21 Lage 4385: Sleeth!

[delight-in.livejournal.com]

21 Lage 4385

Dear Boom-vroom-to-a-moon:

I didn't go to a play or a puppet show yesterday. I forgot I was even thinking of going to a play or a puppet show until I opened the scroll and saw that was the last thing I wrote. I did get your scroll posted though, so you should be able to read this soon. Or in a week or something I forget how long parcel post takes to deliver. It's not like you can send an enchantment by leaf and have it there in an hour!

Wouldn't that be cool if you could, though? But the gods'd never go for it. "Here" would go for just sending it direct but if it were a permanent service like the post it'd attract extra-dimensional monsters who'd rip through the new weak point in the fabric of space that you'd made because we've already got as many teleport gates as we can manage in Ketheria. Or possibly a few more then we could manage. Don't worry "Here"! I still love you even if using your powers of awesomeness does mean the occasional alien horror from outside the universe comes through to rampage across the branch inflicting untold suffering upon Prime and monster alike.

Don't look at me like that, Boomsy. You know how the gods are, if it wasn't alien horrors from outside the universe they'd just make native horrors from inside the universe to torment us. It's not like we can actually be safe or anything.

Anyway. Where was I? Right, yesterday!

I tried to wake up my roommate who-used-to-be-GloriousBlue-but-might-be-Terrycloth-now? because we live together, it wouldn't kill us to spend an afternoon doing something or maybe just saying "hallo" to each other when we're both conscious.

Me: Wakey-shakey, Terry-Berry! It's the loverliest of loverly days! We should see a puppet show! Or go for a swim at the pond!
GloriousBlue-or-maybe-Terrycloth: Mrphle.
Me: No, not a burrow beneath blankets! A wading in water! A performance with puppets!
GloriousBlue-or-maybe-Terrycloth: Grrrrrg-mumble-dn't-you-work?
Me: Not a bit! I am a free Orren today! You too are free today, at least until tonight. Do not squander your precious freedom on mere sleep, Glory-More-y! There's so much else you could do.
GloriousBlue-or-maybe-Terrycloth: Raaarrggg I work.
Me: But ....
GloriousBlue-or-maybe-Terrycloth: RARG! SLEEP GOOD!

Which come to think of it there's really no arguing with so I gave up and looked elsewhere for company.

I stopped by Wellsome House, but everyone was at work except Bitterroot who was packing for a visit to her home village. I helped her finish packing since I wasn't doing anything else and saw her off. Then I orrened over to Vheshrame Academy to see if any of my friends from the enchanting lab had already finished and/or blown their work for the week and therefore were free. Nope: Ferethlan was still enchanting and Naefar was on his way to Leap Through this Gate to the Doomsome Nendrai. I tried to get him to skip but he wouldn't just because he'd missed two classes already from Enchantment running long. Next I went to the Buttery and asked Studies-Too-Hard, but he was studying too hard with Tripriver.

Me [whining]: Why won't anyone dooooo anything with me?
Tripriver: Because it's the middle of the week and we all have work that needs to get done?
Me: You don't have to work! I'm not!
Studies-Too-Hard: Technically, I don't have to eat either. And yet I still choose to!
Me: I don't see what that has to do with studying.
Studies-Too-Hard: That would explain why you're not working. And broke.
Me: I'm not broke! I've got my wages and tips from yesterday.
Studies-Too-Hard: And when that runs out? In, what, three days? Two?
Me: That's days away. I'll think of something by then.
Studies-Too-Hard: ...
Me: Come on, Study-Buddy, don't be a fuddy-duddy. That essay's not due until the end of the week. Even if you insist that you have to do it which you don't you certainly don't have to do it now. Wouldn't you rather be swimming in a clear cool slippery pond with me?
Studies-Too-Hard: ...
Tripriver: We have three other subjects to study for too. There's a spraddle due in Deepening Understanding of Painted Eggs. And a test in --
Me [looking at Studsy, who seemed to be weakening]: Pleeeeeeease?
Studies-Too-Hard: ... nng!
Tripriver: If you're so bored, Delight, why don't you ask the Sleeth to join you? He's not busy.
Me: There's a Sleeth at the Academy?
Tripriver: There is right now. Purrzhon.

She pointed to the courtyard outside the Buttery. A big deep green-black panther was lying with his eyes closed in a sunny spot atop a low wall in the courtyard outside the Buttery. He had a slender pattern of wavy pale green spirals running from his left cheek down his neck and along his side.

Me: Sure!

I slipped outside and over to the Sleeth, who pretended to be napping as I approached.

Me: Hiiiiii Purrzhon! I'm bored and you don't look busy. Would you like to go to a puppet show? There's a performance of The Gormorror, the Cani, and the Zi Ri that's supposed to be good.
Purrzhon [pretends to nap harder]
Me: Or swimming?
Purrzhon [slits open one eye]: I am the napping Sleeth in the sun, and the purple Orren thinks I am not the very busy? She thinks I leave my sun and my spot and my nap to swim?
Me: Sure, why not?

Purrzhon lifted his head. Sleeth have very large heads. He yawned ostentatiously, showing off lots of big sharp pointy teeth. "No. The Sleeth does not want to swim, or watch puppets. He plays Catch the Shimmery Purple Orren, however." He climbed to his feet atop the three-foot wall, looming over me dramatically.

Me: Yay!