For the past week I waited with baited breath, hoping the prompt would lure you all out of your comfort zones. Did your skin crawl? Did you squirm in your seat as you composed your fic? After this experience, I'm sure each of you is asking the same thing right now: Will this twit ever quit the pathetic allusions to the "nightcrawlers" Bradbury's Jar and get to this week's prompt?!? Okay, fine. Since many in the Northern Hemisphere consider this weekend to be the unofficial start of summer, I thought this week's prompt would fit it well: surf and turf Dig in!

And it's actually sunny in Belgium!!! Surfin' and tufin' to get some inspiration for the fic!

It's bad, It's rough I'm rusty But it's off the cuff "G1, come to my office..NOW!" Ken groggily rolled himself out of bed. They had been on constant duty for the last 17 days, defending the earth from one Spectra invasion after another. Each mecha more deranged and deformed than the last, until in their exhaustion they had resorted to unusuall measure to keep their wits sharp. Ken found his way to Nambu office and flopped onto a nearby chair. Nambu was pacing back and forth waving and muttering to himself. Ken closed his eyes nodding when Nambu stopped almost automatically. "G1 explain yourself, I find this conduct unproffesional and the fact the worlds media has picked up on this..it's it's....explain yourself." Ken tried to get his foggy brain to function correctly, he was tired, exhausted and wanted nothing more than to fall back into his bed and sleep for a week, hell at the moment he could sleep anywere as long as it was quiet. "G1" "Team moral, boosting, we're exhausted Sir, I need to keep our mind sharp, keep us refocussed on what we had to do." Nambu waved to the footage being played on the screen behind him. "How is that Team building?" Ken sniggered, he remembered this, it had been a tough one to figure out, but off course Ryu had got it almost immediately. "G1" ""Yes sir off course, I will speak to G4 and G3 directly that was a sloppy throw" "What? That is not what I was alluring to, G3 and G4 are deliberatly throwing things out of the Mecha into the water, I have the Eco department and the Enviromentalist up in arms, what were you thinking?" "Throwing out the trash" "What?" "Sir I though they ment "Throwing out the trash" but I was wrong" "G1, explain" "Charades sir, we were trying to keep our minds fresh, Ryu got it right, it was "Surf and Turf"

...And now we know the REAL source of the island of garbage in the middle of the Pacific Ocean!

LW!

Hahahaha! I'd love to watch the team play Charades! Esp. Joe!

LW: LOL, desperate measures indeed

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KT: Well done.

Woohoo...KT, glad the big guy is getting some action! Here's what popped into my mind...

LOL Springie!

Everyone is doing so well with this. I really have not come up with anything as yet. Except an image of Keyop surf boarding, and Jason racing on a dirt track in his car.

