Fraggle Rock Fan-Fiction: Perfect Harmony

[theprawncracker]

Good morning everybody! I'm getting ready to head off to school, but I figured I'd go ahead and start up my next fan-fictional adventure before hand, since I'll have a butt-load of homework after. Anyway! I'm starting my fan-fic on the morning of September 11th in honor of the Fraggle Rock Season 3 box-set's release today, and also in memory of this solemn day. I hope you all enjoy my story!

Perfect Harmony

Chapter 1

The door to the bright and cluttered desert workshop opened. A furry grey dog’s eye peeked open at the entrant of the workshop. A tall, balding man wearing glasses and a sweater vest and carrying a large cardboard box pushed his way into the small living space.

"Sprocket, boy, get the door would you?" Doc asked his dog, Sprocket.

The aforementioned pooch grumbled and stuck out one of his back feet trying to reach the door.

"Come now, Sprocket," Doc said, closing the door on his own. "You try this same thing every day, you can’t reach the door from your bed."

Sprocket, oh so pleased with himself, chuckled lightly and repositioned himself in his bed.

"Heaven forbid you actually do anything to help out around here," Doc chided as he pulled out many random objects from his cardboard box.

Sprocket barked at Doc as the dog shot up out of his bed, arguing that he did indeed help out around here, but even dogs need to rest sometimes.

"Oh, forgive me, Sprockey," Doc said sarcastically. "I forgot about how much you do to contribute."

Sprocket nodded happily.

"After all it is you who creates all of these inventions–" Doc said, throwing his arms at his side, motioning to the clutter of things scattered around the workshop. "And cooks the meals, and visits Ned and Fluffenella on a weekly basis."

Sprocket frowned and began to argue his case through barks again.
"Alright, alright, Sprocket, that’s enough," Doc said. "By the way, has Gobo stopped by today?"

Sprocket muttered a few barks and fell down into his bed. He silently shook his head, and resumed his nap position.

"Funny," Doc said. "I thought he’d stop by in search of one of his Uncle Matt’s postcards– good thing we finally figured out who all of those were addressed to, eh, Sprocket?" Doc asked his dog.

Sprocket shrugged and rolled over.

"Yes, well," Doc said, "It’s not like we’ve received any of those postcards lately." Doc reached into his box and pulled out a hair-dryer. "I wonder what’s been keeping that uncle of his anyway? It must be, what? Two–three weeks since his last postcard?"

Sprocket blew air out of his mouth, rolling his eyes.

"Ah well, I’m sure he’s fine," Doc said. "I just wonder where that Gobo is."

>< >< >< >< ><

"That shot was in, and I won!" Gobo shouted.

"Oh, please, Gobo," Red argued. "Your last shot wasn't even close!"

"Shows how much you know, Red Fraggle," Gobo countered. "Even Large Marvin said that my shot was good!"

Red scoffed. "Marvin? He doesn't know the difference between a fair shot and fair food!"

Wembley ran to catch up with the two quarreling Fraggles. "Well, if you ask me, I think your shot was in, Gobo."

"Marvin was the judge, Red!" Gobo said, ignoring Wembley. "You can’t argue with that."

"Sure I can," Red said. "Especially when the judge doesn’t even know what sport he’s judging!"

"Give it up, Red. I won, and you know it." Gobo hopped down the stairs into he and Wembley’s room.

Red followed with Wembley in tow. "No way, I had you the entire time!"

"Well, if you ask me-" Wembley started.

"Yeah, you had me until I scored on you at the last second!" Gobo interrupted.

"We’ll see, Gobo Fraggle, we’ll see." Red put her face right up to Gobo’s, who leaned back, pulling his face back.

"Oh? We will, huh?" Gobo pushed his face forward, sending Red back.

Wembley watched the two argue back and forth like a ball in a tennis match. Silently Wembley wondered what tennis was.

"Yeah!" Red shouted. "We will! I challenge you to a rematch, and this time, Mokey will judge!"

"Fine," Gobo said. "Doesn’t matter who judges. Boober could judge for all I care- NO, a Doozer could judge, and I’d still beat you!"

"Why does it matter who judges?" Wembley asked. "The judge doesn’t play."

"Fine then," Red said, still ignoring Wembley. "We’ll have Mokey, Boober, and Cotterpin judge!"

