The Spectacular Spidey/Muppets Celebration

[muppetwriter]

Chapter 19

Flanzgo felt her feet come back to the ground. "Uncle Gonzo, I'm at the top, you two are just at the bottom of my chains!"

All of the Muppets behind Flanzgo were pulling with all their might. Piggy's face scrunched up as she used all of the strength from her karate chopping arms, Fozzie was glad that she was using that strength to help, and not hurt; him.

Flanzgo's body was up enought on the cliff that she could stand and hold onto her chains with both hands and now able to help pull. "Come on you Muppets, we're almost there!"

Piggy's purple gloved hands wrapped around Flanzgo's waist, Fozzie grabbed Piggy carefully, as not to touch anything he wasn't supposed to. Butch held onto Fozzie with his brute strength, and Clyde tugged on the blue monster's waits while Animal, Bobo, Rizzo and Pepe used all ten of their arms at once to save thier friends inside the chasm.

The slack of the chains reached the top of the cliff and slid along the throne room floor while the others began to step back in unison with each other in their amrs.

Finally, a green hand and a blue hand were seen by the group (or at leased those in the group that didn't have their eyes closed from pulling so hard, which were about two of them).

When the bodies of the two friends finally came to the top, the instant loss of weight sent the "chain" gang flying backwards on top of one another.
Kermit and Gonzo lay on their stomachs, finally feeling land as oposed to suspension. "Kermit..." Gonzo said.

"Yeah...Gonzo?" Kermit asked.

"That...was too cool..."

Flanzgo carefully set herself up from on top of Miss Piggy. "Sorry Miss Piggy," she said.

"Oh, no problem at all dear," Piggy said. "Now," she grunted. "Could you...Ugh...Help me up?"

"Yes...Please help her up..." Fozzie moaned from beneath the pounds of weight.

Flanzgo grasped Piggy's hand and pulled her up, Fozzie and all of the others stood up as well.

"Oh Kermie!" Piggy shouted running to her green groom.

"Gonzo Gonzo Gonzo!!" Rizzo squealed as he ran past the others towards the weirdo.

"Rizzo buddy!" Gonzo embraced the rat.

"Ooh, hey look over there Butch!" Clyde said. "It's one of those wrestling matches you love to watch on pay-per view!"

"That anin't no wrestlin' match! ...Although, those outfits do look like wrestling garb." Butch stroked his chin.

"What?" Gonzo asked. He turned around and witnessed his one and only brother engage Exod in life-threatening combat.

"Robin!" Kermit pointed to the wall. "Animal, Butch, get him down! And Ed too!"

"Oh, hey, I ccan get him Kermit," Bobo siad. "Us C.O.V.ies gotta stick together," the bear smiled. All of the Muppets ran to the wall, all except Gonzo and Flanzgo.

The two aliens stared across the chasm and at the leader of their people. A psi-wave split across the room towards Exod, who dodged, and countered with a shard of broken rock from a pillar he brought up from the ground. "Uncle Gonzo," Flanzgo placed her hand on her uncle's shouler.

Gonzo gulped. "I have to help him."

* ** ** ** ** ** *​

The black flames erupted in a roar in front of Xander's motionless body. Death emerged from the flames and moved toward the body. He shook his head slowly. "THIS WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN," he sighed. He picked the alien up into his arms and stepped back into the still flowing flames.

The slight distraction was not enough to turn away the violence ensuing between the two enemies that were Exod and Onzgo.

Gonzo ran over to the outer lining of the pseudo ring that was drawn around them. "Onzgo! Let me help you!"

"Gonzo, you can help by getting your friends and family out of here! Now!" his brother shouted back, dodging a rock.

Gonzo turned his body back to the wall where the prisoners hung. Zongo and Robin had been successfully removed from the wall and their chains and Flanzgo from hers, thanks to a little help from Animal. Gonzo turned back to his brother. "Alright, Onzgo I'll get my family out of here, when can you come wiht us?" Gonzo asked.

Onzgo blasted Exod with a shot of psi-power, knocking him on his side. "I will not be going with you my brother," Onzgo said courageously.

Gonzo rose his eyebrows. "What? Of course you are, let's go!"

Onzgo shook his head slowly. "The only way to bring Exod's terror to an end...Is for me to use all of my psychic powers in one mind-blowing blast. Literally."

Gonzo could barely breathe. "But...But...You can't..."

Onzgo smiled. "Do not worry for me my brother. It is every Gonzonian's wish to go out with such a bang! Let me live out my last act audaciously, courageously and all around groovy-like."

Gonzo smiled back at his brother for the last time. "I understand completely. I'll miss you," he hugged his brother.

Onzgo hugged back. "I will miss you too little brother. I love you, pbe sure to let my dear Flanzgo and all of my friends know the same."

"I will, I promise."

Onzgo grasped his brother's hand with both of his. "Take care of them Gonzo," he said quickly before running off.

A tear slipped from Gonzo's eye down his long nose and hit the floor. "Goodbye," he said to his brother quietly. He walked back and gathered his friends. "We have to get out of here and fast," he told all eleven of the people who gathered around him looking for guidance.

"But how?" Robin asked. "We're stuck here!"

"Yeah, we don't even have a spaceship!" Rizzo said.

Gonzo looked around. "We need to find a place where we can contact Des Filmer, he said he'd bring a ship when we needed him!"

"Well dis es a good idea, hokay?" Pepe said. "But how are we going to find a transmissions room?"

"Maybe he could help us," Kermit pointed towards Xaldin who was propped up against a wall, nursing his wounds.

"Kermit, are you crazy?" Fozzie asked. "He's the bad guy!" the bear whispered.

Gonzo took one last look around the throne room. "It looks like we don't have any other choice! C'mon!" the weirdo ran off with all of the other Muppets following behind him.

Flanzgo stood with her eyes glued on her father's attempt to distract Exod as his prisoners escaped.

"Flanzgo we have to go!" Zongo told her.

"I...I can't...I won't...I won't leave my dad."

"It's what your father wants princess," Zongo tried to tell her.

Flanzgo's knees buckled, she fell at Zongo's feet. Zongo kneeled down and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You must princess. It is your royal duty."

He took the alien by the hand and pulled her along with him towards Xaldin and the rest of the gang. Flanzgo cried, Zongo's eyes began to mist and Onzgo prepared to die.

* ** ** ** ** ** *​

Death returned to the Muppet Theater with Xander's motionless body in his arms. He lay the alien's body down on the ragged couch inside Uncle Deadly's quarters.

Uncle Deadly walked up behind Death slowly. "What...What has happened to him?"

Death stood straight up. "HIS BROTHER. HE HAS FINALLY BEEN FREED FROM HIS BROTHER."

Uncle Deadly placed his hand on the alien's chest. "But he's..."

Death nodded. "HE HAS DIED. AND THAT IS THE ONLY WAY HE COULD BE FREE."

Uncle Deadly sighed. "What will we be doing with him?"

"I HAVE NOT DECIDED YET," Death declared. "BUT ONE THING IS FOR CERTAIN, EXOD WILL NOT COME IN CONTACT WITH XANDER'S SOUL EVER AGAIN."

"And Exod is his brother...?" Deadly asked.

"YES, AND THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF YOUR FRIENDS."

Deadly nodded. "Than perhaps it really is best for this one to stay away."

Death had a sudden thought. "PERHAPS NOT," he said. "PERHAPS HE DOES HAVE A USE BACK ON HIS PLANET OF EXODIA. BUT ONLY TIME WILL TELL."

* ** ** ** ** ** *​

"We interrupt this fan-fiction for a Muppet Newsflash!" the Muppet Newsman said from behind his desk. "Our studio has just been informed that the tour bus carrying the Senior Citizen Penguin Vacation Club has crashed on a beach near San Francisco, California! One can only wonder how those poor penguins; who are used to such chilled environments; are handling the hot summer day."

Suddenly, a group of penguins fell from above the Newsman's head. What quack quack whack!" the penguins quacked around the newsroom.
"What is going on here?" the Newsman asked.

