Breaking Back In

[Java]

Chapter 8

“Did you make the calls?” asked the man as he took of his trench coat and went over to his mahogany desk.

“Yes.”

“And all the networks understand that when the Muppets come with their proposal, they are not to be put on the air.”

“Well most,” the young assistant started nervously wringing his hands together.

“What do you mean most?”

“Well, KMUP, that specializes in the children’s public service announcements, wasn’t answering.”

“I don’t think we have anything to worry about from them just yet. That’s a fine upstanding station that has kept themselves in line. But keep trying to reach them, I want them to hear about this directly from the source.”

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“La, la, la. La, la, la”

“Big Bird, will you please come over hear and help me re-hang this.” Kermit patiently asked his six year old friend.

“Oh, sure Kermit.”

Across the theater, Gonzo was searching for punishment as his fist made a resounding clang, clang, clang against a trash can.

“What do you want?” Demanded the green occupant inside.

“Well, I thought you would enjoy having these glass shards that are left over from when I played the 1812 overture backwards while hopping on a bed of glass and juggling sixteen flaming bowling balls.”

“Hmm, yea, yea, I would. Now Scram!” Oscar said grabbing the loot and disappearing into his abode.

“Kermit, how long before these Fraggle creatures come?” Amber called down from the balcony where she was polishing Statler and Waldorf’s rail. She had sent the two to their apartment to take a nap and stop nagging the Muppets at their attempts to clean up the theater.

“Any minute now I should think. After all, Scooter has almost finished moving everything away from their hole.”

“Hey Kermit,” called Fozzie from backstage, “Clifford wants to know when he should come over for the meeting.”

“When everyone is here I will let him know and we’ll discuss how to change the KMUP programming then.”

Amber listened to the banter of everyone in the theater. For a group that had been unable to contact each other for so long, they were still very close knit. Some of them were even what Gonzo described as “old friends who just met.”

“Hey Amber, what are you thinking about?” Robin asked her as he brought her a meatball sandwich that the Swedish Chef had made.

“Oh, not much.”

“Have you though about singing a song with me during the special?”

“Robin, I don’t know how?”

Robin hopped onto the arm of one chair to get closer to her.

“I’ve heard you practicing as you get ready to come to theater in the mornings. If you let Rowlf and Kermit help you, you’ll do fine. We’ve all got to start somewhere.”

“Do you really think I can do it?”

Before Robin could answer they were interrupted by the arrival of two groups at once.

“Get the party started, the rest of us have arrived and I’m looking for the beautiful ladies, hokay!”

“Hey, Bert, this sure brings back memories doesn’t it?”

“Oh, yea, Ernie, it does.”

“Dance your cares away, worries for another day . . .”

All work was forgotten as everyone converged once again in celebration.

 

[RedDragon]

You referenced Ryan's story ...keep the good stuff coming...

 

[Fragglemuppet]

Wow, great chapter! I loved the chatter going around throughout the theater, now that everyone is getting back together. Amber practicing singing is great, as well as the idea of Rolf and the other muppets helping her as much as she's helping them. I also thaught Stattler and Waldorf were perfect!
One thing I was noticing throughout the story, was the lack of description when it came to muppet banter. I can't fault a mere difference in writing style; I guess I just became used to Ryan and Lisa's style of incerting miscelanius lines of dialog in muppet group scenes. You seem to have done it a bit more in the last chapter though; great job!
And Clifford is still running the TV station? That's great; he'll never let 'em down!
Have fun on your vacation, and good luck with that chapter! Where are you going again?

 

[theprawncracker]

Ooh ooh! Wow!!! I looooove it!! They're all coming together! And you referenced me!! Yay!!

 

[The Count]

Another great chapter. Loved how the black trenchcoated man stated his mission... And that KMUP still hasn't answered.
Interactions were nicely handled... Big Bird and Kermit, Gonzo and Oscar.
What group did Pepe come with? Noticed that you gave Bert and Ernie a separate entrance, didn't they get there with the rest of the SS cast? Nice referencing to when they were guests on the Connie Stevens episode. And there's even more music in the theater now that the Fraggles got there too.

Great job... Though you might want to change some of the "yea's" to "yeah's" or "Yes's".
Post more, this story's coming along quite well... And have fun on your vacation.

 

[Java]

No, all the Sesame Street characters have been separated. So only a few have arrived. It will be explained better in the next chapter.

I tend to use yea alot and my teachers always told me to leave the "H" off. I need to change more of them to yes so I'm not so evidently southern. Old habits die hard, but I will work on it.

Vacation consists of going to my hometown in upstate SCto pick up two of my brothers-in-law, then to Louisville, KY to see one of my grandmothers, then to Paoli, IN where the family reunion for my mothers side is taking place, then to Ashville to see my father-in-law and the Biltmore Estate, back to my hometown for a few days, and finally home in Charleston.

It will be a lot but it will be fun. Off to pack and I'll see you all when I get back.

 

[crazed gonzo fa]

Bye! See you then!

 

[christyb]

Have fun on your vacation. I know I haven't been saying much for the past few chapters. I'm just sitting back and really enjoying the story.

 

[Java]

Chapter 9

Cantus played a soft melody on his flute as the rest of the Fraggles bopped around the theater scatting to the music.

