is there a difference to him?>>>

The teacher stared at the board and worked through the equation his student had just
made. When he finished, he shrugged and said, "Eh, close 'nough." Straightening up,
he added, "Roight! On ta Biol'gy."

<<<Considering where the first Arby came from and where he grew up, this course would
likely consist of some pretty screwy subjects.>>>

Bruce sat back down and put away his sock, preferring instead to concentrate on
scheming and plotting for the moment.

<<<Surprising he doesn't pay more attention.  I mean, biological warfare is a great
way to kill all life on a planet, heh.>>>

Flanburger scraped the board clean with a broken rubber windshield wiper and drew
another mushroom on it. "Ya see, ya'z gots the green 'shrooms, the speckled 'shrooms,
the magic 'shrooms, the Mumbling Moscow Clown Mushrooms, n' the Peta' Poipa' Picked a
'Peck a' Pickled Polygonal Par'y Prism 'Shrooms, but they're Legen'ary." He puffed up
in pride at his perfectly proper pronunciation.

Mossweed, in particular, seemed fascinated with the lecture. "Wot otha' koindsa
'shrooms are there?"

"Plen'y 'a 'shrooms! We'z gots tons a' 'shrooms!"

Bruce humphed while everyone else scribbled down notes.

"We'z gots the Death's 'Ead 'shrooms, the thin 'shrooms, the puffy 'shrooms.... Whoy,
we'z even gots the Furry 'Shrooms!"

"FURRY MUSHROOMS?!!?" Bruce exclaimed in disbelief. "That's absurd! There are no
furry mushrooms! It's," he struggled to think of an apt descriptive term, "it's just
not proper!"

"Not propa'!?" Flanburger cried, rising up above them all. "'Course it's propa'!
Gotta 'ave the Furry Mushrooms. They'z proime substance for beverages n' parties!
Else, 'ow'dja get the badgers' eggs ta hatch?"

"Badgers don't lay eggs!"

<<< Well, Terran badgers don't, but the ones on Tau Ceti Three...those bad puppies
lay em in groups of 12 or more...>>>

Flanburger snatched something from a desk drawer. "'Ow'dja explain this, then?" He
held up the object for all to see. It looked like a white chicken egg, and it began
to form cracks. Within moments, a fragment had fallen off and the tiny furry face of
a baby badger popped out, then promptly began to squeak. "There, ya see?"

Bruce was flabbergasted. "But!"

<<< If nothing else this class must be really good at shattering Bruce's perceptions
on what he thinks reality is.>>>

"Rebellious generation," Flanburger muttered, rolling his eyes.

Years of this went on, and it was a slow indoctrination process; one that never
seemed to have any impact on the displaced White ArbyFish. Also, considering how long
these 'Fish tended to live, they tended to have very, very slow learning curves and
easily got set in their ways. To make matters more complicated, Bruce absolutely
refused to develop certain traditional, mandatory racisms.

<<< He hates everyone equally.  Heheheheheh.>>>

One fine morning after class, the Green Mossweed, with a small box tucked under one
arm, hopped up to him to say hello.

"Hi, Bruce!" Mossweed greeted sweetly.

With a snick and a flip of his flipper, the White ArbyFish whipped out a switchblade.
"DIE!" Then, he lunged at the other's throat, slashing as long and as deeply as
decades of honed reflexes would allow. Much to his surprise, Bruce's strike split
Mossweed's skin, spilling out a puff of white and pink. "Gwaaah!?"

<<<He doesn't by any chance hang out with a psychotic rabbit, does he?>>>

"Oh no!" Mossweed cried, trying to hold up the dangling flap of fur and conceal what
lay underneath.

In some texts, this was the second recorded incident of a White ArbyFish actually
being in wide-eyed, stuttering shock. "You're a p-p-p-P-"

<<<What was the first?>>>

Mossweed dropped the flap and dragged Bruce behind a tree, just in time to escape
notice of a pack of proud, parading Yellow ArbyFish that went by. She breathed a sigh
of relief, then grinned nervously at her White companion. "I guess there's no point
hiding it from you now."

"Not really," Bruce admitted, regaining his composure. "That was... unexpected. Well,
not completely unexpected. I thought you were a bit bulky for a regular Green
ArbyFish. But not even one of those distasteful creatures could be nearly as ugly as
that smudged costume of yours."