A penguin ran up with a cue card in his hands and held it up in front of him, it read, "DANCE."

"This is no dance hall! This is a newsroom!"

The penguin held up another cue card from his stack that read, "AWW."

"Don't try sympathy with me Zany! This is no time for cue cards!"

"SIGH" the next cue card Zany the Penguin held up read.

"Will you please knock it off you insane penguin?! The heart rate of the readers are dropping rapidly!" the Newsman shouted, he looked up. "No! No! Heart rates not heart-" crates of heart shaped boxes of chocolate fell from the ceiling, burying the Newsman underneath. "Crates..." his muffled voice said.

Zany held up another cue card that read, "AHH." He looked down at it and shook his head, he shifted through his pile of cards and found a different one, he held up his last cue card reading, "LAUGH." Zany and all of the other penguins continued to dance around the studio and laugh.

The Muppet Newsman poked his bedraggled head from beneath the candy. "Ugh...We now return you to your regularly scheduled fan-fiction..."

 

[muppetwriter]

I forgot all about that last part to Chapter 19. I loved it (and still do)! It seems like that'll be the only time The Muppet Newsman will be doing my job for me. (lol!)

But, like he said, we now return you to your regularly scheduled fan-fiction.


Chapter 20

"And that is why no self-respecting American citizen would dare endanger the lives of creatures such as the glorious penguins," Sam Eagle preached.

"Voody voody, poonguin flip flip flip flip flip!" The Swedish Chef countered in his mock Swedish tongue.

"Yes I know they flip, that’s all they ever do. Flip!" Sam shouted.

"Are you two still arguin’ about those flippin’ penguins?" Floyd asked.

Sam gasped. "How dare you use such language in a family forum’s fan-fiction?!"

"Hey man, calm down, I just said flippin’!" Floyd argued.

Sam threw his arms in the air. "There it is AGAIN! Silence your toilet mouth mister Pepper! Please!"

"C’mon Sam it’s no big deal!"

"No big deal?! NO BIG DEAL?! It is a HUGE deal Floyd! We represent the pinnacle of American society!"

"Yaber floo dee yahoo der usa!"

"That’s U.S.A. dude."

"Uh, hey guys," Rowlf interjected. "We gotta get back to the story," he whispered.

Sam shifted his eyes towards Rowlf. "Oh, oh yes, of course."

"Good," Rowlf nodded. "Okay guys, that’s your cue!" Rowlf called off.

A knock on the theater front door made all of the Muppets turn towards it in alarm. No one moved. Another knocking. Still, no one moved.

Clifford looked around. "Fine, I’ll get it!" He walked up to the theater’s lobby, where outside the glass doors he could see a man carrying a red, square-shaped bag. The man knocked on the glass and pointed to the bag. He mouthed, "I’ve got ten pizzas here for a Mr. R.V. Truck."

Clifford took off his glasses. "Man, there ain’t nobody here, or in the world that has that name," Clifford said back.

"I can’t here you," the pizza man mouthed.

"Well we’re locked in! I can’t open the door!" Clifford shouted.

"I don’t have any more."

"Door! Door!"

"No I won’t go back to the store!"

Clifford slapped his head. "Man, just go away!"

"You have to pay!"

Clifford shook his head. "Fine if I pay will you leave?" he pulled out his wallet and put it against the glass.

The man gave a thumbs up and nodded. He put the bag of pizzas on the ground. He put both of his hands on the glass window and began to take them off, and put them back on, take them off, and put them back on.

Clifford counted how many times the man did that. "Fifteen..." he said under his breath. "150 bucks for pizzas I didn’t order?! No way am I payin’!"

"Well, I don’t know how long I can stay...I’m on a tight shift."

Clifford muttered something under his breath and pulled out two one-hundred dollar bills from his wallet. "I don’t got a fifty, can you make change?" he asked, slipping the money under the door.

"Keep the change? Alright mac, thanks! I’ll just leave the pizza out here!" the man mouthed, pocketing the money and jogging back to his delivery car.

Clifford placed his face flat against the window. As the car drove away, he slammed his
fist on the glass. "One of these days Uncle D., one of these days..."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

​

Butch hoisted Xaldin up by his shirt and slammed him against the wall. "Okay buster, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way, take your pick!"

"Go for the easy way, trust me," Clyde whispered.

Kermit scrunched up his face. "Butch, put him down."

Butch shrugged and let go of Xaldin, sending him falling to the ground. Kermit kneeled down in front of the alien and put a hand on his shoulder. "Excuse me, but, uh, I’m Kermit the Frog, and these are my friends, and we’re trying to get out of here, could you tell us where the nearest communications room is please?"

"I t’ink Kermit spent too much time on Sesame Street," Rizzo whispered to Pepe.

Xaldin raised his eye, questioning the frog. "I’ll tell you..." he said softly. "But you have to take me with you."

"Uncle Kermit I don’t know about this," Robin spoke up.

Flanzgo wiped her eye. "Yeah Kermit, he helped Exod," she said through her tears.

Kermit looked into Gonzo’s white eyes. "It’s up to you Gonzo."

Gonzo sighed. "It’s like you said before Kermit, we don’t have a choice."

Kermit nodded. "Alright Xaldin, you can come with us."

Xaldin smiled. "Thank you," he said as pain coursed through his bones. "But, uh, could I get a ride from one of those big fellas?"

Bobo picked up the alien and hoisted him onto his back. "There ya go."

Zongo patted his old assistant’s shoulder. "You haven’t changed a bit Rentro."

"Oh yeah I have, it’s Bobo now."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

​

Xaldin led the group through the halls, pointing his fingers from his spot on Bobo’s back. "Hang a left up here!" he said.

"Left?" Gonzo asked.

"Right!"

"I thought you said it was left!"

"Right, it is left."

"Well what is it? Right, right?"

"Left!"

"Sideways!"

"March!"

"May!"

The group halted. "Wait a second..." Gonzo said. "What are we talking about?"

"Turn left!!" Xaldin shouted.

The others turned left and into a large room with an equally large
computer/communication system.

"Someone does know how to work this thing, right?" Piggy asked.

Zongo walked up to the controls. "Well, it is a bit different than the Gonzonian’s controls, but I think I can work it."

"Great!" Gonzo said. "But could you hurry Ed, sorry, Zongo, Onzgo’s waiting on us. I don’t know how long he can hold off Exod."

Flanzgo sulked off into the corner of the room and pulled her knees to her chest, holding them there. She sighed and began to cry again for her father.

Robin noticed this and hopped over to Flanzgo. "Hey, don’t worry, it’ll all be okay, I just know it!"

Flanzgo shook her head. "Not this time Robin."

Robin rubbed his shoulder. "Well, um...I’m still here for you," the young frog smiled.

Flanzgo smiled back. "Thank you Robin, that means a lot coming from a person I’ve only known for a few hours."

"You’re welcome," Robin grinned.

Flanzgo sighed again. "I’m just going to miss him so much...He’s all I have."

Robin sat down next to his friend. "I’ll miss him too, but ya know, you still have Gonzo
and Zongo over there, and Mr. Filmer seems nice too!"

Flanzgo shed a tear. "It’s just not the same...He was my dad...I...I just don’t know how to say goodbye to him..."

Robin perked up a bit. "Well than I know just the song to help you!"

The frog cleared his throat and began to sing. "Saying goodbye, going away
Seems like goodbye’s such a hard thing to say," Robin grabbed Flanzgo’s hand.
"Touching a hand, wondering why
It’s time for saying goodbye."

Gonzo joined his niece and Robin with his hand on Robin’s back. "Saying goodbye, why is it sad
Makes us remember the good times we’ve had
Much more to say, foolish to try
It’s time for saying goodbye."

"Don’t want to leave
But we both know
Sometimes it’s better to go," Robin chimed back in.

"Somehow I know we’ll meet again
Not sure quite where and I don’t know just when
He’s in our hearts so until then
It’s time for saying goodbye," Gonzo sang to Flanzgo who smiled and sang herself.

