A Muppet Family Gathering.

[The Count]

Chapter 10.

The late afternoon sun was still providing enough daylight for Kyle and Bryan to make it to Sesame Street, their passenger keeping close tabs on his luggage. Not only did he have a good stock of clothing and essentials tucked away, but there were some presents in the larger steamer trunk Eduardo hoped wouldn't suffer any damage because of the trip to the fabled holiday retreat. Both drivers helped him get out, leaving him at the Count's doorstep with suitcases in hand.
"OK, you remember the plan... Just head on back to Sesame and gather the troops."
"Yes sir" replied both in unison.
The doorbell rung and a ghostly butler stepped forth admitting Eduardo past the main castle doors.
"Hello Carter" he greeted before being shown to the master study where the Count was waiting.
"Ah ha! Edvard! So glad you could make it this time of year."
"Yes, I see you've rolled out the dread carpet."
"Ah but it's alvays good news to velcome old friends home for the holidays."
"Speaking of which... Got something here for you."
Ed dug around in his smaller suitcase for a present wrapped in black bat-print yellowish paper.
"Here we go..." he said after retrieving the gift.
"Vhat's this?" queried the Count taking the parcel in his hands, undoing the bow and paper as neatly as he could. "Ah ha! I love it!"
"Thought you might" said the master of the toy shop, a sly smile on his face. "It's a marble white 0, with a lovely little lady bat. You can't really see her because she's completely transparent, almost as if there were nothing inside the circular gap of the number itself. It comes with a magnetic loop at the top you can either detach or use to hang it from that Christmas tree you've set up."
"Thank you so wery much Edvard... It's just vhat I needed to perk up this grim desolate castle."
The master mathematician proceeded to place his new Zero Bat upon one of the tree's branches, with a twinkle in his monocled eye.
"By the way, I have a few additions to the figures... Just let me put them over by the display and I'll join you in our first toast of the winter." Ed then made his way over to the steamer trunk and pulled out a box carefully wrapped in white paper. This assortment contained a curly red-headed doll, a plush stuffed tiger, a little catnip mouse, a kindly old teddy bear, a mechanized robot who spoke a few pre-programmed phrases, a futuristic space princess complete with her own cape and sword, a motorized taxi cab, and a larger yet in-scale rocking horse. These were all placed next to the Muppets display with care, on one of the tabled shelves next to the master display. His chore done, bottles of black bat cherry soda were popped open and several toasts raised.
"Hey, where do you think we are?" asked the tiger in a somewhat loose accent.
"Don't know, but at least that human's gone" replied his little buddy, the catnip mouse.
"Aaaah, look at all the toys here!" said the redhead with amazement in her voice.
"Think I'll just stretch out my legs" commented the old teddy bear.
"Shall we begin the exploratory mission?" was all the robot had to say for the moment.
"Come on, last one down's buying" taunted the cab's driver before revving up for a super-sized jump.
"Wait for me!" wailed the larger rocking horse attempting to gain enough kinetic energy to make the jump himself without braking or splintering any of his parts.
Without knowing it, the Muppet gathering had begun at the Transylvanian home of the Count von Count.

 

[TogetherAgain]

Ah ha! The Christmas Toy, right? That's why the Muppet gathering doesn't even know it's begun yet... Oh my, there's something confusing about that. A party doesn't know that it's started. Interesting concept. I really like that line, can you tell? Ah, it's so good to know that this story is so well on it's way... <Sigh,> I look forward to returning and seeing the rest. But for the sake of others, while I'm gone, until then...

MORE PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<HUGS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> because, I'm going to miss you...

Now then, let's see if I can finish this chapter of my own...

 

[The Count]

Well... Let me see if I can unmuddle you three. Yes, the characters at the end are from The Christmas Toy. But the line refers to the fact that the Count doesn't know the gathering has begun, because thy're toys come alive. And he's in the other room at the moment, so the toys are left to explore on their own, but the Count doesn't know about them... Yet.
And hugs to you three, my little kittens... And hugs to that crazy girl named Lisa. And hugs to her Flippersteps...
We'll rully miss you, and more story will get posted, rest assured of that.

