Chapter 46 – That Scottish Play (Best Drama and Best OneShot)

(9:30pm)

Once the 20-minute intermission concluded, everyone returned to their seats. Sharper and Sarah came back on the stage.

"Hi, everyone and welcome back to the second half of the 12th Annual KP Fannies! I hope y'all enjoyed that fillin' snack food and the Nacos provided, as always, by Bueno Nacho and the world-famous vanilla milkshakes provided by the Cow N' Chow Corporation."

Sarah, again, nearly tripped on her shoes but managed to regain her balance.

"You really should watch your step, Sarah!" Sharper said.

"I can be as clumsy as Ron sometimes!" Sarah giggled as the audience gave a light laugh.

"With the grub out of the way, let's now present the next segment of our awards. First up is going to be Best Drama presented by a local renowned artist, Mr. Josh W. Mankey. Assisting him will be the famous KP authors Molloy and Sentinel!"

Sarah then whispered into Sharper's ear.

"What is it, Sarah? Really? He ain't goin' to be on here? Well hush my biscuits!"

Sharper went back to the microphone and said, "It seems Molloy can't make it here to the ceremony tonight. So in his place will be Mariko Stoppable...if I can read her name correctly."

"Let's give 'em a warm round of applause as they come onto the stage!"

The crowd present gave them a warm round of applause. Josh was the first to approach the stage. He had grown a few inches taller and his spiked blonde hair receded into brown so much that Kim hardly even recognized him as her former crush.

With a leaden thud, a cloud of grayish smoke/steam/smog suddenly appears. With the cacophonous tinkling of empty glass bottles against a screen door, the cloud dissipates, leaving in it's a wake tumbleweed-like knots of Spanish moss, sixteen small pebbles, and, standing in the middle of this debris, Mariko Stoppable. In her early twenties, the daughter of Ron and Yori is both self-conscious of and bemused by her unorthodox entrance. Good-naturedly, she brushes the cloud's residual dust from her hair and shoulders. Dressed all in black (t-shirt with what appears to be the outline of a fish wearing a hat framed by white block letters 'FAST 'N BULBOUS', jeans, and sneakers), the dust is very noticeable.

"Hey, guys," she says with a small wave. "Sorry, but Molloy couldn't make it." She smiles with an exaggerated eyeroll, "Real shocker, I know. However," she fishes a smartphone from her back pocket, "he did want me to deliver this message to you." With a few taps, she turns up the device's volume and starts the recording. However, instead of a pre-recorded speech, the phone plays 'Dark Space Low' by Angelo Badalamenti. After approximately two minutes, the musical piece ends. With a a shake of her head and a slight shrug, Mariko replaces the phone in her back pocket.

Then Josh got on the podium to speak, "Drama has a way of bringing out the rawest of pure emotions. And no one has pulled off this better than the Immortal Bard himself, William Shakespeare. He often did this in the form of tragedies such as Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Hamlet and Macbeth."

Cajunbear and Sentinel gasped that Josh had said the name of the dreaded play! All of a sudden, the power went out through the entire opera house. It startled everyone in the audience, including the Queen.

"Okay, who's the wiseguy that cut the power!" Sharper complained.

"I'm scared of the dark, Sharper!" Sarah whined and did a cowardly position like what Ron once did.

He turned to the audience and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, remain calm in your seats. It is a momentary power outage, and it should be back in 10 minutes."

(10 minutes later)

The power finally managed to come back on.

"Ah...there we go!" Sharper said with relief before walking over to Josh.

"Mr. Mankey, please say the 'Scottish Play', never ever that name! Now once you're done presenting the award, you can march out the auditorium and turning around three times and then return back!"

"Very well, Sharper." Josh sighed. He went back to the podium.

"Othello, Hamlet and...the Scottish Play...are works that the Bard himself was very proud of. Drama is also no different in the world of KP stories. It could be the loss of a loved one or if a mission goes south and Kim wonders if she can continue anymore! Stuff like that tugs at our heartstrings. These five nominees are honored for this award."

A Touch of Drama by AlyssC01

"Hey, Ron," he said and slowly turned his gaze to her. "Hey…" He reached out his hand and waited.

