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message 751:
by
Guy
(new)
Jul 03, 2012 08:37PM
Hello Al! Wow, your head would seem to be irksome. I thought you were without power tonight?
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Allergies, maybe??? My sister gets headaches almost daily during the spring, and she's allergic to pollen.
Have you tried a) acupuncture b) homeopathy c) naturopathy? I had great success with my sinuses with a) when normal doctoring was a complete bust. LOVED the acupuncture. It made me feel so good and alive I cannot even describe it. Unfortunately a friend who suffers from chronic migraines didn't have any significant success with the migraines when he tried acupuncture, but he said that it made him feel significantly more energetic and alive afterwards.
Guy wrote: "Have you tried a) acupuncture b) homeopathy c) naturopathy? I had great success with my sinuses with a) when normal doctoring was a complete bust. LOVED the acupuncture. It made me feel so good and..."You know you have a deranged friend when they say they loved having needles being stuck in their back.
Alex (Al) wrote: "My first vertebrae is reaching toward my brain stem. They think that might be causing them, but not a likely cause. Whatever. I don't do doctors anymore."(wince) Painful. Sorry, Cap'n.
Al, I suggest you give the needles a try. For me they didn't hurt. My wife who is terrified of them has put up with incredible pain for years, and has become basically crippled by pain. She would rather face pain 24/7, with serious narcotics becoming increasingly ineffectual, than face and overcome her fear of needles.Now, nothing may come of the acupuncture, but even then you will be able to say 'I overcame a fear!' But the best case scenario is that the migraines have gone AND you have overcome a needless (needles - get it!?) fear.
Anyway, I've just posted a weird near fushigi. And it's time for bed, as work starts at 6:30 in the morning.
Good night!
I'd like to give acupuncture a go. Mostly I'm nervous that I'll get stuck with someone who's never done acupuncture on anyone before and has no clue what they're doing, but it's irrational.Sort of.
I am curious about the dream, of course!If you come and visit Canada I can get you to give acupuncture a try at likely a reasonable cost. Or, of course, when you sell your first book. (Or marry someone with better insurance!)
LOL!!! Marry someone with better insurance...Al, I am so sorry to hear about your migraines. Dang, they sound awful. We're here for ya, pal.
Well, you know. When we're not pilfering your honeycomb. XD
We should host some big international get-together for the WSS.Sara: Sure. Like you're ever gonna get the money for that.
Me: Stop ruining my dreams.
Nikara: Found the honeycomb. Looks like "Mad Man" never got the chance to move it.
Sara: (blissfully ignorant of the plan M's mice executed) Sweet!!! Let's get outta here and stuff our faces.
Nikara: How long has Sara in the bathroom again?Me: Nearly three hours. Lucky us, that she ate hers first.
Nikara: Who do you think did it?
Me: I'm putting money on M's mice.
Nikara: Not Al?
Me: No. I have this strange hunch...
Sara: (from bathroom) Those... mice... are... going... to... PAY!!!!!!!!!!!
Nikara: Lord help whatever mice pulled that prank on us.
Me: You kinda hafta feel sorry for the poor guys.
(Several of the mice are enjoying the breeze in an out-of-sight place near the bowsprit. Narvis’s wife approaches, skittering along in the shadow the rail. Looking around her nervously, she makes a dash for their hiding place.)Mouse #9: Hello, Loretta. (Moves to make a place for her.) What’s up?
Mouse #13: (Out of breath.) Have I got news!
Mouse #1: We already know about Ray. (Shakes his head.)
Mouse #6: (Munching a morsel of trail mix.) Never met a mouse he didn’t like, and look what they did to him.
Mouse #3: (Disapproval in his eyes.) Some of the boys like to play rough.
Mouse #13: Oh, it’s not about poor Ray. (Looks sadly out at the waves.) Great Mouse bless him!
Mouse #6: What is it, then?
Mouse #13: Well, Roxie and I were scavenging in the head the crew uses. (She wrinkles her nose in disgust.) You know, the one that never gets cleaned?
(The other mice nod.)
Mouse #13: The door flew open and a girl came in, and she was in a big hurry. We barely had time to duck out of sight. (She pauses.) It was just awful!
