2009 New Year's Challenge -- Hard Challenge -- Attempt Two -- Team Redemption
darkst...@gmail.com
Hard Challenge (KaleidoTeam Attempt): “State of Fear” – Team
Redemption: Sora Naegino, Layla Hamilton, and Ken Robbins from
“Kaleido Star”, and me, the writer, Michael Falkner.
--
Always my favorite time. Time to get Sora and Layla and see how
they're doing.
Couldn't wait – finally just had to set the machine and get them here
with Ken.
The three arrived, arms around each others' shoulders. Hugs all
around to the group.
Sora: “Hey!!”
Me: “Good to see you. You look better than ever, Sora.”
Sora: “Thanks. I'm so happy right now, even though I have some bad
news...”
Me: “Oh?”
Ken: “Kaleido Stage closed late last year.”
My heart sank. I had heard about the manga...
Me: “I'm so dearly sorry.”
Layla: “And I've had to move back to California because there's no
work for me on Broadway.”
Me: “What?? With your figure and your talent?”
Layla smiled. She always knew I was a sucker for those tremendous
legs of hers.
Layla: “I understand, but you know about the economy.”
Ken: “But we have something to show you, Mike... It was on the last
night of Kaleido Stage...”
Sora smiled the largest grin I had ever seen from her. She snuggled
up to Ken as Ken showed me Sora's hand...
...an engagement ring on her ring finger.
Me: “I'm so happy for you.”
Sora: “The wedding is yet to be scheduled. We're both looking
forward to it – we'll have a tour to say good-bye to all our fans, and
it sounds like the wedding might be at the back end of that...”
That soured my mood a bit...
Me: “But then what?”
Sora: “Ken and I will probably move back to Japan and start up an
academy or something.”
Layla: “And I've already been asked to be one of the teachers – to
which I accepted immediately.”
The three Kaleido Stagers hugged. I was happy their plans for the
future were in place. I wished I could say the same for myself.
Sora: “I'm so glad we could help you save San Francisco, but what
happened? We're in Riverside...”
Me: “Layla, I need to talk to them a moment...”
Layla hugged me and sat down, a concerned look on her face.
Ken: “So what's up??”
Me: “We didn't save San Francisco, really...”
Sora's face went white... “No...”
Me: “San Francisco is safe. The person who did the Challenges had to
bring in Optimus Prime to wipe out the rest of the Hate Plague. We
didn't quarantine everyone with the plague...”
Ken: “But you called on the local authorities...”
Me: “Who couldn't defend a street-corner if their lives depended on
it...”
Layla: “Don't blame yourself, Michael... They did the best they
could, and so did you.”
(Layla had overheard us and wanted to give support.)
Ken: “And it gave me the chance to tell Sora I loved her.”
Sora: “And that, and giving Rosetta her dream, and saving those we
could save... That was a pass in my book.”
“But I want the toughest challenge this year, and so does Layla. We
want to prove to you that we can...”
Me: “Oh, Sora, I don't know...”
Layla: “Why is that?”
Me: “Because I think you guys will be too far over your heads this
time...”
Ken: “You have us fend off the Land of the Lost and the Hate Plague,
and this is over our heads???”
Me: “Part of that is that I don't know precisely what we are up
against. Come back to my apartment and let me log in, and I'll
explain what I know.”
--
I got the three back to my apartment and they met my roommate. Hugs
would've abounded, but my roommate was sick. Quickly, we went into my
room, and into a strategy session.
Me: “I'm not even sure this is the challenge, people... But I read
something interesting on one of the websites I usually frequent. This
survivalist one here...”
Layla: “A symposium? On environmental issues?? This time of
year???”
Me: “That's part of the oddity. The rest is a series of threats that
are referenced in the next post...”
Sora saw that website link, clicked it, and went white as a sheet...
Ken: “What's going on?”
Me: “I think Sora just saw the post where – whomever these people are
-- they're threatening to cleave off a massive glacier in Antarctica
using a series of machines called 'cavitation devices'.”
Layla: “I've heard of those. So, trying to create a massive field of
vibrations to slice off a massive chunk of ice...”
Me: “Yes.”
Sora then quickly picked up her bag...
Ken: “Where are you going?”
Sora: “Going to stop them...”
Ken: “In Antarctica??”
Sora then stopped on a dime, turned to Ken, and put his fiance's face
into her hands.
Sora: “We failed them last year, Ken...”
I could only respond quietly: “No, you didn't, Sora...”
Sora continued, not hearing me: “... and I'm not going to let that
happen again. I love you, but I love helping people out and making
them happy. When I promised to marry you, you promised to help me
help people, regardless of whether we can make a new Kaleido Stage...”
Ken: “Yes, but...”
Layla: “Ken, she's serious. And she's not going to stop. All we can
do is help out. Now, I have a surprise for Mike...”
Me: “What is it, Layla?”
Layla: “Well, it isn't another leggy video... yet.”
I chuckled. Darn.
Layla continued: “But I have connections in the scientific community
around Cape Mercy with the Hamilton Foundation, and I think you'd be
surprised as to what we have been studying.”
She went into her bags, and pulled out the last model of Zap-I-Tron I
was using the first two years!!!
Me: “You now have one too?”
Layla: “Actually, we got yours, for some odd reason.”
Me: “Oh, that's right... We upgraded this year.”
Layla: “So, we've been studying it. By the way, bring yours...”
Me: “Why??”
Layla: “In case we truly are in over our heads.”
--
Task One: Giving the Terrorists the Cold Shoulder
I didn't understand what Layla meant by “connections”, but, since we
were already in the air past Santiago, Chile – headed to the
appropriately named “Mount Terror” in Antarctica, I was able to talk
to Layla as she and Sora were slipping on their specialized coats.
Layla: “Ken, you stay here and coordinate. Mike, you've got the new
model. You have it set?”
Mike: “How did you get the connections to get the plane? A lot of
these people don't know who the 'Hamilton Foundation' is!”
Layla: “Scientific connections. And there are other people who've
seen the websites and were hoping for 'volunteers'...”
Me: “More like suicidal maniacs...”
Layla: “Right up your alley, friend...”
I giggled again...
Me: “True enough, Layla.”
“But...
Layla: “No buts. I just want that thing set for all of us to go back
to Cape Mercy at the first sign of trouble...”
Me: “Yeah... I can take the fall for all of us, and...”
