Endgame Part One: Crimson Dawn

By Jonas

Teaser:

IT BEGINS...

After saving the Earth from a deadly comet, the Samurai Pizza Cats are prepared to lead "normal"
lives.  In the two months since the exile of their greatest enemy, plans have been made, dreams
have been realized, and the healing process has begun.

However, not all of the wounds are ready to heal.

When a mysterious assault on the city of Little Tokyo suddenly shatters the peace, the Cats must
discover the cause, and place their faith in a mysterious stranger with a shrouded past to ready
them for the events that are yet to come.  A new war is being fought, and it is not without
casualties.  It is the end of an era, and the Dawn of a new age.

An old foe.  A new ally.  The same mission.

NO MERCY
NO PRISONERS
NO SURRENDER

AND NO ESCAPE.

ENDGAME PART ONE: CRIMSON DAWN

End Teaser.

THAT was the teaser for the story you are about to read, entitled "Endgame", a three-part trilogy
meant to be one of the biggest battles in SPC history. No futuristic super-team, no new members
(with the exception of one), no crossovers, no video game rip-offs, NO CHEAP VICTORIES
THROUGH INTERVENTION BY WORTHLESS CHARACTERS, no
dime-a-dozen-throw-away-robots, and definitely no kiddie ride.  This is my impression of what
the original SPC should be, and what they would do if some seriously devastating event were to
occur.  THIS DEFINITELY ISN'T HARD CORE, THOUGH.  Far from it.  This is just Samurai
Pizza Cats with a more serious edge.  That teaser may not be the exact truth, but it's close enough
to keep you interested.  There will be a new teaser for each successive part of the trilogy.
BEWARE:  SEVERAL TONS of boring legal stuff follows, but it will only be displayed in part
one, and has some vital story notes.  You'll have to look back here for reference to parts two and
three. (WARNING:  The story is VERY DETAILED, but also VERY LONG.  It's only part
one-of three, so please, bear with me.  Endgame will be the cornerstone for the rest of the SPC
future as I construct it. Hard as they might try, none of the Pizza Cats will EVER forget it.  I
REALLY care about fan opinion, so please send any comments to ME.  My E-mail address can
be found at the end of part one.)

Notes from the Author:

I'm finally ready to try my first attempt at a fanfic, and it's gonna be a doozy!  First, all the story
notes and legal stuff:  (NOTE:  Almost all rules set forth by Endgame will apply to all of my
future fanfics.  Legal copy and notes will be displayed in THIS STORY ONLY!)

1.  Samurai Pizza Cats are copyrighted by Sotsu Agency (1990) and Saban International (1991).
Saban does not endorse or approve this story in any way.  This is merely a story created by a
dedicated fan.

2.  Any and all musical references (Mighty Wings), dialogue (resistance is futile, etc.), or other
such things taken from any source other than what I have created in MY mind are copyrighted
trademarks of their respective owners.  Anything I've taken is added to the story to make it seem
more intense or realistic, and does not affect the phrases or their owners in any way.  Consider it
"echoing the greats"!  Likewise, please ask my permission before using any of my characters in
stories of your own.

3.  There are those who believe the Pizza Cats to be some sort of  "animaloids": cybernetic
animal-robots (this partially explains the Big Cheese's ability to explode), which are somehow
born instead of built.  NOT IN MY BOOK!  From here until the end of my fanfics, the Samurai
Pizza Cats are 100% all-natural, fully-organic superheroes.  They merely wear all of their
equipment, and are not actually a part of it.  This means that they will not be totally dependent on
their energy packs, and will have SOME stamina to their credit.  (Read on to see how this affects
the Big Cheese.)

4.  Ah, the eternal question:  Do humans exist in the same universe as the SPC?  According to me,
YES.  In my fanfics, the Earth's population is nearly equally divided between humans and sentient
animals.  It's through sheer coincidence (or a quirk in the show) that no humans have yet
appeared.  The inter-species relationship between animals and humans is a tense one, and since
Little Tokyo is ruled by an animal monarchy, many humans feel uncomfortable living there.  As a
result, humans in Little Tokyo make up less than 1% of the total population, and are rarely or
never seen.

5.  Just how old are the Pizza Cats supposed to BE, anyway?  I've read character info from
several websites, but age is seldom mentioned.  When it is, it makes you think "Man... they're a
little OLD to be fighting like THAT..." Come on!  I don't know about you, but Guido doesn't
look 29 to ME.  I don't want to carve anything in stone, here, but the Pizza Cats depicted in MY
fanfics will all be approximately the same age, with one or two year gaps, all in their late teens to
early twenties.

6.  Some people say Little Tokyo is in Japan.  Others say it's not, because some characters have
made references to being unable to read or speak Japanese.  For the benefits of my fanfics, Little
Tokyo is one of those all-purpose, English-speaking, not-that-far-away-from-anything, unknown
geographic locations.

