[LNH] Just Imagine... Saxon Brenton's RACCies! #20

[Jamie Rosen]

Just Imagine... Saxon Brenton's RACCies! #20


"This is all getting very confusing," opined anonymous RACC reader #1.

"I agree," said anonymous RACC reader #3, "but that's the nature of the
beast. I mean, look at what happened when we tried to use a cascade to
resolve the presidency of the Loonited States?"

"What happened?" asked anonymous RACC reader #2.

"Nothing."

* * *

Deja Dude deftly dodged Pointless Awards Man II's sword thrust and
knocked the weapon from his hand.

Suddenly unarmed, PAM II leaped at Deja Dude, attempting to bludgeon
him with his bare hands. But even if he had four arms to Deja Dude's
two, he was still just a hapless awards presenter, and no match for an
experienced Net.Hero.

"What's going on?" Deja Dude demanded, holding the ersatz villain to
the ground.

"I'm trying to kill you!" spat PAM II.

"But why?"

"Doctor Stomper told me to!" PAM II admitted, assuming that since he
wasn't told not to reveal the evil plan he was allowed to.

"Hrm." Deja Dude looked over his shoulder at Manga Man. "Maybe we
shouldn't go see him after all."

But Manga Man was lost in thought...

.oO( Why would Doctor Stomper have wanted Deja Dude dead? It all seems
vaguely familiar... ) His thoughts were audible in a slightly echo-y
voiceover as his cloak flapped lightly in a non-existant breeze. ( I
know! It's just like that plan I came up with and then discarded, the
one to have the Net.Heroes replaced with robot duplicates! But, if I
decided not to... perhaps that clone Manga Man is responsible! )

"That seems reasonable," Deja Dude said.

"Wha-wha?" Manga Man said, doing a double take. "How did you know what
I was thinking?"

"You were thinking in a voice-over."

An exclamation mark appeared over Manga Man's head.

"So it seems we can't even trust the other LNHers," Deja Dude mused.
"But I think I know who we can trust..."

* * *

Firewire and Bluetooth were playing cards in the rec.room of the
damned.

"Do you have any sixes?" asked Firewire.

"Go Fish."

The flaming fellow went fish.

"This really bites. Having to betray the LNH and all."

Firewire nodded. "But with everything that's going on, I don't think
it'll really even matter," he responded. "I mean, the very existence of
the Looniverse is at stake. And we're doing them a favour, in the long
run, right? Helping save the Looniverse."

"I guess you're right. Do you have any sevens?"

Firewire gave Bluetooth his seven of pentacles.

Suddenly, the door to the rec.room of the damned burst open, and Deja
Dude and Manga Man entered.

"You!" Firewire exclaimed, leaping from his seat. "We didn't do
anything!"

"I know," Deja Dude said. "That's why we're here."

"Huh?"

Deja Dude and Manga Man proceeded to explain the situation as they
understood it -- the robot duplicate LNHers, the Manga Man clone(s),
and the confusion about just what, exactly, was going on here.

"And that's why we need your help," Deja Dude concluded. "Because you
were transformed after Manga Man hatched his diabolical plan --"

"Hey!"

"-- we can be certain that you haven't been replaced by robot
duplicates. The same couldn't be said about any number of other
LNHers."

"I see..." Firewire said. Here was his chance to redeem himself for the
betrayal of the LNH. "I'll do it." He looked at Bluetooth.

"Me too."

"Great," Deja Dude said. "I knew we could count on you."

"So what do we do?" asked Firewire.

"We launch an assault on Manga Man. He's the one behind all of this."

Firewire and Bluetooth turned to Manga Man.

"No, no, no! The *other* Manga Man!" he said.

* * *

Manga Man Gold was still laughing evilly. "My plan is unfolding
perfectly," he gloated. "Confusion everywhere -- even in the Looniverse
itself!"

"This is no good," anonymous RACC reader #5 opined.

"That's true," agreed anonymous RACC reader #4. "Is it time to reveal
ourselves?"

"It is."

"Very well. Anonymous RACC readers, transform!"

"Manga Man Blue!"

"Manga Man Red!"

"Manga Man Yellow!"

"Manga Man Green!"

"..."

"Come on, now."

"Manga Man Pink."

"Go go Power Manga!"

----000----

WHY does that one Manga Man want Deja Dude dead?
WHAT can the sole-less LNHers to to defeat the aforementioned version
of Manga Man?
WHO is the real Manga Man?
WHEN will the threat of the Shoe Devil be taken seriously?
HOW will the RACCies virus finally be defeated?
WHERE have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? Our nation turns its lonely eyes to
you -- woo woo woo...