A Muppet Family Gathering.

[theprawncracker]

ED! Wow! That was just...WOW! Fabulous story! I loved it so much! It was fantastic!

 

[BEAR]

Just read the end and was so happy and so sad. Happy because it was a beautiful chapter and sad because it came to an end. I've enjoyed following this wonderful and fun story. Time to get more caught up with the others. Thanks for the story and I can't wait for your next one.

 

[redBoobergurl]

BUMP!

I thought I'd give this nice little story a bump since tomorrow is December 1st and we're getting into the Christmas season! If you haven't read it, you should, it's a nice little Muppet family Christmas story!

 

[The Count]

And here I thought you wanted me to bump it.

Oh well... Extra hugs and hot chocolate to Beth, a great MC friend.
BTW: Check your PM's tomorrow, I'll have news for you guys then.
Not sure about commentary... Too many things scheming and dreaming at the moment. But have fun and lots of Muppety Christmas cheer to my forum friends one and all.

 

[The Count]

Hello, and welcome my forum friends. So... In light that my current story's sort of floundering (no surprise).
Lew: Have you tried giving it mouth-to-mouth?
Why would I do that?
Lew: For the halibut.

Clifford: Any-hew...
Fozzie, singing: Movin' right along...

Though I'm working on the batty ornaments in my spare time, thought I'd drag my roommate out of his tomb.
Count: Vhat? Vell, I vas hoping to get down to the library or fanfic reading room...
Following in the tradition of Sara and Prawny... Hexpect commentary for this tale of mine wery wery soon.
Have Christmas lunch with my family, so that takes precedence. But the Count and I will be here later tonight to start adding to the audio commentary if you missed out on this wonderous holiday yarn.

Come on Count, let's just do a little window shopping and get back home for our family meal.
Count: And maybe by then our fiends vill have updated their own stories.
1 can only hope... Ryan and Catherine, and Sara, I've got my evil eye on Ru.
*Both leave to look in on the stores in town.

 

[The Count]

Commentary Time!

Chapter 1.
Me: Hope everybody got their money's worth.
Count: 1, 1 for the money.
Me: 2 for the show...
Count: 3 to get ready.
Me: And away we go!

The breeze was mildly chilly outside the Muppet's residence, the distinct signs of late autumn evident. Leaves of a multitude of reds and oranges littered the edges of the front lawn.
Me: Heh, just a bit of autumnal amusement... You know, diving into the pile of leaves after raking them.

"Guess the guys had a bit of fun after raking the leaves away" mused the orange skinned gopher as he opened the front door, though all we could see by this point was the symbol of his workplace printed on the back of his green jacket.
ME: Gotta love icons, that's the Muppet Show logo there.
Count: A good angle, must remember to thank whoever positioned the camera to get Scooter's jacket like that.

The young bespectacled man peered around him, almost none of his colleagues in sight... So he just gathered up the daily mail, sorting through it and tucking his own letter into the pincer grip of his clipboard.
Count: Ah, that's 1, 1 solitary soul in the Muppet Boarding House.

There were only two others at the home today... A green-scaled frog, whose eyes were fixed above his head, comfortable in the fact that the only thing not
defining him as fully unclothed was a trademark eleven-point collar around his neck.
Me: Reference! The Crystal Gale TMS episode.
Count: Do you have that one?
Me: Nope. But I've read the factoids about it... Prairie dogs stealing everything in sight, even Kermit's collar leaving him as he states "embarassedly naked".
Count: Ah, OK.

Sitting beside him was a lady pig, still wearing her showy fur coat over the nightgown she donned before going to sleep the night before. The two were snuggled in what may have been a tolerably tender moment for the frog, given his past track record of disdaining the lady pig's designs to gain his wanton affection.
Me: Awg... That one's for Ru.
Count: Who are you talking to?
Me: Um... The founder of the UshyGushy Heart-melting Haven.
Count: The UGHH?
Me: Yes, *nervous laugh.

Both were seated in the couch in the middle of the living room, watching a taped appearance from the parade held the day before. Yes, the Muppets had graced the streets of the bustling metropolis in a number of
floats for the annual parade held almost at the close of the month of November.
Me: Yaey! My version of the Thanksgiving Day parade!

