The craft hovered over the station for some while and the Wabbit
hopped out to meet with whoever or whatever might emerge. He watched as the Ice Mice beamed
down, then advanced across the platform and waved for them to stop. "Please do
tell me," he said flippantly, "who does go there?" The middle Mouse spoke first. "We are the
Reformed Ice Mice and this is a mission of polite diplomacy." "Oh really," said the
Wabbit, "may I call you RIM?" The Ice Mice made snickering noises but the leader frowned and turned sharply to the Wabbit. "We have done
you a Great Service," he said. The Wabbit laughed derisively. "It was all in
hand, you wasted your time." The Ice Mice conferred. "You have
something we want," said one finally. "Do I look as if I’m bothered?" said the Wabbit. The Ice Mice shook their
heads sadly. "We request a sign of good faith," said another Ice
Mouse. "I’m all out of stock," said the Wabbit. Now the Ice Mice were getting extremely annoyed and the Wabbit smiled to himself. "We want the key!" shouted the Ice Mice in unison. "I do have a key," said the Wabbit. "Excellent," smirked
the leading Mouse. "But the key belongs to me," said the Wabbit, "and it won’t work
for anyone else." "We will take your key!" shouted the Ice Mice. The Wabbit shoved his paws in his fur and shrugged. "You and who’s army?" he grinned.
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Friday, June 28, 2013
Thursday, June 27, 2013
12.The Wabbit & Inconvenient Help
The train rattled down the hillside with the gang on board
and Puma racing alongside. But the Agents quickly caught up and they shouted and waved their
spikes menacingly. They drew alongside the train and were just about to board,
when their ears pricked up. With agonised expressions, they flinched away from the wagon. "Do you
hear something?" said Skratch. They all
tried to make out the whining sound. It was high frequency and rather uncomfortable,
but it infuriated the Agents who turned in pain and looked with horror at a strange craft rising from
the horizon. "That’s definitely not one
of ours," said Lapinette. "Brace yourself," said the Wabbit and they all clung on as
the flying saucer fired volley after volley of ripple beams. The craft showed no
mercy. Caught in the beams, the Agents blew
apart and their limbs scattered over the track and across the hedges. "That’s takes care of our enemies," said the Wabbit, "but now we have to
deal with our friends." "Ice Mice!" snapped Skratch. "I thought they were exiled in the Sombrero
Galaxy? queried Lapinette. "They’re
here now," said the Wabbit. "What can they possibly want?" asked Puma. The Wabbit shrugged. "Well, what
have we possibly got?"
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
11. The Wabbit & the Swift Getaway
No sooner had the gang left the building than heard blood
curdling cries. The Wabbit turned and as
he expected, he saw a host of Agents of Rabit. But there was something different
about them. Their old marching stance
had gone and they were more agile. They could duck and dive and cruel spikes telescoped
from their paws. "Run!" shouted the Wabbit. But everyone was running anyway. "Didn’t this
happen before?" shouted Skratch. "Yes!" yelled
Lapinette, "it’s quite a regular thing." "Then what happened?" yelled Skratch. "We led them into a trap," said Lapinette, "and the Wabbit was waiting." Skratch looked at the Wabbit and his face fell. "Well
he’s not waiting this time," he said. The Wabbit looked up. "Where’s my back up?" he shouted and he shook a paw at an empty blue sky. "Are you certain Command understood your
request?" roared Puma. "Certainty is in short supply," gasped the Wabbit. He quickened
his pace and had a think. "I know what," he muttered. "We’ll run for the old railway!" "Didn’t we do that before?" asked Skratch. "We did," said the Wabbit. "So what happened?" replied Skratch. "Lapinette rescued us by helicopter," said the Wabbit. They all
looked at Lapinette. She shrugged and made a whirling motion with her ears. "It’ll have to do," sighed the Wabbit.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
10.The Wabbit's Rooftop Transmission
There was a rasp of turning keys and a flash. Suddenly they found themselves outside and very high up. Skratch was used to heights and
jumped around. Everyone else looked over the parapet. "Does this usually happen, Keeper?" asked the Wabbit. "Not as a rule," said the Keeper. "Usually a set of instructions comes sliding under
the door. It opens and I go out." The
Wabbit pulled a walkie talkie from his fur and hit it for luck. "Hello Wabbit Command, come in!" There was silence. "Hello Wabbit
Command, Wabbit calling. "Another silence then the radio crackled. "Wabbit Command. Reading you. Over." The Wabbit shook his head. "Please engage the Quantum Key." Another pause. "Say
again, Commander!" The Wabbit groaned and said it again. "Engaging security encryption," confirmed Wabbit Command. "Go ahead." "We
have a situation," said the Wabbit. "Please define," said Wabbit Command. "A set of circumstances in which one finds
oneself," snapped the Wabbit. Lapinette poked him and the Wabbit’s
stomach groaned. "Are you injured, Commander?" said Wabbit Command. "Not yet," said
the Wabbit. "This is an Agents of Rabit proximity warning. Backup required." "On its way," said Wabbit Command. "Anything
else?" "A salad sandwich," said the Wabbit.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
9. The Wabbit & the Rapper Maneuver
The Wabbit made a signal and everyone in the team moved around the Keeper, taking up position at the back. The Wabbit was about to use
the Rapper's Manoeuvre - which sometimes worked. It was simple move in which he
would engage in discussion with the Keeper. Whatever the Wabbit said, the rest of his team
would vociferously agree with him. As they set up a jerky beat, the Wabbit drew
close to the Keeper and rapped - "Who are these grim and scurvy knaves, who keep you
cruelly enslaved?" "Enslave is grave! Enslave is grave!"