 

[redBoobergurl]

Continuing to love it! I love that you brought in the toys from The Christmas Toy! That's so cute! I'm looking forward to more and everyone else showing up!

 

[The Count]

Then here's something for you...

Chapter 11.

The tones of laughter rang through the cold hallways of the castle, almost devoid of life save for the master and his guest. The toys which sprang to life were busy exploring, Cruiser racing through hidden nooks and crannies. There was a hole in one of the walls, just big enough for the taxi cab to drive through, leading into a kind of rocky off-road terrain. Deciding he didn't want to break down inside that place, he made a quick U-turn and joined the rest of his party.

The Count von Count and Ed were having a good enough time, mixing up some cherry soda chasers of the non-alcoholic variety. They opened up a packet of candy canes, using a couple to stir their drinks. The wind outside howled and railed against the stainglass windows, though it was only mildly chilly outside. The snow was falling in a flurry of flakes, the Count amusing himself counting how many drifted down onto his castle's lawn. He was so entertained, he didn't notice the ringing doorbell nor was he aware of the times it had already rung. Chuckling over the fact his friend had lost count, Ed went to open the door.
"Hey Count... Someone's here to see you" he called happy that the plan was now in motion.
"Coming!" replied the Count. "Who's there..."
"Hi guys, and Merry Christmas" greeted one of their fellow residents back at the dorms, a recent newly-wed from Minnesota.
"Beth! You made it" greeted Eduardo letting her come in from the blowing snow.
"Yeah, and look who I ran into..." she said motioning for three more Muppets to enter.
The first was a beautiful white female cat dressed in a kind of waitress costume, the second a brown motherly dog with a sort of caplike hat and a winter blue dress beneath her coat, the third a face belonging to one of the Count's oldest Muppet friends whom he hadn't seen nor heard from in ages. The dog just came in trodding behind the rest of the members in his party, a little out of breath.
"Sorry if I'm a little tired... I've been following the car and I'm exhausted."
"Ah, still up to your old jokes Rowlf?" asked the castle's master.
"Heh... Yeah, say how come you don't have any lights up?" asked the wise yet sometimes comical dog.
"Vell... Let's put some up now" the Count exclaimed as they both counted up nine bright lights wrapped around the tree's leaves.
"But tell me Miss Beth, who are your velcomed guests?"
"Oh... This" she motioned to the other dog "is Felicia, Rowlf's mom."
"Ah... 1 new member of the family."
"And this" she said gesturing towards the cat "is Wanda the Cat, a friend of ours and Rowlf's."
"Ah ha! 2, 2 new Muppets!" he proclaimed, followed by a quick flourish of thunder echoing from outside his home.
"Listen Count... You don't mind if Beth and Rowlf's party stays with us for the holidays?" asked Eduardo.
"Of course not, the more friends we have to count on, the merrier."
"Good, I'll go get some glasses. You want anything to drink Beth?"

Glasses were poured to the brim and toasts raised amongst the souls inside the castle, more on their way soon. Whether by bus or by car, by boat or by float, the Muppets would be arriving soon to share in the joy and magic of Christmastime.

 

[redBoobergurl]

WOW!!!!! I think I just fainted! That was the most awesome reference to myself I've ever seen in any story because it was not just me but Rowlf and Wanda and Felicia and Minnesota and EEE! So awesome! I love how you described how Wanda and Felicia looked too, that was just really nice. Gosh this story just gives me all sorts of warm fuzzies! I really can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve next. I'll be posting more of mine tomorrow, it's saved on my work computer. But anyway, hugs for the great chapter, it was great and not even because of me! It would've been great without that!

 

[The Count]

Not really, the main focus of these next chapters will be all the arrivals. There's a bit of a curve in terms of who's coming with whom, had to work it out in my mind. Wanted to have at least 12, hopefully 13 of my MC friends including myself... But think I'll leave it at 11 instead.
More tomorrow I hope.

 

[The Count]

Chapter 12.

