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Author Topic: Venus crawls out from under her rock  (Read 40148 times)
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Shiny

Professor
*
« Reply #200 on: 07-24-2005 12:50 »
« Last Edit on: 07-24-2005 12:50 »

You're not listening, Venus dear.  "Freehanding" is NOT the part of art that makes it "Art."  That's just a motor skill.  You have motor skills, even if you can't type or drive stick - you can tie your shoes or write longhand, right?  (Though part of me wonders if you can't type, what do you do when you post - bang the keys with your forehead?     :p )

You picked the picture elements you wanted - the garden, Leela in that pose, Fry kissing her with his hands just so, and yes, the jacket as well - and combined them in a certain way.  The result IS art - collage art by computer - and so you are an artist.

Got it?  You're an Artist.  I have spoken.  Now stop running your talent down or I'll slap you upside the head!   


~~~~~

Whoo, TOTPD!  See?  It's an omen; you HAVE to listen to me now!     :evillaugh:
Shippy Mandy

Bending Unit
***
« Reply #201 on: 07-24-2005 16:12 »

And I can freehand, but I can't combine pictures to save my life! So yes, you are an artist. YOU ARE AN ARTIST, DARNIT!
Ralph Snart

Agent Provocateur
Near Death Star Inhabitant
DOOP Secretary
*
« Reply #202 on: 07-25-2005 11:36 »

* Ahem * The new kid on the block here...

Having never watched Futurama while it was on FOX (due to my crazy work hours), I finally saw my first 2 eps this May - and was immediately hooked!  I have the DVD sets, have found 'Futurama Madhouse' and now have found PEEL.  I'm in HEAVEN!  Futurama fans like myself; fan art, fan fiction, discussion groups!  I love it.

Now that my introduction is made, let me state that 'The Sting' was the first Futurama ep that I ever saw, and if somebody can watch it and not tear up at the end, then they have no heart.  Easy to say, 'The Sting' is my favortite ep of all time.

Now to the pandering - Venus, PLEASE don't stop writing!  You have a talent that I can only be envious of, and you have so beautifully made a story from a part of my favorite episode. 

I will be around a lot, so let me lurk and get the feel for the place, but I can say that maybe Mr. Groening should be giving you a call to help with the script for the Futurama movie that is supposed to be in the works.
Ralph Snart

Agent Provocateur
Near Death Star Inhabitant
DOOP Secretary
*
« Reply #203 on: 07-25-2005 12:00 »

 
Quote
Originally posted by Spacedal11:

  I like that. And I'm assuming that Leela didn't know her parents when she decided to have Fry be the one to make the decision for her. That's a sweet notion of her.

There's an easy answer there:  Leela's parents are mutants and are not allowed on the surface.  It would stand that mutants don't have the same rights and privileges as 'top dwellers', so Leela's parents may not have qualified to have power of attorney.

Despite the fact that Fry grates on Leela's nerves on a daily basis, she knows his heart is good and that he would never, ever hurt her and he could be trusted to make decisons for her that would be in her best interest.  In her heart, she knows that he saved her from the hell of working a job that she hated, and because of him she had adventures that she had never dreamed of.  Lastly, Fry is the ONLY person that never let her one eye sway his opinion of her - he truely likes her for her, so it's natural that she would pick him to be her power of attorney.

Nerd-o-rama

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #204 on: 07-25-2005 12:11 »
« Last Edit on: 07-25-2005 12:11 »

Hey, Ralph, welcome to PEEL.  I'll just pop in to tell we we frown on double posting here.  This and various other rules and idiosyncracies can be found in detail here.

And I must congratulate you on your taste and luck (tongue luck?) regarding The Sting.  It's my favorite episode as well.

Oh, and great job Venus.  I'll get around to writing a full review thingy later, but I just wanted you to know your work so far is great, including that wallpaper.
Venus

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #205 on: 07-25-2005 20:37 »

You're right Ralph. As mutants they don't qualify for power of attorney.
Ralph Snart

Agent Provocateur
Near Death Star Inhabitant
DOOP Secretary
*
« Reply #206 on: 07-26-2005 15:40 »

 
Quote
Originally posted by Venus:
You're right Ralph. As mutants they don't qualify for power of attorney.

Ah, the good old human race.  Even in the 30th century, we still have prejudice and discrimination.

BTW, I've tried my hand at writing, but I know that my story and style will pale in comparison to your style.  I just posted it under my name.

So when do we get the next installment?

Venus

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #207 on: 07-26-2005 15:49 »

Next installment? Oh...um, Look over there! *runs*
Cap´n Skusting

Liquid Emperor
**
« Reply #208 on: 07-27-2005 22:54 »

Venus - listen to Shiny.
Stop selling yourself short.
Artists do what they have to do...
to do what they have to do.
Do you think Warhol wasn't an artist?
Or Lichtenstein? Or Pollock?
I've been doing goofball things with a Slurm can, a plastic owl, a camera, and a bit of Photoshopping, and it's art, baby!
Venus

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #209 on: 07-28-2005 00:08 »

Bam!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Taco Bellevue Hospital, hallway outside of room 413
1:34 pm
Day 7


Unsure of where the phones were located Fry stopped at the nurse’s station to ask for directions. This prompted several double takes and surprised gasps by the nurses who had never before seen him outside of Leela’s room. One even went so far as to double check her computer display to make sure Leela hadn’t suddenly died unnoticed thereby forcing Fry to leave her side searching for help. Once it was all straightened out he was given his directions and sent on his way. The private phone rooms were on the other side of the building, but thankfully still on the same floor. Fry didn’t want to stray to far from Leela’s side. He located an empty room and stepped inside. It was a small room, about the size of a walk-in closet with a large video screen on the far wall. He was careful to make sure he hit the door lock immediately. It wouldn’t do for someone to accidentally walk in on him and discover him talking to mutants. Blowing Leela’s cover wasn’t an option. After he was satisfied that the room was secure he pulled the little slip of paper Amy had handed him out of his pocket and dialed the number.

The phone rang for several long seconds before the screen clicked on and the cautious face of Munda could be seen. When she recognized who her caller was she paled. 

“Philip. Is it good news or bad?”

“Kinda both.”

Munda wrung her tentacles together anxiously. “What does that mean?”

Fry considered for a moment how to explain it. “The doctor’s want to do something to her, but they won’t do it if we don’t want them to.”

“What do they want to do?” Morris asked as he walked into frame behind his wife.

Fry explained the situation as it had been explained to him. By the end of it Morris was staring at the floor with slumped shoulders and Munda was in tears.

“Everyone thinks it would be the right thing to give the decision to you. You know, since you’re her parents and all.”

“How can we make that kind of decision without even being able to see her?!” Munda wailed hysterically.

“Are they sure it’s what she wants?” Morris asked pleadingly. “Maybe the reason she never filled out the paperwork is because she changed her mind?”