"Good!" Gobo said. "The more the merrier!"

"Alright, see you then... then!" Red huffed, then left the room.

Gobo threw his stuff onto his bed angrily. "That Red Fraggle-" he growled. "She just makes me so- ugh!"

Wembley scratched his head. It was amazing watching those two argue. In all the Rock, Red and Gobo were definitely the two most confrontational Fraggles, if only just between each other.

"Now where is Wembley?" Gobo asked himself. "I told him he could come with me to see Doc today, and get Uncle Traveling Matt’s postcard."

"Uh, Gobo, I’m right here," Wembley said.

Gobo looked at his best friend. "Oh. Sorry," Gobo apologized. "You just pop up out of nowhere, don’t ya Wembley?"

"No, not really," Wembley said. "I’ve been here all-"

"No matter," Gobo said. "Ready to go see Doc?"

"Well, sure Gobo, but-"

"Great! C’mon! I’ve got to tell Doc all about the game that I won." Gobo grabbed his guitar off the ledge and ran out of the room.

Wembley shrugged. "I guess I’ll just tell him about Cantus’ big visit later." He ran out of the room. "Hey, Gobo! Wait up!" he called.

Gobo was nearly halfway down the cavern leading up to Doc’s workshop. "Hurry up, will ya?" Gobo said.

Wembley caught up to his friend, gasping for breath. "Sorry," Wembley said.

"It’s alright Wembley," Gobo said, pulling his guitar over his shoulders. "Ya know," Gobo said. "Uncle Matt and I used to sing his song every time we’d explore the tunnels together."

"Yeah, I know," Wembley said. "You tell me it every time we explore the tunnels together."

"Oh yeah." Gobo laughed. "You don’t mind singing it again, do ya?"

"No Gobo, of course not," Wembley said. "I’m a Fraggle, there isn’t a song out there that I can’t sing over and over and over and-"

"I get it Wembley, I get it." Gobo smirked. He began to strum his guitar, plucking the familiar strings to the same familiar tune. "Every day, the world begins again
Sunny skies or rain
Come and follow me," Gobo sang.

Wembley bounced along with the music. "Every sunrise shows me more and more
So much to explore
Come and follow me!"

"Every mornin’
Every day
Every evenin’
Callin’ us away," Gobo and Wembley harmonized.

"While the sun goes-"

"Hey, hey Gobo," Wembley interrupted. "Do you hear that?"

Gobo stopped his guitar and listened to the noises echoing of the cavern walls. It was faint, but, yes, it was there. A horn of sorts- no, a pipe. A pipe filling the cavern, filling the Rock with its melodious tune.

"I do Wembley! I do!" Gobo bounced gleefully. "You know what this means?"

"That I’ll never get to tell you that Cantus is coming to visit?" Wembley asked.

"No- well, yes, I guess, but it means that Cantus is-"

"Waiting for you to continue that song," a scratchy, yet comforting voice said from behind Gobo. An impeccable calm could be detected just from the tone of voice, and a serene quality filled the air whenever the voice spoke. Cantus had arrived.

"Me?" Gobo asked, in awe of the presence before him.

"Yes, you and yourself must finish that song," Cantus the Minstrel said to the young Fraggle.

"Oh, of course." Gobo picked up the tune again on his guitar. "Now, uh, where was I?"

"While the sun goes ‘round
I’ll still be found," Wembley sang, starting to finish.

Cantus dug in on his pipe, filling the air with the beautiful sound once more. As he played, the rest of the Minstrels filed into the cavern, each adding their own instrument to the song.

Gobo grinned. "Followin’ the sound
Somethin’s callin’ me."

"When the world goes
Drifitin’ back to bed
Memories in my head," Wembley sang.

"Wonders follow me," Gobo sang, putting all his heart into the verse.

"Every mornin’." Every Minstrel joined in the singing.
"Every day
Every evenin’
Callin’ us away."

"Once more," Cantus said.

"Every mornin’
Every day
Every evenin’
Callin’ us away."

Cantus watched as the two Fraggles and his Minstrel followers celebrated the song by jumping and laughing. The forever-serene Fraggle simply nodded and said, "Very nice. Another song I love to hear others love to hear."

Gobo walked up to Cantus calmly. "Thank you sir. But, if I may ask, why are you coming to visit us?"

