|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- GOODBYE POPCORN--CUP 23--"TRUTH BLAST" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  Goodbye Popcorn  ||  -------> (Cup SRgp023, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = "Now talk about what you did and who you are." Pattern Integrity said. "Um--well," Daptin said, "we're mortal agents from Agoopish on a special mission. Apparently, we were deceived by our superiors, and we wound up in this place, wherever it is. Our mission was--is--to rescue a woman named Tavmatey Numblem, who we can hear from within the Cup." "We were charged to use the Cup and then safely return it." Fake said. "Your little gang seemed intent upon using force against us, so we decided to use force against you instead. But I guess you lived, unfortunately." "Well," Pattern said, "I have personal reasons for wanting to rediscover the cup. I understand your position, but I will have it. Hand it over now, boy." Pattern Integrity lowered her gun and approached Daptin, her hand outstretched for the Cup. "Super!" Daptin yelled, as he brought his right hand up over his left shoulder, then savagely hit Pattern on the side of her head with the back of his hand. Such was the ferocity of the blow that Pattern's head was half ripped from her neck. For a moment, she was a bloody mess, but she quickly vanished and reappeared in the air above Daptin, with her rifle's barrel pointed at Daptin's forehead, lightly touching it. "That was an interesting sensation." the floating girl said. "I see you're quite a strong little brat. Now put down the Cup or I'll blow your a head off a lot cleaner than you did mine." Just then another form approached the safe area. Daptin turned his eyes to the right, without moving his imperiled head, to see a bleary-eyed and raggedly dressed Coabler the Sawman enter the safe area. "Ho, Integrity." he said. "Always you to be spared the indignities of disaster. Easy now girl, these fellows are holders of the Cup, do not threaten them." Pattern backed off and floated to the ground. "Look, we don't want any trouble." Fake said, looking down at Jerald. "Is he dead?" "I guess so." Pattern said matter-of-factly. Daptin carefully pulled his submachinegun's strap over his head and dropped the gun to the ground. He then sat down Indian style, holding the Cup of Coffee on his left knee. "I need a moment to commune with the Cup before you wrest it from me." Daptin said, reaching into one of the pockets of his vest. "Just take it from him!" Coabler said to Pattern. "I tried--he knocked my head off." Daptin grabbed a big handful of goodbye popcorn out of his pocket and tossed it into his mouth. "Don't commit suicide, you jerk." Pattern said. Daptin crunched the popcorn for a few moments, and then disappeared along with the Cup of Coffee. "Where'd he go, girl!" Pattern yelled at Fake. "I don't--he--he's gone." Fake said. Coabler ambled over to Fake and grabbed her by her upper arms, shaking her. "Now we're all a little dazed from that bomb you set off, but you tell me now where the boy went with the Cup or I'll cut you up into a googol little pieces!" "He ate some--" Pattern raised her gun. "Truth blast." Pattern said. Coabler nodded and let go of Fake, who Pattern then shot with a thin blue beam. Fake stumbled around in confusion, finally lying down on her side in the grass, drooling. Coabler knelt down beside her. "Now that's better, hey, lass. Now little girl, where is your green-haired compatriot, hey? Tell me now." "He ate some goodbye popcorn so he doesn't exist right now." Fake gurgled. "Clarify, check." Coabler said. "It's popcorn which makes you disappear for awhile." "How long?" "Depends on how much you eat. I didn't see how much he had." "It appeared to be a handful." "A few hours--definitely less than a day." "Where will he reappear?" "In this vicinity." "Will the Cup also reappear with him?" "Yes, as far as I know." "What's your name girl?" "Fake Cerquaine." "Okay. Now rest girl. You'll be okay, lass." Coabler got up and faced Pattern. Jerald moaned and rolled over. "System drain bolt." Pattern said, gesturing toward Jerald. "That's fine. Now see about the others--I'm most worried about Bith and Tickle. Be off!" Pattern Integrity flew off into the now-dissipating cloud. "Ye'll both be down for a time." Coabler said. "Curse that Pattern for not grabbing the Cup. But still, this is all wrong. I can't believe it's the real Cup of Coffee that your friend had." Fake's cinder block was floating around its master, nudging her innocently. "What have we here? A charmed brick?" Coabler said. "Yes." Fake said, still under the effects of the truth blast. "A trained cinder block." "A funny toy." Coabler said. "That it is." said the gaunt Kesh the Vector as he approached. -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----