Chasing Robin

[theprawncracker]

I second the pleading! Come on I posted two chapters today! Why can't you?

 

[TogetherAgain]

<sigh>. VIM, they're begging for more.

vim: actually, I'd say they're nagging you.

Whatever. The point is, they want more.

vim: Well, are you going to give them more?

Well see, the trouble is that I have writer's block after <points to something inside head> this part right here. I don't know if I'll be able to work through it all too quickly when the time comes. So I've written up to <points somewhere else in head> here in my notebook, which is getting dangerously close to there. And if I post a second chapter today, it'll be that much sooner that I don't know where to go.

vim: Yeah, but look at that chapter! I mean, you've got that crazy little pun, and...

Oh, you like that pun? It's a constant in the chapter after the next one. But anyway, what do you think I should do?

vim: I think you should post the next chapter.

Hey, whose side are you on, anyway? Alright, gimme a little time to type it...

 

[theprawncracker]

To quote my friend Lisa, SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! More story!

 

[TogetherAgain]

Ramon Rodriguez

The roar of the motorcycle engine filled the landscape as Ramon Rodriguez rode towards the bright sunrise. The light could have been blinding if it were not for the sunglasses he wore over his dark brown eyes. It was still a little chilly from the night, and he was glad to be wearing his leather jacket and chaps. He looked out at the gorgeous scenery and felt the wind blow all his troubles right out of him.

But what was this discrepancy in the landscape? A splotch of darkness on the side of the road. He pulled in the clutch and the brake, and came to a stop not far from the splotch. He swung himself off the motorcycle and took his sunglasses off as he crouched beside the motionless body of a young frog. He rested a hand on the frog's back. His eyes slid shut and a tiny smile graced his face. The heart of a frog was beating a steady pulse he could feel in the palm of his hand. He opened his eyes and gently gave the frog a tiny shake.

"Hey," he said softly. "Are you okay? Wake up..."

Robin turned his face a little, then turned back towards the ground. The sun. It was so bright...

He looked again. It wasn't the sun. It was the sun reflecting on chrome pipes. He groaned.

"Shhh, it's alright," Ramon said. He stood up and stepped over to his motorcycle. He pulled a bottle of water out of a saddle bag and came back to where Robin was lying. He sat down and gently scooped the young frog up into his arms. "It'll be alright," he said, pouring a little water into Robin's mouth as though he was a baby.

Robin nearly inhaled the water. He hadn't realized he was so thirsty. But then, he wasn't quite sure of anything just then. He finished the water and burried his head in the man's chest, trying to remember why he felt so terrible.

Ramon smiled down at the frog. "That's right," he said soothingly. "Just relax for now. It's going to be alright."

His helmet covered all of his head except for his face. He reached up and took it off, setting it on the ground beside him and revealing his short, jet-black hair.

He had a feeling he would be sitting here for a while.

Several long minutes later, the young frog tried to squirm out of Ramon's arms.

"Where are you going?" Ramon asked softly.

Robin looked up at him. "I have to keep going," he said, and he climbed out of Ramon's lap. "I have to get away." He took a step, but he was still weak, and he fell. Ramon put him back in his lap, holding him gently.

"Get away from who?" he asked.

"Hopper," Robin said, leaning back against the man's chest. "Doc Hopper and his son. They want to kill me. I have to keep going, and call Uncle Kermit so he knows where I am."

"Where's Uncle Kermit?" Ramon asked.

"He's coming," Robin said. "He said he's coming to get me."

Ramon considered this for a moment. He unzipped a pocket of his jacket, and pulled out his cell phone.

"What's your name, by the way?" he asked.

"Robin," the frog said.

Ramon smiled just a little bit. "My name's Ramon," he said. He handed the phone to Robin. "Call your uncle."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

The bright morning sunlight bounced off the right side view mirror and into Kermit's eyes, waking him up. He turned away. They were still in the diner parking lot, since they didn't know where else to go. He looked around the car to see if anyone else was awake. He checked the backseat first. There was Miss Piggy, sleeping curled up against the door. Gonzo and Rizzo were sleeping, probably with no idea that they were cuddled up together. Fozzie was sleeping, leaning back, his head facing up and his mouth open, loosely holding onto his teddy bear.

But Rowlf was awake. He was sitting in the drivers seat, his arms crossed over the steering wheel, his chin resting on his arms.

"Good morning," he said, sounding a bit dreary.

"Good morning," Kermit said. "Have you been awake for a while?"

"Yeah," Rowlf said. "Just been thinking."

"What about?" Kermit asked.

Rowlf leaned back in his seat and sighed. "I was thinking about Doc Hopper and his son. And I was thinking that- well, that they're kind of like us in a way."

Kermit sat up a little straighter. Had anyone else in the car said that, he would have wondered if they had finally gone completely crazy. But something about the way Rowlf said it, like he already expected to get shot down, made him believe that maybe, just maybe, it was somehow possible.

"What way is that?" he asked.

