D'Artagnon

To hit both of your posts in one reply, Jeikor...
Believe it or not, this story has been in the works for the better part of 10 years.  So all the connections here aren't new or made to "fit" with other stories.  There is a plan.  A long, deep, rather convoluted plan, but a plan does exist.  And Meryl/Ralphy/Merlyn's connection to his daughter, her husband, their time traveling back to this time, and even the birth of Merlyn's "eldest grandson" seems to be a thing.  And technically, yes, this takes place about 6 to 8 weeks ahead of Robby's parents' deaths.  Fox has been a figure in the area for a while, even going so far as to take on the mantle of his/her grandfather as the Merrimack Cat Burglar.  The meeting of four principles of different types within the Merrimack Valley's supernatural community (and hints of vampires!) and then the knowledge of at least a fifth (in the form of Merlyn/Ralphy) indicates that there's been things going on for a long time.
Although it did raise several questions in my own mind, as far as plot points.  Being around along as Andy Fox has, surely there were times he could have taken action against Stamos.  You'd think that something might have happened in all that time, that he might have discovered who Stamos was hiding as.  Andy has said that he withheld action on his own part because he saw Stamos had children in his care.  Must have driven our Fox crazy, that internal conflict.
Andy's relationship to Yoseph also does explain a little about how he knew what to do when Tom was at death's door.  Andy is a very complex character.  Often he keeps things to himself to protect others.  Sometimes he keeps things to himself to keep leverage.  When I first designed this character, I had in mind a Robin type.  Trained as a spy, keeping to the shadows, striking from darkness and fading back into them.  Someone who has patience, attention to details, a need for secrecy, and driven by their own demons, sense of honor and intensity.  Someone with a lot of internal conflicts, but propelled by a need they themselves can't always explain.
Similar to Michael.  Although in Mike's case, its a matter of keeping all that internal pressure behind a cheerful outlook.  He's witty, wise, well to know.  Mike keeps his fascade light, boyant, politically deceptive.  He also has his demons, dark secrets and emotions to cover.
So all of this is well before the events of Lost Boys and Educating Max.  And it happens just as Coupe and Last Place are basically happening.  Hopefully it does shed some light on all the stories, and cast some shade as well.  For you see, the closer you get to the light, the longer and darker the shadows grow behind you.
But that is another story.
 

A very nice read!! Takeru what can you say is more than taking an intetest in Toby. I hope Toby dose not have a big problem about staying out all night. Just a fine story will return to see what happens next.

Wow Wow Wow ! 
     Loving every little word in this 1st of many chapters I hope ? Keep up the great job and thank you for sharing this decade old story in the making with us unworthy pheasants...lol
.   Cheers,
.         Johnny C 

To hit both of your posts in one reply, Jeikor...
Believe it or not, this story has been in the works for the better part of 10 years.  So all the connections here aren't new or made to "fit" with other stories.  There is a plan.  A long, deep, rather convoluted plan, but a plan does exist.  And Meryl/Ralphy/Merlyn's connection to his daughter, her husband, their time traveling back to this time, and even the birth of Merlyn's "eldest grandson" seems to be a thing.  And technically, yes, this takes place about 6 to 8 weeks ahead of Robby's parents' deaths.  Fox has been a figure in the area for a while, even going so far as to take on the mantle of his/her grandfather as the Merrimack Cat Burglar.  The meeting of four principles of different types within the Merrimack Valley's supernatural community (and hints of vampires!) and then the knowledge of at least a fifth (in the form of Merlyn/Ralphy) indicates that there's been things going on for a long time.
Although it did raise several questions in my own mind, as far as plot points.  Being around along as Andy Fox has, surely there were times he could have taken action against Stamos.  You'd think that something might have happened in all that time, that he might have discovered who Stamos was hiding as.  Andy has said that he withheld action on his own part because he saw Stamos had children in his care.  Must have driven our Fox crazy, that internal conflict.
Andy's relationship to Yoseph also does explain a little about how he knew what to do when Tom was at death's door.  Andy is a very complex character.  Often he keeps things to himself to protect others.  Sometimes he keeps things to himself to keep leverage.  When I first designed this character, I had in mind a Robin type.  Trained as a spy, keeping to the shadows, striking from darkness and fading back into them.  Someone who has patience, attention to details, a need for secrecy, and driven by their own demons, sense of honor and intensity.  Someone with a lot of internal conflicts, but propelled by a need they themselves can't always explain.
Similar to Michael.  Although in Mike's case, its a matter of keeping all that internal pressure behind a cheerful outlook.  He's witty, wise, well to know.  Mike keeps his fascade light, boyant, politically deceptive.  He also has his demons, dark secrets and emotions to cover.
So all of this is well before the events of Lost Boys and Educating Max.  And it happens just as Coupe and Last Place are basically happening.  Hopefully it does shed some light on all the stories, and cast some shade as well.  For you see, the closer you get to the light, the longer and darker the shadows grow behind you.
But that is another story.
 

