Present day Author's squawk:
OMG! I wrote this when I was till in school! . Anywayz... JQ characters are HB's. No money is made. Story is mine. Similar real life situation... KEWL! Someone out there thinks the same way I do (scary ain't it?).
October 27, 1997 (revised October 31/04)
Attaining Responsibilities (1/1)
by Ina-chan
It was one of those few quiet evenings in the Quest compound. No terrorist threats. No brainwashing. No disastrous Questworld upgrades. Just a quiet evening with everyone gathered in the family room enjoying each other's company in relative silence. Dr. Quest buried in The Genetic Engineering Journal, Race listening to his favourite country music station, Hadji practicing his meditation in the corner, Jonny surfing the net in a laptop, and Jessie doing some advanced readings on her lessons while absently scratching Bandit's tummy. That is until Jessie looked up and nonchalantly asked a question...
"Say, Jonny," She began
Jonny looked up at her.
"I was just wondering, how long have you had Bandit?" She asked
"Hmm..." Jonny hmmmed, "Around three years I guess, right Dad?"
"Yes," Dr. Quest replied, "I believe you got him for your eleventh birthday."
"For your eleventh birthday?" Jessie said with a raised eyebrow, "How did you ever convince your Dad to let you have such a big responsibility?"
Dr. Quest chuckled. Jonny snickered as he exchanged a knowing look with Race.
"What?" Jessie sat up in curiosity
"Indeed, tell us what happened?" Hadji pitched in
Dr. Quest put down the journal he was reading on his lap and leaned back,
"Well..."
Flashback to 3 years ago.
"Well... that looks like the last of it," Race commented with a grin referring to the last 'bring home' package that Grampa Doug was sending home with them
Dr. Quest chuckled, "Regretting we're taking the cross country route back Race?"
"Nope. It's not everyday we drive through open spaces without chasing a mad scientist. It'll be a good experience for the kid," Race replied as the two men watched Jonny give his grandfather his goodbye
Dr. Quest sighed.
"Speaking of which," Race continued, "Someone will be having a birthday a week from now."
"Don't I know it?" Dr. Quest replied with a grin
"Has he been hinting any presents?"
"Funny you should ask. He hasn't mentioned a single word."
"Well, boys his age will usually ask for a dog."
"I'm not sure he's going to be ready for such a big responsibility like that."
"Well... he's going to start somewhere."
Then the small ten-year-old skipped toward the two men with his grandfather. After a few more minutes of farewells... they were off to the Florida airport and back to their island home.
"Jonny, don't stick your head and your arm out the window," Dr. Quest said automatically
"Aww Dad," Jonny moaned sulkily as he obeyed the order
"So how was your stay with Grampa?" Dr. Quest asked
Jonny brightened up, "It was so cool. Grampa let me feed the cows. I saw a rodeo. Grampa promised that he'll teach me how to lasso a calf when I'm older. And he taught me how to tie knots. And Ruben taught me how to milk cows. Dad, did you know the difference between a boy cow and a girl cow..."
"Ah... Well... That's nice Jonny," Dr. Quest stammered
"So kiddo, did you make any new friends?" Race came in to the rescue
"Yeah. Lots. But I got to spend most of my time with Daniel. Remember Ruben's kid? He got a new baby brother a few months ago. He sure was loud for something that small," Jonny replied, then he turned to the window and sat up excitedly, "Oh look! You can see the river that runs through the ranch from here! Daniel and I caught a lot of frogs..."
The two adults patiently listened to the little boy chatter excitedly about his adventures until several hours later, the noise subsided. Dr. Quest assumed that his son has finally talked himself to exhaustion so he turned around to check on him, only to see a pair of deep blue eyes looking at him seriously and thoughtfully, "What is it son?"
"Dad," Jonny began solemnly, "I'm turning eleven soon..."
Dr. Quest glanced at his bodyguard who was smiling his 'Here-it-comes' smile.
Dr. Quest turned back to his son, "Well what do you have in mind?"
"Since I'll be turning eleven, don't you think I'm ready to have some responsibility?"
"I suppose..."
"Well... if you let me have what I want. I promise that I'll take good care of him. I'll feed him and play with him everyday. Every single day. And I'll even clean up after him."
"It sounds like your driving a hard bargain there," Dr. Quest replied seriously, "Are you sure you're not going to back down on your word. This is a big responsibility."
"I promise! Spit swear!"
"Spit swear! Then you must really want this bad."
"Yes Dad, I do. Please Dad? PLEASE?"
"Well... I'll think about it," Dr. Quest replied
"YAY!" Jonny cried excitedly, "Did you hear that Race? I might get a baby brother!"
Dr. Quest choked and Race veered dangerously into incoming traffic in surprise.
"You want a wha-?" Race sputtered
" hack -- hack --" Dr. Quest choked
"A baby brother! Daniel's mom showed us how change diapers and stuff. Daniel and I played with him all the time. And he would always crawl toward me..."
" HACK -- HACK !!!" Dr. Quest continued to choke
"Dad, are you all right?" Jonny asked worriedly
"Jonny..." Race began, "It's... complicated... to get a baby brother just like that?"
"Why?" Jonny wanted to know
"I-uhhh... well... Benton?" Race offered helpfully
" HAAACK !!"
"I'm willing to wait. You don't have to get him for next week if it's that hard," Jonny offered
"Well kid... it's not that..." Race continued uncertainly
"RACE STOP THE CAR RIGHT HERE!" Dr. Quest yelled as he saw a sign
Race stopped the car as Dr. Quest turned to his son, pointing at a sign, "Look Jonny. This farm is giving away puppies to people who's willing to give them good homes."
Jonny's face lightened up, "COOL!"
Flash forward 3 years
"So that was how it happened!" Hadji said through uncontrollable laughter
"Man Dad! I wish I did that. Maybe I could have gotten a pony," Jessie teased
"Now don't you start..." Race warned
"You know what Dad?" Jonny began, his eyes twinkling mischievously, "I never did get what I wanted for my birthday, didn't I?"
Dr. Quest gave his son a stern look, "Now don't YOU start..."
The end.
Author's squawk:
I was seven. And in my case, I got an adorable tabby kitten I named Ningning (after that character in Batibot- Phil. kid's show). Of course... I also got a sister roughly a year later... and sometimes I regret it. Sometimes. I guess the moral of the story that applies to me is... "Be careful what you ask for..." Anyways. I hope you like this.
Sorry about "Confusing", for some weird reason, I can't get myself to finish typing chapter 7. It's not writer's block or anything. It almost seems like it doesn't want to be finished... insert Twilight Zone music here . I just finished the main outline for chapter 2 and chapter 3 of "Valley", for anyone who cares. So as soon as I figure out what details to put inside the acts, Liz and I will be working on it soon... Until then I gotta study for my test (which I should be doing right now ;-P).
Ina-chan
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