(The others wait expectantly as Loretta takes a refreshing breath of the sea air.)
Mouse #13: We didn’t manage to make to the hole in the wainscoting, and we had to sit through the whole thing, in the next stall. I thought Roxie was going to be sick.
Mouse #6: You know, there’s just a big pipe that goes out the bottom of the ship.
Mouse #3: (With a wry look.) I take it the coral reef has some bad weather coming?
Mouse #13: Oh, my! We thought that girl was going to die. Some other girls came to see about her. Called her Sara. Sara told them it was the honeycomb she had eaten.
(The others listen, slack-jawed.)
Mouse #9: We got one of them! What do you think, Narvis?
Mouse #8: (Nodding gravely.) She’ll be on the pot for quite a while.
(Suddenly the mice are rolling with laughter.)
Sara: The despicable evil, M!!! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!!!!!!!Nikara: Calm down, Sara.
Sara: Calm down??? Calm DOWN???!!!!!!
Me: There, there.
Sara: I was in the bathroom for four hours! FOUR HOURS!!!!!!!! How DARE he-
Nikara: SARA. (mischievous look in eye) We still have some honeycomb left.
Sara: Yeah. So?
Nikara: So, Al doesn't know that her honeycomb's been tampered with.
(silence)
Me: Nicky, that is freaking brilliant.
Sara: (grudgingly) Okay, so that's kinda smart. We sneak back down, put the honeycomb where we found it, and Al'll never know it's been gone. But what if those sneaky little mice tell her? They probably found out I ate some of it.
Me: They'll be the least of our worries after you find 'em.
Sara: (smiling) I can't wait to get my hands on them. Anyone have any mousetraps?
Nikara: They are talking mice, Sara. Odds are they're smarter than that.
Sara: Oh, well. I'll get 'em somehow.
What a great reply! I just love this:“They are talking mice, Sara. Odds are they’re smarter than that.”
Aw, thanks, M. Message 1358 had me cracking up. I loved their reaction to Sara's... eh... bathroom endeavors.
Sara: Nicky, I need cheese, two dozen glowsticks, three empty barrels, rum, a clock, and preferably a couple of knives.Nikara: Done. You can find your haul in Al's cabin.
Sara: I can't believe I'm saying this, but the Cap'n might have a weirder collection of items than you do.
Nikara: Ha, ha. What's the junk for?
Sara: What do you think?
Sara: (stomping past Nikara and Kyra towards bath. She's covered head to toe in some glowing substance and rum, and pieces of wood are caught in her hair.)Nikara: Did you get them?
Sara: Shut up. (locks bathroom door)
Me: When was the last time anyone evaded any of her traps?
Nikara: Not sure. She's not used to being without magic, I guess. Personally, I'm still getting used to the prohibitions you put on us.
Me: Just foresight. Those mice would be dead in a day if I let her use elemental magic.
Nikara: Well, we're going to be hearing of this for at least another week. Better get some earplugs while we can.
Me: Or just let her get the mice,
Nikara: Did you see the state she's in right now? Not even Sara can possibly be stupid enough to charge right back in. There's plenty of room for one of her rants in the time lapse between her attacks.
Me: Better remember those words, Nicky. She's probably plotting something right now.
Aw, thanks, Guy.Sara: I'm sick of bathrooms.
Nikara: So you'd rather do your business over the side of the ship when you have to go?
Sara: Fair enough.
Me: We put the honeycomb back. Al'll never know what hit her.
Sara: Excellent. And the mice?
Nikara: What mice?
Sara: (grins) That's brilliant!!! Where'd you put them?
Nikara: Threw 'em overboard. Sorry you couldn't do it yourself.
Sara: It's fine. Too bad you had to kill them, though. They were kind of amusing. I'm gonna go grab something to eat. (walks away humming and smiling)
Me: You didn't actually kill them, did you?
Nikara: Of course not. I couldn't even find them. I assume once Sara calms down a bit, she'll change her mind.
Me: You're hopelessly deluded.
Nikara: I'm just an optimist.
Me: So you see my point, then.