7.  One statement can sum up number seven:  FOR THE DURATION OF ENDGAME, LIFE
FOR THE SAMURAI PIZZA CATS WILL BE A LIVING HELL.  For more detail, read on.
I've steered the Pizza Cats concept in a more serious direction, avoiding the often over-the-top
humor of the show (which doesn't mean I've omitted it entirely), and removing Mama-san, Junior,
and the narrator, but without resorting to an extreme amount of profanity and violence.
(Characters may slip up when angry or frustrated [believe me, this happens a lot], but it shouldn't
go too far.  I've been reading some more fanfics since I originally started writing this, and I have
decided to up the violence level SLIGHTLY.  If Endgame is going to have the desired
consequences, it's going to have to be taken VERY SERIOUSLY.)  As for how serious?  Some
of the characters' relationships are more intimately explored (to a suitable level), and, be warned,
NOT EVERYONE GETS OUT ALIVE.  To shorten this, for those of you who have ever seen an
episode of Dragonball Z (also from Saban), look for the content to be somewhere along those
lines.  I don't want to change the series into some warped facsimile, but it needs a more serious
approach.  The Rescue Team was called in almost EVERY episode, implying that the Cats are
wimps!  Also, when neither the SPC or Rescue Team could halt a threat, something downright
CHEAP happens to give the Cats the victory!  Several enemies were defeated by Lucille blowing
her top!  I give you my word, THAT WON'T BE HAPPENING HERE.  There are those that
agree with me!  Blackjack, the creator of SPC Labs (you can find the Net address further down),
is creating his own fanfic series, SPC 2, and agrees that the Pizza Cats, when written about,
should be considered to be intelligent beings with real feelings and emotions. (I'm not holding him
to anything, here, but I need SOMETHING to back myself up with)  It's MY job (hee hee) to see
how far they can be pushed before going over the edge.  (IMPORTANT NOTE!  In the series,
the Cats knew they were animated.  [This has been referred to as "knowing they live in an
episodic existence".]   THAT DOES NOT APPLY HERE!  They will believe themselves to be
everyday, flesh and blood superheroes, and won't be making any wisecracks about the writers or
other staff members.  This also changes the reason for Big Cheese's ability to explode [not like
he'll be doing it much anyway].  My explanation:  He's a mutant, and was born with that odd
ability.)

8.  All characters in this story not found in the original Samurai Pizza Cats series are MY
creations, and not copies of someone else's brainchildren.  For instance, Blackjack's Samurai
Hunter very closely resembles one of MY characters in this story (I even found another SPC
fanfic character with the same name. MY character bears no relation to the other one).  I thought
MY character up long before I even read about this guy, I swear!  When I saw how closely they
resembled each other, I was a little spooked!  Likewise, while Endgame itself will not be a
crossover, I may plan to do one in the distant future (I've already got a ton of stuff lined up to
follow Endgame).  If this occurs, any characters, etc. taken from other sources will be the
exclusive property of their respective owners.

9.  The character Jonas (I named myself after HIM because I created him before I had Net access)
may, at times, seem to possess an INSANE amount of power. He IS strong, but I assure you, he
has his limits (there are about two instances in the entire trilogy where he becomes injured to the
point of ABSOLUTE RAGE.  I don't want to spoil it for you, but when this guy sets his goals,
they WILL be accomplished...BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY.  When you see [or read about]
the indescribably awesome amount of power he unleashes, you'll see why I HAD to have him do it
TWICE!).  For you Dragonball Z fans out there, think of Jonas as having Saiyan-level power.  If
he confuses you sometimes, don't worry; it's his way.  (Yes, I know it's shameless self-insertion,
but what can I say?  It makes writing it that much more FUN!)

10.  All religious ceremonies (weddings, funerals, etc.) conducted in this story will be depicted as
Christian.  If necessary, any given characters will identify themselves as Christian (saying "Dear
God...", or something). [I really don't mean to offend anyone, but I know absolutely NOTHING
about any religious ceremonies other than Christian!  Sorry:(]

That should just about cover all the legalities and such.  Now for those of you still awake out
there, here are some things that will help you understand the story a little better (plus what's
above):

1.  Endgame begins approximately two months after the end of  "The Big Comet Caper".  There's
a timeline of sorts up ahead to explain things to this point, but I'm not delving deep into episode
history.  You'll understand the plot a lot better if you see or read about this episode first. You
should also be familiar with the series overall.  No characters vital to the plot (I mean VITAL.
Characters whom I think are gimmicks, a general waste of time, or whose only purpose is to
ensure a cheap victory, WILL BE SWIFTLY KILLED.  I'll spare the Rescue Team [FOR NOW],
because they have ACTUALLY been needed at times) have been dropped or changed, but some
new ones may show up and remember, this is only part one-of-three.  A lot can still happen by the
end of the trilogy.

2.  I've tried to create the story so that each part, if shown in some type of movie form, could be
viewed in three 2-hour installments.

3.  Notation is used for some text.  Text can be enclosed in the following:  <...> means a person is
thinking that.  It's different from [thinking], because the [] means that someone is thinking about
something, but we don't get to see WHAT.  [...] indicate facial expressions, actions, or settings.
(...) indicates tone of voice or secondary stuff.  {...} indicate footnotes from ME.

4. Some stuff like Big Cheese and Good Bird will be abbreviated into things like BC and GB.
Also, GB will legally be part of the Pizza Cats team, so in most situations where the Cats are
referred to, include him as well.

5. Anything that isn't really defined (names for some characters' finishing moves, etc.) I'll make up
as I go along.  Again, nothing will be official, and will apply to my fanfics only.