"Kim!" Ron chipped in loudly. "This is Kim Possible, my friend I told you about? We're like… Best friends. Known each other since…"

Kim quickly took Eric's hand. "A long time," she said and smiled. "Pleased to meet you, Eric. Welcome to Middleton." His hand enclosed around hers briefly, strangely softer than she thought it would be.

"It's… a pleasure to be here," he said and let her go, averting his gaze. "It's ahm… Ron's been great." His appreciation was genuine and it made Kim smile at her friend. He tries, she thought. People don't always realise it, but he tries very hard.

"I'm sure," Kim said and turned to her locker, considering opening it, but then stopped. Do I want him to associate his first meeting with me with a computer screen and a kid living in my locker? She turned away, considering the books that she had in her hands. They'll do fine till break.The three of them stood together in an awkward silence for a few moments that reminded of the first few days that Monique had joined them in school.

Maybe we can like… set them up to date or something?

She didn't know where that thought came from and was about to excuse herself from the tangle when Ron beat her to it.

"So, I quickly need to get to Mr. Barken," Ron said. "If you two will excuse me?" He smiled at them. "I'll see you at lunch. Bye!" He half waved, half bolted down the corridor – probably charging ahead to try and negotiate some of the terms of his perpetual detention. Kim watched him go, her shoulder blades itching with discomfort as she turned back to find Eric staring at her.

"I ah…" She trailed off and resisted the urge to see whether her stitches had somehow become visible. She could feel them between her hair, gently pulling at individual strands whenever she moved. Strangely enough, she had not felt this at home, but now that she was so conscious of them…

"I should get going too." It was Eric who spoke first, taking the words from her mouth. His features had become a little bit more reserved now that they were alone. "It ah… is good to meet you. Ron talks about you all the time." He smiled politely. Kim, who realised that she was in the process of reaching up for her head, diverted her hand to push a strand of hair behind her ears instead.

"I hope it wasn't all the weird things," she said with a half-smile, probably feeling as self-conscious as he looked. "I do normal things too, you know." And why was it suddenly so important?

The boy chuckled, his nearly turquoise eyes brightening up. "Hey I ah… Think it's cool," he said. "Doing what you do. Travelling. It ah… Must be exciting. Or…" He briefly motioned to the cards pinned to her locker. "Too exciting sometimes. I heard you got hurt last round."

Kim tried to shrug it off. "Comes with the territory," she said. "Anyway. I'll ah… see you at lunch probably." She stiffened when Eric's eyes finally touched hers directly.

Storm Chaser by Bearsent176 (the writing team of Cajunbear and Sentinel)

A few moments later, "Why are you sighing Kim-san?"

Holding a hand to her forehead, "All I would have had to do was speak with Ronnie when this all began,", she lamented, "and then we wouldn't have to go through all this hardship…", Kim started to rant.

Cutting in, "Kim-san! Please listen…Have you thought that maybe your relationship with Ron-sama was not supposed to be easy?"

Her ranting paused, "Why do you say that, Sensei?", Kim's confusion in her voice.

Stopping for a moment to 'put on his therapist cap', something harkening back to prior to his return to the ninja academy, "Kim-san, look at this way, a boy and a girl meet when they are very young and become best friends. Doesn't it seem just a little too easy for them to become romantically involved and spend the rest of their lives together without some of finding who they are compatible to…", he started off. "Remember, there are many fish in the sea and I have learned in my time that all men and all women have thousands of potential mates they would be perfectly happy with.", Sensei let sink in for a moment. "Maybe each are supposed to sample the talent in this ocean a little before settling down."

After pondering this for a few seconds, "I hadn't thought of it that way Sensei, and I suppose you could be right…", her voice quiet. "However, now I don't think I can be content with another guy.", anxiety creeping into her voice.

"Then maybe things are as they should be for you and who you wish to love.", Sensei quickly replied. "You have been tempered by a fire which most would avoid at all costs…and you have thought out what you want to do with your life and who you wish to share in it.", he said and let sink in.