The little green car conveying the Frog family was once again on its way. After a quick stop at the Hensonian MegaMall, and getting reacquainted with a couple of kids who offered to do the driving, the car sped off in the direction of the Count's castle.
"Was it wise to leave Scooter back there?" inquired Jane.
"Trust me mom, he'll be OK" replied her son.
"Mmm, maybe we should've gotten our pictures taken Mit" Maggy said in a trailing dream voice.
"Don't worry honey, we'll get plenty of pictures taken at that party" Croaker reassured her.
"Did you get some neat little gifts to hand the Count, Uncle Kermit?"
"Sure did Robin."
The two kids were just laughing trying to pay attention to both the conversation and the road ahead.
"OK, hang a left at the fork in the road" Kermit instructed the boy driving the car, for he was the only of the two who had a license.
"Right" replied Ryan.
"Left" quickly piped up the youngest of the Three Candles' sisters.
"Gotcha" countered Ryan, giggling as he knew what she meant.
"Sheesh, a running gag" was all Kermit said as he scrunched up his face.

The green amphibian car pulled up to the streetside entrance, after passing through the open gates. Kermit stepped out of the car, telling the others to stay put while he went to talk to Carter the castle's butler.
"OK, we can put her in here" Kermit told Ryan instructing him to drive down a steep rampway, appearing in the middle of a yawning cavernous entrance. The castle hosted an underground parking lot, big enough for various vehicles. Checking that everything was in order, and everyone had a small gift to hand off, they were led to the grotto's skelevator.
"Hello, where you headed?" asked Samantha, a jabbering skeleton working the booth.
"Good grief! Um, main floor" said Kermit with a bit of surprise in his voice.
"OK, here we are" she replied after the skelevator rose from the underground parking lot to the main floor's external front porch.
"All got out of the creepy dungeon skelevator, ready for a spooky greeting as they rang the front doorbell.
"Ah ha! More guests!" cried the Count rushing to open the doors.
"Happy holidays from Leeland Swamps!" the frogs and kids said in unison.
"Ah, Kermit... You certainly know how to bring out the green at Christmas" the master replied, ushering them inside.
"Hey, it's our color. And besides, this is one of the times when it's good bein' green" the Muppets froggy leader commented.
"But tell me, who are all of these?" he asked after seeing the rest of Kermit's troop.
"Oh, well... These are my parents, James and Jane Frog."
"Delighted to meet you Count" said Jane.
"Likewise Mr. von Count" followed James.
"Mmm, the pleasure is all mine" he replied, shaking James's hand and offering a small kiss on Jane's.
"You know my old friends Goggles and Croaker" Kermit continued.
"Hello fellows" bantered the vampire, slapping hands with the taller frog and the short squat toad.
"This here's my sister, Margaret Frog" Kermit said as he stepped back to let her through.
"Enchanted, ah... The ring?"
"It's from Croaker, we're engaged" Maggy said excitedly answering the Count's question.
"And of course you know my nephew Robin."
"Ah, hello little Robin" greeted the Count cheerfully.
"Hi Count" Robin replied, hopping up onto his shoulder and giving him a hug around his neck.
"Vonderful, that's 6, 6 swamp-dwelling frogs!"
Thunder and lightning clashed outside in the winter storm, as Ed moved forward to meet two of his friends from the dorms.
"Hey Ryan, glad you could make it... And Lisa too, nice to see you got back safe and sound from that summer trip you took."
Just then, a big brown dog came into the room saying "Hey Count, the piano's out of... Kermit!"
"Rowlf!"
The frog and dog hugged each other, glad to see they both made it to the Count's castle.
"What were you saying before Rowlf?"
"Oh, the piano's out of tune. But that's OK, I just love out of tune pianos."
With that, the meistro of the ivories sat down and started playing a tinkling caroll.
Everybody was only too glad to accomodate his request by singing along, the party starting to get under way.

 

[redBoobergurl]

Another great installment! I'd love to say more but it's Vacation Bible School at my church right now so I've got to get back to work! Anyway, I loved it!

 

[The Count]

Chapter 13.

