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This story takes places a few years earlier, when Ichabod had the first fight with his Dad |
| [Introduction]
This story jumps a few months backwards back to the time when Ichabod and Marzipan first moved in with each other and decided to go steady, Ichabod receives a note from his parents telling them they are alive and coming to see him, initially Ichabod is overjoyed but then realizes his was arranged to marry Alice and knows his parents would not approve of him marrying a cat. What happens next is Scarecrow putting fear toxin in the Fellowship crew's drinks and attempting murder on Marzipan, what happens in this wake is Ichabod's first big fight with his parents, how they reconcile will be chronicled in this story |
| It started innocently enough, Ichabod and Marzipan had fallen in love almost instantly after Ichabod rescued the Humanimals of Duke Vortex's Castle, Ichabod and Marzipan decided to go steady as soon as they returned to Earth the previous fall, winter passed and then it was spring, the new flowers pushed their way up through the snow. Marzipan had made Ichabod a nice big omelette for breakfast while she made herself a triple Decker tuna sandwich (She's a cat, what do you expect) While Ichabod was sorting through the mail, he noticed a peculiar note "My parents are alive!" Ichabod exclaimed "And they're coming to Earth!" "That's wonderful!" Marzipan said "I wonder if my parents are still alive..." Ichabod had been forced to flee for his life the night the child hunters came, the last thing he saw of his old was his childhood home being set on fire, he did not see what became of his parents he had assumed they died, and he had an intense fear of fire ever after But then Ichabod quickly realized something, his parents were alive, and he had fallen in love with a Humanimal, when he had been arranged to marry Jervis Tetch's daughter Alice, Ichabod felt a cold ice pick in the guts feeling, but he didn't dare say anything, he didn't want to tell Marzipan he had been engaged and that she was...Shudder shudder..The other woman... |
| Well, Alice was very small, in many ways. Also, there was a chill about her. |
| (Canon Note: At this point Ichabod hasn't seen Alice since she was eight years old, the confrontation with Alice has not happened yet, this mostly the confrontation with his parents) "Ichabod." Marzipan said waving a paw in front of his face "Are you in there?" "Oh! Yes!" Ichabod said "Sorry Marzi, it's just...This omelette is really good!" Marzipan chuckled "Well I try." Ichabod was terrified, what would his parents do if they found out he fell in love with a cat? He could imagine his Mother yelling him stupid and grabbing him by his pointed ears and twisting it, and his Dad...He didn't know what his Dad would do!" |
| Marzipan drank deep from her glass of milk "Why don't we tell our friends the good news?" Marzipan said "We're going to meet them at the Earthport Mall at Lunch remember?" "Yes I remember." Ichabod said "How about we head to the mall a little early? Squeeze in a little fun before we have to get down to business." "OK." Marzipan said, That was one of the things Ichabod loved about Marzipan she was willing for anything Their first stop was the Barnes & Noble, Marzipan went straight to the Fantasy Section "Goody goody gumdrops!" Marzipan exclaimed "The new book in the Pridelands series is here." "Hey Marzi," Ichabod said "If you don't mind I'll go shopping for office supplies while you browse till your hearts content, is that all right?" "It's all right." Marzipan said "Good." Ichabod said "I''l be back!" Actually Ichabod was planning to surprise Marzipan with an engagement ring, he quickly ducked into the jewelry store. "Can I help you?" Asked the Bear Man at the counter "I want that engagement ring." Ichabod said "The one with the emerald on it, just like the kind my Mother wore." "It is very expensive." Said the Bear "I think I can handle it on my Fleet Salary." Ichabod said pulling out 300 space bucks. The ring was sold and Ichabod walked out feeling mighty pleased with himself But as he started walking back to Barnes & Noble, Ichabod let out a gasp, He saw his parents talking with Andy Kan the Panda Man 'Calm down Ichabod.' Ichabod thought to himself, 'Just quietly walk away and hopefully they won't see you...' Jonathan was asking questions "Have you seen my Son Ichabod? He looks a lot me, he has red hair, a long nose...Only real difference is he has green eyes..." "Oh sure I've seen him!" Andy said cheerfully "Great guy! He saved my life once!" "Saved your life?" Jonathan was baffled "Jonathan!" Pamela exclaimed "There's Ichabod over there!" Ichabod had been trying to quietly tiptoe to safety but when he realized he had been spotted he ran like hell! Then began a mad sprint, Ichabod desperately trying to evade his old man, however Jonathan's long legs came in handy and he caught his son by the collar. "Ichabod." Jonathan said panting "What is this? Why are you running away from your own mother and father?' |
| Ichabod says "I was looking for the bathroom." Pamela says "Ichabod, you know your part plant. and being part plant your bladder doesn't fill up too quickly like a human's. So don't lie to your partents." |
| Marzipan, meanwhile had just bought the book she wanted and had decided to meet Ichabod at the office supply store where she thought he was. But when she turned to corner, she saw Ichabod and what she knew for sure was his Dad, they looked too much alike for them to not be related. What she heard next made her turn pale and jump back behind the corner. "Ichabod..." Jonathan said firmly "We've been hearing ugly rumors that you've...Gone steady with a Humanimal." "Oh that's not a rumor..." Ichabod replied "Good." Pamela said "...It's a cold hard fact!" Ichabod snapped back "Ichabod..." Jonathan said "You know that you are betrothed, do you not?" Marzipan gasped silently but what she heard Ichabod say next filled her heart with hope "I know!" Ichabod said "But I don't love Alice! I never loved Alice! Alice was always cold to me! She never so much let me hold her hand! Marzipan is kind and loving and everything I ever wanted in a wife!" "Ichabod!" Pamela said shocked "I'm sorry!" Ichabod said "But I've learned so much during my time away from you, that I realize that what you had planned for me isn't what I want at all I'm choosing my own path now! I bid you good day!" Ichabod walked away...Marzipan backed away further so no one would suspect her of eavesdropping Jonathan was shocked at his Son's new rebellious attitude, he really had no idea what happened to Ichabod the night he left home, so this new attitude seemed to come completely out of nowhere. Jonathan made one last attempt to stop his son "Ichabod!" Jonathan called though his voice wavered with doubt "You're not too big for me to put over my knee you know!" Neither Jonathan nor Pamela had ever spanked and physically punished Ichabod in any way, they never needed to of course, Ichabod had always been perfectly obedient. But when Jonathan called out his threat, Ichabod stopped dead in his tracks turned around and stared "You think that will scare me?" He said his voice was low and dangerous, his parents had heard him speak that way before "Just try it!" Ichabod said showing no fear in his voice "Just try it I dare you!" Ichabod's parents were rendered speechless, they did not know that there son had become a soldier in their absence, and his military fearlessness frightened them. Ichabod knew at that point that his parents were bluffing and walked away. |
| Hoping that Ichabod's parents give up, Marzipan ran over to him "Are you alright Ichy?" Ichabod says "Yeah, but knowing my parents the won't give up easy. Let's go to the office supply store before they return." They both leave Barnes & Noble and into the mall but on they're way to the supply store they run into... |
| ...Bill and Jim. "Ichabod!" Jim said "There you are! We've been looking for you!" "Don't you know today is Captain Tiamat's birthday?" Bill asked "We're all going to meet at the Earthport Theater!" "Oh my gosh!" Ichabod exclaimed "I forgot all about Tiamat's birthday! Captain Matoaka is going to kill me!" "Don't worry." Bill said "Just grab a bouquet of flowers from over there for a present, Tiamat won't mind." |
| "Should we grab something else?" Ichabod asked. "Like a lambchop cake or something?" |
| "No." Said Bill "Those are too expensive. Besides, I think Captain Tiamat has better taste then that! Let's just get her some flowers and then head over to the Theater!" Jonathan and Pamela had been watching from the shadows, and they didn't like what they saw "Jonathan!" Pamela said "It's true! He is frolicking with animals! We have to do something before he commits bestiality! If he hasn't already!" "Yes." Jonathan whispered "This will require cunning and perhaps a bit of...cruelty..." |
| "Don't tell me you're going to use that gas," said Pamela. "Alright, I won't," said Johnathan. |
| Johnathin has his fingers crossed behind his back which means that he will use the gas but without Pamela's knowledge. Meanwhile Ichabod bought a bouquet of Roses and He, Bill, Jim and Marzipan went to the theater where a Rhino humanimal wearing blue jeans and a Gold's Gym t-shirt is by the door. "We're closed for a private party." He said, Bill said "We're guests, Check for Bill, Jim, Ichabod and Marzipan." The rhino pulls out a clipboard with a sheet of paper "Here we go, all names check out, you may go on in." He opens the door and all go inside and they see... |
