Title: This is the End, My Friend (1/1)
By Cousin Tserisa (headpigeons@hotmail.com)
Thanks to Christy, Patt and Chris for the kitty explanations,
and, of course, the Doors, for two great songs.
Time: Thursday afternoon
Place: CERK

* * * * *

Take the highway to the end of the night
End of the night, end of the night

Jess had actually looked fairly good in her black silk straitjacket as the
men in the white coats carted her away.  Hopefully they could do something
about that twitch she'd developed.

"Sucks we're losing a Cousin to *Vachon*," Brandi said of the ex-Cousinly
Receptionist, who intended, if sane enough, to play as a Vaquera if and when
another War was declared.

"She was never really a Cousin," Rhonda pointed out.  "She's a DieHard with
enough Merc tendencies that we could hire her as a Receptionist.  You know
after the past few Wars, *Cousins* are all too smart to take the position."

"Hence the new Receptionist-in-training being an ex-Vaq," Brandi said.  "Win
some, lose some."

"Look at it this way," Cousin Tserisa said, sipping an iced oolong tea.
"What can we do to the Vaqueras that's worse than letting them have a
lunatic faction-hopping DieHard with dreams of getting Vachon sopping wet?"

The Cousins giggled and split up to pack and arrange their flights, waving
to the others.  Tser sighed and yawned and set her tea down on the War Room
table (using a coaster -- she does have *some* knowledge of manners).  It
was over.  People had been skunked and driven insane.  Major characters had
been abused and respected.  Writing had been done.  Headaches had been
created.  Tser was reluctant to return to her real and internetless life.
She was also still shaky over finding out the NunkAnon Shrine had... went
kablooie.  Patt with it.

Never-the-less, she was all packed and ready to go.  Soon (preferably after
she saw all the other Cousins safely off) she and the Cousinly Critters
would move out of CERK and back into her Mobile Secret Headquarters (okay,
an ancient 19 foot long travel trailer), and head back for the Coast Range
of Oregon.

Take a journey to the bright midnight
End of the night, end of the night

Thankfully, Christy, one of the NunkAnon co-leaders, had informed Tser of
Cousin Gwendolyn's safety.  Being an intelligent feline (smarter than the
other addicts), she'd vamoosed, skedaddled, and got the heck out of there
after her first run in with the Old, Partially-Decomposed Guy.  She had
attempted to settle her furry and dignified self into the Jeweled Peach.

Speciesist health codes had prompted Cabon to resist her big round golden
eyes and cute black nose and calming purr and he didn't let her stay there.
Not entirely unswayed by her charms, he'd transported the manx to Madame
Kiki's, where she spent the rest of the War being fawned over by Buff Slave
Boys (as is her Queenly Kitty Right).

Rick, Chris' cat, had first hid in the dark and safer corners of the Jeweled
Peach (unbeknownst to Cabon), emerging every night after closing to gorge on
petit de foi gras.  Cabon had suspected an infestation of vitamin A
deficient rats or perhaps velociraptors.

However, it's kind of lonely, hiding from Old, Dead Guys and sneaking food
in the middle of the night.  When Rick had shown up at Madame Kiki's, fat
and sassy, the white tom was welcomed by both Gwen (possibly because he bore
liver treats to share) and Madame Kiki, who proceded to dote upon him
royally.

Realms of bliss, realms of light
Some are born to sweet delight

Tserisa put on Xandy and Lava's shipping boots and cushioned halters.
Safety first!

The skunks milled about in the hay, playing.  Tserisa had decided to leave
them at CERK, because the legal implications of transporting them back and
forth across the border was staggering.  Some of the Cousins objected to
this plan (particularly Tok), but Tser was resolute.  Besides, they could be
integrated into the Cousinly Security System next War.  Or she could build
them a special skunk room down in the basement with the GSS' equipment.

Wiggy was bouncing on one of the striped skunks' heads.  Boing boing boing.
Tser warily reached down and picked the ferret up, setting him on
Lavalianna's back.  The ferret seemed to know the skunk was a Cousin (in a
couple senses of the word) and wanted to play, but the skunk didn't
understand fert body language.  The little carpet shark never had been
intimidated by anything, and rolled his head and dooked from Lava's back.

"Okay, you guys are set," Tser said, patting Xandy on the forehead and
adjusting his floofy forelock.  "I'll come out to get you when I've gotten
everything else squared away."

Some are born to sweet delight
Some are born to the endless night
End of the night, end of the night
End of the night, end of the night

Tserisa was tired, and just wanted to sleep.  There was too much going on in
her head.  She headed for Tok's office to discuss the War, and its
implications for the next.   Tonight, before leaving Toronto, Tserisa would
pick up Gwen, and then head to the remains of the Shrine for Patt's memorial
service.

# # #