A/N: I just got a new computer, and it doesn't have Word...came with WordPerfect...so hopefully this document loads correctly.
Bridging The Gap:
Ryan looked at the screen. Carley's first message came up.
Carley says:
oh my deity, Ryan!
Carley says:
your Mom sent me an email telling me that you were in the hospital…I'm so happy that you're finally awake!
Ryan says:
actually, I'm not awake, I'm still in the cartoon world
Carley says:
O.o
Carley says:
what?
Carley says:
I think you should get some rest until the drugs wear off, Ryan
Ryan says:
no really, my body is still unconscious, but my mind is in the cartoon world. I created a device that can transport one's mind to the cartoon world via a host toon (in this case WakkoRyan) but I got injured and somehow that affected my real body too!
Carley says:
I'm sorry, but you should sign off, Ryan. You need more sleep.
Carley says:
bye for now
Ryan says:
wait!
Carley says:
what now?
Ryan says:
Brain is about to get a video linkup…that way I can prove to you that I'm trapped in the cartoon world!
Carley says:
this isn't funny, Ryan
Ryan says:
invites Carley to a video linkup
(((A/N: I have no idea what it really says when you do that since I don't have a webcam.)))
Carley says:
Carley has accepted the video linkup
(((A/N: I'd like to take this opportunity to remind you all that Ryan and WakkoRyan are the same in this case and I'll switch back and forth at will just to confuse you all…I've got to do a story where there isn't a case of someone being in someone else's body one of these days.)))
The video feed began to display on Carley's computer. It showed WakkoRyan, with Brain and Pinky on his shoulders (((A/N: does it matter who is on each shoulder?))) with the sibs in the background.
Carley looked surprised, but her response was not what Ryan was expecting.
"You finally drew another picture!" she said. "And it looks great!"
Ryan rolled his eyes and sighed frustratingly. Brain smacked his forehead. Yakko started muttering about not having a speaking line in this scene.
Upon seeing the movement, Carley said, "an animation! The movements are sooo fluid, too!"
WakkoRyan interjected, "this isn't a flash animation or something Carley!"
After seeing him respond to her comment, Carley noted, "oh, is this like one of those things where you put motion sensors all over your body and it makes the cartoon move?"
WakkoRyan had to try very hard to resist the urge to rip his hair out.
(((A/N: Carley isn't actually this dense, it just wouldn't make a semi-believable story if she just immediately believed me.)))
Ryan was beginning to wonder if he would ever be able to get the point across to Carley, when something occurred to him.
"Carley," he said. "If this is a program of some sort, surely you must know that I couldn't have created it while in the hospital, right?"
"I suppose," she said.
"So I would be based on how I appeared before entering the hospital, right?"
"Um, sure…"
"But I'm in a wheelchair."
"You are?"
Yakko reached over WakkoRyan and adjusted the camera to point slightly lower, showing Carley that WR was indeed in a wheelchair.
"And just in case you still don't believe," Ryan said, "look at this."
He lifted his shirt, showing the bandages over the affected area. Grimacing, he began to lift the bandages to show Carley the wound, but Carley stopped him from doing so.
"Wait-wait-wait-wait-wait!" she said. "I believe you now! You don't have to show me that disgusting wound to prove to me that you really are somehow in the cartoon world."
"Finally!" all of the cartoon members of the conversation (including WakkoRyan) said in unison.
Now that he had Carley convinced, Ryan told her the story of how he entered the cartoon world, and how he came to be injured.
"That's awful that Vakko is still apparently affected by Xakko," Carley said after Ryan was finished. "Hopefully you can find a way to get him back to normal for good."
"Well," said Ryan, "we have to find him first. After stabbing me, he just ran off, and no one we know has seen him since then."
"Regardless," said Brain, "we must begin preparations to return Ryan's mind to his body. I believe I have devised a way to do so that will work sufficiently. Let us be prompt so that I may shortly begin my ten days of RULING THE WORLD!"
Carley was quite confused.
Ryan began to explain. "I promised Brain that if he helped, I'd write a story about him ruling the world for ten days. Since my writing affects this world…"
Ryan's sentence was interrupted by the sound of an opening door. Carley couldn't see what was going on, but saw the immediate shock on the faces of all of the toons as they looked off-screen.
"What's going on?" she said.
The sound of fear in Ryan's voice was evident.
"It's Vakko."