I'd like to take this moment to thank Daniella T for some comments she made back in Bradbury's Jar 121.2 ("Hang") and providing the inspiration for this week's word! And now, this week's prompt is: Awesome I hope you'll be, like, totally awesome to the max and create a response!

//The debriefing had taken its toll on Jason. More than the race across Africa, more than seeing Lucy self-destruct, it was having to report to the ISO brass that had drained him so thoroughly. They were right to suspect him -- how come he hadn't realised earlier that Lucy was a cyborg? How could he have been so blind? He slumped on the couch in the ready room, fighting back tears. They would think he'd lost it, if they saw him bawling over a cyborg. He'd never hear the last of it. "We were going to be such an awsome team, Lucy. We were going to be so awsome," he whispered. "If only you had trusted me a bit more".//

"Jinpei, will you stop singing that song?" Jun moaned, pressing her hands over her ears. :I can't take it any longer!" "But I need to sing it, Onechan!" Jinpei tried to explain. "I just can't get it out of my head! Jun sighed. She never should have taken her little brother to see the Lego movie. Now she was paying for it every day. "Everything is awesome..." the boy's off-key warble echoed down the hallway.

Daniella, I can see how Jason would be devastated by Lucy's demise, and this is a natural extension of that!

TJ -- YES! Excellent! By the way, what did you think of the movie (song excluded)? I found it a bit too much (too much noise, for one).

Actually, we haven't seen the movie yet. I have the DVD ordered. But I've heard the song so many times, and my son (age 11, like Jinpei) loves it!

DT - Poor Jason. You can feel his misery. TJ- I haven't seen it yet, but I think we've all ha that happen, that we can't get a song out of our heads.

Originally posted by Becky Rock TJ- I haven't seen it yet, but I think we've all ha that happen, that we can't get a song out of our heads.

...or worse -- we've been around kids who can't get a song out of their heads!

DT: Poor Jason! I could definitely understand him feeling like that. TJ: Aww, very cute! "But sis, I need to sing it". ROTFL.

I haven't been able to get that 'Happy' song out of my head this week.

DT/ Short but strongly impressive. TJ/ I'd rather glad that it is not "Let it go". Ugh...

Originally posted by rachel I'd rather glad that it is not "Let it go". Ugh...

I agree! I wish some people would LET GO of "Let It Go"!

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DT - you have managed to capture so much emotion in those few lines, a great piece TJ - Why am I so pleased to not have seen that film?

KT: Curiouser and curiouser! Now Joe gets drawn into the drama too, huh? Looking forward to more!

KT, I'm glad to know that Joe has some happiness, but hope she isn't the typical 'Galactor woman fated to die'!

...But I've got a feeling she'll inadvertently cause trouble over Joe's watch/Jun's bracelet!

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Glad to see that Jun's keeping her wits about her, EW! Looking forward to the next installment!

KT - she's too inquisitive...and blonde...uh oh. Joe's bad luck again? EW - good for Jun! But Jinpei's got to wake up soon so they can get out of there.

KT -- She spent a night with Joe and found it only "awesome"? How high are this woman's standards?

EW -- trust a woman to save the day!

EW, glad to see Jun is as resourceful and intelligent as always!

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DT: I can feel his sadness here. It's got to be a huge blow to the self-confidence to not see something like this under your own nose, not to mention to lose someone you saw as an important part of your life in one way or another. (In this case, racing team.) TJ: No good deed goes unpunished!!! KT: Uh oh, and Jun said her parents gave it to her. I wonder if Joe's girlfriend thinks he took it! EW: Poor Jun, having to pick up Jinpei's slack yet again. That kid's in real trouble when he wakes up!

if Joe learns anything from all this, I hope that it's to listen to instructions, and obey commands.... although somehow I doubt it!

CW- Another tense installment. Joe's going to have to learn not to be so impulsive. And the L word has come forward. This is getting more and more interesting.

I'm trying to set him up for how he'll be as the Condor ... maybe it's these embarrassing situations that curb his impulsiveness just a bit.

Good to see the next installment here, CW!

Originally posted by ChrisW Joe was no honor-bound white knight in shining armour. He had absolutely no problem with attacking an unsuspecting asshole from behind.

That's Condor type thinking! (I like it!) Oooh, and Becky's right....the use of the "L" word! Heheh.