<<<Now he kinda sounds like Vegita, heh.>>>

Mossweed nodded. "It's a thick outfit. It was so hard to get on. It was supposed to
be really hard to get off."

"Mossweed can't be your real name, then."

"No, it's not. My real name is Ribbons. Ribbons DewBlossom." Through the new slit,
she slid off the hood of her disguise. Under the dull green facade was a lovely pink
and white coat of fur that positively sparkled. Cute was a term that was often used
to describe Pink ArbyFish, often in disdain. However, in this case, "cute" barely
began to explain the slender creature's appearance.

<<<Stunningly beautiful then?  Though this is an
odd...............romance............all things considered the Arbyfish are asexual
creatures from what I've read so far.  Then again, they're also some of the most
impossible creatures too...so I suppose if it tickles a couple's fancy, more power
too em. ^^;;>>>

Bruce swallowed heavily. "All right, Ribbons. I've got nothing against Pink ones, any
more than Green ones or Grey ones, in any case. So, why dress up Green, then?"

<<< <Bruce> In the end...I'm just going to kill you all.>>>

"I always wanted a quality education, and you know how everyone sees us Pinks. Nobody
understands us and we look out of place."

"I think I understand. I've felt out of place most of the time, as well."

Ribbons's sweet eyes lit up. "Then you won't tell anyone else about me? I mean, me
being a Pink ArbyFish?"

"Why?" Bruce asked, then whispered to himself, "I'd be giving up a tactical
advantage." Aloud, he continued, "I won't tell."

Ribbons threw her flippers around him. "Oh, thank you, Bruce! Thank you so much!"

Bruce shut his eyes as he slid the Pink one off of him. "Yes, yes, well, don't push
your luck." He took out his knitting tools. "Here, let me fix that disguise of
yours."

"Oh, Bruce! You're so nice!" Ribbons beamed.

"I may not have anything against you yet, but watch your language, got it?!"

"Oh, yes, of course, Bruce! Of course!"

<<< True, never tell a purely evil being that he's so nice when he shows the least
bit of kindness for whatever reasons that might be running through his head.  Said
evil being might just decide to turn stabbity on ya for mouthin' off.>>>

Bruce made a friend that day, though he would never, ever admit it. Ribbons and he
spent a lot of time together after that, generally being rebellious in their own
ways. Bruce taught her how to plot and knit, and she showed him how to dance.

<<< To the class of '97...wear sunscreen. If I could offer just one piece of
advice...sunscreen would be...it.>>>

Nothing lasts forever, though. A secret plot formed to cleanse the Pink ones from the
ArbyFish species once and for all. Flanburger and a host of the elder ArbyFish, armed
with party invitations, ran rampant through Pink strongholds and devastated countless
numbers of them. By the time the Pink ArbyFish caught on, it was too late. Only a
handful remained, hunted down by the most powerful death squads of the holy war.

<<<Heh, they didn't even have the same chance the Autobots had.>>>

Employing gravitational and temporal-based powers, Black and Purple ones terminated
Pinks one-by-one. Perhaps less than a hundred remained when Ribbons DewBlossom was
finally discovered.

<<< %*It's about this homicidal maniac who finds this cubscout troop, and he hacks up
two or three in every scene...%*>>>

"Please don't hurt me," Ribbons pled, bits of her ruined disguise falling around her.
She batted her eyelashes in hopes of stemming the assault. Unfortunately, her reflex
action had the opposite effect.

<<<About to say.  All things considered they subscribe to the idea that all that is
pink must die...one wonders what they must think of Chibi Usa then?>>>

"Yeech!" Flanburger spat as he and four others approached. Among the prime death
squad were such illustrious Black names as Frosty McKleinBottle and FloominWottle.
The Purples were F. Choppins and FluFlaFloggins. "Once we've done away with your
Pinkness, the una'verse c'n rest peacefully. Until then, we'z gots ta destroy awl the
Pink!" He held up a recently-published lawbook and slapped it on the ground a few
times before directing his aides to attack.