Fry shrugged. “They don’t know what to think. That’s why they’re letting us decide.”

“Don’t let them do it!” Munda stated firmly.

“We’re gonna need a few days to decide.” Morris said softly.

Both Fry and Munda gasped at him in disbelief. “You’re not actually considering this are you?!” Munda demanded.

“We have to consider it. We’re the ones being asked to choose.” He answered simply.

“You want to pull her support?” Fry asked weakly.

No.” Morris said firmly. “I don’t. I want to keep her alive as long as possible. The easy thing to do would be to keep her alive. But we have to think about what Leela wants. It’s her life we’re being asked to play God with. We have to make the decision for her. Not for us.”

Munda buried her face in her tentacles and moaned. Morris wrapped his arm around her.

“We’re gonna need some more time.” He said quietly before the screen went black.

Severely shaken Fry leaned heavily against the wall. He hadn’t expected that conversation to go like it had. He had expected them to be as dead set against pulling her support as he was but now he wasn’t sure what to think. As he walked silently back towards Leela’s room he couldn’t stop himself from imagining what watching her die would be like. Thankfully he was standing right next to the public restroom when the mental image of her cold dead body flashed across his mind. He barely made it to the toilet before the heaves started. Since he hadn’t really eaten for a while there wasn’t anything for him to actually throw up, but the message his body was sending him was clear enough.

After taking a few moments to regain his composure and splash some water on his face he continued on his way to Leela’s room. At the sound of the door opening Amy turned around to greet him. The look on his face told her everything she needed to know.

“Didn’t go well?” She asked warily. She stood, allowing Fry to slump dejectedly back into the chair that had become almost like a second home to him.

“I don’t know.” He moaned. “I was so sure they’d be against it, but they don’t know what they want to do. They said they needed time.”

Amy patted him gently on the shoulder. “I’m sure whatever decision they make will be the right one. They only want what’s best for her. Same as you.”

“Yeah. I know. I just hope it’s a decision I can live with.”


Residence of Turanga Morris & Munda
7:42 pm
Day 7


Running almost on auto-pilot, Munda tossed clothes from her laundry basket into the washing machine. Her mind was going a mile a minute. Even though it had been roughly six hours since she had received Fry’s call she hadn’t been able to think about anything else. Her heart was steadfastly telling her not to let Leela go, but Morris had been right when he said they shouldn’t make this decision for their own benefit. She knew what she wanted to do, but not what she should do. And it was tearing her apart. The last decision she had been forced to make that had been this gut-wrenching had been the decision to abandon Leela all those years ago. But at least back then they had let her go with the knowledge that she was living her life and carrying on. That wasn’t a consolation they would have this time around. This was final. Live or Die, it was all in her hands. Morris seemed to be leaning more towards pulling Leela’s support but knowing that Munda might not be ready for something like that he had given final say to her. She knew he would defer to whatever she wanted to do.

Munda snagged the last garment from the bottom of her basket, pulled it out, and suddenly froze. It was a simple green baby-doll style t-shirt with the words ‘Not before I’ve had my coffee’ embroidered across the chest in silver script. It was Leela’s. She had worn it when she had spent the weekend with them a few weeks ago and had evidently forgotten to retrieve it. Munda’s eye filled with tears as she stared at it. It was quite possible Leela would never have the opportunity to wear this shirt again. She allowed her arms to drop limply to her sides as she barked out a tortured sob. Distracted as she was she offered no resistance when the shirt was suddenly ripped from her grasp. Startled, she looked down just in time to see Nibbler bound out of the laundry room with his owner’s shirt held tightly in his teeth.

Wiping the tears from her face she started down the hallway after him. “Nibbler bring that back.” He growled at her once before disappearing into the living room. “Nibbler I mean it. I’m not in the mood for this right now.” When she stepped into the living room she found him curled up in his pet bed, hunched protectively over the shirt. He eyed her warily and chattered seriously at her. Her heart melted as she stared at him.

“I suppose it wouldn‘t hurt anything to let you keep that for a while.”

She went over and sat down beside him, her back up against the wall. “After all, you’ve been a part of her life a lot longer than I have.” She muttered darkly.

Nibbler chattered in a comforting sort of way and licked Munda’s tentacle. She returned the favor by scratching under his chin. He purred softly.

“You’re a real sweetie, aren’t you?”

Nibbler blinked at her.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” She continued. “But if things go badly, you will always have a home. You’re a part of her family, which makes you a part of mine.”


Taco Bellevue Hospital, room 413
10:18 pm
Day 7


“Come on. Squeeze my hand. I know you’re still in there, just give me a sign that you can hear me. Please Leela, let me know you’re there.”

Fry stared hard at her, trying to get her to respond to him through sheer force of will. He’d been at it for over an hour to no avail. He knew it was a desperate act but he had nothing to lose. If he could just get her to show some sign that she was still in there then there would be no way they could remove her respirator. But she had given him nothing, her hand resting limply in his.

Frustrated he raised his voice at her. “Damn it Leela, please! Do you understand what they wanna do to you?! They’re wrong! You gotta show them that!”

“Fry stop. Don’t do this to yourself.”

Startled, he whirled around. “Amy? I thought you went home.”

Amy adjusted the purse strap that had been threatening to fall off of her shoulder.
“I did, but now I’m back.”

Fry looked cautious. “Why? Do you have some other horrible news to give me?”

She shook her head. “Nope, no news, I’m here cause I wanna be.”

Fry relaxed. “Oh, okay. Pull up a chair then.”

“Nope. I’m taking yours.”

Fry blinked at her, confused. “Wha?”

“I’m kicking you out.”

Fry’s eyes widened. “Excuse me?!”

“For the next hour you are banned from this room.”

His eyes narrowed dangerously. “You can’t do that.”

“You’re right, I can’t. But this was Dr. Marsters’ idea and he can do that.”

“He’s been trying to make me leave all week and they haven’t gotten me out yet!”

“That was just the interns and stuff. He never actually minded you being in here.”

“Well if he never minded before, why start now?!”

Amy’s tone turned kind. “Cause he knows what this is doing to you. You weren’t doing so good to begin with and now with this life support thing, you’re seriously gonna make yourself sick.”

Fry sulked angrily.

“Fry, listen. He’s not making you leave for good. Just for one hour. That’s long enough to go down to the cafeteriam and actually eat a full meal, walk around and stretch your legs a bit, and maybe walk around the gift shop for a while, they have some neat stuff in there. And then you can come back. It’s no big deal. It’s just one hour.”

“One hour of her life I’ll never get back.”

Amy sighed. “Fry look at her, you really wouldn’t be missing much.”

Fry growled.

“Okay look, I’m gonna stay right here with her.” She rifled through her purse a moment and handed a small object to Fry, which he accepted warily. “Here, I’ll give you my pager, and I’ve got my cellphone with me, so if she so much as twitches you’ll be the first to know.”