And, at that point, gasps were heard around the plane...
Sora: “No, Michael. If we need to escape, you're coming with us. No
negotiation, nothing. If it goes south, you're coming to Cape Mercy.”
Me: “Yeah, and my roommate will be aban...”
Layla cut me off: “We, at the Hamilton Foundation, have the
technology to send you back quickly, Michael. We now know where you
live, approximately – she won't know you're gone.”
“But I will make one thing perfectly clear. Give me that new
machine...”
I did, somewhat reluctantly, and saw Layla programming my name into
the Send field with theirs...
Layla: “If I have to promise to sleep with you in Cape Mercy, you're
not dying on this mission. You will not 'take the fall' for ANY of
us... If we fail, it's up to you to hit that button, and we all go
back, including you.”
Tempted though I was at the offer to sleep with the leggy Broadway
star, I think Layla said that more to make it clear that she would not
permit me to die to save them.
Layla: “You now have the machine. Just be ready to hit it on my
safeword, or if it's clear that we're both down.”
I nodded...
Several hours later, Ken was putting me in my coat while the girls
formented the plan.
Just then, we landed at a safe distance, and Sora and Layla smiled at
each other while they put the cold masks on, and headed out into the
Antarctic night – me following...
I had given them the other machine – with the ability to send their
target of choice to Jindai High School.
I felt like I weighed a ton. Even with all the protective clothing
covering every square inch, the cold wind (even a “summer” wind down
here) bit into me as we quietly made our way in. I had the old
machine, they had the new one...
I didn't even realize the targetting device on either of them. They
marked out the first guard as a target, and he disappeared. The
second one looked shocked as the first one disappeared, and he was
gone before they knew it. They didn't even drop their weapons –
they'd be their “gear” over in Jindai.
The process continued as the entire crew was summarily, and very
quietly, dispatched.
None of them knew what hit them until too late. The ones who could
actually see others disappear were too shocked before they were the
next to go. Soon, we were the only ones in the area. Ken quickly
radioed a nearby science camp of the rogue camp and that it was
secured.
At that point, we shut off as many of the machines as we could before
the first team of scientists arrived and asked us to very discreetly
depart. We found them hooked in series, so we made sure to at least
disarm enough of them that there would be no problems.
The international science community would be left to figure out what
was really going on at Mount Terror, if they could.
--
On our way back out of Antarctica, I could only remark one thing:
“They don't realize how little prayer they have... Sousuke Sagara and
Kaname Chidori will see to that, if they don't kill each other
first...”
The KaleidoTeam laughed. They'd seen that anime.
--
Just as we were dusting ourselves off in Sydney (thank Heaven for
Layla and her credit cards – don't ask me why they worked here...
They just did.), I was checking the Internet for various news on the
climate symposium.
Turned out it was a very quiet event. Not many people knew of it, and
even fewer were really invited. No one really had a clue as to what
was going on, but the rhetoric from the symposium appeared quite
radical.
Didn't think much of it, so I decided to check out the websites that I
had been checking out when I found the information about the
Antarctica situation...
What I found put us back in the air the next morning...
--
Task Two: Calm the Storm
We were sent over by Perth, as a nasty thunderstorm was developing off
the western Australian coast...
Me: “My understanding is that there's supposed to be a major concert
here tonight. What I gathered from the website is that they are
essentially prepared to 'break a few eggs' to 'make an omelette'...”
Ken: “How so?”
Me: “See those storm clouds over the Eastern Indian Ocean? Something
is definitely brewing over there.”
Layla: “How do you know?”
Me: “I used to live in the Midwest – those clouds don't look entirely
natural to me...”
Ken: “He's right. This isn't normal, even for summer thunderstorms.”
Sora: “They're telling us we have to land in Perth, now...”
--
We landed in Perth, and Layla once again threw around scientific
credentials. Again, don't ask me how – she wasn't exactly the
scientists in the Hamilton Foundation, but, when your last name is
“Hamilton”...
Soon, we were on the water off the western coast of Perth, escorted by
ships from the Australian Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol (the ARVCP)
and the Royal Australian Navy. They, too, wanted a closer look as
tens of thousands were beginning to congregate on the western
Australian beaches for the major concert event.
Just then, Ken noticed something...
Ken: “Over there – starboard...”
I took the binoculars and it was clear. There was another boat out
there, and it wasn't responding to either the ARVCP's or RAN's hails.
Instead, two bright lights shot skyward, and the most massive
lightning bolt and thunderclap imaginable followed.
It almost knocked my three teammates over.
At that point, Ken realized it.
Ken: “They're trying to super-heat the air in the storm with
enhancing the lightning...”
Layla: “Are you sure??”
Ken: “Yeah.”
At that moment, Sora and Layla looked at each other, nodded, and then
both ran to the captain of our ship...
Layla: “Take us closer. We're boarding their boat...”
Ken: “WHAT???”
Sora: “We know how to work in this environment. Remember the
training before my first performance with Layla?? It was in weather
like this. We get on there, disable any more rocket blasts, and the
storm won't be any worse than usual, and might die out before it makes
Perth itself.”
Layla: “Captain, radio the ARVCP and the RAN and tell them we have a
hostile.”
Me: “They already know – I'm monitoring the radio.”
Sora: “When we get next to the ship, we're boarding. Have them fish
out anyone who hits the water...”
Ken gasped. I face-palmed.
They had officially gone insane.
Of course, what was I saying? After some of the stuff they did on
Kaleido Stage, this was simple.
As soon as our boat, with a number of the escorts, got close enough,
the two acrobats quickly jumped boat-to-boat and promptly and
acrobatically knocked out the crew and kicked them into the water.
Listening to the radio, it was as if all chatter had stopped, as if
everyone who could see it was mesmerized by the athletic skills of
Sora and Layla, especially in the pouring rain.
--
Back on our own boat, heading back to Perth, where the massive concert
crowds were already cheering as the skies to the west were beginning
to clear... We left the dismantling of the remaining rocketry and the
retrieval of the terrorists to the RAN and the ARVCP.
Ken: “Insane, but amazing, my dear...”
He and his fiancee kissed.
Me: “I don't know how you did it, and I don't care. Nice job,
Layla...”
We hugged.
Sora: “That was actually fun. Hadn't done that kind of a performance
in a long time!”
Layla: “And we got to kick some ass too, while we're at it.”
Me: “I just can't believe you two. Sexy, great-looking, but
dangerous in so many ways...”