"Somehow I know we’ll meet again
Not sure quite where and I don’t know just when
He’s in our hearts so until then
It’s time for saying goodbye..." she sang softly. Gonzo hugged his niece and helped her up off the ground.

"I love you Flanzgo," Gonzo said.

"Thank you so much Uncle Gonzo," she cried on his shoulder. "I love you too."

Zongo shouted from the computer. "Des is on his way, we need to get to the hanger,
now!"

Gonzo, Robin and Flanzgo followed the others out of the room and down the hall, preparing to leave Onzgo forever.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

​

Death had sat back down in one of Uncle Deadly’s armchairs, but Deadly remained with Xander’s body.

He ran his hand along the alien’s chest and caressing his head. "His brother...He did this
to him..."

Death lifted his head and looked at the ceiling. "DEADLY, I HAVE NEVER SEEN YOU GIVE THIS MUCH COMPASSION BEFORE."

Uncle Deadly closed his eyes and sat down on the floor. "I just have great sympathy for the dead," the phantom said quietly. "This...Well it’s not life, Death. Death is not life..."

"HENCE THE DIFFERENT NAMES FOR EACH THING."

"That isn’t what I meant," Deadly said, somewhat harshly. "But you wouldn’t understand Death, you just bring death, but you’ve never experienced it, you’re immortal."

Death nodded. "I CANNOT DISAGREE WITH YOU. YOU MAY SAY I DON’T PRACTICE WHAT I PREACH."

Deadly exhaled through his snout. "Please Death, don’t banish this one to the afterlife that isn’t in this universe...Let this one stay...Just as you did me..."

Death put his scythe across his lap. "I SHALL CONSIDER IT."

 

[muppetwriter]

The excitement continues.

Chapter 21

The spaceship touched down on the surface of Exodia softly, Des Filmer ran out of the ship to meet the group running for the ship. "What is going on?" Des asked. Zongo hadn’t had time to explain to Des over the communication system.

Gonzo stopped at Des’ side as all the other Muppets ran past them. "We’ve gotta go Des, that’s all that matters," Gonzo told him.

"But...Where’s Onzgo?" Des asked quietly.

Gonzo inhaled deeply. "He’s not coming with us."

Des nodded slowly. "Alright," he sniffed. "Let’s get this ship back to our craft."

Gonzo and Des ran back into the spaceship with the others. "Alright everybody, buckle up!" Kermit shouted from his seat next to Robin.

"Wow, Kermit has spent a lot of time on Sesame Street," Fozzie said, fastening his safety harness.

Zongo took the co-pilot’s chair next to Des. The alien started the ship and ignited the engines.

Flanzgo stared out the window with her hand laying on the glass. "Goodbye dad," she whispered. The ship pulled up off the surface of Exodia, with Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Animal, Rizzo, Pepe, Robin, Bobo, Zongo, Des Filmer, Xaldin and Flanzgo sitting silently inside leaving Onzgo forever.

* * * * * * * * * * * *​

Onzgo’s psychic powers felt his brother and daughter blast off into space, he closed his eyes and stood up straight. "Goodbye Flanzgo," he whispered to himself.

"Well?" Exod bellowed. "Do you plan to attack?"

Onzgo opened his eyes and stared directly into Exod’s. "Yes, for the last time."

"What are you going on about?"

"This is it Exod, these are your final moments," Onzgo said with rage.
Exod laughed. "You can’t be serious."

Onzgo stepped forward, readying his mind. He knew that no matter what happened, he wouldn’t make it off the planet. His final wish was that the onslaught he was about to unleash would wipe out Exod along with him.

"I am serious Exod!" Onzgo shouted. "You don’t know how serious I am."

Exod stood straight as well. "And I suppose you intend to tell me?"

"I do! And do you know why Exod?" Onzgo shouted. "Because you are alone in this, and every other world! Your loyal servants have ditched you, your prisoners have escaped with your servants, and you have killed your own brother! You are LOW Exod! LOW!" Onzgo placed his hands on his giant head. "And now, you pay!"

Exod began to grow afraid for the first time he could remember. "You...You can’t do anything to me...I am invincible!"

"YOU ARE NOT!" Onzgo screamed. He concentrated all of his thoughts and energy onto his psychic powers. "THIS is for your brother Xaldin and the rest of the people under your tyranical rule!" he screamed, sending a shot of energy from his mind directly into Exod, breaking both of his arms.

"THIS is for the Earthlings!"

Both of Exod’s legs broke as he collapsed to the floor.

"THIS is for my people!"

Exod’s ribs shattered.

"THIS is for my daughter Flanzgo!" Onzgo felt his power depleting, the next shot would be his last.

"AND THIS IS FOR GONZO!" Onzgo cried in his last shot of rage. Psychic energy filled the room breaking the windows, cracking the walls and the floor. Onzgo screamed from the depths of his soul as his mind overcame both him and Exod. Their bodies began to dissolve from the intense force created by Onzgo’s powers. Onzgo stopped screaming. He let out one long sigh and said: "It...Is...Over..." Onzgo’s body disappeared into the atmosphere, the alien leader had died his valiant death and the people of the universe knew it.

* * * * * * * * * * * *​

The chaos at the Muppet Theater stopped dead in its tracks. No one moved. They all froze as if time had stopped.

The Electric Mayhem stopped their song right in the middle of the chorus, they all stared up into the air. "Man, what happened?"

Bunsen and Beaker stopped building their latest invention down in Muppet Labs. "Mee me mo?"

"I have no idea Beaker..."

The Swedish Chef and Lew Zealand stopped arguing over the use of fish in meals. "Wow...What was that?"

"Her foo dee clunder."

Scooter, Clifford and Rowlf all looked at each other. "Did you..."

"Feel that?"

"Yeah..."

Each Muppet in the theater didn’t move for two minutes, but after the few minutes was up all returned to however normal the Muppets could be.

* * * * * * * * * * * *​

It hit Uncle Deadly like a jolt of lightning. "Death-"

"WE MUST GO DEADLY, THERE IS MUCH TO DO," Death stood up and grabbed Xander’s body and pulled up more black flames. "LET US GO."

"You want me to go with you?" Deadly asked.

"YOU DO WANT TO SEE YOUR FRIENDS AGAIN, CORRECT?" Deadly nodded. "THEN LET US GO."

Death and Uncle Deadly stepped into the black flames and disappeared from the Muppet Theater.

* * * * * * * * * * * *​

"AH!" Flanzgo screamed. She grabbed her arm and fell to the floor.

"What the-" Piggy started. "Kermie, help!" she called the frog from her seat next to the princess. Piggy lifted her body back into the chair.

"What is going on back there?" Des Filmer called back.

"It’s Flanzgo! She’s hurt!" Robin said.

All of the Muppets gathered around Flanzgo. "What’s wrong princess?" Bobo asked.

"I think she has a royal pain! Ahhh!" Fozzie joked.

"Fozzie!" Kermit shot the bear a look. "What happened?" Kermit asked calmly, kneeling over with a hand on her shoulder.

"Pain..." she said through tears. "Like a bullet...I felt it...My dad’s dead..."

The Muppets were silent. Butch and Clyde looked at each other’s faces. Piggy clenched Kermit’s hand with her gloved hand. Fozzie grabbed his hat twiddled it around through his fingers.

"I felt it too."

The Muppet’s heads turned to Gonzo who had spoken up. "Gonzo buddy..." Rizzo whispered.

Gonzo stood up. "He’s gone. He’s...He’s..." another tear fell from Gonzo’s eye. "He’s gone..."

Flanzgo clenched her mouth tightly and let the tears finally fall. Everyone on the ship let at least one tear fall. "It...Is...Over..."

 

[muppetwriter]

Chapter 22

Silence reigned as the spaceship returned to the Gonzonian craft. Des Filmer landed the ship in the hangar and everyone departed, heads hanging down.

The group was met with the stares of Gonzonian eyes. There was no noise, just stares.