Very interesting start! I love that we get to go back and see when everything (kind of) started. The Fox knowing Yoseph explains how they knew something happened to the wolf in that group. So some things explained while new questions appear . . . . . . . and appear . . . . . . . and appear . . . . . 
Uh, I think you get the picture.
Gotta us by the short hairs and wanting more again. Good job, D'Artagnon!

Oh, I forgot. Is it my imagination or does it appear by something Merlin said that his grandchild and spouse just happen to be Robby's parents?
Did he expect his great grandson to be the one to bring the Tear?
How will he react to their deaths (or did they have to go back to their own time)?
Can't wait to see what answer might be forthcoming in this story.

The beginning of one historical epoch is not necessarily the end of another.  Often there is an overlap, a period of transition.  While a lot of what goes on in Canterbury is behind the scenes, there's still more that's behind the scenes of even that unseen world.  Some answers, some further mysteries and explanations that only make things less clear... all of this and the growing importance of Barnie's Burger Barn... This isn't Camelot; this is the 5th Age, and it begins...   now!
 
Hey Marc!  'Sup!

Fear not the answers are coming, some sooner rather than later, some as you'd wish and others that are hopefully less expected.  The only thing I'll say is that if "Welcome to Halpin Hope" was to be considered the prologue then think of "Shadows" (all 9 parts) as merely the first chapter.  There are seeds in both stories so far that won't sprout and questions asked that won't find answers for a good few stories to come.  The idea behind presenting it in the style of Issues is that each story would at least result in a conclusion giving some form of closure while hopefully still leaving the reader itching to know how all these hanging questions and loose threads will eventually tie together. 

I see! So you are constantly rebaiting the hook to keep us coming back.
Ingenius!  LOL

I could throw some clues, but I will be sneaky and silent.  There are things I suspect, things I believe I know and things that fit the puzzle.  However, I have learned a while ago that baiting a writer for hints may get you clues you don't link in, or mouthing off that can be pleasantly misleading.  Also, never expect a straight answer when a gay deception is involved.  LOL, that being said, I've always found it interesting to see which way an author will take a story.  I might have my own ideas about where I might take it, but the fact of the matter is, Ellio is in charge of this ride, the rest of us are just hanging on for dear life.
So while I might hold a map in the back seat, the guy at the wheel still determines where we wind up.  I'm just the jerk in the backseat taking pics on my cell phone.  *GRIN*
Although I will say this... if what I think i know is what i think is going on then what I think happens next is likely to be something I think a lot of us will think we like.  I think.

I could throw some clues, but I will be sneaky and silent.  There are things I suspect, things I believe I know and things that fit the puzzle.  However, I have learned a while ago that baiting a writer for hints may get you clues you don't link in, or mouthing off that can be pleasantly misleading.  Also, never expect a straight answer when a gay deception is involved.  LOL, that being said, I've always found it interesting to see which way an author will take a story.  I might have my own ideas about where I might take it, but the fact of the matter is, Ellio is in charge of this ride, the rest of us are just hanging on for dear life.
So while I might hold a map in the back seat, the guy at the wheel still determines where we wind up.  I'm just the jerk in the backseat taking pics on my cell phone.  *GRIN*
Although I will say this... if what I think i know is what i think is going on then what I think happens next is likely to be something I think a lot of us will think we like.  I think.

All that D'Artagnon said about Toby is true but I also get the feeling that he is not quite like the rest of his 'kind.' Apparently, the 'people' at Hammerhead Cove were responsible for the fiasco involving Doyler, Jamie and Doyler's parents. Another mystery and question that D'Artagnon didn't mention is; what or who is Pappa John and what does the graphic on the surfboard mean and how is this group involved in what happened to Doyler?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Hopefully further reading will reveal at least a few answers.

Thanks @D'Artagnon.  As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated.  You like how I hint at the answer to a question with a question huh? hahaha.  Glad you're still following.  There are some answers by the end of this story but yeah, their's a hefty price tag that comes with knowing them.  And of course a few more questions will get asked.  Cards on the table here, I suspected the Nifty bait elements of this story would be far too distracting and as I read them back with distance I think that I probably should have gutted them, condensing a couple of chapters to one.  Lesson learned.  As for Toby yep, yep and yep. 