chorused the team. "So hit them with an architrave,"
shouted Skratch. The Wabbit sighed deeply but the Keeper was hooked and said.
"They are giant grey rabbits all, scraggy as the ghastliest troll". Suddenly
all was clear to the Wabbit. "Sounds like the awful Agents of Rabit. We don't like their painful habits," he rapped. "They're both baneful and disdainful," yelled Puma. "Our association's been ungainful," shouted Lapinette. Then the Wabbit hunched in to the Keeper.
"Let's find a way to work together." "With a cunning plan that's
more than clever," sang Skratch. "Carried out with vim and
vigour," chanted Puma. The Keeper looked astonished. "Everyone
agrees!" he said. "That's the concept," smiled the Wabbit.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
8.The Wabbit & the Keeper of the Keys
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
7. The Wabbit and the Secret Room
The Wabbit and Lapinette swept through the doors that opened before them - and Skratch and Puma jumped through behind them. Suddenly all was darkness and they stood motionless in the still air. Puma had the best eyes and so he was the first to see anything. "It's one big empty place," he murmured. Skratch blinked his way to vision, followed by Lovely Lapinette. Finally the Wabbit spoke. "It's one big empty place," he gasped. "And it has an echo," said Lapinette, digging the Wabbit in the ribs. "There's only the four of us here as far as I can see," said Puma quietly. "So why are we here?" wondered Lapinette. "And where's that key? asked the Wabbit. But of the giant key there was nothing to be seen and Puma glanced back and forward looking for it. "Skratch, you said there were three keys," he purred. "First I heard of it!" scoffed the Wabbit. Skratch assumed his lecturing position, "There were three doorways," he explained, "and that meant there had to be three keys." Lapinette' eyes gave a twitch of understanding and she nudged the Wabbit. "We were the other two keys," she said. "I'm not a key," said the Wabbit. Skratch was just going to joke about making a keynote speech when they heard a solemn voice echo from the walls. "So pleased you could all come." it said.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
6.The Wabbit and the Number of Keys
The key lifted out of the staircase, flew high above the rooftops surrounding the Old Basilica and gently swivelled. Skratch the Cat watched, flexed his paws and got ready to move as the Wabbit and Lapinette separated from the key. Puma observed them carefully as they proceeded towards three separate doorways and then he roared to Skratch. "You said stories had three keys, not doors," "Stories are far from a precise science," said Skratch calmly, rapidly unsheathing his claws. With a machine gun rattle, they made a burst of noise that awakened Lapinette and the Wabbit from their trance. "Whoooah!" yelled the Wabbit. "Ooooh!" shouted Lapinette. "What's going on?" yelled the Wabbit. "Get me down!" shouted Lapinette. Skratch lifted a reassuring paw. "Just keep going and whatever you do, don't think about being in the air." Skratch paused as the two sailed towards the doorways - and remembering the key, assessed it with suspicion. He paused for thought, then suddenly made a victory sign and shouted to Puma. "There are three keys!" "I only see one key," said Puma gravely. Skratch laughed. "Listen up Puma! When they get to the doorways, jump!" Puma looked questioningly. "You known how to jump, don't you?" said Skratch.