Zongo placed and arm on Flanzgo’s shoulder. She turned her head towards the man and he nodded. She closed her eyes and stepped forward from the group. "My people," she said very softly. "Exod has been destroyed."

The many Gonzonians cheered their princess and her Earthling friends. A riot of Gonzonian happiness spread throughout the landing bay.

But fifteen of them stood silently. Flanzgo began to break down in tears, Gonzo moved forward and calmed down the crowd. "Please, listen to me," he begged. "Exod may have been destroyed...But...But Onzgo...Onzgo had to sacrifice himself to do it. Onzgo...Is gone."

The ruckus ended, and again, it was pure silence. That was the funny thing about silence, it was so pure, and yet at the same time so heart wrenchingly nerve racking.

"This is your new leader," Zongo spoke up. "The Great Gonzo!"

Some murmurs emerged from the silence. Gonzo frowned and shook his head. "I can’t...I can’t lead these people."

The murmurs were replaced with gasps and "oh mys." Gonzo rubbed his head. "I...I don’t know these people...They need someone who knows them and knows what’s best for them. Someone brave and strong." Piggy cleared her throat and stepped forward. "That is why my niece Flanzgo will assume the position," Gonzo said. Piggy muttered and stepped back.

Flanzgo wiped her eyes. Brave and strong? She couldn’t believe that this was her Gonzo was talking about. "Gonzo...Not me...It can’t be me..."

Gonzo placed his hand onto his niece’s shoulder he stared into her eyes, showing all the compassion he could. "It is," the weirdo said blankly. "It is you Flanzgo."

"We all have faith in you princess," Zongo smiled towards her. "All of us."

The other Gonzonians grew in appreciation for their princess. Their cheers of faith filled the hangar. Flanzgo’s tears of grief turned to tears of happiness with the jeers and support of her people. "Thank you all," she said through the salt water.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

​

Dr. Teeth held the phone receiver to his head backstage at the theater. "You sure Lips my man?" he said into the phone, twirling the twisted cord in around his green finger. "Mmm, lost your voice? Man, I know the feelin’. See ya."

Dr. Teeth hung up the phone and turned to the questioning looks of the three remaining band members. "Well, it looks like we’ve got no other choice," Floyd sighed. "Bean boy, you’re up!"

A gigantic squeal emerged from behind the band as Bean Bunny hopped halfway to the ceiling. "Whee! Oh goody goody goody!" the bunny shouted. "I get to play some music in a group of music players!"

Dr. Teeth covered both of his eyes and moaned. "Listen up spunky bunny, we do not play some music in a group of music players," Dr. Teeth’s philosophically deep voice said. "We jam in a band of fantasting amastic voids of psychedelic groovieness!"

"Like fer sure little bean," Janice chimed in. "If we wanted to ‘play some music in a group of music players’ we’d get Sam to hire Bobby Benson and his all baby band."

"Wha’?" Zoot woke up. "Janice and Sam got a baby in a band?"

Sam shot out of a dressing room in the upper level backstage. "Absolutely not!" he shouted, returning to the room, slamming the door.

"Rully," Janice said. "It would, like, never work out."

"Hey baby, that’s what we say about green stuff and pork rinds! But that’s only because they don’t have access to a gym! Heh heh heh!" Floyd laughed.

"So do I get to play my cute little harmonica or not?" Bean spoke up.

Clifford poked his head backstage. "Hey ya’ll, we need the Mayhem on stage."

"We hear ya Cliff, but we need our drummer!" Floyd said.

"I could invent a drummer that would double-NO! Triple Animal’s caffeine intake in a matter of moments!" Bunsen ran in, with Beaker at his side, as always.

"NO!" the group of Muppets (including Sam who had reemerged from his hermitage) shouted in unison.

"You mean I don’t get to play my cute little harmonica?" Bean whined.

Scooter tapped Clifford on the shoulder. "Hey Clifford, should I be writing down all these fights for Kermit?"

"Man, will you get off my back?!" Clifford shouted. "And I’ve gotta get this thing off my chest!" Clifford pulled a rat off his chest. "What are you doin’ man?"

The rat shook violently in Clifford’s grasp. "The end of the world! It’s coming! IT’S COMING!!"

"Hey rat, I’ve been thinkin’ that since ‘89. It ain’t comin’," Clifford tossed the rat behind his shoulder, into Scooter’s hands. And picked up the Muppet Labs Interstellar Cellular Phone off the go-fer’s belt. Clifford held the invention up to his dread-locked head. Well, there’s a ring tone, so it’s on. But Kerm still hasn’t tried to call. What is goin’ on up there? The co-host thought to himself, tossing the phone behind him. Scooter fumbled with it as he tried to catch it.

"Hey Clifford, calm down, I’ve only got two hands! Just like you!" Scooter said with both hands full.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

​

Uncle Deadly and Death emerged from the black flames inside a dark room. Sounds of computers buzzing and monitors beeping filled the air. Deadly looked up at Death, "Where are we my fiend?" he asked.

"CURRENTLY WE FIND OURSELVES INSIDE THE GONZONIAN MAIN COMMUNICATIONS ROOM," Death said as he lay Xander’s body on the ground. "I AM HERE ON BUSINESS, THERE ARE SOME WANDERING SPIRITS THAT NEED MY INTERVENING."

"Am I to go with you?" the confused phantom asked.

"YOU ASSUME TOO MUCH DEAR DEADLY," Death grasped his scythe tightly. "YOU DO HAVE FRIENDS HERE AFTER ALL."

Death placed the butt of his scythe on Deadly’s back, pushing him out the door, closing and locking it behind him.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

​

Kermit joined in the embracing of the newly proclaimed ruler of Gonzonia. The frog was suddenly smothered with Miss Piggy’s cuddling embrace. "Piggy, please," Kermit tried pushing her off.

"Oh mon capitan, don’t stop the love," Piggy swooned.

Piggy stroked his green head. "Piggy...Why do you insist on doing this, here, and now?"

"Oh Kermie, it’s just, such action-packed heroics makes moi feel like..." Kermit drifted off as Piggy’s voice trailed away. He looked around the hangar at a prominent blue speck that emerged suddenly. He stared hard at the blue blob, trying to figure out what it could be. He realized finally that it was Uncle Deadly. "I mean, vous wouldn’t want moi going off with Gonzo the hero, now would vous?" Piggy rubbed Kermit’s arms.

"Yeah...Yeah Piggy, okay," Kermit tried to push her off so he could go to Deadly.

"WHAT?!" Piggy screamed. She planned on sending Kermit to Deadly, just not how the frog would’ve hoped. "HI-YAH!!"

She smacked Kermit in the chest sending him flying across the hangar in front of Uncle Deadly.

"Oh...Kermit..." Deadly said, hoisting Kermit up onto his feet. "I see you flew in to see me, how nice."

 

[muppetwriter]

MARVELOUS UPDATE!!!​

After the repost of the final chapter to Ryan's marvelous story, "Old Friends Who've Just Met", we'll have an interview with two of his original characters from that tale, Butch and Clyde, who will star in the upcoming third crossover. And, in addition, we'll have another "MARVELOUS Mini" story that centers on my version of the symbiote story and will include characters from both Muppets From Space and Ryan's story.

 

[muppetwriter]

Chapter 23

Death stood alone inside silent the communications room. He stared down at the dead body of Xander. He extended his scythe and touched Xander’s chest with the blade. Gently, he sliced Xander down the chest opening a wound. The slice in his body glowed as the alien rose from the floor, onto his own two feet. Xander’s eyes shot open.

"WELCOME TO NEW LIFE XANDER, I AM DEATH, YOUR EMPLOYER," Death’s voice chilled the air around the reborn alien.

Xander looked at his hands. "I...I’m alive...?" Xander spoke with his new voice.

"NO," Death said blankly. "YOU HAVE BEEN RESPAWNED BY ME. YOU ARE NOW MY EMPLOYEE."

Xander shook his head vigorously. "No. I won’t. I won’t be someone else’s slave!"