| At Earthport Theater there was going to be music and a Luncheon, A long table with Tiamat the five headed dragon at the head of it was talking to her long time friend Matoaka "Happy Birthday Captain Tiamat." Ichabod said giving her the roses "Oh my goodness!" Tiamat exclaimed "Red roses! My favorite!" She held the the flowers to her five noses and inhaled deeply. "Hey Ichabod!" Came a familiar sounding Andy Kan the Panda Man greeted Ichabod with a hearty pat on the back "I saw what happened back there." Andy said "Is there a reason you didn't want to see your folks?" "Oh...Um...Uh..." Ichabod really did not want to tell Andy why he was running away from his parents, then he saw a lovely Zebra Woman in a sparkly purple dress "Who's that Zebra?" Ichabod asked "That's Kate Punda Milla my new waitress." Andy said "I brought her along to assist with the catering of this Shin-Dig, I think she complements my Restaurant's Black & White theme nicely, you know cuz I'm a Panda and she's a Zebra." "I get it." Ichabod said "Marzipan noticed Minsk was at the bar fixing drinks "Step aside." Marzipan said haughtily "Let a true kitchen master work her magic!" "You're a cat!" Minsk snapped "You can't taste sweetness!" (Canon Note: At this point Marzipan can't taste sweetness) "Need I remind you that most of our guests are herbivores? I don't think they'd appreciated your burger recipe." |
| While Minsk and Marzipan with their backs turned, a figure from the shadows added a drop of some strange liquid to Everyone's drinks without anyone seeing. |
| Minsk then served the drinks, Jim got one of the drinks and sipped it "This drink tastes a bit funny." His eyes widened as he sees his worst fear which is... |
| ...Heights...Yes that's right a Squirrel was afraid of heights! As the others started drinking their drinks, Minsk and Marzipan were still arguing about whose food was better. One did realize something was wrong, Matoaka's Uncle Fossil the Velociraptor he had been trained to detect poisons so he did not drink his drink because he smelled something was wrong, of course he knew for sure something was wrong when Bob started saying "They're all around me! No way out! No way out I tell you!" Ichabod was startled by his friends' sudden screaming (Jonathan of course had made sure not to spike his own Son's drink) He then felt a hand close over his mouth and pull him behind the red curtain. "Don't struggle!" Came an all to familiar voice Ichabod realized what was happening and bit the hand over his mouth! "Ow!" Jonathan yelled pulling his hand away "Ichabod why are you doing this?" "Why are you doing this?!" Ichabod angrily snapped back "Why are you hurting my friends?!" "Ichabod." Jonathan said "They're animals..." "Don't call them that!" Ichabod yelled "They're just as much people as we are they just look different!" Suddenly a roar broke the conversation when Tiamat released a burst of red hot flame from her mouth. Jonathan grabbed Ichabod's wrist "Quick!" Jonathan said "Before these Animals start stampeding we're going to take you back to Alderbaren." "GET AWAY FROM ME!" Ichabod yelled at the top of his lungs, shoving his Old Man away from him Marzipan and Minsk and Fossil were the only Humanimals not affected, the Mink and the Cat had no idea what was going on and they ran from the theater to avoid getting hurt from any of their hallucinating friends "Minsk!" marzipan cried "What is going on?" "I don't know!" Minsk said "But whatever it is, we need to get help!" Marzipan and Minsk ran through Earthport desperately seeking Poison Control or anyone who could help They did not see a foot coming from behind a corner to trip them both. Both the Mink and Cat fell and from the Corner stepped a terrifying figure, strange creature that looked like a Scarecrow come to life. "So you're the Animals who stole my son..." The terrifying figure said "And you must be Marzipan...The rapacious little feline who seduced The Scarecrow's Son!" "What do you mean?!" Marzipan asked terrified, she did not know who the Scarecrow was and did not realize this Monster was Ichabod's Dad. "Enough!" Jonathan said "I am going to finish this once and for all..." Ichabod who had been desperately searching for Marzipan, was on a balcony and he saw the whole scene from above, "Now open wide and taste the fear.." Scarecrow cackled, he had enough fear gas in his sleeve to give any mortal a heart attack "PLEASE!" Ichabod cried from above "DON'T!" Thankfully, before Jonathan could release his fear gas, Fossil quickly grabbed his hand and squeezed it so tight you could almost hear the bones crunching. |
"DAD!" Ichabod yelled from the balcony. "Either you give up this insane quest to change me into something I am not, or I will leave you forever! I mean it, Dad. I will forsake my family! I will go it alone! I will never speak your name again!" For the first time Jonathan realized that Ichabod was not his "little boy" anymore. The boy had become a man who could make his own decisions and would do so. Ichabod's threat was all too real. Was it worth it to Jonathan? To lose his son because he couldn't accept his son's choice of a mate. |
| Fossil then grabs Johnathin's scarecrow mask and yanks it off his head, "Johnathin Crane!" Fossil bellowed, "You ruined a party my Niece worked so hard to arrange, for what!? Your own son! Why did you cause so musch trouble over your own son!?" |
| Jonathan tried to pull his hand out of the Dinosaur's grasp, he couldn't manage it of course, Fossil was far too strong "Filthy Animal!" Jonathan sneered "All I wanted was to be with my Son again!" Suddenly too Policeman, one Human, one Wolf came and snapped handcuffs on Jonathan "Jonathan Crane" Said the Wolf "You are a under arrest your attempted murder!" |
| "What are you talking about?" Johnathan shouted. "It wasn't strong enough to kill." "No, but you don't rile up a fire-breather." (Sorry, planting pansies with mother.) |
| As Johnathin was taken away, Fossil leads Ichabod to a bench "Are you alright?" Ichabod says "I'm fine, it just I can't believe that dad could pull a stunt like this. How is everyone at the party? I hope Captain Tiamat didn't roast the guests." |
| "They're OK." Fossil said "Poison Control came quickly and gave them the antidote." Fossil noticed Ichabod was breathing heavily "Ichabod..." Fossil said "Are you OK?" "I always knew my parents were criminals." Ichabod said slowly "I always knew they had killed people, but now I realize when they told me they're stories I had been hearing at from they're biased perspective..." Ichabod got a dark look in his eyes. "Now I see them for what they really are..." "Ichabod..." Fossil said "Do you want to talk about this?" Ichabod got up quickly and went over to Marzipan who along with Minsk was was still sitting on the floor almost paralyzed with fear. "Marzipan..." Ichabod whispered "I'm sorry..." "For what?" Marzipan asked as if coming out of a trance "For everything." Ichabod said sadly as he walked Marzipan back to their apartment. |
| Ichabod says "I sure hope your parents doesn't ruin parties with spiked drinks." On the Fellowship, Captain Tiamat and the rest of the crew are recovering from Johnathin's fear poison, "I can't believe I behaved like that on my own birthday." Matoaka says "You're not the only one Captain." Captain Tiamat held up of what was left of the Roses Ichabod gave her "I was about to put these in a vase, now I ruined them." |
| Meanwhile at Ichabod's apartment, Ichabod was quickly throwing things into suitcases "Why are you throwing our stuff into suitcases?" Marzipan asked "I don't feel safe here!" Ichabod said "My parents could easily find us here!" "Your dad is in jail." Marzipan replied "I don't think he can get us." "Do you know how often the rogues escaped from Arkham when they lived in Gotham?" Ichabod asked Marzipan just shook her head "I thought not." Ichabod said "Look what I'm saying is we should just lay low for a while, go somewhere they wouldn't know where to look." "What do you have in mind?" Marzipan asked "I found this quaint abandoned cottage in the middle of the woods." Ichabod said "I call it Lavender House, it's clean and warm and has everything we need..." "Does it have food?" Marzipan asked "What do you mean?" Ichabod asked "You said it has everything we need." Marzipan said "Is there food in the fridge or cupboards." "No." Ichabod said "It doesn't." "Then I better pack a cooler full of food to take with us." Marzipan said As Marzipan got down the cooler she turned to Ichabod and said "Ichabod, I'm not mad but...Why did you never tell me you were betrothed?" Ichabod gulped. |
| Marzipan says "Arranged. by who?" Ichabod says "My parents, they want me to marry Alice Tetch in a forced marriage." Marzipan asks "Who's Alice?" |
| "She's...The daughter of my parents' friends." Ichabod said "Her parents were criminals too, I guess the Rouges of Gotham City decided to arrange like the Royal Families of Old forging alliances by exchanging marriageable children." |
| "I guess that makes sense," said Marzipan. "They probably thought that you'd go into the business of being a criminal, like they did." |
