We've got this Prelude for the Finale - and then the rest of it all takes place next, in the 'one part' Finale!

Bina and I managed to write all of this Finale as well as the Rollover by ourselves which I am rather proud of. Please enjoy!

 
There was no snow to be draped over the town like a warm holiday blanket, only yellow and dusty, dry sand.

Even so, the town rang out with genuine joy so often associated with the Crimbo Season. Colorful streamers hung from the lampposts by the dirt roads between tiny, rundown houses. Strangers had flocked to the Crimbo celebration in spite of the heat.

Music and gaiety could be heard ringing throughout the town, with children running around playing stick and hoop games in the streets. Musicians playing lyres and dancers with tambourines were drawing the strangers to the various tents. Juggling clowns added to the festivities and even swordswallowers got in on the fun along with a couple fire-eaters who mesmerized the crowds with their skills.

Merchants hawking their wares could be heard mixed in with the din of the bustling party goers. As always the eating and drinking contests were big hits and the vendors with candy and sweets had a difficult time keeping up with the demands. There were ladies with fresh baked products that found themselves completely surrounded by customers wanting more of their wares since fresh baked items were so hard to come by when not in a larger town. The ladies were delighted to keep baking as long as the demand was there.

Even the tailor and the blacksmith were kept busy with the needs of the customers. Blacksmiths and harness makers couldn't make the horseshoes or harnesses fast enough to satisfy everyone. The tailor had to get extra help from the Crimbo elves to make the clothing since he couldn't sew fast enough even with his hand operated sewing machine.

The archery contests seemed to be the biggest draw and there were always large crowds standing around to see what tricks the archers would perform to show off their shooting skills.

Children both young and young at heart had flocked to the town for the holiday excitement!

Mary and her twin, Diana, had been enjoying some cool drink when Mary asked Diana, "How do you make these blocks for your houses here?"

Diana smiled. "We've a quarry not far from here. Come with me and I will show you. It'll be fun to see the look on the quarry master's face when he sees us and he'd love to tell you how they're made."

With that the girls headed to the quarry, and soon found the quarry master. As with Uncle Crimbo, the quarry master's mouth dropped when he saw the girls and he shook his head wondering if he was seeing right.

Diana laughed and said, "This is my friend Mary and she would like to know how you make the blocks for our homes."

The quarry master finally found his voice and said, "Well Miss Mary, I don't often get young ladies asking about such things but it is very simple. The clay is mixed with water and placed in these wooden molds and then are left to bake in the sun. They weigh about one hundred pounds at the most and can stand up to any weather. When we have to repair a house we just replace the damaged bricks with new ones."

Mary shook her head and said, "I've heard of this but had never seen it before. Thank you for your time." She shook the man's hand, turned to leave and ran right into Wildfall, standing there with his mouth agape.

"Great, there's two of you now," Wildfall said, never one for startled silence. "Wait, no. Let me guess. Either Koumori's bat-teleport split you up into two or I'm being punished. Wait, is there another me somewhere?!"

Mary burst into laughter and said, "You better close your mouth before you catch some flies." Holding her sides to keep from doubling over, she gathered herself enough to say, "Diana, this is my man, Wildfall. He's one of the people I've been looking for. We got separated when we were teleported to this place. Wildfall, This is my new friend, Diana Lynn."

In spite of his confusion, Wildfall flashed her a smile. "Hello Diana Lynn. Hope my gal wasn't too much of a handful for ya."

Diana smiled with delight and said, "No not at all. I do have to say we were both shocked when we met, but the looks we've been getting are priceless and so much fun."

Wildfall smirked. "This should be a lot easier with three of us then."

Mary looked quizzically at Wildfall and asked, "What do you mean three of us? What have you been drinking that you see three of us? There are only two that I see."

"I'm counting myself," Wildfall answered. "I just saw Koumori, but he was flying away. I know he was headed this way. Have you seen him?"

"No. I've been looking for him as well. Which way did he fly?" Mary asked looking around to see if she could spot him.

Wildfall looked puzzled as he pointed towards the town. "I thought this way. I saw him duck around a building, but that was it. If I got two Mary's helping me, he should be a breeze to find!"

"I guess that means we have to split up again and go search for him. Seems we are always spitting up anymore. Have been wondering if we are ever going to get back to normal again," Mary said with a sigh.

Wildfall nodded. "I know what ya mean. We could stick together then. I'm sure we could still cover more ground with the three of us. Or just you and me, MK. Ya know I only got eyes for you, anyway."

Mary giggled and said, "Was just wondering which of us you were looking at, Jarlsy." As Mary hugged Wildfall both girls broke into another fit of laughter and the three of them took off in search of Koumori.