Death slammed the base of his scythe down on the floor, silencing the stammering alien. "NOW YOU LISTEN HERE," Death said to Xander. "I AM NOT A PATIENT ARCHANGEL, SO I WILL MAKE THIS BRIEF. YOU ARE NOONE’S SLAVE ANYMORE XANDER, I HAVE SET YOU FREE."

Xander winced. "But...But you said I was your employee."

"YOU ARE. BUT I DO NOT ENSLAVE YOU. ANYTIME YOU TIRE OF LIVING A SECOND LIFE, I WILL GRANT YOU ETERNAL DEATH. TRUST ME, THIS IS A GOOD THING YOU HAVE GOING, AND IS ONLY GIVEN TO A SPECIAL GROUP. CONSIDER IT A BLESSING."

Xander inhaled. "Promise me I will answer to noone."

"YOU WILL ANSWER TO NOONE. BUT, YOU WILL HELP ME AT TIMES WHEN YOU ARE NEEDED, IS THAT ALRIGHT?’

Xander nodded, silently thanking Death for freeing him from the prison that was his brother.

"GOOD. NOW, COME WITH ME. IT IS TIME FOR YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT," Death led Xander into more black flames, taking them inot the corners of space.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

​

Piggy grasped Kermit’s arm with both of hers and squeezed tightly. She was glad she packed a black outfit.

The Gonzonians filed into a large chamber for Onzgo’s funeral. Gonzo, Zongo, Flanzgo, Des Filmer and Xaldin held the esteemed positions in the front row of seats with Kermit, Piggy, Robin, Fozzie, Animal, Rizzo, Pepe, Bobo, Butch and Clyde sitting in the two rows behind them.

Fozzie held Robin in his lap. The young frog ran his fingers through Fozzie’s fur. "Fozzie, I miss Onzgo."

"I didn’t know him," Fozzie sighed down at the floor.

Robin put his tiny hand on Fozzie’s. "I think you did," Robin pointed to Gonzo in the row in front. Fozzie smiled and nodded.

"Psst, Pepe," Rizzo whispered to the king prawn.

"Si?"

"Didja tell Gonzo yet?"

"Tell Gonso what?"

"About the jacuzzi!"

"Oh! No, no I did not tell him nothing jet. I’m waiting for de perfect moment, hokay?"

"And when will dat be?"

"I don’t know, but not now! Dios mio Ritzo, we are at a funeral, hokay? How insensitive."

Clyde nudged Butch. "Hey, hey boss, have you ever felt...Like...You know, you don’t belong?"

"Heh, well there was that all cow party I went to...I felt really out of place there..."

"Well...I don’t really feel right here..."

Butch shrugged. "Me either Clyde. But, uh, let’s make a promise, no more stealin’ rockets or leakin’ alien info, alright?"

"Okay," Clyde nodded. "But if we go back to C.O.V.N.E.T. without any information we’ll be fired!"

"Meh, one good job leads to another I always say."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

​

Death and Xander floated in the blackness of space, flying above the surface of Exodia.

"What are we looking for?" Xander asked.

"SPIRITS."

"Spirits? Whose spirits?"

"TWO PEOPLE YOU MAY KNOW. ONE YOU KNOW VERY WELL."

Xander floated along silently. "YOUR BROTHER WAS DESTROYED BY ONZGO. HE SACRIFICED HIMSELF TO END YOUR BROTHER’S ANARCHY FOREVER."

Xander stopped midair. "It is over."

Death did not stop with Xander, he continued to hover over the surface. "YES, YES IT IS. NOW COME, WE HAVE TO FIND THE SPIRITS. I AM IN A HURRY, MY TEA SCHEDULE IS VERY BOOKED."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

​

A vibrantly dressed Gonzonian walked onto the stage on looking the audience. He wore a shining gold cape and red shirt with a sparkling gold sash across it. His feathery skin was a light shade of purple, and his nose and mouth had an orange hue, as did the hair combed over atop his head.

He approached the front of the stage with his band behind him, each with a different, brightly colored, Gonzonian instrument.

The singer held his eyes closed behind his sunglasses and sighed into his microphone, "This one’s for Onzgo," he said softly. Three singers entered slowly and began to chant as the band began to play.

"Ingonyama nengw’ enamabala," the three singers chanted four times.

Drums were played continuously.

"Night
And the spirit of life
Callin’" the main singer sang.

"Oh oh iyo," the three singers sang.

"Mamela."

"And a voice
With the fear of a child
Answers."

"Oh oh iyo."

"Oh mamela," the singer sang in an ancient alien language.

"Oh oh iyo."

"Ubukhosi bo khokho
We ndodana ye
Sizwe sonke," the larger of the three singers sang alone.

"Wait
There’s no mountain too great," the main singer sang.
"Here the words and have faith."

"Oh oh iyo."

The crowd all smiled at the song as their minds were filled with memories of their leader.

"Have faith."

"Hela hey mamela," the three singers chanted four times.

"Ingonyama nengw’ enamabala," they chanted through the chorus.

"He lives in you," the main singer pointed out into the crowd.
"He lives in me," he pointed to himself.
"He watches over," placing a hand over his eyes, peering out on the crowd.
"Everything we see
Into the water," he pointed, moving his arm up and down, moving it from left to right.
"Into the truth
In your reflection," he jumped forward, pointing out.
"He lives in you."

"Ingonyama nengw’ enamabala," chanted the three three more times, leading to a musical interlude.

"He lives in you
He lives in me
He watches over
Everything we see."

"Ingonyama nengw’ enamabala," the entire band chanted through the chorus.

"Into the water
Into the truth
In your reflection
He lives in you."

"He lives in you."

"Oh oh iyo."

"He lives in you."

The aliens all continued chanting in their ancient dialogue, but everyone seemed to know what they meant, as if Onzgo was connecting them to the words.

"So wait
There’s no mountain to great
Hear the words and have faith.

"Have faith!" the main singer and the three others sang in harmony.

The band raised the tempo and all of the spirits of the Gonzonians rose dramatically with the tempo.

"He lives in you."

"He lives in me," Gonzo whispered softly.

"He watches over
Everything we see
Into the water
Into the truth
In your reflection
He lives in you!

"He lives in you!" all of the band began to sing along as the entire room of Gonzonian’s took over the chanting of "Hela hey mamela."

"He lives in me!
He watches over
Everything we see
Into the water
Into the truth
In your reflection
He lives in you.

"He lives in you."

"Ingonyama nengw’ enamabala."

"He lives in you," the singer stifled tears as he walked off stage.

"He lives in you," Gonzo told Flanzgo.

Flanzgo grasped her uncle’s hand as tears slid down her cheek. "He lives in you."

 

[muppetwriter]

Chapter 24

The funeral continued onward with tributes from Zongo and Flanzgo respectively.

Uncle Deadly was perched on a metal railing in the back of the room. He had his head set on his two hands and watched the proceedings of the funeral for someone he didn’t even know.

Deadly felt a hand on his shoulder, he turned his head around and was met eye to eye with Kermit. "Hello there frog."

"Hi ho Uncle Deadly. How are you?" the frog asked, moving forward and leaning on the rail next to the phantom.

"I will not lie to you Kermit, I’m terribly confused," Deadly smiled.

Kermit grinned. "Welcome to the club, we have t-shirts."

Deadly chuckled. "It’s just...So much compassion for one person. I only wish my own funeral was like this."

"Well how do you know it wasn’t?"

"I was there."

Kermit scrunched up his face. "Well, uh, that would be one way to know how your own funeral was."

"It’s funny Kermit."

"What, my joke?"

Deadly rose his eye. "Have I ever laughed at one of your jokes?"

Kermit nodded. "Yup, right up there," Kermit pointed upward. "See? ‘Deadly chuckled.’ Right there, you laughed at one of my jokes."

"Frog, you’ve passed the fourth wall and you’ve almost broken down the sixth, quit while you’re ahead," Deadly told him.