<<<Though I wonder why they bothered to publish the law since it seems they were
going to do it anyway.  Course that probably falls under the term, "Wouldn't be
propa' to conduct ah Holy War wit'out ah law bein' passed."  My grammar checker also
says that �recently-published� should be �recently published.�  No clue if that�s
accurate or not.>>>

Ribbons sized up her situation. Bruce had taught her well about relative power levels
and the need for planning. Those skills had served her well in avoiding extermination
so far, but there was only so far ahead she could plan. She had run completely out of
ideas, and now she was about to be crushed into a singularity and sent who-
knows-what dimension or epoch.

<<<For all she knows, this could be the best thing that ever happened to
her...maybe.>>>

"This hurts you more than us," Frosty McKleinBottle noted honestly as he began to
compress space around the poor thing.

<<< <Frosty> Come to think of it, this just hurts you.>>>

The others did the same in their own ways, FloominWottle using his innate powers and
the Purple ones employing strange devices from the past, future, or present.

However, before any significant effect could take place, a flurry of throwing knives
came at the death squad, imbedding themselves into their flesh and destroying the
Purples' devices. The sudden attack effectively disrupted the Blacks' concentration.

<<< Reminds me of the time Vegita bailed out Trunks in the Bojack movie.  Heh, if
ever there was a damn good candidate for the most badass entrance...that was it.  He
cut their lines of psychic force, tossed Trunks his sword and sheath (all off
camera), then blew up the mansion under the feet of Bojack�s men.  Only to rise up
out of that, his arms crossed, his golden aura going, a scowl on his face, and Super
Saiyan his transformation.>>>

When they regained their balance, the space between them and Ribbons suddenly became
occupied by a White ArbyFish.

"Hello," Bruce sneered, "says I to you to me and you back in return."

<<<About his words too. Heh.>>>

Flanburger blinked a bit. "Mouldey Pants?"

"Bruce!"

"Bruce!" Ribbons echoed, her flippers clasp together and her eyes full of hope.

<<<I�m not sure what music should be playing here.  The Superman theme or a song by
Kings of Metal called �Hands of Doom� considering it�s a White Arby we�re talking
about.  %*Tonight we strike, there is thunder in the sky!  Together we fight!  Some
of us will die, but always remember, that we made our stand!  And many will die by my
hand!  They will die!  By my hand!%*  Tough call.>>>

The Green one brightened up. "Oh, goodie! Lookie 'ere, lads, 'e's foinally learned
th' tra'itional greetin'! Mouldey-Pants's got it!"

"'Scuse me," Frosty McKleinBottle said to Bruce, "yew's in our way 'ere. We'z gots a
job ta complete. Ya know, Pink extermination and such."

<<< <Frosty> Terrible messy business, but someone�s gots to do it.>>>

"Roight!" Flanburger added. "Away wit'cha. We'll call ya if we needja. This's n' easy
one, though."

<<<That was almost complimentary.  It�s almost like they put ol Bruce here into the
realms of a big gun, heh.>>>

FloominWottle examined the White's resolute expression. "Eh, looks loike 'e's not
movin'."

F. Choppins nodded. "He hasn't moved." He turned up his face. "Or won't, or
wot'evah."

<<< <F.> In da end...it�s all da same.>>>

Flanburger stared at Bruce. "Ey! Why won't yew move?"

"Do the words 'Go suck on some fabric softener' mean anything to you?" Bruce
inquired.

"Nope!" Flanburger denied, then hopped to the side in order to get around Bruce, who
hopped in the same direction to block him. He tried again, the other way. Again,
Bruce stood in his way.

"Look 'ere, lad," Frosty McKleinBottle pressed. "It's roight propa' ta get rid a' the
Pink, n' we-"

<<< Que the �Dance of Fates�...techno remix! >>>

In a flourish, Bruce whipped out a pair of switchblades, one in each opposable
flipper. "If you want her, come and claim her!"

<<<Actually a pretty cool scene in that movie, I must admit.>>>

The members of the death squad blinked, looked at each other, shrugged, then looked
back at Bruce. "Alroight!"

<<< Hehehehehehehe >>>

Anyone who has studied relative ArbyFish power levels will know how absurdly,
obscenely powerful Black ArbyFish are. With the power to manipulate gravity on any
scale, they can create black holes on a whim and warp space to their hearts' content.
Purple ones fall close behind with the power to distort, swim through, and flutter
above, time.