I withheld my comments on chapter three because I wanted to see how it affected chapter four.  More mysteries, more partial answers, more understanding, but also more questions.  We all knew there was something odd, special and slightly disturbing about Toby.  But I still find myself intrigued.  The story has all kinds of hooks, and I find myself hoping that the answers to the questions running around in my twisted little mind do come out soon, but knowing that they will come with a price, and questions more. 
Excellent job, Ellio.  You've baited the hook and we're all taking bites.

I withheld my comments on chapter three because I wanted to see how it affected chapter four.  More mysteries, more partial answers, more understanding, but also more questions.  We all knew there was something odd, special and slightly disturbing about Toby.  But I still find myself intrigued.  The story has all kinds of hooks, and I find myself hoping that the answers to the questions running around in my twisted little mind do come out soon, but knowing that they will come with a price, and questions more. 
Excellent job, Ellio.  You've baited the hook and we're all taking bites.

Gosh darn it.  Every year i forget and every year I fall for at least one or two.  Maybe between us - two people who couldn't vote for him anyway could twist his arm.

Sadly, this has turned out to be a April Fool's joke.  There is a post of  his showing him holding up a sign that reads "Gotcha!"
But I wholly agree.  If I was a legal voter in California, in the appropriate congressional district, I'd vote for him.  As that case is, I'm a legal voter in Florida, some 2500 miles from there.  Don't think that my support, although likely welcomed by Mr. Takei, would be valid.
Can dream though.

I'd vote for George!  In a year where, here in the UK and looking across the pond - the US too, we seem to be governed by the least of us I can't help but feel a little warm tug at my heart strings at Mr Takei putting himself out there.  He's been a voice of reason, as a talking head on many political shows for a few years now and has proven to be a positive rolemodel in his activism.  That he'd be challenging Nunes next year is surely him putting his sharp sense of humour to work too.

Longtime TV, radio and movie star, gay activist, racial equality activist and all around funny guy, George Takei may have just taken his idealism and sharp wit where few gay men have gone before... Congress!
 
http://the-daily.buzz/a/george-takei-has-bombshell-announcement-and-washington-is-reeling?utm_content=inf_10_1163_1&tse_id=INF_cfef57d0165511e798fc7bd31dd7c3e2

“That’s better than the first three months when he only sat there staring straight ahead,” commented Radesh.
“Definitely,” agreed Rogan laying a hand in sympathy on Zander’s shoulder as he passed. “At least he feeds once in while now as well.”
“True but I want my Zane back,” lamented Zander as he turned and followed the werewolves into the cave where the four had lived since leaving the village in Andorra.
✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤
About five minutes into his routine Zander made a turn with a block and found himself twirling around in the air. When he turned far enough to see his floating boyfriend there was a small smile on Zane’s face. He made a come here gesture and Zander felt himself glide towards the cute face of his lover. When he got closer Zane set the book aside and leaned forward to give Zander a light kiss on the lips. Zander leaned in himself for a second kiss then looked at the book.
✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤
Zane pushed back on Zander putting him in a supine position and followed until he was lying on top with both still hovering near the top of the cave. The diminutive blonde vampire began to make out with his boyfriend with unbridled passion. This went on for several minutes until they heard the clearing of a throat and a chuckle from below.
“Looks like he got his Zane back,” Radesh remarked to Rogan, both still chuckling at the two lovers.

Driver's story "Quarry" and Condor's story "My Home Town" are fun reads. They don't follow the usual type of plot, and I like that originality. I've learned some things I didn't know about Australia from Condor's story and he paints a vivid picture of life in that town. Driver has great insights into human emotions and motivations. His final chapter describes a good way for us to live.
I'm still wading my way through many of the other stories.

As you've seen the film then you might just like this animated short... I did.
 

Aw man that was ace! " I'd heard about nervous breakdowns due to flan depressurisation..." has to be one of the best lines from anything, ever.  Love the Ralf Steadmanesque character design too.  Interesting that it's proof of concept for TV show.  I look forward to seeing more.

I so agree "Trick to Treat" by Jeikor is just.an awsome read. Jeikor wrights so many wonderful storys. We all know about "Dummer Boy" by Authur unless live under a rock. One of Authur's storys dose standout "Twilight Motel" just truely awsome si-fi tail. It has been over looked but well worth the read. It was left open ended, so maybe one day he will revisit it. They are so many wonderful storys on CR you can enjoy yourself. for hours. CR has some of the very best authers on the net and without saying the best storys you can not go wrong. Good reading to you all.