"Oh right, sorry. But, uh, what’s funny Uncle Deadly?"

The specter sighed. "I think my funeral would have a better attendance if I died today than it did back when I was alive."

Kermit patted Uncle Deadly on his back. "Maybe we’ll hold you another funeral one day my friend," the frog said, taking his hand off of Deadly’s back. He stuck out his flipper to Uncle Deadly.

Deadly stared down at the hand and then moved his gaze back to Kermit’s face. He crossed past the hand and gave Kermit a hug. Kermit smiled, and hugged Uncle Deadly back.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

​

"THERE!" Death pointed his skeletal hand forward.

Xander searched around with his eyes. "What? Where?"

"THE SPIRITS," Death reported. "WE HAVE FOUND THEM."

"I see nothing but space!"

"LOOK HARDER."

Xander was puzzled. That didn’t even make sense.

"BUT WHY MAKE SENSE WHEN IT IS MORE PROFITABLE TO MAKE DOLLARS?" Death asked.

Xander was taken aback. "You read my mind?"

"ONE OF THE MANY TOOLS OF THE TRADE," Death flew forward and stopped abruptly. "I CANNOT GUIDE THE SPIRITS HOME UNLESS YOU SEE THEM AS WELL XANDER."

Xander exhaled through his nose and stared with all his might to where Death was standing. Two formations slowly began to make themselves visible, finally becoming the spiritual remains of Exod and Onzgo.

"I see them Death," Xander said angrily. "And Exod is still there."

"YOU MUST PUT ASIDE YOUR RAGE FOR NOW XANDER, WE HAVE TO DELIVER THESE SOULS TO THE OTHER WORLD."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

​

Just hours after the funeral had ended, Gonzo and the rest of the Earthlings were ready to return to their home.

"Hey Kermit, Kermit! How are we going to get home?" Fozzie asked.

"Yeah, dat Exod fella destroyed our spaceship!" Rizzo said.

"Hey technically that’s our spaceship!" Clyde shouted.

Butch smacked Clyde upside the head. "Shut it shorty! We just got in their good graces, don’t ruin it! Again!"

"Sorry boss-Butch. Butch boss."

"I think we can handle your little ship problem," Des Filmer told the group. "Come with me!" he said, leading them to the docking bay.

"Alright Foz, let’s bounce!" Piggy shouted to Fozzie.

"Ugh...Okay Piggy," the bear said, with four suitcases stacked in his arms.

The Muppets and their friends followed Des to the hangar where they saw a glimmering silver spaceship about a quarter of the size of the actual room.

"Whoa!"

"Dios mio! Es incredible!"

"Yup, you’re looking at the S.S. Onzgo," Des Filmer smiled to the group. "Built especially for your return home, which will be its maiden voyage Gonzo."

Des handed the weirdo a key. Gonzo accepted willingly, he had begun to realize there was no arguing with these people. "Thank you Des, I’ll miss you." Gonzo embraced the technician. He turned to Zongo who bowed to him.

"We will never forget you Gonzo."

"Thanks Ed, it’s been...Well...It’s been, hasn’t it?" Gonzo smiled.

Zongo smiled back and stuck his arms out at his side, signaling for a hug.

Gonzo nodded and slipped away to where Flanzgo was standing. "You know Flanzgo, it feels so weird being an uncle." Flanzgo frowned a bit. "I love it!" Gonzo hugged her tightly. "Keep in touch won’t you?"

"OH NO!" Kermit shouted. "We forgot to call Scooter!" Kermit yanked out the phone and pressed a button, holding the phone up to his ear.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

​

"Oh! Coom beckere chickie!" The Swedish Chef shouted, chasing Camilla around the theater.

"Chicken for dinner? But I have my figure to think about," Link Hogthrob moaned.

"Yes, you have to figure how to fit into your ‘Pigs in Space’ outfit after all these years!" Dr. Julius Strangepork laughed.

"Is there NO time in this theater for peace, quiet and silent reading?" Sam preached.

"Oh that reminds me of an invention I must finish! The Muppet Labs Time Machine!" Bunsen exclaimed.

"Mime mee mo!"

Clifford sighed and lay down on his back on stage. "I give up..."

Suddenly, a ringing filled the air. Everyone was silent again. "Kerm!" Clifford shouted, as he sat back up, grabbing the phone off his belt. "Yo Kerm! Wassup?!" the co-host shouted into the phone. "Yeah yeah Kerm, we’re doin’ a’ight. But uh, Uncle Deadly locked us all inside so we couldn’t leave to come after ya’ll. So, uh, we’ve kinda been in here for hours!"

There was more silence as Clifford began to shout. "WHAT?! Deadly’s there with you! I paid a hundred an’ twenty bucks for pizza I didn’t get to eat!!"

"A hundred fifty," Scooter whispered.

"Will you buzz off?!" Clifford shouted at the go-fer. "No, no Kerm wait! I just had a pest problem, taken care of, don’t worry. So when are ya’ll comin’ back? What?! That soon? Well where do we meet you? ...Oh yeah, we can’t meet you...Okay, we’ll see you here then, a’ight, later Kerm."

Clifford hung up and was mobbed with Muppets, all questioning what their froggy leader had said.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

​

"Well, that takes care of that," Kermit said, hanging up the phone. "Well Gonzo, we need to go, Clifford and the others have been locked in the theater all day."

Gonzo nodded as he said his final goodbyes to Flanzgo and the other Gonzonians. "Alright guys, get on the ship."

Fozzie, Miss Piggy, Pepe, Rizzo, Animal, Butch and Clyde climbed up the stairs into their new spaceship.

Bobo slapped Zongo on his back. "Well boss, you take care o’ yourself, okay?"

Zongo smiled. "I’ll try Bobo, you do the same."

"I always do, yup, that’s me Bobo the care taker."

Flanzgo ran to pick up Robin and hugged him in her arms. "I’ll miss you my little friend."

"Hehe, I’ll miss you to Flanzgo, it was nice meeting you!" Robin smiled. Flanzgo put him down and he hopped over to his uncle’s arms.

"Well everybody, I guess this is goodbye," Gonzo said.

Zongo, Flanzgo, Des Filmer and Xaldin stood in front of Bobo, Kermit, Robin and Gonzo. "We’ll miss you all."

The four nodded and walked into the ship, as Gonzo and Kermit took the two captain’s seats. They started the engines and began to fly out into space.

Flanzgo waved to her uncle with tears flowing down her cheeks. Zongo lifted a large, metallic, pink crown that resembled Onzgo’s, and crowned Flanzgo. Changing her from princess to Uber-Gonzonian with one piece of headgear.

A light shown on the Gonzonian empire that day. The light, was Onzgo.

 

[The Count]

Hmmm... Almost finished with this one. Looking forward to the next one.
BTW: Looked it up at voicechasers.com and guess I was wrong thinking all these years that James Kahn voiced the Kingpin in the 1990's animated Spider-Man series.
On another related note... Did you know there's a Muppet connection between Sesame Street and the X-Men animated series from that same time period? It's true, the girl who voice Jubilee, Alyson Court was the same girl who portrayed Ruthie in Follow That Bird.

Food for thought... Something for should you need it for the next crossover tale.

 

[muppetwriter]

Did you know there's a Muppet connection between Sesame Street and the X-Men animated series from that same time period? It's true, the girl who voice Jubilee, Alyson Court was the same girl who portrayed Ruthie in Follow That Bird.

Food for thought... Something for should you need it for the next crossover tale.

Hey, yeah. I've known about that for the longest time. And I might just use that knowledge for an upcoming "MARVELOUS" tale.

 

[muppetwriter]

Here's the spectacular conclusion to Ryan's marvelous tale.

Chapter 25

The usual mayhem the Muppets were known for resumed itself once the group was inside their new spaceship, blasting home to Earth.

"Why was the clam kicked out of preschool?"

"Ugh, why Fozzie?"

"Because he was being too shellfish! Ah! Wocka wocka!"

"Dios mio, dat was awful, hokay?"

