|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- DEER EXPRESS--CUP 7--"WELCOME TO A GARDEN" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  Deer Express  ||  -------> (Cup SRde007, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = "Welcome to a garden." "Huh?" She looked around, and as far as the eye could see there rested a wonderful garden, complete with pathways, mazes, gazebos, covered walkways, all that. She wandered around the garden with Ronhy for an indeterminate period of time. Finally, she found herself in a large area totally covered with branches and vines, like a big room. "Wow." she said, regarding Ronhy's elevator jones. "That thing is sure great. You can make any elevator like that?" "Yup. It does a whole bunch of stuff." "Cool. Wish I had one in... well, um... this is a dream, right? I always get cool things in dreams and wind up--I don't know--disappointed when I wake up." "Why not use Deer Express?" "What?" "Deer Express. They make deliveries from Dreamworld to Reality. Should be just what you're looking for." "What do you mean?" "I'll show you. All you have to do is remember a chant--don't worry, not a boring religious one--more like a little nursery rhyme." "Yeah?" "Yeah. I'll say it, and they'll come. You'll see." "Hey, knock yourself out." Paith said, looking away, poopooing the whole matter. Ronhy softly recited the chant. "Slumber revel is the dream, things aren't always what they seem, sometimes if I have a thing, home with me I'd like to bring, I sing aloud this little chant, you come to do it, since I can't, I'll pay your price, and nothing less, I call to you, Deer Express." Paith laughed a little. "Cute." She looked over at Ronhy, but he just smiled. A moment later, she heard the sound of a galloping horse approaching. Turning, she saw a horse indeed round a corner and come into the clearing. It was going fast--but she saw that the rider... had antlers. The horse stopped in front of them, and she got a good look at the rider--he had the body of a man, but the head of a deer. Well, maybe he was all-deer, just shaped like a man. He wore an ornate outfit with military overtones, and his eyes blazed with awareness and intelligence. Paith wore a worried expression and turned to Ronhy. "Oh ye of little faith..." he said under his breath. "Greetings." the deer man said. "I am Courier Arbhay. I respond to your call." Ronhy stood up. "Uh, yes." he said, speaking carefully. "I chanted on behalf of my friend here, Paith Paper. She expressed a desire to take things from her dreams. This, in particular, for now." He held up the elevator jones. The deer man looked at it, then over to Paith. The rider smiled. "You're going to like what I have to tell you Paith Paper--" the supernatural being said. "Someone registered an account with us, on your behalf." "What?" "Your account is in surplus--you may use our service many, many times without owing anything." "Yeah?" "That's pretty good." Ronhy said. "The toll they charge is pretty extreme." "Like what?" Paith asked of the deer guy. "There are a variety of ways to pay. Dream indenture. Soul fire. Time. Right usage. And many others." "What, you have to sell your soul?" she asked. "Not so extreme. Just something like lending your soul, perhaps." "I thought I said this was a dream." Paith said. "So none of this is real." The deer man smiled again. "If you say so, this device your dreamfriend holds will be delivered to your door--in Reality--by me, this morning." "Why not! Yeah, go ahead. Do it." Paith said. Then she looked over at Ronhy. "Are you really in this dream?" "No." the rider said. "He is dreamfriend, nothing more. A fragment of your own mind." "Oh. So how come he knew about you?" The courier glared down at Paith. "It is YOU who know about us. Your benefactor delivered the information to your subconscious. At least, that's what makes the most sense." "Okay." she said. "So go ahead, deliver the elevator jones to me." "I shall." Arbhay said. "Come friend, hand the thing to me." Ronhy walked forward and gave Arbhay the elevator jones. The deer man looked it over. "Cute." he said. "I shall see you after you wake up. You will be shocked to see me--please stay calm." "I'll be okay." Paith said. "Good. See you soon." And Courier Arbhay rode off. "That was weird." Paith said. "Yeah." Ronhy responded. They wandered around the garden some more, for an indeterminate amount of time. -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----