The next piece of Club Aphrodite, in two parts: Ken had hoped a morning run on the beach would be relaxing. Instead, he spent the whole time puzzling over his strange night. His security cameras had developed an odd, almost imperceptible flicker, so subtle that he'd almost missed it. Added in with the other oddities, he found himself on edge. The hyper-awareness made it easy to observe his surroundings during his run. It also meant that by the time he'd showered, grabbed something to eat, and headed out to go diving, he was still having a hard time letting things go. He'd just finished checking out his gear when Michael appeared. There was tension in the set of the man's shoulders as he approached the dock. It vanished the moment Michael spotted him, replaced by an easy smile. Ken wasn't sure what to make of that. Had Michael thought he might not show up? Would it have really mattered? Telling himself to stop obsessing over everything, Ken settled on the boat. Not long after, Michael came to join him, arranging his gear by their feet. Ken noted the blue band on his companion's wrist, which matched his own. Experienced diver. That gave them a certain amount of freedom, at least. "Morning," said Michael, smiling. "How's the island treating you?" Now there was a loaded question. Ken responded with a smile he hoped didn't looked forced. "Had a good run on the beach." "Yeah, gotta watch out for those island pounds." Michael grinned, shifting closer to allow the full load of passengers to join them on the bench. Given that Michael was only wearing a pair of swim trunks, Ken could easily see that the man had no trouble with extra pounds. Oddly, neither did many of the people on the boat. So far in his meanderings, he'd mostly seen fairly attractive folk ranging from his age to what he'd guess as mid-twenties. But he was obsessing again. As he tried to think of something non-idiotic to say, he was saved by the boat's engines roaring to life, and their dive guide starting her instruction spiel. Hopefully he could finally relax once they were in the water. Of course, he also might spot an underwater Galactor base. It wouldn't be the first time. Memories of almost drowning with Ryu after the Owl and his brother saw the manta ray mech made Ken shudder, earning him an odd look from Michael. How the man felt that with the rumble of the boat's engine and the slap of the water, Ken had no idea, but he made himself smile again. If the whole day was going to be this awkward, it was going to suck. Ken forced himself to listen to their guide's patter as she talked about sustainable diving, the creatures and formations they were likely to see, and more. It never hurt to have some clue of what to look for. Though, he could easily imagine Jinpei jumping up and taking over her spiel with great enthusiasm. That thought gave him a genuine smile. He managed to hold onto that as the boat slowed and dropped anchor. "All right, boys and girls," said the guide, "gear up, check your partner's gear, and tell me when you're ready to go in. I'll send you out a pair at a time." Ken suffered the gear checking and double-checking, knowing it was important to blend in. Fortunately Michael seemed to know what he was doing, so they were the first pair out. With a grin and a wink, Michael went over the edge, and Ken followed. They looked around a moment, then Michael pointed to what looked like a coral formation. Not having any particular destination in mind, Ken nodded, and they swam off. The water was clear and just warm enough to be comfortable. Ken did his best to remember he was on "vacation," taking the time to appreciate his surroundings. Though, he still kept an eye out for anything out of place, really hoping that for once a dive would just be a dive. They'd been exploring for twenty minutes before Ken had the odd feeling he was being watched. Of course, he and Michael had to stay aware of one another, given that they were pair diving, but it wasn't Michael setting him off. At least, he didn't hope so. A few minutes later, Ken realized with a bit of a sigh what was bothering him. Was his oxygen mixture off? Or was he being followed by a fish? He was starting to agree with Hakase. He definitely needed a vacation. Except, each time he looked back, this little clownfish was staring at him. Ken had no idea of how to tell one clownfish from another. Oddly, he didn't see any other clownfish around. If Jinpei were there, the kid could have instantly told him if they tended to school, or were loners. Could Galactor even make a fish mecha? Michael tapped his arm, gesturing to a cluster of knobbly rocks. Glad for the distraction, Ken followed, eyes widening as just past the rocks they found a veritable field of brightly-colored sea anemone. Their tentacles waved to and fro in the current as tropical fish wove and danced just out of reach. They stayed there, just admiring the