A Muppet Family Gathering.

The Count

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Oh good... Always try to get my friends and other fics I've enjoyed into the grand picture. Will let you find the other reference to your work, and I hope more of your own story gets shown off soon.

On another note, I'm rully anxious to know what that FanFic Queen thinks, given the large role in the last chapter... And I'm unsure if I should post the next chapter beforehand. After all, she hasn't left for Israel yet, has she?
 

The Count

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Chapter 7.

The next day Kermit strolled down the streets of Hensonville... A piece of paper tucked into his coat's pocket contained the information he got from Scooter to give to Uncle Deadly. The frog hoped that gloomy old dragon would be in better spirits today, secretly hoping there'd be some way he could join them for the holiday retreat. He briefly stopped in at Fran's Fragrant Flowers, he wanted to get some freshly-cut flowers. Kathy tended to the frog happily, in spite of fighting another bout of sinus headaches.

The rest of the theater's performing cast were dilligently packing their suitcases, taking care only to bring the essentials. It had been agreed that to make the surprise even better, they'd all head off in various groups. The Electric Mayhem hopped into their garishly painted bus, speeding off leaving rainbow dust in their wake. Sadie offered to ferry her daughter, along with her steady boyfriend and their bandmates from Clifford's Solid Foam days. That left the main gang the option of hitching a ride in Fozzie's beat-up Studebaker. Remarkable how they got that vehicle back from Mad Man Mooney, especially his initial reluctance at dealing with Muppets again. But he let them have the car for a song and a dance, which they promptly performed, paying him off with a couple of tickets to their next show. Gonzo, Rizzo, Rowlf, Sam, Lew, Pops, Hilda, Mildred, Bean Bunny, Bunsen and Beaker, Statler and Waldorf, the Swedish Chef, and a few others broke into the bus station at Nelson Square. About half of them skipped out on the bus, the rest heading back to their main boarding house. All that remained was to get Piggy into the car, and for Fozzie to finish his phone call...
"Hey Ma..." his voice spoke through the receiver.
"Grizzly Farms, Mrs. Emily Bear... Oh Fozzie, it's you son."
"Yeah Ma... Just wanted to tell ya, we're leaving now."
"What? Where are you going?"
"Oh come on Ma... You know where, we're headed off to our Christmas party."
"You're not coming here this year are you?" she asked a bit crossly.
"No Ma, Kermit found us a swell place this year."
"Oh... The lizard."
"Yeah. Listen, could you please put Dad on the phone? Got a message for him."
The motherly bear handed the phone to her newly-wedded husband... An old eccentric man who had a sweet disposition at times. His hair grayed, his glasses round, and his dog Sprocket barking, the man known as "Doc" took the receiver in his hands.
"Hello? This is Doc, who's this?"
"Dad!"
"Fozzie... How are you son?"
"Me, I'm fine. Listen, here's the directions of where we're headed so you can tell the Fraggles and their friends."
He quickly jotted down the instructions and bade his adopted bear son a fond farewell.
"Come on Emily, we've got to get ready ourselves."
"You get the Fraggles and I'll warm up the ol' Winnebago."
Sprocket bounded over to the Fraggle hole down in the farmhouse's basement, barking happily a signal worked out between the owners and their Fragglish neighbors. A few Doozers showed up too, anxious to get the news of where the festival would be, and to relay the directions to the Gorgs as well.

The Studebaker pulled out from the house's garage, readied and filled up with passengers for the road trip. Only Scooter and Bobo the Bear Guard remained behind. Bobo set to making a quick call before dashing out himself.
"Hello Operator..."
"Mmm yes?" queried a lofty yet adled voice across the telephone wires.
"Please patch me through to Woodland Valley."
"Certainly sir" responded Lois the Loon, Woodland Valley's telephone operator.
"Oh I hope he's not hibernating this time of... Hello?"
"Hi, you've reached the Big Blue House... Bear speaking."
"Hey Bear, it's your long-removed cousin Bobo."
"Oh hi Bobo, how are things in Hensonville?"
"Fine... Look, we're headed off to a big Muppet Christmas celebration. Kermit, the frog, wanted me to see if I could get you guys to come. It'd mean a lot to him, and it'd give us a chance to catch up on good old times."
"Well... Let me see who else's available. You wouldn't happen to know where it'll be held?"
"Sure do, here I'll give you some directions."
His chore done, the bear guard hugged Scooter good-bye... Bobo was driving one of the other buses out of town, loaded up with the Muppets Tonight and Jim Henson Hour crew already aboard. The gopher hugged him back and waved as the last member of the Muppet family left Hensonville. Now only the orange-skinned assistant and his frog-in-chief remained.

