It was a dark and stormy night.
Cliché, yes. But it was also true.
Fujiko, Jigen and Lupin were all gathered on the couch in the dark. A sudden lightning storm had broken, and cut off all power. The three had all been working on fanfics, but the outtage had crashed all the computers.
Fujiko's laptop had been charging in the wall socket, and with one of those one in a million chances that happen more often than not, Fujiko's laptop had been fried. Any celebration had been cut short because Lupin's and Jigen's computers had also lost all power for the time being.
So, now they all sat in the black. The only light in the room came from the three glowing embers made by the cigarettes they all had lit.
Suddenly, a candle illuminated the shadows. The gang tensed and prepared for action.
It was Goemon.
The gang relaxed.
"Goemon, what are you doing?" Lupin blew smoke rings out of boredom.
Goemon had lit several other candles, and was arranging them around the room.
He did not answer Lupin's question and continued to brighten the room.
Lupin flicked a glance at Fujiko. "I prefer the dark. Some things are easier to do..."
Fujiko snorted and Jigen continued to ignore everything.
Goemon stepped into the middle of the room.
Jigen paused. "Wait..."
Goemon said, "I just thought it would be easier to entertain ourselves in the light."
"Entertain?" Lupin was suspicious.
Jigen turned to his companions. "Doesn't this seem familiar? Goemon, I mean."
"Now that you mention it..." Lupin started.
"I'll start." Goemon stated and brought out a scroll.
"NO!" all three screamed at the samurai-cum-writer, but it was too late. Goemon began reading his latest creation out loud.
In the frothy morn;
Before the twilig is shorn;
Came a mount and a man.
Switherly and schoomp;
In horrendous galloomp;
With a reep and a pan.
Lo! From the bog;
Arose the perilous slog;
A snashing it did brough.
The man and the mount;
With a quivimous shout;
Did gallop with a show.
Black long shary claws;
Inferocious snapping jaws;
And golden scale let down.
With large lapis eye;
Dithilily smarky-fie;
Does the trumpet-slog soun'.
And so, o'er dale;
With a slogoris female;
Crash went the Albatross.
Longthely it died;
Brillio-musty inside;
The Nimniy was loss.
"Lupin?"
"Yeah, Jigen?"
"Remember how last time we were able to figure out what Goemon was saying?"
"I remember."
"Any chance with this, er, poem?"
"Not a one."
Jigen murmered curses against Lewis Carrol.
"Beware the Jabberwocky!" Goemon whispered, making claws with his hands.
"It'd be great if the power came back right now," Fujiko wished.
Jigen found that for once he and Fujiko were of the same opinion. But he did not say it aloud. If Fujiko wasn't speaking to Jigen directly, why ruin the moment and speak to her?
The blissful silence was shattered all too quickly.
"My turn!" exclaimed a giddy Lupin.
There were again three belated shouts of anguish.