{"id":261,"date":"2020-06-03T21:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-03T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/?p=261"},"modified":"2020-06-09T20:11:52","modified_gmt":"2020-06-10T00:11:52","slug":"chapter-51","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/chapter-51\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 51"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I shook my head to clear the impact. My surroundings were\u2026colorful, to say the least. It seemed like an American street in the 20\u2019s. An elderly man came up. He wore a straw hat and a sash that said \u201cMayor\u201d on it. He was bright and cheerful. \u201cGood Morning!\u201d he cheered<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c\u2026Good Morning,\u201d I replied. \u201cI am Hiro Adachi, who are you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m Christopher George Weaver!\u201d introduced the man. \u201cThe mayor of Main Street, USA!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cUSA?\u201d I repeated. \u201cI\u2019m in America?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou look new,\u201d remarked Mayor Weaver. \u201cAre you moving in?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m\u2026not going to be staying long,\u201d I answered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat\u2019s a pity,\u201d sighed Mayor Weaver before putting on his happy face. \u201cWell, in any case, enjoy your visit!\u201d He headed off to his car where his wife was waiting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cReally, now, Christopher,\u201d she remarked as they pulled away, \u201cdon\u2019t you think he needs a doctor?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe seemed all right to me,\u201d assured the mayor. They disappeared and I ducked into an alley to raise Foundation Prime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMayday!\u201d I hissed into my comms unit. \u201cMayday! Mayday! This is a distress call! This is Hiro Adachi, resurrected!\u201d I was met with static. \u201cDamn!\u201d I swore. \u201cI need a Foundation Element\u2019s power to boost the signal!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFound one,\u201d reported the Rogue Driver. \u201cKeep walking. I\u2019ll get you there.\u201d I shrugged, then walked down the street. Various cartoon characters were running by alongside humans. I then saw a large castle, white with blue roofs. I was told to go there. Near the portcullis across the moat, I saw a boy with spiky brown hair, oversized yellow shoes, and a goofy expression talking to a woman with blood-red hair, a teal sea star in her hair, and wearing a sea-green dress. She was accompanied by a raven-haired man in princely regalia. \u201cThe boy has it,\u201d confirmed the Rogue Driver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cExcuse me!\u201d I called to the trio. They turned to see me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWho are you?\u201d asked the boy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhere I\u2019m from,\u201d I chided, \u201cit\u2019s bad manners to ask questions before introducing yourself. In any case, that\u2019s irrelevant. You have an object of immense power?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEr, yes, the Keyblade,\u201d stammered the boy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cReadings of this \u2018Keyblade\u2019 match those of a Foundation Element,\u201d reported the Rogue Driver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cExcellent!\u201d I cheered. I then drew one of my pistols. \u201cI\u2019ll be taking the Keyblade, then.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhoa! WHOA! Okay!\u201d yelped the boy. He then summoned a large key with a yellow guard. \u201cSee? Here it is! FIRAGA!\u201d He swiped at the air and threw a large fireball at me! I got out of the way and fired back. It ended in a shoot-out as we circled. The girl didn\u2019t do so, so I wrapped my free arm around her and held the gun to her head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHand over the Keyblade or her dress is stained with something grey, brain-matter grey!\u201d I threatened. Then, it happened. She screamed, making me wince slightly, then\u2026apparently, she wears heels as one of them punctured my foot! I released her and dropped my gun to grab my left foot and hop around in pain saying \u201cITAI!\u201d loudly. She ran as fast as she could in her heels and dress and buried herself in her raven-haired friend\u2019s arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat was his wife you threatened!\u201d snarled the boy as he charged at me. I grabbed both my guns and put my i.d tag into the Rogue Driver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHenshin!\u201d I announced. I fired, making a red circle with my suit\u2019s profile going sideways, and leapt through the circle. I became Kamen Rider Rogue once again and turned my pistols into their Sh\u014dt\u014d (short sword) mode. I clashed with the boy again and again, until I \u201caccidentally\u201d loosened my grip on the swords. They were knocked out and the Keyblade was about to strike, but I grabbed the shaft. \u201cYour blade is connected to you, no?\u201d I remarked. \u201cLet\u2019s fix that!\u201d I sent a surge of energy through the blade and it ran through the boy. After a few seconds, I wrestled it from the boy\u2019s grip and stood over him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat won\u2019t be in your hands for long!\u201d boasted the boy. He held his hands out and waited for something. Nothing happened. \u201cWHAT?!\u201d yelped the boy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI severed your connection with the Keyblade,\u201d I explained. \u201cYou\u2019re unarmed and useless!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cGive that back!\u201d shouted the boy as he leapt onto my arm. I swatted him aside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHello! Rogue Driver!\u201d called a voice over the comms I missed hearing. \u201cI detected a surge of energy! What\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMy sweet eagle,\u201d I replied, \u201cyour tiger is back!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHiro-Chan!\u201d cheered Igura. \u201cWhere have you been?! I\u2019ve been looking all over the multiverse for you!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWell, I\u2019ve been denied access to Foundation Prime,\u201d I answered. \u201cCan Vortech give me a lift? I have two things of value to him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m afraid he\u2019s away,\u201d replied Igura. \u201cBut, I can get you home!