|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- PECULIAR LATHER--CUP 13--"LITTLE RED THREAD" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  Peculiar Lather  ||  -------> (Cup SRpl013, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = "But it's still embarrassing." Tanner said. "Well," Fluffy responded, "another thing you should know is that even though gods and mortals intermingle comfortably, the official structure is that gods are supreme over mortals. So though you might take offense at Janine, it is not proper to express that offense to her. And believe me--Janine could have been much more severe with you for summoning her. But, though she is a bitch, she is basically fair. She plainly realizes you are ignorant of our ways." "Well..." "So just put the entire matter out of your head--and stay away from Janine. And especially--don't go to that dance." "I don't even know where it is." "Good. Don't even find out. If you go there, you'll be in for trouble. And if things went crazy, you wouldn't be able to defend yourself." "I took some judo in grade school." "Here, such as judo is vapor." "Eh." From the other side of the lounge, there was some activity. A little meeting was in the process of ending. Both Tanner and Fluffy looked over. A guy in a purple Colonial-America style outfit was facing away from them and talking to someone who was seated. He looked around and saw Fluffy, waved to her, then held his finger up as in saying "I'll be with you in a minute". The fellow was tall and of a heavy build, with short black hair and a stubble beard. His face had a childish chisel to it, and his eyes were very intent and piercing. "Who's that guy?" Tanner asked Fluffy. "Him? He's Mem Elemorty." "A god?" Fluffy paused, and then said, "Yup." "Huh." Tanner said, sipping his coffee again. Mem Elemorty was laughing and saying good-bye to a few people. Then he turned and came walking over to Fluffy and Tanner. He had a cane, and was using it aid his limping stride. "Is he injured?" asked Tanner. "No. He just limps because he thinks it's cool. And also because it gives him a reason to carry that stupid cane around wherever he goes." "Huh." Mem came over, and following him was a tiny, stout, tan weasel creature. Tanner looked at the creature, and saw that a piece of red thread was floating along in front of the creature. Tanner produced a perplexed grimace. "Tanner, before you say or do anything, listen--that little creature is a goddess, and the piece of thread in front of her is also a goddess. So be nice." Fluffy warned. Tanner looked over at Fluffy with an incredulous expression and was in the process of uttering "What?!" when the three arrived at the sofa. "Well hello there Fluffy." Mem said. "Hi Mem." Fluffy responded. "I see introductions are in order. Lo, allow me the honor. I am Mem Elemorty of Agoopish, God of Tomes. And you, friend? Who are you?" "Me?" Tanner asked. "Mem, this is Tanner Utopis Loblolly of Gullia Fair--mortal, college student, and novice occultist." "I seeeeeeeeeeeeee." Mem said, sitting down. "Well Tanner Utopis, allow me to introduce you to my two good friends..." Mem motioned toward the cute little weasel and the six-inch length of red thread, just as the weasel was climbing onto the sofa and the thread was floating toward Tanner. "Floating before you," Mem continued, "is Little Red Thread of Agoopish, Goddess of Arithmetic. Lo, don't let her appearance fool you. She's a firebrand, sure." "Hi there." Little Red Thread said to Tanner. Her voice was rich and female and natural and adorable, and came from right where she was floating. "Uh, hi." Tanner said, recoiling a little, and wearing a worried look. He struggled to come up with a hypothesis as to how a piece of thread could talk, but was unable to think clearly. Little Red Thread came near Tanner, and then floated all the way around his head. "Lo, and this, Tanner Utopis," Mem said, pointing to the weasel, "is the most irresistible of ragamuffins, Little Fisher of Agoopish, Goddess of Tea." Little Fisher stood up on her hind legs and made sign language motions to Tanner with her paws. She was a rather diminutive fisher, cute as a button, and very clever-looking. "She say's she's pleased to meet you, and to pay no heed to Mem's flowery speaking." Thread said. "Um--pleased to meet you, uh, also." Tanner said to Fisher. Fisher nodded to Tanner. "She's mute, the poor thing." Fluffy said. "Fishers have neither the vocal cords nor the oral agility to speak. But rest assured, she's as sagaciously sapient as the rest of us." "Speak for yourself, hmm." Mem said "Last time I checked, I was fine on sagacity, but a little low on sapience. Haw! Haw! Haw!" Mem's laugh was nerdy, loud, and grating. Tanner was nervous. "So Tanner," Thread said, floating around his head again, "tell us of yourself. You're from Gullia Fair in the Confederen Areas?" "He just got in, Thread." Fluffy said. "And I do mean just. In fact, he only discovered Agoopish a few hours ago--so be easy on him." "How exciting!" Thread said. "You must tell us of your journey." -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----