Still sulking Fry stood up. “You had better stay with her the whole time.”

“I have no intention of leaving that chair until you come back.”

Grumbling to himself Fry stalked past her towards the door. But he hesitated in the open doorway and shot what appeared to Amy to be a guilty look in Leela’s direction.

“I promise she will still be here when you get back.” Amy reassured.

Fry looked torn. “She doesn’t get a break, why should I get one?”

“She’s sleeping. She’s getting way more rest then you have been.” Amy said and then pointed to the IV bag. “And she’s been eating better too. You‘ve probably lost twice the weight she has in the same amount of time.”

Fry couldn’t find an argument for this, so with one final glance at Leela he turned and forlornly walked away.

The cafeteriam was located one floor down so Fry had to search for the elevators. He could have simply asked the nurses for directions as he did for the phones, but he wasn’t in the mood to interact with people. So he found a map hung up on the wall, oriented himself based on the little red dot, and headed off in the proper direction. While walking down one of the south corridors, he spotted Dr. Marsters coming up from the other way. He shot the doctor a scathing look as he neared. The doctor grinned at him.

“I take it I’ve made your list?”

Fry didn’t answer but his glare darkened.

“Believe it or not, I understand how you feel.”  Fry raised an eyebrow. “If it were my Katey in there….” Dr. Marsters shook his head. “I know you don’t like leaving her side. And I really don’t mind you staying with her even though it is technically against hospital policy. But seeing as I am a doctor, and my job is to take care of people, I did what I took an oath to do. This is in your best interest. And an hour from now this will be nothing more than a bad memory. But I guarantee it, your body will be thanking you later. Provided you use this time to gather yourself together.”

Fry’s earlier sulk returned, but with an edge of defeat.

“Now go get something to eat. Looks like you could really use it. If not for yourself, do it for her. Personally, I’d recommend the chicken.” With those parting words the doctor was off.   

Shoving his hands deep into his pockets Fry continued towards the elevators. He was thankful to be the only person in the car. He just wanted to be alone. Upon exiting he quickly found a map and headed off. Unfortunately, to get to the cafeteriam he had to walk directly through one of the waiting rooms. He made it halfway through when he heard a sharp gasp followed by a strangled sob. Unable to help himself he stopped walking and turned around. The sound had come from a young woman. She was being supported by an older man Fry assumed was her father while a sad looking doctor spoke softly to them. Fry watched silently as the doctor patted the woman on the shoulder and walked away, leaving the family alone to their grief. Watching them Fry couldn’t help but see his own future. Feeling sick he turned away and walked on.

Fry slung himself down in an empty chair as far away from everyone as he could get. He had followed Dr. Marsters’ and Amy’s advice and had loaded his tray to capacity. He wasn’t actually all that hungry, but if stuffing himself meant he would be allowed to resume his vigil unchallenged than he would do it. He glanced at his watch and groaned when he saw he still had another forty-five minutes before his ban would be lifted. He forced himself to begin eating. He tried to do it slowly, to kill as much time as possible. But as he ate he couldn’t prevent his mind from wandering. Wandering into places he didn’t want it to go. Like if her life support was pulled, who would be in charge of planning her funeral? If her parents wanted her buried on the surface, which he assumed they did, then they wouldn’t be able to make any of the arrangements. Would it be up to him? Would he be the one expected to choose her casket? Would he be asked to pick her pallbearers? The outfit she’d be buried in? The song they would play? He dropped his fork on his tray and placed his head in his hands. Guilt filled him. If only. If only he’d been faster, stronger, smarter, anything but what he was, than maybe this wouldn’t have had to happen. Tears welled up but he pressed his palms against his eyes to force them back. He rubbed his face roughly and looked down at his tray. He was mostly done. There wasn’t much left aside from a dinner roll. Deciding he had eaten enough to satisfy Amy and Dr. Marsters Fry emptied his tray and left it in the designated area. Glancing at his watch he saw he still had a good twenty minutes to go. Maybe he would go down to the gift shop. Maybe he could get Leela some nice flowers. Stargazer Lilies were her favorite, but she wasn’t aware that he knew that. It would be a nice surprise.

He was in and out of the store in five minutes. Forty dollars poorer but with a very lovely bouquet. He was fairly pleased with himself. His timing couldn’t have been better. This had been the very last bouquet with Stargazer Lilies in the whole hospital and he had managed to get to them before anyone else. It seemed to be the only thing he had managed to do right for her.

“Leela’s gonna love you.” He muttered happily to the flowers. “If she ever sees you. If you don’t outlive her.” And just like that the tears were back. “Damn it.” He was sick of crying all the time. He had never cried this much in his whole life. Not even when Susan Dirkins had kicked him in the crotch with her soccer cleat in the fifth grade. Back then he had thought nothing in the whole universe could hurt as badly. Boy was he ever wrong.

Continuing back towards the elevators he noticed he was by the hospital’s amalgamated chapel. A quick glance at his watch told him he had fifteen minutes to spare. Not really having many other options and figuring it couldn’t hurt he cautiously stepped inside. The room was dark and empty but at the far end was a large table with candles, many of which were lit. Fry had never been religious, and to his knowledge, neither had Leela but he approached the altar just the same. When he got closer he could see that many of the lit candles had pictures of people beside them. A small card left at the head of the table informed him of his right to light a candle for an injured loved one. So he did. He reached in his wallet for a picture to put by her candle. It was one of his favorites. It showed the two of them together on the Planet Express Ship sitting beside each other on the observation couch at the front of the cockpit. She was asleep with her head resting on his shoulder and he was gazing at her lovingly. Bender had taken the picture intending to use it as blackmail not realizing that this was exactly the type of picture Fry wouldn’t mind showing off. Since it was useless to him Bender had handed it over (for a small fee) and it had had a home in Fry’s wallet ever since. Fry gazed longingly at it for a long moment. It had felt wonderful to have Leela allow him so close. True she had fallen asleep from exhaustion after an especially trying mission and had had no idea her head had dropped onto his shoulder like that, but it had still been a wonderful moment. Made even more wonderful by the soft embarrassed smile she had gifted him with when she had awoken. He had expected that her guard would immediately come up when she realized how vulnerable she had allowed herself to seem, but she had surprised him by seeming almost pleased by the intimacy of the moment. There was no way he could part with this picture. He reverently placed it back into his wallet. Besides, he figured, it wasn’t as if God would need a picture to identify her candle, right? Speaking of which…

“Umm…hi, it’s me, uh Fry.” He felt really stupid talking aloud to himself like this. But he was desperate and willing to do whatever it took. “I know I’ve never really talked to you before. And I know I don’t really deserve a favor, but I gotta ask anyway.”

