|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- FOREMAN ITTENER PIER--CUP 17--"TOCK HOUND BANDELION" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  Foreman Ittener Pier  ||  -------> (Cup SRfi017, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = "So let me get this straight." I said, after Lunatether explained her plan to me. "We're going to the time I estimated, local year 781, and then we're gonna buy a truck to drive the thousand miles to Peeferkihint--with the money you're gonna get when you sell the gold bars you brought from your great-great-great-whatever granddaughter Stormbolthouse?" "That's the idea." Lunatether said. "Okay then. Let's do it." I guess part of my decision was due to impatience--here was a real chance to get home to my real family in a matter of days, not years. Also, Lunatether wore Hilltop's body pretty well--I guess my penis was doing a lot of the thinking. But another thing, really, was that I wasn't getting along with Hilltop all that well. I don't know. I guessed I'd miss Whale the most. And what made me feel very bad was that the little puppy would miss me. But I had made my decision and would live with the consequences. Lunatether tended to her tock hound for a little while, then said "I think Bandelion's ready. Are you?" "Yeah." She climbed up onto the saddle. "Come on up." As I approached, Bandelion started making a low growl. "It's okay." Lunatether said. "It's okay, Bandelion. He's a friend. Yes, yes. He's a friend." "Is it alright?" I asked. "Yeah. Just take it slow. She has to get to know you." So I carefully walked up to the huge beast and climbed up onto the saddle behind Lunatether. Another vehicle, another girl. And any one of them--any one of them--I could make a princess, just by marrying them. That's power. And I know it's wrong to bask in power, but sometimes I do. Lunatether then turned around and looked at me--with such a strong look of admiration in her eyes. "Now Ferrajalt, I have to prepare you for the timeride process. You have understand that as a passenger there's nothing you can do. You just have to hang on and enjoy the scenery. If you feel yourself being overwhelmed, just close your eyes. You WILL become disoriented--but you have to remember--no matter what--just hang on. Everything will be alright." "How do you do it?" I asked. "Actually guide the dog to where you want to go?" "Well, it's pretty complicated, but basically, I can tell Bandelion to go forward or backward, and slower or faster. There are what you might think of as 'tracks of speed'--areas of time travel which go into the future or past faster or slower. You'll see. It's pretty cool." She turned and patted Bandelion on the head, mumbling something to her. "Here we go!" "I'm ready." I said. Bandelion started loping forward, and almost immediately, things began to happen. The forest around me seeming to spin at extreme angles very quickly, only to stop for a moment, then spin in another direction. I started to get confused, but I forced myself to relax and keep a good grip on the leather straps of the saddle. We were definitely moving forward, but in a weird way. Then it happened. As the world was rotating in powerful thrusts all around me, the beast we rode leapt forward and all was dark. It was suddenly much colder, and my ears began to ache. Soon I saw the moon through tree branches, but then the spinning began again. It was night, and I felt the difference of air pressure in my ears. "Are we there?" I yelled at Lunatether. "No way!" she yelled back. "This is just the beginning. We only got a few days in that jump. We gotta get moving a lot farther." "Uhn." I yelled in acknowledgment. -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----