Fraggle Rock: The Weapon

[RedPiggy]

Author’s Note: Don’t own the Fraggles … that would be the Henson Company.

Boober Fraggle sat with his knees up against his chest in the dark cave opening, staring at the cold metal object in front of him. Its presence had been bothering him for the entire week. Both it and that other thing had been holed up in a single cave ever since two cream pies saved the entire Fraggle population.

“Come on, Boober,” a cheerier version of his own trombone-like voice announced, “let’s start it up and see what it can do!”

Boober shook his head in disgust. He started rubbing his brownish-red scarf in his fingers. “It’s supposed to hurt Fraggles,” he replied in a slightly panicked voice. “Why would I want that?”

“No pain, no gain!” came the response, followed by laughter.

“It isn’t funny, Sidebottom!” Boober yelled angrily, clenching the scarf in his fist. He looked to his left as a ghostly doppelganger appeared out of the cave shadows. Sidebottom liked wearing flamboyant hats and loud printed shirts, while Boober preferred his lone brown cap and his scarf. Both were blue, but Sidebottom was a much lighter shade. Sidebottom’s rose-red hair was also shorter than Boober’s.

Sidebottom sighed and stood on his head, his feet dangling and his tail twitching. “So why are we here, Boober?” he asked, annoyed. “Please don’t tell me we’re here to watch metal rust.”

“Why don’t you just go back inside my mind where you belong?” Boober grumbled.

Sidebottom performed a couple of cartwheels and hopped up on top of the cylindrical metal object. “I will if you tell me why we’re here,” he goaded playfully.

Boober’s tail swayed slowly, drooping. “They’re designed to kill,” he said finally.

Sidebottom calmly adjusted his large feather-covered hat. “You’re not thinking what I think you’re thinking….”

Boober scoffed in disgust and shook his head. “Of course not!” He stood up and started pacing. “Just because I talk about death all the time doesn’t mean I want to experience it!”

Sidebottom, exasperated, threw his head back, his arms gesturing strongly, and screamed, “Then why are we here?”

Sidebottom snapped upright and hopped off the cannon. He pointed at Boober with an amused expression. “You were terrified Mokey would get hurt, is that it?” Boober mumbled something under his breath. Sidebottom, who (as a part of Boober’s subconscious) could sense what Boober was thinking at any time, smirked and put a hand up to one ear buried in red hair. “What did you say?”

“You heard me!” Boober shot back. Boober turned his back on his alter ego, crossing his arms, trying to hide his downcast expression. His voice became more somber. “Don’t forget … you’re a part of this, too.”

Sidebottom continued to smile. He shrugged off the accusation. “I know what’ll make you feel all kinds of better … let’s go tell the others!”

Boober’s jaw dropped as he whipped around and grabbed Sidebottom’s shirt. “What are you, insane? We can’t tell our friends something like that!”

“Why not? Wembley’s pretty understanding. Gobo would never blame you (or me). Mokey would just feel sorry for you….”

Boober sighed and released him. He nodded resignedly. “And Red would never let me live it down. She’d hate me even more than she already does.”

Sidebottom grinned like a stalking cat. “Oh, Red doesn’t hate you, Boober,” he informed his other self in a mock-compassionate tone. “In fact, Red is secretly your number one fan.”

Boober stared at the cave floor, analyzing the ruts from moving the heavy weapon. “Everyone knows she likes Gobo better. We’re just too different.”

“I know she hates it when Gobo goes exploring….”

Boober looked up at Sidebottom with a confused expression. “How would you know that? I don’t let you talk to anyone else. You’re my problem.”

Sidebottom nodded slowly and slapped Boober on the shoulder. “And I’m your solution! Let me deal with Little Miss Perfect. I know lots of things about lots of Fraggles.”

Boober shook his head, loosening his scarf. “There’s just no way you could know every Fraggle’s secrets. I don’t … and you know only anything I know!”

Sidebottom chuckled. “What makes you think I know anything about secrets? I know what buttons to push, that’s all. Give me ten minutes with her and I’ll have Red washing your socks, for a change!”