He looked down at his picture, at Leela’s sleeping face. The candle light reflecting from the glossy surface giving her a golden almost angel like cast. “Please don’t take her.” He whispered softly. When he looked up again there were fresh tear tracks down his face.

“Don’t take her from me, please.” His voice broke. “She doesn’t deserve this.” He was openly sobbing now. “Please, if you gotta take someone, take me. I’ll change places with her in a heartbeat.”

His legs gave out from under him and he sank heavily to all fours. “Please, please let her live. Let her wake up. Please.” He struggled for breath in-between desperate, wracking sobs. The breakdown that had been building up within him for the past week finally breaking free. He didn’t know how long he cried there, but as soon as he felt he could stand he did. With a shaking hand he wiped his face. Then he placed his wallet back into his pocket, but not before he glanced one more time at the picture he loved so much. He picked up Leela’s flowers and gave them a quick once over to make sure he hadn’t damaged them. Luckily, other than a slightly mussed up sprig of Baby’s Breath the flowers were unharmed.

“See the thing is,” Amy stated as she turned a page in her fashion magazine. “You’re a winter, not a summer. I’m sorry but yellow just isn’t your color. With your complexion and hair color you just can’t do that. You can wear it as an accent, but not as the primary color of your outfit. Your hair is purple, your eye is green, you need to wear colors that compliment that. And if you’d just let me do something with your hair I bet you would get asked out more.”

At the sound of the door opening she glanced at her wrist unit. “You’re five minutes early.”

“Please, I ate, I walked, I went to the gift shop, I did everything you told me to do!”

At the broken sound of his voice she looked up in surprise. He looked horrible. If anything he looked worse than he did when he left. He was pale and shaking and looked positively exhausted. Amy shut her magazine. “I wasn’t gonna kick you out or anything, I was just saying.”

Fry walked to the end of Leela’s bed and gently sat her flowers on the end table.

“A-are you okay?” Amy asked, concerned.

Fry was silent for several seconds. “Has her condition changed any?”

“No.”

“Then no I’m not okay.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You guys are gonna be so sick of angst by the time i'm done.
Shiny

Professor
*
« Reply #210 on: 07-28-2005 00:50 »

Never, babe.   ;)

I cried.  It's wonderful. 

Good night for now,
Shiny
Shippy Mandy

Bending Unit
***
« Reply #211 on: 07-28-2005 05:55 »

Well, I just read the most recent installment. It's about 2:50 in the morning here on the west coast, and I'm already up here typing a review for this chapter.

I love it, of course. Lots of angst, but since when is that a bad thing? (Especially considering that I haven't had a good helping of it for a few days.)

I do have one question, though. Why do you keep putting an "m" at the end of "cafeteria"? I can tell that it's not a typo or anything. I'm assuming that it's a joke or something, but I don't get it.
Gorky

DOOP Secretary
*
« Reply #212 on: 07-28-2005 08:07 »

Between you and Layla, I believe I may die of angst poisoning. Which is probably one of the more pleasant ways to die, seeing as how I love the angst, and enough of it to kill me would probably fill me with an inexpressible amount of happiness. You know, before the actual death part kicked in.

Okay, just so we're clear on what I just said, it was really this sort of bad attempt at a compliment. If you didn't think it was much of a compliment, then please take this as compensation...

I love this story. I love this story. I love this story. I love this story. I love this story. I love this story!

Er, anyway, onto the review...

I absolutely love how well you're writing Fry's angst. He's ineffably sad, yet determinied, with just a tinge of self-pity thrown in there for flavor (and, even though I'm never a big fan of self-pitying Fry, I think he has to feel at least a little sorry for himself in this case). I felt so bad for him, especially when he dropped to his hands and knees and prayed like that. I'm not all that religious either, but I think that there's something to be said for the power of prayer...or at least of positive thinking. And I thought that that moment also captured some of Fry's vulnerability, which just added to the whole, "Damn...I feel so bad for that guy"...thingy.

As for Morris and Munda, I like how you've confronted them with this impossible decision, and then had them both feel differently about it. I mean, it's obvious that they both love their daughter equally, and yet they're both on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to Leela and her situation. And, the funny thing is, I sort of agree with both of them. Kudos on making me actually think.

It amazes me that I can get so involved in a story like this, even though I know what the eventual outcome will be (at least when it comes to Leela and her situation), and yet really invest in the characters and stuff. Fantastic job, Venus.
JBERGES

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #213 on: 07-28-2005 09:07 »

Venus:  ...Eventually, but not yet.  You'll be bustin' out the comic relief soon, right?  ;)

Good writing through and through.  The lady before me summed things up pretty well, so I'll just add this: Leela is definitely a winter.
Venus

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #214 on: 07-28-2005 10:19 »

 
Quote
Originally posted by Shippy Mandy:
I do have one question, though. Why do you keep putting an "m" at the end of "cafeteria"? I can tell that it's not a typo or anything. I'm assuming that it's a joke or something, but I don't get it.

Just consider it a lame attempt at futurizing. If an Orphanage can become an Orphanarium i figured a cafeteria can become a cafeteriam

 
Quote
Originally posted by JBERGES:
Venus:  ...Eventually, but not yet.  You'll be bustin' out the comic relief soon, right?   ;)



I include it whenever i can think of anything appropriate. At least part of the next update is a little more lighthearted.


 
Quote
Originally posted by Gorky:
I'm not all that religious either, but I think that there's something to be said for the power of prayer...or at least of positive thinking.


I don't actually believe in the power of prayer at all. To me it's just talking to yourself while pretending someones listening. Fry was just desperate and begging a God he may or may not believe in because he felt he had no other options.
Gorky

DOOP Secretary
*
« Reply #215 on: 07-28-2005 10:29 »

I think I've only ever prayed (actually, it was more like bargaining with some greater being...whoever that is) of my own free will twice in my life. The rest of the time I was forced to, on account of the stupid Catholic faith. If I'm anything at the moment, it sure isn't Catholic. I'm pretty much Agnostic, I guess. That lingering feeling I have that prayer (or, like I said, what is probably just positive thinking) serves some purpose probably comes from my early upbringing, or the fact that I'm just plain old stupid. You can choose...it's your thread, after all.
Layla50

Bending Unit
***
« Reply #216 on: 07-28-2005 11:25 »

(steels self for barrage of tomatoes)

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that I believe in prayer and God and the Bible and the whole deal. (Thump, thump.) That said, I agree with Venus that any kinda prayer coming out of Fry would a desperation thing.

I was lucky to be able to read the prayer scene before so this brings back all kinds of lovely memories. I can't remember if you posted this or emailed it to me Venus, but it's every bit as tearjerking as I remember. Sob! I'm so depressed.

(Incidentally, I don't want to lose poor Gorky as the angst of that would surely poison me, so we'd better give out some anti-angst medicine, which I suppose would be Dr. Bergey's job.)