Layla bumped my hip with hers and said, “You know it!!”
Just then, the sun came out for the first time that day, and the crowd
erupted. The weather was going to be clear for their show, and Layla
walked out onto the boat. She drew in a deep breath...
Just then, an alert came over the radio...
The captain responded.
Captain: “Guys, you're going to want to get on shore. Sounds like
you might need to head to Africa this time...”
Me: “Why's that?”
Captain: “Hurricane in the South Indian Ocean...”
Layla: “That could be catastrophic to Southern Africa. Let's roll.
And contact the relevant authorities... Something is up here...”
--
Took us a couple days to get the logistics together, so I had some
time to check up on the symposium.
Eerily quiet on that front. Wasn't exactly sure why...
When we saw the weather reports, Layla had already commandeered a
fleet of scientists to head to the western African coast...
--
Task Three: Feast of Famine
What we saw when we got there made us all cringe...
Ken: “That hurricane is huge...”
Sora: “I've never seen anything like that, even in the news reports.”
We were in the air over the southern Atlantic Ocean, as the biggest
hurricane to hit that part of the world in decades was bearing down on
Southern Africa. The catastrophic consequences of such an event
weighed on us all.
Just then, Layla was the one to notice something this time...
Layla: “We've got company in the air, guys... They've been trying to
hail this plane over here, and it refuses to respond...”
Just then, Sora gasped as it appeared as if something was coming out
of the plane...
Layla: “Those idiots are trying to seed this thing??”
Ken: “And there's nothing we can do about it...”
Layla: “Mike, you brought both machines, right?”
Me: “Yeah.”
Layla: “Program the new one to send us all back if this fails. DO
IT!!!”
As I was doing so, I asked Layla: “What do you have in mind?”
Layla: “I'm taking their plane down. I'm using the device to jam
their ability to stay in the air...”
Ken: “That's crazy. You'll kill them...”
Layla: “Let's hope the terrorists ditch.”
“I'm going to see if I can reverse-engineer the old machine. I saw
the research team do this with the models we've been studying...”
Sora: “And if it doesn't work and we go down with them?”
Layla: “Mike has the escape route. Let's roll...”
Layla feverishly worked with the ol' Zap-i-Tron... We knew I was only
going to have the new machine I now had with our names and Cape Mercy
on them by the time this was over...
Ken was radioing the other planes to demand that they remove
themselves from auto-pilot, because the radio signals were about to be
jammed. Only Layla knew for sure how this was going to happen, but we
knew we'd be in for a rough ride...
Finally, Layla pronounced herself ready...
Layla: “All right. Tell them all they have 30 seconds to be off of
auto-pilot or possibly suffer the same fate.”
Me: “You're nuts, Layla... But you're my kind of woman.”
Layla blew me a kiss and said: “Thanks... Any last words of
encouragement, Sora?”
Sora: As when we did the Legendary Great Maneuver, you'll perform
perfectly.”
Ken: “No fear of death?”
Sora: “Why fear it when it won't happen? Besides, even if it did, we
have the escape route planned and I'm in your arms, Ken. That's all I
could ever want.”
Ken and Sora kissed as Layla gave me instructions...
Layla: “On my mark, you'll have your hand near the button. Be
careful, Mike... We're going to have a bumpy ride...”
Me: “Got it...”
Layla drew in one last deep breath, patched the old Zap-i-Tron into
the radio system, and hit the switch...
We all held our ears as an other-worldly shriek went over the radio as
the planes began to lurch all over the sky.
We held on to what we could as Layla saw the terrorist plane go down.
Once it was clear the terrorist plane was disabled, she got the
reverse-engineered Zap-i-Tron out of the radio...
Layla: “Now, I've gotten the machine out. Tell everyone else to get
clear and on safe ground, NOW!!!”
--
I had to hand it to a bunch of professional pilots. In a brewing
hurricane for the ages, the only plane which did not make land safely
was the terrorist plane.
Sora: “But why did you kill them?”
Layla: “I didn't kill them. They made that choice when they decided
to try to kill half of Southern Africa... If they ditched, we can
only hope they were rescued and held for the authorities... If they
decided to die for their perverted causes...”
Sora: “That almost sounds like the cold Layla I used to know...”
Layla: “Sora, Mike, Ken... We're up against something much larger
than a series of single events here. I mean, you've figured this out,
haven't you, Mike??”
I nodded.
Me: “It's just too coincidental.”
Layla: “I also had a talk with some of the scientists after we all
checked in to make sure us and our planes were safe...”
“There is a connection here. They've noticed a pattern in the
attacks, so I need us to head back somewhere where we can get
connected and see if anything else is planned.”
“Until then, we rest...”
--
So, we rested for a couple of days while Layla got us put up in
France. (Oh, to be that rich...)
Then, I saw it... So did Sora... We both turned white as a sheet...
Sora ran to get Layla...
Sora came back in, nervously telling Layla: “They're going to take
out Cape Mercy...”
Layla: “What's going on??”
I had to not suspend the disbelief in my mind, and not tell Sora that
there was no Cape Mercy, California here...
I explained the situation: “The website that the terrorists have been
using has gone to their endgame. They are planning to wipe out
Southern California.”
Layla: “Oh, what the Hell are they going to plan now?”
Ken: “They've got another set of those cavitation devices. They're
almost daring someone to stop them, because they say these are strong
enough to basically disintegrate us on the spot.”
Me: “The idea is that they want to create such a massive earthquake
in the Solomon Islands that it will create a tidal wave which will
effectively wipe out coastal Southern California...”
Layla: “So they're going to disintegrate the Solomon Islands and
flood out Southern California. Sora, you know what we have to do...”
Sora: “Let's end this!!”
We basically gathered our things. Destination: The Solomon Islands.
--
Task Four: Solomon Islands Showdown, With a Twist
Within 36 hours, Sora and Layla had hatched a plan so devious that
they only told us to prepare to be amazed – and to have me prepare the
possibility of the escape route one more time.
Smiles and giggles laced the pair as we flew over the Pacific, heading
for the Solomon Islands and what probably would be the final showdown.
We were quickly warned that the local savages would be ready for
anyone trying to come in, and that they were sadistic cannibals, more
than happy to take their human meat raw – and alive...
After a momentary cringe by all of us, the laughter resumed, and
that's when I began to get nervous.
Those two were up to something...
