Cousins Just Gotta Have Fun (1/2)
by Cousin Tok, with input from Cousine Celeste
and all relevant permissions

Place:  CERK, starting in Tok's room
Time: early Sunday (7/8), not long after "Now That's Entertainment (1/1)"


Why was she awake?  Groggily, Tok grabbed clean clothes out of the drawers
and pulled them on, knowing that somehow this was Vachon's fault.  Her
shoes were by the foot of the bed, and Tok thought she could pull them on
without sitting down.  Unfortunately, Zorro, her orange tabby boy, chose
that moment to rub against her leg.  The cat was smart (and quick) enough
to scurry out of the way as she toppled over.

Tok struggled to a sitting position and finished putting on her
sneakers.  Then she forced her eyes open and looked at the bedside clock.

<7:04 AM>, it blinked cheerfully.  Tok stood and yanked the cord from the
wall, threw the clock on the floor and jumped up and down until little
pieces of plastic were all that remained.

Nope, not even remotely a morning person.

* * * * *

A few Cousins saw Tok on her way to the Salon, but they knew better than to
draw her attention before she'd had her morning caffeine.  Only Lacroix
himself could wake up meaner.  Or maybe Divia.

After retrieving some ibuprofen from the Cousinly Treasure-trove of
Analgesics and a Diet Pepsi from the fridge behind the bar, she noticed the
Salon was totally empty.  Even this early on a Sunday, that was
unusual.  The lights on the stereo were blinking, but Tok realized she
couldn't hear anything.  After a moment, she reached up and removed the
earplugs she still wore and stashed them in her pocket.  A few seconds of
listening to *that* music had her fumbling for the emergency key hidden
under the bar.

Once she'd replaced the offending CDs in the shoebox, she found a roll of
duct tape (also conveniently under the bar) and wrapped a few feet of it
around the box.  The box was then returned to its place of dishonor behind
the plant.

She emerged from the Salon, eager to find someone to blame this on.  The
first person she encountered, however, was Lacroix ... that is,
Vachon-in-Lacroix.  "Buenos dias, chica.  Having a bad hair day?"

She ran a hand over her hair and silently counted to ten.  "What was *that*
about in there?" she asked, cocking her head toward the Salon.

"Tserisa has a sense of humor."  Vachon grinned; the effect, coming from
Lacroix's visage, was quite disconcerting.

"What seems to be the problem, Vachon?"

"I'm *bored* is the problem.  Don't you Cousins ever have any fun?"

Tok took a deep breath, then let it out slowly.  "You could go watch
television or play a video game or something.  The Game Room is just down
the hall there -- see?"  She pointed over his shoulder; he turned to
look.  "Make the best of it -- you're stuck here until sundown at least."

He considered her statement for a moment.  "If that's the best you can do ..."

Tok's temper threatened to flare, then a smile settled across her
lips.  Someone who knew her better would have been worried.  "It's only
temporary.  I have to go check on something, but we may be able to find
something more ... suitable for you."

Vachon paused at the Game Room door.  "What does a vampire have to do to
get some blood around here?"

"No problem.  I'll have somebody bring you something from the General's
private stock."  <After all, it *is* still the General's body, even if
Vachon has hijacked it temporarily.>

Tok jogged away, feeling almost cheerful.  She ran into Shelley and Cousine
Celeste around the corner.  "Perfect!  I need your help, guys. Shelley, you
go to the kitchen and get a bottle for our guest.  He's in the Game
Room.  Then meet me and Celeste in my room.  I have some ideas for
resolving Vachon's boredom."

* * * * *

In Tok's room, Celeste helped Tok pull a large box from the back of her
closet.  This box, interestingly enough, was labeled "Torture
Props".  Celeste looked at the one head of Cerberus with concern.  "This is
actually a little more than I wanted to know about you, Tok."

"What?  It's nothing like *that* ..."  Tok giggled evilly.  "It's just that
you never know when you might need something special for an attack.  Look,
I've got video tapes, music, sound bytes..."

The Cousine looked through the things in the box, a glimmer of Tok's idea
forming in her mind as well.  "For our dear guest, you mean?"

"But of course.  We can't let him get away with what he's said about the
General.  Or us."  Tok grinned.

Shelley joined them, and Tok showed her the contents of the box.  "This has
definitely got potential.  What did you have in mind, O Evil Leader?"

"We'll get him to let us go up to the penthouse to make a few 'repairs',"
Tok explained.  "It's still Lacroix's hand, so he can trigger the palm
reader in the elevator."

"We'll just say we're upgrading the entertainment system in the penthouse,"
Celeste added, warming to the concept.  "The boy is *not* swift.  I bet he
won't even be suspicious."

"Just a few more things, then he can spend the rest of the day enjoying
himself in luxury," Shelley completed.

"He's so bored, he'll go for anything as long as it's different," Tok
declared.  "We'll rig the stereo and the TV with some of these."

The Cousine searched through the various video and audio tapes.  "But how
do we keep him from just leaving?"

Shelley smiled broadly as she grabbed an audio tape.  "We'll rig it so that
*this* will play if he tries to summon the elevator to get out."  Tok and
Celeste looked at the label on the tape and burst out laughing maniacally.
Shelley joined them.

=====================================================

<to be continued>


Cousin Tok
and the Cousinly kitties
tokaara@mindspring.com / AIM Tokaara / ICQ 46441308