Strength and Weakness by Whitem

Fist floated through the destroyed door intent on finishing Ron Stoppable, but the next thing Ronnie Anne saw was this crazed monkey-man flying back out into the room uncontrollably!

As the young girl strained at the stone arms of her mother, Ronnie Anne then saw something she had only seen once before in her young life. Her father, Ron Stoppable, was glowing blue and floating! He silently flew out of the bedroom with a look of almost pure anger. She then looked to her left to see what her father was looking at, and there stood the crazed monkey-man holding a rather nasty-looking sword.

"Move any closer Stoppable, and I kill both. You will be without your wife and you daughter!"

Ron felt more anger than he had ever felt before. Even more than when he saw that Lowardian War Hawk holding Kim by one leg. He was absolutely furious. His hand went to his side with his palm out, and silently a sword slowly appeared. The handle was first, and then the blade itself slowly extended from the hilt to it's very sharp and very deadly tip. The Lotus blade was normally blue in color, but this time is was tinged red.

Ron's words barely contained his anger as he spoke with a sneer that even made his daughter a bit afraid of what he might do. "If you even touch either of them with that POS blade Fist, your head will be at my feet."

"Ohh…" Monkeyonofist said mockingly. "It seems the poser has finally grown a pair." He then pulled back his sword in attack position. "Let's see if your quick enough to stop me before this blade of mine slices off your daughter's head and breaks off your wife's now stone head as well."

Ronnie Anne's eyes snapped shut tight as she saw the blade coming at her, and in a matter of less than a second, she heard a loud *clang *! She slowly opened her eyes to see the monkey-man's sword inches from her face, and she also saw the Lotus Blade holding it from getting any closer. Immediately she noticed that the blade was now back to it's original blue color, so she knew that her father was now back in control of his emotions.

Memories by HumpyDumpy

Ron had told her that his nightmare was one of the many missed opportunities he had with his father-in-law. Father-in-law? The man had almost been more of a father then his own father. Which only seemed to make the betrayal he felt, so much harder.

"Yeah!" he said faintly. Trying hard not to let her see what he truly felt.

"It's ok Ron, I know this is hard on all of us." She said in a soothing tone.

'You have no idea!' He badly wanted to tell her, tell her what he was going through, the secret he held. But he couldn't, because James Possible was a good man, and he deserved a just memory. Not a memory propagated with infidelity, but rather one filled with happiness, and the many accomplishments. So he just smiled.

James had come to him and attempted to explain himself. He told him about his moment of weakness. He told him about the dangers of temptation, the inch by inch crawl to something you will later regret. He also told him about the empty feeling he had felt afterwards. Which had only prompted Ron to yell at him some more, phrases like, "How could you?" and "What about your wife?" could be heard during his rant. Ron even threatened to tell Kim, only to meet a pleading James Possible constantly muttering, "I need them in my life. I'm sorry!" Ron was angry. But eventually James had won Ron over, making him promise to never tell anyone about what he had witnessed. Not for James sake but rather the families.

"I know KP, but I just miss him you know." Ron said, full heartedly. Despite everything that had happened, deep down he still knew that James Possible was always the good man that Ron had pictured him as.

And lastly, Rebounds by Emperor of Dreams

Kim sat on the couch, next to Shego, feeling nervous. Her parents sat opposite them, wearing sombre expressions.

"Let me see if I understood this correctly," Dr. Possible said. "Shego, one of your greatest enemies, got attacked by another villain and turned good. Now she's hunted by her formerly heroic brothers, turned evil, and you offered to put her up on our behalf."

"Uh, more or less, Mom."

"As a neurosurgeon I have a hard time believing someone can just be zapped good. Do we have anything to go on apart from her word?"

"Mom, you remember what happened to Ron that one time? When he became villainous for a while. The device that was used on Shego and her brothers was based on the thing that did that to him."

"I... yes, I remember." Dr. Possible sighed. "Maybe I should be more open-minded when it comes to mad science."

"And I just rescued her from Team Go. They definitely weren't acting like heroes should. Oh, and they were working with Adrena Lynn. Wade warned you, right?"