We were given a base camp, and allowed to prepare...
Me: “What do you guys have in mind??”
Sora: “You'll find out when they do...”
Me: “No, I'm serious!!! Do you know whatthehell you guys...”
Layla slapped me at that point. I was about to really get pissed when
she started talking...
Layla: “I'm sorry I had to do that, Mike. Trust us. Please...”
“I understand why you have a lot of problems trusting people right
now, but we are not those people. You can trust us – and you have the
means to get us out of there before we become 'savage food'.”
“So, please, Michael...”
Layla then put both hands on my face...
Layla: “Trust – us...”
Ken: “Layla's right, Mike. Just trust us. They know what they are
doing, and what they are getting themselves in to. I've contacted
international criminal authorities to arrest whomever we find there
who is part of this terrorist plot.”
I was still steaming from the slap, but I went with it.
Layla and Sora both hugged me. Ken joined in.
Sora: “We need the group hug anyway...”
Layla: “Ken, you're in charge of getting the authorities from the
base camp to where we are if we're still around.”
“Mike, you've got the escape route with the new machine, one more
time...”
“The two of us, we know what we have to do.”
Me: “OK... I can't say I'm completely on board, but what other
choice have we got?”
Sora smiled: “Exactly! Just trust us, OK??”
I nodded, and the plan was put in motion.
--
So, we got to the noted position, and were not disappointed. The
local tribes were basically being fed some of the previous attempts to
stop the incident (another squick moment, if there ever was one), and
saw us fairly quickly.
The problem was what they did not expect...
Sora had climbed one of the trees on the far side of the encampment,
discreetly. She took off, and it was a vision...
It had to be. There was no way, even for me, that what I saw could be
real.
I whispered to myself: “The Golden Phoenix...”
Or, more to the correct effect, the aerial portion thereof. Sora flew
through the air as if she were in slow-motion. It was if she was
flying without care for what would happen when she hit the ground.
Sora flew as if, between her and the backdrop of the sun, she was
literally on fire.
Everyone around stopped. No one (not even I) could believe what we
were seeing.
Sora flew safely into the other set of trees and quickly climbed down.
Once she made the ground, she and Layla both walked out to the center
of the village. To most people, this would be abject suicide.
The first of the tribesman began to snap out of it just a little, but
before they could draw their weapons, Layla began to speak.
Layla: “You will stop and lay down your arms.”
“I am the Golden Phoenix.”
My jaw literally dropped. I almost hit the red button right there to
send us to Cape Mercy.
“What you have seen is a manifestation of my form. My acolyte has
been training to perform in my name for many years. You will bow to
us...”
“So sayeth the Phoenix...”
Now I _knew_ they were nuts, but we were too far in now to get out...
The tribesman had no idea what they were seeing...
Sora: “There is a force of great evil in your midst. It is not of
your kind. We must repel it, or your very land will fall into the
ocean...”
Murmurs of discontent filled the village...
Layla: “So sayeth the Phoenix...”
Sora: “We need your help to repel that evil, for that evil threatens
more than just your very existence...”
Layla: “It threatens all of us. What will fell your land will
inundate my people with water...”
“We cannot have that, and we need your help... You have seen the
signs that the Gods themselves are angry with what the evil of man has
done...”
“So sayeth the Phoenix...”
It was incredible, and almost out of a movie... They began to lay
down their arms and kneel to Sora and Layla. They waved to their
brethren in the outlying areas. They had a new “master”...
I literally face-palmed. I could not believe it.
But why couldn't I believe it? Layla always has had this presence.
This personage of hers which just simply defies all real description.
With a sign that literally, for all intent and purpose, could have
come from the Heavens, she calmed the tribes and set them on their new
task.
I whispered to myself: “Layla, you are a goddess...”
(Of course, the way I might “worship” her might not be for family
entertainment.)
Layla snapped me out of it by continuing to the tribesman: “Now, we
must go and quench the evil, so that you may continue to live as you
have...”
“So sayeth the Phoenix...”
And, with that, their new God had commanded them, and it's as if a New
Red Sea had parted.
Layla: “That gentleman over there is aiding in our quest...”
She waved to me to come forward...
“He means you no harm, and will assist in allowing you to quench this
evil which will render your land asunder unless we act now...”
“So allow him to join us. So sayeth the Phoenix...”
With that, some of the women of the tribe actually began smearing what
appeared to be the human blood of others on me...
Me: “A signal to the others that I am acceptable to them...”
Layla nodded. They had received the same before they were given what
was the equivalent of holy robes, so she was able to figure that
out...
With that, we were off...
We quickly entered the nearby cave which held the devices and the
leadership of the terrorist effort.
They never stood a chance. They never understood why they were now
the targets, instead of the protected, of the tribes they had
commandeered to have this effort take shape.
But, just as it appeared as if they were to become the new Godly feast
for the tribe (and probably offered to their God, Layla the Golden
Phoenix)...
Layla: “STOP! They must be taken alive.”
Sora: “They must be taken to their peoples to be held to account for
their sins.”
Layla: “We know where they are, and the Golden Phoenix shall deliver
them to be held for their sins. We just need to assure that they will
be brought to justice.”
“So sayeth the Phoenix...”
And, with that, the tribes tied up the terrorists to sticks (this
would normally have been used as spits that they would slice the skin
and meat off as they howled) and led them back to the base camp.
Short of the base camp, Layla stopped them.
Layla: “Leave them here, for my people will take this from here.
There will be others to dismantle the evil's work. Let them through
and let them do their work, so your land may continue to flourish...”
“So sayeth the Phoenix....”
“Now, I must go. Leave me to make one more sign for you at this
time... My acolyte and I will perform one final sign as a matter of
thanks from the Golden Phoenix, and a blessing on your land and
people.”
“Once the evil-doers have been cleared, watch the skies for the final
sign from the Golden Phoenix...”
“So sayeth the Phoenix...”
So it was said. So it was done.
Sora and Layla smiled at each other as they played in the trees,
flying through the air. It was “play” to them, but it was God-like to
the tribesman below...
--
Two days later, we were in Hawaii, preparing to send the group back
after what had to be the wildest adventure of the last three years.
Layla: “... and when the terrorists were turned in to Interpol, they
basically confessed to everything. It was as if they were going to be
eaten alive, or at least they felt they were going to be...”
Sora: “And the symposium got some visitors from Homeland Security
shortly thereafter.”