Monday, June 17, 2013
5. The Wabbit on the Spiral Staircase
Puma watched Lapinette and the Wabbit until the key pulled
them up the centre of a spiral staircase, then he bounded upstairs at unstoppable
speed. The key started to change colour
but its every movement was measured. It cared neither for the Wabbit nor Lapinette
but only for its inexorable and pre-determined path. Stuck to the key, the two were
helplessly towed in its wake. Suddenly
there was a feline scurrying from above and Skratch the Cat appeared from the
roof. Somewhat dishevelled and panting from his journey, he looked with horror
at the scene. "Puma?" he asked. "They’re stuck to the key and they don’t seem to
care," growled Puma. "It’s not like them at all." Skratch’s ears vibrated. "The key is exerting
some strange force," he said. "I can feel it too." Puma looked across at Skratch for direction. "We’ll
scamper to the top and wait there," said Skratch. "That’s where it’s going." "Maybe
there’s a door," said Puma. "If we can find it, we can stand in front of it and
stop them." "That key isn’t stopping for anything," said Skratch, "and there’s one
more problem." "Another problem?" groaned Puma. "In stories, there’s seldom just one key," purred Skratch. Puma growled again. "How many?" Skratch shook his
head. "Three!" he sighed.
Friday, June 14, 2013
4, The Wabbit & the Roar of the Puma
The now enormous key dragged the Wabbit and Lapinette up the
steps to the Old Basilica and the end glowed even brighter. Puma loped ahead on
a detour and suddenly emerged in front of them. "This isn’t going well!" he hissed, "shall I get some assistance?" Both the Wabbit and Lapinette shook their heads. "No, no." said the Wabbit, "we can handle this, can’t we Lapinette?" "Of course we
can," said Lapinette quietly. "Who better at key handling than us?" Puma looked at them with a worried face. "They might be embarrassed," thought Puma, "but I
can’t let this go on. I’m going to get help anyway." Puma let out an enormous roar that shook the branches and made the Wabbit’s fur stand up sharply. "What
was that for, Puma?" asked the Wabbit. "It’s my key handling roar," lied Puma and he did it again. The Wabbit shrugged and continued to follow
the key helplessly. But far across the city outside a small repertory cinema, Skratch
the Cat pricked up his ears. "Puma needs
help," he said to himself and he listened attentively. "Yes there it is!” he
purred and he started to trot quickly. But Skratch heard another sound that was somewhere between a scream and a shriek. His trot gave way to a lope and the lope to a bound. Soon he was on the edge of the city and heading
up the hillside.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
3. The Wabbit and the Fatal Attraction
The key pulled the Wabbit all the way to the funicular
railway and as it proceeded down the platform it began to glow slightly at the
end. The Wabbit’s paws were glued to the key by a strange magnetic force and he
could only hop along with it. But just as he got to the front of the train,
Lovely Lapinette got off. "Oh, hello Wabbit, I wasn’t expecting you!" Then she
stopped and stared. "What’s with the gigantic glowing key, Wabbit?” The Wabbit shrugged. "Is this
one of your tricks?" she sighed. "No trick," said the Wabbit brightly. "He’s got
himself stuck to the key," purred Puma, "and it’s taking him somewhere." The Wabbit’s paws were getting tired and again he
tried to pull them from the key but to no avail. The Wabbit gave a wry smile. "We’ll find out in due course," he said with
optimism. "Shall I try to pull it off?" said
Lapinette, hopping down from the step. She stretched forward and held out a helpful paw. "No!" cried the Wabbit and Puma at one and the same time.
