Brothers and Sisters

[Twisted Tails]

Dear Autocorrect, I really did mean to type "Skeeter". Not "Sweeter."

Writing is happening! Here's a bit of draft:

*****

Janken looked at it. It looked right, and Skeeter had left sneakerprints leading out of it. "All right, let's-"

"Stop!"

Startled, everybody looked back at the entrance to the T. Matthew Fraggle room. Boober, tail lashing angrily, was coming down the stairway. "So everyone's going to Outer Space, hmm? Or almost everybody?"

"Papa-"

"I know, I know, Boober the goof is a killjoy, he's too scared to be any fun!"

Sage stepped forward and explained, "Papa! I didn't think you'd want to go. You hate Outer Space."

"There's a good reason for that! It's dangerous and scary and full of germs and contaminated water."

Janken said, "It's safe, I promise. I swam in it for hours and I feel great."

"So far," Boober said darkly.

That is so Boober! Great start with your draft, Slackbot. Please post more soon. I'm getting impatient! (groans)!

 

[Tom Fraggle]

Oh the suspense, the drama... /swoons

 

[Slackbot]

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What have we here? It looks like the penultimate chapter of...​

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Brothers and Sisters
Part 12: Through the Looking Glass
by Kim McFarland​

*****

Sage, Janken, and Scooter were walking down the tunnel from the Gorgs' garden to Fraggle rock. Janken was mentally casting about for something special he could do with his little sister. He had overlooked her for most of his time here, and had hurt her feelings without meaning to. She would probably be happy if he just included her in something they did, but he wanted to go further than that to make it up to her.

The weight of his backpack made him think about Outer Space. It was nice in the forest, quiet and pretty, with good things to eat if you knew where to look. And, even better, there was the river, bigger than the biggest Fraggle pond. He had spent hours swimming in it, looking at all the neat stuff in the water—plants, fish, strange rocks, little creatures—and swimming against the gentle tug of the current. He could have spent hours more. He said, "Sage, want to go swimming with us?"

She replied, "Sure! In the Great Hall or the Messin'-Around Cave?"

"How about Outer Space?"

Startled, she stared at him. "Outer Space?"

He said, "There's a river—that's a big stream—near where we came in. It's clean and safe, and it's amazing how big it is. Would you like to?"

Like all Fraggles, Sage was afraid of Outer Space. Caves were safe; what lay outside wasn't. But she trusted Janken. He wouldn't lead her into danger. And she really wanted to do something special with him. She would go, she decided. She was old enough not to need permission, but, she thought, she ought to let someone know just the same. She said, "Yeah, I want to. Can I tell Mama where I am?"

Good choice, Janken thought. Mokey would be the least likely to worry or make a big deal of it. "Sure, go ahead. We'll wait for you here."

**

A few minutes later Sage entered Mokey and Red's room. Mokey was sitting on her bed, her diary propped open on her knees, contemplating what to write. Red was sewing costume parts together, and Poncle was supervising. Mokey looked up and asked Sage, "Did you talk to Janken?"

"Yeah. Everything's all right now. He didn't mean to ignore me."

Mokey smiled warmly. "I knew everything would be fine."

"He asked me to go swimming with him and Scooter in Outer Space—"

"Outer Space?" Red said, suddenly alert. "Are you nuts? Do you know what it's like out there?!"

Sage said, "Janken said it's safe and the water's clean, and I trust him."

Mokey told Red, "I trust him too."

Red gulped. She couldn't hold Sage back. She said, "Well—be careful, okay? If you get lost, stay still and let them find you."

Poncle said, "I want to go too!"

Red said, "Oh, no! Outer Space is too scary and dangerous!"

"You and Papa Gobo and Uncle Matt and Janken all go! I can too!" Poncle insisted loudly.