"Yes." Dr. Possible's face hardened. "When I think about what she did to Tim and Jim I can't but wish you'd dealt with her once and for all."

"Mom! You don't mean that."

"Now, now, honey. The boys are safe and sound in the lab, and I'm sure our Kimmie-Cub will send Lynn back to prison soon enough."

"I will. And having Shego here helps. She's immune to Lynn's power, too. And if Lynn managed to control one of you, Shego can knock you out before you do anything bad, safe and sound."

"Uhh, Kimmie, I'm afraid it's not really that safe. The knockout pulse I use is pretty much a concussion on demand. I really don't want to do that to anyone, especially to your family.

"We have some good competition, but only one will win the award!" Josh proclaimed before Mariko arrived with the Golden Rufus.

Mariko spoke in to the microphone. "And the winner for Best Drama is... whitem for Strength and Weakness!"

This time whitem wasn't drinking an alcoholic beverage. It was a simple glass of water as since he had won Best Comedy the author had decided to drink up a bit and it quickly got him... how we say... sloshed.

"Whoo Hoo! I jus... I just won Best Drama?" The author stood and promptly fell to the floor.

"I'm OK... I'm OK""." He said while using the table to stand back up.

While whitem slowly and methodically (so as to not fall again) walked up to the stage, in the audience Kim leaned over to Ron. "I really kind of feel sorry for him Ron. Remember how Liz used to go with him to these events all those years ago when CPneb was still with us?" Ron nodded. "Well, after all that I think he threw himself into being one of the writers for the Fannies to forget that Liz actually broke up with him. It seemed like the breakup was uneventful, but I think they just drifted apart. But I could tell it hurt him. It's been a while now, so maybe he wouldn't mind me setting him up with a date?"

"Hmm? What was that Kim? Sorry, I was playing Zombie Mayhem on my smart phone."

"Nothing. Forget I said anything, especially if you managed to hear anything I said." Run shrugged his shoulders, and proceeded to kick Felix Renton's butt in the mini online version of the popular game.

Meanwhile, back on the stage. "So... so anyways, thanks once again for voting for... for me. I don't think I've ever won Best Drama before. I'll have to check on that data when I get home." The author then received his Golden Rufus, and staggered back off the stage, but actually looking a bit better.

"Thank you, Whitem, for your victory speech!" Sharper said. "The next award is going to be for Best OneShot. So I will be presenting this award alongside Sarah, Monique, and Wade. Come up to the stage y'all!"

Monique and Wade made their way to the stage. Wade was in a button-down shirt, tie, and some designer jeans.

Sharper spoke into the microphone first about the OneShot

"In today's youthful generation, they are always wanting things instantly such as instant messaging, instant video, or instant coffee. In the world of fanfiction, people like to see the chapters of their favorite story uploaded. Like William Faulkner, Richard Wright or Eudora Welty writing a book, it usually takes a while for the author to compose his ideas and to put them down on paper."

"Yeah. We still need your latest update to Red-headed Cheerleader!" Monique inquired. "I'm dying to know if Veruca Salt finally gets what's coming to her!"

"Monique, I'll let you know when the hiatus will end on that story!" Sharper replied.

"Okay, I'll still be waitin'!" Monique said.

Sarah chuckled and said, "It'll be 25 years before he can even get to Redheaded Cheerleader!"

"He'd better not!" Monique sternly replied, folding her arms.

"That's why the idea of the one-shot is created. It has a clear beginning, middle and end and it also presents a chance to clean out any plot bunnies from the mind." Sharper continued, "These seven finalists are nominated for this very premise."

The lights dimmed as the finalists were presented with the video playing in the background.

The Kitten by CaptainKodak1

Kim glanced out the window when she screamed.

"Ron look!"

Ron stared into the dark where Kim was pointing and noticed a woman in a white gown stumbling around below the road level in some brush. Ron slammed on the brakes and skidded the Sloth to a stop. They both jumped out of the Sloth and made their way down the slope to the bottom of the ravine. They approached the woman who continued to stumble around among the stream at the bottom of the ravine. As they approached her they could hear her calling.

"Here kitty. Here kitty-kitty."

They got closer when Kim called out.