Ken: “And we're all safe and sound, getting ready to go home... The
stories we will have to tell them when we get back...”
Me: “May's going to be pissed when they find out you two were looked
upon as Gods...”
Sora and Layla giggled with me.
Sora: “That's all right. May's a very special woman in her own
right.”
Layla: “She just has to learn to keep that ego in check every once in
a while...”
Me: “So what for you guys??”
Sora: “The people behind Kaleido Stage are working to get us
temporary work with places like Cirque du Soleil for a few months
until a farewell tour can be arranged.”
Layla: “And I'm going to be joining them on that tour. We might just
have to both do the Golden Phoenix and semi-recreate the whole
situation in the Solomons to climax the show...”
Me: “That would be wonderful. Ken, have you and Sora set a date??”
Ken: “We're thinking closing night of the farewell tour, on the stage
she loves the most. We're trying to get the people who will own the
land to keep all the Kaleido Stage stuff together at least until the
end of the year so we can end the tour where we all started.”
Me: “That's wonderful!”
Layla: “So, what of you?”
Me: “I wish I could say the same...”
The faces began to droop.
Me: “There's a real chance that we may completely lose order where I
live. Not the place, but the entire government.”
Layla: “We've heard of those concerns.”
Me: “This might be the last time I summon you. I wish that were not
the case.”
Sora: “Then come with us – bring your friend and all your belongings
if you have to...”
Me: “Even with _your_ economic downturn? How would we assure that
where you live won't suffer the same fate?”
The faces drooped again.
Ken: “He has a point.”
Layla: “We've grown to really like you, Michael. The Hamilton
Foundation could use people like you, even with everything you're
dealing with.”
Sora: “He'd never pass the background checks, though...”
Me: “She has a point...”
Layla: “Then make me two promises...”
“First, if you're still around in a year, summon us again, please...”
Me: “That's for sure. This is one of the few real fun things I get
to do from time to time...”
“And second...”
Layla stopped and smiled and drew Sora close to me...
Layla: “Don't be afraid to keep drooling over our legs... I kinda
like it...”
She kissed my one cheek.
Sora then kissed the other, and said: “So sayeth the Phoenix...”
--
Woo. Finally finished with it. Got it out before Valentine's Day.
I know the normal rules say a week to get them all done, but other
projects, sicknesses in the household, and general malaise (not to
mention that I do like to put a lot more work into mine than most of
the people who do the Challenges) made it this long this time.
Anyhoo, the breakdown (which I'm sure will either get me failed or
cause a change in the rules for next year – or both!!!!):
I: This, I am almost certain, would be a foul if it were actually
thought of beforehand, but I decided to get cute and actually use the
summoning device to send the terrorists elsewhere – let Kaname and
Sousuke handle them. They won't like what happens.
II: I basically semi-recreated the scene (I believe it was in episode
12 of season one.) where Sora and Layla, in training for their
performance in the pirate production, basically went out onto the bay
and had a tightrope fight, and then the weather turned nasty on them.
Basically, for this task: they got from their boat onto the
terrorists' boat, subdued all relevant parties, and turned the whole
matter over to the same two authorities I used in the Ouran attempt.
III: Let's take the summoning device ridiculousness even one step
further and reverse-engineer the entire mess (the old device, not the
new one) to radio-jam the terrorists' storm-feeder out of the sky!!!
I'm sure you can foul for “out of character” that Layla would be able
to actually do it, but it never seemed like anything was impossible
for Layla if she set her mind to it.
IV: I was waiting for this one, and had an idea of it right away.
Once I got the idea that it was possible to basically turn the tribes
to our side if they saw what they felt was a God, I took Layla's
personage and presence added the mystifying nature of the Golden
Phoenix, and turned the tables on the terrorists as a result.
Extra: Probably a bit weak for extra points this time, but, after
seeing the tribes turn on them, they were almost grateful to blow the
whistle on themselves. They'd rather be alive than carved up alive.
It wasn't as if connections weren't being made, per se, as things just
seemed to be a little too coincidental for our likings.
Anyway, thanks again, Bill...
Mike
Bill Martin
> 2009 New Year's Challenge
>
> Hard Challenge (KaleidoTeam Attempt): “State of Fear” – Team
> Redemption: Sora Naegino, Layla Hamilton, and Ken Robbins from
> “Kaleido Star”, and me, the writer, Michael Falkner.
>
> --
*sigh*
Why does my ruling on the KaleidoTeam's Hard Challenge always seem to
need further review?
I have some free time this weekend to pore over the minutia, and
hopefully will have the official verdict before next weekend, as long
as the creek don't rise...
darkst...@gmail.com
> *sigh*
>
> Why does my ruling on the KaleidoTeam's Hard Challenge always seem to
> need further review?
>
> I have some free time this weekend to pore over the minutia, and
> hopefully will have the official verdict before next weekend, as long
> as the creek don't rise...
I think I can answer that one:
Because, frankly, on surface, the team _should_ be completely
unqualified, over their heads, no chance in Hell, all that stuff.
Year 1: Attacking a giant robot led by a symbiote-laced Spiderman
Year 2: Trying to repel the Hate Plague from the Transformers
Year 3: State of Fear
You tell me what a bunch of acrobats, on balance, should be able to do
against any of these... The Hard Challenge usually requires some
degree of supernatural "semi-magical" talent, it appears. There's
just enough Kaleido Stage "magic" in those characters that you just
can't quite say what should come to mind the first time: "You've GOT
to be kidding me..."
I think that's why. :)
Mike
Bill Martin
> 2009 New Year's Challenge
>
> Hard Challenge (KaleidoTeam Attempt): “State of Fear” – Team
> Redemption: Sora Naegino, Layla Hamilton, and Ken Robbins from
> “Kaleido Star”, and me, the writer, Michael Falkner.
Okay... time enough at last to sit down and thoroughly judge this...
*drops glasses*
Oh well, I'm near-sighted, won't matter. Too bad my test runs of
BlackJack's lasik surgery don't hold.
Why am I now envisioning a Beyonce AMV featuring the Kaliedo cast?
You know the Rahm Emmanuel mantra, never let a crisis go to waste....
Ditto.
> Layla continued: “But I have connections in the scientific community
> around Cape Mercy with the Hamilton Foundation, and I think you'd be
> surprised as to what we have been studying.”
