Sorry for the late posting. This is my first time posting the prompt. This week's prompt is: baby Have fun!

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EW- poor, poor Jinpei! Sniff! It's the season for colds here too, and I m also tempted to behave like him.

Jinpei's a baby when it's works in his favor. Any othe time, he wants to be treated like an adult.

LOL. Poor Jinpei! Here's my contribution for the week. Just a short one this time: ******************** Joe watched as the driving rain splattered against his windshield. Gritting his teeth he bowed his head, depressed the clutch, and turned the key in the ignition once more. He stared at the dashboard, as the engine slowly turned over, then died. "Dammit." he muttered under his breath. With a heavy sigh, he tried again; listening as the engine caught and once more died. "One last time" he said aloud, left arm propped against the steering wheel. Joe turned the key in the ignition, the engine fought to catch. "Come on, baby...." he crooned softly. "Come on....." He held his breath as the engine made a sputtering noise and roared to life. A lazy grin spread across his face, as he lay a hand on the dashboard. "That's my girl!" he said proudly, throwing the car into gear and hitting the gas.

That sounds like Joe.

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EW ... Oh, Jinpei, Jinpei ... he's not just a baby ... he's also a male! You know how much they exagerate things and demand attention when they're a bit sick! RB ... I just can imagine Joe calling his car "baby"! That's really him! KT ... I have to agree with Joe's final line, here!

RB -- what else can I say? You've got Joe's relationship with his car nailed! KT -- Yup, Jinpei's certainly acting like a little kid here!

EW, why is it that men are such babies when they are sick? Redbird, I think Joe needs to spend some time under the hood if his car is that temperamental! KT, I can see why Jinpei doesn't want to go to school... what about a private tutor though?

RB - that's one of the reasons I don't drive - I don't have the patience. Joe is one of those people who can communicate with his car... But I can't.

KT - did they tell Jinpei that he can also meet girls in the classroom?

Originally posted by Transmute Jun EW, why is it that men are such babies when they are sick?

Good question! Maybe it has something to do with the fact that girls mature faster than boys, and women can endure more pain than men. (No offense, gentlemen, but those are scientifically proven facts.)

KT - Jinpei having a tantrum. Joe should have reminded him that's for 2 year olds also.

KT: Nice use of the prompt! I like how Ken pulled rank and told Jinpei he had to go to school. Can't stay home and play video games all the time, ya know. And of course Joe would say something like that to the kid. BR, GM & EW: Yeah it sounded like a "Joe" thing to say! LOL. TJ: I think he'll probably look at it once he gets to his destination. DT: Joe's got a magic touch when it comes to cars!

"I saw we storm in there and blow everything up with a few Super Bird Missiles." Joe grumbled. "I think we need a more subtle approach." Ken rolled his eyes. "And what about all of those innocent civilians in the area?" Jun wanted to know. "Wait a minute." Dr. Nambu frowned. "Let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater. Joe might have an idea there. But perhaps something more targeted. A surgical strike." "I'm listening." Joe's lips twisted into a slow grin.

TJ -- Please, ma'am, I want more!

Joe and Hakase on the same page? That's frightening!

Originally posted by Becky Rock Joe and Hakase on the same page? That's frightening!

Totally !

LOL! EW, I don't think there is any more. this isn't part of a fic, just a quick line I was thinking of when I wrote it.

Originally posted by Transmute Jun LOL! EW, I don't think there is any more. this isn't part of a fic, just a quick line I was thinking of when I wrote it.

Oh, I'm sure there's more...if you apply yourself a little...

TJ ... I'm sure that Nambu had just made Joe's day, there!

Originally posted by Redbird

Originally posted by Becky Rock Joe and Hakase on the same page? That's frightening!

Totally !

No need to add more...

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And here I was just thinking that Jason would have to knock her out so that she was unconscious while he transformed!

Hmmmm, so who is taking out the goons?

TJ- Jason wasn't quite sure what to do. CD - You'll know as soon as I finish writing the next part and work in the appropriate prompt.

Originally posted by Becky Rock CD - You'll know as soon as I finish writing the next part and work in the appropriate prompt.

As I started reading this, I half expected you to say, "I will know as soon as I figure out what is going to happen myself."

I know what's coming, I just have to write it! With all this snow, I might get the chance if all of the needed chores don't interfere.

Originally posted by Transmute Jun And here I was just thinking that Jason would have to knock her out so that she was unconscious while he transformed!