"Ma'am, are you okay, have you lost something?"

The figure continued to walk away from them, walking in and out of the shadows of the bridge and the trees.

"I have lost my kitten. Have you seen my kitten?"

Confessions by Eddy13

With a sigh, Kim looked up to her boyfriend. "Actually, Ron, I have a confession of my own to make".

"Oh no, you are a synthodrone!" Ron cried. "Now look, I know that synthodrones aren't considered human, but I promise you this won't change things between us. And I won't get queasy from kissing you. And I'll keep all pointy objects away from you from now…"

"RON!" Kim derailed Ron's rambling "First of all, I am not a synthodrone".

"Whew" Ron sighed thankfully "That's a relief. I was wondering how a synthodrone could age from a toddler to a teenager".

Kim shook her head but focused on what she had to say "No, Ron. What I have to tell you might prevent you from ever forgiving me again".

"Uh, what?"

The auburn heroine sighed. "Remember when you and your 'rents went to Paris?"

"Yeah, I'm still wondering how they could not have French toast or French fries" Ron replied.

"Anyway," Kim got her boyfriend's focus back on the conversation "Remember that you left Rufus with me because he couldn't go with you?" Ron nodded in confirmation. "Well," Kim reluctantly went on "After you left following our underwater mission, Rufus somehow swallowed the microchip we had just recovered".

Ron stared for a moment before looking to his little buddy on his shoulder who only shrugged in embarrassment.

"I told you you should pay more attention to what's in your food bowl" Ron admonished the mole rat before looking to Kim "Okay, so Rufus swallowed the chip. What, were you unable to return it to the owners?"

Tell it to the Marines by Campy

"Well, I am certain I would have noticed you had you dressed this way in those days. Oh, look," he said, pointing to the main clubhouse. "My Bon Bon is returning from her aura cleansing."

Jess turned to see her former cheer squad mate, who, having realized a beautiful woman was chatting with her Junior, was practically sprinting toward them.

Junior began to wave to her. "Bonnie my beloved!" he called out, "Look who is here! It is one of your bosomy buddies from that depressing town the name of which I have mercifully forgotten!"

Bonnie arrived, slightly winded, and shifted her jewel-encrusted sunglasses down the bridge of her nose to look the blonde up and down. "My, my, my, if it isn't Jessica Sundstrum. I almost didn't recognize you, what with all the weight you've packed on. Last I heard, you were in military school. How's that working out for you?"

Get your money back on that aura cleansing, B, Jess thought. "It was ROTC, Bonnie, and I'm doing just super. I just earned my commission in the Marine Corps, and I'm married to Steve Farley now." She held out her left hand to show Bonnie her gold wedding band and diamond (which she secretly called "Lou"); her classmate managed a tepid 'ooh.' "I sent you a wedding invite, but you never RSVPed."

"Oh, you probably addressed it to the wrong private island or something."

SameoldBonnie, Jess thought. Nothing'severherfault. "Probably. Well, you sure are looking fantastic these days."

"I know."

"I think you've lost a couple pounds," Jess continued. "I remember you used to stuff yourself to hold on to that last little bit of belly flab, 'cause every time you lost that you'd lose some oomph in the cheer top too. But now your tummy's tight as mine, and the girls look as full as they ever … oh! You had a little work done, didn't you? Niiiice! What'd that set you back?"

"Mere pocket cha–" Junior began before Bonnie cut him off. Almost literally.

"I most certainly did not have 'work done'!" the brunette insisted furiously, before regaining her aplomb. "I've just been dining on expertly prepared spa cuisine these last four years while you … well, it looks like you're still in the Cow 'n' Chow Chowhound Club."

Bonnie shuddered, "Ewww...not Cow N' Chow...too many bad memories from those Chowhound Club hellspawns!"

"You mean with that Brussel..." Servant 303 began before the Queen cut him off.

"Not...another...word about it!" the brunette rebuked him.

Tightlips went to the Queen's box and bowed to her.

"You have news to report, Tightlips?" Queen Bonnie asked.