| Ichabod says "That kind of business is what I want to stay away from." Marzipan just nods as they finish packing. Meanwhile on Alderbaren, Alice is being fitted for a wedding dress by one of Jervis' servants, "Dad, I don't wanna marry Ichabod Crane. I don't even love him." Jervis says "Oh Alice, I'm afraid you have to. All this was pre-arranged by Johnathin Crane and I years ago." Alice says "Why must I marry him?" |
| "Because..." Jervis said reluctantly "It will be safer for you if you do. We Rouges must stand together against forces that are more... Morally bankrupt then we ourselves are." Alice sighed, and drank deeply from a cup of Chamomile tea, Alice had a rather nasty experience, because of the growing child hunter threat, Jervis sent her to live with an old woman who lived in the mountains who said she would take care of her... Unfortunately the Old Woman was more insane then even the Joker she starved Alice in an insane attempt to prove human beings could live without food, her reason for doing this? Religious fanaticism, this Woman was a member of a cult dedicated to rejecting all forms of pleasure, she sought to prove that if Humans can give up their need for food and drink they would be spiritually purified. Alice was so severely starved her growth was stunted, at 14 years old she still looked like she was eight, the fact she didn't die, was due to the brave efforts of the Woman's Humanimal slaves, who were willing to risk punishment to make sure a little girl didn't die, they didn't have much to give her, just grass and leaves and bark and...Other things and fresh pure water from the mountain stream. After a year and a half, The Snake Man gave Alice a cell phone so she could call her Dad and tell him what was really going on, Jervis was NOT pleased when he learned what happened, He was going to murder that woman forthright, but the Bear Woman beat him to the punch and ate the Old Woman to appease her own hunger. From that day forward, Alice never took food for granted again. At the Lavender House, Marzipan was amazed by it "Oh my gosh!" She said "It looks like the cottages of old, but it has all the modern conveniences one could want! Electricity, hot and cold running water...Washing machines! Ichabod are you quite sure this cottage is abandoned? " "Well I watched it for several days and no one ever came by." Ichabod said as he put the food away in the fridge "If someone does live here, hopefully they won't mind if we just borrow it for a few days, besides we're probobly doing them a favor by running the washing machine and dryer, you need to keep those things working you know, otherwise...Bad things happen." Marzipan sat on the bed and Ichabod felt now was the perfect time to do what he had planned to do. "Marzipan." Ichabod said "I know we pledged to love each other forever, that nothing would ever tear us apart...We're pretty much a married couple already but...I've always been a stickler for tradition." Ichabod got down on one knee on got out the ring, Marzipan gasped and tears of happiness formed in her eyes and he opened the box with the ring in it. "Marzipan." Ichabod said "I know that the Earth Government will not allow a Human and Humanimal to marry officially, but that doesn't mean I can't give you a ring." |
"Oh thank you, Ichabod!" Marzipan said and flung her arms around him. "I hope we will always be happy." "I know we will," Ichabod said. "I can't even imagine a life without you." |
| While Ichabod and Marzipan are settling in, Pamela broke Johnathin out of jail and heading towards their house "Thanks for getting me out of there Pamela." Pamela says "I thought I said none of that gas!" Johnathin said "I didn't use the gas, I spiked their drinks with the poison, except Ichabod's." Pamela says "Still, our gimmicks are well known thoughout Gotham City and the world, we are supposed to lay low. Come on, let's find Ichabod and no gas or poisons this time." As they got to Ichabod's house, they found it empty. Johnathin says "It seems that no one's home. They moved on us now we can''t find them." Pamela says "With my help, we can." Johnathin asks "How?" |
| "I have the ability to communicate with plants." Pamela said "They can tell us where he is." But before Pamela could get around to doing that, Child Services appeared "Cease and desist!" Said a Woman "What are you talking about?" Pamela said "Ma'am." The Woman said "This is Earthport not Gotham City, we have effective law enforcement here, we noticed you broke your husband out of jail instead of just paying his bail." Pamela just stood silently "Furthermore..." The Woman said "In light of your husbands recent behavior we're going to put a restraining order on both of you you can not get within 100 feet of your son." "WHAT?!" Jonathan and Pamela exclaimed |
| "If you want, you can't take it up with Fleet," the woman said. "He's been in their custody for several years, paying for his schooling, particularly in medical expertise. Of course, Fleet has a bigger budget than you; they only use the best lawyers to defend those in their care." |
| The woman says "The next shuttle to Alderbaren leaves the port in two hours, you two better be on it when it leaves or face a prison sentence." Pamela says "You can't do this!" |
| "Don't you remember why you were sent to Alderbaren in the first place?" The Woman said "It was clear you were too dangerous to remain on Earth, Arkham wasn't helping, in fact Arkham seemed to be making you worse instead of better! We hoped that the cruel Alderbaren justace would set you straight, but it's clear it didn't." The Woman walked away. Silently Fossil approached them "You want to see your son again?" He asked Jonathan sneered "Get back! You filthy animal!" "I know where your son is." Fossil said "I can take you to see him one last time, however if I do so you must make a promise." Jonathan was silent. "You must promise to never harm another Humanimal as long as you shall live, you can take it or leave it." Fossil said |
| Johnathin says "Ok, we'll take it." Fossil says "Then follow me, I'll take you to see him, remember that you have to be going to the Alderbaren shuttle afterwards." Fossil goes into a car custom built for dinosaur humanimals, while Johanathin and Pamela gets in their rental car. Pamela says "Sense when did our little Ichabod specialize in the medical field?" Johnathin just shrugs as he says "I don't know, we'll ask him when we see him." |
| The sun was beginning to rise over the Forest, the sunbeams drifted through the curtains of Lavender House. Ichabod being part plant was gently stirred by the warm spring sun, he yawned and slowly and gracefully stretched, and kissed Marzipan on the cheek. "Good morning." He whispered. Marzipan purred and stretched and rolled on the bed ever so adorably "Morning already?" She said sleepily Just then the doorbell rang. "I'll get that." Ichabod said He checked the peephole to see who it was, only Fossil was there at the moment "Oh Fossil!" Ichabod said "Come in!" "I see you found one of my many houses." Fossil said "This is...You house?" Ichabod said "Yes." Fossil said "I have many houses spread across the wilderness in case I get bored with one." "I see." Ichabod said "Why did you paint this house lavender?" Fossil shrugged "I like lavender." He said "Anyway Ichabod I'm bringing your parents over to see you." "WHAT?!" Ichabod nearly screamed "WHY?!" "Ichabod! Calm down!" Fossil said firmly "I am going to have Bill and Kong and Matoaka here to make sure they don't try anything funny, I want you to use this opportunity to get anything you want off your chest, tell them how you really feel..." |
| "Ichabod." Fossil said firmly "They just want to see you one last time, I made them promise not to hurt anyone..." "You expect them to keep a promise?" Ichabod snapped "We frisked them for weapons beforehand." Fossil replied "Now please calm down...And you might want to put on more clothes." As Ichabod wearing nothing but a pair of shorts at the moment. Ichabod sighed, sat down and grumbled |
| Ichabod quickly got dressed and Marzipan got dressed as well, they waited silently and Jonathan and Pamela came in flanked by Bill and Matoaka they looked very nervous. They sat on two chairs facing their son, who an undeniably angry and hateful expression on his face. "Ichabod..." Jonathan said nervously "Listen to me..." "No! You listen!" Ichabod yelled standing up, startling his parents with his raw anger "I'll my life I've been lonely! All I wanted my whole life was some friends, no I have some friends and you're trying to take them way from me!" "Ichabod." Pamela said "You do realize your friends are animals don't you?" "So it's OK to murder and steal for rare flowers but it's not OK to fight for cats and bulls and squirrels that are just as intelligent as people? Ichabod said scornfully "Or in your mind does the fact they're as intelligent as people make them as bad as people?" Pamela realized she had no way to answer that. |
| "I don't-" "Or maybe it's because bulls and horses and squirrels like to eat plants?" Ichabod shouted. |
| Pamela says "I didn't say that, it's just that we were worried about you." Ichabod says "Why are so worried about me?" Johnathin says "You know that you have to return to Alderbaren soon for the marriage." Ichabod says "If your expecting me to marry Alice, I told you. Alice and I arn't meant for each other." Johnathin says "But son, Jervis and I planned this for years." |