Lapinette had only stretched in the direction of the key, but some irresistible
force gripped her and propelled her forward. "Grrrr!" said Lapinette, shaking a paw that was now stuck fast to the key. "Too late," growled Puma.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
2. The Wabbit gets Pulled
The rusty old key became larger and larger - and as it grew the magnetic force increased. It was completely stuck to the Wabbit and he had no choice but to let it pull him along. The key took him onto the hillside and he hopped quietly behind it because he knew the path quite well. He was thinking about how to detach from the key and had come up with several unworkable ideas when he was interrupted by a recognisable voice from behind. "Hello Wabbit!" The Wabbit hadn't bargained on hopping into anyone he knew and he felt slightly embarrassed about explaining. He wasn't really able to look back because all his efforts were concentrated on the key. "Hello Puma," he said, without turning. "What's happening Wabbit?" answered Puma. "Oh just some small key business," said the Wabbit and he kept going because he had little option. Puma paused and growled a little. "I don't believe you," he said. "Besides, it's a very large key. And you seem to be stuck to it." "I'm trying to find out where it's going," said the Wabbit. "It's taking you where it's going," said Puma, "so I'm calling in help." "Not at all," said the Wabbit. "Then I'll come with you," said Puma. "OK," sighed the Wabbit. "Just don't touch the key." "You got the right key, but no keyhole," hummed Puma and he loped along after him.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
1. The Wabbit finds a Secret Key
Monday, June 10, 2013
The Wabbit hosts the Adventure Caffè
The Wabbit was just about to order when in walked his Special Guest. He raised a paw in salute and Duetta the Red Spider made a squiggly wave. "Duetta, you saved the day!" cried Lapinette. "It was all in the Wabbit's plan," said Duetta. The Wabbit didn't look around, but he knew Skratch the Cat was approaching and he braced himself for the inevitable and silently mouthed the words he knew were coming. "Wabbit!" cried Skratch, "what kind of adventure were we just in?" The Wabbit was about to say something - but Skratch drew himself up to his full height and kept going. "It fell roughly into a new genre called "natural horror", which is, in itself, a sub genre of eco-horror." "Hah," shouted the Wabbit with glee. "Genre is merely a commercial device to attract the audience." "No, no," said Lapinette. "Genre is a negotiation between the audience and the adventure, so that everyone knows where they are." Marshall Duetta Spyder laughed. "You're all wrong," she smiled. "It was a satire about the popularity of bad food." "What do you consider good food, Duetta?" asked Lapinette. "The dissolved insides of small insects," said Duetta.
Friday, June 07, 2013
The Wabbit hops on the Moon
The Wabbit fell into
a deep sleep and dreamed of Lovely Lapinette. In the dream, they both found themselves on the moon at the
same time and hopped towards each other. But their hops were very tall and they
stayed on the same spot. Eventually they touched paws and the Wabbit began to
sing. "Giant steps are what you take," he warbled, "hopping on the
moon." "I hope my legs don't break," sang Lapinette, "hopping on the moon." The Wabbit hopped high and looked down. "We could hop forever, hopping on the moon," he trilled to Lapinette. In mid-hop Lapinette answered. "We could live together, hopping on, hopping on
the moon!" They both hopped for a long time and lit by the earth and the sun, their
moon shadows hopped too. "Hopping back from your house. Hopping on the moon," sang the Wabbit. "Hopping back from my house, Hopping on the moon," sang Lapinette. "My paws, they hardly touch the ground - walking on the moon," sang the Wabbit. "My
feet don’t hardly make a sound - hopping on the moon," sang Lapinette. The Wabbit
launched into the rest of the song. "Some may say, I’m wishing my days away ..." The Wabbit felt a sudden dig in his ribs
and awakened from his dream. "Where were you?" said Lapinette. "On the moon," said the Wabbit. "Why
am I not surprised?" smiled Lapinette.
Thursday, June 06, 2013
11. The Wabbit Mops Up
The Wabbit and Skratch the Cat dived for the ice cream kiosk
in the New Talmone Caffè and looked out. With the speed of light, a vast web
dropped like a curtain - and as the portico darkened, Marshall Duetta and her
Red Spiders descended on their victims like a horde of locusts. Skratch
and the Wabbit could only watch as relentlessly, the Spiders snared the Spam.
Normally the portico would be busy. But local inhabitants had learned to read
the signs and there was absolute silence - except for the clicking and
snickering of spidery legs and the odd squeal of a captured Spam. The Wabbit
dug Skratch in the ribs, and in return Skratch slapped the Wabbit on the back.
"Do you fancy an ice cream?" asked the Wabbit. "Oh I don’t mind
if I do," said Skratch. The Wabbit looked down at a vast variety of ice
cream. "There’s still some of Wabsworth's old Spam flavour," he observed. Skratch
grimaced. "If you don’t mind I’d rather have vanilla." "Plain
old vanilla?" said the Wabbit. "Where’s your innovative
cuisine?" "I left it in the back of a drawer, where it belongs,"
said Skratch. "Well, I’m going to have carrot flavour," said the
Wabbit. Skratch sighed "You always have carrot flavour." "Why
change a winning formula?" grinned the Wabbit.