"The siphoning of the Naco Royalties has begun, Your Majesty. It is being transferred to your bank account as we speak." Tightlips said, reporting on their devious plan to ruin the Stoppables.

"Good!" the Queen added with a satisfied smirk! "Now I am going to focus on the other part of the plan: reminding K of her good ol' college days!"

The video of the finalists for Best OneShot continued.

The Dream by The Ambiguous Fool

I clutch my comforter tighter and close my eyes. I contemplate on the very notion that Shego were to actually like me, but only as far as friendship. How would that even work? 'Love to stay and chat Kim, but now I've got to go rob a bank'? Kim, focus. People separate work life from regular life all the time. What do you think she does in her off-time? Taunt children and steal candy. I snicker at the thought. But I sigh at the fact I'm no closer to figuring out the issue. She likes me, I hurt her, and I care. I like her too. "What?" I whisper to myself. She's bad, you don't like bad, Kim. How could I be so astonished? Why else would I care. I wish I could just call her. She'd laugh at me, that's stupid. What would I even say? 'Hi, this is Kim, you know, the girl you beat up, but I end up winning anyway? Just wanted to say sorry and I like you too, but not like that. 'Kay bye.' Stupid. I ponder on her, failing to sleep, failing to understand something I should have comprehended in mere seconds. She likes my strawberry shampoo. I smile. I'm alone, I don't care, I take the needed joy that even my enemy likes something about me. She likes me. I remind myself. She actually… likes me. It wouldn't be so confusing if her appeal wasn't coupled with excruciating cuts and bruises, but that's all they were. I didn't comprehend this revelation right away, I only continued with my aimless thoughts. I wish she wasn't evil.

Ann Credible's Holidays Made Possible by Levi2000a1

Ann's gaze slowly shifted down as she slowly turned and started to head back into the dinning area.

"Kim. Did we do something wrong?" asked Ron. I thought you said she'd be happy at the chance of not having to cook. She didn't look to happy about it to me."

"No. She didn't." Kim replied and after taking two seconds to think about what could be the problem she added, "I'll go talk to her."

When Ron started to follow her, she put her hand on his chest and said. "Maybe it'd be better if I talked to her alone. Woman to woman."

He slowly nodded as he agreed. He'd just wanted to make sure they hadn't done something to upset his new mother in law.

Kim held the swinging door and allowed it to shut quietly behind her as she saw her mother sitting at the table looking at something in her hand and for the first time in her life, her mother looked tired. She'd seen her when she was totally exhausted. She'd seen her when she could barely put one foot in front of the other. This was something else. She looked emotionally tired. She looked...

…...old.

Hesitantly Kim called, "Mom?" to see her mother's head turn to give her a half hearted smile that disappeared way to quickly as she turned what could have been a picture over and set it on the table in front of her. Moving over to sit down in the chair next to Anne's, Kim laid her hand on her shoulder and asked, "Did we do something wrong Mom? I know how much work you put into cooking our holiday meals and I thought..."

"Oh Kim. It's not work.

At least not to me. I enjoy it."

"But Mom. You're one of the top neurosurgeons in the country. You don't need to ….

"It may seem to be a bit old fashioned, but it's one of the ways I show my family how much I love them and how grateful I am to have you all as a part of my world." finished her mother.

"I just wish we'd had the opportunity to let me pass on some stories that are best done in the kitchen while cooking the meals.

"Mom you know that cooking was never really my thing. I mean..."

Anne turned over the picture so it was now face up and as she showed it to Kim, she said, "I know. And I think that I could be the reason for that."

and lastly, What's In a Name by HumpyDumpy

"Nice work bracket! You have really proved yourself." Mathter told the one remaining bracket.

"Um Mr. Mathter!"

"Yes?"

"Do you even know my name?" The bracket asked cautiously.

"Well of course I do, it's… the same name that you've always had!" the red headed villain told the similarly attired blond man.

"It's just that, I thought that you didn't know my name."

"Oh well, it's nice that we could clear this up." The Mather patted the bracket on shoulder, before he started to walk away.

"But you didn't clean it up. What is my name?" he asked with a little more force in voice.

"Is it…. Bob?"