There were different celebrities and friends attending... The floats were fanciful and festive, with a certain touch of whimsy noting the individual entries.
The float at the head of the chain, styled in the shape of a steamer locomotive, was manned by Jake Long also known to a select group of people and magical creatures as the American Dragon. He was only all too happy to be in the parade with one of his idols, maybe a distant relative of his as well.
Count: Distant relative of... Kermit's?
Me: You never know. After all, Kermit did play Froggo in that parody of Dragon Heart.

The first float's floor resembled a world map, its countries marked in different colors bearing scale model replicas of some of the most famous monuments such as the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, The Eiffel Tower, and The Great Wall of China.
Count: Global Grover?
Me: Nope. Just keep reading and you'll find out who by the clues.

A few other items such as a genuine 1928 set of Mickey Mouse ears and the sheet music to Richard Wagner's Song of the Valkyries were propped up against the pillars supporting a blue triangular A-shape as the world's most notorious thief, a brown-haired woman draped in a dark red trenchcoat and capped by her matching red fedora, surveyed the scene before her studiously.
Me: One of my first favorite characters... A woman who uses her brain to outwit the competition... Carmen Sandiego.
Count: Apparently, Mrs. Pepper's a big fan of her as well.
Me: Rully? That's great, I used to play the games all the time.

The second had a stage theater floor with archway and curtains, for the main cast of that popular program, The Muppet Show were all present. From Kermit to Piggy to Fozzie and Gonzo, to Rowlf at the piano hoisted onto the sides, to Scooter and Skeeter reunited after a trying ordeal involving the Grosse Family, to the Electric Mayhem's seven band members, to even Statler and Waldorf.
Me: Reference!
Count: May I?
Me: Sure.
Count: The blurb about the Grosse twins reunited... That's a nod to Sara (ReneeLouvier)'s Sadie's Stories, most notedly Books 4: The Search for Sadie, and 6: Is That A Song There?

The third was shaped like a giant conch with a plush cushion inside, as it was the perfect vehicle for one of the brightest pearls found in the city of Atlantica, Miss Ariel accompanied by the sometimes cranky crab known as Sebastian who served as her tutor from time to time. Not to be outdone, a multiple-armed king prawn was trying to shmooze the mermaid princess in hopes of getting a date hokay? But the crab and a New York born and bred rat kept the Latin layabout in line.
Me: *Swoons. One of my cartoon crushes... Fell in love after seeing the movie.
Count: Are those Pepe and Rizzo?
Me: Yep. Funny how they show up when you least expect them to like that.

The next float to come down the lane made the onlookers gasp in a small fit of fear, for four dark fire-breathing horseheads displayed their fearsome might. This was the chariot of the Grim Reaper, standing with scythe in hand next to the lead horsehead. Three small children rode aboard the horses: a nerdy glass-wearing boy named Erwin who let out a "Yo!" to the crowds as they passed, a goofy boy named Billy with a hollow head and a large nose who seemed more interested in singing a stupid song, and a girl who had a loathsome expression on her face named Mandy making sure that Grim obeyed her commands.
Count: Ah... Finally, a monstrous display that warms ewen my black heart.
Me: Yeah, that's one of my fave shows on Cartoon Network.

Everybody was all smiles again when that familiar frog's balloon soared above them high in the sunny skies.
Count: Kermit's balloon! Ah-ha, that's one amazing amphibian.

The fifth float passed soon after, marked by an orange-shaded doghouse near its rear. The Peanuts gang was there, from Charlie Brown and his younger sister Sally, to Lucy and Linus Van Pelt (the latter clinging to a squiggly blue blanket), to Peppermint Patty and Marcie, to Snoopy and Woodstock seated atop the doghouse as if they were piloting the float themselves.
Me: A nice nod to a great group of kids, maybe they've been carolling through the neighborhood?
Count: Haven't seen them in Sesame Street before.