Okay kiddos, last one for today. This stems from #118 (Forgot), #120 (Allowance), #121.2 (Hang), then #130 (Book) ******************************* Prompt# 124 -Awesome Sunday-late afternoon two days later. Ken walked towards the Snack, after parking his bike in the lot down the block. It was cold and he had his hands shoved in his pockets, a long blue scarf looped around his neck. As he drew closer, he saw Joe getting out of the G2 which was parked right in front of the eatery. Spying him, Joe leaned back against the car and waited, long legs crossed at the ankles. He watched as Joe rubbed his hands together to warm them, then wrapped the open edges of his coat about him as the wind picked up. "Hey." Ken offered in greeting, stopping a few feet from him. "Before you ask me," Joe began, a grin working its way across his face and making a sweeping gesture with his hand. "It's all taken care of." "What's all taken care of?" he asked dumbfounded, a blank expression on his face. Joe sneaked a look around them."Jinpei....the toes....you know ..." "Oh." Ken commented, breath pluming in the frigid air. "Glad to hear it. It's about time." "Good, so you can stop hassling me about it." Joe said, pointing a finger at him. His friend easily swatted the finger away with a snicker. "Yeah?" Ken asked, one eyebrow raised. "Well, maybe next time you'll think before you do something stupid!" Joe bit back the words he was going to say, for once refusing to rise to the bait. There was no sense in bringing it all up again. It was over. Finito. Done. "Come on," Joe said nodding towards the building. "Let's just get inside before I freeze a nut off." Ken snorted as he reached for the door handle. "Baka, that's what you get for not wearing underwear." "Shaddup!" Joe retorted, playfully shoving Ken through the doorway ahead. They had no sooner walked into the Snack, trading verbal barbs with one another, and were in the process of taking off their coats when.... "Ken!" Jun squealed with happiness, as she spotted him from the kitchen and came running out to greet them. "Ken, I think you were right!" Joe watched as she practically launched herself at the Eagle, enveloping him in a hug. He wanted to laugh at the surprised and uncomfortable look on their leader's face, which was slowly growing red from embarrassment. "Ummm..." Ken said uneasily, gently working Jun's arms from around him and holding her at a slight distance. "I was?" "Yes!" she replied fairly bouncing. "What're you so happy about, Junie?" Joe asked shrugging out of his leather jacket and tossing it across the counter as he lowered his frame onto a seat. "My socks!" she quipped, as Ken settled down on the stool next to Joe. "I found them in a bag on my bed." Ken and Joe risked a brief glance at each other. She continued, eyes on Ken. "You told me that everything with Jinpei was probably nothing to worry about, that it was something that would pass and it looks like you were right!" "Wait...they just appeared there...on their own? Just like that?" Joe frowned. "Or did he say anything to you?" "They appeared just like that." she nodded. "When I came home from my book club meeting on Friday night, I walked up to my bedroom and it was there, right on the bed." "Well, Jun," Ken said with an easy smile. "I'm glad. I think it's pretty awesome that you got your socks back." "Tell me about it! I'm totally relieved." "So, he hasn't done anything else that could be considered freaky?" Ken questioned, eyes searching her face. "Nope!" she chimed cheerfully, leaning over the counter. "And guess what? He doesn't want to even do the laundry anymore!" She laughed. "I never thought I would be so happy about that!" "Did he ever mention why he took them." Joe asked casually. "No, and you know what? I don't care so long as it never happens again!" She reached beneath the bar and grabbed two beers, popping the caps off and set the bottles down in front of them. "Now," she said briskly. "What can I get the two of you? My treat." "Ummm....is Jinpei here tonight?" Ken asked, his face starting to blanch as he tried peering into the kitchen. "No, not tonight" Jun told him. "He went off with Ryu early this morning, so he won't be back till this evening. I've got someone new back there today. He's pretty good, the customers seem to love his cooking." "Oh, well in that case..." Ken thought aloud. "How about steak and eggs?" "With toast and hashbrowns?" she asked knowingly. "Yeah, with toast and hashbrowns. Thanks Jun..." "What about you Joe? You want the usual?" "You know it babe..." "Okay" Jun said, scribbling their order on her pad. "One steak and eggs with toast and hashbrowns, and one double bacon cheeseburger, fries and ..." She paused, her pencil raised in scrawl. "Extra crispy onion rings?" "Extra crispy onion rings." Joe confirmed with a nod, as he reached for his beer. "Be ready in a jiff!" Jun called over her shoulder as she made her way into the kitchen to put in their order. "Man," Joe whispered to Ken, as his eyes followed her. "She is really in a good mood." "Seriously," Ken muttered back to him. "Don't do anything stupid and blow it, because I'm starving."

I love the banter and playfulness between the boys here. And the vaguely worrisome reaction to Jinpei's sudden conversion. SOMETHING is up here. Maybe Jinpei's up to something new, or he's told Jun what happened, and she's about to get them both for not saying anything ... bwahaha She is in a really, REALLY good mood!

Originally posted by ChrisW She is in a really, REALLY good mood!

That gave me a thought -- what if Jinpei told her that Ken really DID have some sort of foot fetish connected with her?

LOLOL

Thanks, CW. Their banter is a lot of fun to write! Is something up with Jun? I dunno...we'll just have to wait and see what happens next.....

Of course Ken would just be concerned with his stomach. But its inevitable Jinpei will make some comment or do something to get the crazy ball rolling again.