>
> She went into her bags, and pulled out the last model of Zap-I-Tron I
> was using the first two years!!!
>
> Me: “You now have one too?”
>
> Layla: “Actually, we got yours, for some odd reason.”
Ah, so that's what happened to that model... My hyper-dimensional
upgrade team that I hired to oversee that did mention that one fell
into a pocket universe, but they couldn't track it due to the
unobtanium isotope tracker being removed. I still have my unobtanium
dragon statue, I formed after my jaunt in the DBZverse, but unless I
feel like going back there to let Piccolo, Goku, or any of the other Z
Senshi train me, I'm not going to power it up enough to be a kami.
Seriously, the healing tent (portable, and full of banned characters
that can fix you up better than new) isn't that bad of an experience...
> Tempted though I was at the offer to sleep with the leggy Broadway
> star, I think Layla said that more to make it clear that she would not
> permit me to die to save them.
Certain characters would tempt me, Layla, not so much... while I am a
sucker for long legs and a beautiful behind, blondes are not my type.
Ahh... actually, they ended up elsewhere. Eh, heh... funny story,
anyone not having proper clearance to enter the anime worlds ends up
getting rerouted, to a place where they can do no harm...
... although it's a certain subset of worlds, I'm pretty sure they
ended up hearing crickets before being billhooked...
And if you appear to be scientific, have the air of authority about
you, et cetera, et cetera, most people will take you at face value.
No, if anyone's officially insane here, I am, get it right.
Actually, the cavitation devices in the Solomon Islands was used to
perfect the cove's topography to perfect the underground wave that
powered the tsunami. The big devices would just be to generate the
vibration normally associated with tectonic shifts...
> Me: “The idea is that they want to create such a massive earthquake
> in the Solomon Islands that it will create a tidal wave which will
> effectively wipe out coastal Southern California...”
>
> Layla: “So they're going to disintegrate the Solomon Islands and
> flood out Southern California. Sora, you know what we have to do...”
The Solomon Islands have survived other events, they'd survive this.
And here Sambutu breaks out laughing and the fic ends.
I know you had more, Mike, but quite frankly, the Phoenix debacle
caught them off guard, but it wouldn't be enough to turn the tribesmen.
Sorry. Still, 3 out of 4 is pretty good, so a partial win is granted.
Since the team is acrobatic, they'll survive as you send them back,
and I hope you like the healing tent, because even if you got pulled
back via the old device, the rerouting is still in effect (and the
tests 80% of the time sent people to Hinamizawa). Fortunately for you,
as soon as judgement is passed, the healing tents can grab people
displaced by the reroute and return the challenger to their home realm.
darkst...@gmail.com
> > ...an engagement ring on her ring finger.
>
> Why am I now envisioning a Beyonce AMV featuring the Kaliedo cast?
How so? Be glad it's not a Rihanna one, with her current state right
now...
> > Layla: “A symposium? On environmental issues?? This time of
> > year???”
>
> You know the Rahm Emmanuel mantra, never let a crisis go to waste....
Noted.
> > Me: “What is it, Layla?”
>
> > Layla: “Well, it isn't another leggy video... yet.”
>
> > I chuckled. Darn.
>
> Ditto.
See comment below.
> > She went into her bags, and pulled out the last model of Zap-I-Tron I
> > was using the first two years!!!
>
> > Me: “You now have one too?”
>
> > Layla: “Actually, we got yours, for some odd reason.”
>
> Ah, so that's what happened to that model... My hyper-dimensional
> upgrade team that I hired to oversee that did mention that one fell
> into a pocket universe, but they couldn't track it due to the
> unobtanium isotope tracker being removed. I still have my unobtanium
> dragon statue, I formed after my jaunt in the DBZverse, but unless I
> feel like going back there to let Piccolo, Goku, or any of the other Z
> Senshi train me, I'm not going to power it up enough to be a kami.
Yeah, you left one, sadly. The reason is that it took you so long to
do last year's ruling that you never came back for it, and it
reverted, for some odd reason.
> > Layla: “If I have to promise to sleep with you in Cape Mercy, you're
> > not dying on this mission. You will not 'take the fall' for ANY of
> > us... If we fail, it's up to you to hit that button, and we all go
> > back, including you.”
>
> Seriously, the healing tent (portable, and full of banned characters
> that can fix you up better than new) isn't that bad of an experience...
And, by your ruling, that's about where I ended up.
> > Tempted though I was at the offer to sleep with the leggy Broadway
> > star, I think Layla said that more to make it clear that she would not
> > permit me to die to save them.
>
> Certain characters would tempt me, Layla, not so much... while I am a
> sucker for long legs and a beautiful behind, blondes are not my type.
Quite the opposite here!! Layla would exactly be my type. Tremendous
legs, Broadway experience, blonde, and just enough of an attitude to
keep me in check if she needs to.
> > The KaleidoTeam laughed. They'd seen that anime.
>
> Ahh... actually, they ended up elsewhere. Eh, heh... funny story,
> anyone not having proper clearance to enter the anime worlds ends up
> getting rerouted, to a place where they can do no harm...
>
> ... although it's a certain subset of worlds, I'm pretty sure they
> ended up hearing crickets before being billhooked...
So the rule is that we can't send them to a given anime world -- we
can just send them "somewhere else", and let the chips fall, there,
where they may?
> > We landed in Perth, and Layla once again threw around scientific
> > credentials. Again, don't ask me how – she wasn't exactly the
> > scientists in the Hamilton Foundation, but, when your last name is
> > “Hamilton”...
>
> And if you appear to be scientific, have the air of authority about
> you, et cetera, et cetera, most people will take you at face value.
Well, I can say Layla had a lot of experience on the "authority" level
(which see the first 10 or so episodes of Kaleido Star...).
> > Ken gasped. I face-palmed.
>
> > They had officially gone insane.
>
> No, if anyone's officially insane here, I am, get it right.
You weren't in this fic. :)
> > Ken: “They've got another set of those cavitation devices. They're
> > almost daring someone to stop them, because they say these are strong
> > enough to basically disintegrate us on the spot.”
>
> Actually, the cavitation devices in the Solomon Islands was used to
> perfect the cove's topography to perfect the underground wave that
> powered the tsunami. The big devices would just be to generate the
> vibration normally associated with tectonic shifts...
Yeah, but a tectonic shift is not going to sit well with a chain of
small islands... You've seen what it does to continental masses...
