A six-armed woman with a spider\u2019s rear end ran her duster across the last room in the house, the living room. She checked every possession and every piece of furniture to make sure it was dust free. When she finished, she smiled. \u201cNow to finish it all off with a good old-fashioned vacuuming session,\u201d she said. As one of her arms set the duster aside, the one below it plugged the vacuum cleaner in while another arm grabbed the handle and a fourth switched it on. Once the cleaner spun to life, one of her arms pushed it back and forth while two of them kept the cord out of the way and another two lifted the furniture as needed. Once that was done, she admired her handiwork, then headed to the kitchen and emptied the cleaner of the dust it picked up. The instant the cleaner was put away, she heard keys go into the front door\u2019s lock. \u201cAnd there\u2019s Megumi and her girls, right on cue!\u201d chuckled the spider woman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHello, Lisa!\u201d called her employer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHello, Megumi!\u201d replied the spider woman, Lisa. She headed off to see the three women that entered the house. Two of them wore gray sweaters, ascots, and skirts with massive amounts of petticoats while the third wore pants, a jacket, and tie. They all had Japanese features when it came to the face. One had straight, long, black hair and brown eyes while the remaining two had short, wavy, pumpkin-orange hair and green eyes. The woman with black hair had blue petticoats and ascot, the pants-wearing woman with orange hair had a blue tie, and the remaining woman had yellow petticoats and ascot. The black-haired woman was Megumi Hishikawa, the pants-wearing woman was her daughter, Kaede Saunders Hishikawa, and the last girl was Kaede\u2019s twin sister, Kaitlyn. \u201cAnd how were classes today?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey went just fine,\u201d replied Megumi. \u201cIt was an easy day today. Just did some free writing in all of them. Managed to meet with the girls early today!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDid that help your lunch date reservations?\u201d asked Lisa as she took their bookbags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cActually, there was another factor that helped,\u201d replied Kaede. \u201cSomeone had cancelled their reservation, giving us a spot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd let me tell you,\u201d chuckled Kaitlyn, \u201cit was a fantastic place! I see why Famine recommended it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe recommends a lot of eateries,\u201d remarked Kaitlyn. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of her thing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll right, girls,\u201d Megumi called to her daughters, \u201cwe still have to get ready for the party. Go get dressed and make yourselves up. Lisa, I trust you\u2019re coming?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMadam, I wouldn\u2019t miss it for the world,\u201d replied Lisa. \u201cI\u2019m sure that the Wayne Foundation will make a slight donation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAlfred told me Mr. Wayne won\u2019t be attending,\u201d replied Kaede.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat? Why?\u201d asked Megumi, disappointed that one of her old friends wouldn\u2019t come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe\u2019s got a meeting with the headmaster of Damian\u2019s boarding school.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHold on!\u201d giggled Kaitlyn. \u201cBatman has a parent-teacher conference?! Is he in the PTA?! Tell me he\u2019s in the PTA!\u201d She cleared her throat and held her pointer fingers to each side of her head. She then spoke in a rasp. \u201cWe need more chaperones for Homecoming. Who needs to be convinced to sign up?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026You wouldn\u2019t say that around Bruce, would you?\u201d asked Megumi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026You wouldn\u2019t tell, would you?\u201d gulped Kaitlyn, dreading the potential Bat-glare. Megumi smirked. Kaitlyn dashed off to get dressed. Kaede headed off as well. Megumi strolled into her bedroom and opened her closet. She found the dress and swapped her After Academy uniform for it. After she adjusted everything, she opened a small cabinet containing various hair adornments and pulled one out before making her way to her vanity. She then washed her face, dried it, and put on fresh makeup. After that was done, she pinned her hair ornament to the left of her head. Once she was done, she blew a kiss to her reflection, then got up and left the bedroom. She found Lisa in a different maid outfit, Kaitlyn in her princess outfit, and Kaede in her detective clothes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTime, Lisa?\u201d asked Megumi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve still got two hours to kill before Richard gets back,\u201d replied Lisa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn that case, I\u2019m switching on the news.\u201d Megumi switched the t.v. on, then arched an eyebrow as the news anchor was NOT the one she expected. \u201cEr, Kaede, could you help your mother solve a little mystery?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was hoping I heard wrong,\u201d muttered Kaede. \u201cSo, it\u2019s NOT Dad on t.v.?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUnfortunately, no.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut this is his time slot, yes?\u201d asked Kaitlyn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI thought so.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s definitely his time slot,\u201d confirmed Lisa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEr, guys,\u201d gulped Kaede as she looked out the window, \u201cI see Dad coming up the drive and\u2026yep, he saw me and he\u2019s not looking all that happy.\u201d Megumi dashed to the door (an amazing feat with all those skirts) and opened it to let her husband, Richard, in. He looked broken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHello, everyone,\u201d he muttered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRichard, what\u2019s wrong?\u201d asked Megumi. Richard didn\u2019t respond immediately. Kaede switched the t.v. off as Richard sat down on the sofa and put his head in his hands. He breathed slowly before speaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no easy way to say it,\u201d he said, \u201cbut I don\u2019t want any sit com shenanigans. Megumi, Kaede, Kaitlyn, Lisa, the single man of the house is now unemployed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou didn\u2019t quit, did you?\u201d asked Kaede.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBelieve me, after today, I wish I did. I saw what the teleprompter was gonna say. It was continual praise about this \u2018Baron Sonavok\u2019 and how he\u2019s a much better leader than Flora is!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut no one knows who this guy is!