scene for a bit, and Ken noticed flashes of white and orange among the rest. More clownfish. Glancing back, he still saw one behind him. Small and staring, it practically dared him to try to catch it, which was the only way he'd figure out if it was real or a mecha. Eventually they moved on. Barracuda flashed rows of nasty teeth at them, and Ken could almost hear Jinpei scoffing at any worry that they might bite. Michael tapped his arm again. He pointed at a distinctly man-made shape, and Ken gave a thumbs' up, glad that he wouldn't have to manufacture a reason to investigate. The curve of a hull took form as they approached, soon revealing itself to be a small, sunken wreck. Calling the craft a "ship" would be too generous. It was small, barely more than a rowboat, probably just enough to get someone this far out into the water. Not big enough to disguise a Galactor base. It wasn't even big enough to disguise one of their one-manned underwater vehicles. Still, Ken looked it over, marvelling a bit at how the ocean had taken the wooden boat and layered it with life like any other reef. And when they moved to swim away, he spotted the damn clownfish again. The thing was starting to get on his nerves. Maybe his oxygen mixture was wrong. Though, he didn't feel euphoric or light-headed. He turned toward the front, and realized that Michael was looking back now, staring at the fish. Great, now the one person he felt comfortable around was going to think he was losing it. Ken pointed in a direction they hadn't gone yet. As they swam that way, he did his best not to turn every five seconds, but that feeling of being followed demanded that he occasionally check. Now Michael kept doing the same, looking back to stare at the clownfish. It was hard to read a facial expression with the mask and breather, but Ken could have sworn Michael was grinning, which just made him feel even more like an idiot. Finally, Michael stopped and gestured for Ken to stay still. Unsure of what the man was up to, Ken shrugged, waiting as Michael swam in a wide arc around the clownfish. If this was Joe, Ken knew this would lead to a serious mocking. He waited uncomfortably until Michael started swimming toward him, adjusting course as the clownfish tried to move out of the way. It took Ken a moment to realize what Michael was doing. Was he trying to herd the fish? The little thing darted off to the side. Michael's hand flashed out as he tried to catch it, but it was too fast. After watching him try for a bit, Ken decided he might as well play along, since he wanted to inspect the fish anyway. What resulted was the strangest diving experience of his life. They spent the next twenty minutes acting like idiots, trying to catch this little clownfish. It constantly darted out of their way, yet for some reason seemed determined to stay near, following even as they chased. Ken found himself comforted, at least, by the fact that Michael not only saw it, but also thought it was something worth bothering with. Either both of them had completely lost their minds, or that fish was definitely a mecha. What other explanation could there possibly be? The diving watch he'd been assigned buzzed against his wrist. Ken checked it and saw that it was time to head back. Glancing at Michael, he pointed up so they could locate the boat, and they swam to the surface. He really wished he'd caught that mecha. Was there an underwater base nearby and it was watching for anyone finding it? Was it spying on the guests for some reason? He'd have to slip back out here on his own. Fortunately, he'd brought a small GPS unit from his own equipment. While Michael was climbing into the boat, Ken pulled out the unit, and marked their current location. Then he tucked it away and climbed up after his partner. Once Michael had his scuba gear off, he collapsed, laughing, onto the bench. "That is by far the strangest thing I've ever seen." "Glad I wasn't imagining it." Ken sat next to him, accepting a towel from their guide. "Definitely not." "What did you boys see?" asked the guide. Ken hesitated to admit it. Apparently, Michael had no such reservations. "We were followed by a clownfish." The guide stared at Michael for a moment. She looked to Ken, and he just shrugged, having nothing to add. "Clownfish avoid the open water," she finally said. "They stick close to the sea anemones and the protection of their tentacles." "No one told the clownfish," said Michael with a grin. Shaking her head, the guide walked away to help the next divers out of the water. Ken towelled his hair until he didn't have saltwater dripping into his eyes, then leaned back, trying to relax. "Well, you've done the turf for your run," said Michael, "and now the surf. What's next?" "Not sure." Ken combed his wet hair back with his fingers. He needed to report in, though he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to send a mess