Me: Whoa...this looks cool! Is it like characters from a story we're writing specifically? If so...Tyler: You think everything looks cool. *rolls eyes*
Brady: Then I won't say how cool I think it looks.
Tyler: Please don't and save us the time.
Brady: But you pretty much waisted it saying that1
Richelle: Guys, cool out. We don't have to fight every single second.
Brady: He started it.
Me: You're such a five year old.
Tyler: More like three.
Brady: Hey! Six and a half, thank you very much.
Me: Holy cow this is cool!!Julian: Mhm...
Me: Oh shut up.
Julian: *silent*
Ariana: For once he listens?
Chrissy: Oh leave him alone.
Me: You just want us to leave him alone cause he's your boyfriend.
Chrissy: *blushes* i-is not!
Ariana: He's what!?
Me: *skipping and singing* Chrissy and Julian sittin' in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!
Chrissy: You have a lower maturity level than Maribel....
Maribel: HEY! *grows five inches*
Me: Woah, chillax fire fairy. Chrissy is your queen.
Maribel: *shrinks back* oh yeah...
Julian: She really is?
Me: What do ya think smart one!
Ariana: You do have a lower maturity level than Maribel...
Maribel: Yay! I'm more mature than someone! *skips around happily...well...flies*
Me: Jerk....oooh!!!! Pretty butterfly *grabs Maribel*
Maribel: *lights on fire* DON'T TOUCH ME!
Me: *drops Maribel* Ow! You burned me!
Chrissy: *laughing*
Julian: *smirking*
Ariana: *facepalm*
Chrissy: Mice!? Ew!!!Me: Good grief....
Ariana: I thought you liked animals...
Chrissy: *shudders* But mice...
Julian: What's wrong with mice?
Chrissy: They're creepy!
Me: No they're not! Plus, these one's talk.
Chrissy: *rolls eyes* Of course you like them...
Me: What's that supposed to mean!? At least I'm not the one who's dating a 67 year old elf...
Julian: I'm only 17!
Me: Pfft, no you're not.
Ariana: Would you all stop fighting!?
Me: Oh c'mon Ariana, just because you're 100 and some odd years old doesn't make you in charge.
Maribel: Don't talk to the elven prophetess like that!
Me: *sticks out tongue* Make me!
Maribel: *grins* Okay!
Me: *pales* crud...*dodges multiple fireballs*
Chrissy: GO MARIBEL!
Julian: Please, kill her!
Me: Hey! I created yo-Ah!
Maribel: Mwahahaha!
Me: EVIL LITTLE FAIRY!!!!
Chrissy: I still don't like mice...
Alex (Al) wrote: "YOU THREW THE MICE OVERBOARD?! NOOOOE! (Jumps in after them) I'LL SAVE YOU!!!Anyway."
Nikara: (raises eyebrow) Of course not. I just said, I couldn't so much as find them, much less throw them overboard.
Me: Ssh!!! Don't let Sara hear you!!!!!
Sara: (screams) Nikara! You missed a couple!!!Nikara: What happened?
Sara: I-I was in the cellar-
Me: The what?
Sara: The cellar. The place where we keep all our rum.
Me: What were you doing in a cellar full of rum???
Sara: Not important. What's important is that there are still living, breathing mice on this ship.
Nikara: I'm not from pest control, Sara. It's not my job to exterminate every living mouse from the ship.
Sara: Talking mice where in the cellar. And said something about the honeycomb. I thought you said you threw them overboard!!!
Nikara: I did. They must've... caught hold of something... on their way down.
Sara: Never mind. Those mice are DEAD!!!!!! (scurries off)
Me: Well, that was a mistake.
Nikara: No kidding. Those mice are in trouble.
Me: If she can actually catch any of them.
Nikara: She won't underestimate them again.
Me: This is Sara we're talking about. Even if she goes overkill, without her magic, there's a fair chance that those mice can still escape.
Nikara: (groans) Great. If they do live, we'll have to suffer through another one of her rants. But if they don't, then she'll be a murderer. WEither way, this sucks.
Chrissy: Aw man...Julian: Don't worry, I'll protect you.