6. I can't estimate time length (hours, minutes) worth BEANS, so some time differences may be
HIDEOUSLY inaccurate.

7. Will the real Pizza Cats please stand up?  It's a BIG SPC universe out there, which gives me
plenty of opportunities to mess up.  So, if I misspell something or make an incorrect reference,
show mercy.  After all, I'm only human [sort of ;)].

This story is dedicated to Daniel Kary (a.k.a. White Cat), Blackjack, Princess Vi,  and Erik
Hollender (a.k.a. Koopa) for their excellent SPC websites.  A special "Thank You" to Blackjack,
whose own vivid fanfiction encouraged me to come forward with my own. (You can read
Blackjack's fanfics on Erik's Guido Page at http://hollender.org/erik/guido.html [This place has the
biggest SPC fanfic collection on the net!], or go directly to his site at SPC Labs [address given
further down]) Visit the resident royalty, Princess Vi, on her page at
http://members.aol.com/PrncssVi/Hello.html. You can visit White Cat's WWW Hall of Fame at
http://www.kneehill.com/~karye/spcwwwhof.htm (There's SPC stuff here that's been collected
from all over the net!) and Blackjack at SPC Labs at
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Garden/4840 (Frequently updated, definitely one of the best
sites out there.)  Another excellent site is Pzario's Pizza Cats page, located at
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/4685/pizza2.htm.  If you want a rough estimate of how intense
Endgame will be, go to the Super Page here, and check out "Polly badly injured".

Timeline:  After "The Big Comet Caper":

Weeks 1-4:  Little Tokyo is still in shambles from the comet's destructive effects.  Morale is high,
however, and Little Tokyo is getting more tourist attention for being the home of the famous
Samurai Pizza Cats. The Cats revealed their "secret" identities after the Big Cheese's exile.
Business at the pizza parlor is at an all-time high, and all of the parlor's extensions (both the SPC's
and the Rescue Teams' respective businesses) are packed with grateful Pizza Cat fans.  The
Princess has declared that as soon as a functioning treasury can be established, a small part be set
aside to maintain the Pizza Cats' expenses (this being because the Princess was unaware of the Big
Cheese's treachery until it was almost too late, and might not know about other potential threats
for which the Cats could be needed).  For the world-saving Pizza Cats, life is good.  During the
third week of the aftermath of the comet, Carla and Bad Bird (or, rather, Good Bird) are finally
wed.  It is a joyous occasion, with nearly everyone in attendance (including an out-of-work Rude
Noise as part of the band, and some characters' parents).  Several snapshots are taken,
congratulations are said, and, at this point, Little Tokyo is slowly becoming a paradise.

Weeks 5-7:  Business for the pizzerias has slowed slightly, but a steady flow of customers still
supports them.  It is early during the fifth week when Speedy asks Polly for her hand in marriage.
She blushingly accepts.  It is another momentous occasion, with pictures taken, dreams realized,
and lots of food.  It is the middle of week seven when the Pizza Cats realize that they need to hire
help.  Even with all of the Cats and GB working overtime, customer demand is too high.  The
team is slowly succumbing to fatigue.  Near the end of week 7, the Cats post a "Help Wanted"
sign in the parlor window.  That leads us to...

Present Day.

Any legal qualms may be viewed above, as well as story information.  This info will not be
displayed in parts two or three, because a lot of people just want to read the story without having
to go through all this stuff first.  You will be expected to use part one as reference for the rest of
the trilogy.

Be forewarned:  Story quality may differ greatly at times, due largely to the circumstances at
which a certain part was written (especially those scenes which were written at 2 AM, at which
point you tend to let things slide).

Let's see, did I forget anything...?  Oh, yeah.  Thanks to all my friends on IRC, who told me if I
didn't finish this thing once I started, they'd hunt me down.  (Thanks, guys!  I needed that!  ^_^)

This story is copyright S.R.H. 1998.  (Yes, that's me.  No, I'm not telling you what it stands for.)

If you have any questions or comments, you can find my E-mail address at the end of part one.
For those of you not yet in comas, we can FINALLY get on with the story.  I hope you have as
much fun reading it as I did writing it.

Good Luck,

Jonas Miles.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Endgame Part One: Crimson Dawn

[The story begins by showing the last ten minutes or so of "The Great Comet Caper".  As the title
comes up and the credits roll, we see snapshots in the background of GB and Carla's wedding,
Speedy and Polly's wedding, as well as shots of the current condition of Little Tokyo.  As the last
credits fade...]

[The setting is that of a dark place.  Not a tunnel, exactly, but more like a cave with no visible
entrance.  Polly finds herself standing there, dressed in her battle armor, unaware of where she is
or how she got there]

Polly: <Huh?  Where am I?> [looks down at herself]  <Why am I wearing my armor?>  (shouts)
HELLO!  SPEEDY?  GUIDO?  IS ANYONE THERE?

[Polly hears nothing more than the echo of her own voice.  Suddenly, a tunnel of light appears
some distance away from her]

Polly:  <Could be a way out of here...wherever "here" is...>  [she slowly walks toward the light]

[After about a minute, Polly hears crashing sounds coming from the direction of the light]

Polly:  <Huh?  Sounds like...steel.  Could it be...?>  (shouts) SPEEDY?  GUIDO?  IS THAT
YOU?