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Chris - that's one weird set-up you've got going on there, wonder about the significance of the florak scent though, and Michael's response to it. Springie - that was so funny, I wonder how many mecha can you realistically have in one pic? LW - That was great, you kept me guessing til the very end! love it.

Originally posted by KT1972 Chris - that's one weird set-up you've got going on there, wonder about the significance of the florak scent though, and Michael's response to it.

My mind is a weird place to live.

Well Weird looks much more fun than Normal

That was brilliant, CW! I almost felt as if I was diving with Ken and Michael, your description are very powerful! Not to mention the mystery side of the story, with the mysterious floral scents and weirdly-behaving fish! You've got me hooked - pun intended!

Originally posted by Daniella T That was brilliant, CW! I almost felt as if I was diving with Ken and Michael, your description are very powerful! Not to mention the mystery side of the story, with the mysterious floral scents and weirdly-behaving fish! You've got me hooked - pun intended!

Aw, I'm glad you like it. I was worried it was getting a little too wandery and weird for people. Not that my subconscious would have really let me change the story anyway, heh.

LW< too funny! KT, perfect interpretation! CW, I knew there was something off about Michael! Bad news, that guy... And what's with the clownfish?

I find it very interesting Chris that Ken is allowing someone else take the lead in things. I might be able to understand with the kiss, but the conversation AND the dive? Hmmmm, something is definitely up.

*sigh* If it weren't for all the questionable things attached, I wouldn't mind a kiss like that once in a while....

Originally posted by ElectricWhite *sigh* If it weren't for all the questionable things attached, I wouldn't mind a kiss like that once in a while....

A pudgy man in white shows up at your door. "ElectricWhite!" he calls out in overenthusiastic greeting, bright lights blinding you from behind the sudden proliferation of video cameras. "You've won a two-week vacation to the exotic Club Aphrodite!" Someone off to the side hands him an oversized, cardboard-backed plane ticket that won't possibly fit through your door. Someone else off to the other side offers you a clipboard with a long, long waiver filled with legalese so you won't sue them no matter what possibly happens during your trip. "Just sign here," the offerer whispers.

LW - That was great. Nambu just doesn't get it! Springie - If Joe didn't get the charade, he might pull out his gun and shoot something. Your pic is ingenious. KT - Wow. I'm trying to guess who they were. Chris - So Ken was being followed by Nemo and getting smooched by Michael. Just his luck it seems he was just drugged...maybe again.

LOL Chris! Now how do the rest of us enter this competition? Can't let EW off to a place like that alone, anything could happen!

Originally posted by KT1972 LOL Chris! Now how do the rest of us enter this competition? Can't let EW off to a place like that alone, anything could happen!

When you open the door, you're blinded by a million dazzling lights. Slowly, as your eye water, you see an aging woman in so much sequins that the camera crew's light meters are spewing out smoke. Her features are all pinched as though she's about out of face to lift. "KT1972!" she cries breathlessly with a glamorous sweep of her arm, chest heaving with her breath. "You've won a two-week vacation to the exotic Club Aphrodite!" Someone off to the side hands her an oversized, cardboard-backed plane ticket that won't possibly fit through your door. Overbalanced, she nearly topples over, a lacquered nail pinging off of her hand and embedding itself in your doorframe. Someone else off to the side gestures for you to move into a better position for the promo picture, but somehow the presenter manages to twist her sequinned silouhette so that you're barely visible. You're both forced to step aside as one of the crew wheels up a dolly. On it is a single volume of paper. The waiver. One of the crew -- who's thumping around with one foot in a cast -- eyes it hatefully. "Just sign here," say the guy with the dolly, gesturing at the stack of pages.

So come on, what are we waiting for?!!!!

LW jumps around enthusiastically in the crowd, cheering on KT1972 and EW. So proud and happy that 2 members of Gatchamania will be flying their "freak flag" at Club Aphrodite and knowing that the place will never be the same again. Now, she considered smuggling herself into the overhead luggage racks (being only 5ft1') it wasn't a hard fit and she could fall asleep anywere, but alas Ken wasn't her thing, but if she heard G2 or G5 were going, well that's another story. Till then she wished her Gatcha friends the best of Viking luck, with their plundering and pilaging and treasure hunting. ps part of me wants pictures and details, but I don't know if I can handle the envy.

Ahhh, but what the girls don't realize is, now that the world knows about Club Aphrodite, it has become so popular it has become too commercialized and is no longer the quite, utopia depicted in this story .... (That seems to be what happens to these little utopia's once the general public discovers them.)

Originally posted by clouddancer Ahhh, but what the girls don't realize is, now that the world knows about Club Aphrodite, it has become so popular it has become too commercialized and is no longer the quite, utopia depicted in this story ....

"quiet utopia" ... *falls over laughing hysterically*

Originally posted by littlewolf Now, she considered smuggling herself into the overhead luggage racks (being only 5ft1') it wasn't a hard fit and she could fall asleep anywere, but alas Ken wasn't her thing, but if she heard G2 or G5 were going, well that's another story.