Chrissy: *blushes* thanks Julian *hugs Julian*
Me: Dude, Maribel just gave me an a-line...she BURNED it off! *fumes*
Maribel: *laughing and growing about ten inches*
Me: Why did I make them grow with happiness and anger? *notices Julian and Chrissy* HA! Told you! Ariana!! Look!
Ariana: You've got to be joking.
Julian: Oh...hehe...
Chrissy: What? We weren't doing anything.
Me: *cough* sure you weren't *cough cough*
Maribel: Hey Chrissy, don't you have fire powers too?
Chrissy: Oh yeah...*grins wickedly*
Me: I'M NOT A FIREPIT!!!!
Julian: Don't set her on fire.
Ariana: I'll throw you in the ocean if you do.
Me: Finally! Somebody stickks up for me!
Maribel: *snorts*
Me: What's so funny?
Maribel: Nothing...
Me: I'm concerned for my life...
What’s the use of being a pirate if there isn’t some murder and mayhem on the agenda?
Chrissy: Exactly!Me: You're just saying that because you don't like mice...
Me: So do I. I'll see to it Sara doesn't kill 'em.Nikara: You've done excellent at that so far.
Me: Well, no one's actually DIED.
Nikara: Yet.
Me: Shut up. I've got it under tabs.
Sara: (bursting into room) I need six clotheslines, a tube of toothpaste, vodka, fourteen packages of Band-Aids, and an apple. Stat.
Nikara: (arches eyebrow) Sure you do.
Chrissy: *sigh*Me: Haha
Chrissy: Oh Maribel!
Me: I WAS KIDDING!
Chrissy: Mmhmm...
Me: hehe...
Al, that was brilliant!!! Can't wait for Gersh's answer. It appears he didn't complete whatever he was about to say at the end, though. What a tragedy!!!Nikara: I liked it as well.
Me: Where's Sara? She was so excited to see this.
Nikara: That's best left unanswered.
I have a bad feeling Frank is going to turn out to be a nice person.
A city that’s interesting is a city with a past. People are that way. A character without a dark side isn’t a very interesting one.
WHAT???!!!!!!!! But you can't just LEAVE US HANGING LIKE THAT!!!!!!!!!!!! Gaaaahhh...
M wrote: "A city that’s interesting is a city with a past. People are that way. A character without a dark side isn’t a very interesting one."LOL, so very true.
Nikara: (scrolling through episodes)(whistling) Al's been busy.Me: What' the Cap'n up to now?
Nikara: I'm not quite sure. Something about a treasure.
Me: (intrigued) Really? What treasure?
Nikara: Something about Captain Jack Rose.
Me: (biting lip) Never heard of him.
Nikara: Funny... it sounds liked the kind of thing a lot of pirates should know about.
Me: If Al went looking for it, there's a good chance she made sure we didn't know about it.
Nikara: Kyra. I know the look on your face. We have bigger problems.
Me: Bigger problems than our Cap'n wandering off on her own to find some mysterious treasure that, strangely enough, we've never actually heard of?
Nikara: I wouldn't interfere if I were you.
Me: I'm not. Just going to do a little research is all.
Nikara: What about Sara? She's obsessed with those mice. It's not healthy,
Me: You can handle Sara, I think.
Nikara: Yeah. Right.
Me: Gimme two hours. After that...
Nikara: Fine. I'll see what I can do.
Me: Thanks, Nicky.
Nikara: Kyra.Me: Nothing yet. I tried that big book of pirate folklore in Al's room. There's absolutely nothing but a couple pages torn out in the back. Odd.
Nikara: Not now, Kyra! There's someone here to see Al. They parked their ship next to us.
Me: Did they say who they were?
Nikara: No. Just something about a stone.
Me: Forget it then. Maybe they're just merchants that decided to go ship to ship or something.
Nikara: But they know Al personally. She's the reason they parked their ship here.
Me: Tell them she's not here.
Nikara: (sighing) Fine. But they're rather persistent. They might be close friends of hers.
Me: Al knows a lot of people. Most of them other pirates. I'm hardly surprised there's a ship here that knows her. Just tell them she'll be back soon.
Nikara: And if she's not?