---- By Wildfall & Mary ----

Even with the party goers, festively minded and curious adventurers flocking to this tiny village of Las MexiCaliVada, the mornings tended to be about as quiet and uneventful as one might expect from a little town. By midafternoon, signs of life have started to show, however. By early evening, things were usually in full force and the town was rocking until the early AM, especially tonight as it was the first night without rain in a few days. It had rained so hard that the spiders, snakes and scorpions had taken cover from the wet sand and mud and now they too were coming out to enjoy the break in the weather.

So things were bouncing at Uncle Crimbo's bar of choice as he arrived with a half dozen tough looking Crimbo elves in tow. Well, as tough as a Crimbo elf can look, being four and a half feet or shorter on average and genetically designed to look adorable and non threatening.

Uncle Crimbo muttered to himself, yelling for the elves to brush the dirt and mud off of his outfit. "Thosch twinsh made me dropsh my best bottle. hic Who ashked them to come around? Hic. Had'ta comsh to the bar to getsh me bottle."

"But you already had a bottle to replace it!" A scrawny Crimbo elf with a high pitched voice responded. "Then a second and a third!"

Uncle Crimbo staggered, swung his arm out to hit the elf and yelled, "Ifsh I wantsh a bottle I'll gets another bottle." Holding on to a couple elves, he staggered and plopped into the nearest chair almost tipping the chair over.

"Wow," one elf noted in surprise. "It's really busy in here."

A few people glared at Uncle Crimbo, who had bumped into them in the way in, but they shrugged and went about their business. One of those people was Sherri, one half of the other-wordly martial arts duo known as Blackeagle, who tended to not take kindly to drunks bumping into her. She shrugged it off though. It was a bar, after all, and she wasn't on duty nor was it even the bar she and John worked part time at.

She made her way back to the pool table where she and John were hustling the local players, a rare treat for the duo who always seemed to be busy with one mission or another, even in this strange new world.

A handful of people were idly watching the game, including Luna, the girl formerly known as Spaghettigirl, although don't try telling her that was her name until recently; she wouldn't believe you anyway.

Becky Joy was there too dancing to the sounds of an energetic pair, with one playing the flute and the other strumming a guitar. While the former Spaghettigirl argued with fellow bar patrons, Becky enjoyed although she noted they were neither as good as Sassy Snake on her flute nor Todd Blackpaws, the guitar master.

Becky's attention, though, was on the pool game going on in front of her, where John had been stringing along a couple of B-grade hustlers who thought they were hot stuff about to make a few lucre off of a stranger in town.

Of course, John had no problem playing the role of "rube" at first while Sherri pretended to try to half-heartedly warn him off. The two didn't even need to use their ability to think-talk to each other in their heads. John also let himself barely win a few rounds in order to sell the illusion to the hustlers that they were hustling him, which confused Becky.

But now she was starting to figure it out as John stopped playing the role of rube and started playing the role of master teacher as John started banking shots off a crazy amount of sides with practiced ease, making even the most impossible of shots look easy.

John laughed. "Just call me Minnesota Slim."

"Wow, mister," a muscular opponent of John's called out, quietly busting a beer mug in his bear sized hand. Guy was covered head to toe in a brown overcoat and a hat and scarf that covered most of his face in shadow, showing only two comically big eyes with slits for pupils. "You sure are good at this."

John smiled, satisfied with his performance so far. "I guess I picked up the game pretty quickly from you guys. Thanks."

"A little too well," a more weasley looking would-be trainer called out. This one had on a purple and white cap with a symbol John didn't recognize, although he'd seen it here and there throughout the town.

Meanwhile, Luna had gotten tired of her conversation with annoying idiots leering at her and moved over to talk to Becky, who was humming a tune about her best friend and a world in need of their defense.

Becky whispered to Luna, "John's really starting to put on a show now, heehee."

"Really?" Luna sounded surprised. "He wasn't doing too well earlier."

"Oh, that's just a game," Becky answered. She giggled as she thought about that. "I guess he's playing a game with a game, but they're some tricky shysters and he is out-tricking them, so that's a game. But it isn't my favorite games or even one of them."

"Yeah, I know you like games," Luna answered. She and Becky had trained together not far from this small town for a few years together where Becky had also grown up. "What ones are your favorites these days?"

"Ohhh, coolies question!" Becky giggled, 'cause she loved thinkin' about games. "Oh all kinds, like coloring and jumping hoops and oh I like to hang with my friends, but those aren't games, sorry!"

Luna giggled. "It's okay, Becky, as long as it's your honest answer."

"Well, I just like games!" Becky answered with a smile.

A couple of hombres- the same ones Luna had just gotten tired of - staggered up to the two.

"Hey, moon babe," the first one said, "why don't you forget about this goofy little friend of yours and come play some grown up games with me, chica?"

"I don't think so," Luna said, trying to slip away from him. "And don't call me 'moon babe.' My name is Luna."

Meanwhile, the other laughed outwardly at Becky. "Why're you talking about coloring and games, girl? You're too old for that, what's wrong with you? You don't deserve to hang around a real babe like my girl Lunie here!"