| "What about what I want?!" Ichabod yelled tears streaming down his red cheeks "Why can't I marry the one I love! You married only for convenience Father! You never married the one you loved! The one you loved died because of your selfishness!" Jonathan blushed and hid his face with his hand, it was true he did marry Pamela mostly for convenience, there was a Girl from high school, the only girl who ever showed him compassion, years later she became his therapist in Arkham, they did fall in love and did plan to get married, but Jonathan wanted to pull on last caper which resulted in her taking a bullet for him, Jonathan fell into a deep depression for many days, soon after he married Pamela. Ichabod was panting and shivering he was so angry. "I don't want to be like you..." Ichabod said "I realized that being like you leads to losing everyone you care about." He started to calm down "Shortly after Marzipan and I fell in love and decided to live together, we went out to eat and she... Accidentally...(He didn't want to say Marzipan got a little drunk on catnip soda) Said something that embarrassed me, she didn't mean to and I did something I shouldn't have done, I slapped her so hard she fell off the seat and I dragged her back home, the next morning she apologized for what she said but I still angry over that one little pride wounding incident. As I went out to work that day I somehow got my hands on a powerful and evil artifact, a broken sword that amplifies the deepest darkest feeling of anyone holding it...Still angry over that one little hurt, the sword took over my mind and I intended to rape her." His parents said nothing so Ichabod continued "Thankfully, I didn't Marzipan's old friend Lea Draco the Dragon caught me and overpowered me, even though the sword dropped from my hand I was still under it's spell, Lea then took me to the torture chamber..." "Torture chamber?" Jonathan said Ichabod sighed "Mother...Father..." Ichabod said slowly "What I'm about to show you is the finest proof of why I don't want to be like you." Ichabod turned around and slowly lifted up his left pant leg, when it reached his thigh, his parents gasped, all over the back of his thigh were big, ugly scars, they clearly had been made some time ago, but were deep enough that they were still plainly visible, whatever left those marks was a powerful weapon indeed." "This is as much as I can show you..." Ichabod said darkly "I've got more all over my...back side and even in the crease in between." "Ichabod!" Jonathan said "Who...Did that to you?" "It wasn't so much a who as it was a what." Ichabod said "All right." Jonathan said "What did that to you." "A whipping android." Ichabod said "Programmed to whip men and boys who hurt women and children until he says I'm sorry, which coincidentally until I said I'm sorry I was not free of the sword's enchantment...It was only until I said I was sorry I realized I was going to do horrible things to Marzipan...And I realized how horrible I had been, I could easily have these scars erased but I choose to keep them, as a reminder never to let my pride or anger get the better of me." |
Pamela was crying. "I had no idea you've been through so much!" And Jonathan looked sad. "I don't know what to say, son. I feel I have failed you. I wasn't there to protect you when you needed me." |
| Ichabod says "This is more then just protection, this is about friendship. Back on Alderbaren, I was always been pushed around in school. Especially the neighborhood kids, no one came to my help. Until Marzipan came along. She treated my wounds and prooved to me that, you don't have to be human to be a friend." Something snapped in Johnathin's head "Sorry, I had no idea. Let's go Pamela, time to head back home." A confused look is on Pamela's face. "Johnathin? What's going on?" Johnathin says "I'll explain later." Johnathin turns to Matoaka "We're ready to go now." Matoaka and Bill escorts Johnathin and Pamela out while Fossil stays with Ichabod and Marzipan. |
| Jonathan took one last look at his son "All the same." He said "If you ever want to come home our door is always open." Ichabod just huffed and looked away. Ichabod's parents rushed out the door |
| "I hate Mondays," Ichabod muttered. "I thought it was Tuesday," said Marzipan. |
| Fossil says "I know you had a hard time yesterday, let me make breakfast, I have a Dino-mite recipe you both may like." As Fossil cooked breakfast, Matoaka drove Johnathin and Pamela with Bill navigating. Pamela says "What happened back there? You're always stick what you believe in." Johnathin says "It was what Ichabod said. before my fear research at Gotham University, I was too an abused child, no friends but someone came to help me. Someone special." Pamela says "And who is he? Johnathin says "It's more of a she and her name is..." |
| "Evie..." Jonathan said "A girl I knew in High School...She was the only one who ever said a kind word to me, years later she became my therapist at Arkham." Bill and Matoaka dropped the parents off near the shuttle. "Do you think..." Pamela began to say "We tried to hard encouraging Ichabod to be...Good?" Pamela asked "We always told him to be a good little boy...And he was good...So good he is not only a moral upstanding citizen, he's a freedom fighter...For talking animals." Jonathan seemed lost in his thoughts "Jonathan?" Pamela asked waiving her hand in front of his face "I'm ashamed of myself..." Jonathan said "I was too busy trying to get Ichabod to follow in my footsteps that I couldn't see how miserable and lonely he was! And I call myself a psychologist..." Meanwhile Fossil made the two lovers what he called a 'Jurassic Omelette', piled high with chili peppers and chili powder...Mighty feast for any carnivore! |
| The problem was, it was a little too spicy. Soon enough, the pair were both drinking water. |
| Ichabod says "Sorry Fossil, the omelet looks good though but It's a bit spicy for my taste." Marzipan says "If you allow me Ichabod, I can take the chili peppers and chili powder out." Fossil says "I forgot that most humans aren't meant for such spicy meals. I should have asked." Marzipan takes Ichabod's omelet and went into the kitchen as she does the phone rang. It's Matoaka telling him that his parents are on the shuttle along with Temple Fugit(Clock King). |
| "Um..." Ichabod said "I...Never...Really knew the Clock King." "Oh." Matoaka said "I just wanted to let you know." "From what I know..." Ichabod said "He never married, never had kids, probobly too OCD for anyone to handle." "OK." Matoaka said "When you feel up to it, can you come back to the Fellowship?" Now, Pamela and Jonathan (Spelling note it is spelled Jonathan with an A not Jonathin with an I...Unless that's some sort of regional variation...But that's how the name is spelled in the comics) were not plotting any evil scheme with Fugate, there were just talking with him, Fugate had just visited Earth to be with his elderly Mother for her last days on Earth. Mostly it was Pamela who was talking, Jonathan mostly sat forlornly looking out the window, as tears streamed down his face. Truth was, he was completely distraught by his Son's rejection, for Ichabod was not merely is Son, Ichabod was his clone, and although Jonathan and Ichabod treated each other as Father and Son, the truth is a Clone is biologically more like an identical twin, and you know how close identical twins are. Ichabod had been the one thing that gave Jonathan's life meaning, the one person he loved with all his heart, as noted he mostly married Pamela for convenience then for love...Though they had grown closer over the years, but now that Ichabod had so firmly rejected him...Jonathan wasn't sure he could go on living anymore. Back at the Fellowship, Ichabod was with Matoaka and the rest of his crew "I'm sorry." Ichabod said humbly "I'm sorry for everything my parents did to you." "It's OK." Matoaka said "It wasn't your fault." "I can't believe how much everything has changed..." Ichabod said looking at his hands "You found me when I was 13...A year and a half ago...Now I'm 14 and feel like a whole new person, I can barely remember the old me, the person my parents wanted me to become anymore." "You have changed a lot." Matoaka said gently "Still at times I wonder, how could such cruel people have raised such a kind boy like you?" Ichabod's heart skipped a beat...He felt his mind jump between memories, His Father cradling him when he cried when he was three, his Mother nursing him back to health when he was five, his Father reading him a story as he fell asleep at his side... Ichabod felt a pang of guilt...But decided to suppress it "I don't know." He said but there was a catch in his voice |
| Captain Tiamat came in looking disappointed, Jim asked "What's wrong Captain?" The 5-headed dragon says "I have been billed for damages for the theater. I can't believe this." Bill says "We should make Johnathan Crane pay for that, sense he did spike our drinks." |