[There is no response.  As the sounds continue, Polly now runs toward the light.  As she gets
closer, the sounds grow distinctively more metallic]

Polly:  <That sounds like...swords!  Speedy...!>  (shouts) WHO'S THERE?  SOMEONE
ANSWER ME!

[Still no response.  Finally, the light opens in front of Polly.  She clearly sees Speedy clashing
swords with another figure, of about the same height, wearing darkly-colored armor.  They are
both dueling in some sort of gigantic spotlight.  As she gets closer, Polly can see the figure even
LOOKS LIKE Speedy]

Polly:  (surprised) SPEEDY!?

Speedy:  (same)  [glancing over shoulder] POLLY!?  WHAT ARE YOU...UNG!

[As Speedy is distracted, the dark figure brings his sword down hard on Speedy's own, causing
Speedy to lose his balance]

Polly:  (gasping) SPEEDY!!

[Speedy quickly regains his balance]

Speedy:  (shouting) POLLY!!  GET OUT OF HERE, NOW!!

Polly:  (confused) But...

Speedy:  (shouting) GO!  NOW!!

[Polly wants to run, but her legs won't respond.  She is unable to move at all.  Meanwhile, Speedy
goes into his Cat's Eye Slash sequence.  The dark figure mimics it]

Speedy:  (shouting) TAKE THIS, YOU IMPOSTOR!

[Both Speedy and his opponent execute the Cat's Eye Slash.  The two blasts collide, creating a
colossal flash of light and energy that engulfs the entire area]

Polly:  [shielding her eyes from the glare] (screaming) SPEEDY!!!

[The scene changes to Speedy and Polly's room at the pizza parlor.  The wallpaper is white with
pink and red blossoms, a few nightstands and dressers, a closet, and a large bed.  On one of the
nightstands is a photo of Speedy and Polly taking their wedding vows at the altar, as well as
several other unidentifiable pictures.  The room is dark, lit only by the faint glimmer of the sun's
first rays of the day coming through the windows.  Polly is lying on her back, in a pink nightgown,
her face twisted into an expression of pain and discomfort.  Speedy is lying beside her, face down,
wearing his work clothes from the previous day {having worked late and being too exhausted to
change:)}, except for his helmet, which lies on the floor.  His face is buried in a pillow. {I've seen
Speedy's head hair/fur, whatever in one episode I can't remember. It looked like it was coming
through a taped-up crack in the front of his helmet.  There's a picture of this on Pzario's Pizza
Cats Page, among other places.  It is a light brown-blonde color}]

[Suddenly, Polly snaps up in bed. Her skin has a pale complexion.  She is unaware of where she
is, and is drenched in sweat]

Polly:  (screaming) SPEEDY!!! NOOOOOOO!!!

Speedy:  (surprised) HUH!?  WHAT!? [Speedy snaps to a state of alertness, and looks at Polly]
(confused) Polly...?

[Polly, still not quite aware of where she is, looks over at Speedy]

Polly: (in shock, and out of joy) SPEEDY!! YOU'RE ALIVE!!! [She hugs Speedy tightly,
causing his eyes to bulge a little]

Speedy:  (choking) Easy, Polly.  Calm down.  You were having a nightmare.  <Man, that must
have been SOME nightmare!>

Polly:  (confused) Huh?  [For the first time, Polly realizes where she is.  She lets go of Speedy,
allowing him to breathe] A nightmare?  (softly) Again...?

[Suddenly, the door swings open.  Guido and Francine are standing in the doorway, with alarmed
looks on their faces.  Guido is wearing a blue robe and sneakers {They were the closest thing to
his bed}, without his helmet.  Francine is wearing a green nightgown and bunny slippers.
{Guido's hair is a darker shade of brown than Speedy's.}

Guido:  (alarmed) What happened!?

Francine:  (same) Is everything all right!?

Speedy:  Polly was having a nightmare, guys.  We're okay.

Francine:  (relieved) Thank goodness!

Guido:  (same) From the way Polly screamed, we thought you were dead, Speedy!

Polly:  [still recovering from the nightmare]  (softly, yet loud enough for everyone to hear) So did
I... [She shivers at the thought]

Speedy:  [looks at Polly, then at Guido and Francine] We're all right, guys.  Really.

Francine:  (concerned) Are you sure?

Speedy:  [nods] (reassuringly) Yes.  We'll be fine.

Guido:  (unsure) Well...all right.  [looks at his watch. The display reads 6:35]  (to Francine)
Hmm...well, Fran, we've got about half an hour until we open.  Might as well start setting
everything up.  [He leaves the room]

Francine:  All right, I'll be there in a second.  (to Speedy and Polly) Just call if you need anything.
We'll be in the dining area.

[Speedy nods.  Francine exits, shutting the door behind her.  Speedy turns to Polly]

Speedy: [holds Polly's hands]  (very concerned) Are you okay, hon?  You're shaking like a leaf!
You look a little pale, too.