\u201d protested Kaitlyn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo, I put aside my request for a raise to confront my boss about it. I told him that there was no research involved in the teleprompter\u2019s transcript and he asked me if our viewers really cared!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe do!\u201d argued Lisa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what I said, and he called me an ungrateful ignoramus who has no reason to work in MNN, saying he had a replacement for me if I didn\u2019t fall in line. I called his bluff\u2026and saw my replacement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo, the man we saw in your time slot\u2019s your replacement, huh?\u201d growled Kaede.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd he went out of his way to give me an actual pink slip titled \u2018walking papers\u2019 just to rub salt in the wound!\u201d Richard pounded the coffee table in front of him as Megumi placed her hand on his back. \u201cThe man makes me want to murder people!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe had no business firing you!\u201d hissed Megumi. She then took a breath. \u201cDoes your unemployment leave this house?\u201d Richard steadied his breathing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLike I said, I want to avoid sit com shenanigans, but I don\u2019t want to tell everyone,\u201d he explained. \u201cLet\u2019s keep it with immediate family and those who took the time to watch at least a snippet of my old time slot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe can certainly help you find a job,\u201d offered Kaede. \u201cI know the police station could use a news anchor for their news channel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI believe After Academy is also looking for a news anchor for their channel,\u201d recalled Lisa. Richard smiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know how I got so lucky to have a family like you,\u201d he sighed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou survived two encounters with Vortech and had parents that excelled in teaching you respect,\u201d replied Megumi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026I\u2019ll tell Mom and Dad you said that,\u201d said Richard, \u201cand I think they\u2019ll be flattered.\u201d Just then, a wind kicked up in the house. \u201cOkay, did I leave the door open?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo, it\u2019s shut,\u201d replied Kaede. A noise then filled the house. Megumi and Richard\u2019s eyes popped open. Kaitlyn then arched an eyebrow in confusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI know I heard that noise before, but-!\u201d An object then materialized in the room. It was a blue box that said \u201cPolice Public Call Box\u201d on all four sides around the top, just under the light that was flashing. It had two windows on each side, just under the police box signs, and one side had a door handle. There was a sign near the handle that said \u201cPolice telephone free for use of public. Advice and assistance obtainable immediately. Officers and cars respond to all calls. Pull to open.\u201d There was a circular sign on the other side of the door handle that advertised \u201cSt. John Ambulance\u201d. Kaitlyn goggled as she recognized the box. \u201cNow I remember where I heard that sound before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah, you and past versions of the Vortex Riders used it as a taxi in Hill Valley,\u201d recalled Richard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDaddy!\u201d protested Kaitlyn. The door then swung into the box (despite the sign saying pull to open) and a man carrying a woman then fell out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDoctor!\u201d yelped Megumi. She checked the man\u2019s pulse, then frowned. \u201cThat\u2019s funny, I thought the Doctor had two hearts. I\u2019m only getting one\u2026no.\u201d Her face fell. \u201cDamn. He\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe lady\u2019s got two hearts,\u201d said Lisa as she finished checking the woman\u2019s pulse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ll get Emily and Michael,\u201d declared Richard as he got up, eager for some activity to distract him from his woes for the moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLisa, help me get the woman to the couch,\u201d directed Megumi. \u201cGirls, put the man-\u201d The man then gasped loudly, as if he was sucking in air desperately, and grabbed Megumi\u2019s arm out of reflex. Megumi shrieked in surprise. The man\u2019s breathing evened out. He then looked at Megumi and grinned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHey!\u201d he greeted. His accent was American. \u201cName\u2019s Captain Jack Harkness! And you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDn starr,\u201d mumbled the woman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was just saying hello!\u201d protested Jack. His face then fell. \u201cLook, weird question, but is there someone who can help a Time Lord?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOddly enough, there is,\u201d replied Megumi, having gotten over her fright. \u201cMy husband\u2019s calling her right now. I\u2019m Megumi Hishikawa.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAh, so YOU\u2019RE the Hero of the Vortech Wars,\u201d remarked Jack. \u201cThe Doctor was talking about you just before she regenerated. I didn\u2019t get a chance to see what she looks like now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, here she is.\u201d Megumi and Lisa hoisted the new Doctor up onto the couch. She had ginger hair and Jack goggled at the face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHold on, that face was one of her old companions, an old friend of ours before she had to have her mind wiped!\u201d he explained. Richard got off the phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEmily and Michael are on the way,\u201d he said to Megumi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGood. We could use some answers about Jack here,\u201d said Megumi.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A six-armed woman with a spider\u2019s rear end ran her duster across the last room in the house, the living room. She checked every possession and every piece of furniture to make sure it was dust free. When she finished, she smiled. \u201cNow to finish it all off with a good old-fashioned vacuuming session,\u201d she […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6209,"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":[754,880],"tags":[9],"class_list":["post-6211","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-journey-through-wonder","category-story-journey-through-wonder","tag-kamen-rider"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6211","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=6211"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6211\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6212,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6211\/revisions\/6212"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6211"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6211"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}