Sage was torn for a moment. At first she thought that she didn't want her little sister inviting herself along; this was her special time with Janken. But then she realized that that wasn't right. She didn't need to have Janken all to herself. And she knew how crummy it felt to be left out. Sage said to Red, "If she had a chaperone…"

"I could watch her. I've never been swimming in Outer Space before. If you don't mind my coming along," Mokey said.

Sage said with a smile, "The more the merrier."

"Well, if you're all crazy enough to go out there for real, I might as well take the plunge too," Red said.

She was trying to sound casual, but it was obvious she was afraid. Sage said, "You don't have to. But if you want to, sure. We'll make it a party."

Poncle jumped into the air, waving her fists and squealing "Woo-hoo-hoo-hoo!"

**

Gobo and Wembley were in the pond in the Great Hall, floating lazily in the water. Fraggles could swim and loaf at the same time. Skeeter was lounging by the side, enjoying a restful day after her race with Red. Nobody was expecting a hammock-thwacked Fraggle to smack into the center of the pond. Gobo and Wembley sputtered and laughed, and Skeeter wiped water off her glasses. Sage surfaced. "Gotcha, Papas! And Skeeter!"

Wembley laughed again. Gobo asked, "What's going on, Sage?"

"Mokey and Red and Poncle and I are gonna swim in Outer Space with Janken and Scooter. Wanna come?"

Gobo and Skeeter both said, "Red's going?"

"Yep."

"Willingly?" Gobo asked in disbelief.

"Yep. Are you gonna come?"

"Sure," Gobo said, climbing out of the pond.

"Yeah," Wembley said.

"How about you, Skeeter?"

"Sure, I'm in."

**

Boober, whose home was adjacent to the Great Hall, had heard the conversation. They were all going to Outer Space? For a swim? They were out of their minds. They would need someone sane and cautious and prepared for disaster. He got out his bag, which was full of the remedies he kept on hand for injuries and other emergencies, and waited for Sage.

And waited.

**

Sage led the group through the tunnels to where Scooter and Janken were waiting. Surprised, Janken said, "Making a party of it, huh?"

"Yeah. I wanted everyone to have fun with us."

"Well, the more fun you share, the more fun you have," he told her with a smile. He said to the rest of the group, "Let's go!"

The group started toward the T. Matthew Fraggle room. Red looked tense, Wembley noticed. He asked her in a low voice, "Nervous?"

It was that obvious? "Yeah," she admitted.

He took her hand. "Me too."

"Fraidy cat," she said, and squeezed his hand gratefully.

**

They went down the steps into the unearthly white cave whose myriad tunnels led to many parts of Outer Space. Janken found the rock in the main floor of the cave that the passage was near. He said to Scooter, "Um, you don't happen to have your phone on you, do you?"

"No. I didn't think we''d need it."

"Erk. Well, no big deal, it's one of the tunnels right near here. I'll scout a little."

Skeeter spoke up. "Don't bother. It's this one," she said, pointing to a tunnel off to the side. "I marked it."

Janken looked at it. "I don't—oh." Her bootprints led in and out. "All right, let's-"

"Stop!"

Startled, everybody looked back at the entrance to the T. Matthew Fraggle room. Boober, tail lashing angrily, was coming down the stairway. "So everyone's going to Outer Space, hmm? Or almost everybody?"

"Papa-"

"I know, I know, Boober the goof is a killjoy, he's too scared to be any fun!"

Sage stepped forward and explained, "Papa! I didn't think you'd want to go. You hate Outer Space."

"There's a good reason for that! It's dangerous and scary and full of germs and contamination!"

Janken said, "It's safe, I promise. I swam in it for hours and I feel great."

"So far," Boober said darkly.

Sage walked up to Boober. She said, "Papa, I'm sorry I didn't get you too. I thought you'd just say no and worry until we got back. If I knew you'd want to go I would have invited you. Come with us."

"We'd like to have you with us," Janken said.

Wembley added, "Yeah."

"It's not that I want to go," Boober muttered.