Polly:  [nods] I'll be fine.  [She turns to Speedy, tears forming in her eyes] (voice breaking) Oh
Speedy, I'm just glad you're all right!  [she hugs him again, looser this time, and sobs into his
shoulder]

Speedy:  (consoling) Now, now, of course I'm all right.  [He pushes Polly away a little, wiping a
tear from her cheek with his finger] (curious) [frowning] Why wouldn't I be, anyway?  Did
something happen to me in your nightmare?  Was it like the others?

Polly:  [regaining her composure, she shakes her head] No, this one was new.  I was in a cave
someplace, wearing my armor.  I saw a light, and thought it might be a way out, so walked
toward it.  As I got closer, I could hear these crashing sounds, like metal on metal.  The closer I
came, the louder they got.  I ran to see what it was, and saw you fighting with someone, swords
drawn.  Some kind of light was shining on both of you, like a spotlight.

Speedy:  Who was it?  Someone we know?

Polly:  [shakes her head] No.  He was about your height, wearing armor like yours, only black.
The REALLY weird thing is, he even LOOKED LIKE you!

[Speedy's eyes widen]

Polly:  (continues) I called out to you, and you yelled "GET OUT OF HERE, NOW!!" I wanted
to run, but I couldn't!  Every muscle in my body was completely frozen!  You called the guy you
were fighting an impostor, and used the Cat's Eye Slash...BUT HE DID TOO!  The two of them
collided, and everything went white, and...and... [she starts to lose it...]

Speedy:  [attempting to calm her] (reassuring) Now, Polly.  It was just a nightmare.  People have
nightmares.  Even if it wasn't, you know I can hold my own in a battle, right?  We've beaten cheap
imitations before, right?  {Raise your hand if you remember "Phoney Baloney Cat"!}

Polly:  [sniffles and nods]

Speedy: (reassuring) You have nothing to worry about.  When I married you, I promised to
protect you, and I'll sooner die than break that promise.  "Till death do we part", remember?

Polly:  [nods] (softly) That's what I'm afraid of... [suddenly, she freezes for a second, and then
smiles] Wait a minute!  Are you saying I NEED protection, Mr. Cerviche?

Speedy:  [smiles] I know better, Mrs. Esther.

[Speedy kisses Polly gently]

Speedy:  I'm only saying that if you need me, I'll always be there for you.  You know that, right?

Polly:  Of course I do.

[Speedy and Polly hug each other tightly]

Speedy:  Now, what do you say we go help Guido and Francine set the parlor up?

Polly:  [nods] You know, they're probably done by now.

Speedy:  [chuckles] You're probably right.

[Speedy and Polly get out of bed. Polly searches for her uniform, while Speedy sits near the end
of the bed, searching for his helmet.  As Polly looks for her uniform...]

Polly: (curious) Why were you sleeping in uniform, anyway?

Speedy:  [sighs] Oh, I spent all night going over those job applications.  All those HUNDREDS of
applications.
 
Polly: [finds uniform, begins dressing quickly] Any likely candidates?

Speedy:  None.  Nobody has any experience, everyone wants absurdly short hours, and don't get
me started on the requested salaries.

Polly:  [now in uniform, places a small, heart-shaped, gold locket around her neck, and lays a
hand on Speedy's shoulder] (sympathetic) I'm sorry, dear.  I didn't know you had such a rough
night.  I'll bet the last thing you need after a night like that is me waking up screaming at 6:00
AM, thinking you're dead...

Speedy:  (seriously) Hey, now. That wasn't your fault.  You know that.  Besides...[he stands,
taking Polly's hands in his own] (softly) ...if you can't tell ME about your problems, who CAN
you tell?

Polly:  [scratches her chin, as if in thought, then smiles] Well, I can always tell GUIDO...

[Polly and Speedy both laugh, then kiss gently]

Speedy:  [picks up his helmet and puts it on] (confidently) Well, time to go to work.

[Speedy and Polly exit their room, turn down the hall, pass Guido and Francine's rooms, and then
enter the parlor's main serving area.  They see that Guido and Francine have finished setting up,
have dressed for the day, and are gazing into each other's eyes from opposite sides of a table.
Polly quietly stifles a giggle]

Speedy:  <Will wonders never cease?> [smiles] (loudly) I see you've finished without us!

[Both Guido and Francine snap to attention]

Guido:  (startled) HUH!?  (stammering) Oh...um...er...that is...uh...(trying to save face) WHAT
TOOK YOU SO LONG? We open in ten minutes.

Speedy: <Ten minutes? From half an hour to TEN MINUTES?  We took THAT long?  Oh,
well.> [smiles] Of course.  [walks over to Guido] (whispers) You sly fox, you.

Guido:  (whispers, curious) What...?

Francine:  (matter-of-factly) We've been waiting for you two.

Polly:  [smiles] Uh-huh.  [walks over to Francine] (whispers) Way-to-go, Frannie!

Francine:  (whispers, curious) What...?

[A few minutes pass before GB {Good Bird, remember?} walks in]

Speedy:  Cutting it a little close, eh, GB?

GB:  (matter-of-factly) I had plenty of time.  Cuts down on the traffic when you can FLY.

Guido:  That, and the fact that you live across the street.

GB:  [smiles] A technicality.

[Everyone chuckles]

GB:  [waves Speedy and Guido over] Hey, guys!  Can I talk to you for a minute?

