Fan Fic - And what is on the other side...?

Beauregard

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2002
Messages
19,240
Reaction score
1,239
Note from Beau: This post containes disturbing elements. Do not go here if you do not wish. Stop, go back..please....do not witness what is yet to come...


3 minutes.

Rowlf held the head-lamp steady while Bunsen deftly attacked the machine. He seemed to know exactly where to prod, where to touch, what to feel. Within seconds Bunsen had an idea, within moments he and Beaker were working on that idea. And thirty seconds after they began, Bunsen had the machine's side panel off.

Gonzo picked up the wooden heart from the floor, it was gnarnled and twisted with age. He'd never seen wood that seemed so old, yet so strong. He tapped it against the floor. Perfectly hard still. He moved towards Rowlf to show him.

Bunsen and Beaker slipped the inside workings of the machine out, carefully but hurriedly working the machanics onto the floor. There were hudreds of wires tangled around a single object. Beaker meeped, pointing at where one wire had been cut. Something about the clean sliced wire was familar.

"Rowlf, look at this wooden heart," Gonzo began, but was interupted by Bunsen.

"Beaker, look, a wooden heart!"

And there was. Deep in the centre of the wires, was a wooden heart of bark with a splash of color. The wires all began and ended there. It was a control and nerve centre. The Heart of the Rainbow.

140 seconds

Mrs Nancy rolled, pinning Beauhoth to the floor under her. Her teeth gnashed near his face. "How dare you try and take the kingdom back!" Beauhoth shoved her off him, flipping her over.

"I dare because I care," he hissed.

130 seconds

Mrs Regard supported Beautingleroth's arm as she ran with him. They reatched the castle gate. A bolt of lightning struck the ground and tossed them aside like rags. Torential rain swept the countryside. MRs Regard's eyes were wide with fear. What was this thing? Rain had never before come to Reanbu.

110 seconds

Beauregard walked swiftly along the corridor. He stopped before a door and turned the handle. It was a cupboard, the kind he was used to in his line fo work. Janitor supplies. Buckets. Mops. Cleaning chemicals. And the Heart of Love. Beau knelt, and lifted a floor board. "Hurry Beau. Hurry."

90

Skeeter looked at Scooter, nodded. "Now," she said. Now was the time to put into use the rigerous training she had put herself through in the jungle. And the training she had passed on to her brother after they had met, after she had trained him, fought him, and revealed she was his sister. Skeeter put aside the thoughts. There wasn't time.

"Now," Scooter said. They moved as one, flying through the air, landing. Mrs Nancy had thrown Beauhoth against a wall. Robin bit her ankle. She whirled her chains and advanced of Skeeter ansd Scooter. Scooter dodged left, Skeeter wet right. The chains bit into the wall, raking a furrow in the bricks. Scooter jumped forward, jabbed, and back, Skeeter covered, rolling and trying to throw Mrs Nancy off balence.

1 minute

Beauregard felt inside the gaping hole in the floor where the floorboard had been. His fingers wrapped around a wooden object.

50 seconds

Beautingleroth and Mrs Regard ran through the blades of rain. They slammed open the door to the castle and ran inside. Their footsteps echoed. Mrs Nancy turned to look back at the black rain. Iit had snuffed out their flame-touch light and left them in darkness. Beautingleroth rested a hand on her shoulder. She clung to it. Thunder rocked the fountations of the castle.

30

Miss Piggy had had quite enough. She flung her hair back out of her eyes, and charged into the midst of the battle.

20

Beauregard lifted the hard Heart of Love from it's hiding place. He cradled it in his hands. He knew what it was, the Rainbow was telling him. In the second it had died, the rainbow had found a creature that would let it control them. A creature of small interlect that would believe on faith. Robin Frog was too young. Beauregard had been the one. The Raibow had guided him. He had found the Heart. He would be saved. The others, would not... "You can save us, me, them," The Rainbow said, imparting it's last knowldege into Beauregard's mind. Then it was gone.

10.

The Heart of Time burned red-hot, scoulding Gonzo's hand.

9.

Gonzo yelled, dropped the heart that had been held back for so many thousands of years by the rainbow. While the rainbow had lived, it had protected Reanbu from time. Now Reanbu would receive it all. All time. All at once.