Me: Not my problem. I'm busy, Nikara.
Nikara: Fine. (stepping closer) Absolutely nothing, you say?
Me: Absolutely nothing.
Nikara: Have you checked her diary?
Me: She took it with her.
Nikara: Maybe one of the other shipmates?
Me: Tried that, too. No one knows anything. Bafflement all around.
Nikara: (sighing) I hear Sara. She sounds annoyed.
Me: What's new?
Maribel: *randomly pops up* HEY GUYS, GUESS WHAT!!??Me: AH!
Maribel: Someone keeps talking about treasure! I wanna find the treasure!
Me: Maribel, calm down. That's not our bussiness!
Chrissy: Treasure!? Seriously! Let's go find it!
Me: We don't even know where it is!
Julian: She actually has a point...
Me: YOU GUYS ARE JERKS! *storms off and runs into Sage* fudge...
Sage: *grabs by throat* Hello
Me: *gags* Why do I always manage to do this?
Sage: *cackles*
Me: *kicks Sage* OW! I alwayys forget the whole 'you're a robot' thing.
Sage: *drops me* It's actually quite entertaining.
Me: *rubs throat* Not for my foot it isn't.
Sage: *glares*
Me: *gulps* hehe....jking.
Sage: I'm kind of curious....why is it that I'm here, but Lanna isn't?
Me: Erm...Lanna kinda died...
Sage: WHAT?!
Me: *backs up* Erm...yeah. remember? She sacrifices herself to save Aia...
Sage: *pins Kayla against tree by throat* YOU KILLED MY GIRLFRIEND!?
Me: *remembers that she has chaos powers and teleports behind him* Technically she wasn't your girlfriend. You did kill Rianna...
Sage: I did not.
Me: Well one of your Metarex minions did.
Chrissy: *randomly shows up* You brought fanfic characters into this?
Me: SHUT UP! They don't need to know that!
Chrissy: HEY EVERYBODY!!! KAYLA BROUGHT FANFIC CHARACTERS INTO THIS!!!
Me: *blushes* No! I didn't!
Sage: Liar
Me: Oh gosh I'm gonna pass out from embarasssment. Why are you guys so mean to me?
Sage: You killed my girlfriend, why wouldn't I be?
Me: Jerk.
Sage: Hey, is that Zach I see over there?
Me: *blushes even more* OH NO!
Zach: Kayla!
Me: Crud...
Zach: *hugs Kayla* Hi!
Me: Hehe, hi Zach...
Chrissy: *bursts out laughing* At least I'm not dating a frigment of my imagination!
Me: I AM NOT DATING HIM!
Zach: Aw...
Me: Sorry Zach...
Chrissy: Where's the popcorn? This is gonna be interesting.
Me: Chrissy, go away!
Chrissy: *vanishes*
Sage: You really made her ddisapear?
Me: *frowns* No, I can't do that.
Sage: Then where is she?
Me: *shrugs* Beats me.
Zach: You don't know where your own character went?
Me: No...?
Zach: *facepalm*
Sage: Well...I'm going to go destroy some stuff...*leaves*
Me: SON OF A-!!!!!!!!!
Zach: What?
Me: What do you think smart one?
Zach: Oh....right...
Me: *facepalm*
Me: Nikara. There's a guy standing by the ship that's freaking me out.Nikara: I didn't think you'd notice, the way you've been so deep into your "research" the past hour and a half.
Me: Do you know him?
Nikara: He came by earlier.
Me: That was him?
Nikara: Aye.
Me: I don't like him.
Nikara: So go beat the crap out of him. No one'll miss him here.
Me: Bad idea. He could have a partner.
Nikara: Ridiculous.
Me: He could have a partner that'll sneak up behind me and knock me out.
Nikara: You've been watching too many movies.
Me: Maybe. Any word from Al?
Nikara: Nothing. How's the research?
Me: Awful. I have half an hour left and I still haven't found anything.
Nikara: Take another hour. I'm a little curious myself, and Sara seems distracted.
Me: Thanks, Nicky. But if that guy doesn't move, I'll just risk it and go tell him to move it.
Nikara: I'll gladly help you.