\u201d A portal opened and I limped into it at top speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vorton\u2019s current atmosphere was tense, I won\u2019t lie. We tried various methods to take our mind off the danger that Hiro presented. I toured Vorton and found various training exercises and recreational activities going on. In the Battle Arena, Hongo was training some Stormtroopers in riding speeder bikes. \u201cAll right,\u201d he called, \u201con your bikes!\u201d The troopers mounted their speeders. \u201cAll you need to do is weave through the trees and get to the other end, then turn around and return here. On my mark! 3! 2! 1! GO!\u201d Three troopers took off, one\u2019s bike exploded, and the last one didn\u2019t go. The rider altered some settings, then found himself and the bike flying into the air. Hongo face-palmed. A rider crashed into a tree. One rider found himself turned around and crashed into the other rider. Hongo saw me. \u201cVader said these were the Empire\u2019s finest,\u201d he muttered. I commed someone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cRequesting a cleanup and medical crew in the Battle Arena,\u201d I called. The rider that went flying landed, hard. I then headed to the firing range to see Fred training some troops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMen, we may not see eye to eye, but you ARE the backbone of your Empire!\u201d he declared. \u201cShow me how you hit those targets!\u201d The troopers readied their blasters and fired for a bit. \u201cCEASE FIRE!\u201d roared Fred. \u201cWhy are you idiots shooting from the hip?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPermission to explain, sir!\u201d requested a trooper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPermission granted!\u201d answered Fred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSir, the armor doesn\u2019t let us aim, sir!\u201d reported the trooper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBulls**t!\u201d swore Fred. He was wearing armor in his size. \u201cI can easily\u2026what the?\u201d He couldn\u2019t lift his gun up to line up his sights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI hate to say, \u2018I told you so,\u2019 sir,\u201d snarked a second trooper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThen don\u2019t!\u201d snapped Fred. \u201cWhat about spinal movement?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSir, permission to demonstrate spinal movement!\u201d requested a third trooper as he engaged the safety of his gun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPermission granted,\u201d replied Fred. The trooper dropped his gun and tried to bend over, no dice. \u201cSo, none,\u201d remarked Fred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI hate to sound needy, sir,\u201d called the last trooper, \u201cbut our peripheral is practically nonexistent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIs it now?\u201d asked Fred as he put his helmet on. \u201cWhy, yes! Yes, it is,\u201d he confirmed. He then took off the helmet. \u201cSo, we can\u2019t aim, can\u2019t see out of the corner of our eyes, can\u2019t bend over\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAnd our armor is made of a material that is so weak, we literally die in one hit,\u201d supplied the third trooper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat explains why you guys are losing,\u201d commented Fred. I left that room and looked into another room to see Linda going through a drill with three Stormtroopers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSo, you guys are supposed to be policemen as well as soldiers?\u201d she muttered. \u201cI gotta say, military police make me twitchy and our own boys in blue are near enough. Okay, here\u2019s the situation: you\u2019ve got orders to identify drivers on the street.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhy?\u201d asked a trooper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat do you mean, \u2018why\u2019?!\u201d snapped Linda. \u201cYou\u2019re searching for someone or something!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHow will we find the thing we\u2019re looking for if we don\u2019t know what it is?\u201d asked the second trooper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNOW, we\u2019re asking the real questions,\u201d joked the third trooper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSeriously?!\u201d called Linda \u201cFine, you\u2019re looking for\u2026\u201d she then picked up an R9 Astromech, \u201cthis droid, right here!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFound it,\u201d remarked the first. \u201cJob\u2019s done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNo! Come on!\u201d shouted Linda. \u201cLook, you\u2019ve got orders to stop drivers and search for a droid. I will drive this speeder around the course, you stop and identify me. Are we clear?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEeeyup!\u201d replied the third trooper. Linda put the Astromech into the speeder, started the speeder, and went halfway around until the second trooper stopped her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cGood day,\u201d she greeted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHow long have you had that droid?\u201d asked the trooper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAbout a year now,\u201d replied Linda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m gonna need to see your identification,\u201d requested the trooper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s a need for that,\u201d answered Linda. The trooper then tried to be funny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe don\u2019t need to see her i.d right now,\u201d he called to his buddies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m not hearing this!\u201d growled Linda as the troopers giggled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOh, but you are,\u201d replied the joking trooper. \u201cMove along.\u201d At that point, I made my presence known and made the trooper bend over backwards to look at me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf you nitwits try this sort of nonsense during our final battle,\u201d I whispered. \u201cI will scour your universe to find you! Are we clear?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCrystal!\u201d yelped the trooper. I released him and they tried again while I left. I remembered that I had an appointment and headed to the Gateway room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cX-PO, I need a rift to the Ghostbusters of 1984,\u201d I called.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOne rift, coming up!\u201d replied X-PO. I headed to the Ghostbusters\u2019 universe and wound up in front of Ghostbusters HQ. I knocked on the door and heard that it was okay to enter. Sludgiona was in a barrel reading a magazine next to a red-head named Janine, also reading a magazine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHey!\u201d I said, as cheerfully as I could, noticing the awkward silence. \u201cHow are things?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSlow, business-wise,\u201d muttered Janine. \u201cThat\u2019s fine though, since the boys are still trying to help Sludgiona here. Despite appearances, she\u2019s very tidy and neat. A really valuable temp here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHas Egon found your universe?\u201d I asked Sludgiona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNo,\u201d she sighed. \u201cHave any of your people?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNo,\u201d I admitted lamely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFigures,\u201d she mumbled as she grabbed a soda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cLook, we\u2019re going to find it,\u201d I assured. \u201cIt\u2019s just that the multiverse is big and the maps we have are totally different, given that one is from Tarlax 13 and the other is from Vorton. We will find a common reference point and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI didn\u2019t ask you to come here to nag about that,\u201d interrupted Sludgiona after she sipped her drink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThen, why did you ask me to visit?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2026\u201d she was struggling to find the words. \u201cI wanted to apologize.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c\u2026For what?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFor\u2026for everything! For fighting you, even after you freed me!\u201d answered Sludgiona. \u201cI don\u2019t know, maybe I should\u2019ve asked for help a while ago.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c\u2026Apology accepted,\u201d I replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMaybe if I asked you to help, I wouldn\u2019t be stranded here!\u201d cried Sludgiona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cStop,\u201d I directed. Sludgiona looked confused. \u201cI was the one who destroyed your declamation chip.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMight as well have been me,\u201d mumbled Sludgiona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe only mistakes we\u2019re responsible for are the ones we make ourselves, even in an emotional state,\u201d I countered. \u201cI was the one who let her zeal to free the multiverse influence that decision, and it was still the wrong one. We\u2019ve all made mistakes in the past and we\u2019re gonna make many more in the future. The only thing we can do is pick up after ourselves, learn from those mistakes, and move on. We can play the blame game after we died.\u201d Sludgiona gave a sad smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThose are\u2026sagely words,\u201d she mused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIs there\u2026anything I can get you?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNot right now,\u201d replied Sludgiona. \u201cThis dimension is starting to grow on me. I\u2019ll talk to you later.\u201d A little terse, maybe, but she meant it kindly. I summoned a ride home and toured Vorton again when I came back. Vader was taught Poker by Richard and learned quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cRaising by 2,000,\u201d declared Vader as he put 16,000 studs into the pot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIs that a joke, my lord?\u201d asked a Stormtrooper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDo I joke that often?\u201d asked Vader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI call,\u201d replied Mr. Babineaux. His son, Emmanuel, was looking on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe has him!\u201d he cheered to himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWho has who?\u201d I asked, startling Emmanuel. He recovered quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPapa, he has Richard, how you say, on the ropes,\u201d he replied. I looked at Mr. Babineaux\u2019s studs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat was the buy-in?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c500,000 studs,\u201d answered Emmanuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe\u2019s down to a quarter that now!\u201d I observed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNot for long,\u201d boasted Emmanuel. \u201cHe\u2019ll get the pot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat makes you so sure?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c\u2026Well\u2026Poker is a\u2026very deep\u2026and involved game,\u201d floundered Emmanuel. \u201cPapa\u2019s strategy will become apparent in a minute.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c\u2026You have absolutely no idea how Poker is played, do you?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c\u2026Non,\u201d replied Emmanuel. \u201cBut, I HAVE gained a new appreciation for the game.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhen?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhen Papa started playing it as much as he goes to church,\u201d answered Emmanuel. \u201cHe will be victorious and defeat Vader!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cVader\u2019s gonna be tough to crack,\u201d I observed. \u201cBesides, Richard\u2019s on a roll. For the past month, he\u2019s won 202 Poker games of varying styles, even his weakest, Texas Hold-em.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPerhaps a wager is in order?\u201d asked Emmanuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t want to bet against a man\u2019s father,\u201d I replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWell, if the Queen is too afraid,\u201d taunted Emmanuel. He only uses my position like that to try and get a rise out of me. It always works, I don\u2019t know why!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cName your stakes!