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Paronomasia - OC Comedy Challenge - 2021

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by Kit', Jan 27, 2021.

  1. Kit'

    Kit' Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 1999
    Title: Paronomasia

    Author: Kit'.

    Characters: Estra, Zallie and Nicco

    Genre: Drama, Comedy

    Challenge: Part of the 1st Quarter OC challenge - Comedy set by the very fabulous @madman007

    Summary: Nicco warns his sister not to put herself or her new baby in danger, as Del goes on a rampage with his new found power...

    paronomasia /ˌparənəˈmeɪzɪə/
    noun
    1. a play on words; a pun.

    *


    “Don’t go in there,” Nicco leant against the door and shook his head. The sound of plates moving around the kitchen filtered through the door. Estra glared at him holding her baby tightly against her chest. Nestled in her arms, Halulu squirmed, her tawny skin turning a rather dappled shade of red.

    “Halulu won’t go to sleep and only F’kisi knows that damn song that she likes so much.”

    As if responding to her name, Halulu scrunched up her face and wailed. Estra dropped her shoulders and glared at her brother.

    “I can’t let you go in there,” Nicco said, shaking his head. “Da is…” He trailed away as the sounds of groan emanated from the room behind him.

    “Then you put Halulu to sleep,” Estra said, thrusting the baby at Nicco. The shift in position was enough to stop Halulu crying. She gave Nicco a pop-eyed stare. Nicco threw up both hands in the air.

    “I didn’t have kids for a reason.”

    “You put the twins and Quin down lots of times. You even changed nappies lots of times,” Estra said tilting her head on one side. Halulu’s face scrunched harder and she grunted.

    “They were our siblings. Lulu is all yours,” Nicco said and then scrunched his own nose. “Although it sounds and smells like you're about to have to do the nappy change thing too.”

    “Fine, then let me in there,” Estra said, glaring at him. Nicco shrugged and stepped back.

    “It’s your funeral,” he said. Estra glanced at him, her mouth set in a firm line.

    “What do you mean?”

    “Da is in one of his moods,” Nicco said. Estra’s hand hovered over the door button. She slumped slightly and she made a face.

    “Really? How did that happen?”

    “Blame Zallie,” Nicco said. As if called his younger sister appeared out of the door way down the hall.

    “I heard my name. What did I do?”

    “You gave Da, that stupid flimsy,” Nicco said with a pointed look, “and now we’re all stuffed.”

    Zallie shrugged and made a face. “Not my fault that he took it seriously. I blame Halulu.”

    “Really?” Estra grit her jaw and glared at her siblings. “Now it’s the baby’s fault?”

    Zallie shrugged again. “Halulu’s changed Da. He’s not himself anymore.”

    “He is himself,” Nicco corrected, “he’s done this his whole life. You just became immune.”

    “He was never this bad. Halulu’s birth has just made it infinitely worse. It’s like a drug now. He won’t stop.”

    “Well, you didn’t have to encourage him.”

    Estra listened to her sibling squabble and tried not to roll her eyes. In her arms, Halulu grunted again and there was a popping noise. Estra breathed deeply and then wished she hadn’t.

    “Unless, both of you are going to help me, I need to get F’kisi.”

    “I wouldn’t try. He’s lost too.” Zallie said.

    “What do you mean?”

    “He laughed.” Zallie said solemnly. “He laughed at Da.”

    “He what?”

    “He laughed.”

    Estra closed her eyes, trying to button down on the anger that was slowly building. She was exhausted, over everything and her sibling's squabble was just the zherry on top.

    “Rin then. Rin can get Lulu to sleep. She can use the Force.”

    Nicco shook his head. “Rin's no help. She’s encouraging it and making it worse.’

    Halulu grunted again. Something gurgled deep inside the baby. There was a wet sound. The baby gave her mother a toothless, proud smile as her ruddy face went back to its normal tawny colour. Something inside Estra snapped.

    She pushed the baby at Zallie, who took her and shuddered as the smell enveloped her. Estra squared her shoulders and took a step towards Nicco who had gone back to barring the door.

    “It’s a bloodbath in there. I really wouldn’t go,” he warned. Estra put her hand on her brother’s shoulder.

    “I wouldn’t stop me,” she said brusquely. “I can guarantee I’m a lot scarier than whatever is in there.”

    Nicco shrugged and grinned at his sister as he took a sidestep.

    “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

    Estra gritted her teeth and opened the door.

    The door slid open to reveal F’kisi and Rin sitting at the table while Del stood at the counter, knife poised in the air. Rin’s face was mottled white and red. Tears rolled silently down her cheeks. F’kisi had his hand over his mouth.

    “I was wondering why the speeder was growing bigger and bigger,” Del said, grinning as the knife came down and sliced cleanly through the Jogan fruit that was lying on the cutting board. “And then it hit me.”

    Estra let out a sigh of annoyance and glared at him.

    “Essie!” he said grinning maniacally as he noticed her. “Did I tell you, how beautiful yours and F’kisi’s wedding was? Even the cake was in tiers.”

    Rin giggled. F’kisi let out a gwaff of laughter.

    “Also, now I’m a grandpa, I was thinking of growing a beard,” Del went on. “I used to hate facial hair, but then it grew on me.”

    Estra glanced around the room and then took two steps backwards.

    “Wait, Essie” Del said grinning evilly. “How do you know if a snake is a baby?”

    The door slid shut.

    Estra turned and faced her brother. Nicco was grinning at her. Zallie held Halulu awkwardly as if she would break.

    Behind the door there was another ripple of laughter. Then Del’s voice loud and clear.

    “Come and have breakfast kids. I’d tell you a great joke about construction, but I’m still working on it.”