(POOR AL!!!!!!!! I'm gonna kick Frank's cheating butt when he comes back up here. Nicky and Sara will help, I'm sure. XD)Nikara: (rushing into cellar) Sara?
Sara: Not now. I saw one a moment ago. I'm gonna catch the dirty little-
Nikara: Ye gods, is THAT what you built???
Sara: Pretty good, huh?
Nikara: That's awful. The design is all wrong.
Sara: Not for a mouse.
Nikara: I don't see where the fact that they are mice changes the design of the contraption.
Sara: (sighing) What do you want, Nicky?
Nikara: Al's back.
Sara: Sweet!!! Can't wait to see the look on her face when she eats that honeycomb...
Nikara: Without Frank. And she looks depressed.
Sara: (forgetting mice)(running back upstairs)
Wow. You nailed 'em. 'Specially at the end there. XDSara: Right, Nicky. We need a plan.
Nikara: No duh.
Sara: A smart plan. Not one of your split-second decisions.
Nikara: Which are plenty smart. At least, when I do them.
Sara: My point is, we need a way to draw him in.
Nikara: Like bait.
Sara: Well, what's the bait???
Nikara: He wanted to see Al, didn't he? So we use that.
Sara: And if he runs into Al on the ship?
Nikara: If she's even on the ship anymore.
Sara: Fair enough.
Nikara: She probably is, though, I admit.
Sara: Then make sure she's not in range.
Nikara: Done.
Sara: Hey, Vincent!!!Vincent: (glancing up) Oh, hello. Sara, isn't it?
Sara: Correct. Now, Al just got back, so she'd like to see you now. She's in the brig.
Vincent: (skeptical) In the brig.
Sara: (mentally calling herself an idiot) She's talking to someone else in there and can't come out. I'm to leave you with her until she's done so she can personally escort you to the Cap'n's quarters.
Vincent: Why can't I just go straight up to her cabin?
Sara: (shrugging) Hey, Cap'ns do what Cap'ns do. We don't interfere with them unless we're crazy. I don't think she trusts you, though.
Vincent: Ridiculous. Why would she think that?
Sara: You should ask her.
Vincent: Fine. I'm coming.
(Sara leads Vincent through the ship towards the brig, hoping Nikara managed to keep Al out of sight. Guy's trying to break up another fight between Sophia and Professor.)
Sara: Here we are! The brig!
Vincent: Where's Al?
Sara: She'll be down shortly.
(Vincent backs up only to step into Nikara. Both girls tackle him and lock him in the brig.)
Vincent: You dirty little-
Nikara: That went rather nicely. How'd you get him down?
Sara: Told him Al was here. He didn't believe me at first, but then I said she doesn't trust him to wander around on his own.
Nikara: She probably doesn't, if she wants him locked in there.
Alex (Al) wrote: "Okay... I should never write when I'm tired. It all goes to havoc. Al: (She walks through the woods, silently crying. Her tears fall to the mossy floor as she makes her way to the orchard. She d..."
Al, I'm terrified. Honestly, I am. What on Earth happened to Frank???
Oh, right. Can't answer that. Sorry. Guess I'll have to wait for the next episode, then?
This is torture.
Alex (Al) wrote: "Writer #1: This all seems vaguely familiar. Didn't we write this before?Writer #2: (Flips through pages and pages of writing.) I don't think so.
Writer #1: I'm pretty sure we've had Frank strangl..."
LOL!!!!!!
Me: Guys, why's that creepy guy locked in the brig???
Sara: Long story, that.
Nikara: No, it's not, really. You should just read the posts.
Me: Sure. Who is he?
Sara: Some guy named Vincent. Al told us to lock him down there.
Nikara: Speaking of Al, we should go get her.
Me: She's not on the ship.
Sara: You sure?
Me: Positive.
Nikara: It's probably nothing. She comes and goes a lot.
Sara: I';m with Nicky on this one, Kyra. Besides... I've got some mice to hunt.
Me: (groaning) Can't you think of anything else, Sara? Anything at all.
Sara: Sure I can, if you don't mind me stealing a few things from you.
Me: Fair enough. What are they?
Sara: I don't know until I steal them.