"No that's his name." The bracket said pointing to another bracket that had recently entered the room. "He's only been here one day and you already know his name." he stated incredulously.

"Well welcome aboard Bob!" Just then he noticed the angry glare he was getting form the bracket.

"And the Golden Rufus for Best One-Shot goes to...Ann Credible's Holidays Made Possible by Levi2000a1!"

"Levi...come down here and accept your award!

Sharper scanned his eyes across the entire auditorium. Levi was nowhere to be found.

CajunBear came to Sharper and whispered in his ear.

After a few brief seconds, Sharper said to the crowd, "From what CajunBear just told me, Levi couldn't make it to the ceremony tonight because of real life events goin' on with him. He has decided that a) he's going to present his acceptance speech from a video that he made two weeks ago and b) have Skoshi and Gunnut accept the award on his behalf."

"Servant 158...play the video!"

Servant 158 from the projector screen complied and played the video. On the video was Levi sitting on a couch at his house, providing his acceptance speech just in case that he couldn't make it to the ceremony.

"A funny thing happened on my way to writting a one shot short story for Whitem's Snow Daze stories.

It took me three years to complete.

Let me explain. When I first came up with the idea for the story I was hot and heavey into completeing my story "Broken Heart, Broken Mind," so I didn't put anything on paper that year.

The second year I had most of it down but I simply let the deadline for it slip by. This was also when I heard a NPR radio show about the 'Chemestry of Cook,' and I came up with the analogy about making gravey with mixing oil and water. I guess you had to read the story to understand that one.

The third year, even though I was busy with "Past and Present bt Zaratan, Volume 2," I sat down and finished putting it together. By the way , I turned it in the day before the deadline.

What? Me procrastnate?

Anyway, to those that read the story, thank you. To those that read and left a review for it, a double thank you. And to those that voted for it a great big Boo Yah!"

Then, Gunnut and Skoshi, also known as Muzzlehatch, then came onto the stage and received the Golden Rufus One-Shot award from Sarah.

"We'll get this award to Levi's place as soon as we can!" Gunnut said.

Skoshi agreed. "As long as no supervillains put spike strips in the middle of the road!"

The two men walked down the stage with the award to be given to Levi.

"Congratulations to both Whitem and Levi for the awards, and that means we're coming to another commercial break, sponsored by the Middleton Pickle Works." Sharper said, meaning that the next segment is coming up. "When we come back, we'll present the awards for Best Series Overall and Best Unlikely-Unique Story. So don't go away!"

Sharper left the stage as Brandy's "The Boy is Mine" played on the speakers.

In the tunnel system, Gemini heard Sharper from below.

"Gentlemen, the host is going to present the Best Series and Best Unlikely-Unique Stories after the commercial break!" Gemini grinned with delight, advancing to the next phase of his agency's diabolical plan. "Move into position so that the power to the stage will be cut off. We will only have a span of two minutes to kidnap the co-host and move out! Number One is heavily expecting us to be at the WEE base by 11, so we don't have time to dally around!"

The henchmen obeyed and moved into position, waiting to strike.

All of a sudden, an urgent holographic call was needed. It was from Number One.

"I'll take this call right now."

He accepted the call and Number One's shadowy appearance appeared before him.

"Commander Gemini...report!" Number One said in his robotic voice, his identity concealed.

"Yes! O Great Leader of WEE! Everything is going as planned." Gemini said. "We are about to strike!"

"Good!" Number One said, "You haven't forgotten the other reason why that you are here besides the kidnapping of the female co-host."

"Oh no, O Leader! The SD chip for the targeting system for your Doomsday machine will be delivered on schedule. The two people responsible for its capture should be deliving it very shortly." Gemini stuttered.

"I want it delivered to me at exactly 11pm. No later." Number One said, "Don't disappoint me!"

"Yes, Master!" Gemini obeyed before Number One's holographic appearance disappeared.

Gemini looked at Omega 19 and said, "According to the map of the tunnels, one of them should have a door that leads to a janitor's closet in the back of the stage. Disguise youself as one, so that 'they' will not notice our presence!"

"It's now time for Operation Quarterback Sneak, Phase Two!"