This week's word is.... party! Party on, dudes!

Oooh...good one. I'm thinking, Guilty Party. Political Party. To be 'party,' to something....very nice...good choice TJ, don't have a clue as to what I am going to write so am going off to think

I'm incredibly busy this weekend so just a short bit for me... ********* Balloons lined the walls, streamers hung from the ceiling. A big banner on one side of the bar read 'Happy Birthday Jun! A silvery cake with sixteen candles sat in front of her, the flames dancing brightly, urging her onward. Slowly Jun closed her eyes and wished, just before leaning over to blow out the burning lights. She didn't have to think for very long about her wish. It was the same wish she had had for the past three years. But maybe this year it would come true. Maybe this was the year Ken would finally notice her. She didn't have much time. They all knew that war was coming soon, and that the Science Ninja Team could be activated any day now. For the moment, she and Ken were simply 'in training', but once he was officially her superior any 'fraternization' between them would be strictly forbidden. Almost as if he had heard her unspoken wish, Ken came to stand beside her as she began slicing the cake. He waited patiently as Jinpei, Ryu and Joe were served, then graciously accepted a plate. "Happy birthday, Jun." he said, leaning down and brushing his lips against her cheek. She blushed prettily, surprised and pleased by the unexpected contact. Her eyes met his, and for a moment she saw her own longing reflected there. "Best birthday ever..." she whispered, just as the bracelet on her left wrist began to beep. Everyone froze, staring at each other with a mixture of fear and excitement. It was Ken who broke the silence. "This is Gatchaman." he said, responding to the call. "We're all here." "Science Ninja Team, I have received word of Galactor activity." Dr. Nambu's voice came through their wrists. "I'm sorry to interrupt the party, but you'll all have to come to the ISO Building immediately. The Science Ninja Team is being activated." "Understood." Ken replied. "We're on our way." A moment of shocked silence followed. Solemnly Ken put down his plate, sparing a brief moment to cast a regretful look at Jun, before his face transformed into the cool, confident expression they all knew so well from their training sessions. "Science Ninja Team, let's go!" Ken cried. "Roger!" Jun ran out of the Snack J with the others, understanding that this birthday marked not just another year, but the start of a new phase of her life. Ken could wait. She could wait, knowing he was waiting for her. And he would be waiting when this war was done. She was sure of it.

Hee hee hee, and I'm sure he will be too. One way or another, it's a day she'll never forget. A great piece TJ, and a prompt word I hope we can all have fun with too.....

Aw, TJ, what a sweet little piece.

Thanks, TJ! That was a cute piece, too. Gonna have to think on this prompt, now that I'm able to think again. I have an idea for last week's, but need time to write it up.

I guess everyone has partied too much, if they can't come up with *anything*.... (I'm just jealous, because clearly you all have more active social lives than I do... )

Originally posted by Transmute Jun I guess everyone has partied too much, if they can't come up with *anything*.... (I'm just jealous, because clearly you all have more active social lives than I do... )

Social Activities? My social activities this were helping to coordinate a major fundraiser for my son's scout troop. Tuesday all the adults got together and to slice veggies, trim meat, and mix marinade. Wine was included, but I didn't drink and didn't even bring any tea, because of the antibiotics I'm taking. I begged off the Wednesday night meeting were everything was pulled from Scout Hall to load up on Friday. Went Friday, but didn't do much but collect more orders for the whole tri tips, to have as accurate count as possible. Yesterday, we worked our butts off and got up earlier than I've been up in a month. While the boys were building their structure, I went to help the the Girl scouts set up, grabbing a few boys who needed something to do. Then the fun started, we sold sandwiches and whole tri tips from 11 am to 3 pm and had to clean up. I was so stiff and sore I was afraid to take a shower thinking that I'd collapse and not be able to get up and out. Must remember to do that tonight, and get the smell from the smokers out of my hair. It is fun though, and only one day a year. I'm just glad it was this week and not last week, or we would not have been able to help at all. Today was laundry and recoup. I see lots of potential for this prompt. Maybe people are trying to decide how to interpret party, as K2 suggested above.

It sounds exhausting, Amethyst! I hope you have recovered now and are back to full strength.

Originally posted by Transmute Jun It sounds exhausting, Amethyst! I hope you have recovered now and are back to full strength.