Kermit hastened back to the grand home after delivering the slip of paper to the old ghoul. The frog wanted to get back and get Scooter down to the train station before some special visitors arrived in town. Uncle Deadly dispatched with the invitation to Lady Fughetta and got back to the theater quicker than it took to snuff out a lone candle left burning in one of the wall sockets. A bit out of breath, he sat down to a cup of cold tea relaxing in the moth-eaten armchair located within his private alcove. He was saddened that he couldn't join the rest of the troop... But the rules of death were explicit, no ghost may leave the place where they died upon penalty of their souls returning to that dark limbo known as the Netherworld. Just then, with all the windows in the theater boarded shut and the doors closed tightly, there came three distinct tolling bell chimes, followed by a circle of black magic flames on the floor of the room in front of where Uncle Deadly was seated. The phantom found himself rooted to the spot, a little in awe or reverence or even fright of the spectre before him. This dark ghost was clad entirely in black, clutching a scythe at his side. No, it wasn't the Reaper nor his son Eli, but someone just as intimidating. Deadly had only heard rumors of this entity from the other Muppets, when they staged that film with Michael Caine. Yes, the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come peered down at the Muppets' resident phantom with a foreboding air in his tiny slitlike eyes.
"Deadly" uttered the spirit in a voice as low as a deeply frightening whisper.
"Y-Y-Yes Ghost" came the dragon's reply.
The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come merely looked down at him, scythe still clutched in his firm grip.
"I... I didn't accept the frog's call... Well, you know the Rules of Death" he said almost knowing what the dark apparition was asking.
"No ghost may leave..." he continued "Although I would've enjoyed myself back in the Old World... But it's utterly impossible.
And yet... I... Know your mission is to convert those who claim that the spirit of the holiday is dead in their hearts. But I don't have a heart any more. That's how Life spared me and... What? You can grant... For both me and..."
Uncle Deadly was still shaken, but a small trickle of a grin graced his ghoulish features.
"And it won't be held against... Yes, I understand, we'll leave tonight."
The spirit nodded in silence during the dragon's discourse, disappearing in a circle of black flames once the agreement had been made. There would be two more surprises at the Muppets Family Christmas gathering this year.
 

redBoobergurl

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I just love it! More great nods to stories from Sara, with Emily and Doc's appearance. I also love the different modes of transportation and ways the groups are traveling to their Christmas destination. This is super fun! I'm loving this story! I wonder where everyone else is though...come on guys, I know I'm not the only one reading this!
 

Katzi428

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Good story so far,Ed.I noticed the reference to me in the story.:wink: Cute!
 

The Count

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Oh good... That was intentional by the way. We'll see when the next part goes online.
 

redBoobergurl

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Mokey: Beth's read this to us Ed, it's very good
Red: Yeah, we want to hear more!
*they all sit to wait for next part*
 

TogetherAgain

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FINALLY! <Phew> Sorry Ed, I was saving post number 3000 for chapter twenty seven of Flippersteps. But now that that's taken care of...

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! <Points at chapter six and jumps up down and around and left, right, wrong, wrote, what?>

That is AWESOME! Me hugging Kermit and "Do I look like a cute fuzzy and blue monster to you?" and that good old running gag, and speaking of running- TAG! Like the kittens! Oh I squee! And us laughing and remembering bits of Muppet history, oh I love it! But hush, you're giving away the trick to my accuracy, <wink wink> oh I love it!

And the rest of the story ain't half bad, either!

(Nope, it's all bad! ...Kidding... Guess I've been spending too much time in that balcony again...)

I love how it's all coming together, everybody is being contacted somehow, and the appearance of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, and all the references and references upon references and yay! MORE PLEASE!
 

The Count

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Good. The person I was waiting on. Hi Mokey and Red, I'll post more tomorrow. But please tell Beth she needs to update her own, after all how can you have found each other as mentioned in Ch 3 if it hasn't happened yet?
More you say Queen of FanFiction? *In zombieish voice: Yes master...
 

ReneeLouvier

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OH MY.....>WOWW!!!!!! *jumps up and down, shouting happily.* WOW!!! YAY!!!!! AHHHHH I LOVE IT!!!!!! Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!! Emily, and Doc, then the references to Eli, and Death (although he's not mine.) and Eleanor!!! WOWO!!!!! YAYAY!!!!!!