> > Me: “The idea is that they want to create such a massive earthquake
> > in the Solomon Islands that it will create a tidal wave which will
> > effectively wipe out coastal Southern California...”
>
> > Layla: “So they're going to disintegrate the Solomon Islands and
> > flood out Southern California. Sora, you know what we have to do...”
>
> The Solomon Islands have survived other events, they'd survive this.
Maybe, but you know about the Law of Unintended Consequences...
> > Layla: “You will stop and lay down your arms.”
>
> > “I am the Golden Phoenix.”
It is at this point, if you're going to rule Sambutu laughing, that
the fic ends.
> > My jaw literally dropped. I almost hit the red button right there to
> > send us to Cape Mercy.
And, by your ruling, when I really should've, or had to.
> And here Sambutu breaks out laughing and the fic ends.
See above.
> I know you had more, Mike, but quite frankly, the Phoenix debacle
> caught them off guard, but it wouldn't be enough to turn the tribesmen.
> Sorry.
Umm, then I'm going to need an explanation. No protest, necessarily,
but I'll need some background on those tribesmen, then.
January 2nd, I asked the following (with this in mind):
"The Kaleido Team? Let me put it this way: How primitive are these
tribes, for the final incident? If something which appeared God-like
to them occurred, would they be able to discern it as "not real", as
it were, or would it be like some of these comedy shows and they
would
bow down to it?"
You answered:
"It would depend upon how God-like it was. In the book I took the
challenge from, the natives used jeeps and recognized helicopters, so
they're not going to worship a coke bottle, but should some being
show
up and heal the sick and raise the dead, they would probably worship
that being."
So it sounds to me as if the Golden Phoenix would've actually had to
perform a task like some of those in the Medium Challenge (I'm talking
the dinosaur one here, not sending the natives to the Super Bowl),
then, right in front of the tribesmen, to "turn" them?
At that point, yep -- it's a fail. The only way the KaleidoTeam could
stop the attack from occurring is to turn the tribesmen. The only way
to do that would be to perform something straight out of Kaleido Stage
that they've never seen before and then appeal to Layla's authority
and presence to do the rest. Otherwise, bye-bye Los Angeles.
> Still, 3 out of 4 is pretty good, so a partial win is granted.
> Since the team is acrobatic, they'll survive as you send them back,
Someone would have to save Ken.
> and I hope you like the healing tent, because even if you got pulled
> back via the old device, the rerouting is still in effect (and the
> tests 80% of the time sent people to Hinamizawa). Fortunately for you,
> as soon as judgement is passed, the healing tents can grab people
> displaced by the reroute and return the challenger to their home realm.
Noted. Just a bit more background on the natives, post-mortem, might
help as an explanation. Never read all the book.
Mike
Bill Martin
> On Feb 16, 3:06 pm, Bill Martin <bill_r_mar...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>> ...an engagement ring on her ring finger.
>>
>> Why am I now envisioning a Beyonce AMV featuring the Kaliedo cast?
>
> How so? Be glad it's not a Rihanna one, with her current state right
> now...
Ken liked it, so he went and put a ring on it, oh oh oh... oh oh-oh oh...
>>> The KaleidoTeam laughed. They'd seen that anime.
>>
>> Ahh... actually, they ended up elsewhere. Eh, heh... funny story,
>> anyone not having proper clearance to enter the anime worlds ends up
>> getting rerouted, to a place where they can do no harm...
>>
>> ... although it's a certain subset of worlds, I'm pretty sure they
>> ended up hearing crickets before being billhooked...
>
> So the rule is that we can't send them to a given anime world -- we
> can just send them "somewhere else", and let the chips fall, there,
> where they may?
No. The rule is that unless it is part of the challenge, any entry
into a specific anime world is forbidden, even if it is just a
different time and exactly similar to here in terms of powered people.
Any attempt to do so gets redirected to a world where you'd be better
off with a pork chop necklace trapped on an island with thousands of
hungry pit bulls.
>>> We landed in Perth, and Layla once again threw around scientific
>>> credentials. Again, don't ask me how – she wasn't exactly the
>>> scientists in the Hamilton Foundation, but, when your last name is
>>> “Hamilton”...
>>
>> And if you appear to be scientific, have the air of authority about
>> you, et cetera, et cetera, most people will take you at face value.
>
> Well, I can say Layla had a lot of experience on the "authority" level
> (which see the first 10 or so episodes of Kaleido Star...).
Of that, I have no doubt.
>>> Ken gasped. I face-palmed.
>>
>>> They had officially gone insane.
>>
>> No, if anyone's officially insane here, I am, get it right.
>
> You weren't in this fic. :)
I know. Sort of a running joke I have. I'm not committed, but there
are a few who think I should be.
Yeah. The tribesmen weren't backwater hicks that just fancy speech and
some acrobatics with stunning visuals could turn them. Just be glad I
didn't write out what Sambutu and his colleages could have done to you
once you sent the team back.
> At that point, yep -- it's a fail. The only way the KaleidoTeam could
> stop the attack from occurring is to turn the tribesmen. The only way
> to do that would be to perform something straight out of Kaleido Stage
> that they've never seen before and then appeal to Layla's authority
> and presence to do the rest. Otherwise, bye-bye Los Angeles.
They could've tried to sneak around the island and with enough ammo and
luck (luck I know they've got, ammo could've been acquired) the big
devices could've been avoided being turned on.
> Still, 3 out of 4 is pretty good, so a partial win is granted.
>> Since the team is acrobatic, they'll survive as you send them back,
>
> Someone would have to save Ken.
Even if he didn't end up going back with the gals, any
anime/manga/videogame character that "dies" in a challenge spends some
time in the healing tent. He'll be okay.
>> and I hope you like the healing tent, because even if you got pulled
>> back via the old device, the rerouting is still in effect (and the
>> tests 80% of the time sent people to Hinamizawa). Fortunately for you,
>> as soon as judgement is passed, the healing tents can grab people
>> displaced by the reroute and return the challenger to their home realm.
>
> Noted. Just a bit more background on the natives, post-mortem, might
> help as an explanation. Never read all the book.
Might've been a better fic if you had. I'm waiting on Michael
Crichton's last book, it's supposed to be released sometime this year.