"I’ve heard better jokes from a zucchini!"

"That zucchini is pretty funny, ‘specially when he’s paired with the potato! Heh heh!"

"You guys have talking potatoes?!"

"Goodness, frogs, pigs, talkin’ vegetables! What do you eat?"

"Po-Tae-Toes! Ha ha ha!"

"Speakin’ of potatoes, I’m in da mood for some french fries."

"Hey, I used french fries in my last act! Oh wait, that was me frying."

"Si, dat was very funny, hokay? Unlike Fotzie."

"Hey! ...I’m kinda hungry too..."

Kermit’s stomach grumbled and he rubbed it. "I could go for some food, I kinda wish you would’ve brought some of that pizza with you from the theater Uncle Deadly."

There was no response.

"Uncle Deadly?" Kermit turned around and realized that the blue phantom was nowhere in sight. "Oh no! We forgot him back at the base!"

* * * * * * * * * * * *​

Uncle Deadly walked away when the ship left the hangar. He would return to the contact room and wait for Death’s return. But, Death had locked the room, no matter, Deadly was a very resourceful phantom.

He reached inside his tattered coat pocket and pulled out a small, twisted, golden piece of wire. "Ah my lucky lock pick. Long time no see my friend."

Deadly reached the pick towards the door and saw no keyhole. He sighed. "Fine, we’ll do this the hard way."

The phantom stuck his palm up on the keypad and sent out a jolt of lightning from his palm, short circuiting the system. The door slid open automatically. "I love the hard way," the phantom said as he strolled inside.

He turned on the main contact computer and typed in a series of keys with one hand. "Now to contact Kermit and tell him not to worry about old Uncle Deadly."

* * * * * * * * * * * *​

Mass insanity was replaced with mass confusion inside the S.S. Onzgo. "We’ve gotta turn back!"

"But I’m so hungry!"

"Rizzo Uncle Deadly is more important than food!"

"Heh, says you."

"Piggy, that’s not very nice."

"You guys left your dead uncle?"

"Si...Well, he isn’t really our uncle, hokay? He’s more of a...Distant cousin, hokay?"

"YOU GUYS!" Kermit shouted. "We’re turning around! Gonzo, turn it!"

"Hold on," Gonzo said. "We’re getting a message from the Gonzonian craft!" Gonzo pressed a button turning on a screen on the control panel.

"Hello there frog," Uncle Deadly said from the other end of the screen.

"Uncle Deadly!" Kermit shouted. "I’m so sorry we forgot you!"

"No worries my fiend, you did not forget me. I ditched you," Deadly said.

Kermit scrunched up his face. "Well that makes us feel a whole lot better."

Deadly smiled. "I have an alternate way to return home Kermit, don’t worry for me."

Kermit nodded. "Okay Uncle Deadly, see you back home."

"Ah, home," Deadly sighed. "Sounds good."

* * * * * * * * * * * *​

"Alright ya’ll everybody on stage for next weeks openin’ number!" Clifford shouted.

Camilla, Rowlf and Scooter walked onto the stage. "Uh Clifford, it’s kinda hard to do ‘Together Again’ with only three people," Rowlf told him.

Clifford sighed and rubbed his temples. "Hey man, I know that, but you’re the only three we got that can actually sing!"

"I could do my boomerang fish! I throw them away-"

"Lew will you knock it off with the fish already?!" Clifford shouted to the newly popped-up Lew Zealand.

"Alright, if you insist! Ha ha!" Lew turned, and threw one of his fish up towards the ceiling, knocking out a light.

"Oh..." Clifford moaned. "Why did it have to be that light?"

"Hey Cliff, we really need to get back on schedule with the number," Scooter spoke up.

"Fine, fine! Just do it!"

Rowlf cleared his throat. "Together again,
Gee it’s good to be together again
I just can’t imagine that you’ve ever been gone
It’s not starting over it’s just going on," the dog sang.

"Bawk buck buck bawk byawk," Camilla clucked the next verse.
"Bawk bawk buck byuck byuck bawk bawk bagawk babawk bawk!"

"Because no feeling feels like that feeling," sang Scooter.

"Together again!"
The doors to the theater burst open and Kermit, Robin, Fozzie, Piggy, Gonzo, Rizzo, Pepe, Butch and Clyde darted in behind Animal, who barged in.

"Hey hey, the gang’s all here! Openin’ number Kerm!" Clifford called to his boss.

Kermit smiled and laughed. "All right guys, let’s do it!"

"Together again
Gee it’s good to be together again
I just can’t imagine that you’ve ever been gone
It’s not starting over it’s just going on," the group of space travelers sang as the Muppet theater began to fill with uproarious music and the happy shouting of Muppets.

"Together again
Now we’re here and there’s no need remembering when
Cause no feeling feels like that feeling
Together again," sang the group that had been locked in the theater all day.

"Together agaaaaaaaaaain!" all of the Muppets (including Butch and Clyde) sang in almost-perfect harmony.

"Whoopie!!" Gonzo shouted. "Camilla my sweet little poppy seed, fetch me my cannon! I’m in the mood for insane stunts and feats of lunatic daring! Ha ha ha!"

"Man that is good to hear!" Clifford shouted.

"Good grief the comedian’s a bear!" Fozzie said.

"Oh good," Waldorf called down from the balcony. "All that intergalactic space travel-"

"And he’s still not funny!" Statler finished.

"Do ho ho ho!"

"EAT DRUMS! EAT DRUMS!"

"Yeah man, Animal hasn’t change either! Heh heh!" Floyd laughed as Animal ravaged his way into the band pit and feasted on a snare drum.

Robin leaped over to where Sweetums was leaning against the wall. "Sweetums!"

"Hey little buddy!" the monster stuck out his arms and grabbed up the little frog. "You gave us all a scare little bud!"

"I’m sorry Sweetums," Robin said. "But hey, I made a new friend!"

Sweetums chortled. "Well at least you had a good time."

Rowlf and Scooter hopped off the stage and walked with Clifford over to where Kermit had walked up. "Hey guys, how did it go?" Kermit asked.

"Well," Rowlf began. "We’ve seen better days."

"Actually Rowlf, today was one of our better days," Scooter said. "I recorded forty-three and a half fights."

Kermit frowned. "Half a fight?"

"Well one was between Sal and Headless Bill," Scooter reported.

"Yo Kerm, how was outer space?" Clifford asked.

Kermit shrugged. "I dunno. It was out there...And there was a lot of space."

Clifford laughed and smacked Kermit’s back. "Same old Kerm!"

"Move outta the way flounder face!!" Piggy shouted, pushing Lew out of the way as she stormed down the aisle to Kermit. "Kermie, will you please tell those two dim witted...Weirdos that they’re not staying with us?!"

"Well Piggy you’ll have to be more descriptive. We’ve got a surplus of dim witted weirdos around here."

"Butch and Clyde!"

"Who?" Clifford, Rowlf and Scooter asked in unison.

A loud crash sounded in the left side of the theater. "Clyde! You moron! I told you not to touch that rope!"

"Sorry Butch, how was I supposed to know it was holding up a net filled with bricks?"

"Well you could think before you pull!"

"Yeah...Guess I could..."

Kermit scrunched up his face. "That would be Butch and Clyde. Beau, get a broom."

"Do you want me to sweep them up too?" Beauregard asked, poking his head out from behind the curtain.
"Yes!" Piggy shouted.

"No," Kermit said calmly. "They’re part of our family."

Butch and Clyde grinned and turned to each other. "Ya hear that Clyde? We’re part of a family!"

"Oh boy!" Clyde shouted. "We get to have Thanksgiving and Christmas and Easter and-"

"Don’t push it Clyde," Butch snarled.

"Right, sorry."

Gonzo cuddled with Camilla in a seat in the back of the theater. "Oh I tell ya Camilla, you would’ve loved my niece, Flanzgo. And then there’s Des Filmer, he’s a little strange...But nowhere near as strange as me!"

"Bawk babuck!"