*takes a deep breath, and smiles*

More please?
 

The Count

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Chapter 8.

The rest of the Muppet clan had already left by the time that frog reached Scooter, waiting for him back at their spacious home. The gopher motioned to his boss to get into the car as the motor was already running. Just a quick leisurely drive down to Nelson Square where they'd greet some out-of-towners... The car parked, the flowers carefully wrapped and out of the sunlight, both got out and walked through the turnstile barring the entrance to this transportation hub beneath its welcoming Victorian iron-wraught archway. The train whistled its arrival, stopping neatly before them at the platform... Kermit's smile broadened when he saw who stepped out of the passenger cars. Five frogs of varying hues of green and one bespectacled toad all exclaimed with excitement when they saw the swamp's heralded son. "Kermit!" they called out in unison. This truly made Kermit smile: his mother Jane, his father James with his knobbly walking stick, his sister Margaret wearing a small jeweled stone ring and holding hands with Croaker, his old friend Goggles, and his nephew Robin. Scooter directed them all to their chariot, conversation flowing every which way.
"Hey Sis, what's the ring for?"
"Isn't it wonderful? We're engaged" replied Margaret.
"Are we going to Sesame Street Uncle Kermit?"
"No, but somewhere even better. By the way, where are your parents Robin?"
"Dad and Mom had to stay behind... Someone had to look after the whole swamp with Grandpa and Grandma gone."
"Oh, I see. Are you all right Mom?"
"Yes dear, we had a lovely trip" answered Jane Frog.
"We thought some of that city air away from the swamp would do us good" followed James Frog.
"So, do your glasses break often?" asked a nervous Goggles.
"Yeah... But most of the time it's just my twin sister teasing me by taking them and refusing to give them back" said Scooter.
"Uh Mom" Kermit stammered a little "got you something for the holidays."
He gave her a small stem of white roses, still wrapped and without the nasty thorns... Kathy sliced those off when he bought them.
"Thank you Kermit dear." she said before kissing him gently on the cheek with motherly affection.
"Yeah well... We have to make one last stop before we go."
"Want me to come with you chief?" Scooter asked eager to help him out.
"No Scooter, you stay here in the car, I won't be long."
The main frog stepped out at Rainbow Memories Cemetary, walking along the side street. The spot he was visiting wasn't located among the tombstones, but it was a place of reverence to him nonetheless. He approached the gates closing off a small plot of land from Cole Street, swung them open and made his way quietly to where two stones had been erected. Placing the sunflowers on the taller and the lilies on the shorter, he wrapped both arms around in an embracing hug.
"Merry Christmas" he said to noone in particular, but he knew two souls had heard. He kissed both stones and walked back to the car, knowing he had Melinda and Ray's blessings.

Fozzie sped off at the wheel of his trusty Studebaker, the gang all comfy cozy in their seats singing a jaunty caroll.
"Haul down the holly.
We're heading home so we can start to celebrate.
Fill up the stockings.
We may be rushing things, but we can hardly wait now!
For we need a little Christmas.
Right this very minute.
Candles in the window.
Carolls in the spinnet.
Yes, we need a little Christmas.
Right this very minute.
It hasn't snowed a single flurry.
Come on Fozzie, we're in a hurry."
The Studebaker's horn honked during the song, alerting other drivers to watch out for this festive frolicking four-wheeler.
Gonzo, seated in the front seat asked: "Hey Fozzie, you think it was OK to leave Miss Piggy back in that mall?"
"Oh yeah Gonzo... She'll catch up with us. Besides, we already did all of our shopping."
"At least we won't show up empty handed" he commented before looking out the window, wishing he could be strapped to the car's rear bumper enjoying himself being dragged along on the rough and tough highways of this country of ours. The Muppets were officially on their way to their Winter retreat, merry in the thoughts of spending another holiday season together with their loved ones.

*Author's Note: There's a deleted scene here. Wanted to have a scene in between the arrival of the Frogs family and the main Muppets already on the road. The scene was to have been Cloister adjusting the Muppet movie poster, opening a passage to the secret bunker. There would have been an introduction of new recruits to the Muppeteer Undercover Police Protection for the Entertaining Arts Taskforce, M.U.P.P.E.T. for short. But maybe a small snipet will surface at the beginning or near that point the next chapter.
 
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