| Matoaka said "I'll help you pay for the expenses if that helps..." Meanwhile Ichabod was suddenly hit by a wave of depression, in the heat of his anger, he realized he had said some things he didn't mean...Well actually he did mean them but he was now sorry he said them. He remembered his Father exiting this cottage, telling him that if he ever wanted to come home again he could. He had this look in his eyes, this doleful, limping sad look in his eyes, that Ichabod had turned away from, now that Ichabod's anger had cooled down, he realized that he had just broken his Father's heart...And he was starting to feel really bad about it. Jim noticed Ichabod was looking down in the dumps, he went over to him "Jim are you OK." Jim asked "You look a little sad." Ichabod quickly jumped to his feet "Sad? Me?" He said quickly "I'm not sad!" Not at all! I'm feeling perfectly fine!" "You sure?" Jim asked with one eyebrow raised "Why would I be sad?" Ichabod asked "Well..." Jim started to say "I have no regrets about what I said to my parents!" Ichabod said hotly "I have absolutely no regrets about that at all! I am perfectly happy to cut those ne'er do wells out of my life forever!" In Jim's Squirrel brain he was getting signals from the 'suspiciously specific denial' alert but gentle and kind Jim knew Ichabod had a rough time so he wasn't going to push anything. Ichabod quickly walked away, it wasn't pride that made him lie but fear...He was afraid that if he admitted even to himself that he was sorry for what he did to his parents that he would have to talk to them again, and deep down he feared if he relented a tiny bit, they would take him away from his Humanimal friends...Take him away from Marzipan...And he would never see any of them again, and he loved his friends too much for that. Spring turned to summer, and things went by as normal, but deep down Ichabod's growing guilt was getting worse and worse, but he kept pushing it down, whenever his friends asked if he wanted to talk about anything as they could see he was clearly upset, Ichabod would get angry and tell them nothing was wrong and they would back off Occasionally things would happen that would help Ichabod forget about his guilt, one of those things when Marzipan furious about losing a cooking contest to a cheating pig he put poison in her burger recipe does getting her disqualified, was so determined to never let it happen again forced Ichabod to eat every recipe she could make, the result was something quite extraordinary, after Ichabod's stomach got stretched to its limits and he subsequently puked his guts out, his body was fundamentally changed, by stuffing himself to the brim, Ichabod had awakened his Elf Metabolism, most elf/human hybrids are like normal people only they are very thin and weak...They get tired easily and are constantly underweight by awakening their elf metabolism, they gain the ability to eat twice as much as a normal human (During the teenage years, four times as much as an average human because we all know teenager eat more then adults) Once they are able to eat like pigs they are still thin but they to get a little more musculature and become stronger, faster and generally healthier... The story of Ichabod appetite was documented in an earlier story and I suggest Newbies look there for reference http://www.writing.com/main/campfires/item_id/1856197-The-Great-Gluttony-Contest... Coincidentally Ichabod's elf metabolism awakened on his 15th birthday, a good year to awaken the Elf Metabolism as it helped his body develop faster...But even his new found joy of eating could not forever suppress his guilt, It got so bad, that very soon...His subconscious created another...This wasn't like Two-Face's Big Bad Harv persona it wasn't like a real split personality, this new personality, was like a cross between an inner child and a Jiminy Cricket conscience...Only this guy was much more aggressive and violent then that Disney bug. Very soon Ichabod's dreams were haunted by what looked like himself at nine years old, only this...Child was nasty, rude everything Ichabod was not as a child, he ate lots of junk food and sweets and liked to torment Ichabod turning his dreams into nightmares...Ichabod called this strange figure Imp...Imp frequently told Ichabod he would stop torturing Ichabod until he confessed to what he did wrong...Ichabod would refuse and try to fight back, he would wake up... |
| When Marzipan got tired of Ichabod kicking her in the shins as they slept, she demanded what was the problem "I'm having nightmares..." Ichabod said wearily "I'm tormented by some nasty little...Imp who finds all sorts of ways to torment me, in this dream he tied me down and force fed me a two liter bottle of Mountain Dew!" "Oh." Marzipan said "Well, maybe you just need a little help with your dreams...I can help you!" "How?" Ichabod asked "Ichabod..." Marzipan said "You're about to be told the biggest secret Humanimals have, no Human has ever learned it, you will be the first Human to learn it." Ichabod leaned in and Marzipan whispered "Humanimals can share their dreams with other Humanimals and anyone else!" "You can?" Ichabod said "How?" "Simple." Marzipan said "We make sure our heads are touching and because it is your dream we're entering you say 'Dream a dream and see, what a dream can be' and we fall asleep!" "That's all there is too it?" Ichabod asked "Were you expecting something else?" Marzipan replied Since it was still the middle of the night, Ichabod and Marzipan lay down close with their foreheads touching and Ichabod said sleepily "Dream a dream and see...What a dream can be..." |
"Lollipops?" Ichabod said. "You know I can't eat sweets." Marzipan laughed, "In a dream you can eat anything you want, silly. Look at the dancing girls." "What dancing girls?" But they suddenly popped into existence and Ichabod wondered if there was some kind of time delay between what Marzipan was dreaming and what he was dreaming. "There is no delay," Marzipan said. "I said look at them before I dreamed them." "Can you read my mind?" "Ichabod, we're having the same dream. Right now our minds are both the same mind." "Wow!" Ichabod said and almost woke up because he was so amazed. |
| "Humanimals, just have that power..." Marzipan said "None of us knows why we have this power...We just do." Just then there was some wild laughter, in came Imp swinging on a Liquorice whip "That's him!" Ichabod cried "That's him! That's Imp!" "He looks a lot like you..." Marzipan remarked "I know! I know! That's what makes him so annoying!" Ichabod said "Hey Ichabod!" Imp shouted "Come and catch me if you can!" Then Imp ran into a cave in the rock candy mountain "Let's get him!" Ichabod said "Are you sure?" Marzipan asked "Yes!" Ichabod said "let's get him before he gets away!" They followed Imp into the rock candy cave, But Imp was very good at hide n seek, and he armed him self with a squirt gun filled with root beer. When Ichabod would bend down to look in some marzipan (The candy not the cat) shrubbery Imp would sneak up behind him and squirt root beer on his butt leaving the seat of his pants soggy, then when Ichabod looked in a dark alcove, Imp squirted the root beer in his mouth, which Ichabod promptly spit up "What was that you said about eating anything I wanted in a dream?" Ichabod fumed at Marzipan "Sorry." Marzipan said "But I think the way to catch Imp is to think like a cat..." Marzipan got on a large rock candy rock and waited, Imp walked under the and she snagged him "Gotcha!" Marzipan said Realizing he was in the grasp of a mighty feline, Imp chuckled nervously "Well you got me..." Imp said sheepishly "You need to be punished for ruining both of our's sleep!" Marzipan grabbed a thick branch of stick candy and laid Imp over her lap "You'll get what you deserve!" She said She started to beat Imp's butt with the stick, but Ichabod felt pain in his butt at the same time. Suddenly Marzipan stopped she realized was going on. "OMG!" Marzipan said "Ichabod! Imp...He's you!" "What do you mean he's me?" Ichabod asked as he rubbed his fanny "I can't hurt him!" Marzipan said because I would be hurting you as well." |
| Ichabod says "Wierd, me and that Imp are like the Corsican Brothers." Marzipan asks "Who are the Corsican Brothers." Ichabod says "It's a story about once conjoined brothers, athough seperated at birth, they feel each other's pains. Now, how do we punish the imp without hurting it or me?" |