8, 7, 6.

The Heart cracked open and a white dusty light spread in a circle from it.

5, 4, 3

It stopped, drew back...

2

...and then it happened.

One...

All Time. All At Once. All Time. All At Once. All Time.

It had happened first to the birds. Time had escaped, it's ticking echo heard by Skeeter and Robin, it's effects seen by the inhabitents and felt by the birds.

Now it hapened to them all.

Gonzo. It started with his feet and worked up, skin greying, fur falling, his nose flaked. Rowlf bowed and shrank in age. Bunsen's glasses frame crumpled, the glass aged, and cracked. Beaker's sock frayed as his body turned to dust.

The white light swept the castle, smashing windows, aging walls, twisting wooden door frames beyond recognition.

Skooter and Skeeter stopped in the air, then fell to the floor. Miss Piggy's hair grew grey and thin. Crow's feet appeared edging her eyes. Her skin wrinkled, clothes melted to rags. Kermit too was gone...

Mrs Regard clung to Beautingleroth as they grew old together.

Sam's bright feather's faded, that twinkle in his eyes dissapeared.

It broke from the castle, the white light exploding from cracks in the walls, it burt through everything, grass whithered, flowers rotted and died, tree reared up lost their leaves, and fell. Animals. People. Plants. It all received all time. All at once. And then it stopped.

Mrs Nancy stood, head held high. She started to laugh.

To be continued
 

Beauregard

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2002
Messages
19,240
Reaction score
1,239
Good lord! She finally stopped nagging!

EDIT:

Only kidding Lisa. If you hadn't kept nagging, I would never have finished the story (and I will, I promise). Ok. In this moment of dispair (which you all should have been expecting, as I did post hints, see: The ticking. The clock in the stain-glass window. The Heart of Time being missing. The Birds. The garnled heart, i.e. Old, etc) Anyway. In this moment of dispair, I want to give you a glimmor of hope. When i was told this story by a very good friend, and an eyewitness of the events, Robin Frog, he told me this at this point:

"Good B. Regard, this, I know, is not a good place to leave you, btu I have to go to scout club right now. So, I'll finish telling you the story for you to write down tomorrow. But I'll leave you with these words: "More people than Miss Nancy are still breathing in Reanbu. And it may be that the person who started the search will finish it. Also, there will be light in the rainbow once more.""

Also, Lisa, you should be glad, not sad. I finally solved the mystery of the snipped wire.
 

TogetherAgain

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2005
Messages
5,105
Reaction score
407
<deep breath>

Okay... okay. I'm better now. Beau, that.... that... <stunned silence.>

<deep breath>

That deserves some detailed responding.


Beauregard said:
"Beau. Can I call you Beau? I need your help, Beau."

"Where are you?" Beau asked. Was he imagining things again? "Who?"

"Right here. You can feel me. A lightness in your mind."

Beauregard pressed his hand to his head. He strightened his cap. "I feel you," he said. "Warmth."

"Good. Now get up. There is something you must do."
"I need your help..." that just... The rainbow is inside of Beauregard, and it... I love this.

Gonzo, Rowlf, and Bunsen stared at the place the Rainbow had been on the floor. The broken shards had sputtered out like candles. Gonzo was sure he'd seen something like a heart, but it had been too quick to tell.
That is some powerful imagery there. The broken shards sputtering... I can see it, I can really, truly see it.

"Ah, beakie! I am tickled pink to hear your...voice."
That's great. Is it really a voice? Funny. I like it.

"It will be alright, Beakie. We've been in the dark before...Remember the time that you volenteered to try the day-glow sunglases and burt your retinas..."

"Moo, mou."

"Yes, but, we got them sorted with a little time and electricity."
Oh, that sounds like a comedic situation too good to miss.

Kermit shook his head. "No Robin. It's still alive. I would feel if it were gone."
Oh good! I was worried! I still am worried. But I... oh, you know what I mean.

