Best Romance

 

::Dolly Parton and James Ingram’s ‘The Day I Fall in Love’ is playing in the background as Marty the zebra and Gloria the hippo from the movie "Madagascar" both enter the stage to the cheering audience::

 

Marty: Good evening!

 

Gloria: ‘We are having something romantic tonight!’ as Marty says. And it’s the award for Best Romance!

 

Marty: I’ve seen there’s a lot going on with fics about Chip and Dale with either Gadget, Foxglove or Tammy. Just keep the love alive!

 

Gloria: But some of you do a better job than others. Ooh, don't you just love a happy ending where the girl gets the guy?

 

Marty: I think you mean 'where the guy gets the girl'.

 

Gloria: You tell it like you want, and I'll tell the facts, hon. Now, let's see who's told it best among the Rangerphiles!

 

·       Friends and Enemies, Lightindark

·       Last Date, Midnight Man

·       Closer Than a Brother, BOC42

·       The Lost Rangers, UrthQuake

·       To Thy Own Self Be True, White Werewolf

·       First Date, Midnight Man

·       Falling in Love Again, Stainless Steel Rat

·       Too Huge to Be True, Midnight Man

 

Gloria: That's a lot of romance right there. Now, bring on that envelope!

 

::A bustle of animals brings out the award, and Gloria ends up pushing them off the stage::

 

Gloria: What's wrong with you! You think folks around here like a bunch of furry animals cluttering up their stage?

 

::She looks out into the audience, seeing all the furries::

 

Gloria: Okay, short-sighted there. Anyway, the award for Best Romance goes to….Closer Than a Brother, by BOC42! That's just like Marty and me, closer than a brother.

 

Marty: Yeah, especially when we were shipped over here…

 

::BOC42 grins, slightly embarrassed, and hastens up to the stage::

 

Boxy: Hehe… I suppose now I can justify buying this dress…I’ve been up here twice now!

 

::She giggles and the audience laughs appreciatively::

 

Boxy:  That’s the thing about buying dresses; you never get to wear them enough.  It’s sad.  Anyways, I’m totally flabbergasted and flattered to win this award.  I was surprised anyone could find the romance in it under all that angst I was drowning Gadget in.  Maybe that should be a category next year: Best Angst.  Would you like that, Lightindark?

 

::Somewhere in the audience, someone cackles evilly::

 

Boxy: Hehe.  I had a lot of fun with the romance in this story.  I’ve been a pro since I was about four, so I’ve had plenty of time to come up with things that I want on paper.  And as the list is still fairly long, hopefully you’ll hear from me more in the future.  Thanks!

 

::Boxy grins widely and exits the stage. Gloria and Marty do so as well, arguing about who's going to pay to get them back home::