She noticed his bag at the top of the stairs. She said, "But you're ready. Papa, you have the best nose in Fraggle Rock. If there's anything wrong with the water you could smell it. Would you come with us and make sure the water's not contaminated?"

Boober held her gaze for a moment, then looked past her to the rest of the group. "What if I say it is?"

Gobo answered, "If you say the water's poisoned, we'd have to be crazy to swim in it."

Wembley agreed, "What he said."

Red put a fist on her hip and said, "You want to come with us. We want you to come with us. What's the holdup?"

Sage said softly, "Jan asked me to go swimming with him and Scooter. I really want to. Please?"

Boober sighed. This really was important to her. He was still miffed at being left out, but this was so important to Sage. He couldn't spoil it for her by refusing. "Okay," he said.

She gave him a hug. "Thanks, Papa."

**

The tunnel leading out from the T. Matthew Fraggle room changed from white stone to ordinary gray rock. It opened up into a cozy room, one that would be comfortable for them all to camp in. But the tunnel leading upward from there was made of dirt. Fraggles avoided dirt tunnels, which could collapse without warning. But when Janken, Scooter, and Skeeter went up, there was no choice but to follow.

Boober hung back. "I have a bad feeling about this," he said, his voice quavering.

Red turned back. "C'mon. It's a short tunnel. I've been through it twice today." She held out a hand to him.

He took it, and when someone else clasped his other hand he looked over. Wembley was there. He smiled brightly at Boober. Boober sighed. He couldn't turn back now if he wanted to. There had been a time when he would never have considered even poking his head into outer space, but, surrounded by his family, he was about to do it now. He was amazed that he was not on the verge of panic yet.

**

Janken was the first to reach the surface. Then Sage, Scooter, and Skeeter. Mokey came after them, and Gobo with Poncle. Red, Boober, and Wembley brought up the rear. The Fraggles looked all around themselves in wonder. Mokey marveled at the way the air flowed like water, ruffling her hair, and the bold way the trees soared up into the heights far above. Wembley heard small sounds all around them, the sounds of foliage moving in the breeze and different kinds of tree creatures and other animals chattering among themselves, and smiled.

Boober was focused on the scents of this huge, terrifying world. So many things he couldn't identify all around him, so much space everywhere! Red, still holding Boober's hand, whispered to him, "Boober. I know just how you feel."

"No you don't!" he whispered back harshly.

"Yes I do. I felt this way at first. Scared out of my mind." She tightened her grip on his hand. "We're right here. We'll stay with you."

He didn't know what to say. He squeezed her hand back.

The first thing that Sage noticed when she stopped gazing at the tree canopy above them was how stark the light here was. One side of Janken's face was light and the other half was dark. Looking around, she saw that everyone else looked the same. It was weird, nothing at all like the gentle, diffuse light of the caves.

Poncle was looking down. The ground was all dirt, just like in the Gorgs' garden, but it was covered by leaves and sticks and things. When she shuffled her feet they made a neat rustling sound. She knelt down and picked up some interestingly-shaped leaves, and tucked one into her hair.

Gobo, seeing that everyone was getting over the initial shock, said, "Let's get this show on the road, eh?"

Skeeter said, "Sure thing. How about near the campground, where we swam before, Jan? The river's wide and deep there."

"That's what I was thinking too."

Scooter looked at the Fraggles. With the exception of Janken and Poncle, they all seemed nervous to varying degrees. Boober looked as if he might bolt. From what Janken had told him, if anyone was going to lose it, it would be him. But there was nothing Scooter could do to help him; Wembley and Red were both giving him moral support. He had to trust that they could handle him if he came to a crisis point.

They walked a gentle downhill path. It ended on the rocky edge of the river. The bank was sheltered by tree branches, giving comfort to the Fraggles. In front of them, sunlight glinted off the largest body of water they had ever seen. It smelled cool and fresh and inviting. Above it, the sky was wide and cloudless, a nerve-wracking sight for Fraggles who were used to looking up and seeing stone. Fortunately, however, they were entranced by the ripples in the water and the dark shapes of fish darting around within.