Thank you. Almost completely recovered. Energy levels are up, now I need to start rebuilding overall endurance.

YES! Maybe this week I WILL find some time to contribute to Bradbury's Jar! Or, again, maybe not... Anyway, very sweet piece, TJ, it provided for a nice break from work!

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TJun - I love that Ken did that in front of the team. I can just imagine the looks on the other three faces!! KT - awwww, daily life with Jinpei! I love it and want to read more of your Jinpei. :3

LOL, KT! How like Jinpei to misunderstand (or purposely misunderstand) a simple saying!

Originally posted by amethyst I see lots of potential for this prompt. Maybe people are trying to decide how to interpret party, as EW suggested above.

Ame, although I'm tickled that you're willing to say I'm more than just a pain in your rear , we must give credit where it's due: K2 is the one who threw the "party" interpretation party!

Originally posted by ElectricWhite

Originally posted by amethyst I see lots of potential for this prompt. Maybe people are trying to decide how to interpret party, as EW suggested above.

Ame, although I'm tickled that you're willing to say I'm more than just a pain in your rear , we must give credit where it's due: K2 is the one who threw the "party" interpretation party!

Thanks, EW. I'll go correct that right away.

TJ ... Such a sweet piece! Pity that the war/s took so long to end, and us not knowing how they really ended up in canon after everything was over! But, at least, with this little piece of yours you gave us Ken/Jun shippers hope that there could have been that much wished for future for them! KT ... I don't blame Jinpei for wanting to party instead of working! Who doesn't?! His misunderstanding was just the right excuse!

KT: I'm with Jinpei on this one!

Me Too!!!!

Originally posted by gatchamarie I don't blame Jinpei for wanting to party instead of working! Who doesn't?! His misunderstanding was just the right excuse!

Originally posted by Daniella T I'm with Jinpei on this one!

Originally posted by KT1972 Me Too!!!!

*sigh* Kids these days...no sense of responsibility!

What's Responsibility?

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Query: Would you guys like me to set up an open series over at Gatchfanfic for these stories? Many do end up over there, and it would be an easier way to search for them is someone was looking for them.

Oh, EW, I can't just see this as a real Gatch episode...

Originally posted by ElectricWhite *sigh* Kids these days...no sense of responsibility!

No one ever claimed that the people on this site were *mature*....

And.... now that I've read EW's contribution, my previous posts still stands.... LOL, EW! I'm glad they finally got rid of the rats, though! Did they eat the spoiled food too?

Originally posted by Transmute Jun

Originally posted by ElectricWhite *sigh* Kids these days...no sense of responsibility!

No one ever claimed that the people on this site were *mature*.... And.... now that I've read EW's contribution, my previous posts still stands....

Tee hee ... you were fishing for it, EW!! I'm still trying to digest this story down, even though, as I always tell you, you have one of the most super-imaginative minds around!

Originally posted by amethyst Query: Would you guys like me to set up an open series over at Gatchfanfic for these stories? Many do end up over there, and it would be an easier way to search for them is someone was looking for them.

I think that's a good idea, Ame!

Originally posted by Transmute Jun No one ever claimed that the people on this site were *mature*....

Where did I use the word "mature"?! What I said was -- oh, pardon me a moment.... Hey you kids, get off my lawn! Now, where was I? Oh, never mind...

KT : Very realistic! EW: Very creative! At first, I thought you had brought back the cavies!

ROFL!!! GalactorRats were obviously created as chew toys for Katse....

You know, considering the way the rats were dressed, I wonder if Galactor was experimenting with their minions, turning goons and Devil Stars into the rats?

Originally posted by amethyst You know, considering the way the rats were dressed, I wonder if Galactor was experimenting with their minions, turning goons and Devil Stars into the rats?

You know, I hadn't thought of that. Hmm...something to consider... (insert small, evil laugh here. Thanks.)

Originally posted by ElectricWhite

Originally posted by amethyst You know, considering the way the rats were dressed, I wonder if Galactor was experimenting with their minions, turning goons and Devil Stars into the rats?

You know, I hadn't thought of that. Hmm...something to consider... (insert small, evil laugh here. Thanks.)

Anytime, I love supporting demented minds.