As was mentioned, I like the contrast in Morris and Munda's reactions. I thought the nurses shock at seeing Fry out and about was very effective. I'm feeling all mushy and angsty right now.
I'm really impressed at how strong a character you've made Morris. It would take nerves of steel and a whole lot of love and respect to even consider letting Leela go if that was what she wanted.
Have I mentioned I'm depressed?  ;)

The vomiting scene was very powerful, if icky. :)

Once again I adored your Nibbler writing. It makes me  puzzle over his motivations.
Subtle writing.

It's nice to see Fry get out of that room, however reluctantly. I'm enjoying the character of Dr. Marsters. He's a very likable and sympathetic guy.

Fry's passing the grieving family hit me like a ton of bricks. What an absolute pity. Great writing there.

I loved the detail of the lilies and Leela not knowing he knows she liked them.

The last lines are just brilliant. I'm gonna go be depressed for a while now. Maybe listen to Morrissey...
Ol´coot

Bending Unit
***
« Reply #217 on: 07-28-2005 13:32 »

Wonderful update Venus! Excellent writing! Very moving - downright heart tugging!
SpaceCase

Liquid Emperor
**
« Reply #218 on: 07-28-2005 13:39 »

 
Quote
Originally posted by Venus:
You guys are gonna be so sick of angst by the time i'm done.

BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!

I have it on excellent authority that I thrive on shippy, angsty, stuff!

 
Quote
Originally posted by Gorky:
...I believe I may die of angst poisoning.

I'll take her share!  :)

 
Quote
Originally posted by Layla50:
(steels self for barrage of tomatoes)

You won't get any tomatoes from me unless they're in a salad.  ;)

<Delighted laughter>

Oh, I'm Lovin' it!  :love:

Keep up the good work Venus.

Shippy Mandy

Bending Unit
***
« Reply #219 on: 07-28-2005 18:17 »
« Last Edit on: 07-28-2005 18:17 »

 
Quote
Originally posted by Venus:
Just consider it a lame attempt at futurizing. If an Orphanage can become an Orphanarium i figured a cafeteria can become a cafeteriam

OK. That answers my question.
Ralph Snart

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Near Death Star Inhabitant
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« Reply #220 on: 07-28-2005 20:29 »

Great story so far (and I have no reason to doubt the rest will fantastic).

I like the fact that you have the different characters seeing things differently.  Fry's single-minded thought that Leela is going to get better, her father bracing and expecting the worse are just a couple of examples.

You have successfully interwoven the different views of different people.  Great job.
Spacedal11

Space Pope
****
« Reply #221 on: 07-28-2005 21:50 »

 
Quote
“See the thing is,” Amy stated as she turned a page in her fashion magazine. “You’re a winter, not a summer. I’m sorry but yellow just isn’t your color. With your complexion and hair color you just can’t do that. You can wear it as an accent, but not as the primary color of your outfit. Your hair is purple, your eye is green, you need to wear colors that compliment that. And if you’d just let me do something with your hair I bet you would get asked out more.”

I actually like Leela in yellow. But I guess it wouldn't be great if her eye was the color green. But seeing as how I'm reading this as if it were an episode, her eye has no color.

Anyway, touching. I've been trying to read all of Layla's stuff so I figure I've only begun with my dose of angst poisoning. I'm wishing for Leela to wake up already, reading about Fry, Leela's parents, and everyone else be miserable is making me depressed. I loved that scene with Nibbler and the shirt. That was freakin sweet. I really feel bad for Munda, I think overall. I feel more pain and guilt coming from her then Fry. But Fry is making me feel bad too. I'm going to go into rehab after reading this story I'll be so sad.
NIC2001

Starship Captain
****
« Reply #222 on: 07-29-2005 14:46 »

That was great Venus.

The part with Nibbler was sad and cute in the same time and the part with Fry in the small chapel was really sad but really great.

Just can't wait to read the rest of it.

Bye for now.
THM

Bending Unit
***
« Reply #223 on: 08-01-2005 14:22 »

Well, I can't wait to see the next part - then again, I'm a beta-reader; I already have!  :)

Seriously though, this has been good stuff; needs more punctuation, but we can go over that in the final edit.

Now release more parts, you slacker!  :)
Venus

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #224 on: 08-01-2005 20:52 »

Uhh...this thread kinda is my final edit. After i make any changes suggested to me by other peelers i was just gonna send it off to TLZ. So any punctuation issues should be brought to my attention now.
SpaceCase

Liquid Emperor
**
« Reply #225 on: 08-04-2005 13:35 »
« Last Edit on: 11-15-2008 20:17 »

 
Quote
Originally posted by Venus:
Uhh...this thread kinda is my final edit. After i make any changes suggested to me by other peelers I was just gonna send it off to TLZ. So any punctuation issues should be brought to my attention now.

Final edit? Here? Now?
Oh criminey...  :eek:

I foresee a long e-mail to Venus in my immediate future...

Oh! Hi, Venus...  :o
<*Gulp*>
When did... you get here?

<*Grins foolishly*>

Heh, heh.

Where's a suicide booth when y'really need need one?
Venus

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #226 on: 08-04-2005 21:18 »

Well this isn't my final final edit. I'll make changes based on feedback i get from this thread but then i was gonna send it to TLZ i had no plans to send it back through my betas.
SpaceCase

Liquid Emperor
**
« Reply #227 on: 08-05-2005 00:00 »

 
Quote
Originally posted by Venus:
Well this isn't my final final edit. I'll make changes based on feedback i get from this thread but then i was gonna send it to TLZ i had no plans to send it back through my betas.

<*Phew*>

All of a sudden, I think I'm going to be very busy this weekend...

Oh, one other thing:

I'M STARSHIP CAPTAIN!

And I wanted that to happen in Venus' thread.

You many return to your regularly scheduled lives...
THM

Bending Unit
***
« Reply #228 on: 08-07-2005 12:21 »

Well, overall I'd say things were fine, but to my mind, it needs an edit concerned with punctuation; not that what you have is horrible, but I think that adding some commas here and there will give the final product some realy 'oomph'. But that's just me.  :)
Venus

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #229 on: 08-08-2005 01:12 »

I wouldn't doubt it, i'm horrible when it comes to figuring out where to put punctuation.
THM

Bending Unit
***
« Reply #230 on: 08-10-2005 13:34 »

Well, if you want to, you could send me a combined version of everything you have up 'till now, and I could go over it for that.
Ralph Snart

Agent Provocateur
Near Death Star Inhabitant
DOOP Secretary
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« Reply #231 on: 08-12-2005 01:30 »

 
Quote
Originally posted by Venus:
I wouldn't doubt it, i'm horrible when it comes to figuring out where to put punctuation.

Miss Venus, I don't see a thing wrong with your story.  Failing to allow it to be placed on TLZ would be robbing a large portion of Futurama Fans of a very well written story.

