"Anything else, Leon?" Fuko looked up over her shoulder from her sketchboard at the ADP inspector.Leon rubbed his chin and stared at the drawing on the board. "No,I think that's it.""Right," Fuko said, and slid the pencil in her hand carefully into its proper place in her kit. She released the clips holding the page on the board, slid the sheet of paper off, and laid it next to three other drawings on the table next to her. "I'd ask you if you were trying to trick me into drawing an American-style comic book for you, except about 7:30 last night I heard a voice in the thunder and ended up curled into a ball, whimpering." She shivered, and Leon put his hand on her shoulder."You and most of Megatokyo," he said softly."Well, yeah, but not being alone doesn't exactly help me feel better about it," she snapped, and he quickly withdrew his hand."Sorry," she said in a far less angry tone. "Just the thought ofit... The gods are supposed to be remote, distant from ordinaryhumans. Not standing in the streets yelling at them.""She just *claimed* to be a goddess," Leon offered. "Doesn't mean she actually was one."Fuko laughed sadly. "Oh, she was, Leon, believe me. The fear of the gods lurks in every human soul, and mine responded to her." She shook her head slowly. "Hell of a thing for an atheist to say, huh? I guess I better start attending services again.""If you say so," he replied, dubious.She turned her swivel chair around to face him more directly. "Istill can't get over how you were so close to her, and were unaffected."Leon shrugged. "Well, I was distracted by everything else going on." He fingered the folded sunglasses hung on the breast pocket of his shirt and grimaced. "Plus my ears were ringing like mad from all the loud noises already -- regular thunder, sonic booms, that one woman... screaming, for lack of a better word. I didn't actually *hear* the voice in the thunder that everyone else did."Fuko giggled, her entire countenance brightening again. "And here I was, thinking you were some kind of superman for standingup to it at such close range." With a smile, she turned back toher kit and began closing it up.Leon snorted. "Yeah, right. Some superman. I was lucky to leave that war zone under my own power. If any of then had decidedI was some kind of threat, I'd probably be a grease spot now."Still fitting pencils and other tools of her trade back into thekit box, Fuko said, "I thought you said you shot one with yourEarthshaker.""I did," Leon replied. "Apparently that wasn't enough to qualify me as a serious threat." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the flattened bullet. With a quiet little "click" he laid it on the table next to the drawings. Fuko looked at the source ofthe noise, raised her eyebrows and looked at him. The corner ofher mouth twitched, and finally she cooed, "Poor baby! Your big,bad gun isn't up to the job any more.""Fuko," he growled."You know, there are treatments for that now... therapy and drugsthat can do wonders.""Fuko!" She was laughing outright now, and Leon felt an unfamiliar rush of heat in his cheeks. "Stop. Please."Laughter subsided back into spurts of giggling. "Oh well, sinceyou asked so nicely.""Thank you," he said, trying to gather the shreds of his dignityback together. "I doubt anything short of an antitank weaponwould have worked on those women, Fuko. I tell you this, either they build really strong buildings in the Loon's world, or the construction and insurance companies are making out like bandits.""Probably both," she said.

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

Bob,
You've said in the past that Doug's powers come from how he interprets the song, not necessarily from what the song actually says.
Now, given that many rock singers slur their words when singing, people often misunderstand exactly what was said/sung.
www.kissthisguy.com/
So, does Doug have any powers that come from misunderstood lyrics?

As those of you who have been following the file size notes at the top of the main pages have probably noticed, progress on chapter 13 has ground to a halt. One of my prereaders has raised a valid issue, and I'm trying to talk my muse into dealing with it. Sorry.

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

Hello again, all.
As to the title of this thread, by classics I mean the days of LDs, VCRs and the Amiga Video Toasters. Editing and laying tracks was a bit trickier back then, especially attempting the 'Fun with 2 VCRs' method. I remember a few of the better ones(I even have them on tape somewhere):
Moody Blues - "Your Wildest Dreams": Multiple Titles
Wierd Al - "Slime Creatures from Outer Space": Multiple Titles
When In Rome - "The Promise" : Ah! My Goddess!
Sting - "Fields of Gold" : Nausicca/Laputa
Mike & the Mechanics - "Why Me?" : Nausicca
Mike & the Mechanics - "Blame" : Sol Bianca
Sarah Brightman - "Seven Seas" : Nadia and the Secret of Blue Water
Queen - "The Show Must Go On" : Gall Force (freakin' awesome!)
Pink Floyd - "Comfortably Numb" : Akira
Blue Oyster Cult - "Veteran of the Psychic Wars" : Grey
Some of these are nearly 10 years old. (eek) Accolades to the creators of these fine works. Do they exist somewhere on the net? If not, they should, IMHO.
There. I said it. I feel better.
Draconan
"Ho, ho, ho. Doug-Hunters is da cwaziest peoples."