<<< So between the two, they should be able to rip holes into other universes where
the laws of physics are quite different and pull out things that would be powerful
beyond belief here in our universe. >>>

A mathematician calculating the odds with eight supercomputers over three lifetimes
would tell you that it was plainly impossible for a White ArbyFish to vanquish even
one of the opponents present that day.

Nevertheless, armed only with his own motives and a pair of magic knives, Bruce
fought long and hard to vanquish them. All the while, Ribbons cheered him on as he
resisted gravity attacks, mythic weapons, and the experience of his old teacher.

<<< One of these days I must get proficient enough at 3DS Max or Animation Master to
see about animating a little of this.  Tried making something simple like an arbyfish
in 3DS Max and found my skills to still be quite wanting.  I�ll get it eventually.>>>

An hour into the battle, a strong blow from McKleinBottle broke Bruce's right
flipper. "Argh!" He looked back to see Ribbons still waiting on the results of the
fight. "What are you waiting for?! Flee! Hide!"

Reluctantly, Ribbons nodded and sped away as fast as her tail would carry her.

The history books are a bit fuzzy as to how long the battle lasted, but Bruce finally
succeeded in knocking out the Purple and Black while tiring out Flanburger.

Huffing and puffing in an attempt to get some air back in his system, Flanburger
asked, "How? Oye mean... yer flipper... the odds...?"

"Don't you remember?" Bruce growled. "I'm terrible at math!"

<<< <Bruce> Besides...NEVER TELL ME THE ODDS! >>>

*SHIIIIIIIIING!!!* One final swoop knocked out the Second One of the ArbyFish
species. He flopped to the ground with a dull thud.

Exhausted at his last expense of effort, Bruce also fell to the ground, breathing
harshly. "Argh..." He leaned on his one flipper that wasn't broken,

<<< They need to breath? >>>

then took out a sort of makeshift sling he'd knitted a few days before and slipped it
on.

The sudden peace and quiet soon attracted the attention of the Official ArbyFish
Lawmaking Counsel.

"Well, wot's awl this, then?" Cheesedough, the Third One, inquired. "Flanburger's
'ere." He looked at Bruce. "Looks loike someone was wontin' ta pass sum legislation
now, eh?" He chuckled at that idea.

"What?!" Bruce coughed. "No, we were-" He broke off, plotting and scheming flooding
his mind. He took on a malevolent smile. "Er, yes. Yesss. They were wanting to pass a
peace accord, sparing all remaining Pink ArbyFish and granting them free passage
wherever they will."

Cheesedough cleared his throat. "Wos they, then? 'Oighly irregular, y'know. Wos yew
participatin' in th' legislation, then?"

"Oh, no, sir. I was... taking notes." He glanced around, all shifty-eyed.

"Well, then! If that wos wot they was votin' on, n' they'z awl passed out, then it's
the Law." He leaned down and scribbled something on a piece of paper before hopping
off.

Greatly relieved, Bruce went off to find a quiet spot to rest, and remained there
until he healed.

It's a big universe, and though Bruce looked, he never found Ribbons DewBlossom
again. He spent the remainder of his days plotting and knitting while studying

<<<  Well, I suppose he could content himself with the knowledge that if he can�t
find her...likely no one else can either, so she�s safe.  Course who knows...he still
might look...from time to time.  >>>

his specie's history. Of greatest interest to him were tales of a legendary

<<< �species�� I think.>>>

"First One," the beginner of all ArbyFish life. Many years were devoted to finding
out who he was, where he lived, and what he did.

Unfortunately, once Bruce discovered the First One's location and went for a visit to
ask life's ultimate question, it was only to find out that the First One had recently
passed away, defending a few members of a very strange bipedal species against
another, very large and powerful bipedal creature.

In his quest to discover why the First One would have given his life for such an
undignified cause, Bruce unwittingly kicked the bucket in an embarrassing incident
involving a star, five Yellow ArbyFish, and a sack of clean laundry. It was the
laundry that finally did him in.