Now was Boober's moment. He nerved himself, then pushed to the front. "Nobody touch that water!" He set his bag down on the ground and knelt to smell the water. As the other Fraggles watched expectantly, he sniffed at it, then leaned down further, as if peering into its depths. He stayed that way for almost a minute. Then he scooped some water into the palm of his hand and tasted it cautiously. After another long pause he stood up again and said reluctantly, "The water's clean."

The tension broke. Red exclaimed, "Last one in is a Doozer!" and hurled herself into the river. Poncle squealed excitedly and leapt in after her. Gobo and Wembley cannonballed in. Mokey doffed her sweater, yelled "Whoopee!" in a startlingly loud voice, and jumped in. Scooter said to Janken, "Wow, I'd have thought they'd be more nervous about swimming here."

Janken grinned. "You'd think that, wouldn't you? Outer Space may be weird and scary, but Fraggles know water. Any place with clean, running water is a good place. Plus, if Boober okayed it, it's gotta be safe."

Skeeter said, "Scooter, I'll sit this one out. You going in?"

"Yeah."

"I'll hold your glasses."

"Thanks."

Sage had been waiting for Janken to get into the water. She wanted to dive-bomb him. But he wasn't in any hurry, and the rest of the Fraggles minus Boober were swimming, and the water looked so inviting. She was about to jump in when Janken said, "Sage! Wait."

"What?"

Before she knew what had happened Janken grabbed her arms and Scooter had her by the ankles. They swung her twice, then flung her into the river. She sailed over the head of the others, whooping gleefully, then landed in a backflop with a huge splash. Poncle dog paddled to the bank, exclaiming "Me too!"

As soon as the wet little Fraggle was out Scooter and Janken picked her up and tossed her in, not throwing her quite as far. Her excited yell was cut off with a blub when she went under, then continued as soon as she surfaced again.

Janken told Scooter, "Better get in quick or we'll never get off kid-flinging duty." Then he jumped off the bank and into the water with a splash. Scooter took the time to take off his outer clothes—he was wearing his bathing suit underneath—and then joined them.

The Fraggles played in the water, splashing each other, diving below and tickling each other's feet, sometimes pulling each other under. They were careful with Scooter; Silly Creatures might not be up to Fraggle horseplay. Sage and Poncle ganged up on Janken, swimming underwater and grabbing his tail to tag him, then darting off before he could grab them back.

To Skeeter, sitting on the rocky bank, it looked like joyous madness, the kind that would have gotten them kicked out of any public pool. The only Fraggle not in the water was Boober. All he did was sit on the bank, dangling his feet in the water. She sat beside him and said, "Go on. I'll play lifeguard."

He looked over—Skeeter guessed that's what he was doing, as he pointed his face in her direction—and said, "Who, me? No, thank you."

"I thought all Fraggles love to swim."

"Not all."

A pause. Then she said, "Hey, that's fine. Whatever floats your boat."

That turn of phrase was not known to Fraggles, but he guessed its meaning. He nodded, then leaned back, content to take collateral hits from the splash fight.

**

Some time later they were happily tired enough to come out of the water to rest. Skeeter stifled a giggle. Poncle had called her skinny because she didn't have fur. Well, this bunch of Fraggles looked like a whole pack of wet rats! Very colorful wet rats. Skeeter, after several days in Fraggle Rock, knew the rhythm of their activity, and said, "Want me to show you what's good to eat around here?"

"Yeah," Gobo said.

"Sure," Wembley chimed in.

Red said, "Let's make it a picnic!"

"Picnic!" Poncle exclaimed.

"Okay. Between the four of us, we can find enough for all of us in no time flat," Skeeter said, pleased to be playing scoutmaster again.

