[u]Best Illustration Inspired by a Fanfic[/u}

::A brown furred female mouse walks confidently out onto the stage.  Her long black hair was parted down the middle and tied back in a single braid.  The black jumpsuit was accentuated with a sapphire belt and a silver wolf's head brooch.  Doohickey "Dee" Hawkfeather took the podium at the center of the stage::

Dee: First I would like to offer a big nya:wëh to the Russian Rangerphiles for hosting this years Golden Acorn Awards in St Petersburg.  I absolutely love the architecture in this city!  But, sightseeing wasn't my only reason for coming here... I'm presenting the Golden Acorn for the Best Illustration Inspired by a Fanfic.  Our favorite rodents have proven to be so inspirational that even the fan works they've inspired bring about further creations.  Though we can't rule out the monumental creativity of the Rangerphile community itself.

The nominees for Best Illustration Inspired by a Fanfic are:

Rarin' To Go Racin' by Jeff Pierce, inspired by RangerReady's Due South
Labartou by Rye, inspired by the stories of Lightindark 76
Foxy Crying by Regrin, inspired by Lightindark 76's alternate ending to A
Bat and a Chipmunk
Closer Than a Brother Clapper by Midnight Man, inspired by BOC42's Closer
Than a Brother
Fun on the Beach by Integrator, inspired by En Attendant Cousteau
Enter Labartou by Master_MunkArt, inspired by the stories of Lightindark 76
Lahwhinie at Gadget's Mercy by Clockwork Cat, inspired by Gadget in Chains
Dreams We Have at Midnight by Scifly, inspired by Midnight Man's Too Huge to
be True

::Dee looks thoughtful for a moment before continuing::

Dee: I'll have to check after the ceremony but I think this should get a Golden Acorn for the greatest number of Rangerphiles mentioned in a single presentation... anyhow...

::A small contraption that vaguely resembles a helicopter comes whizzing out onto the stage with an envelope secured beneath it in a metal clamp.  It stops just short of the podium where Dee takes the envelope::

Dee (to the contraption): Nya:wëh, Whatsit 389!

::Whatsit 389 turns and begins to fly off::

Dee (back to the audience): I've had a lot of time to tinker since my hiatus from fanfiction...

::About halfway between the podium and the wings Whatsit 389 explodes::

Dee: Um... hm. (removes a pen and jots down a note on the back of the envelope) 'Note to self: Begin work on Whatsit 390'…

::The audience laughs and Gadget smiles sympathetically as Dee replaces her pen and returns her attention to the audience as she opens the envelope::

Dee: Now, without further detonations... the Golden Acorn for Best Illustration Inspired by a Fanfic goes to...Master Munkart, for his illustration of Labartou!

[img] http://www.indyranger.com/2006GA/MunkartSpeech1.jpg[/img]

::As Master Munkart leaves with his award, Dee proceeds to leave the stage, stopping briefly to scoop up the smoldering remains of Whatsit 389.::

Dee: Hm, most of this is still good... no sense letting it go to waste…