"Yeah," Wembley said. "You only come on really special occasions."

"Mm." Cantus stroked his beard. "I cannot argue with that. Nor can I say that this occasion is an exception. However, I can say that this is an exceptional occasion. Soon enough, you will find out enough. For now I must meet with the World’s Oldest Fraggle."

"Oh, wow!" Wembley said. "It must be a really, really special occasion!"

"Yeah, now all that’s missing is the Trash Heap and we’d have gathered the greatest minds in the Fraggle universe!" Gobo said.

"That, or the strangest," Murray the Minstrel said, laughing.

"Do not doubt the strange," Cantus gently scolded his follower. "Do not fear the strange either. Nor should you fear to doubt the strange."

Murray looked around at the other Minstrels. "See what I mean?"

"Young Gobo Fraggle, take me to see the World’s Oldest, if you please," Cantus said.

"Oh, of course your musical-ness," Gobo said. "Follow me."

"We already sang that song," Wembley said.

 

[Java]

Prawnie, I could just picture how this played out in the Rock and in the workshop!
What a wonderful opener. And I'm now speechless!

Wait, except one thing:
More Please!

 

[redBoobergurl]

AHHHHH! A Fraggle Fic by Prawnie! This is a great start too! You've got everyone right in character, LOVE the confrontation between Red and Gobo. And I'm on the edge of my seat wondering what Cantus' big visit is all about! This is awesome! More please!

 

[TogetherAgain]

<GLOMPS PRAWNIE>

<runs off to get to class on time>

<runs back> MORE PLEASE!

<runs out again>

 

[The Count]

... After the chapter is finished, a spark of blue lightning catches the sleeve of one young Mr. Prawn Cracker warning him instantly that more story is hexpected from him, posted post-haste.

 

[theprawncracker]

*ahem* *puts out flaming sleeve* If I may, I'd like to draw everyone's attention to the second sentence of the first paragraph posted by moi this morn, and I quote:

I'm getting ready to head off to school, but I figured I'd go ahead and start up my next fan-fictional adventure before hand, since I'll have a butt-load of homework after.

Butt-load of homework. Yes, this is the phrase that defines my night. So... unfortunately, no new chapter-- MAYBE one tomorrow, MAYBE. All depending on my homework load.

Thank you for the comments though.

 

[The Count]

Shaa... (Yes, I know it's your word Prawnidew). Since when have we let homework stand in the way of nagging? And since when have we let homework stand in the way of driving you crazy?
Like that half of yourn keeps sayin'... Moooore please!

 

[FraggleRockRock]

This is terrific, I could not only see it, but I could actually hear it too, which is unusual for me! Everyone is so in-character! And Cantus's lines are so... er... Canussy.

More please?

 

[Java]

Maybe since it's the weekend, Ryan will be able to update more? Please!

 

[theprawncracker]

Chapter 2

Mokey Fraggle was spread out on her bed on her stomach, carefully scribing something into a diary. She let out a happy sigh as she wrote. "I just love peaceful moments like this everything seems so calm and tranquil, peaceful and–"

"Mokey! Mokey! Mokey! Mokey! Mokey!" Red shouted as she sprinted into the cave.

Mokey smiled and turned her head towards the noise. "Oh, Red, hello!"

"Mokey, you’ll never guess what I just saw!" Red said.

"Hmm," Mokey pondered. "Boober having fun on purpose?"

"No, that’s silly," Red said. "But I did just see Gobo and Wembley with Cantus and all the Minstrels!"

Mokey smirked. "Oh, Red," Mokey said. "We all know that if Cantus was here, we would be having a really special occasion."

"Well maybe he’s here to see my rematch with Gobo!" Red said. "Which reminds me, I need you to judge."

"Red, Red, Red." Mokey shook her head. "I don’t really think that Cantus is–"

Mokey was interrupted by the bellowing of the Fraggle Horn from the Great Hall. "Well what could that be?" Mokey asked, walking over to the large hole in she and Red’s cave that looked down upon the Great Hall. "Why, it’s Cantus with the World’s Oldest Fraggle!" Mokey said. "Red, come on, this must be really important!" Mokey ran past Red, right out of the cave.

Red rolled her eyes. "Just perfect..."