"Wait a minute," Sage told her.

"Okay."

Skeeter watched, puzzled, as she walked away, fiddling with one of her many braids. She went over to Janken and Scooter, then tapped Scooter's arm. When he looked over she pressed something into his hand. She said "Here," then went back to join Skeeter's group.

Scooter saw that she had given him a metal bead, one of the ones that she fastened the ends of her braids with. Seeing Scooter's look of surprise, Janken said, "She's saying she likes you."

Janken had told Scooter that Fraggles often gave each others little gifts, like smooth, pretty stones, to express affection. He said, "It just caught me by surprise."

Mokey, who had been speaking softly to Boober, said, "Little gifts like that are like money to us."

Janken looked at her oddly. "Um, I don't think so, Mama."

"I do. Money is just little bits of metal and paper with pictures on them. The metal and paper isn't useful by itself; it's too small. What makes it worth something is how you use it." She explained to Scooter, "When you need something, you give somebody money in trade for it, so that when they need something they can trade that money for it. It's a way to give somebody what they need even if you don't have it in your hands. It's a symbol. And we give things to each other that may not really be useful or important except for what they mean. Giving somebody a rollie or bead or feather or some other little thing is a symbol for 'I like you.'"

Surprised, Janken said, "That...makes sense. I never saw it that way."

Scooter looked thoughtfully at the bead. He put it in the inner pocket of his jacket for safekeeping, then said to Janken, "Be back in a bit."

Surprised, Janken watches as Scooter went back to the river. He looked at Mokey and Boober, then shrugged.

**

Skeeter's gang came back with broad, flat leaves full of the berries, edible leaves, nuts, and fern fiddleheads that she had pointed out to her team of Fraggles. Janken and Mokey had gathered some edibles as well, and Scooter—who was still wet from his second dip in the river—was building a small campfire. Very small; it wouldn't give off enough light or heat to matter, and it was only early evening anyway. Still, it felt appropriate. The Fraggles and Silly Creatures sat in a damp circle around the fire, set out the food they had gathered on the flat leaves, and after Boober had judged everything safe to eat they shared the food freely. Against Skeeter's counsel Poncle had insisted on bringing back some crabapples. Skeeter watched as Poncle bit into one, then, eyes wide, exclaimed "Ewwwww!"

"What's wrong?" Boober asked, alarmed.

"It's sour!" Poncle said indignantly.

Janken said, "They're edible, but they don't taste good. I found out the hard way too."

Boober held out a hand to Poncle. She was happy to give him the rest of the fruit. He sniffed it, then took a small bite. After chewing it thoughtfully, he said, "Give me the rest of those."

Scooter suggested, "You could give them to the trash heap. Janken did. She loved them."

Boober replied, "Actually, I want to try making jelly."

Scooter said, "Sage."

Sage, sitting on Janken's other side, looked up from the fern head she was munching. Scooter held out something translucent.

She accepted it. It was green and flat, with smooth, rounded edges, and as big as the palm of her hand. Scooter had found the bit of glass, polished and aged by years in the water, in the riverbed. She looked at it, turning it over between her hands, then holding it up and peering through it to see how it changed the color of the world. She said with a big grin, "Thanks!"

He smiled back. "You're welcome."

*****

Scooter and Skeeter are copyright © The Muppets Studio, LLC. All Fraggles except Janken, Sage, and Poncle are copyright © The Jim Henson Company, LLC. All copyrighted characters and properties are used without permission but with much respect and affection. Sage, Janken, and Poncle Fraggle and the overall story are copyright © Kim McFarland (negaduck9@aol.com). Permission is given by the author to copy it for personal use only.

 

[Twisted Tails]

This is amazing and a great chapter. More please!

 

[charlietheowl]

What a great chapter! I really liked how Boober was able to handle being in the forest with the help of everyone else. Plus it was cute how Sage and Scooter exchange gifts. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Tom Fraggle]

The wait was worth it! Another great chapter to an awesome story! I don't know how you do it, but you do it so well, keeping Fraggles in character while they interact with Scooter & Skeeter and venture into Outer Space, superbly done!