\u201d I declared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cLoser buys the winner\u2019s drink,\u201d offered Emmanuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s a bet!\u201d I agreed as we shook hands. We then looked on. It was Mr. Babineaux\u2019s bet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAll in!\u201d he answered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ll take you up on that,\u201d called Richard as he went all in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBlast!\u201d hissed the trooper. \u201cI fold!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI fold as well,\u201d replied Vader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPretty bold move to go all in when you\u2019ve lost three quarters of your buy-in in previous rounds,\u201d mused Richard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAre you afraid a Frenchman cannot cover his bets?\u201d taunted Mr. Babineaux.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPerish the thought,\u201d assured Richard. \u201cI just hate to kick someone when they\u2019re down. Let\u2019s see \u2018em because I think you\u2019re bluffing and will lose!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWell, if it\u2019s the rough stuff we\u2019re doing,\u201d answered Mr. Babineaux, \u201ctake a look!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cA full house? Unbelievable!\u201d gasped Richard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAnd there was no cheating from him,\u201d reported Vader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTr\u00e8s bon!\u201d cheered Emmanuel. He turned to me. \u201cI\u2019m a great lover of Chateau d\u2019Yquem from Sauternes. That nectar is one of the gods!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI see I have gained a fan!\u201d called Mr. Babineaux.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWell, I hate to disappoint your fans,\u201d countered Richard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c\u2026Quoi?\u201d (What?) asked Mr. Babineaux. Richard revealed his hand. \u201cA ROYAL FLUSH?!\u201d protested Mr. Babineaux.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAnd HE wasn\u2019t cheating either!\u201d remarked Vader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cGood thing we folded, my Lord,\u201d observed the trooper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c203 straight games,\u201d I counted. Emmanuel was red in the face. \u201cFrenchmen don\u2019t like losing?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNo, we don\u2019t!\u201d confirmed Emmanuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWell, we still have a bet,\u201d I reminded him. \u201cOddly enough, I\u2019m more preferable to Scotch Whiskey.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI will need to visit Scotland to get it,\u201d replied Emmanuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOh, you can get it when this whole thing is over,\u201d I assured. Emmanuel gave me a look. I left Emmanuel to fume and speak with his father to head back to the Gateway room. I noticed that the Brigadier was with Elphaba and Chell, but no Rusty. \u201cRusty still getting used to two legs?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOh no,\u201d replied Elphaba, \u201cshe\u2019s just in the Simpsons\u2019 universe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBy whose authority?!\u201d I demanded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMs. Sheela\u2019s\u201d answered the Brigadier. \u201cShe went with Rusty and Team 10 to investigate a\u2026Plumber\u2026distress call in that universe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou know, I\u2019m getting a little sick and tired of people going on little excursions behind my back!\u201d I snapped. \u201cMaybe I should just make a time-clock!\u201d That was when the gateway opened. \u201cWell, look who decided to\u2026WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!\u201d Sheela and her team were battered and bruised! They had two new guys. One of them was a young man, the other was a tall humanoid. It had a purple face with four eyes making the shape of a square on its angle, horns lining the face, no visible mouth, a white body with four red eyes on the chest, wings folded onto the shoulders connecting to the chest eyes, and black feet, lower legs, and left forearm. His right arm was colored green and ended in a vine like pattern on the upper arm. \u201cAnd who are these two?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMy name is Kazuraba K\u014dta,\u201d panted the guy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAnd I am Reinrassic III, seventh son of the Noble Highbreed House of Derazza, direct descendant of the Pure Blooded High Order of Rarsect, and current Atasian Supreme,\u201d introduced the alien.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cReinrassic\u2026Reiny?!\u201d I yelped. \u201cYou\u2019re the Highbreed Ben helped out?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAtasian,\u201d corrected Reiny, \u201cand, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEveryone to the medical ward at once,\u201d I ordered. \u201cI want to know what went on.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I shook my head to clear the impact. My surroundings were\u2026colorful, to say the least. It seemed like an American street in the 20\u2019s. An elderly man came up. He wore a straw hat and a sash that said \u201cMayor\u201d on it. He was bright and cheerful. \u201cGood Morning!\u201d he cheered \u201c\u2026Good Morning,\u201d I replied. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":263,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[96,8],"tags":[130,155,13,158,46,12,159,157,156,50],"class_list":["post-261","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kamen-rider-vortex","category-kamen-rider-vortex-chapters","tag-ben-10","tag-disney","tag-hiro-adachi","tag-hostage","tag-igura","tag-megumi-hishikawa","tag-poker","tag-sludgiona","tag-talking","tag-training"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/261","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=261"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/261\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1897,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/261\/revisions\/1897"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/263"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=261"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=261"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=261"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}