Skeeter looked at the high window. No stars twinkled like an earth night. There was only darkness.
More imagery! (I'm really starting to think I pay WAY too much attention in English class. Why do I know all these terms? Anyway.) It's very powerful. No stars, and stars happen to be my favorite part of night, and the fact that they aren't there... it makes it all so hopeless, and... and... And it's wonderful.

"I can try." Kermit said. She heard a thud. "I can try the other direction..." Kermit muttered.
Typical muppet humor. I love it!

Sam marched into the room. "Better," he said. "But if we could return the main lighting to the room, it would seem much more suited for females and males together."
Typical Sam. That's funny, too! Not as funny as it would be if we weren't in such a perilous situation, but that's understandable.

"We do too," Robin shouted.

Mrs Nancy turned her glowing eyes towards him. "Oh, and what is that, pray?"

"We have...each other. And we have happiness. And we have, all kinds of things you don't even know, Mrs Nancy. We have love, hope."
Ah, beautiful! Beau! You're making me cry. That's just... Oh, I love it!

"Ah, hope. Hope is wrong, frog boy. Forget hope. I never hope, I take" She snarled and leapt to her feet. The Heart of Life pulsed strong. Her eyes flashed. Fists clenched. And she swung, ripping the chains from their iron holdings. "I told you I was stronger! But you never beleived me!"
I've gone from crying to screaming! This is... oh!

"I'm not afraid of the dark, I'm not afraid of the dark," Fozzie repeated to himself. "I am. I am afraid of the dark!"
Poor Fozzie! Oh, and that is so Fozzie-ish, too!

Then five things happened at once. Kermit heard Miss Piggy's voice and turned quickly. Robin lost his grip and tripped from Kermit's onto the floor. Scooter remembered his diver's light and switched it on flooding the room with light. Miss Piggy skidded to a sudden stop and lost her footing and collided with Mrs Nancy. Mrs Nancy leapt high into the air in a double spin, knocking Piggy to the floor, and landing in front of Beauhoth.
I can see it happening, too. It's all so chaotic, and organized, and crazy, and... It's muppets! It's real muppets. I love it.

Robin rolled to a stop by her feet. Without a thought he grabbed them and hung on as she kicked to release him.
I see that, too. It's more muppety fight scene stuff, and it... it sort of reminds me of MTM, where Animal grabs "Martin Price" on the leg all "BAD MAN!" Except that this is somehow more... innocent? And threatening? And I keep contradicting myself? Well... I think you know what I'm trying to say. At least I hope you do.

Skeeter took one look at the driver's light and he brother and backflipped across the room to him, stopping in a perfect Kung-Fo position. "Ready Scoot?" she asked.

"Always," Scooter replied.
Have I mentioned that I'm not sitting anymore? I'm standing up. I was on the edge of my seat, but I fell off.

Flame tourches were being lit from cooking fires. Flickering shadows covered every wall and window pane.
Another piece of brilliant imagery. I love it, I just... I can see the fires, the torches, the shadows, all of it.

"To get the Heart of Time," said the voice. "I'm holding it back, but I only have three minutes more. Hurry. Hurry. Hurry..."
And have I mentioned how much my heart is pounding right now?
 

TogetherAgain

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2005
Messages
5,105
Reaction score
407
Beauregard said:
Note from Beau: This post containes disturbing elements. Do not go here if you do not wish. Stop, go back..please....do not witness what is yet to come...
Well you know that just made me want to read it more. But we can't say you didn't warn us...

Gonzo picked up the wooden heart from the floor, it was gnarnled and twisted with age. He'd never seen wood that seemed so old, yet so strong. He tapped it against the floor. Perfectly hard still. He moved towards Rowlf to show him.
Gah! Foreshadowing! And I totally didn't catch it the first time around. It just... it... but the imagery is so real, I can see it, feel it, I hear it being tapped on the floor...

Beaker meeped, pointing at where one wire had been cut. Something about the clean sliced wire was familar.
<gasp!> Oh, the cut wire! Oh!!!

And there was. Deep in the centre of the wires, was a wooden heart of bark with a splash of color. The wires all began and ended there. It was a control and nerve centre. The Heart of the Rainbow.
<eyes bulge> The heart of the rainbow! Oh... wow... I can see the heart, I can see the wires, I really can....