Boober sat back down. “I’m not going to tell them. And neither are you.”

Sidebottom sighed. He couldn’t win this one. Boober was easily manipulated, unless he truly desired something important. His voice betrayed his resignation. “Who cares what happened two generations back anyway?” He put a hand gently on Boober’s cap. “It’s not like you or I had anything to do with the Fraggle War. Why feel guilty? You make kettles, not cannons. You whittle sticks for Red and Gobo’s rock hockey games … you don’t make arrows for that giant crossbow over there.” He patted Boober’s head. “Don’t let the cannon kill you without firing a shot, Boober.”

 

[Redsonga]

*scratches head* I'm not sure I get it...and the part I do get seems un-Booberish (or rather, un-sidebottomish as Boober is trying to rein him in). Although, maybe I'm just too much of a Mokey to really understand it...*does, in fact, feel sorry for Boober, as she never liked Sidebottom even before he suggested murder . Note to self: Get poor Boomer mental help*
So, are you a supporter of Boober/Red? I can't really see it myself, but I do think there is some unspoken Boober fandom. In my eyes I'm not sure if Red exactly hates all Gobo's trips...I think there is a big spoonful of jealousy going on there (Unlike with Uncle Matt, now that is hate IMHO)

 

[Fragglemuppet]

Oh, I'm finding this very interesting! I myself have always liked Sidebottom. He's just so..magical, as are all the others of course, and it's always fun to watch him, although his methods are often questionable, try to help Boober against Boober's will.
It is a bit of a mystery though how the weapon got into Fraggle Rock... I figure if it's too small for a gorg, than it must have been through some human intervention. Oh well, I'm sure we'll find out soon!

 

[Redsonga]

I think it's not too much of a stretch to think that the fraggles at one time had war like humans and then learned from their mistakes and over thousands of years became peaceful...It a way they are suppose to mirror us on a smaller scale after all..You know, my question is exactly how long ago where the wars? If they only a few generations ago and fraggles have short memories to help them cope, that gives the minstrels mission (or how it started at least) to bring the rock together with music a whole new light...

Edit: Now that I think of it, they could have gotten the parts for it from the human world..hmmm :\...

 

[Redsonga]

Oh, I forgot to ask is this a one shot? It seems a bit cliff hangy to leave it like this (not to mention scary, I hope Boober is not going off the deep end !)

 

[RedPiggy]

I'm not sure I get it

There wasn't much of a plot, I admit. It's more of a character study (for me, anyway ... a lot of these one-shots are to help keep the characters in my head until the semester ends and I have 6 weeks to kill with ongoing stories).

as she never liked Sidebottom even before he suggested murder

Sidebottom wasn't suggesting murder. He knows Boober is depressed ... he's asking Boober if Boober is contemplating suicide. Boober then denies it. It's a little vague.

So, are you a supporter of Boober/Red?

Not really. Sidebottom is just teasing Boober (like on my Fraggle Shipping vid on youtube, where Red teases Mokey about Wembley/Boober after Mokey suggests Boober and Red had a fling during Marooned). I think they have potential as a pair, but not as a couple.

I myself have always liked Sidebottom.

I've always liked writing for characters with multiple personalities. It's why I team Boober/Sidebottom up with Mokey/Zhaan in the Comeback King.

although his methods are often questionable, try to help Boober against Boober's will.

Yeah. Sidebottom Blues was the inspiration for this story (or lack thereof). Sidebottom isn't cruel ... just impulsive. He just doesn't think things through sometimes. I consider him the anti-Kermit's Conscious from the Muppet Movie.

You know, my question is exactly how long ago where the wars? If they only a few generations ago and fraggles have short memories to help them cope, that gives the minstrels mission (or how it started at least) to bring the rock together with music a whole new light...