[Speedy and Guido exchange glances, then form a huddle with GB in a corner of the room,
leaving Polly and Francine just standing there]

Francine:  (curious) What do you think they're talking about?

Polly:  [shrugs] Beats me, Fran.  Boys will be boys.  [Looks at a clock on the wall.  It is 6:58 AM]
The first customers should arrive any minute.  Let's go warm up the ovens.  (to Speedy, Guido,
and GB) Hurry it up, boys!  We're about to be swamped by our adoring fans, and they're gonna be
HUNGRY!

[GB, Speedy, and Guido nod. Polly and Francine head toward the ovens]

Speedy:  (whispers) Well, what is it?

GB:  (same) Did you guys hear that screaming this morning?  What was that about?

Guido:  (same) You were AWAKE for that?

GB:  The early bird gets the big bucks, Guido.  Do you know what that was about?

Speedy:  (sighs) Yeah.  Polly had another nightmare.

GB:  (surprised) ANOTHER one?  It must have been a NASTY one for her to scream like that.  I
didn't think she knew the MEANING of fear!  How many does that make?

Guido:  Fourth one this week.  What was this one about, anyway?

Speedy: (sighs) It boils down to me fighting some twin with black armor in a cave somewhere.  I
tell Polly to run, but she can't move.  I use the Cat's Eye Slash, the twin does too, they hit each
other, the place goes white, and Polly wakes up screaming.  She was amazed to find me ALIVE.
[he looks toward Polly while she and Francine prepare one of the ovens] (worried) This was the
worst one yet, guys.  Is it NORMAL to have nightmares like this?  It can't be HEALTHY, can it?
Has something happened recently to CAUSE this?

Guido:  (reassuring) Don't worry, Speedy.  These things happen.  Not often, but they DO happen.

GB:  (same) Guido's right.  When I was a kid, I used to have nightmares every night.  They scared
me to death, but they eventually went away.  You should just wait and see what happens before
you take any action.

Speedy:  (unsure) I guess you're right, guys.  Thanks.

GB:  No sweat.

Guido:  Anytime, man.

[Suddenly, Speedy, Guido, and GB's watches all start beeping.  The displays all flash 7:00 AM.
As the three of them look out the door of the parlor, a mass of people appears on the horizon.
Francine and Polly take positions at the registers.  Speedy flips down some sunglasses hidden in
his helmet]

Speedy:  <Man, how can so many people want pizza for BREAKFAST?>  Heads up, guys.
[cracks his knuckles] Here they come.

[The day proceeds as many have for the past seven weeks.  Herds of customers, rushed deliveries,
and an exhausted team of Pizza Cats.  When the 12:00 noon break comes...]

Guido:  [panting] (fatigued) Man, I don't know [pant] how much longer [pant] we can keep this
up [pant]!

GB:  [same] (same) Yeah, [pant]. I'm beat [pant]!  When are they gonna [pant] STOP loving us?

Speedy:  [same] (same) Don't worry, guys [pant].  SOMEONE good [pant] has to take that job
[pant] sooner or later [pant].

Francine:  (sing-songily) I'll bet you boys wished you worked the registers! [she and Polly giggle]

[Speedy, Guido, and GB smile weakly]

Polly:  (comfortingly) Just relax, boys.  You've got an hour before the next wave hits.  I'll get you
some water. [she heads for the sink]

[Suddenly, the phone rings]

Francine:  Should I answer that?

Speedy:  Go ahead and pick up, Fran.  Take their order and tell 'em we'll get it there as soon as
our break's over.

Francine:  [picks up the receiver] (cheerfully) Samurai Pizza Cats!  Delivery in thirty minutes or
your pizza's cold!  (confused) Huh?  [smiles] (happily) Oh, hi Lucille!  Go shopping this weekend?
Well, I'm a little short on CASH...{It's not payday yet} (curious) Huh?  Really?  How much? [her
eyes widen] (surprised) WHAT?  Where did you get THAT?  (normally) Uh-huh.  Uh-huh.  You
still had some left?  He bought them ALL?  Wow.  He just handed you a wad of cash?  Hmph,
well, what do you know?  In that case, count me in!  Okay.  Bye!  [hangs up]

[Polly hands the guys some water]

Guido:  [takes a drink] (curious) What was THAT all about?

Francine:  Huh?  Oh, nothing.  Lucille just wanted to know if I was available for shopping this
weekend.

Speedy:  What about the rest of it?

Francine:  When I told her I was low on cash, she told me she had a lot.

Polly:  How much?

[Francine whispers something in Polly's ear.  Polly's eyes widen]

Polly:  (surprised) Wow.  Where did she get THAT?

Francine:  You know those comet pieces she was selling after it blew up?

[Speedy, Polly, Guido, and GB all nod]

Francine:  Well, some guy in a cloak came to her door and asked if she had any left.  She had a
lot, and was going to sell them for cheap, but the guy just handed her a wad of cash, took the
pieces, and left.

[Everyone thinks for a moment]

GB:  (curious) Why would anyone want so many pieces of the comet?

