::The music swells once again, this time in a growing chorus. The curtains pull back to reveal a long set of white stairs flanked by fountains. The spotlights center on the top of the stairs where a marble platform rises up…revealing Salazar Ovid Spumoni! Spu is wearing a white top hat and a white jacket with tails and is carrying a white cane!::

 

::Spumoni makes a few small dance like motions as he speaks::

 

Spumoni: Each year, the Rangerdom recognizes the poet who has accomplished a difficult task.

 

::With that Spu walks down a few of the steps, twirling the cane as he comes. As he does so, girls of various rodent species emerge from behind the stairs wearing 1940’s era musical dresses::

 

Spumoni: The Rangerphiles have always had a great tradition of using poetry to express their appreciation for the Rescue Rangers and the world they inhabit.

 

::The rat sways side to side with the girls. As the fountains change color and begin to rotate, the girls begin walking down the steps. Spumoni dances up and down the steps::

 

Spumoni: In light of this fact the Rangerdom began offering a Golden Acorn to the poet who has—

 

::The music makes a few quick beats, and Spumoni and the girls respond to them with a few twirls::

 

Spumoni: —used the mechanics of language to best show the meaning behind their words.”

 

::With that the music swells even higher and the staircase that Spumoni and the dancers have just descended disappears beneath the stage, and is replaced by two huge diving pools, complete with diving platforms disguised as palm trees::

 

::As Spumoni and the dancers do a few steps, diving girls of various rodent species appear in the palm trees dressed as seabirds and tropical fishes and begin an intricate dive routine, the splashes of their graceful falls illuminated from within in a myriad of colors::

 

Spumoni: The Golden Acorn Award for Best Poetic Imagery has been awarded to the poet who has been able to most move the Rangerdom in such a way that fellow Rangerphiles have been captivated by the words, and so it has been ever since!

 

::With that the music changes once again and from the wings comes the famed Rockefeller Center Rockettes, who begin their high-leg routine among the other dancers as Spumoni tries to keep time. From the swimming pools high fountains emerge that the divers dance fall through in time to the music::

 

Spumoni: The nominees for the Golden Acorn for Best Poetic Imagery are as follows:

 

::At once the music swells once more, and the dancers reach a crescendo of activity::

 

Spumoni: Gadget’s Poem by Tamira!

 

::At once a troop of acrobats begins swinging through the air above the fountains. Spumoni, still dancing and trying to keep time with his cane, moves about the dancers::

 

Spumoni: Oh! Mus ex Machina and Chipmunks Standing in Doorway by me, Mr. Spumoni!

 

::A group of the girls from each of the troops of dancers leans in and each gives him a quick kiss, then just as quickly reforms seamlessly back into their routine. Spumoni, blushing, continues twirling his cane and reading::

 

Spumoni: Tillion and Arien: The Eclipse by WildIrishRose!

 

::With that the scenery parts, and the backdrop changes to show the aft end of a battleship, between the pools and fountains two huge set of white naval batteries rise up, each with three huge guns!::

 

Spumoni: And To the Stars by Ranger Ready23!

 

::With that the guns of the mock battleship fire, spraying confetti all over the crowd and dancers. As the confetti falls the dancers all gather around Mr. Spumoni who, taking off his top hat, pulls out a silver card with a golden seal…but before breaking the seal he turns and looks all around him, to the fountains, pools, battleship, and then to the dancing girls gathered around him::

 

Spumoni: You know, I have dreams like this.

 

::With that the music swells one last time and he breaks the seal::

 

Spumoni: The Golden Acorn for Best Poetic Imagery goes to…

 

::Spumoni looks up, shocked::

 

Spumoni: Great googley moogley…it’s me, Mr. Spumoni, for “Chipmunks Standing in a Doorway!” exclaims the rat, nearly swallowing his top hat with surprise.

 

::At once the girls squeal with excitement, bending in to plant yet more kisses on his now reddened cheeks. The guns of the battleship fire yet more confetti, and as the dancers dive for the wings the fountains decrease::

 

Spumoni: But I'm not alone.  Also winning are Tamira for "Gadget's Poem" and RangerReady for "To the Stars"!

 

::The fountains are slowly replaced with a scene more like that of a vast circus complete with a massive tent that lowers from above. The acrobats continue, and with them now are clowns and great beasts. A great elephant marches onto the stage and gently scoops Spumoni up with his trunk and places him in the middle of his vast forehead. That is where the spotlight finds him::

 

Spumoni: Oh wow…good thing Race promised to pay the budget for this award segment, eh?

 

::The rat motions to the complete set-up with his cane. In the audience a small squeak is heard::

 

Spumoni: I can’t say how pleased I am to win this award. I had written ‘Chipmunks Standing in a Doorway’ as a way to get it out of my head. Though it started small, I found myself putting more and more into it, pushing at it with what meager talents I possessed. I’m glad to think that you all got as much out of it as I had fun going into it! Thanks, you are all about eight different types of awesome!

 

::As Spumoni finishes, Tamira runs up on stage, seemingly about to hyperventilate::

 

Tam: Oh, this is so wonderful!  I'm so happy!  Thank every single one of you who voted for me!  I love you all!

 

::Looking amazed, RR rises from his seat, stumbling onto the stage with a bewildered expression::

 

RangerReady: You mean...I wrote that...and you guys thought it deserved an award? I'm overwhelmed! Thank you!!!

 

::Grinning as he accepts the plaque, he raises his hat to the audience::

 

RangerReady: Well...who knows. If you guys liked it that much, maybe I'll try my hand at some more, this year! Now lemme see...maybe something about acorns and elysium..."

 

::Flywheel Hackwrench reaches out from behind the curtains, dragging RangerReady away by the collar of his jacket with a chuckle::

 

Flywheel: Don't push your luck, Sandburg.

 

::Once all the winners are finished, Spumoni taps his elephant gently::

 

Spumoni: Home James!”

 

::As it turns for the wings he leans down::

 

Spumoni (stage whisper): Can we stop for ice cream?