"I dare because I care," he hissed.
<head spins> Woah... powerful stuff, Beau, powerful stuff...

130 seconds
By the way, I love how you're giving these captions of the time. It really puts an emphasis on the ticking of time, and hypes the adrenaline.

Beauregard walked swiftly along the corridor. He stopped before a door and turned the handle. It was a cupboard, the kind he was used to in his line fo work. Janitor supplies. Buckets. Mops. Cleaning chemicals. And the Heart of Love. Beau knelt, and lifted a floor board. "Hurry Beau. Hurry."
It's so ironic and scary and wonderful how he is being led to a cupboard of cleaning supplies. And the Heart of Love. And wow.

"Now," Scooter said. They moved as one, flying through the air, landing. Mrs Nancy had thrown Beauhoth against a wall. Robin bit her ankle. She whirled her chains and advanced of Skeeter ansd Scooter. Scooter dodged left, Skeeter wet right. The chains bit into the wall, raking a furrow in the bricks. Scooter jumped forward, jabbed, and back, Skeeter covered, rolling and trying to throw Mrs Nancy off balence.
I love this, absolutely love it. It's just... I can see it, and I feel like I'm actually there. It's amazing.

Beauregard lifted the hard Heart of Love from it's hiding place. He cradled it in his hands. He knew what it was, the Rainbow was telling him. In the second it had died, the rainbow had found a creature that would let it control them. A creature of small interlect that would believe on faith. Robin Frog was too young. Beauregard had been the one. The Raibow had guided him. He had found the Heart. He would be saved. The others, would not... "You can save us, me, them," The Rainbow said, imparting it's last knowldege into Beauregard's mind. Then it was gone.
Wow. Last time a "creature of small interlect that would believe on faith" was needed, it was Mrs. Nancy sneaking the rats into the theater, working against Beauregard. But now, now it's such the opposite, and it's so powerful, and so... oh...

And from here...
Gonzo yelled, dropped the heart that had been held back for so many thousands of years by the rainbow. While the rainbow had lived, it had protected Reanbu from time. Now Reanbu would receive it all. All time. All at once.
...to here...

All Time. All At Once. All Time. All At Once. All Time.
...is so powerful, so scary, so utterly spellbinding, so absolutely amazing. It sends shivers down my spine, and I'm just... <stunned silence>

Gonzo. It started with his feet and worked up, skin greying, fur falling, his nose flaked. Rowlf bowed and shrank in age. Bunsen's glasses frame crumpled, the glass aged, and cracked. Beaker's sock frayed as his body turned to dust.
<shudder>

The white light swept the castle, smashing windows, aging walls, twisting wooden door frames beyond recognition.
<gasp>

Skooter and Skeeter stopped in the air, then fell to the floor. Miss Piggy's hair grew grey and thin. Crow's feet appeared edging her eyes. Her skin wrinkled, clothes melted to rags. Kermit too was gone...
<tremble>

Mrs Regard clung to Beautingleroth as they grew old together.
<shakes>

Sam's bright feather's faded, that twinkle in his eyes dissapeared.
<jaw drops>

It broke from the castle, the white light exploding from cracks in the walls, it burt through everything, grass whithered, flowers rotted and died, tree reared up lost their leaves, and fell. Animals. People. Plants. It all received all time. All at once. And then it stopped.
<stunned silence>

Mrs Nancy stood, head held high. She started to laugh.
<......stunned...silence......>
 

Beauregard

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2002
Messages
19,240
Reaction score
1,239
Ah sucks Lisa. Thanks so much for giving me that detailed reveiw. It definatly makes it worth writing when I know that the details are making people laugh, and smile, then cry, and shiver. I mean, I write a sentence, and I wonder, "Will they appreciate this?" And then when they do it makes me feel like I will burst.

In fact those last two sections almost made me want to burst. I was on the edge of my seat weriting them, litereally. So excited, tence. I cannot wait to show you what hapens next!
 

TogetherAgain

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2005
Messages
5,105
Reaction score
407
And I can't wait to see what comes next!
I know exactly what you mean, though, about wondering if people will appreciate certain parts. I do it all the time. I slip in a cameo and think, "Is anyone going to catch this?" Or some specific descriptions that I'm proud of and think, "Will anyone even notice?" But I think the biggest moment of that sort of thing was when I posted the first part of the story and thought, "Is anyone going to read this?"