That upset Becky. "Don't call her that, it's not her name!"

The thug laughed it off. "Ohh, but it's my new pet name for her, idiot-girl. That can be your name, idiot-girl."

Meanwhile, as Becky got upset over that, John was focused on the game. "Just one more shot and you'll be giving that cash up to me, guys, if I can make this impossible shot. Hey, since it is such an impossible shot, maybe we should make it interesting and triple the wager. What do you say, boys?"

One of the thugs flashed an angry look to a few others, who just nodded and stepped back. "Sure, anything you want, hombre."

"Deal." John lined the shot up, whispering to himself, "Easy money."

But as soon as he took the shot, someone reached in and pushed the cue, causing the shot to miss wildly.

"Hey!" John yelled, turning around to see a local thug almost twice his size. "What was that for?"

"Oops," the bear of a man answered, laughing. "Sorry, little man. Looks like you had a little accident. Guess you lose the bet then, huh? Sucks to be you. Better pay up, pal."

"You two cheated!" John replied. He knew this would be trouble but didn't want to back down from a fight. But before he could respond, Sherri stepped, think-talking at him to get his attention. Forget them for now. I think our friend Becky and her friend might be in trouble.

Okay, John said, turning to her with a nod. He started to walk off but the big bear of a man put a paw, er, a hand on John's shoulder and spun him around.

"Good idea trying to hide behind your girl," the bear of a man said. "But first, you gotta pay up."

John yanked free of the man's grip easily. "If anything, your friend should be paying me for cheating, but I haven't got time for this, so I'll let you off easy this time."

That got a laugh from the bear-sized man and his thug friends. "Well, aren't you feisty? Maybe I'll just take your little missy as my reward."

With that, he grabbed Sherri by the hair and pulled her towards him. John spun around just in time to see her drop down and sweep his legs from under him, sending him crashing back into the others. Sherri turned to him and said, "I'll handle your 'new friends,' dear. You just take care of those thugs bugging Becky and her friend, okay?"

John smirked. "Sure, take the good jobs. I won't be long."

John rushed over right as one of the thugs grabbed Becky by the arm- and then paused momentarily as she reared her fist back and struck him dead center in the nose, sending him staggering backwards.

"Guess she can take care of herself," John noted. Just then, a silver haired orc in a red and white wife-beater shirt slammed a pool stick as hard as he could across John's back with enough force to leave most fully grown men unconscious.

A few seconds later, Sebastian Dash walked by the bar on his way to meet the Morlencir space elves, Aleena and Jen. Dash caught a flash of movement out of the edge of his eyes and ducked back just in time to avoid a silver haired orc in a red and white shirt flying through a window and landing at Dash's feet.

Dash looked into the bar as Jen and Aleena walked up, seeing a brawl inside.

"Think we should try to stop it?" Dash asked half heartedly.

"What?" Aleena asked, dismissing it outright. "A barroom brawl? Let them have their fun, Sebastian."

Jen flashed a teasing smile. "Yeah, we're here for business, although a bar fight does sound like it might be fun about now."

"Another time, maybe," Aleena answered. "We're here to gather information on what Uncle Crimbo is up to."

"Well," Dash reasoned. "Maybe we should look into the bar fight then. Could be a good way to get the dirt on Crimbo, if there is any."

Aleena laughed. "Are you sure you two don't just want to get in a fight?"

"Maybe," Dash said, indicating for the two to look into the bar, where Uncle Crimbo was wandering around and inciting more fighting. "Might be a good fight to get into."

---- By Wildfall & Mary ----

Koumori watched from high up and at a distance as Mary, Wildfall and the new girl wandered around the area. He wondered if they were looking for him. He was shocked to see two Mary's but when he focused on them he could definitely see his Mary. Still the resemblance was uncanny even for him. He watched with intense trepidation and the feeling was growing that something was wrong. Mary's group was moving closer to a group that appeared to him as part of the group that he had seen in the force field. He felt the urge to get closer and check out the new group but he knew he had to do stealthily to prevent being seen.

With all the stealth he could muster, Koumori flew closer to the new group and immediately recognized who he thought was Boss Bat, Ratsworth and Snow White. They were moving rapidly closer to Mary's tiny group. He quickly equipped his wingtip blades and knew somehow he had to warn Mary of the danger.

By Mary Kate

It's a nice little set-up piece. It's always a little harder to write comments on Finale pieces because they're longer, have a lot more people and there's no voter comments to reference, hehe.

The "prelude" title fits pretty well here; we dig into the action but the main group- the Sinister Six- are only seen briefly, with the stories just setting up those confrontations to take place in the main story. And there is a lot of action in the main Finale section as well, even though it's only a tiny bit larger than this section.

I'm proud of this Prelude, I like how it mixes the stories together without bringing everyone together, which is a storytelling convention plenty of Finales have relied on already in the past. Check it out next!