| Imp started crying "Marzipan!" He wailed "Please don't hurt me! It's Ichabod who's mean to me not the other way around!" "I'M MEAN TO YOU?!" Ichabod screamed "WHAT ABOUT THAT FIRST TIME WE MET WHEN YOU PUT ITCHING POWDER IN MY UNDERWEAR?!" Ichabod looked at Marzipan and then Imp "How come when he get's hurt I get hurt but when he hurts me he doesn't get hurt?!" Imp snarled and said "If someone else hurts one of us, we both feel pain, we can hurt each other just fine!" "All right quiet!" Marzipan said "Let's settle down and talk this out like civilized people...Over snacks." "Snacks?!" Ichabod exclaimed "Marzipan nose rubbed Imp "Ichabod doesn't like sugary stuff much, so how about I make us some hot buttered popcorn?" "Yum!" Imp replied licking his lips "Why are you being nice to him all of sudden?!" Ichabod yelled "Don't you see?" Marzipan pleaded Ichabod stayed silent "Imp is your inner child!" Marzipan said "He's been trying to tell you something!" Imp grinned, Ichabod scowled Soon Imp and Marzipan were chowing down and popcorn and washing it down with ice cold milk, Ichabod sat far away and did not eat anything. "I really like you Marzipan." Imp said "You remind me of me when I was a little kitten." Marzipan said warmly "Do you like my cooking?" "It's delicious!" Imp said cramming another big handful of popcorn in his mouth. Ichabod scowled deeper "All right." Marzipan said "Is Imp really your name or would you rather be called something else?" Imp chugged down another glass of milk and said "Imp suits me just find, if Ichabod says that's my name then that's my name." "Ichabod doesn't like you very much." Marzipan said "Well, it's his fault I exist in the first place." Imp said "I was born when the guilt in his heart became too much for him to bear, I'm not just his guilt though, I'm all his deepest darkest secrets, I'm the child he secretly wanted to be." "That's a lie!" Ichabod said "I never wanted to be a filthy brat like you!" "No..." Imp said "But you wanted to run and climb and play hide n seek like the other kids, but you never dared, you just sat inside and read books or helped Mum with the gardening, you were so lonely you made friends with the flowers! Now that's what I call desperate!" Ichabod turned bright red with rage "But most importantly..." Imp said "You won't admit what you did wrong..." "What are you talking about?" Ichabod fumed "Saying all those horrible things to your parents." Imp said Ichabod rushed right over and got in Imp's face "Are you crazy?!" He yelled "They would have killed my friends!" "Have you forgotten how much they loved you?" Imp asked |
Ichabod had no reply to that. He turned away and folded his arms across his chest. After a while he began to wonder if he was still dreaming... |
| The Imp says "Do you know what else?" Ichabod covers his ears "I don't want to hear any more of this." The imp grabs Ichabod's right arm and yanked his hand off his ear "Oh, you got to hear this. Even though they say they are, they are not your parents." Ichabod says "Am I adopted?" The Imp says "Not exactly, your so called mother's mutative condition may have the qualities of different plants, she is also sterile, unable to bear children. So your parents did the next best thing. She took one of the plants from her garden, and did an experiment by adding DNA to both her and your father and as a result, you. Your a human clone with plant qualities." Ichabod says "NO! THAT'S A LIE!" |
| (Um...Hertz, Ichabod knew from the beginning he was a clone, his parents were always honest with him about that, and just because he's a clone doesn't mean he's not their son) Ichabod woke up with Marzipan "I thought you always knew you were a clone?" Marzipan said "Oh yeah..." Ichabod said "Sorry Marzi I just lost my head for a second there." |
| "Dreams can be crazy," said Marzipan. "But they can be fun." "What do you mean?" Ichabod asked. "Let's have a nice and naughty dream." |
| Ichabod says "Ooh, playing the bad cat eh? Ok, but this time, anywhere but Candyland." Marzipan says "I have somewhere in mind that's both nice and naughty." Ichabod asks "And where is that?" |
| "Paris 1890." Marzipan said "You've been looking into my erotic fantasies again..." Ichabod said "All right let's just go to sleep and..." But as he touched his forehead against Marzipan's he heard Imp's voice cackling in his head "Nevermind..." Ichabod said "It doesn't matter what we dream...Imp will be there! He's completely taken over my dreams!" Ichabod looked out the window and saw the first rays of the dawn coming through the drapes. "Besides." Ichabod sighed "It's morning already...And I need to use the restroom." Marzipan sighed and lay back down her pillow as Ichabod trudged off to the bathroom. When she first moved in with him, because a Cat's ears and nose are more sensitive then a Human's she could hear him urinating even if she was asleep, and she could tell what he had been eating and drinking even if she was snug in bed as he was doing his business, she mentioned this offhand and Ichabod got embarrassed that she could smell what he had ate even from the other side of the door, Marzipan told him not to worry about it, she wouldn't make fun of him, Humanimals by and large are not as bothered by the smell of waste as Humans are, and she would always be able to smell on account of her superior smelling abilities so no point getting all flustered about it. |
| She chuckled. I'll have fun with him tonight. She had plans for dealing with Imp too. |
| Marzipan chuckled a bit as she gets up and fixes Ichabod breakfast, a vegetable omelet. Later on he sees Edward "Can I speak to you about something?" Edward says "Sure, what would you like to talk about?" Ichabod says "Dreams and humanimals." Edward just smiles "Ahh, a wonderful experience." Ichabod says "Have you and Minsk ever..." Edward interrupts "..Dream together? Yes, every night. Let me tell you what we dreamt last night. We went to the carnival, went on the rides and had a lot a fun. Best part is sense it's all a dream, any food consumed, you won't gain a single pound. Have you and Marzipan ever shared a dream?" Edward says "Yes, last night she took me to land made of all sorts of sugary sweets. But I have a problem, an Imp in which Marzipan says it's my inner child decides to cause some trouble. Do you have any ideas on a deal with an imp?" |
| Edward was not sure how to respond to that "I...Really don't know." Edward said "I never could wrap my mind around the 'inner child' concept and I don't know anything about Imps." "This...Imp..." Ichabod said "Keeps telling me to apologize to my parents..." Edward got a surprised look, but then shook his head "I think I understand what's going on..." Edward said "This sounds less like an inner child and more like a guilty conscience." "I can't go back to my parents!" Ichabod protested "Or else I'll lose I'll my friends! I'll lose Marzipan!" "Are you sure?" Edward asked "Maybe they won't, and anyway you don't have to speak to them face to face you can just make an intergalactic phone call..." "No way!" Ichabod said but he turned away and wiped a tear "If I budge an inch they'll probobly take it as a sign of surrender, and come to Earth and take me away and force me to marry Alice..." "Ichabod..." Edward pleaded "You have to do something about this guilt before you burst a blood vessel or something worse!" |
| "Like what?" Ichabod asked. "Um, you could have a heart attack; those happen in young people with high stress." |
| Ichabod says "What do I do?" Edward says "Let's put it this way. Quoting my father. Riddle me this: How do you get rid of a guilty concious before it consumes you? Answer: You confront it by facing the music, do yourself a favor and call your parents and apoligize. Chances are they my not come to pick you up but that Imp will continue to haunt you until you do apoligize." Ichabod says "And Alice?" |
| "She'll probobly get the hint and move on." Edward said "I think she doesn't honestly want to marry someone who doesn't love her and whom she doesn't love in return." "I need to think about this." Ichabod said then he turned and said "By the way..." He said "I know you're...The illegitimate son of the Riddler and Queen Nastina...Is your Father even aware you exist at this point?" Edward blushed and said "Well...Yes...But he only found out when I was...Disowned by my royal family and and my Mother revealed the secret of my linage on Intergalactic TV...I'm not sure what angered my Old Man more, that my Mother never informed him he had a Son or that he did not became King." "It was a teenage affair?" Ichabod asked "My Mother deliberately chose to let Nygma impregnate her when they were teenagers, because she wanted to escape the long history of Incest in my family...Edward winched, you remember what I said about my family right? We're more then royal...We're royally screwed up! Other then cousin marriages there are stories of Fathers, divorcing their wives just to marry their daughters...Sometimes I wonder if my Forefathers were pursuing a sick twisted study of inbreeding...My Mother was willing to become pregnant at 16 by some random Gotham Teenager and become a single Mother Queen just to escape that wretched cycle." Ichabod realized that compared to the Wrangler Royalty, the Gotham Rogues were wholesome by comparison! "I'll think about it." Ichabod said But Ichabod did not call his parents, he was still too afraid, he went to bed still full of guilt. He had no way of knowing Jonathan was feeling far more guilty, he realized just how lonely and miserable his son was and he had turned a blind eye to it repeatedly focusing only on making sure his Son followed in his footsteps. It was now December, and Jonathan had gone a downward spiral of remembering what he did not do for his son, from simply not playing with him to refusing him to let him keep any pets...He told Ichabod to get rid of a stray cat he found when he was six, and vehemently forbid him from making friends with the frogs and turtles in the garden, He told him time and time again that Animals were filthy and disgusting and they cost too much money to take care of... "It doesn't matter how much a child says he'll take care of a pet." Jonathan had said "It always ends up the parents responsibility, feeding, cleaning...Paying the vet bills..." Now Jonathan regretted ever saying those words...He realized even if he did have to cover a pet's expenses at least Ichabod would have a companion and wouldn't be so lonely, Ichabod always was fond of animals and that was probobly why he loved his Humanimal friends so much. Pamela had watched her husband's downward spiral, and she was worried he would die by despair... So the day before Christmas Eve, she implored him to take a trip to Earth to make amends with Ichabod. "It has been several months..." Pamela said "He's probobly cooled off by now..." "What do I say to him?" Jonathan asked "Just say your sorry and mean it." Pamela said "He may not accept, but if you don't try you'll never know." "Will you come with me?" Jonathan asked "I need to stay here and take care of my plants." Pamela said "And I think this is something you need to do on your own...For your health." Jonathan sighed "You're right." He said "I'll leave tonight." |