The sixth float featured an ancestral Scottish castle hoisted above replicas of a New York skyscraper's rooftop, Castle Wyvern as it was now located as part of the home of David Xanatos. The master tower contained six statuesque gargoyles and one gargoyle tracker hound. The six lay dormant, as they were only revived to their conscious form at night. Their ranks consisted of the tech sabe brownish-stoned Lexington, the dynamic and second in command red-stoned Brooklyn, the gentle yet fierce giant gray-stoned Broadway, the wise and bearded old warrior known as Hudson, Bronx their hound next to Hudson, their leader the strong and brooding Goliath, and his gargoyle daughter named Angela. Ilyssa Maza, one of NYPD's finest officers and Goliath's most loyal confidant, was riding in the float along with her friends deemed as part of the clan.
Count, oohing and aahing: Mmm... The majesty of those crafted creatures alvays leaves me speechless.
Me: You too huh?

The seventh float boasted some crazy characters, as this was the Tiny Toons and Animaniacs vessel. The water tower stood on its steel supports as Yako, Whacko, and Dot warner all greeted the crowds while Buster and Babs Bunny "No relation" along with Plucky Duck, Hampton J. Pig and Shirley the Loon were standing in the middle of an Acme Acres hilltop picnic area.
Me: Huh?
Count: Something wrong?
Me: Yes... Forgot to include Fifi Le Fume, Pepe Le Pew's girl skunk student. Another of my cartoon crushes.

The eighth float shimmered with all the colors of the rainbow, as it transported a team of superheroes clad in colorful costumes. Yes, this was the mighty Power Rangers team, talked into joining the parade route. Rather than have a float of their own, they showed up piloting their wonderous zordlike vehicles which in unison transformed into their Megazord. The team was represented by Nick in the Red Phoenix Zord, Madison and Veda in the Blue Mermaid and Pink Sprite Zords, Xander in the Green Minotaur Zord, and Chip in the Yellow Garuda Zord. Udonna, the White Snow Ranger was at their side, along with Claire an apprentice who got more than her fair share of spells mixed up. The Rangers formed their awesome Titan MegaZord in its dragon formation so Udonna and Claire could ride along with them.
Me: That's the 14th team of Power Rangers there... Plus, this story was composed back in August, before all the rest of the Zords and secret twists were revealed.
Count: It works quite well as part of the parade.
Me: Thanks.

Smiles returned to the viewers faces as an orange tabby fat cat defied the laws of gravity on his portly weight, soaring above in the form of a massive balloon.
The ninth float was rocking and rolling thanks to the music provided by three vivaceous young adult women. The trio were dressed in some sort of orange cat costumes, complete with tails swinging to the rhythm of the music they were playing and a hat shaped to resemble their pointy cat ears. The band included a drummer, an African-American girl with frizzy black hair named Valerie, a blonde doey blue-eyed girl named Melody on the keyboard, and their lead singer and guitarist, a redhead who went by the name of Josie. Collectively, they were known as Josie and The Pussycats.
Count: Heh... You probably scored some points with the cat lovers here on the forum.
Me: You think so?
Count: Yes, the Garfield balloon... And Josie and The Pussycats...
Me: Well, they were, at least Josie was, another one of my cartoon crushes.
Count: How many of those do you have?
Me: As many as a guy can have. You know the old saying, a young man's fancy turns to...
Count: Numbers...
Me: Huh?
Count: Never mind, I understand.

The band was followed up by a tenth float, which featured a New York sidewalk marked by two rows of colorful doors along with a stoop and a lamppost at both sides of the float's space.
Count: Should I recognize that landmark?
Me: *Bouncing with joy... Yes, you should!
The happiest street in the world, Sesame Street was in full force. Bert and Ernie sitting on the stoops, Oscar The Grouch in his trashcan, Telly and Baby Bear and Elmo and Zoe and Rosita playing hopscotch, Cookie Monster and Grover Monster and Herry Monster all just relaxing with their friends, Big Bird and Snuffy at the float's extreme right singing their sunny song, Lefty the Salesman in the shade of the lamppost, and Prairie Dawn playing her piano.
Count: *Frown.
Me: Didn't you like the gang's appearance?
Count: There was only 1 thing wrong with it.
Me: Wha zat?
Count: *Glaring, I vasn't there.
Me: Oh... *Nervously, don't worry... I'm sure you'll turn up somewhere.