Just you wait ...

LOL, I can see that Chris has plans!

Ah! sweet CW , how you tease.... LW had begun to hear rumours....bad rumours She knew EW and KT could look after themselves, but G1, G2 and G5 having to defend themselves against all the leacherous wannambe women... this had to stop. Drastic measures were called for, she swapped her jeans and walking boots for new camo gear, push up bra, sparkling make-up, heels, pouting lips and girlie cloths - drastic measures indeed, she practices her flirting in the mirror, it'd have to do. Now she waited, for word from KT, EW or CW..waiting. No one was touching her men..unless they were Gatchamaina patrons

Hee hee hee, LW, I'm sure if anything goes off at Club Aphrodite, you'll be the first to know!

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So emotional! I can feel Ken's urgency and then his fear and resignation later. I'm just wondering how Jinpei ended up wrapped around Iona and underneath the car? I guess we'll have to wait to find out...

I've been away from Gatchamania for two days, and EW and KT WIN A HOLIDAY TO CLUB APHRODITE? I want to see photos of them surfin' the waves and fighting for their turf...I mean the Eagle...I mean...welll...you know...And, are we sure the Condor will not be there?

not sure at all DT, I'm hoping he'll be on the plane with us!!

Wow K2! I don't know if I'd want to use a jack around spilled fuel. My experience is they aren't real steady and slid easily. Could create a spark. I do hope Iona and Jinpei are all right.

Can't wait to read the sequel, k2! Hope everyone is ok!

k2: Ooch, I think you did Ken's POV pretty well there. Fighting to keep his cool and make sure they get out of this okay.

Originally posted by littlewolf Now she waited, for word from KT, EW or CW..waiting. No one was touching her men..unless they were Gatchamaina patrons

When you open the door, you find a skinny guy wearing huge glasses that make his eyes look so big they look like they're about to pop out of his head. His bow tie starts spinning and sending out little showers of sparks onto his plaid suit. Enough light suddenly floods your doorway that it's impossible to see anything else. "Congratulations, littlewolf!" cries a nasal voice. "You've won a two-week vacation to the exotic Club Aphrodite!" From off to the side comes a massive shadow, like someone's trying to block out the raging sun with a thick piece of paper. A hand reaches in and hauls you blindly onto the doorstep. Somehow lights flash even brighter, and then suddenly it's dark, all of the artificial light vanishing. While your sight recovers, there's an incessant beeping noise. By the time you can see, there's a van that's backed across your yard and up to your door. In the back is a massive, multi-pile stack of papers. An exhausted crew member stumbles over and offers you a clipboard, gesturing to the mound of dead trees. "If you'll just sign the waiver."

so what happens if we don't sign then?

Originally posted by Daniella T I've been away from Gatchamania for two days, and EW and KT WIN A HOLIDAY TO CLUB APHRODITE? I want to see photos of them surfin' the waves and fighting for their turf...I mean the Eagle...I mean...welll...you know...And, are we sure the Condor will not be there?

When you open the door, you find a surly-looking older man with white hair. His pudgy body looks a bit like a sparkly overstuffed sausage, the way it's been shoehorned into a tight sequinned dress that somehow doesn't match the garish bow tie or immensely thick glasses. He blinks owlishly, unable to tell if the door has actually opened. A sharp elbow hits him from off to the side. With a start, he takes a deep breath, and a shower of sequins explodes from the dress. "Congratulations, Daniella T!" he croaks. "You've won a two-week vacation to the exotic Club Aphrodite!" From the other side, someone shoves an oversized check at him. He grabs at it, but the ridiculously long faux nails they put on him refuse to let him gain purchase until he grips it so hard they slice through the cardboard and permanently embed themselves. "That's it!" he screams, more sequins exploding in a glittery shower. "I quit!" He thrashes his hands until the cardboard check lands at your feet, all 10 of the faux nails still embedded. Then two vans back up along your yard, directed by disheveled, sweaty crew members. As someone opens the back doors, you see both vans are full of paper almost to bursting. A crew member throws a clipboard onto your stoop. "Read the waiver, then sign there." The whole crew tromps off to grab some lunch. It's gonna be a while.