The stores back at the Hensonian MegaMall closed up for the night, only the food court and the cinematic multiplex were still in business. Scooter was glad to get away from that bustling mob, packed in tight with some friends as his mom kept a steady eye on the highway. After he called her on his cell phone, Sadie picked up her son still en route to the Count's castle.
"Honestly, I'm not sure why you decided to stay behind Scooter. Weren't you supposed to get Kermit there instead?"
"Well Mom... Just thought it'd be better if Lisa went with him. After all, she does have a strong connection to Maggy."
"Besides, it's not like we're not gonna meet up at the same place later on" chimed the gopher's twin sister.
All eyes inside the car were on the two couples, bundled up for the cold weather outside. Clifford had his arm around Skeeter, while she played with a few of his loosened dreadlocks... Sara sat snuggled up next to Scooter, his jacket draped over her instead.
Hey Miss Sadie, the rest of the band wants to thank you for giving us a ride to the party" the purple-toned Muppet said gratefully.
"Not a problem Clifford" she replied still careful not to steer the vehicle off the snow-covered roads.
"Hey, check this out" called a robotic voice which sounded a little like Christopher Lloyd with a bad cold.
"Yeah, what is it Digit?" asked the band's second leader, a man with a long-flowing beard and a melodious voice.
"Just got another hit on that website... Seems someone's posting more fanfiction."
"Which one?" was heard from the saxophone player, a man with a mullet-styled haircut.
"Hope it's the one from that crazy pirate/magic family, I like that one" remarked a tall yet thin woman who twirled a pair of drumsticks in her hands. "Been so long since we got an update on our own stories..." she mused as the car kept trodding along.
Unbeknownst to them all, two blue phantomly dragons had hitched a ride on top of the darkened car Sadie drove.
"Mmmm, perhaps that weirdo was fright after all" said the male dragon, the night air sweeping through his scales quite pleasantly.

Sadie got the same reception from Carter, already alerted by Eduardo that more friends would be arriving shortly. They got out of their vehicle and proceeded to go upstairs through the same skelevator used before. This party burst through the doors with their warm wishes, while both dragons made their sinister ascent.
"Don't worry dear, I'm sure he'll be simply aghast to see us again" Uncle Deadly assured his ghoulfriend.
"Happy holidays from the Grosse Family!" rang out from the newest arrivals.
"Sara, here at last" Eduardo said shaking her hand and giving her a small hug.
"Sis!" cried Lisa, running to her older sister giving her an even bigger hug.
"Hi Maggy, oooh. He finally proposed?" cooed Skeeter when she saw the ring on Maggy's finger.
"Yeah, just here going over the album with Beth."
Beth was showing off some of her wedding photos to the female frog, getting ideas for her own ceremony.
"Hey Kerm, looking good my main frog. Looking good."
"Thanks Clifford, say where's..."
"Right here boss" came Scooter's voice almost instantly at his side.
"Yes, and don't forget about me" said a dark voice from somewhere hidden in the shadows.
All one could see were a pair of paled yellow eyes, two tiny beacons in the ever-present darkness.
"Ah ha! Uncle Deadly my fellow spook!" said the Count in good cheer. "Come out and join us."
"Certainly Count" he said before emerging out of the Plutonian shores.
"Introductions... Introductions please" Ed managed to call out, restoring some order.
"Sorry chief" Scooter replied "This is my sister Skeeter, and my mom Sadie."
"And who am I... Chopped liver?" asked Sara in a sort of laughing teasing manner.
"No... That's Chopped Liver" Ed said pointing to the small Muppet monster crawling away on the countertop.
"Anyhew..." Clifford followed "these are my old bandmates from the Solid Foam."
the man with the long-flowing beard, the sax player, the tall woman, and the android Muppet all lined up as they were called out by their dreadlocked host. "That's Beard, Flash, the Female Drummer, and Digit."
"And this nightmarish vision from beyond the grave, my mate, is Auntie Eleanor."
"Charmed to make your acquaintance Mr. von Count" Eleanor said with a ladylike voice matching Deadly's.

Drinks were served and appetizers prepared by a couple of folks... Ed prepping some baby shrimps with garlic mayonnaise, Sadie heating up biscuits and black cherry marmalade, while Sara set to work on a mean bat's claw cole slaw. The Muppet family would be knocking on the Count's front doors, along with some more surprises from the town of Hensonville.