You've gone too far this time but I'm dancing on the valentine
I tell you somebody's fooling around with my chances on the dangerline
I'll cross that bridge when I find it another day to make my stand oh-woah
High time is no time for deciding if I should find a helping hand oh-whoa
Why don't you use it try not to bruise it buy time don't lose it
Why don't you use it try not to bruise it buy time don't lose it
The reflex is a lonely child just waiting by the park
The reflex is in charge of finding a treasure in the dark
And watching over lucky clover isn't that bizarre
Every little thing the reflex does leaves you answered with a question mark
I'm on a ride and I wanna get off but they won't slow down the roundabout
I sold the Renoir and the TV set don't wanna be around when this gets out
So why don't you use it try not to bruise it buy time don't lose it
Why don't you use it try not to bruise it buy time don't lose it
The reflex is a lonely child he's waiting in the park
The refelx is in charge of finding a treasure in the dark
And watching over lucky clover isn't that bizarre
Every little thing the reflex does leaves you answered with a question mark
So why don't you use it try not to bruise it buy time don't lose it
Why don't you use it try not to bruise it buy time don't lose it
The reflex is a lonely child just waiting by the park
The reflex is in charge of finding treasure in the dark
And watching over lucky clover isn't that bizarre
Every little thing the reflex does leaves me answered with a question mark
Oh the reflex what a game he's hiding all the cards
The reflex is in charge of finding a treasure in the dark
And watching over lucky clover isn't that bizarre
Every little thing the reflex does leaves you answered with a question mark
-- Duran Duran, The Reflex
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

As Chapter XIII proceeds towards completion, and Madeline's story continues to hint at revealing itself, I felt it appropriate to say how I feel her arc should end...
Did you know that I am a pioneer
I'm out on a secret mission
I travel the galaxy and far beyond
Can't you see that I am I pioneer
Unlocking the greatest mysteries
My key is a fearless heart
So pure and strong
People laugh when you are a pioneer
Not walking the straight and narrow
They tell you the things are
They swear you're wrong
You can't be a hero
Hiding underneath your bed
Got to live the life
You create inside your head
So I opened the window
Caught the wind one night
Now I sail with the birds in their flight
If you're tired of everything
Come hitch a ride with me
You'll cry out in joy
When you realize you're free
It's a trip like no other
For your heart and mind
Leaving all but the future for behind
Some will say you're safer here
Never mind them - be a pioneer!
Can't you see that you are a pioneer
Not one of the endless talkers
Who tell you the same old rules you're heard before
I can tell that you are a pioneer
You want to be facing danger
Not happy to hide your big dreams anymore
You are a pioneer, the same as me
[ Guitar Solo ]
You can't be a hero
Hiding underneath your bed
So we'll live the life
We've created in our heads
We'll wake up every morning
In a whole new place
On a road reaching out into space
Some will say we're safer here
Never mind them - we are pioneers
Hand in hand we'll journey as pioneers
Unlocking the greatest mysteries
Don't listen to anyone
Who says we're wrong
They can't stop you when you're a pioneer
For truth is your greatest weapon
Out there in the cosmos
Where we both belong
A place for pioneers
Like you and me
Through the ages we well be pioneers
We'll go out on secret missions
We'll travel the galaxy and far beyond
It's our destiny to be pioneers
We'll always be moving forward
Our courage is what we will be counting on
We will be pioneers forevermore

I put a revised version of the DW concordance up on the website yesterday. The changes were relatively minimal -- mostly I added some links, particularly for the new "Pink Lady and Jeff" DVD and to the hideous pre-DIC Saban "Sailor Moon" proposal that flopped.

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

To sail on a dream on a crystal clear ocean
To ride on the crest of a wild raging storm
To work in the service of life and the living
In search of the answers to questions unknown
To be part of the movement and part of the growing
Part of beginning to understand
Aye, calypso, the places youve been to
The things that youve shown us
The stories you tell
Aye, calypso, I sing to your spirit
The men who have served you
So long and so well
Like the dolphin who guides you
You bring us beside you
To light up the darkness and show us the way
For though we are strangers in your silent world
To live on the land we must learn from the sea
To be true as the tide
And free as the wind-swell
Joyful and loving in letting it be
Aye, calypso, the places youve been to
The things that youve shown us
The stories you tell
Aye, calypso, I sing to your spirit
The men who have served you
So long and so well
Aye, calypso, the places youve been to
The things that youve shown us
The stories you tell
Aye, calypso, I sing to your spirit
The men who have served you
So long and so well
-- John Denver, Calypso
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

I find it entirely appropriate that I waded right in and made some posts before doing the introduction thing.
hi.
I occasionally post over at the Eyrie board, and I'd like to think I distinguish myself as being at least one or two ranks about the 'mouth-breathing drooling fanboy'.
The signature is a leftover from my first use of an EZBoard, Everquest. I _think_ I'm using the small version now, so it shouldn't be too obtrusive.
Edit: poo. Signature is the Old, Big one, I'll discipline that tomorrow, sorry.Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979

Last week, while Peggy and I were walking around Broadway At The Beach (a place in Myrtle Beach that's 75% shopping mall and 25% theme park, laid out all around an artificial lake), we were enjoying a very nice selection of background music piped in through an endless supply of hidden and not-so-hidden speakers. And I do mean enjoy -- lots of good 80s, 90s and current stuff. They played a song that I knew, and somehow, my frame of mind was such that I listened to it and heard something I hadn't before, really -- and I turned to Peggy and said, "You know, I never realized it before, but that's a very appropriate song for Revolutionary Girl Utena."
Peggy listened, heard what I heard in that light, and agreed. We walked on, got distracted by the next shop, and promptly forgot about it until later.
And now, neither of us can remember what the song was! I've been wracking my brain for days. All I can remember is the exchange about it with Peg and the fact that it was 80s or 90s pop, and I have the vague conviction that there is some reference to revolution in it. Argh. This is driving me nuts!

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.