Originally posted by KT1972 so what happens if we don't sign then?

You don't sign, you don't get to go. And don't look at me like that, I don't make the rules!

fine gimme that pen, but dont imagine I'm reading all THAT impossibly small, small print

Originally posted by KT1972 fine gimme that pen, but dont imagine I'm reading all THAT impossibly small, small print

I think that's the ... I mean, I'm sure it'll be fine!

LW (channeling her inner OCD and Eagle ) read the entire waiver and hurray has found a few loop holes, they have given it to Littlewolf and not her real I.D. and as the crew seem vaguely distracted, they have not performed their duty of care (all those years off clerking for lawyers have paid off) - LW begins to formulate a plan in her head - althoughwhile knowing CW is going to throw many spanners in the work. But in the back of her head wondering - why are so many Gatcha patrons being given a holiday to Club Aphrodite?

I thought someone would... so when it all goes t*t's up, we know who to go to!!! BTW, I'm positive Chris has something really devilish in mind...... but I doubt she's telling just yet!!

You guys are making me nervous now ... the pressure!

Hey, I signed it without even looking! I need a holiday! *sighs* Off to get suntan lotion!

"What's up, Jason?" asked Mark, entering the ready room and flopping on the couch, stretching muscles worked to their limit in the gym. Jason moved a bit to the side, to leave him more space, his feet still firmly on the coffee-table. "Just browing this brochure. It's called "Surf and Turf", and I'm looking for ideas for our long weekend", said Jason, absent-mindendly flipping through the pages. "Hey, I had forgotten about that!" Mark perked up considerably, at the thought that a glorious four-day weekend was ahead of them. If all went well, of course... "So, shall we go somewhere, all of us together?" "Why should I want to go somewhere with you?" enquired Jason. "Come on, don't be like that! It's been a long time since we did something fun as a team!" "What, spending endless hours on the Phoenix while chasing Zoltar is not fun? You could've fooled me..." Mark realised that Jason was deep in sarcasm mode and would not be budged from it. "Fine. Let's ask the others when they get here, ok?" Jason shrugged. "Ok. If they want to hang out with us on their long weekend, fine." *** A couple of hours later Princess, Tiny and Keyop entered the ready room, after completing a short course on assault weaponry -- of the kind usually handled only by Jason and, occasionally, Mark. They flopped on easy chairs, grabbed soft drinks from the fridge, and entered a heated debate on what to do on their holiday... "I still think we should rent a cottage on the beach," insisted Princess. "Play around in the surf, have a couple of barbecues..." "Snuggle on the sand next to the campfire," grinned Jason, with knowing looks at Princess and Mark. Mark threw a cushion at him. "What about renting a yacht?" asked Tiny, browsing through the brochure. "Well, you're the only one qualified to captain a yacht alone, if you want to do it for the whole weekend..." "Good point," conceded Tiny, looking on to other options. "What about this hotel? We can even play some golf!" "Wasn't last year's humiliation enough for you, Mark?" sighed Jason. "Shut up," said Mark darkly, but did not repeat his proposal. "What about...toot...trip to theme park?" suggested Keyop, looking at the new offerings: theme parks on space travel, on underwater travel, special ones for budding scientists...This last one caught his attention. "Can even do...study tour on strange animals!" "Yeah, let's skip that," said Mark, looking at the others' faces. They pondered their options for a bit more, finally deciding on renting a cottage by the beach, but close enough to a race course so that Jason could do his thing on the turf and leave them in peace for a couple of hours, as Tiny pointed out. Jason refused to be offended. They were getting ready to send in their online booking form, when the familiar, and very unwelcome figure of a tin can called Zark appeared on their screen. "Attention, team. This is an emergency. Please report immediately to Chief Anderson!" They sighed, saluted, and ran out of the room, adding the discarded brochure to the mounting pile of similar literature they had studied for hours, but not used, in the past.

seems like all the fun they get from their vacation, is the planning of it all.... at least they manage to agree on destinations and activities!