The Sesame Street gang, finally back together sat on the stage in a circle catching up with one another since the bus load that Officer Caruthers had driven across the country to pick up the spread out friends had arrived.

Kermit and the rest of gang that had arrived were backstage.

“Okay, boss, that means that from the Fraggles we have Gobo, Mokey, Wembley, Boober, and Red as well as the Minstrels.”

Kermit nodded to acknowledge that he was following Scooters list.

“And from Sesame Street we have Big Bird, Oscar, Ernie, Bert, Elmo, Telly, Snuffleupagus, Grover, Cookie Monster, The Two Headed Monster, and Rosita.”

“Don’t forget that I also belong in the Sesame Street Group, especially if one or two of the skits on the ballot are performed.”

“And finally we have all of us - Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Bunsen, Beaker, The Swedish Chef, Statlor, Waldorf, Rowlf, Sam, Camilla, Link, The Electric Mayhem, Uncle Deadly, Beauregard, Pops, Sweetums, Robin, George, Hilda, Mahna Mahna, the Penguins, Rizzo, Clifford, Bean, Digit, the Jugbands, Pepe, Seymour, Bill, Johnny Fiama and Sal, and myself.”

“Right, so now what we’re going to do is check with Carrie and Amber and put together the order of things.”

The Muppets dispersed to their corners to work on their acts and Kermit stepped out into the theater. He sat on the edge and glanced in the upper corner of seats to see Uncle Deadly observing rehearsals.

Kermit closed his eyes as he listened to the banter around the theater.

“Sing of good things, not bad. Sing of happy, not sad.”

The Sesame gang continued to practice their song as the Fraggles came up to listen.

“Say Gobo, I think that‘s very good. Do you think we should ask them to teach it to us.”

“Yes, it does have a very soothing quality to it.”

“I say we should head out to cruise the streets for the lady’s, hokay!”
“And I’ve already told you I’m going to see what Chef has cooking in the canteen Pepe.”

“Hey Gonzo,” Fozzie called across the theater, “I went to the bookstore the other day and asked to where the self help section was.”

“Okay,”

“Well, the sales lady told me that if she showed me it would defeat the purpose.”

“Fozzie!” The theater paused to call out.

Kermit looked back around the theater and sighed when he saw the executive in the black suit walk back in. He got up and met the man, taking him into the lobby.

“I told you already, you all will not make it in this business. Go back to where you’ve been cowering for the last half century.”

“There are no laws saying that we can’t have our show.”

“No, but the public will not accept you. You have no way to get on the air. All of the stations listen to me. You’re not wanted.”

He turned and exited the theater as Amber stepped into the lobby.

“Kermit,” she said slowly, “What are we going to do?”

“Just keep practicing.” Kermit said as he turned around to face Amber, “Now, what song are you and Robin going to sing together for the show?”

 

[Java]

Chapter 10

Kermit, Clifford, Big Bird, Ernie, Bert, Gobo, Mokey, and Scooter sat around the conference table, finishing up the lunch that Carrie had brought them over.

“I want to go over this one more time before I set our plan in motion.” Clifford started, “In an hour I come over and film clips of the rehearsals for the reunion special.”

“Right.”

“And then, starting with our late night and early morning shows, I start to run the commercial.”

“Check.”

“And in two days I start to show our classic stuff.”

“You got it.”

“And what do I do when Percival Waldenburg shows back up on the door step pulling our plug.”

Kermit sighed, this was the brick wall that they seemed to be running into repeatedly. Everyday at noon he showed back up at the theater demanding that the Muppets would not make it in today’s society. Stories were starting to appear on the news about a gang of misfits that wanted to take away today’s values and highlight the individual.

“Legally, there’s nothing that he can do.”

“You know that he’s not going to do things legally.”

“I say I cross wire the stations and we show the commercials on his network.” Digit called from the control panel where he was pressing play on a public service show on brushing teeth.

They all shook their heads as Kermit spoke up.

“We don’t give them time to do anything. Carrie has several of her friends coming and Jennifer is driving a bus load of people from across the country now that she’s finished helping the Street muppets from the rest of the world. The show airs Friday and is re-broadcast for the next three days. After that we see where we stand in the public eye.”

“Kermit,” Gobo said, “I’m really glad you’re deciding how to get the show onto your television, but when are we going to decide what order we are going in.”

“That’s why the rest of you are here. Carrie and Amber have given us the list, now we’re going to get it into shape.”

“Oh, good.” said Big Bird as the group leaned in around the paper that Kermit had just gotten out.

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Percival sighed as he continued looking over the paperwork on his desk. It was getting harder to get the public to tune into the programming on his network. His only consolation was that the other networks were not doing any better.

At the thought of the other networks, he made a note in his planner to go over and talk to the KMUP director himself. It was proving elusive to get a hold of the man on the phone.

He turned to the stack of financial papers when the bank of TV’s across from his desk caught his attention.

All five television stations were played in his office while working. That way he knew that each one remained in line. It was the one in the middle that caught his attention today.

Percival grabbed his remote and turned the volume up.

“Uncle Kermit, is this about how the Muppets really got started?”

“Well, it’s sort of approximately how it happened.”

“Bradley, get me my car now,” Percival barked into his speaker at his assistant, “KMUP has just crossed the line.”