The eleventh float was done up to resemble a garden patio with a flowing fountain in its center. Six tiny lights were buzzing about: Lockette, Amore, Chatta, Tune, Digit, and Pip, pixies milling about inquisitive about their current surroundings. The pixies weren't alone, they escorted their bonded fairies who were known throughout the Realms of Magics as The Winks Club girls. Bloom, keeper of the Dragonfire, and Prince Sky her boyfriend were seated on one of the petal-shaped tuffets around the fountain. The other couples of Stella and Squire Brandon, Musa and Ribbon, Techna and Timmy, and Flora and Helia were seated on the remaining petals, with Layla the fairy of water and Princess of the Realm of Tides alone on her own petal tuffet. She hadn't found a date among the young heroes from Red Fountain, but that didn't mean she wouldn't find him soon.
Me: Just had to include that cast... Another show I watch on Fox/Four Kids which I've enjoyed.
Count: Yes, and I'm sure that Beth's...
Me: Shhhh! You'll ruin the surprise!

Next came the twelfth float bearing a logo similar to that of the detective agency of Mystery Inc. The acclaimed team of Freddy Jones, Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkly, Shaggy Rogers, and Scooby-Doo had come to help out the Muppets and their other friends on this festive day. After all, this was a holiday near and dear to Shaggy and Scooby's hearts given that they were dreaming of all the turkey and sides they'd enjoy later. As if one big dog wasn't enough, the balloon version of that white beagle named Snoopy flew aloft in the clear blue yonder past all the people lined up on the sidewalk below.
Count: Kyle vill really like that you included the Scooby-Doo gang.
Me: Yeah, I always enjoyed the shows and movies.
Count: But I'm still a little...
Me: Quiet now, the next float's on its way. *Cunning smile.

The thirteenth float, somewhat spooky as it was surrounded by large decorative bats, had the Count von Count's Countmobile on full display with its owner seated in the driver's seat. There was a passenger with him though, a man dressed up like a big black bat, a friend of the Count's from Gotham City. Seems the Count had come back from a trip to that locality recently striking up a friendship with the urban legend known simply as Batman.
Count: *Beaming with excitement... Ah-ha! There I am! And vith Batman too!
Me: Course... Did you seriously think I would leave my roommate, my namesake out of such a festive scene?
Me: Also, there's a reference there to Sean (MuppetWriter)'s crossover story The Gotham Grouchfest, where the Sesame Street gang and a few other characters intrude on the script for the movie Batman Begins.
Count: So vould that be 2&½ references?
Me: No, score it as 3, since Sean's story is already up in the library.

The fourteenth float presented a joyous scene as a group of ladies were in the middle of a tea party. The long table had enough seats for the lovely blonde girl named Alice, another woman in a violet horizontally-striped catsuit known as the Cheshire Cat, a woman who had a rather prominently-looming chest and many long legs attached to fuzzy pods known as the Blue Caterpillar, a pair of twins dressed in red puffy shirts and short skirts bearing the names Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum on their white collars, a woman dressed in a bunny costume checking her pocket watch known as the White Rabbit, and the regal Queen of Hearts decked out in her royal red dress with matching heart-spattered cape.
Me: *Swoons again. Ooh... Heaven, I'm in heaven...
Count: *Chuckling, forgive him everybody.
Me: *Returning to earth, wha?

The fifteenth and final float transported a team of gamers who had only returned back to the states after a trying ordeal. Dressed in elaborate costumes that resembled something out of a trading card game series, four teenageish kids stood together in a diamond formation upon a dueling arena floor. Téa Gardner was the Dark Magician Girl riding an enormous blue-eyed white dragon, mirrored on the opposite side by Joey Wheeler as the Flame Swordsman riding his own red-eyed black dragon, backed up by Tristan Taylor as the Cyber Commander saddled on the Cyber End Dragon, all looking down at their ringleader a young boy by the name of Yugi Moto. This boy's features had aged slightly, taking on a few similarities of the pharoah Atem, the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle and his twin soul.
Me: More characters you might not be familiar with, from the popular series Yu-Gi-O! I've followed the show through it's entire run, and feel free to ask if you don't know anything but are interested. Might start up a commentary/reviews thread like Marty (Bill Bubble Guy)'s doing with the Sailor Moon series.