So I know exactly what you mean. I love writing, but sometimes it can be so nerve wracking!
 

Beauregard

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2002
Messages
19,240
Reaction score
1,239
Then it was gone.

The Rainbow had abandoned Beauregard. His mind felt numbly cold where the rainbow had once been with him. Beauregard had tightened his grip on the wooden Heart of Love. He felt lost. Alone. And then the white light of time had come and washed over him.

*****

It had no more energy to give, yet it carried on giving. It had left Beau, and come to Robin. In that last moment, the Rainbow had throw itself into Robin's mind. Robin's eyes closed. They could not open. The Rainbow knew no child should see what was was coming. Robin let go of Mrs Nancy's leg, and pressed his hands to his head as a screaming, rushing wind surrounded him. Something threw him, and he fell into a pile of rubble where the castle walls had aged. The Rainbow could not hold onto him any longer, but Time had not yet passed. The Rainbow believed in the same things Robin did, in love, hope, and togetherness. Robin's strong heart gve it strength to hold on one last moment. It gave it's everything in one final blaze, and then, the Rainbow died. Time crept into the rainbow's place, it rushed it's way across Robin's body. He lay still.

*****

Mrs Nancy laughed at them all. Such weak creatures, ravenged by time. She had the Heart of Life. No time could touch her. She'd seen it so often, each time she traveled into the world outside the raibow, she had not grown old as had Mr Regard. She knew that all the age was stored away inside her, but the Heart of Life kept living.

Mrs Nancy wrapped the chains around her, and left the room. Manicales on her ankles clanked against the broken stone work, chainlinks trailed in her wake. A breaze touched her cheek, moved her soft clothing. Her hard jaw was lifted in a triamphant smile. Certainly her kingdom had been destroyed, but she would build another, a stronger kingdom. She would start afreash.

The Heart of the Head told one male Konnekte was still breathing. "Hah," she laughed. "Hahaha!"

*****

Robin Frog woke up. He blinked in the early morning light. No. He shock his head. This wasn't early morning. He tried to move, and found that he could not. A fallen chuck of brick-rocks was pinning him against the ground. Dust floated in the air around him. It was not so dark now. A pale light filtered through the dust, covering everything in a thin layer of light. Robin pushed against the chunk of bricks, but it was too heavy for such a small frog. But, judging from the angle which the broken wall had fallen at, there should have been room for Robin to wriggle his way out, being so small....if he had been small.

Robin moved his hands. He rubbed white dust from his eyes and face. His hands were big, like his Uncles. His face was rounder. He felt under his neck. There was a coller there.

He was bigger, stronger...Robin placed his palms against the chunk of wall. He flattened them, pressed, pushed with his arms. He felt muscle's tenseing. He closed his eyes, straining. The chunk moved, and fell forward onto the floor with a crash.

Robin stood on uncertain and unfamiliar feet. He was taller, smarter, hansome. He had grown up, aged, become an adult. Somehow, he knew, it was the rainbow that had done it, but why it had happened, he didn't know. What he did know was that whatever had happened, it had killed the rainbow, and he was the only one left to bring it back to life.

And he certainly would.

*****

Beauregard slowly let go of the Heart of Love. It dropped to the floor, and lay there. When the light had come, the Love of the heart had formed a protection around him, an invisable wall blocking the effects of the Heart of Time.

Beau had witnessed it all, but none of it had hurt him. He knelt up now, took a breath. He was alive, and he was glad. He could, would put everything right. But first he must -

Beau heard a crash. He leapt to his feet, then stopped to grab up the Heart of Love and slip it into his pocket. Someone was coming towards him, he could hear the clanking of chains. Beau turned and ran further up the coridor. The walls were bent and broken, plaster had fallen away the woodwork was chiped and cracked. Beau dodged into a twisted doorway.

The sound of chains was still advancing. And he could hear laughter now too.