Red caught up to Mokey as the two approached the Great Hall. "So what do you think the big important announcement could be, Mokey?" Red asked.

"Probably something exciting and fun," Boober groaned, walking up next to the two girls. "Which of course will be miserable."

"Oh, silly Boober," Mokey chided. "You’ve got to learn to have a little fun."

"I do have fun!" Boober argued. "You’ve never really bleached a sock, have you?"

"Nope," Red said. "I’m no Doozer!" Red said, laughing.

Boober frowned as Red laughed and Mokey giggled. As Gobo and Wembley joined up with the group, the laughing subsided and the prodding began.

"Gobo, what were you doing with Cantus?" Red asked almost instantly.

"Yes Gobo, do you know what the big news is?" Mokey asked.

"No idea," Gobo said. "I just took Cantus to see the World’s Oldest Fraggle, and it was all hush-hush from there."

"No it wasn’t," Wembley said. "We stopped to sing another song, remember?"

"That’s beside the point, Wembley," Gobo said.

"But I thought–" Wembley started.

The World’s Oldest Fraggle stepped up to the raised area in the center of the Great Hall, preparing to command attention.

"Hear ye, hear ye, Fraggles!" the World’s Oldest Fraggle shouted over the chattering group of Fraggles below him.

"Hear ye, hear ye, Fraggles!" Henchy Fraggle repeated.

"I already said that," World’s Oldest said, whacking Henchy on the nose with his cane. "Listen up! Cantus is here with a very important announcement!"

"Very important!" Henchy reiterated.

World’s Oldest shot a glare at Henchy. "As I was saying, Cantus and his Minstrels have traveled from far off in the Rock and made a special trip back to us just to deliver this message!"

"So it’s very important!" Hency said.

"They get it," World’s Oldest said, whacking Henchy again. "So listen up and listen tight! Here’s Cantus!"

The World’s Oldest Fraggle and Henchy slipped out of the way as Cantus slowly walked to the center. The Fraggles cheered and waved their arms about as the Minstrel prepared to address them. Cantus simply nodded in recognition of the cheering, and patiently waited for them to calm.

The cheering and whooping stopped, and Cantus smiled. "Fellow Fraggles," Cantus said calmly. "It is true that I have an announcement for you all," he said. "Not necessarily a good announcement, however."

The Fraggles began to murmur and whisper to each other, but Cantus pressed on. "In my travels I have many times met with mystical oracles that both mystify and orafy me."

"Is orafy a word?" Gobo whispered to Wembley.

"These oracles," Cantus continued, uninterrupted. "Have given me a cause to worry about the sanctity of our splendid Rock."

Murmurs began to trickle out again and Cantus continued on. "They have warned me that something will break the peace we have to pieces." Cantus looked down at the Fraggles. "Unfortunately, I do not know what we can do to prevent this tragedy nor can I have any idea when this will happen."

The Fraggles couldn’t hold it in any longer, they erupted with questions for the minstrel. The World’s Oldest Fraggle looked to Henchy, "Well, say something ya ninny!" he said.

"Uh, yes sir!" Henchy said, running to the center of the stage. "Calm down! Calm down! I’m sure the World’s Oldest Fraggle has a solution to this problem, whatever it may be! Isn’t that right sir?"

The Fraggles turned their attention back to World’s Oldest.

The World’s Oldest Fraggle’s mouth fell open. "What are you doing Gorg bait?" he muttered. "Um, yes, fellow Fraggles!" World’s Oldest addressed the crowd. "I’m sure that whatever oracle gave our friend Cantus here this information can’t be as wise and all knowing as our own Trash Heap."

Cantus slowly turned his head to look at World’s Oldest. "The oracle I spoke to was the Trash Heap."

Every Fraggle within the Great Hall began shouting again. "Wh-wh- The Trash Heap said th-that?" Wembley shuddered.

"Oh doom! Misery!" Boober shouted. "Alack the day!" He turned to Red. "I told you the world was coming to an end!"

"What are we going to do?" Mokey wondered aloud.

Gobo looked around at the freaking-out Fraggles. He took a deep breath and ran up to address the Fraggles. "Hey! Hey!" Gobo shouted. "We can’t jump to conclusions like this!" he said. "My Uncle Matt wouldn’t! We’ve got to take this slow and easy, right Cantus?"