Ichabod was sitting at the breakfast table with Marzipan when the phone rang. "Hello, Mom," he said. "What? Dad is coming HERE? Why?" "I think he wants to apologize," Pamela said. "The disagreement between you two has upset him quite a bit. You'll see when he gets there. He looks like crap. You will be kind with him, want you?" "Of course, Mom. Good-bye." Ichabod sat there in shock, surprised that it was also his Dad who felt guilty. Well, they both could apologize to each other. Already Ichabod felt some relief. |
| Just then the phone rang again, it was Matoaka "Ichabod." Matoaka said "We must report to Fleet Headquarters at once! The new secretary of defense has been announced and we must attend!" "Yes Captain!" Ichabod said "Right away Captain!" He grabbed Marzipan's paw "New secretary of defense! We must attend now!" "But we haven't finished breakfast!" Marzipan protested "We can have an early lunch." Ichabod said "Let's move it!" Ichabod met up with the rest of his crew "Ichabod, you look a little flushed..." Matoaka said "Had to rush a bit getting here..." Ichabod said "Any idea who the new secretary of defense will be?" "No clue." Matoaka said "Even I don't." Jordan said "And I'm the Prime Minister of Britain!" "Jordan!" Jim said his tail going ramrod straight and completely rigid (Wink, wink) "What a delightful surprise!" "We haven't spent much time together since I became prime minister." Jordan said "Here I'm making it up to you. I told my secret service as long as I'm with you they can take it easy." They then shared a rodent kiss. The crew quickly found their seats, the Prime Minister of France a woman named Francis DuBois introducing "Everyone please give a warm welcome to our new Secretary of Defense Monsieur Lyle Bolton!" Ichabod suddenly felt a chill go down his spine, Lyle Bolton, he heard that name before...His Father told him tales of a man with that name (His Mom wasn't in Arkham while Bolton was chief of security) Lyle Bolton was more of a mountain then he was a man, he reminded many Humanimals of Wrangler Lord/ Robot masquerading as a Human Duke Vortex, which probobly why none of the Humanimals cheered for him. Lyle spoke of 'changes' that were going to be made, from now on all captured Wranglers shall be given prompt execution "None of this rehabilitation crap." Bolton said "We will not try to reform are enemy we will eliminate them! Any captured Wrangler will have no second chances!" Hearing this Edward gulped nervously grateful that he reformed just in time, to his surprise though he felt Minsk clutch his arm as if holding on for dear life, he saw a fear in her eyes he had never seen before. Bolton didn't saw much after that, he left stage, no one really cheered for him after that. Ichabod was as white as a sheet, he was almost too afraid to move until Marzipan tugged at his arm. "Minsk." Edward said as they walked out "Is something the matter?" "Edward..." Minsk said sadly and shivering "You do know I was a prostitute at age 11 in order to buy medicine for my sick sister Anya." "Yes." Edward said "The first man who...The one who took my virginity and impregnated me ...It was Lyle Bolton! The same Lyle Bolton! He actually bragged to me about how he likes to take Beast Girls' virginity! He said that Beasts are vile vermin who should be wiped out of existence as he was raping me!" Edward turned red in the face "Why that vile... Hypocrite!" He growled "I will kill him!" Edward drew his sword "Minsk..." He said "Let me be your gallant knight and slay the man who violated you!" "No Edward don't!" Minsk cried "He knows! He knows who we all are! This is just like Ernest Thomson! Only he is more dangerous because he isn't planning to have his secret service take care of us! He wants to wage war on us with all his weapons! I've seen what he does to his prisoners! He rapes and tortures them! Both men and women, humans and Humanimals alike! You heard what he would like to do with you! Don't give him the opportunity!" Ichabod was frozen like a statue, Bill nudged Ichabod with his nose "Ichy," He said "Are you OK?" Ichabod stammered, he didn't want to say he too knew of Bolton that his Father had been tortured and raped by the man. "I...I...Need some comfort food!" He blurted out. "On it pronto!" Marzipan said as she rushed off to make everyone some lunch. As she hurried by, Marzipan bumped into someone. It was Jonathan Crane, he was wearing a trench coat and fedora, partly to ward off the cold weather, partly to avoid unwanted attention "Jonathan Crane!" She exclaimed Jonathan's eyes opened a little wider when he saw who had bumped into him "Marzipan!" Jonathan exclaimed "So you know my name now I see." Marzipan said "I'm not just a 'rapacious little feline who stole the Scarecrow's son!' "Please Marzipan! Not now!" Jonathan said "I just want to see my son again!" "Jonathan..." Marzipan said "Did you ever meet a Humanimal before you came to Earthport? I know for a fact that in Alderbaren during the slave years, Common people were not allowed access to Humanimals." "Not in Gotham City either." Jonathan said "Gotham decided to ban all Humanimals in order to return to a more 'natural' way of life." "Is that why Gotham is the worst city of the face of the Earth?" Marzipan asked "You'd get along wonderfully with Selena Kyle." Jonathan said "All cats are all alike. All cats are smart alecks!" "Jonathan." Marzipan said softly "Would you like to know what I've been through? To be taken away from your family at eight years old? To be made a slave? To live with the threat of...Maybe I should just show you..." Marzipan took off Jonathan's gloves "Marzipan..." He said "What are you doing." "The ancient art of sharing memories through skin contact, or Harkaskeerah, as the Aves call it, all Aves are born with the ability but they can pass it on to any living creature by sharing memories, with another creature. What Jonathan experienced when her paws touched his hands, was her memories of slavery in painful detail, being stolen from her family, being forced to work over a hot stove for hours, having to carry heavy buckets of water and tubs of fruit and vegetables, and worst of all, seeing your fellow slaves getting beaten up or worse raped, and her feeling of fear that any day she could be next. Then the memories of Ichabod, who disguised himself as a soldier to rescue her, he felt Marzipan's whirlwind of love when Ichabod gave her her first kiss. After that Marzipan let go and the memories stopped "Jonathan.." Marzipan began to say Jonathan now looked at the cat and saw her anew, he felt what she had gone through, and realized how much she and Ichabod loved each over, and realizing he had tried to murder her he felt burning hot shame... "Marzipan..." He said "I'm sorry...I...I...Don't deserve to even talk to you! I'm a wretched man!" Jonathan ran away with tear in his eyes, he had felt Marzipan memories, and emotions and at that moment he felt nothing but tenderness for her, she reminded him of Evie, who died saving Jonathan from his own selfishness. Meanwhile Ichabod had wandered away from the herd, he did not notice, the shadowy figure until a hand grabbed his mouth and dragged him into an office. "Son of Scarecrow.." Said a Voice. "Oh god!" Ichabod cried "I've been waiting for this moment for a long...long...time..." Bolton said "It was your Father who got me busted...When he escaped from Arkham, my whole career was over..." Ichabod was too scared to even breathe...Bolton ribbed off his shirt, then he pinched on of Ichabod's nipples viciously "You're Father bled for days when I was finished with him!" Ichabod gasped, he realized what was going to happen "Please don't rape me!" He cried "I've done nothing wrong!" Bolton just slapped Ichabod's face so hard he saw stars Marzipan however saw what had happened! She tried to open the door, but she couldn't! She knew she needed help! "Jonathan!" She cried running after him "Jonathan!" She said "It's Lyle Bolton! He's going to rape Ichabod and Oh GOD OH GOD!" That instant Jonathan forgot everything, he felt his paternal instinct rise in him, his got his scythe out of his suitcase and ran right up to Bolton's office, kicked down the door, and leaped screaming "DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH MY SON!" Jonathan flew at Bolton with such force he toppled the brute over, he got his scythe in his shoulder and two wrestled for two seconds before two Ape Men Police, a Gorilla and an Orangutan came in and tied Bolton down "We knew there was something funny about you!" Sneered the Gorilla "Let's see what the U.N. thinks of you now!" Said the Orangutan Ichabod now had his pants around his ankles, but fortunately he still had his underwear on, he was frozen in fear, but then a voice came to him. Jonathan on his hands and knees, forgetting everything that happened before now only worried to see if his Boy was OK "Ichabod..." He said softly "Ichabod are you OK?" Ichabod looked and saw his Father there, at that point everything just melted, he was a scared little boy all over again, needing his Father's love "Oh Father!" Ichabod cried throwing his arms around Jonathan "I'm sorry! I love you!" |