It'd been finished before he passed on, and I've liked all his other
ones I've read.
darkst...@gmail.com
> On 2009-02-16 21:15:51 -0600, darkstar7...@gmail.com said:
>
> > On Feb 16, 3:06 pm, Bill Martin <bill_r_mar...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >> Why am I now envisioning a Beyonce AMV featuring the Kaliedo cast?
>
> > How so? Be glad it's not a Rihanna one, with her current state right
> > now...
>
> Ken liked it, so he went and put a ring on it, oh oh oh... oh oh-oh oh...
Nope. Doesn't register a lick. I stopped listening to current music
radio years ago.
> >> Ahh... actually, they ended up elsewhere. Eh, heh... funny story,
> >> anyone not having proper clearance to enter the anime worlds ends up
> >> getting rerouted, to a place where they can do no harm...
>
> >> ... although it's a certain subset of worlds, I'm pretty sure they
> >> ended up hearing crickets before being billhooked...
>
> > So the rule is that we can't send them to a given anime world -- we
> > can just send them "somewhere else", and let the chips fall, there,
> > where they may?
>
> No. The rule is that unless it is part of the challenge, any entry
> into a specific anime world is forbidden, even if it is just a
> different time and exactly similar to here in terms of powered people.
> Any attempt to do so gets redirected to a world where you'd be better
> off with a pork chop necklace trapped on an island with thousands of
> hungry pit bulls.
Well, for the terrorists' end, it sounds like that is deserved.
Sounds like I, on the other hand, became tribal meat...
> >>> Ken gasped. I face-palmed.
>
> >>> They had officially gone insane.
>
> >> No, if anyone's officially insane here, I am, get it right.
>
> > You weren't in this fic. :)
>
> I know. Sort of a running joke I have. I'm not committed, but there
> are a few who think I should be.
Same here.
> > So it sounds to me as if the Golden Phoenix would've actually had to
> > perform a task like some of those in the Medium Challenge (I'm talking
> > the dinosaur one here, not sending the natives to the Super Bowl),
> > then, right in front of the tribesmen, to "turn" them?
>
> Yeah. The tribesmen weren't backwater hicks that just fancy speech and
> some acrobatics with stunning visuals could turn them. Just be glad I
> didn't write out what Sambutu and his colleages could have done to you
> once you sent the team back.
Actually, Layla insisted on putting me in the send field. I go with
them, at least last I checked.
> > At that point, yep -- it's a fail. The only way the KaleidoTeam could
> > stop the attack from occurring is to turn the tribesmen. The only way
> > to do that would be to perform something straight out of Kaleido Stage
> > that they've never seen before and then appeal to Layla's authority
> > and presence to do the rest. Otherwise, bye-bye Los Angeles.
>
> They could've tried to sneak around the island and with enough ammo and
> luck (luck I know they've got, ammo could've been acquired) the big
> devices could've been avoided being turned on.
No. Not with their sense of aim. Basically, the one shot we got is a
light show for the ages with a Golden Phoenix in the middle. If
that's not good enough, kiss Hollywood underwater.
Basically, there's too many of them and too few of us for that to go
off well...
Even if we incapacitate the terrorists, we still have to get out, and
you can bet the tribes, by that point, know what's going on.
> > Still, 3 out of 4 is pretty good, so a partial win is granted.
> >> Since the team is acrobatic, they'll survive as you send them back,
>
> > Someone would have to save Ken.
>
> Even if he didn't end up going back with the gals, any
> anime/manga/videogame character that "dies" in a challenge spends some
> time in the healing tent. He'll be okay.
He'll be in there with me.
> Might've been a better fic if you had. I'm waiting on Michael
> Crichton's last book, it's supposed to be released sometime this year.
> It'd been finished before he passed on, and I've liked all his other
> ones I've read.
No, I probably never would've written the fic and conceded the loss on
the KaleidoTeam, at that point.
(That's not a crybaby -- I accept the ruling. -- it's just that the
entire thing was a buildup to the Golden Phoenix... Without that, it
probably ends up conceded because there is no way, then, that the
fourth challenge could sanely be attempted, at least by the four of
us...)
Mike
Bill Martin
> On Feb 17, 6:26 am, Bill Martin <bill_r_mar...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> On 2009-02-16 21:15:51 -0600, darkstar7...@gmail.com said:
>>
>>> On Feb 16, 3:06 pm, Bill Martin <bill_r_mar...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>>> Why am I now envisioning a Beyonce AMV featuring the Kaliedo cast?
>>
>>> How so? Be glad it's not a Rihanna one, with her current state right
>>> now...
>>
>> Ken liked it, so he went and put a ring on it, oh oh oh... oh oh-oh oh...
>
> Nope. Doesn't register a lick. I stopped listening to current music
> radio years ago.
Only reason I even know of the song is I'm on broadcast TV only for
quite some time, and Entertainment Tonight covered the fact that the
Beyonce song I referenced is like the Hare Hare Yukai dance for black
ladies in the number of imitators (good and bad)
Well, all in all, good attempts this year from you. Let's see, one
other person needs to finish their easy challenge (unless I see the
cranes given to the person, it'll be marked as a fail), and SeaWasp's
Team Technomagic (who could've beaten last year's hard challenge, I
bet) attempts, and this year will be done. Now I must rack my brain,
watch a ton of DVDs, read some books, all in an attempt to come up with
next year's challenges.
S.t.A.n.L.e.E
> On 2009-02-17 23:46:41 -0600, darkst...@gmail.com said:
>
> > On Feb 17, 6:26 am, Bill Martin <bill_r_mar...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > > On 2009-02-16 21:15:51 -0600, darkstar7...@gmail.com said:
> > >
> > > > On Feb 16, 3:06 pm, Bill Martin <bill_r_mar...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > > > Why am I now envisioning a Beyonce AMV featuring the Kaliedo cast?
> > >
> > > > How so? Be glad it's not a Rihanna one, with her current state right
> > > > now...
> > >
> > > Ken liked it, so he went and put a ring on it, oh oh oh... oh oh-oh oh...
> >
> > Nope. Doesn't register a lick. I stopped listening to current music
> > radio years ago.
>
> Only reason I even know of the song is I'm on broadcast TV only for quite some
> time, and Entertainment Tonight covered the fact that the Beyonce song I
> referenced is like the Hare Hare Yukai dance for black ladies in the number of
> imitators (good and bad)
>
Ah, but not just black ladies, let me tell you:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=snl%20single%20ladies
Even Obama did the dance with his daughters! ^_^
Laters. =)
Stan
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