I had the same thought, TJ! LOL.

Originally posted by Redbird

Originally posted by Transmute Jun And here I was just thinking that Jason would have to knock her out so that she was unconscious while he transformed!

I had the same thought, TJ! LOL.

But, Jason wouldn't do that to a lady ... or, would he?! ... hmm ... Looking forward to read what's next, Becky! Let the snow fall!

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Yay, I finally get to read. Having to retype most of my comments here, since my computer browser took the opportunity to crash on me in the middle of all my comments: EW: I dunno, there are times I could believe that even the common cold is a bioweapon. Redbird: I can totally picture/hear that happening! KT: Somehow I don't think Jinpei's gonna appreciate how spot on Joe's response was. *grin* TJ: Well, Joe won't be able to make a big crater, but it sounds like he'll settle for a small one. Becky: Hah, I like how Jason's making it clear that she brought this down on them. Can't wait to see who intervened!

I was waiting for the continuation of this story, CW! Wow ... it's impressive how Joe could turn into such a lamb, from the opposite, in Ken's presence! But, that's Ken, even though the Ken in this story is more complicated than the original one! He turns heads! No wonder Joe's inner confusion! He's sure he's not gay but he could be doubting it at the same time! Perhaps he's bi and Ken had to be the one to teach him that! I wonder what Ken thinks himself to be, if he thinks about that! And, Joe does have a lot of explanations to do ... I surely pity him, starting from the Bambi contact backwards!!

People seem to want to look at sexuality as one easy checkbox or another. Bi seems to confuse a lot of people or catch them by surprise, and I figured Joe could be one of those people. I was fighting to keep Ken from coming off "girly" ... I think I finally managed it. And yeah, Joe's gonna be in the doghouse with Hakase again.

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There was a fic that used to be on Media Minor called Twin Hearts. It had Mark and Jason married in it. When asked, Jason says he isn't gay, that he really likes to have sex with women, but when he fell in love, he fell in love with Mark. I would define that as being bi-sexual.

Redbird: Yup, sometimes I feel like I'm unleashing a beast and waiting to see if people think it's kinda cool or horrifying. I wanted to make sure to keep them both strong guys while still dealing with the fact that there's this mutual attraction, Joe's just killed for the first time (while being very confused when it comes to Ken) and it's not a Galactor, Ken's frustrated that Joe won't stay away and has been handling all this on his own so long that he's not equipped to deal with sudden monkey wrenches (Condor wrenches) like one of his marks getting killed by an ally, etc. Juggling the layers is sometimes what slows me down until I can finally get my head around how to make it all work. I think that depression can make that tougher because the feelings in general are harder to access/wrangle. Making Joe switch gears like that so quickly is fun but took me a while to make it feel smooth and realistic. I'm glad that it seems to work. I definitely wanted to keep Joe wary, and as I was pondering what contact name Ken would use, I decided that it was a good spot to use this particular Ken's sense of humour. Pardon moi while I wax analytical today ... Becky: Do you have a copy of that one? Would love to read it. Speaking of analytical, here's my thoughts on human sexuality. Many experts believe that we lie on a spectrum where heterosexuality and homosexuality are the extreme ends, and bisexuality is in the middle. If this is the case, then most people tend to identify as one or the other, but are in fact on the line somewhere toward one end or the other. In other words, the majority of people are bisexual on some level, but it might be very minutely so, such that they'd only be interested in the same sex or the opposite sex (depending on how they identify) when it comes to very specific people. Just like you're describing in that Twin Hearts story, Becky. I tend to think of bisexuality in that you fall in love with a person, not a gender. So to speak. In a culture where we see people as rigidly gay or straight, falling in love with someone with "the wrong parts" can be quite confusing. I figure Joe, coming from B.C. Island, which is modelled after Sicily with its macho culture (that's my paternal heritage), would probably see things that way. Anyway, always nice to write something that generates discussion. Yeesh, this response is almost as long as my story post ...