Rowlf looked him straight in the eyes. "We're both chasing Robin," he said. "We're chasing him with all we've got."

Kermit nodded. It was true. They were both chasing Robin.

But their thoughts were interrupted by the electronic tones of The Entertainer. The cell phone woke up everyone in the backseat before Kermit answered.

"Hello?"

"Hi Uncle Kermit," Robin said groggily.

"Robin!" Kermit said.

The backseat murmured.

"Are you okay?" Kermit asked.

"I- I think so," Robin said.

"Good," Kermit said. "Where are you?"

"I don't know," Robin said.

Kermit hesitated. "What?"

There was a pause. "Oh," Robin said. "Uncle Kermit? Ramon says I'm on Highway 86, just outside of Kiowa."

"Ramon?" Kermit asked.

"He- he found me this morning, he- he's been helping me," Robin said. "Uncle Kermit? He wants to talk to you."

"Okay," Kermit said.

"Who's Ramon?" Gonzo asked. Kermit shrugged.

"Mr. Kermit?" Ramon said.

"Yes?" Kermit said.

"My name's Ramon Rodriguez. I found Robin... um... sleeping on the side of the road this morning. I woke him up, gave him some water. I was thinking, though, where are you?"

"Well- we're in Palmer Lake," Kermit said.

"Alright," Ramon said. "I have an idea. I'll take little Robin here to breakfast in Kiowa, and then we'll meet up with you in Castle Rock. How does that sound?"

"Well that- that sounds fantastic!" Kermit said. "Where should we meet?"

"There's a restaurant called Hens Inn," Ramon said. "It's a little strange, but the food's good."

"Okay! We'll meet you there, then!" Kermit said. "Thank you so much, Mr. Rodriguez."

"You can call me Ramon, and it's my pleasure," Ramon said. "I'll see you there."

"Right!" Kermit said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Ramon hung up and smiled at the young frog in his lap.

"You're going home, little buddy," he said.

 

[redBoobergurl]

Yea for Ramon, it's good to have a hero. Unless you want us to think he's a hero and he's really not...gosh I have to stop reading so much into stuff!

 

[Skeeter Muppet]

Go Ramon! Be a good guy, not a bad guy! Reunite Robin with his uncle and the rest of the Muppet family!

-Kim

 

[theprawncracker]

Ramon hung up and smiled at the young frog in his lap.

"You're going home, little buddy," he said.

All I can say is, it's about time!

I loved this chapter. But, I must tell you that Kermit's conversation with Rowlf was the best thing you have ever written.

"Good morning," he said, sounding a bit dreary.

"Good morning," Kermit said. "Have you been awake for a while?"

"Yeah," Rowlf said. "Just been thinking."

"What about?" Kermit asked.

Rowlf leaned back in his seat and sighed. "I was thinking about Doc Hopper and his son. And I was thinking that- well, that they're kind of like us in a way."

Kermit sat up a little straighter. Had anyone else in the car said that, he would have wondered if they had finally gone completely crazy. But something about the way Rowlf said it, like he already expected to get shot down, made him believe that maybe, just maybe, it was somehow possible.

Perfect. Just perfect. I really really really like that last paragraph.

 

[RedDragon]

Great chap. I love Rowlf. But I guess I'm slow cause I didn't catch the pun.
Anyway keep it coming.

 

[TogetherAgain]

Ah, 'tis alright, Nyssa. Apparently, NO ONE caught the pun yet. <sigh> I will BASH YOU OVER THE HEAD WITH THE PUN IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! Please, somebody catch the pun... please...

Funny that you specifically complimented that paragraph, prawncracker- I was vaguely considering leaving it out. Glad I put it in, though, and thrilled that you like it.

And would you all just relax? Sheesh, I give you a good guy, and you instantly think he's pulling one over on you. Was it the motorcycle? Is that what threw you off? The leather jacket and chaps? Because if that's the case, let me just tell you that I ride a motorcycle! Ok, so I don't ride my own... yet! But I ride. Did I not emphasize enough how gentle Ramon was being? You people read into this way too much. That, or you don't read into it enough. One or the other, I don't know. Just... oy.

 

[Beauregard]

goodness, how could anyone think he was a bad guy? Lisa's picked up ten foot arrows that say "Hero" on them and stuck them all pointing stright at the guy. Check it out:

1. Ramon Rodriguez rode towards the bright sunrise.
2. Dark brown eyes.
3. He looked out at the gorgeous scenery.
4. Felt the wind blow all his troubles right out of him.
5. He rested a hand on the frog's back.
6. He sat down and gently scooped the young frog up into his arms.
7. "Just relax for now. It's going to be alright."
8. His helmet covered all of his head except for his face. He reached up and took it off. (NOTE: Traditional Hero behavior, lift helmet to reveal the thick waving long hair....)
9. Jet-black hair. (See, its a thing girls go for...jet-black hair...guys, gals, this is a hero)
10. "My name's Ramon," he said. He handed the phone to Robin. "Call your uncle."

Coooooooool. We have a hero!!!