So what if there's a punctutation error here and there - you've got the guts to try; something that a lot of people don't have.

I have enjoyed every part of your story '16 Days' and I'm sure that I'll like the rest of the story.

That's my oxygen!

Spacedal11

Space Pope
****
« Reply #232 on: 08-12-2005 01:35 »
« Last Edit on: 08-12-2005 01:35 »

I recommended it to him! It was me, I'm the hero! It's hard to belive but it's true.  (Well he didn't say if he was already reading it but I still recommeded it).

 
Quote
Ralph: To many favorites.  Layla50's 'Fry's Choice', Shiny's 'Untitled, but has the return of Alkazar' and Dave Vincents's 'Background Noise' - ALL UNFINISHED!
 
Spacedal: I'm also reading Layla's "Fry's Choice". I'm only on part 42. But it's really good. I've only read one of Shiny's work, and that was the one with Seymour. So sweet. I have only read part 1 of Background Noise. I have to many things to do and read. I have to finish Layla's story, finish my own story, work on this new story that me and Gorky are doing together, finish a screenplay, and a novel (but that's not as bad). Have you read Venus's story? I think it's called 16 Days or something like that, it's great. It's Fry's side of the story from The Sting.
Ralph Snart

Agent Provocateur
Near Death Star Inhabitant
DOOP Secretary
*
« Reply #233 on: 08-12-2005 01:49 »
« Last Edit on: 08-12-2005 01:49 »

 
Quote
Originally posted by Spacedal11:
I recommended it to him! It was me, I'm the hero! It's hard to believe but it's true.  (Well he didn't say if he was already reading it but I still recommeded it).

   
Quote
Ralph: To many favorites.  Layla50's 'Fry's Choice', Shiny's 'Untitled, but has the return of Alkazar' and Dave Vincents's 'Background Noise' - ALL UNFINISHED!

I had read 'Sixteen Days' but after reading so many other stories, I kinda put it on the back burner of my mind (a very cluttered place); Spacedal reminded me about this great work and I have just finished C&P'ing to my HD.

The PEEL has been slow the last couple of weeks - I guess that people are getting the last gasp of the summer holidays...


Venus

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #234 on: 08-12-2005 03:14 »

 
Quote
Originally posted by Ralph Snart:
 Miss Venus, I don't see a thing wrong with your story.  Failing to allow it to be placed on TLZ would be robbing a large portion of Futurama Fans of a very well written story.

Don't worry, it'll definately go to TLZ, but not till i'm 100% done.
Nasty Pasty

DOOP Secretary
*
« Reply #235 on: 08-12-2005 04:08 »

Beautiful stuff Venus. Very nice work.  :)
I

Starship Captain
****
« Reply #236 on: 08-14-2005 10:27 »

Very angstish, very... Venusish...

Captivating, as always. You go, girl!
Venus

Urban Legend
***
« Reply #237 on: 08-17-2005 01:12 »
« Last Edit on: 08-23-2005 00:00 »

Lifetime channel's got nothing on me.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Taco Bellevue Hospital, room 413
4:37 pm
Day 8


Fry gently ran his fingers through Leela’s hair, smoothing it away from her face. He had always liked her hair. Soft and bouncy and always smelling like lavender. He could always tell when she entered the room because of that soft scent, but after eight days without a shower the aroma had worn off and he desperately missed it. Come to think of it, he desperately missed everything about her. Her eye color, her voice, her smile, the looks she would give him when he annoyed or surprised her. He would have happily given his right leg to even have her yell at him at that moment.

Lowering his hand to her face he tenderly began caressing her cheek. If she would just let him do this kind of thing to her when she was awake…he’d probably never take his hands off her. An idea he couldn’t help but smile at. He wished she would let him express his love for her physically. Not in a sexual way, (although he wouldn’t complain if the opportunity came up) but with little touches and gestures. A hand on her shoulder, snuggling up to watch a movie or something, any kind of loving physical comfort. She had hinted once that she had never really had that in her life, at least not by anyone who was sincere, and he yearned to be the one to give her that. He knew how much she longed for a loving, lasting relationship and it pained him to see her again and again go out with jerks that didn’t treat her right. He was sure having every relationship she tried to have blow up in her face hurt her more than she let on, and even though he was always not-so-secretly relieved when she did break up with the jerk-of-the-moment, he never liked to see her unhappy no matter the circumstance. Admittedly he might not be the smartest or the strongest, but he knew he would never treat her badly or take her for granted. But until she gave him the chance, he had no way of proving that to her.

“One of these days I’m gonna figure it out.” He promised her. “I’m gonna prove once and for all exactly what you mean to me.”

Fry looked up warily as the door opened. The last thing he wanted was to be kicked out again. But to his relief it was only Bender.

“Hey buddy, whatcha been up to?” He pulled up a chair, leaned back, and propped his feet up on Leela’s bed.

“Bender! Feet down!”

“Why?” Bender asked as he lit his cigar. “It’s not like it’s botherin’ her.”

Horrified Fry leapt up snatched the cigar out of Bender’s mouth, tossed it in the trash can and overturned a glass of water on it. Bender protested: “Hey! What‘s the big idea?!”

“Are you insane?! You can’t smoke in here! She’s on a respirator, you could blow the place up!” 

“Ohh right, I forgot, reason number forty-seven humans are inferior to robots: mammals are made of flammable materials.” Bender grabbed a beer from his chest compartment still fully neglecting to remove his feet from the bed. “So, her manufacturers decide what to do with her yet?”

Fry looked bewildered. “Her manu-oh! You mean her parents.” He sighed. “They don’t know yet. They aren’t real comfortable making that kinda decision when they can’t see her condition for themselves.”

Now it was Bender’s turn to look bewildered. “Why can’t they see her?”

“Cause of the mutant law.”

Bender rolled his eyes, “There is more then one way for them to see her y’know.”

“I’m not following...”

Bender sat up finally putting his feet back on the ground. “They gotta video phone right?”

“Yeah…”

Bender made a noise of disgust. “Do I hafta explain everything? You can get a video cell-phone, call ‘em and let ‘em see her that way.”

“I don’t have a video cell.”

Bender once again opened his compartment and handed Fry a cell phone. “Here. Take Amy’s.”

“You took Amy’s phone? Don’t you think she’ll notice it’s gone?”

“It’s not like it’s the only one she’s got.”

Fry examined the small phone. “Good point, but when I’m done I’m giving it back to her, not you.”

“And I’ll steal it from ‘er again, thus the cycle of thievery continues!”

Fry raised an eyebrow at him, which he ignored.

“Well, I reckon you’re gonna call ‘em now, and get all emotional and all, so if it’s all the same to you I’m gonna go pilfer from the worm candy in the morgue.”