Thanks for posting. Looking forward to the next chapter.

 

[Slackbot]

Glad y'all liked it. As usual, I found a few typos and editorial errors after rereading this (again), but here was nothing too terrible this time around.

For those who are curious, what Scooter gave Sage was a piece of sea glass. Here's an interesting article about that. Sage's piece looks like the glass in the first photograph. I thought it was appropriate because, being based on a manmade thing, you won't find it in Fraggle Rock, and Fraggles would find it pretty and unusual. Plus, often sea glass comes from discarded bottles--in other words, recycled trash. Marjory would be pleased.

 

[Slackbot]

Finally, it's everone's favorite chapter: the end!

*****

Brothers and Sisters​

Part 13: Good Evening, Friends​

by Kim McFarland​

*****


The strains of Für Elise, as played on a charmingly out-of-tune upright piano, meandered through the Muppets' boarding house. It was nearly empty now; nearly all of the Muppets were making the most of the two-week break between shows. Fewer than half were even in the city now.

Rowlf the Dog was relishing being able to play whatever hit his whim on the piano without having to tune out a television, ten different conversations, and the Electric Mayhem. When he was not at the piano he was taking himself for walks, napping on the sofa, hanging around with those friends who were still in town, and generally loafing. He was enjoying himself immensely.

The phone rang. He stopped playing, ambled over, and picked it up. "Rowlf here."

"Hi, Rowlf. It's Scooter."

"Oh, hi, Scooter. How you guys doing?"

"We're great. In fact, Skeeter and Janken and I are having such a good time camping out here that we're gonna stay a little longer. We'll come back on Wednesday instead of today. That'll still give me time to deal with anything that comes up before the next show."

"I'll put up a note about it. Have fun. Take some time to sniff the trees."

Scooter chuckled. "Oh, and I probably won't be in a place that gets good reception, so tell them not to be worried if I don't answer my phone."

"I will."

"Thanks, Rowlf. See you next week."

"See you."

Rowlf hung up the phone. He found some paper and wrote a note about Scooter's revised return date and phone situation, and tacked it up where everyone would be sure to see it: on the refrigerator door. Then he opened it, took out a bone that he'd been saving, and went out to the back yard.

**

Scooter turned his phone off and put it back in his backpack. The tent that he, Skeeter, and Janken had brought, plus their sleeping bags and everything else they had carried in, were packed up. Janken was sitting on the sleeping bags. Skeeter came back down the path. She said, "I let the guys at the station know we'd be here longer so they won't send out the hounds when we don't leave on schedule. Did you phone home?"

"Yeah. Rowlf's going to let everyone know."

"Cool. Let's move this stuff."

The three picked up their equipment and carried it off into the woods so nobody would come upon an abandoned-looking campsite and get worried. The tents and bedding would keep in the cave just inside the tunnel while they spent the rest of their vacation with their new family in Fraggle Rock.

*****

Scooter, Skeeter, and Rowlf are copyright © The Muppets Studio, LLC. All copyrighted characters and properties are used without permission but with much respect and affection. Janken Fraggle and the overall story are copyright © Kim McFarland (negaduck9@aol.com). Permission is given by the author to copy it for personal use only.

 

[The Count]

Hmm... Simple ending. With a musical referenced title. Well, as someone else would say, "simple is good".
Really enjoyed how this story developed once the Fraggle clan took over. Hope you get to write that other fic about Skeeter's lost friend. Thanks for sharing this with us.

 

[charlietheowl]

Nice ending, and I like the image of Rowlf bringing a bone out to the yard when no one is home. I agree with the Count though, I sort of expected this fic to end with something involving Skeeter's friend Idgie. Thanks for posting and can't wait to see what you write next.