<<<It�s always the laundry.  No one can withstand the power of the stench!>>>

In the end, Bruce met the First One and was surprised by his behavior; he again
sacrificed himself so that another one of those strange, bald monkey-things

<<< <Gabriel> The universe is full of strange things.  Talking monkeys for
example.>>>

 could come back to life. What's more, the First One had done it in such a way that
Bruce could live again as well.

This puzzled Bruce. He had "saved" Ribbons in the past (for his own selfish purposes,
he kept telling himself), but couldn't comprehend why the First One had acted as he
did. Ancients tended to behave in strange ways, he imagined, but there had to be
something more to it; something indescribable about the primates near the First One's
home world that made him want to give things up for them.

In any case, Bruce resolved to go there and find out for himself, once and for all,
what was so special about Humans.

<<< <Bruce> *to Serenity* For a time, I considered sparing your wretched little
planet of Earth.  But now...you shall witness...its dismemberment!  <Serenity> Oh, go
and help alter Sailor Pluto�s wedding dress!  <Bruce> *brandishing a pair of
scissors* ....FINE!  I�ll...ALTER her dress!  It�ll look great...for this world�s
FUNERAL! >>>


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today's Experiment............................Failed.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

o/PROMO\o

(Sailor Stylin', posing, appears in front of a famous TV logo)

Stylin: In today's fanfic, we learned that in a weird, wild world that some of us
have to live in, sometimes we have to be evil in order to be good, sort of, if that's
the way we want to do it - it's not always the most popular thing to

<<< Heh, there is a difference between right and wrong, good and evil.  Too bad it�s
all a matter of perspective.  >>>

 be evilly good or goodly evil - Daddy likes to think that it's all good, so long as
there's an explosion at the end, and in my story next time, there'll be lots

<<<INDEEED!!!!>>>

of huge explosions, but only after a nice meeting with Katrina and Mina - Oh! Next
time, Alan from the anime will show up and become a contributing member, and we'll
also have guest villains of Brian Randall's Reavers, which shouldn't

<<<Zeram�s supposed to show up too, right?  Though I suppose if you REALLY want them
to get beat down, you could toss in a Zoalord...nah, they can�t win against something
like that.  Unless they got some Guyver units, but then the idea of a Guyver-Senshi
kinda scares me.>>>

be too tough, right? Daddy said he fought them, so I should do fine, even though I've
never gone up against them, maybe, but I hate spiders and bugs and vampires, too,
though I can kinda do okay against them - So, keep an eye out for Codename: Project
Sailor Stylin' Chapter Four, coming soon to a website or mailing list near you.

o/PROMO\o

<<<She didn�t breath once through that.  I�m impressed.>>>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's notes: Okay, so what did everyone think of the side story?

I know most people have been anxious to see more of Rabbits or Heart of Sugar, so
I'll see what I can do about those in the meantime.

And, I've recently gotten to see the entire Excel Saga series, so that'll likely
reflect in the next few fanfics I write. Of course, I'm also watching FLCL, so who
knows how that will affect things.

<<<Whatever shreds of your sanity that remain will be no longer after you see those
back to back...BWAHAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHA!!!>>

In any case, thanks for reading!
-------------------------

And thanks for writing.  There really wasn�t much to contribute this time other than
the occasional witticism.  It was a fun look at a character I�m looking forward to
seeing a lot more of as time goes by.  One wonders how him and Mylar would play off
against each other.  <Bruce> DIE SEAL!  <Mylar> Oh, would you kind sir?  It�s
terribly depressing.  <Bruce>...shit, now what am I supposed to do?  Heh, anyway, I
also wonder if his search for Ribbons has been abandoned or is simply on hiatus, and
why he would search for her to begin with (though I suppose his reasons are his own,
and he�ll kill anyone who asks about it. ^^)  Anyway, overall I enjoyed this look
into the shroomy lives of the Arbyfish...especially from the perspective one type
each White Arbyfish, they who are evil of the lot.  I�ll see about getting to your
recent rewrite as soon as I can as well.  Thanks again!


             .---Anime/Manga Fanfiction Mailing List----.
             | Administrators - ffml-admins@anifics.com |
             | Unsubscribing - ffml-request@anifics.com |
             |     Put 'unsubscribe' in the subject     |
             `---- http://ffml.anifics.com/faq.txt -----'