Fry shuddered at the thought as Bender walked out. Then he turned his attention to the cell-phone and tried to figure out exactly how to work it.

“Once they see you, there’s no way they’ll be able to let your doctor do that to you. I just know it.”

Morris answered on the third ring. He tried to keep his expression neutral, but Fry could plainly see the fear in the older man’s eye.

“Did something happen?”

“Nothing bad. Amy just ‘loaned’ me her cell phone so that I could let you guys see Leela for yourselves before you make your decision.”

Morris turned away from the screen, looking somewhere over his right shoulder. “Munda get in here!”

Alarmed by the urgency in his voice Munda wasted no time joining her husband in front of the phone. “What is it, what happened?”

“He’s gonna let us see her!”

Munda gasped, turning to Fry, “Really? We get to see her?”

“Yeah,” Fry replied, “I’m right here with her. I hope this helps make your decision easier.”

He angled the phone’s screen in Leela’s direction allowing the couple their first look. There was a long moment of silence from their end of the phone. Unnerved, Fry leaned in so that he could see them on the screen without blocking their view.

Munda was the first to break the silence. “Th-they think she’s gonna spend the whole rest of her life like that?” She whimpered softly.

“They’re wrong.” Fry insisted vehemently. “She’s gonna wake up. She just needs some more time is all.”

Munda looked up at Morris who had yet to take his eye off of his baby girl. For the first time since hearing of the accident he was on the verge of tears.

“I know it’s hard to see her this way,” Fry said desperately. “Believe me I know. But as long as she’s alive then there’s a chance.”

“But at what price?” Munda asked numbly, “What are we putting her through?”

“Nothing!” Fry insisted alarmed with the direction this conversation was taking. “We aren’t putting her through anything, she’s asleep, when she wakes up she shouldn’t remember any of it.”

Munda once again looked to Morris for support. He reluctantly tore his eye away from Leela to meet her gaze.

“I don’t know what to do.” She whispered. “I don’t know what’s right.”

Morris looked at Fry. “We still need to think about this.” His voice broke and he had to walk out of frame to regain his composure.

“Okay,” Fry agreed, relieved that the downright scary direction the conversation had started to go in had been derailed. “Amy’ll let me hang onto her phone I bet so you can call me if you need to see Leela again.”

The call ended then. Fry folded the phone back up and slid it into his pocket. With a deep sigh he took Leela’s hand and gave it a squeeze.

“I know they’ll come around. They just weren’t ready to see you like this. But once they think about it they’ll see. I’m sure of it.”


Residence of Turanga Morris & Munda
10:45 pm
Day 8


Alone in the darkened living room, under the glow of a single lamp, Munda sat in silence. Her three-year-old mutant cat, Muffin, was asleep peacefully curled by her side. With a soft sigh Munda caressed the cover of the large leather photo album that housed the majority of the pictures of her daughter. Once she had had them displayed on the wall in the form of a timeline, but soon after being reunited with her, Leela had insisted that the pictures come down. Munda had been reluctant but Leela had been adamant declaring that a wall museum was creepy and that normal families used photo albums. She had finally relented when Leela presented her with a gorgeous family photo album. It had been brand new but treated to look antique, black with a silver braided border. Munda had spent the following weekend filling it to capacity. It had become one of her most treasured possessions.

Opening the front cover Munda paused to read the inscription.

I know it’s not the same as a wall museum, but it’s portable so you can look at it wherever you want.

Love,
Leela


Munda smiled softly at the words. This album had been Leela’s first gift to her parents and desperate for their approval she had been very nervous and shy about giving it to them. She had looked so relieved when she had seen the joy on her mothers face when she had first opened the gift.

Munda turned to the first picture in the album. It had been taken moments after Leela’s birth by the midwife and showed Morris and Munda (both several pounds lighter and in Morris’s case with more hair) gazing down at their baby in awed wonder. Their baby, in turn, was gazing up at them with a look of complete bewilderment. Which was understandable, given the fact that she was only about ten minutes old. It was amazing to Munda how normal the picture looked. It was impossible to  tell by looking at it how traumatic her labor with Leela had been. Her pregnancy had gone smoothly enough. Smoothly enough it seemed, to lure her into a false sense of security. She had expected a quick and easy birth and had been completely unprepared for all of the complications that had arisen. For one, Leela had been breech. And because of her position had become stuck in the birth canal. Which by itself would not have been too major of a deal had it not been for the fact that the umbilical cord had wrapped itself around Leela’s throat and had begun to strangle her. Being stuck in the breech position had kept the midwife from being able to access her neck to free her, leaving Munda no choice but to try to deliver her as fast as possible. It had taken several long agonizing minutes for the birth to be completed. And once it was, it appeared to be too late. The one glimpse of their daughter the couple had seen before the midwife had raced off to work on her was that of a lifeless body. She had been blue, limp, and silent. Munda shuddered at the memory. That moment in time, were it seemed she had lost her very-much-wanted child before she had even had her had been the absolute worst moment of her life. That mental image, of a stillborn Leela, still gave her nightmares so many years later. But Leela, showing her fighting spirit, had come around fairly quickly. By the time parents and daughter were reunited Leela was alert and smiling and attempting to hold an in-depth conversation with Morris’s fingers.

Munda wondered sullenly whether losing Leela this time would hurt worse than when she had thought she had lost her back then. Would the fact that she had actually gotten to know her daughter on a personal level make losing her even harder, or was the bond they had shared at the moment of her birth just as strong then as it was now? Somehow Munda couldn’t imagine the pain being any worse, at least she hoped it wouldn’t be. It had been hell the first time and would no doubt be hell this time.

Soon after getting their daughter back, they had made the decision to give her up. Something neither parent had wanted but felt necessary in order to give Leela a quality of life she never would have had if kept. But seeing as how she had been born in January, during a blizzard even, there was no way they were going to leave their daughter in a basket outside with snow on the ground. It just wasn’t an option. So they had kept her, for two months, finally leaving her during the March thaw. Which gave them plenty of time for Munda to search out an orphanarium, a task hampered by the lack of a map or phone book and for Morris to make a bracelet at his jewelry store to leave with her so that Leela would at the very least feel that she had meant something to her family and hadn’t simply been thrown out like an unwanted X-mas gift.

Knowing their time with her was limited the couple had gone completely camera crazy, filling dozens of rolls of film of every move their child made. The best out of those photos had made it into the album. Munda would have loved nothing more than to have been able to include all of them, but if she had she would have had no room left over for pictures of Leela’s later life. So she had picked her top favorites to fill the next several pages. Like the one of Morris lying flat on his back on a blanket on the floor, fast asleep with one arm wrapped protectively around Leela who was curled up, also asleep, on his chest. Or the one of herself and Leela sitting together on the floor amid a variety of educational baby toys all of which Leela was completely ignoring, finding the hem of Munda’s dress far more interesting. She had the fabric grasped tightly in her little fists and was examining it as if it were the most amazing substance on the planet while Munda laughed joyfully.