[Francine shrugs.  Suddenly, the parlor door opens, accompanied by the ringing of the bell tied to
the handle.  Everyone looks toward the door.  A cloaked figure walks in.  He's about an inch taller
than Guido, wearing a dark-brown hooded cloak.  Beneath that, a brown, leathery suit of some
type covers the rest of his body down to his feet, which are covered by what look like cloth {also
brown} boots. He wears a leather belt (black) with several small pouches and satchels.   Some
sort of mechanical gauntlets (a chrome color) are clasped to his arms.  Black gloves cover his
hands {observant viewers will notice he has five (count 'em, FIVE) fingers!}  Two bright, yellow
eyes {no visible pupils} shine from underneath the hood.  No other facial features are visible {it's
like staring into a hole}.  The figure walks up to the counter]

Speedy:  (whispers, to Guido) I thought you locked the door!

Guido:  (whispers, to Speedy) I DID!

Francine:  (nervously) Um, I'm sorry sir, but we're on break right now, and...

Figure:  [his voice is mid-range, and has a strange echo to it] (interrupts) Actually...[he carefully
looks over everyone in the room] (hesitant) I'm...here about the job...?

[Surprised expressions come over everyone's faces]

Francine:  (a little surprised) Oh!  Well then...um...okay, just...uh...take a seat, and...Polly, can
you hand me that notepad on the counter?  [Polly hands Francine the notepad] Thanks.  Now, if
you're ready...[Both Francine and the figure sit on opposite sides of a table. Everyone gathers
around.  Francine picks up a pencil]...we can get started!  Let's begin with your name...

Figure:  [thinking] Hmm...

Francine:  Something wrong...?

Figure:  No, it's just that I haven't been called by NAME for a while...[continues thinking, then
stops] (to Francine) Call me Jonas.  Jonas Miles.

Francine:  [scribbles on notepad] Okay...Jonas...[puts down pencil] ...allow me to introduce
everyone.  I'm Francine Manx, [points to others, respectively] and these are my co-workers:
Speedy Cerviche, Polly Esther, Guido Anchovy, and Good Bird, although we all call him GB.
[everyone waves]

Jonas:  [nods] I know who you all are.  (to Francine) Then again, who doesn't?

Francine:  [smiles] Yeah, I suppose you're right.  [picks up pencil] Anyway, moving on...age?

Jonas:  [chuckles quietly, rises to stifled laughter]

Francine:  (curious) What's so funny?

Jonas:  [chuckles] I'm sorry, but...you wouldn't believe me if I told you.

Francine:  (daring him) Try me.

Jonas:  [thinking] Let's just say...I'm younger than you THINK.

Francine:  (puzzled) Ooooookay...[scribbles on notepad]

Speedy:  (whispers) How old do YOU think he is?

Guido:  (same) Anywhere from eighteen to twenty.  Twenty-two, tops.

Francine:  Any combat experience?

Jonas:  [chuckles] Just wait and see.

Francine:  Address?

Jonas:  I'll...have to talk to you about that...

Francine:  Marital status?

Jonas:  Single.

Francine:  Any hobbies?

Jonas:  [thinks] Well, I'm an...INVENTOR...of sorts...

Francine:  What languages do you speak?

Jonas:  English and a little Spanish.

Francine:  Education?

Jonas:  College graduation.

Francine:  Were you ever previously discharged by a company?

Jonas:  This would be my first place of employment.

Francine:  Have you ever been convicted of a crime?

Jonas:  No.

Francine:  Reason for employment here?

Jonas:  [thinking] Well, there are quite a FEW...

Francine:  Any one would be okay.

Jonas:  [thinking] Hmm...well, I HAVE always wanted to work alongside the Samurai Pizza Cats.

Francine:  (flattered) Why, um, thank you...uh...can you tell us a little about yourself?  Some
background information?

Jonas:  Could that wait until LATER...?

Francine:  (puzzled) Sure, I guess...any prior experience?

Jonas:  Well, no...

[Everyone groans]

Jonas:  (quickly) But I AM willing to learn!  I'm no slouch either.  I know how to WORK.

Francine:  (unsure) All right...[scribbles on notepad] Well, all we need now is a requested salary.

Jonas:  (a little embarrassed) Well, this is going to sound unusual, but...

Speedy:  <Oh, man, he's going to request some HUGE amount...>

Jonas:  (continues)...room and board?

Everyone:  (surprised) WHAT!?

Polly:  (concerned) Don't you have someplace to stay...?

Jonas:  (sighs) I'm not from around here.  When the comet came, it wiped out all of the hotels.
That's a real PAIN for all the tourists.  You Pizza Cats are part of the reason I'm HERE.  That's
another reason why I want to work here.

Speedy: (shouts) HUDDLE!

[All of the Cats and GB form a huddle, leaving a confused Jonas sitting alone]

Polly:  (whispers) We can't just turn him AWAY...

Speedy:  (same) But he hasn't given us a whole lot of information, and he has no experience.
Besides, he looks like he might scare away the customers!

Guido:  (same) He said we're part of the reason he's HERE.  What does he mean?

GB:  (same) If we turn him away now, we might never find out...

Francine:  (same) I say we give him a chance.

Jonas:  (to group, shouts) HEY!

