|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- YELLOWHAUS--CUP 6--"WHAT A NICE DEVIL I AM" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  Yellowhaus  ||  -------> (Cup SRyh006, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = "At least he's still with us." Buff said. "Thank goodness." Chamomile said, frowning in thought, narrowing her eyes, and carefully examining Colonia. He WAS a most exquisitely-crafted weapon, she thought. She had a flash vision of the thrill of using such a sword in battle, contemplating the notion of adopting him as her primary weapon. But she pushed back these thoughts. Too selfish... "That was cool!" Canary yelped. Buff strode over to Canary and grabbed the mad dog guy, holding him up in his massive paws. "Shut up, man!" Buff boomed. "You're such a stupid jerk! I'll tear you apart!" Canary thrashed about wildly, white froth foaming out of his mouth. "Put him down!" Chamomile yelled. "We're in for a long ride! We have to learn to get along! Please Buff--you're the one I was depending on to keep the peace." Buff dropped Canary down roughly. Canary's body was limp, and he laid there with his eyes staring into nothingness and his tongue stuck out. "Oh no." Buff said quietly, stepping back. "You killed him!" Lemon yelled, pointing her pitchfork at Buff. "Oh come on!" Chamomile moaned. "He's just faking it! He always does that!" They all looked at Canary for a few more moments, then the madman burst out laughing. "You fucking jerk." Buff said, turning away. "Okay, come on people! We have to get our act together! Sulfur, Buff--come with me--we have to go down--way down--into the depths of Yellowhaus. I want to corroborate this '410 day' reading. Okay? Lemon--you keep an eye on Canary. Keep him away from Colonia! I mean it!" "No sweat, chief." Lemon said, saluting. "I hope not." Chamomile said, descending a spiral staircase with Buff and Sulfur. Lemon smiled and nodded, and Chamomile looked back one more time to check on things. "Man, I'm so tired." Canary said, still on the ground. "I'm gonna take a nap, wake up from this crummy dream. Grumble, grumble." Canary then curled up into a fetal position and smacked his lips a few times. "Pleasant dreams, doggy." Lemon said, a sly smile crossing her face. "And while those party poopers are gone, I have a nice little spell which might help Swordie here. What a nice devil I am--always saving the day!" Lemon then walked over to the counter, grabbed Colonia, and lifted him up before her. "Okay there fella!" Lemon said, sensing Colonia's confused thoughts. "You'll be all better in a minute--thanks to Doctor Lemon!" The devil girl set her pitchfork aside, and lifted Colonia up higher with both hands. Then she began uttering a spell in her native Infernal tongue. Almost instantly, Colonia was surrounded with a shower of jittery, multicolored sparks. Chuckling with glee, Lemon set Colonia on the ground and backed away. "Lemon!" Chamomile yelled from the stairway. "What are you doing?" Lemon turned, surprised, wearing a mock-innocent, "uh-oh" look. "Oh hi Chamomile! I thought you were..." Chamomile did not look happy. "...uh, you know! Going downstairs with the boys, uh..." "What did you do!" Chamomile yelled, jumping forward. "Just, y'know, trying to help!" Just then, the shower of sparks grew into a spectacular storm, swirling and filling half the room. A deep, resonant, bass rumble began to rhythmically beat. Lemon backed away, then turned and ran to the stairway, kneeling beside Chamomile. "I know this looks bad, but believe me--I did it with the best intentions!" the devil said. Chamomile said nothing, but watched, transfixed, as the maelstrom of sparks slowly began to coalesce. Soon Sulfur and Buff were back, running up the stairs. "What is it?" Buff yelled. Chamomile looked down and held up her hand. Then she looked back at the mystical display, where the sparks were now definitely in a human shape. "See!?" Lemon said. "I did it! I did it! I healed Colonia! I brought him back!" Chamomile looked at the devil girl, wondering whether to thank her or strangle her. She thought again of how cool it would have been to have an intelligent sword, but she put that selfish though aside. "Look!" Lemon shouted. The sparks quickly died down, revealing a supine form, definitely human, but... "See?" Lemon said. "My spell worked!" Chamomile stood up and moved forward a little, to get a better view. "Wait a minute." Chamomile said under her breath. Then she moved forward a little more. "Wait a goddamn minute!" "What?" Lemon asked, trying to look innocent. The sparks and rumblings were totally gone now, as Canary began to snore loudly. Chamomile slowly walked forward. "Oh come on." the leader said. "Son of a bitch." Lemon got up, and started toward Colonia also. "You gotta be kidding!" Chamomile said. "What is it? What is it?" Lemon asked, walking forward. "Look for yourself!" Chamomile said. Lemon looked at Colonia, who while still unconscious, managed to turn over and face the two. "Crap." Lemon said. -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----