    “I’m not going back in there,” Estra said firmly, “I’ll just get Lulu to sleep myself.”

    Nicco looked at Zallie and Estra as another bout of laughter echoed from the kitchen.

    “I’ll come with you,” he said quickly. Zallie nodded.

    “Me too.”

    Estra held her hand up and glared at her siblings.

    “There are conditions,” she said sternly. "If you want a legitimate excuse not to have to go in there, then you need to help me."

    “I know the song,” Zallie said quickly, grinning at her brother. "Plus I can use the Force."

    "Not fair, Zallie."

    "You snooze, you lose brother dearest," Zallie said smiling and handing Halulu over. There was a wet trumpet noise. Halulu gave a happy gurgle.

    “Fine,” Nicco made a face and glared at his sisters. “I’ll change her nappy.”

    Estra smiled.
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2021
  2. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    [face_tee_hee] Oh my, Grandparenthood has made for some interesting changes 8-}
     
  3. madman007

    madman007 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 22, 2007
    Ahh, when the mix of grandparents and gurgling babies happens, comedy ensues. [face_rofl]
     
  4. Cowgirl Jedi 1701

    Cowgirl Jedi 1701 Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 21, 2016
    The beginning part of this suggested that behind the closed door we would find something truly disturbing, and then the door opened to reveal something even worse than what we imagined......Dad Jokes.
     
  5. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    [face_laugh] Ohmigosh, this was so much fun! I have to feel for Estra here: taking care of small babies is stressful and eats into your morale and energy like nothing else does—all the more so when they’re seemingly prone to, er, intestinal distress like this poor little dear seems to be. :( And then her silly dad has to start in with the grandpa puns on top of it all, the old goof! :p (You have a real knack for those puns—I suspect that in your family it’s “mom puns”! :D ) But of course, it’s just Del’s way of expressing his immense joy about becoming a grandpa. So I can see where he is coming from, too! :) Thanks so much for sharing another wonderful Family of Scoundrels moment, especially as the family grows and spans generations—I’ll look forward to seeing how little Halulu grows up! [face_love]
     
  6. AzureAngel2

    AzureAngel2 Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 14, 2005
    Well, every family has drama on her own. Some more fun drama than others. (I also write this, because I finished watching the price winning Chinese movie "The Farewell" on DVD just yesterday.)

    Gorgeous writing as usual! Light and playful, fearless when it´s up to baby business and dad jokes. @};-
     
    Kahara and WarmNyota_SweetAyesha like this.
  7. Thumper09

    Thumper09 Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 9, 2001
    Great job! I think Nicco got the worst part of the deal at the end, but making that choice truly showed his sense of self-preservation. [face_laugh]

    It's neat to see Del so giddy about his granddaughter. :) I can only imagine what a great-grandchild would do. :p

    Maybe they can find a way to utilize the jokes to distract their next target or something. Channel that power for good instead of evil. :p

    ..............So..............? [face_thinking]

    Great work on a fun story!

    And as one of my co-workers is fond of telling me similar jokes, I'll leave you with this...

    Is your nose running?
    Do your feet smell?
    You might be upside-down.
     
  8. Kit'

    Kit' Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 1999
    Definitely. I think punning as a grandparent is some sort of right of passage. Or they school you or something, at least in my husband's family it seems to be a thing :p

    Always :)

    Dad jokes are the worst/best jokes on the planet. I mean they are truly terrible...but can you say you're a dad if you've never told one?

    Yeah, definitely channeling the last couple of years as a parent in there. Number threes will long remain in my nightmares...

    Ahhh...maybe? I may have written a facebook comment to my aunt today that involved three window puns in a row...simply because I could :p

    Aww, thank you :) It'll be interesting although I'm a bit worried about the children generation of the Family, there are so many of them. If I start adding more grandchildren there will be a veritable tribe!

    Don't they all? Although most I imagine stay far, far way from puns! [face_laugh]

    Aww, thank you :) Much appreciated

    Any one staring into the face of an angry Estra would definitely go for self-preservation over anything else. She's one young woman who really, really knows what she wants and she's going to get it too!

    I think he'd explode from happiness. Like actually explode. :p

    Ooo! Surely there would be rules though that puns can only ever be used for evil?

    It has a rattle :p

    That took me too long to get. That's terrible...in a good way. I will use that on my students next term.
     
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2021
  9. Mira_Jade

    Mira_Jade The (FavoriteTM) Fanfic Mod With the Cape star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2004
    Aw! This was such a delightfully fun story. What I love best is that I wouldn't have been able to tell that this was written for a comedy challenge more so than anything else in your 'verse. There's so much love and fun teasing usually binding your Family of Scoundrels together that this is really just another slice of life for them - on top of being absolutely hilarious, of course. ;)

    That would have been my first guess! [face_laugh]

    Poor Estra! I can't say I blame her for reaching her wit's end. It's time for this momma to have some help with the little one, even if that means storming in on her dad when he's in a mood. [face_mischief]

    The denouement here was excellent! I had a good chuckle when I realized that it wasn't any bad mood his children were fearing, but rather their dad being in a fit of . . . well, dad jokes. [face_laugh] [face_laugh] BRILLIANT!

    Plus, your puns were too clever! You did a great job coming up with those. =D=

    Good on you, Nicco. You really should have offered from the beginning. ;)

    I love how the teasing and bonding between the siblings brought this story full circle. All's well that ends well, especially for little Halulu. :p


    This was such a fun response to the challenge! Thanks for sharing. :D =D=
     
  10. Mira Grau

    Mira Grau Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    May 11, 2016
    That was rather funny but in a way also makes me dread the day I might have children of my own and what that might lead to. ;)