//"What's Princess doing?" asked Jason, bewildered, looking at her sister and team-mate bopping around furiously, white earbuds in her ears, a pink ipod hanging by her side. Mark looked up, guiltily, Jason thought. "You know that she wanted to go to a party at Jill's with me, and I had said yes, and then a training session came up, and I had to cancel, and then she wouldn't speak to me for a week?" Jason scratched his head. "But, Mark, that was weeks ago! What's gotten into her now?" "Well, recently she found a compilation of some really old pop songs, and, unfortunately, she seems to think that she's found the right one to vent her feelings. She's been listening to it for at least the past 45 minutes." With a determined movement, Jason, his curiousity gotten the better of him, snatched the earphones from Princess, and plugged them in his ears. Oblivious to her furious gaze, he cringed when he heard "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to, cry if I want to, cry if I want to, cry if I want to..." Hastily, he pulled off the earbuds, handed them back to Princess and ran out of the room. Nope, he was never going to understand girls. Or old pop songs.//

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Just realized I hadn't commented in this thread at all! Let's see: TJ: So not quite a sweet 16 for the poor girl, but she did get a little sweetness. KT: Now I want to sing "I don't wanna work, I just wanna bang on me drums all day ..." EW: Nothing like a few party animals! DT: As Jason and Mark sit there totally bewildered ... it's nice to remind them sometimes that she's a girl. Lunulet: I think you might be too late, it seems to already have a budding plot!

LOL, DT! We think alike! I had originally thought of using that song in my ficlet about Jun's party, but then it didn't fit in right... Good chice! Lunulet, very intriguing! I think joe's just realized to whom he's speaking... at least, I hope so! And she might have an inkling as to his identity as well....

TJ - No way! If they could figure out each other' identity from a few obvious clues, that would just break ALL the laws of the Gatch universe.

Lunulet, oh there's definitely a plot there! I, for one, would love to read more of this story. TJ: It was the first thing I thought of when I read the prompt.

Originally posted by Lunulet TJ - No way! If they could figure out each other' identity from a few obvious clues, that would just break ALL the laws of the Gatch universe.

Oh no, there's always the exception... when it's *convenient* for the plot to have identities discovered.

DT - I must be sleep-deprived -- I listened to that song a lot in my "tween" years, yet it never entered my mind until I read your piece! Anyway, it's good to remind us that the guys couldn't always handle the fact that Princess is her own person. Lunuet -- not only does it have a plot going, but you might also have the beginning of a series here. You've whet my whistle -- what's coming next?

EW: I'm with Jason as far as the song is concerned!

E.W. - I would looove to continue this. I wish I knew how to finish stories. Seriously. I can start fics but I have no clue how to conquer the middle.

Lunulet, try this: write your beginning, when you get stuck, write how you want it to end, if you can write the end that would be even better. Then write out how/what needs to happen to get from one to the other and start filling in.

Originally posted by Lunulet E.W. - I would looove to continue this. I wish I knew how to finish stories. Seriously. I can start fics but I have no clue how to conquer the middle.

I just kind of push myself through it until I figure out the end, then go back and fix the middle because the first draft sucked.

Originally posted by Lunulet I can start fics but I have no clue how to conquer the middle.

This is why I need to write with an outline. If I know what the ending will be, and have 'fleshed in' the 'storyboard' details of how to get there, then it's just a matter of jumping from scene to scene. That's not to say that things might not change as I get writing, but at least it helps keep me on track.

*nod nod* You know, now that I think of it, my "outlining" is heavy on the beginning and tends to get fuzzy in the middle, so I think that might be the problem. These short challenges are fun for me because it doesn't matter that I can't seem to make it past 800 words. I used to write when I was much younger, but gave up because I was so critical and shy about my own writing. I decided recently that I would give it another try. In my career I actually write quite a lot, but not in a way that necessarily makes me a passable author of fiction. Or fanfiction. You know. Thank you, everyone, for all your advice! PLEASE let me know if you have any more tips, specific or not. I love hearing them!

The best tip that I can give you is have fun and enjoy yourself. If you think something has promise and are stuck, there are a lot of people here, who'd be happy to help through constructive comments and exploratory discussion.

Daniella .... now you've glued that song to my mind, also! Lunulet .... not fair! I just wanted to keep on reading and reading! You surely have a great plot going on there! And, such an awesome sense of descriptive writing! Joe surely seems to have met his matching femme fatale!