He ran across the paved room to the door on the otherside. It was bolted, shut fast. Beau touched the bolts, but they had rusted beyond being opened. Beau stepped back, and kicked the door, once, twice. It smashed open, and he found himself in another dim hallway. He ran again. His father had spoken of this place. There were passages, but he would never find them. He stuck to hallways, running and running, turning corners, dashing across rooms, running again. His breaths came heavy, and he was lost.

Beau leant against a wall and took stock of his suroundings. He was in a kitchen room, with broken cabenits of smashed crockery. Drawers had burst open. Beau saw cutlery, knives. He could defend himself.

No. The Rainbow had imparted a course of action to him, he just had to take it. No violence. Violence didn't solve anything.

Beau quitened his mind and listened to his heart. His heart, like the Sacred Wooden Hearts, knew what was right. He got up, walked to the door. There were five hearts. He had one, Mrs Nancy had two inside of her. There were two more that Beau had to find, and he knew just where to find them. After all, the Rainbow had told him.

****

Robin walked to the door, and then listened. He didn't hear anyone out there. Good.

He stepped out of the tower dungeon and walked swiftly. His new body, and longer legs meant he could walk faster. He wanted to look at himself in a mirror, but there wasn't time for that. He would go to where they'd left Rowlf and Gonzo. They coudl help him.

Robin passed the stairway, and looked down at the stainglass-window. Parts had been broken, but the panel of the clock was still there. Robin looked away. He fixed his eyes on the other wall. There were weapons mounted there, swords, javelins, crossbows.

Robin Frog stopped and gazed up at them. Time had changed the tools somehow, the blades were somewhat rusted. But they would certainly be more protection than none. Robin reached up, and unhooked a sword and sheaf, amazed that he could reach. He found a slightly tarnished leather belt had fallen from the bent wall, and slung it around his waist. He hooked the sheaf, and hung a cross bow on his back.

Robin was no longer a small scout frog, but a strong frog prince.

He moved on, and came to the doorway of the machine room. Here he stopped. What if Gonzo, and Rowlf were gone too?

He pushed the doorway, and stepped in. His foot crunched on a pair of broken glasses. Rowlf was not there, and the machine was in tatters, but amidst a scraggle of wires was a wooden heart. Robin knelt and picked it up.

It was made of bark, with wires pressed into driled holes. Years of electricity running through it had charred the wood. Robin wrapped his hands around each wire, and tugged, releaseing it from the heart, or the heart from it. He felt a tear trickle along his face. Who could destroy such a fragile and beautiful piece of work as this?

A voice shattered his thoughts. "You!"
 

Beauregard

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2002
Messages
19,240
Reaction score
1,239
Ok, I'm trying my best to keep the fight scenes down in violence, and, hopefully, there is nothing to disterbing in this scene. Also, if people are thinking that the story is a little out-ragious right now, I promise it will all be back to rights before my next fan-fic, "Visions, but Only Illusions."

___

Robin turned. The pink woman stood in the doorway. Her purple stripped eyes blazing. She began to unwrap the chains from around her arms, bringing them to the front, preparing them as weapons.

Robin laid the Heart down on the ground. "Did you do this?" he asked.

"Oh yes," Mrs Nancy laughed. "The silly sacred heart."

"Why?"

She sneered. "It was needed for my machine, stupid. I had to come in and out of Reanbu as I pleased. To punish those who were banished. Well, no, originally I wanted to leave to see the beauty of another country, but, no, that was not good enough. They were happy in this hole. Didn't give me the heart, I had to take it, and with it went my dreams. A new idea crept securely into palce. Hah! If they woudn't give it, I'd banish them. Right then I sent away many of the inhabitents who had opposed me, but Beauhoth I tossed into The End. I wouldn't let him get away into the land of time, he'd die to quickly. Hahahahahaaha!"

Robin felt his hand moving to the hilt of his sword. "Why Beauregard? What did he ever do?"

"He reminded me," Miss Nancy said. "His eyes, his hair, his face, were all his Grandfather's."

"Sin's of the Fathers?" Robin said. "Isn't that a bit old now?"