The King of Games float was followed by one last balloon, a mammoth yellow bird who entertained the spectators below as it flew amidst the puffy white clouds.
Count: Seeing Big Bird's balloon soar through the skies alvays puts a smile on my face.

Scooter just smiled at his frog-in-chief deciding not to bother him just yet.
Me: Heh, that gofer's gotten quite adept at when to approach the frog.
Count: Vell, he probably doesn't vant to get karate chopped for his troubles if he dared intrude on the couched couple.
Me: Good point.

The gopher went into the kitchen where he quietly brewed up a cup of hot chocolate, something that was perfect to take away the frost lingering in this autumnal atmosphere. The gopher sat down to drink his cup in peace waiting for the right moment to pester the frog about their upcoming show.
Me: *Chuckles... "Pester the frog", that's a good line to sum up Scooter's duties.
Count: So, is that it?
Me: For now... Yes, we've got other things to do on our agenda.
Count: Like vhat? I'd rather stay and review more of this story.
Me: *Already out the door... Well if you wanna stay here instead of watching some Old School Sesame Street or Electric Company...
Count: Coming!

 

[redBoobergurl]

Cool! Love the commentary Ed! I like hearing what the Count has to say as well! I'm anxious to read some more!

 

[The Count]

Back by popular demand...

Chapter 2.

The sunlight outside was somewhat diminished, a few hours had passed since the gopher had crossed the threshhold of the Muppets' abode. A yawn escaped from his mouth as a likely orange-skinned woman stood watching him.
Count: Aw, Scooter fell asleep... Vait, who's that spying on him? Skeeter?

There was a resemblance between the two, although they weren't identical in appearance. The woman was just slightly taller and older, with a full head of red hair sweeping down to about the middle of her back. She wore round-rimmed glasses much like the young man, her son.
Count: Who's this woman that's so engrossed vith young Mr. Grosse? *Alarmed, and more importantly, does Sara know about this?
Me: Relax pal... She's well, keep reading.

Sadie had returned from a day's work at the newspaper offices of the Hensonville Observer where she was now promoted to Vice Editor-In-Chief.
Count: Oh, it's just Sadie, his mom. For a minute there I vas vorried.

In her motherly way she took his almost empty cup, rinsing it in the kitchen sink.
"Huh?" Scooter said in a half sleepy voice when he realized he wasn't alone. "Oh hi Mom" he said greeting her with a small kiss on the cheek. "Been there long?" asked the theater's assistant waking from his dozing state.
Me: *Squeee, happy little accident.
Count: You didn't just...
Me, sternly: No. If you guys remember, I posted there was a happy little accident here. Originally, I wanted Scooter to have fallen asleep while waiting to go talk to Kermit, woken by Sadie placing a freshly refilled cup of hot chocolate before him. But when going through the dailies with the cast in the private screening room, we agreed this worked out much better; Sadie taking Scooter's mug, washing it in the sink, and the gofer waking up from the sounds of the water chinking against the porcelain of his cocoa cupper.

"Just got back from running the paper" she replied, apparently the Grosse-Hunt family had come to be relied upon as comfortably as a third leg by their employers. "Better go tell Kermit what you wanted now that Piggy's asleep herself."
Count: Is that...
Me, yep, reference! The line about the Grosse-Hunt family being as dependable as a third leg... That's from about a third of the way into Catherine (Ruahnna)'s magnum opus Kermie's Girl when his absence was notedly lacked after the troop arrives in Vegas.
Count: Mmm, yes, I remember that one.

Scooter did as his mother suggested, approaching the amphibian who was still seated comfortably upon the couch. The video tape had long ended by now, his hand flipping through channels finding something to catch his attention for a while.
Count: *Chuckling... There's newer anything good on telewision vhen you vant.

Piggy lay perfectly asleep almost draped over Kermit, kind of like her own personal favorite stuffed animal, though her ear remained perked for any signs of conversation.
Me: Another nice little mental image for you UGHH folk to tuck away in your personal memory banks.
Count: Did you catch that?
Me: What?
Count: Piggy... She's um, disguising her intentions.
Me: So? That's the pig's usual wont.