Cantus looked down at Gobo. "Young Fraggle, it seems that you doubt my words. Words may be doubtful, but some words are true. True?"
"Um, yes?" Gobo said.

Cantus nodded. "Then go to your Trash Heap, ask her of this predicament, and you shall learn how to learn the lesson you must soon learn."

"Um, thank you your sageliness," Gobo said to the minstrel. He looked over to Mokey, Wembley, Boober, and Red. "C’mon you guys," he said.

The Fraggle Five made their way out of the Great Hall, leaving the rest of the Fraggles to worry over the news Cantus had just delivered.

Crouching in an awning on looking the Great Hall sat Cotterpin Doozer.
"Wow..." Cotterpin said. "The Rock peace of The Rock is going to pieces? I’ve gotta tell the Architect about this!"

Cotterpin jumped up and ran over to her bike. She rode off through the caverns past many Doozer construction sites. At one of the sites, Wrench Doozer was constructing a tower. "Hi Cotterpin!" he said to his friend on her bike. "Where are you going?"

"Off to find the Architect, Flange," Cotterpin said. "I can’t talk right now, it’s an emergency."

"An emergency?" Wrench asked as Cotterpin rode off. "What kind of emergency?"

>< >< >< >< ><

"Oh, drat and Deuteronomy!" Pa Gorg exclaimed, coming out of his castle. "Junior!"

The bumbling, shaggy brown Gorg came hobbling to his father’s view. "Yes daddums?" Junior Gorg asked his father.

"Junior, did you glue down the legs of my favorite armchair?" Pa asked.

"Why, of couwse I did, oh papa of mine," Junior said. "I did it wight before I went to hawvest the wadishes for Ma!"

"Then why did the chair break when I sat in it?" Pa asked furiously.

"I don’t know! I glued it, I- I pwomise!" Junior said.

Pa whacked Junior upside the head. "What have I told you about lyin’ to the King of the Universe?"

"But Pa," Junior whined. "I’m not lying!"

"He’s not lying dear," Ma Gorg said from the door of the castle. "You’ve just been eating too many of those grease berry muffins I’ve been making you."

Pa turned abruptly to argue with Ma. "What are you sayin’?"

"I’m saying that you’re not exactly in pristine shape, dear," Ma said.

"Whuh oh," Junior mumbled.

"I am too!" Pa shouted. "I’m in the best shape of my life!"

"Well, a circle is a shape," Ma said.

Meanwhile, the Fraggle Five poked their heads out of the hole leading from Fraggle Rock to the Gorg’s Garden. "Ich, Gorgs," Boober said.

"It looks like they’re arguing," Gobo said. "C’mon, let’s sneak past while we have the chance!"

The Fraggles made their way out of the tunnel. "Do you think Cantus really meant what he said?" Red asked.

"Well Cantus has never lied before," Mokey said. "It just doesn’t seem like he would lie."

Wembley nodded. "I don’t know any Fraggle that would lie."

"Well, the only way we can know for sure is if we ask Madame Trash Heap," Gobo said.

"We’re here," Boober said, looking at the piles of trash. "Yuck, this place is so filthy..."

A maroon rat-like creature and a grey rat-like creature crawled up on one of the parts of the trash piles. "Hello there Fraggles!" the maroon rat creature said.

"What can we do ya for?" the grey one asked.

"We’re here to see Madame Trash Heap," Gobo said. "We’ve got a very important question to ask her."

"Yeah, yeah, we’ve heard dat before, haven’t we Gunge?" Philo said.

"You bet," Gunge said. "So what makes your question so important that we’ve gotta wake Marjorie, eh?"

"Our question is about doom and destruction!" Boober said.

"Oh, well in that case," Philo said.

"You are in the presence of–" Gunge started.

"The all-knowing–" Philo added.

"All-seeing–"

"Trash Heap! Nyeah!" they both said.

The heap of trash rumbled and began to rise from the ground. It slowly developed eyes and a mouth. Arms stretched out to both sides of the now-tall heap, a yawn exuded from trash and it looked down at the Fraggles through a pair of frame less, dignified pink glasses. "Ooh, what a good sleep! You never know how comfy a bed of trash is until you sleep on one!" Marjorie the Trash Heap said. "Now, what can I do for you my little Fraggles?"