Munda gazed longingly at each photograph. Although spending those few short months with her daughter had made abandoning her all the more difficult, she wouldn’t have traded that time spent for anything in the world. Especially now that it seemed time had all but run out. Flipping through a couple more pages Munda paused on one of Leela’s school pictures. A five year old Leela smiled cautiously, yet adorably, up at her from the page. With pigtails, glasses, and gapped teeth Munda found her absolutely irresistible. On the next page was a picture of her at age seven. She looked almost like a different child. The glasses were gone, the hair was down, and the smile was fake and forced, but what was most startling was the absolutely haunted look in her eye. There was a sadness there unlike anything Munda had ever seen before. She desperately wished she knew what had put it there but every time she tried to question Leela about her childhood Leela would grow evasive and try to change the subject. But whatever it was that she had gone through, it had evidently kept getting worse. With each consecutive photo Leela’s smile looked more and more forced and the look in her eye seemed more and more desperate. Until her teen years where she just looked dead. In none of her high school photos did she even attempt a smile. She just stared blankly at the camera, almost as if she were looking right through it. It was clear that she had given up.

Munda bit her lip to hold back the tears. It had been her original idea to abandon Leela to the surface. She had hoped that by doing so Leela’s life would be a happy and secure one, but if the pictures were anything to go by, it had been quite the opposite. In not one of her post-abandonment/pre-Planet Express pictures did Leela show any indications of being happy. And the fact that Leela absolutely refused to divulge anything about her past other than vague references of being teased lead Munda to believe that her childhood had been nothing more than a living hell. And she wondered for the millionth time whether or not she had made the right decision. Even though it had been obvious that their daughter was hurting, Morris and Munda had stood by their decision to leave her hoping that her adulthood would be happier. If they had gone back and retrieved her it would have made the suffering she had already gone through meaningless and in vain, but if she stuck it out and lead a fulfilling and happy adult life than the sacrifices they had all made would have been worth it. But exactly how happy was her adult life? Sure she smiled more and seemed more content, but was it because she was sincerely happy or was she just relieved to be out of the hell her childhood had been. When she had been accidentally doused in youthacizing mud and reverted to her fourteen year old body Leela had been full ready to abandon her life to rejoin her family. She had even refused treatment to regain her normal form. She hadn’t even taken a moment to think about it, her decision had been automatic. If she was truly happy with her life, wouldn’t she have needed time to really consider all she was giving up? Her work? Which was dangerous, paid poorly, with no opportunities for advancement. Her friends? None of whom she seemed especially close too with the one possible exception of Philip. Munda flipped towards the end of the album, to the section with pictures of Leela after she had joined Planet Express and scrutinized Leela’s expression in each one. She looked happy. Her smile was wide, her face lit up, her eye bright, often with Philip’s arm around her. Yes, Munda decided, she was fairly happy. But even then, she had only been with Planet Express for four years. So did that mean the first twenty-four years of Leela’s life had been unfulfilling and miserable? Munda didn’t have many pictures between when Leela had graduated high school at eighteen and when she had gotten her Cryonics job at twenty-three, which left her emotional state during her college years in question. Munda desperately wanted to believe that Leela had found some degree of happiness after leaving the orphanarium but unless Leela woke up and told her one way or the other then she had no way of finding out for sure.

Was having her life support pulled what Leela really wanted? Were things really so bad that she was only willing to give herself a three day shot at survival should anything happen to her? Maybe it was what she had wanted back then, but now? If they decided to pull her life-support would they be putting her out of her misery, or cutting her life short right when things were starting to look up? If they decided not to pull her life-support would they be saving her life? Or confining her to a lifetime of imprisonment? Munda knew her daughter well enough to know Leela would rather die then spend her life in a coma. But after only a week Munda didn’t want to give up hope of a recovery. But as Morris had pointed out, they had to make the decision, not for themselves, but for Leela. So the question remained: What would Leela really want? Munda leaned back against the couch cushions and stared up at the cracks in the ceiling. Reluctantly shoving her own emotional attachments aside for the first time she took a moment to fully consider things from Leela’s perspective. When she put her own feelings away and allowed herself to just be in tune with Leela for a moment it became obvious what their decision should be. She knew what her daughter wanted.

Sitting his half empty beer on the bedside table Morris laid back, with his arms placed behind his head. He wondered what Munda was doing. She had gone downstairs about an hour earlier after having mumbled something about ‘having to think’. He was fairly certain she had gone off to cry. Normally he would have gone to her, but he knew she needed to be alone, so he didn’t push it. But he kind of wished she would come back. Being forced to make this final decision may have made Munda want to be alone, but it made him want to have what was left of his family close by.

He felt the edge of the bed dent and glanced down. Nibbler had jumped up and was walking towards the headboard.

“Hey there buddy.” Morris acknowledged him.

Nibbler made a noncommittal noise before settling down on the pillow on Munda’s side of the bed.

“I never thought something like this could happen.” Morris continued. “But I guess no one ever does.”

Nibbler lifted his head from the pillow to listen.

“I mean, I knew she had a dangerous job. Something like this was probably bound to happen sooner or later. I shouldn‘t have been so surprised.” He took a shuddering breath. “After that bee stung her, I wonder if she knew what was happening, if she was afraid.”

A sound on the stairs shook him from his thoughts. Munda was coming back upstairs. Morris pushed himself up on his arms so he could greet her. She stepped into the doorway with her blanket drawn tight around her. She looked exhausted and resigned.

“I know what I want to do.” She said emotionlessly.

“Are you sure?” Morris asked, knowing full well what decision she had come to.

“Yes. It’s what she would have wanted.”

Unsurprised, Morris sighed. “Alright. I’ll call Fry in the morning.”

As her face crumpled and her eye filled with tears Morris sat up and reached for her. She came willingly and curled up in his arms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If there's a chapter in this whole fic i went overboard on it would probably be this one. Be gentle, but if i overdid anything let me know.


DrThunder88

DOOP Secretary
*
« Reply #238 on: 08-17-2005 02:36 »

You went overboard on tildes.

 
Quote
Bender once again opened his compartment and handed Fry a cell phone. “Here. Take Amy’s.”

I especially liked this line and the dialog in which it was found, but the slang-ification of Bender's lines sort of bugged me and Fry's moral mortification about Bender's stealing seemed a little forced.

Otherwise, a solid update.
Spacedal11

Space Pope
****
« Reply #239 on: 08-17-2005 11:34 »

I agree with what Dr. T said. I'll be honest you kind of over did it. It was basically 9 paragraphs about the same thing. Munda looking at the album and thinking about Leela's life. But I guess too much is better than not enough. The part about the birth, kind of creeped me out. Way more dramatic then what I would have thought. But it was all well done. And I like your cliffe. Good update overall, I had been really anxious for the next part.
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