Originally posted by ChrisW I wanted to make sure to keep them both strong guys while still dealing with the fact that there's this mutual attraction,

And, you're doing great, here, CW! You're right ... tackling such confusing situations is not that easy but, again, you're doing an awesome job! Please, don't apologise for writing down your theories! I thank you, instead! Different perspectives and different sources of information are always a valuable, extracted addition to one's knowledge! As you have well put it, falling in love with a person and not with a gender is not that far-fetched! Even though, in my humble opinion, and hoping that I'm not offending anyone, this could happen more between male than between female. I don't know whether I can explain myself well, here, but I see it as men could respect more one another than women can, where women generally have a more competitive nature between each other, not that this couldn't happen. The fact that men have the ability to argue and fight over something there and then, hence instantly confronting and solving a situation instead of holding grudges, is also a bonus. Also, I think that when sexually satisfied with women as a natural instinct, without the increased jealousy factor women sometimes have, men could appreciate more what lies behind a character, if I'm making sense! I hope I didn't confuse you more! :p

CW- unfortunately, I don't have a copy of it. The author took it down a few years ago. I think the author was Imajuro or something like that. I've searched for it since and haven't found it. What you said does make sense. That's where the term 'bromance' came from, I believe, although I've never heard the female version of that named.

Originally posted by Becky Rock What you said does make sense. That's where the term 'bromance' came from, I believe, although I've never heard the female version of that named.

That's because there isn't the same stigma for women; there's always been a sort of acceptance of close "girlfriend" relationships, but there's been an on-again/off-again fear throughout history of a guy being labeled "gay" or "effeminate" if he had that kind of a close relationship with another guy. So, "bromance" was coined to describe a close relationship between two males that doesn't necessarily mean that the guys are in a committed homosexual relationship.

I've heard 'hoemance' used before but I'm not sure if that's really in common usage.

Gatchamarie: No offence taken! Women do seem able to do it, too. The relationship just tends to look a bit different. I think of it as double the testosterone and double the estrogen, respectively. And men can get incredibly jealous just like women can, when it comes to having a partner. I don't think when I've been around F/F couples I've noticed them being in competition with each other in the way het girls tend to be, but it's possible I just wasn't paying attention.

Becky and EW: Yeah, I tend to see bromance as close male friends who aren't sexually involved, due to the stigmas EW was talking about. The movie "I love you, man" is kind of a perfect, if dysfunctional, example. That's too bad she took the story down. Wonder why. KT: I think hoemance might possibly refer to the close friendship of 2 "loose women." But I could be wrong!

Originally posted by ChrisW And men can get incredibly jealous just like women can, when it comes to having a partner. I don't think when I've been around F/F couples I've noticed them being in competition with each other in the way het girls tend to be, but it's possible I just wasn't paying attention.

I might have explained myself wrongly when trying to write it down ... I knew it! :p ... but, when I was talking about competitiveness between women, I was talking about hetero, this aspect more pronounced in women than men! Hence, my agreeing with what you're saying, CW, that a person can fall in love with the person and not the gender, but that, in my humble opinion, I think that this person overcoming the gender thing could happen more between men, before deciding to form a couple, as I see them less superficial. The term "Bromance" makes a lot of sense!

Oh, dear. I am so far behind on these Bradbury's Jar prompts! Real life has been kicking my rear. It's nice to finally have some time to read. --- EW: Classic Jinpei! RB: I agree with Becky. That sounds exactly like Joe. KT: Jinpei and school ... I foresee a lot of blown up toilets and other mayhem. TJ: Joe and Nambu communicating?! Now that's something! Becky: I love the little details in that passage, especially the bullets ripping the stuffing out of his bedding. Chris: Joe? As a "normal" teen? Now that will take some acting! Wow, that encounter was not what I expected! I am enjoying this storyline, but this Ken still takes some getting used to. --- Let's see if the creative juices are flowing tonight ... Chief Anderson sat down heavily, threw his glasses on his desk, and rubbed his eyes. Thank God the press conference was finally over. Seeing an undercover Rigan agent step into the Eagle's barely cold uniform turned his stomach, but he knew it had to be done. It was all part of the charade. They had to baby the public. More importantly, they had to convince Zoltar that somehow, despite all logic and reason, Mark had eluded death. A few more staged appearances and they could send the fake Eagle undercover for good. Hopefully, that would buy enough time for them to cope with their grief, maybe even consider a new teammate ... His bleary gaze fell on a series of five framed photographs - four smiles and one smirk - sitting in a tidy row on his desk. Picking up the picture with the most engaging smile, he stared for a moment at the strong, confident teen with unruly jet black hair and deep blue eyes. The boy appeared to laughing at the camera, daring the photographer to catch up with him. The Chief could still hear Mark's voice. "You want a picture of me, Chief? Ya gotta catch me first!" In a rare show of exuberance, the Chief had thrown his camera to Princess and had chased Mark through the park. It wasn't until he heard glass breaking and found himself on his feet that Chief Anderson realized he had hurled the picture at the nearest wall. Making his way to the filing cabinet, he unlocked the lowest drawer, found the scotch, and poured himself a drink.

jublke: That Ken is definitely a challenge, ugh. This is another really powerful scene of yours! I can just imagine the misery the rest of the team went through having to see someone else in the Eagle's uniform, and I'm sure it's wishful thinking that they could send the fake Eagle out only a few times to convince Zoltar, but I can see why he'd hope that. I love the description of the four smiles and one smirk, and this scene shows nicely how even the Chief is deeply impacted by the loss of one of their own.

