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Post By Al B. Harper Sun Dec 24, 2006 at 01:36:43 am EST |
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Al B. Harper Chapter 19: Weddings and Costumes | |
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Al B. Harper slumped into the folds of the air-cushion loungeomatic and let out a loud sigh. It was the first time he had allowed his body to rest in what seemed like an age. After all he had been through recently he felt that he could allow himself the luxury of five minutes rest, at least. Even though he had earlier chastised Kara for pilfering the loungeomatic from Wang’s futuristic citadel, he allowed its massage electronics to do their work on his tired shoulder muscles and literally felt the tension of the last few days drain away. Kara, for her part, had just shrugged her shoulders, blew a bubble from the gum she was chewing, and stated that ‘there were more than one so it wouldn’t be missed anyway’. She then added that her mother told her she could have it. Parenting was something Al realised he had to improve on. As if on cue, a loud crashing sound reverberated the room, its origin seeming to come from the main area of the firehouse downstairs. “A father’s work is never done.” said Al, as he got up to investigate. “And just what is going on here?” Al B. asked. In front of him, all over the floor area of the main garage of the firehouse, was what could only be termed as one very large mess of mechanical parts, there seemed to be the shell of a small bus, or plane, or, it really wasn’t clear what it was other than a vehicle of some sort, in the middle of the mess. Kara Harper waved cheerily at her father, “Oh, hiya Pops! We’re just working on the Ghostbusters Van, as part of our costume theme for the SugarFreak wedding.” Cody Harper’s head popped out of some of the mess. “No we’re not! It’s going to be the Phoenix plane from the G-Force cartoon!” “Ghostbusters!” “G-Force!” Ghostbusters!” “G-Force!” “It’s not too late to send you both back to your mother you know.” EEE’s main (and only) engineer, Amy Aston, then materialised from under another pile of mechanical parts – as usual she was dressed in her customary overalls and covered in grease. “I thought you were going as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?” she asked. “There aren’t any more of you hiding under there are there?” Al B. inquired. “Only us,” said Man Man, as he emerged clutching Knifey from yet another pile of mechanical parts. Al B. noticed grease on the collar of Manny’s Elvis costume as well – only it looked more like three-day-old hamburger grease rather than respectable mechanic grease. “I still don’t see why we can’t go as the A-Team.” Al B. said. “I think I’d make a great Mr T. ‘What-cho looking at foo!?" There was silence for a while, before Amy spoke up.“Anyway gang, thanks for the reminder, I have to go and get my own outfit ready.” “You’re not coming in the theme with us?” Al B. asked. Amy reached into the front flap of her overalls and pulled out a piece of paper, it was the CSFB! wedding invitation. “Nope.” she answered Al B. “See this part, which I’ve underlined, Amy and friend…I have a date!” “You do?” Al seemed astonished. “You do?” Kara and Cody asked in unison. “You do?” Knifey almost giggled. … “Who?” asked ManMan after a pause. “That’s for me to know and you to all find out.” Amy said with a wink, and skipped over a pile of mechanical parts as she made her way to the exit. “Toodles!” she waved as she went through the doors. “Well,” Al B. said to the others after another pause. “Hurry up and get this mess cleared up, and do make a final decision on the costumes. After all, I’m the one who has to let Miss Framlicker know what she will be wearing and I’d like to have some time to prepare for that.” “Before she kills you.” said Knifey. Al B. made a tentative knock at the office door, almost so lightly it was inaudible. “Come in.” came the voice of Miss Framlicker, she obviously had good hearing. “Muffy,” Al made a start as he entered but was rapidly cut-off. “Harper!” Miss Framlicker’s voice raised a pitch. “This place is a real mess! I can’t believe you let it get so disorganised in my absence, and the books are well out of date, and is this a cat hair? Al, you know I’m allergic. Why..” Al grabbed her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. “Muffy, please. I know the place was allowed to go to the dogs…or cats…in your absence. But I was beside myself with worry, about you, about Cody, about the situation with the Parody Master…and then we thought we’d lost Liu-Xi…” his voice trailed off as he recalled the moment. This seemed to calm Miss Framlicker down, slightly. “I…I know.” she softly said at last. She placed her hand on Al’s arm. “Thank you, for saving me.” Al B. put his hand over hers. “You don’t know how much I missed you.” “I do.” she replied, and smiled at him, “Al, Amy told me all about it.” Al laughed. “Did she also tell you she has a date for this evening’s celebration?” Al still seemed shocked. Muffy nodded. Al clasped both of Miss Framlicker’s