| Ichabod felt a whole lot better, he can no longer hear that mischievous laugh of the Imp inside him. While Johnathan says "I love you too and I'm sorry for what I did last time." Ichabod stood up and pulled up his pants while Matoaka comes over "Mr. Crane. I don't know why you came back here, but you certainly picked the right time. Could you please explain why you and Bolton have a grudge on each other?" |
"He doesn't have to explain anything," Ichabod said. Jonathan patted Ichabod's arm. "That's alright, son. I don't mind telling if Matoaka wants to hear it." |
| Jonathan told Matoaka about Lyle Bolton, what he did to the inmates of Arkham Asylum. Ichabod quietly sat by himself still more then a little frightened by his near rape experience, he shivered a little because his shirt was torn to pieces. "Hey Ichabod." Marzipan whispered draping her long fluffy tail around his shoulders. "Hey Marzipan." Ichabod said stroking her tail. "I'm really sorry this happened." Marzipan said "It wasn't your fault." Ichabod said, his voice sounded broken, like a half whisper. "I know." Marzipan said "I just feel a need to say sorry whenever something bad happens." Just then, Ichabod's stomach let out an enormous rumble, everyone turned and stared Ichabod blushed a little embarrassed "You're hungry aren't you?" Marzipan said "I...Haven't had lunch yet." Ichabod said sheepishly |
| Lyle says "Get your paws off of me you damn dirty apes!(quote sounds familiar?)" Everyone else comes out to see what's going on and then Captain Tiamat steps in front of the downed Lyle Bolten, and she shook your middle head "Tsk tsk tsk, I had high hopes for you Mr. Bolton and I see I made a mistake of having a loose cannon like you as Secretary of Defense, take him away boys." As Lyle is dragged away, Lyle bellows out "THIS IS ALL YOU'RE FAULT SCARECROW, WAIT UNTIL i GET MY HANDS ON YOU! AS FOR YOU SONNY BOY I'M NOT THROUGH WITH YOU!" Ichabod just gulped while Lyle continues "AS FOR THE REST OF YOU, YOU ALL DESERVED TO BE LOCKED UP LIKE THE ANIMALS THAT YOU ARE, LOCKED UP WITHOUT A KEY!" As he his dragged outside the doors closed. Matoaka says "Now I see why he gave you a hard time Mr. Crane. But don't worry. He's not going to Alderbaren with you, he going to..." |
| "Pontipidpon." Matoaka said "The Gem Planet...Since simple cold iron bars are not very effective of containing criminals, he will go to the sparsely populated planet of jewels, there is not much food, water or fresh air on Pontipidpon and he will be constantly supervised day and night, slaving away in the mines so the the rest of the universe can have diamonds, rubies, tourmalines and emeralds." Ichabod thought of the emerald on the engagement ring he gave Marzipan and wondered if that jewel had come from just such a place... His stomach rumbled again, even louder this time. "Let's get you something to eat." Jonathan said Marzipan made Ichabod a nice thick Reuben sandwich, Ichabod tore into his meal like a wild animal! "Ichabod!" Jonathan said "Slow down, you'll choke!" Ichabod gulped down his food and blushed "Excuse me Father..." Ichabod said sheepishly "A lot has changed these past few months, my body has changed...I've been eating much more then I usually have." |
| "Because I had a guilty conscience, and it somehow increased my appetite." Jonathan says "Guilt normally does that." Ichabod said "Also you should see what haunted my dreams." Johnathan says "Do tell." |
| "Ichabod!" Marzipan said firmly "It wasn't your guilty conscience that increased your appetite! It was something else entirely! Tell the truth!" Ichabod blushed "I'm sorry I lied." Ichabod said "The actual truth is more then a little embarrassing." "But if your Dad does the same..." Marzipan said "It might help him like it helped you!" Jonathan's was not sure what on Earth they were talking about, but it sure sounded good! "Marzipan got really mad that she lost a cooking contest sometime in September..." Ichabod said "In order to find a dish that would win win she forced me to eat every recipe she knew, until my stomach was stretched beyond possible limits, when I couldn't hold anymore and got sick, my body had changed, by overeating I had awakened by Elf Metabolism!" "Elf Metabolism?" Jonathan said unsure he heard right "We're both half elf are we not?" Ichabod asked "Well yes." Jonathan said '' "It seems half elves have strange bodies, we're not really at our ideal weights, we can be much stronger and healthier if we eat twice as much as a normal human...No we won't get fat...As Marzipan herself put it, Elf Bloods can not get fat anymore then water can flow upstream, after a few months of eating like a pig I finally look halfway decent!" Ichabod unbuttoned his shirt to show his Father his improved chest. "You see these pectoral muscles?" Ichabod said "I mean they're not the biggest but they're there! It was only when my elf metabolism awoke that I could get this kind of musculature!" Jonathan whistled low "There's...No arguing with that!" He said "My word! When I was your age I didn't even have THAT level of musculature I was little more then bones covered by a thin skin." Marzipan said "If you want..." She said "We can help you awaken your elf metabolism as well, it's not too late you know." "Really?" Jonathan asked "It is going to hurt initially." Marzipan "You'll have to eat and eat and eat until your stomach is well beyond hurting and you will you're about to get sick, but after that you'll be able to eat twice as much as a normal man! And you'll finally reach your ideal weight! I think your spouse would appreciate the results." |
| Jonathan reluctantly agreed, so Marzipan set to work making a seven course meal, since she knew what would happen to do her experiences with Ichabod, she concentrated her energy on making her most fattening foods at their most massive portions, she made salads, soups, chicken, beef fish...And made sure Jonathan ate it all. Jonathan, by the time he had eaten his third entree was starting to regret agreeing to this. "Are you sure this is going to help me reach my ideal weight?" Jonathan asked as Marzipan placed a dish of roast beef before him "Of course!" Marzipan said "You saw the pecs on Ichabod, don't you want to be more then skin and bones?" Jonathan, very reluctantly started cutting the meat into to very tiny pieces and started eating very slowly 'This is cold blooded torture in the truest sense!' Jonathan thought 'My stomach is going to rupture at any moment I can feel it!' Once he finished the beef, Marzipan put down before him a bowl of bouillabaisse, at that point Jonathan couldn't eat anymore, he rushed off to the bathroom to vomit. "Whoa." Marzipan said "He only had four entrees before he lost it, you had like 17 before you needed to upchuck..." "Well," Ichabod said "He is an older man, he doesn't need to eat as much as a teenager does." Jonathan was later resting on the sofa looking very green around the gills. "It's going to be OK Father." Ichabod said "When morning comes you'll feel your appetite return again." "I can't imagine eating anything." Jonathan said weakly curling up in fetal position on the sofa. |
| "Just be glad no one's challenged you to an eating contest," said Ichabod. "I hope I don't have to enter one, for a while." |
| That night Ichabod and Marzipan went to bed while Johnathan decided to sleep on the sofa. Ichabod says "With the Imp gone, I believe our dream tonight will be more nicer, what do you think we should dream about tonight? That Nice and Naughty dream or something else?" |
| "I think I'll let you decide." Marzipan said "All right." Ichabod said, they snuggled down and touched foreheads "Dream a dream and see..." Ichabod whispered "...What a dream can be..." Marzipan finished as they went into a deep sleep. Ichabod dreamed they were floating on a lagoon, Marzipan floating along beside him. The strains of Aloha Oe were floating in the wind "Ah..." Ichabod said "This is the life." Ichabod felt a poke of his shoulder and he looked up "Ah!" He said "You again?!" "Relax!" Imp said, he was laying on his stomach on a flotation device, "I'm not here to torment you, I just wanted to say how proud I am of you..." "I apologized!" Ichabod said "So why are you still here?" "I am more then just your conscience." Imp said "I am your inner child, like Marzipan said, I am an anthropomorphic personification of your wishes, fears and dreams...I was born of your guilt, but now that I'm here I just can't vanish." "What do you want?" Ichabod asked "We don't have to be enemies." Imp said "We can be friends...I only came into existence so you didn't burst a blood vessel and die." Imp said |
| The Imp said "Actually I'm here to show you what you will expect, New allies, new adventures and new dangers to overcome." Marzipan says "When will we expect these?" The Imp says "I don't really know, because they will happen in time." Ichabod asks "And how do you know this?" |
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