They never seem to get a vacation. Good one, DT.

Yep, that vacation will have to be put on hold!

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DT: Aw, hopefully they'll get to enjoy a bit of it in their dreams at least! k2: I see Nemo is getting around. Wonder if Iona just thinks they want to remove her from the team, or if they really do, for her own safety. And if she just thinks it ... if Ken's gonna get his butt kicked before Jun realizes that, hehe.

Loved that, K2. I'm glad Jinpei and Iona survived and I can't wait to read Ken and Jun's discussion regarding Iona's future with the team.

Loved that, K2. Can't wait to read Jun and Ken's 'discussion' regarding Iona's place on the team.

LW--very funny! Charades to keep themselves awake...although I do remember wondering what became of all those mechas they destroyed...what did they do? Recycle them? KT--nice, a romantic island, two happy lovers, what is not to love! Springie--that's just plain weird...funny, but weird. CWW--the plot thickens...although I wish Ken would have grabbed the fish and stuffed it into his pocket... Daniella--poor kids...they so need a vacation...maybe the older ones could go and they send Jinpei to a science camp? That would be a story in itself, eh?

Originally posted by Transmute Jun So emotional! I can feel Ken's urgency and then his fear and resignation later. I'm just wondering how Jinpei ended up wrapped around Iona and underneath the car? I guess we'll have to wait to find out...

TJ--you make me smile!

Originally posted by Becky Rock Wow K2! I don't know if I'd want to use a jack around spilled fuel. My experience is they aren't real steady and slid easily. Could create a spark.

Not to fond of having anyone jack up a car to crawl around underneath it...much preferred ramps.

Originally posted by ChrisW k2: Ooch, I think you did Ken's POV pretty well there. Fighting to keep his cool and make sure they get out of this okay.

YEp, but still shouldering the responsibility that things didn't work out the way that they should have..that he kinda ignored the escalation between those too until it truly got out of hand...yeah, he's just as guilty.

Originally posted by ChrisW k2: I see Nemo is getting around. Wonder if Iona just thinks they want to remove her from the team, or if they really do, for her own safety. And if she just thinks it ... if Ken's gonna get his butt kicked before Jun realizes that, hehe.

Yeah, close...what I wanted the story to say, but it doesn't come across clearly in this bit, is that Iona's removal is new news to Ken as well...oops...

Originally posted by Becky Rock Loved that, K2. I'm glad Jinpei and Iona survived and I can't wait to read Ken and Jun's discussion regarding Iona's future with the team.

Oooh, that is going to be fun to write...trouble is...like I mentioned in CWW's comment...Iona's removal is the first Ken's heard of it as wel...oops...

K2: The reference to "Emo, Remo", had me smiling Glad that Iona can recall all the images!

I love the way Jun is defending Iona! But I don't understand why Ryu keeps being brought up. How is he involved in this? Why does Jun have to tell Ken that they need Ryu? Isn't that obvious? And how is it relevant?

I love the way Jun is defending Iona! But I don't understand why Ryu keeps being brought up. How is he involved in this? Why does Jun have to tell Ken that they need Ryu? Isn't that obvious? And how is it relevant?

I think she means that they need Ryu on the front line with the team, not left behind on the Phoenix, since Iona was brought onto the team to support Ryu as God Phoenix pilot. If Iona was off the team now, things would go back to how they were before.

k2: Actually I think you did fine with Ken's brief look of confusion when Jun mentions Iona saying she was being taken off the team. When he plays along in case it's Hakase's orders (which I'm guessing is his reasoning) Jun of course assumes that Ken knew or it was even his decision.