Blankish Slates | Moonfall Vol. II

The Plans

Morning at the Crystal Estate had its quiet atmosphere briefly interrupted when the Moon Mobile arrived to drop Gunter off on the way to the theater. Gunter reassured his friends once again that's he'd be okay. With some reluctance, they relented, replying with forced smiles and good luck wishes.

Gunter hopped out of the SUV, sporting a fresh fuchsia tracksuit and a binder choked to the brim with the deluge of ideas that refused to stay in his brain. He strode up to the front doors of the manor as his friends cautiously drove away. Faced with the grand doors to the home of his troupe's ex-nemesis, Gunter knocked with a silly rhythm.

"It is me!" he announced. "Gunter!"

After a few moments, the door opened and Gunter was surprised to find Jimmy in the doorway, wearing a posh black robe trimmed in gold. Despite its simplicity in design, Gunter was sure that robe cost more than his entire wardrobe.

"What's shakin', bacon?" Jimmy said.

Gunter's wary eyes betrayed his smile. "Haha, you have... ze majorly wicked sense of humor, Mr. Crystal."

"So I've been told." Jimmy eyed the binder. "Is that for me?"

Gunter thrust the binder into the air as if showing it off the whole world. "I couldn't stop writing my ideas!"

"How many did you write?"

"All of zem!"

Jimmy's eyes lit up. "Yeah! That's what I'm talking about. Come on into my office. Let's talk business."

Gunter followed the wolf inside and through the corridors, unable to stifle his constant oohing and aahing at the art fixtures and glimpses into other rooms.

"Normally I'd roll out the red carpet and shower my business partners in the finest things," Jimmy said. "You know, the whole shaboodle! But I'm sure you understand that my circumstances are a bit different now."

"Zat's okay. Your home is like, totally amazing and super expensive."

"It is, isn't it?"

They reached Jimmy's personal office, a cozy room with a fireplace but still dripping in affluence and a smattering of art bearing the wolf's likeness. Jimmy took a seat and leaned into the back of his cushy chair behind his desk for only a second before sitting up in annoyance.

"Jerry! Get us some coffee!"

"Yes, sir!" Jerry cried from down the hallway.

"You like coffee?"

Gunter took the seat across from him. "I am much in preference of tea."

"Get us some tea too!" Jimmy hollered. "Actually, get us anything worth drinking! We might be here for a while, got that?"

Jerry popped into the room. "Yes, sir! My pleasure, sir!" He was gone in a blur of fur.

Jimmy cleared space on his desk before watching Gunter expectantly. "Now, show me what you've got. Lay it on me."

Gunter slapped the heavy binder onto the desk with an audible thud and flipped it open to reveal a neatly arranged rainbow of pages. After being hired as Jimmy's Chief Creative Specialist, Gunter took calls from his second boss that saw a glut of ideas refined into the concept of a reality TV show, a show that Jimmy could participate in with the caveat that there was a role for Porsha too. Jimmy told him that running Crystal Entertainment is why he turned down previous offers for a reality TV show. Gunter knew that one of the unstated goals of their potential show was to repair Jimmy's ego. He didn't mind; it gave him a much-needed opportunity to flex his creative chops and help Porsha spend more time with her father like she always wanted.