I debated this a LONG time before I finally settled on Boober's source of shame (and remember, HE hasn't done anything, just his ancestors). I agree with you that Fraggles live perhaps around a hundred years or so. The Oldest Fraggles barely remembered it. Considering they hid the weapons before the episode, it's obvious they didn't want that memory passed down. AAARRRGGGGHHH! Don't say things like that about the Minstrels! Now I have even MORE images in my head! Oh well, if you or anyone else want to use the Fraggle War as a start for the Minstrels, go for it. All my fics assume the Comeback King universe (though these prequel fics don't really mention it), and the Minstrel's start there was after the first Minstrel used music to calm the goblins of the Underground.

they could have gotten the parts for it from the human world

Seem kinda small. The weapons are barely taller than the Fraggles. They seem JUST RIGHT for goblins, though....

Oh, I forgot to ask is this a one shot? It seems a bit cliff hangy to leave it like this (not to mention scary, I hope Boober is not going off the deep end

Wasn't my intention to keep it going, but if my public demands

 

[Redsonga]

idebottom wasn't suggesting murder. He knows Boober is depressed ... he's asking Boober if Boober is contemplating suicide. Boober then denies it. It's a little vague.

Oh, I thought he was suggesting Boober murder other fraggles with the weapon..that was how it came over to me for some reason Ether I have a very dark side or something is missing a little IMHO...

I agree with you that Fraggles live perhaps around a hundred years or so. The Oldest Fraggles barely remembered it. Considering they hid the weapons before the episode, it's obvious they didn't want that memory passed down.

I'm glad to know someone agrees with me on the ages thing..My theroy is that they are childlike (although, some fraggles are born thinking more serious things are fun from the start) and age very slowly only truly showing their age when they are very very old...

AAARRRGGGGHHH! Don't say things like that about the Minstrels! Now I have even MORE images in my head! Oh well, if you or anyone else want to use the Fraggle War as a start for the Minstrels, go for it.

My idea for the reason they started actually is very different than that but somewhat the same (ack, I've been writing the minstrels so much it's starting to rub off ), and tries into Everything Seems To Sing a lot...

 

[RedPiggy]

Oh, I thought he was suggesting Boober murder other fraggles with the weapon..that was how it came over to me for some reason Ether I have a very dark side or something is missing a little IMHO...

I realized only after writing it that it could be taken that way ... but since Sidebottom has a ... quirky ... sense of humor, I decided to keep it vague. IMO, your clip of Boober Gorg, where Boober mis-sings a line and says he wants to cook Fraggles partly inspired this bit.

I'm glad to know someone agrees with me on the ages thing..My theroy is that they are childlike (although, some fraggles are born thinking more serious things are fun from the start) and age very slowly only truly showing their age when they are very very old...

The Gorgs seem to be the same way, though it's hard to tell. Junior is less than 500 years old during the series and is considered a child, but Pa is just barely double that. Pa also said that (if I recall, anyway) he was courting Ma at Junior's age. Either Pa was more mature (so to speak) or Pa was just more ... anxious to get ... the party started, so to speak.

 

[Redsonga]

The Gorgs seem to be the same way, though it's hard to tell. Junior is less than 500 years old during the series and is considered a child, but Pa is just barely double that. Pa also said that (if I recall, anyway) he was courting Ma at Junior's age. Either Pa was more mature (so to speak) or Pa was just more ... anxious to get ... the party started, so to speak.

The way I see Jr. the way he talks never changes, while he does get more mature about..certain things (I wonder, are we allowed to say? Hm, I'll use my fraggle word then; moonlight snuggling)..But then, I think it is a mix between knowing that learning disabled people far worst off than me can live full and rewarding lives (not that Jr. exactly is but you know), thinking that the gorg way of aging works a lot like the fraggles, only slower (basically child-like their whole lifes, with some of them born liking serious adult thinking), and the fact that Jr. has basically been raised in a bubble, since he is the only future his parents...Ack, anyway I'm saving all my ideas for my own crown story that's going to be the end of my series.

 

[The Shoe Fairy]

"moonlight snuggling'' LOL! Great euphemism Redsonga!