hands. “I’d be delighted if you would accompany me?” he asked her. She smiled, and blushed slightly, “Al Harper, are you asking me on a date?” He smiled back, “Yes, I believe I am.” They both continued smiling. “Oh, there’s one more thing. About your costume…” he began. Back down in the garage, Man-Man visibly shuddered at the list of curses he could hear from the floor above. “I told you she wouldn’t go for it.” Knifey said with a smirk, or at least, he would be smirking, except he was a knife. “Sensei!!!” The three Bonsai Kittens squealed in delight as they bounded into the room and threw their arms around Al. “We missed you!” “A-choo!” Miss Framlicker started to sneeze. “A-choo!” and it looked like she wouldn’t stop. “Uh, girls, meet Miss Framlicker…” Al B. said. “A-choo!” “Is something wrong with her?” Minx asked. “A-choo!” “Runt of the litter perhaps?” Ginger queried. “A-choo!” “Cat got your tongue dear?” Annastasia asked with no hint of irony. “A-choo!” “Uh, girls” Al said, leading the kittens out of the room, “I think we need to talk.” “A-choo!” “Thank you Sensei Chiaki” the three Bonsai Kittens bowed. Chiaki Bushido, the Psychic Samurai, smiled. “It will do you three good to have some independence, and to learn your skills away from distractions.” She pointed around the apartment, while small, Japanese style, with two four-tatami-mat rooms and a smaller kitchenette off one side, bathroom downstairs, it would be enough for the girls. “And Uncle Saki was kind enough to offer use of the Dojo downstairs after hours for training.” “Yes.” The small Japanese man standing next to Chiaki agreed. “And I make a good sushi or sashimi, if you like?” The three kittens giggled. The middle-aged man hadn’t even blinked when Chiaki had walked in with them, obviously, in his line of business, you met all types. Al B. heaved a sigh of relief. “Yes, thank you Chiaki and Uncle Saki” he said. “Go on Dad, say it.” Cody Harper prompted his father. “Yeah, go on Dad!” Kara joined in. Al B. sighed. “Very well.” He held up the plastic sword he was carrying. “Thundercats, Thundercats, Thundercats! Ho!!” “Yay!” both Cody and Kara giggled at their father, he was the splitting image of Lion-O from the cartoon. It was amazing what you could whip up in the EEE labs at short notice. Cody and Kara, for their part, were dressed as Wilykat and Wilykit respectively. “I still don’t see why I have to go as Snarf” ManMan mumbled, somewhat dejectedly. “Because of your paunch?” Knifey offered. “I would have preferred Panthro, or even Tygra.” He expressed sadly. So Miss Framlicker didn’t buy into the Cheetara costume Dad?” Cody asked. “No,” Al answered his son, “Although she did agree to come in theme…in the end.” “But…” Kara began, “Cheetara is the only other female, who is she going to come as?” “Raaggh!” there was a yell from the top of the stairs. All turned to see Miss Framlicker dressed in a red-cloak, with blue skin and glowing red eyes, and bandages flailing behind her. “Mumm-Ra!” Kara Harper said, astonished at the transformation. “Wow!” Cody Harper exclaimed “Way to go Miss F!” “I’m sure the SugarFreak will love that Mumm-Ra is coming as Lion-O’s date.” Knifey snickered. “Knowing him, I’m sure he already has a theory on that.” Cody offered. Suddenly, there was a loud screeching of tyres and as a Harley pulled up outside the firehouse. “Is that Amy’s date?” asked Kara. Everyone ran to the window to have a look. “Isn’t that?” “I think so!” “I thought he was dating Heid Klumm?” “I thought he was dating Paris Hilton?” “Evidently he’s dating neither of them.” “Is that him?” Amy asked, from the top of the stairs. Everyone else turned back around to look at her as she made her way down. She was dressed in a lovely midnight blue cocktail dress. Gone were the grease stains and old dungarees. Her dark hair was sophisticatedly piled high on her head, a few locks here and there stylishly left loose and curled. The dress, a simple yet elegant design, was enough to accentuate her figure, the subtle diamond at the end of her necklace drew attention to her décolletage, years of grease had kept her skin free of the sun, and now, free and scrubbed clean it was a lovely ivory. Lion-O’s bubble-pipe fell from his open mouth. Mumm-Ra’s glasses slipped off her nose. “Well, gotta run!” Amy said with a giggle. “See you all at the party!” She rushed out to the waiting bike and jumped on the back. It revved loudly for a bit before speeding away.” It was Knifey that spoke up first: “Hubba-Hubba!” This seemed to snap everyone else out of the daze they were in (Amy really did look hot). “Come on Thundercats!” said Al B., “We have to collect the Bonsai Kittens and we don’t want to be late.” They all rushed off to join the party. Footnotes: The Thundercats were an 80's cartoon featuring anthropomophed cats (appropriate). Their costumes can be seen here: http://jerome.galica.free.fr/cinetv/thundercats/thundercats.htm And you can watch the opening credits (with theme song) here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Qd_IsxgAf8 |
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