Nikara: She didn't mean "steal" as a metaphor, Kyra.
Me: Forget it. Mice it is.
Chrissy: *hurriedly shoving popcorn in her mouth* Ish ith ikin awthome!Me: Hey Chrissy do you like sea food?
Chrissy: *swallows* Kinda...why?
Me: *shoves popcorn in mouth and shows Chrissy* Thee? Ood! *cackles*
Chrissy: Oh shut up and read the posts.
Me: *swallows* Fine.
Alex (Al) wrote: "oh...this is so stupid....Al: (She wakes up strapped to-no, wait not the operating table, but to a hospital bed surrounded by yellow sheets hanging from the ceiling. She groans wondering where i..."
AL!!!!!!! That's brilliant!!! (laughing, clapping) You got me there. For a second I thought it was really Frank and he'd really forgotten you.
Me: (grabbing cot) Nikara, I'll be out for a little while. You're in charge.Nikara: (sitting up) Sure. Where are you going?
Me: To get a book.
Nikara: (leaping out of bed) Take me with you!!!
Me: It's part of my research. Remember Al's folklore book? The one with the torn out pages?
Nikara: Ah. I see. But why can't I come with you? You know I'm better at puzzles.
Me: Maybe it's not a puzzle. Maybe it's the story about the treasure that was torn out.
Nikara: I admit, that's the most likely possibility. But you can't buy that book without alerting every person on the ship that something's up. They know Al has a copy and that you stole it and read it. They'll be wondering why you need another one.
Me: I don't have to tell them. I'll just read it and come back.
Nikara: Please. I have the best memory.
Me: If you stay here, I'll buy you some spare parts while I'm in the market.
Nikara: (beaming) Done. I made a list. I can't find any of these parts on board.
Me: (taking list) If I'm not back in two hours, something bad happened to me.
Nikara: Should I tell Sara?
Me: Like she'd listen. Too busy with those mice. (leaves)
Alex (Al) wrote: "Frank: (He beams at her and applauds.) Very good. Very good. I was wondering how long it would take you to figure that out. Oh, it’s always so fun to toy with you, Al.Al: (She grins sarcastically...."
Also brilliant!!! Love the essence of mystery. Can't wait for the next one!!!!!
Kyra: (walks up to odd booth in market full of metal scraps and spare parts) Excuse me.Merchant: Mm? Hello, there. Would you to purchase some parts?
Kyra: Yes, please. (smiles at merchant's bewildered smile) I'm shopping for a friend of mine. (hands merchant list) Do you have any of these in stock?
Merchant: Yes... quite a few, actually. I didn't think anyone would ever ask for these. (smiles back) Only the most insane or the most genius buy my scraps.
Kyra: My friend's both.
Merchant: So it would seem. There was another girl here not five days ago who struck me as exactly that combination. An inch or so shorter than you, with light brown hair, almost gold, and a slight tan.
Kyra: (intrigued) Really? What was her name? Nikara?
Merchant: No. Dakota. Dakota Tamara. Quite the pleasant young girl.
Kyra: Naturally. She says hi.
Merchant: (raising eyebrows)(handing bag of parts to Kyra) You know her? Tell her Mr. Green sends these free, in exchange for that wonderful jet blueprint she shared with me.
Kyra: Thank you ever so much. (wanders away)(comes to book stall)(ignores wonderful-looking novels with gorgeous covers for now) Hello? I'm looking for a book.
Book Merchant: (in obviously fake French accent) But of course!!! What is mademoiselle interested in? Perhaps a fiction for long trip?
Kyra: Maybe later. I need a book with pirate folklore. It has a brown cover with no title or author on it, and around twenty-seven detailed pirate folktales.
BM: (dropping accent) Sorry, ma'am. Someone bought it not two hours ago.
Kyra: But I need that book.
BM: I'm sorry. What did you need?
Kyra: The last six pages of that book.
BM: (confused) There wasn't anything on the last six pages. Just blank white pages.
Kyra: What?
BM: (regaining accent) My most sincere apologies, mademoiselle. Perhaps some other time.
Aw, poor Al!!! You okay?Get better soon!!!