[Everyone turns to Jonas, startled]

Jonas:  [walks toward the group] I'll make a deal with you:  You've got about fifteen minutes until
more customers completely swamp this place, just like every day.  From now until the end of
business hours this evening, you can take me on a trial run.  I'll bake, make deliveries, whatever.
If closing time comes and you're not satisfied, I'm gone. Deal?  [extends his hand]

Speedy:  [Glances at the others.  They all nod.  He walks forward] Deal.  [Shakes Jonas' hand]

Jonas:  [Squeezes Speedy's hand tightly.  Speedy flinches] Thanks.  You won't regret it.

Speedy:  [rubs his hand] Don't mention it...hey, GB!  Take him in back and see if you can find him
a spare apron!

GB:  [nods] (to Jonas) Okay, just follow me.

Jonas:  (as they walk toward the back) An APRON?  I have to wear an APRON?

[Once GB and Jonas have gone...]

Speedy:  [rubbing his hand] Hmm...strange...

Polly:  What's wrong?

Speedy: Oh, nothing.  The guy's got a TIGHT grip.  Something else, too...

Guido:  Huh?

Speedy:  I can't really explain it...I felt something coming from him...something odd.  It didn't
hurt...it kind of felt GOOD...but it was also something...[flexes his hand] powerful.  VERY
powerful.  Like holding onto a live wire, but without pain.

Francine:  Do you think we can count on him in a fight?

Speedy:  It's like the man said...we'll have to wait and see...(quietly) I just hope by then it won't be
too late...

GB:  TA-DA!

[Everyone turns to look.  GB is standing beside Jonas, who is wearing one of the Pizza Cats'
business aprons {what they wear at the parlor when they aren't in battle} just below the waist.
The white apron and multicolored design clash with his brown suit.  Speedy, Guido, Polly, and
Francine snicker]

Jonas: (annoyed) This...RUINS...my look.

Polly:  (seriously) Oh, come on.  It's not THAT bad.  [smiles] In fact, I think it's an improvement.
It gives you COLOR.

[Everyone smiles and nods]

Jonas:  [folds his arms] Hmph.  Well, I certainly...(quietly) huh?

[Everyone looks around.  Nothing seems out of the ordinary]

Speedy: (puzzled) What?

Jonas:  (whispers) Can't you hear that?

[Everyone strains to listen]

Speedy:  I don't hear anything.

Guido:  Me neither.

GB:  Nope.

Polly and Francine: [shaking their heads] (in unison) Uh-uh.

Jonas:  Well, I sure do.  Hmm...[Looks out of the parlor door.  His eyes narrow, and he hits a few
buttons on his left gauntlet]

[The view switches to that of Jonas.  It appears normal in every way.  The view is looking at the
door of the parlor.  Jonas can be heard pushing buttons.  The view zooms in, so that only the
outside and none of the door are showing.  Jonas pushes more buttons, and the view switches to
an infrared-type setup, with crosshairs in the middle and statistical data in the corners.  A small
mass appears on the horizon]

Jonas:  Magnify.

[A beeping sound is heard, and the view zooms in even more.  Now, the mass can clearly be
identified as a large group of people, heading straight for the pizza parlor]

Jonas:  (quietly) Uh-oh.

Speedy:  (annoyed) WHAT?

Jonas:  (turns to Speedy) Your adoring fans are heading this way.

[Everyone groans]

Guido:  ALREADY?  Man, we need a longer break!

GB:  You said it!

Speedy:  [squints toward the crowd] Well, it looks like we have a few minutes until they get here.
We might as well finish prepping the place.

[Speedy and Polly warm the ovens, GB and Jonas sweep the floor, and Francine and Guido clean
the counter and tables]

Francine:  [stops cleaning for a moment] Hey, Guido, have you noticed something?

Guido:  [stares at Francine dreamily] (softly) Yeah...

Francine:  [looks at Guido, blushes] (embarrassed) Oh, well...uh...why, thank you, Guido,
but...um...have you noticed something about SPEEDY?

Guido:  Huh?  [looks at Speedy] He doesn't seem any dif-[stops himself, thinks] Now that you
mention it, he DOES seem different.  I can't seem to put my finger on it.

Francine:  I think he's gotten taller.  He seems to be about your height, now.

Guido:  I think you're right. (surprised) Wow, when did THAT happen?

Francine:  [shrugs] I don't know.  It sort of just...happened.

Guido:  [thinks] Now that I think about it, I've noticed something strange about POLLY...

Francine:  (curious) What?

Guido:  When was the last time she yelled at me?  At ANY of us?  She hasn't gotten the slightest
bit angry in a long time...you think she's SICK?

Francine:  [laughs] Guido, she doesn't get angry anymore because she's HAPPY.  Marrying
Speedy has made her the happiest she's been in a long time.  [thinks] It's funny though...I never
really noticed THAT, either...

Guido:  You know, you've gotten a little taller, too.

Francine:  Really?  You think so?

Guido:  Yeah.  You don't look up at me anymore.

Francine:  Weird.  Why haven't we noticed these things?

Guido:  [shrugs] I guess we've just had a lot on our minds lately...[glances at Francine]

Francine:  Yeah, I guess so...[glances at Guido]

[Guido and Francine continue working, silently]

Jonas:  (to GB) Can I ask you something?

GB:  Shoot.

Jonas:  (uneasily) This is going to sound a little strange, but...can I borrow your helmet?