Kermit's bulgy eyes turned and spotted the gopher step up beside him.
"Uh boss..." the nervous lad began.
"Yes Scooter?" the frog replied.
"Was wondering... What are we going to do after the show?"
"What show?"
"Well, you did make the announcement that our next show... The one on the first week of December would be the last for the year before the theater would be closed for renovations and Christmas vacation."
"Oh yeah... Now I remember. Well, to be honest... I'm not really sure." A small crinkle of worry edged the corners of Kermit's mouth.
"That's OK, I'll just let the rest of the guys know when you do" answered the clever yet invalueable gopher as he retreated back to the kitchen for some more hot chocolate. Two freshly filled cups were left on a small tray on the end table next to the couch.
Count: 2, 2 cups of hot chocolate... Varms an already neat little scene.
Me: Heh, possible reference to the show...
Count: The one Sara thought was referencing the memorial to Nanny?
Me: Yeah, gave me a nice little segway, but more on that next chapter.
Count: Fright.
Me: There's a typo there I missed out on, we'll have to talk to the script writers.
Count: Didn't you write this script?
Me: Uh, well...

Kermit thought about what the colorful cast of actors would have to look forward to this Christmas brake. The theater would be closed, no more shows for the year, no TV or movie shoots, no media junkets or interviews to give... Miss Piggy's ear raised itself slightly, as if she had something to say, subtly revealing she had eavesdropped on her beloved frog just before.
Me: Oooh... Piggy you little schemer...
Count: Told you.

"Kermie... Why are vouz worried?"
Me: Dern, another typo. Thought "vous" was with a "z", guess I'll have to fix that before the final rehearsal.
Count: But isn't this story already over?

"Well Piggy... It'll be the first Christmas since... We've found so many new Muppets who are part of our family."
Count: Huh?
Me: Subtle reference to the fantistacabulous fanfictions that've surfaced in the last year. More on that later.
Count: *Mistified, OK.

"And that's a bad thing?"
"No... It's just that... Would like to do, have something special to go where we could have a nice Muppet Family gathering."

Me: And we have a title!
Count: Vhat vas that?
Me: Old MST3K joke, for those who recognize it from the commentary for the movie I Accuse My Parents.
Count: And the joke is?
Me: To make the title of a story obvious in some form of dialogue when you've already stated it in or as the tale's title properly.
Count: Riiiiight.

"Well... We could always sneak away to that cozy little spot on the French Riviera."
"Piggy..." the frog said with a slight exasperation in his tone, directed at her.
"It was just a thought" she blurted before sinking back into her own dreamworld.
Me: *Chuckling... Perfect Kermit/Piggy relationship Muppetism.

Kermit was left to wonder... Just what would the Muppets do to celebrate the holidays this year? And how would he get in touch with everyone? There were so many of them, all populating different parts of the world, not to mention this corner they called home in Hensonville.
Me: A sentiment echoed by all of us fans since the breakups.
Count: Didn't ewen know ve vere dating.
Me: No, no... Since the Muppets and Blue House dwellers are now entrenched under Disney's firm grip, Sesame Street's run by the Sesame Workshop, and Fraggles and everybody else sought refuge with the JHC, getting everybody together like back in '88 for MFC proves to be the toughest of things.
Count: Dunno about that... Seems that nice Dave or Vic Romano fellow brought us together for the holidays quite nicely.
Me: Yes, he does great artwork like that. The dinner on November 3, and the Christmas party just last week.

It would be tough, but the leader of the Muppets decided that if anyone could make a Christmas wish happen it could be him.
Count: *Saddened just a little, but with a glimmer of hope, yes, Kermit has a vay of making it happen.
Me: Sure does. Now come on, let's get back to the dorms for a jolly good dinner.

 

[The Count]

Hi... Bringing this back up topside so some of our newer members can have a chance to find and read this, the second of my fics that I'm proudest of.

Enjoy.

 

[redBoobergurl]

This is one of my favorites of yours Ed, I'm excited to read it again.