"Old, hah! What would you know. I, I am old. Beautingleroth was old. And I only let him stay because I was weak then, weak and old. Too much time spent in your world," she spat the words. "Made me old, but I had to rainbow hop, it was too much fun to stop. But I grew old, like Beautingleroth. Until I found the Heart of Life. It was in another of Beauhoth's lousey hiding places. I got them to put it inside of me. And later the Heart of the Head. Then I was young again, young and fit, and strong."

She spun the chains. "Why am I teling you this?"

The chains came roaring down at him. Robin caught the sword up in his hand. It clashed against the chains, scraping along them. "Beau left," Robin said. "And came back. You sent him away again. Why?"

"Because I hated him. Because I could." She drew the chains back, and whipped them forward, lashing like snakes towards him.

Robin frog-leaped over the chains, and landed close up. "But Beau did not deserve that."

"I know. I knew that!" Miss Nancy shouted. "Do you think I cared? I was punishing Beauhoth for all I cared. He was the one who tried to ruin my dreams." She kicked at him, and Robin slipped under her feet, sliding to a stop behind her. She whirled around.

"You killed the rainbow."

"Too bad!"

"Did you know?" Robin shouted. "Did you know you were hurting it?"

She smiled slowly. "Yes, yes I did. I studied all the writings. I knew sooner or later it would die, but that would be when I could start again. No more Reanbu, no more weaklings, nothing but Miss Nancy's children, Beaunancy Coforth, Beaucoforth Reakler, Beaureakler...I even have names picked out for them."

"It won't happen."

"Yes it will." She brought the chains down again, and Robin span his sword around the chains, rusted metal to iron they clashed, clashed, clashed. Mrs Nancy stopped laghing. "It will happen," she said. And then the fight was on, more ferocious than before.

A whiplash of the chain flipped the sword from Robin's hand, it clattered to a stop beside the machine. "Haha!" Miss Nancy laughed. "Enjoy." And she ran at him. Robin flung himself to one side, and Miss Nancy struck a wall.

"You spoke of writings," Robin siad, out of breath, and stalling for time. "What writings?" He leapt for his sword. Miss Nancy flung a piece of chain and it caught his side, kncking him to the floor.

"Writings," she said. "Ancient ones. They told of the origins of the Rainbow. The Hearts. Reanbu." She turned away for a second. "The Hearts were carved long ago, by-"

Robin pulled the crossbow off his shoulder. Miss Nancy saw. It was loaded. He didn't get time to aim, just fired. The arrow caught one chain and pinned it to the wall.

She looked at him shocked, then grinned. Robin ran for his sword. Miss Nancy broke the arrow from the wall.

*****

Beauregard listened for a long time to be sure that the chains had stopped following him. Whoever it had been must have given up and taken another direction. Beauregard left the kitchens and found his way to the throne room, and from there wearily walked up the cracked stone steps and into the hall.

He padded forward.

There was a herendious crash, and Beau stopped dead in his tracks. Ahead, a frog that wasn't Kermit leapt through a doorway, battling a raging torrent of whipping, twisting, clashing, twirling chains manipulated by Miss Nancy's wrists. She herself charged out the doorway,

The frog looked at Beau and their eyes met for a very brief second. It was Robin. This was how it had begun, with Robin's questians and Beau battleing himself. Now it was Robin fighting for his life, and Beauregard with the questians. There was no time for that now.

Miss Nancy was still moving, rapidly advancing on the older Robin who bravely fought off her attacks.

"Go," Beau told himself, and he ran, stright towards them. Miss Nancy turned, saw him, her eyes widened then narrowed. Beau veared off left into the Machine room. Robin flung himself forward and, dropping his sword, snatched hold of the ends of the chains.

He clung on, winding them around his muscled arms. Miss Nancy struggled against him. She tried to use her feet, but Robin was too fast, tripping them from under her. She lost balence and went over. Robin the Frog twisted the chains around her tightly. She was out of breath. Sweat ran off Robin's face.

"Stop fighting," he said. "You'll never win."

"I will win! I will!"

Beauregard saw the Heart of Time and the Heart of the Rainbow. It was now or never. He grabbed the Hearts, and pulled the Heart of Love from his pocket. He was shivering. "Beau," he said to himself. "The Rainbow needs this."

He stood, and walked out into the hall.

To be continued...
 
Top