"Heh, you’re right, that would be a some sort of record. Anyway, then there was Zongo and Xaldin, and of course my brother."

"Byuck bawk?"

Gonzo nodded. "Uh-huh, Onzgo," Gonzo sighed. "Man, was he something else. I sure will miss him."

"Bawk buck bawk bagawk, bawk?"

Gonzo shook his head. "No, I can’t. But, you know what? I think that it’s okay. You know why? He lives in me."

* * * * * * * * * * * *​

Death returned to the communications room in his blast of black flames with Xander in toe. "DEADLY, I AM SURPRISED TO SEE YOU."

Uncle Deadly smiled. "Don’t be old friend, I couldn’t let you travel home alone."

"You mean I’m not coming with you?" Xander asked.

Death shook his head concealed by the hood. "NO. I HAVE A DIFFERENT POSITION FOR YOU XANDER. YOU SHALL SERVE AS SPIRIT GUIDE FOR THE NEWLY CONJOINED PEOPLE OF GONZONIA AND EXODIA."

"What? Newly conjoined...But...When? How?" Xander stumbled over his words.

"NOT YET. BUT SOON, AND BECAUSE OF THE NEW RULING OF UBER-GONZO FLANZGO, A TREATY WILL BE SIGNED, MERGING THE PEOPLE OF GONZONIA AND EXODIA. AND YOU XANDER, SHALL BE THEIR SPIRITUAL GUIDE," Death explained.

"Th-Thank you Death sir," Xander half-bowed. "I’ll do my best."

"Have you explained the rules yet Death?" Uncle Deadly asked.

"AH, NO NOT YET. THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME DEADLY. XANDER, THERE ARE A FEW REGULATIONS TO BEING A MEMBER OF THE LIVING DEAD. FIRST, NO CONTACT WITH THE LIVING, SECOND, NO LEAVING YOUR PLACE OF DEATH (WHICH WILL SOON BECOME THE NEW GONZONIAN/EXODIAN THRONE CHAMBER), AND FINALLY, NO CONSUMING LASAGNA ON THE THIRD WEDNESDAY IN MARCH."

Xander rubbed his head. "What’s lasagna?" he asked.

"OH GOOD, WE WON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT ONE DEADLY."

"Lucky you," Uncle Deadly said.

"NOW COME DEADLY, I MUST RETURN YOU HOME. I HAVE TEA WITH WAR AGAIN, AND SHE HATES IT WHEN I’M LATE."

* * * * * * * * * * * *​

Kermit’s green van pulled into the hospital parking lot. A frog and an alien weirdo hopped out of the two front seats. "Thank you so much for coming with me Kermit," Gonzo told the frog.

Kermit smiled, he had promised Gonzo he’d take this trip with him today (the day after they returned from space). "No problem Gonzo," Kermit told his friend.

The two of them walked into the hospital lobby, Kermit walked up to the front desk while Gonzo walked immediately to the elevator.

"Excuse me miss, can you tell us which room Arnie is staying?" Kermit asked the nurse at the desk.

Gonzo pressed a button, closing the elevator door, he had to do this part alone. Gonzo pressed the button with the number eight on it. The elevator began to go up. "This would be so much cooler if it went faster," Gonzo thought to himself. He stood alone inside the elevating box, waiting, five, six, seven, eight! Finally! The elevator stopped, and the doors opened.

Gonzo stepped out and walked a few feet down the hall to where he stopped in front the door marked 81A. Gonzo inhaled. "Floor eight, room one, hall A. Arnie, here I come."

Gonzo pushed down on the handle and pushed the door open. His eyes sent a painful message to his mind. The room was devoid of life, except for a plant growing in the window.

Gonzo ran in and jumped onto one the beds. "No! Where is he?!" he began shuffle through the sheets. "No! Arnie!"

Kermit slowly walked into the room. "Gonzo...I’m so sorry..."

Gonzo let himself fall on the bed. "No...Kermit...He can’t be gone...Not Arnie...I was going to give him the time of his life..." Gonzo cried into the pillow. "I’ve lost Arnie too!"

Kermit walked over to Gonzo’s side and placed his ever-comforting hand on the weirdo’s shoulder. "No, Gonzo, you didn’t lose him," Kermit said gently. "The nurse told me, it was Arnie’s time to go."

Gonzo sat up slowly. "I know Kermit, I know," he sniffed. "I just wanted to show him how much fun living could be...And...And I didn’t get to. He’s gone Kermit. He’s just gone."

"Gonzo, you gave that man all you could, and you know what? That meant the world to him."

Gonzo shook his head. "No way Kermit, I promised him so much, and delivered so little."

"Gonzo, it did mean the world to him, trust me."

"How...How Kermit?"

"Because it was you who promised him something. And that would mean enough to me."

* * * * * * * * * * * *​

Uncle Deadly sat on the roof of the Muppet Theater in the middle of the dark summer night. He sat with his back propped against the back edge of the roof sipping tea from a chipped glass.

He stared out at the city below. Few people walked the streets, but every once in a while, one of the stores would close and the owner would walk out and lock up.

Deadly watched as the huge clock above Beth’s Clock Shop struck ten. From inside the shop, Deadly saw Beth flip off the light and then walk out the front door. "Goodnight Beth," the phantom rose his teacup in toast to the store owner.

He looked down the street where he could see the roof of the Muppet Boarding House above one of the adjacent store buildings. "Goodnight friends."

* * * * * * * * * * * *​

Gonzo stared up at the clear night sky. The roof of the Muppet Boarding House was more crowded than usual tonight. Actual, a lot more crowded than usual, from left to right they sat Gonzo, Camilla, Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Rizzo, Pepe, Bobo, Animal, Butch, Clyde, Clifford, Scooter and finally at the far right end sat Rowlf, squished between Scooter and the chimney.

"Well Robin’s in bed," Kermit said to Gonzo.

"Yup," Gonzo said behind Camilla’s back.

"And Bunsen and Beaker are nowhere near The Swedish Chef or Crazy Harry."

"Yup," Rowlf called down from the other end.

"And Sam’s dubbed us moral enough to do a show this week?"

"You bet Kermit!" Scooter shouted down.

"And the penguins, chickens, rats and singing food are all happy with the dinner menu for this week?"

"Yeah Kermit! They all said it would be delightful, delicious and de-lovely! Ahh!" Fozzie joked.

"And there are no police officers or C.O.V.N.E.T. employees breathing down our necks."

"Uh-huh!" "You bet!" Butch and Clyde said, it was after all true now that they had quit their old jobs.

"And mon capitan, the stars are out and the night sky sure is romantic," Piggy stroked the back of Kermit’s neck.

"Romantic," Camilla clucked lightly with her head laying on Gonzo’s forearm.

"Ah ha ha! Ro-man-tic! Ro-man-tic!" Animal chanted.

"Uh, not now Piggy, I’ve uh, got another cold."

"That won’t work this time frog!"

"Oh boy, here it comes!" Clifford shouted.

"Uh-oh, she’ll karate chop him right into the jacuzzi!" Scooter worried.

"Oh no!" Gonzo shouted, stopping Piggy mid-chop.

"Hey, what’s wrong there Gonzo? Need another sandwich?" Bobo asked.

"No, no. It’s just, I forgot to ask Des Filmer why he had me build that jacuzzi!"

Rizzo shot a quick glare at Pepe. Pepe shrunk down in his seat. "Um, about dat jacussi, Gonso..."



There's not a word yet for old friends who've just met.

THE END


Now that is an awesome story. Ryan even included some commentary by him and Gonzo for the story in the same thread he posted the story in. If you'd like to check it out, just click on the link below (it starts on the 298th post).

http://forum.muppetcentral.com/showthread.php?t=27705&page=20

Stay tuned. We'll have interviews with Butch and Clyde, Ryan's two original characters from the tale. Plus, a "MARVELOUS Mini" tale that'll explain how the symbiote fits into my version of Spider-Man 3, bringing in characters from Ryan's story, Muppets From Space, and even Ben 10!