Originally posted by ChrisW This is another really powerful scene of yours!

I got teary writing this one too! I may have to pace myself to catch up with the prompts. And I still need a plot - by far my weakest element as a writer. :/

I always know it's working when I get teary while writing a sad scene. Plot can be a little harder when you're winging it (if you're winging it, you might be planning this out in an outline for all I know). The important thing is that you RECOGNIZE that you don't have a plot yet, which means you're thinking about how to resolve it. I think all writers struggle with plot from time to time. It's a big struggle sometimes during these serials because I don't let myself plan them out. (Not that I usually plan things out, but I'll think out lots of options and see where I decide to go when I get there. I don't do that with these except for the scene in question.) Anyway, I can really only talk about how I address things. There's a lot of ways to get a handle on a slippery plot. It depends on where you're running into problems and how your own creative brain works. With some original novels I'm working on, I did my usual thing of writing multiple drafts of a book before realizing it was book 2. Then after a draft or so of book 1 I had to admit to myself that while I had a series of events, I didn't have a cohesive plot/arc for the book itself. I sat down with Omnigraffle (a flowcharting/mindmapping/etc program) and focused only on the central plot, mapping it out so I could focus just on that with no side threads. Came out of that exercise with a more solid idea of how the book will wrap up (previously it petered off into nothing). For the serials I just kind of keep trying things to try to find where the story's going. I won't say that I delete as much as I end up posting, as that's an exaggeration, but I try to focus just on the next step in the story. If it's too expected or routine then I don't include it. I look for things that will carry me forward, I look for what the characters want and need, and what they think they want and need. I look at the external forces at play, who might force their hand or what might just happen that puts them in a spot they don't like. Ultimately, I see these serials as a first draft, since I'm someone who needs multiple drafts to really nail a story down. I plan to edit before posting the final version on Gatchfanfic. None of this might work for you. It just comes down to experimentation. If nothing else works, tossing something at a beta for their thoughts can be a lifesaver.

LOL. I can only guess who the smirk belonged to. I'm trying to imagine what exactly happened in order to come to the point we see here! You handled the emotional aspect here very well! The chief's grief is palpable and believable. Hope we see the thoughts/reactions of the others too. Wonderful piece, jublke! Looking forward to seeing more.

This isn't a stand alone, is it, Julie? I seem to remember something else you had started in other Jars in this vein or I could totally be off my rocker. What I try to do is just write a section and see if the current BJ word fits in or if I can make it fit it. If not, I wait for the next one, etc. It doesn't always work this way, but you can give it a try.

Originally posted by Becky Rock This isn't a stand alone, is it, Julie? I seem to remember something else you had started in other Jars in this vein or I could totally be off my rocker.

I was wondering the same thing too, Becky. I thought it might be something new, but wasn't totally sure.

Hi RB & Becky: Yes, it's been a long time since I've made it back to Bradbury's Jar! This is actually a fifth scene for a story I started back in January. I thought I'd put the links here in case anyone wants to catch up. (And it helps keep me organized, at any rate.): Bradbury's Jar #106 http://www.gatchamania.net/thread.php?threadid=4491&sid=&page=2 Bradbury's Jar #107 http://www.gatchamania.net/thread.php?threadid=4499&sid= Bradbury's Jar #108 http://www.gatchamania.net/thread.php?threadid=4505&sid=&page=2 Bradbury's Jar #109 http://www.gatchamania.net/thread.php?threadid=4508&sid= Thanks for reading!

Thanks for setting us straight jublke!

Better grab some kleenex if you're gonna catch up.

Originally posted by ChrisW Better grab some kleenex if you're gonna catch up.

After checking out the links, I realize I *have* seen these. I just couldn't recall them off the top of my head. LOL. My brain is like a sieve lately, I tell you.

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