STORIES
153 - Catching Up
2009
In the living room ...
BRYNIE:
… More housemates - really? Tell me about them.
ORRIE:
Chinatsu came in a big bubble - and she was naked!
BRYNIE:
No way!
ORRIE:
Uh-huh! I was there. Ask K’ranthir, he’ll tell ya.
FIN:
Again with the naked lady?
BRYNIE:
Was she really naked?
KARANTHIR:
Apparently, but by the time I arrived Zyfan had
given her a blanket to wear.
BRYNIE:
What’d he do that for?
KARANTHIR:
My thinking exactly.
ORRIE:
Then Shichi and Zam came with Phae.
FIN:
Shichi?
ORRIE:
Zam’s really a fish.
BRYNIE:
A fish?
ORRIE:
Yup. I saw his tail. It’s blue.
KARANTHIR:
Yes Fin, you remember Shichi don’t you? He
wandered about with us, back in our homeland.
FIN:
I remember. What’s he doing here?
KARANTHIR:
He’s Phae’s guide and advisor.
ORRIE:
Phae’s nice. She’s gonna marry Zyfan.
FIN:
What?
KARANTHIR:
Yes it’s true, at least according to her it is.
BRYNIE:
But - what about you?
KARANTHIR:
She has nothing to do with me. I’ve known all along that Zyfan would
marry. He’s destined to be the One and as such, he’s required
to procreate the royal line. I certainly can’t help him with that.
BRYNIE:
I guess not.
ORRIE:
Ya know what else? A giant lady arrived this morning.
BRYNIE:
A giant? Really?
KARANTHIR:
Oh yes. Thyssa certainly qualifies as a giant in my book. She’s a Satyr.
BRYNIE:
I’ve never met a Satyr before. Is she nice?
KARANTHIR:
Nice isn’t quite the word I’d use to describe her.
BRYNIE:
I thought things around here would be boring
with just you and Zyfan’s family.
KARANTHIR:
Are you insinuating that I could ever be boring?
BRYNIE:
All you do is suck face with Zyfan.
FIN:
Brynie – what did I tell you about that phrase?
ORRIE:
But he did suck face with Zyfan, a lot.
FIN:
Orrie!
ORRIE:
I forget, you don’t like it when I say suck face.
What you want me to say instead?
FIN:
There’s no need to say anything at all.
ORRIE:
Then how I s’pose to tell you what K’ranthir’s been doin'?
KARANTHIR:
That’s right Orrie my boy – you tell him. Don’t you allow
him to censor the way you express yourself.
FIN:
You're no help at all.
BRYNIE:
Orrie, just say they were kissing.
KARANTHIR:
Ah but that may not be totally accurate.
Sometimes there’s groping involved.
ORRIE:
Groping?
BRYNIE:
Really?
ORRIE:
What’s groping?
KARANTHIR:
Groping, my dear boy, is similar to tickling …
FIN:
Karanthir!
KARANTHIR:
… Only firmer. You do remember tickling, don’t you?
FIN:
Oh I give up!
KARANTHIR:
... It's something like this.
ORRIE:
Hahaha no stop hehehe ...
BRYNIE:
I’ll never understand why you get all bent out of shape
over nothing Fin. I think they’re funny.
FIN:
That’s because you’re not the one who gets called up to
Orrie’s school whenever he decides to share his
new vocabulary with the class.
BRYNIE:
Oh? I see how that could tick you off.
BRYNIE:
.. Hey Orrie, we still sharing a room?
ORRIE:
Uh-huh. Bunk beds. Wanna see?
BRYNIE:
You bet. Let’s go …
Then ...
FIN:
… So Shichi’s here? We had some good times with him, didn’t we?
KARANTHIR:
Apparently we have that in common.
FIN:
I haven’t thought about our wandering days in a long time.
KARANTHIR:
Me either. Perhaps there's something about
that time you've forgotten to mention to me?
FIN:
What do you mean?
KARANTHIR:
Allow me to move this along with two words - I know.
FIN:
Know what?
KARANTHIR:
About you and Shichi dear brother, all about it.
KARANTHIR:
… I really don’t care what you two did - behind my back
mind you. I just can’t figure out why you never told me.
FIN:
He told you?
KARANTHIR:
Not exactly. Let’s just say Thyssa, the giant Orrie
mentioned, mistook me for you.
FIN:
Karanthir it’s not what you think, I swear.
KARANTHIR:
That’s what ‘Chi said.
FIN:
Let me explain.
KARANTHIR:
He said that too. Honestly, did the two of you rehearse this?
FIN:
I would’ve told you but ... it just didn’t seem important.
KARANTHR:
It wasn't important to know you were doing him when
I was? Between hunting, hiking and taking turns with us
- it’s a wonder he didn’t keel over from sheer exhaustion.
FIN:
It didn’t happen when we were all together and you guys were … a couple.
KARANTHIR:
Is that so?
FIN:
You ended your … thing with him and he left, remember?
Then he … I met him later on and ... it was only one night.
KARANTHIR:
Of course it was.
FIN:
After he left, and it was just you and me - we found that castle …
KARANTHIR:
…The one occupied by that witch who didn’t appreciate unwelcome guests, and held me captive for what seemed like forever
- and made me half vampire? Do I remember that?
FIN:
I thought you didn't remember ...
KARANTHIR:
It's been coming to me in bits and pieces. For instance,
shall I tell you why she gave me this vampire blood?
KARANTHIR:
… So I wouldn’t die while serving my … penance for trespassing.
FIN:
I’m really sorry ... about everything.
KARANTHIR:
Oh Fin I forgive you, I forgave you then. I stayed with her to save
you. It was my choice and I'd do it again. Yet you insist on
blaming yourself for something you had no control over.
FIN:
But it was my fault. It was my idea to go inside. It should have
been me who got trapped in there. I tried to get you out …
KARANTHIR:
And you succeeded.
FIN:
It took too long. I couldn’t find a way back in. All the windows and
doors vanished. I didn’t know what to do. I was so worried about
you and ... and then Shichi showed up. He just took over.
KARANTHIR:
Then it's good he did. I'm so relieved to know he was
there for you, to help ease your ... mind.
FIN:
He really did. He knew magic, he knew what to
look for to get in - if it wasn’t for his help ...
FIN:
… Anyway, then we came here and you needed time to heal.
I guess I forgot all about that night with him. I never thought
I'd ever see him again. What are the odds?
FIN:
… You're awfully quiet, which is very unlike you.
KARANTHIR:
I'm processing.
FIN:
Are we OK?
KARANTHIR:
I believe so. There's just one thing. I don't want you going after Zyfan
- not that he'd be interested, but it would make him uncomfortable.
FIN:
What are you talking about?
KARANTHIR:
You just don’t see it, do you? This need of yours to bed my
hand-me-downs. First Daprima, then Shichi ... I can only begin
to wonder how many others there've been along the way.
FIN:
Daprima - your hand-me-down?! You were her pen-pal for a school
project. You never dated her. You didn’t even like her.
KARANTHIR:
How would you know? Perhaps I did.
FIN:
Then why did you ask me to read her letters and write back to her for you?
KARANTHIR:
You didn't seem to have anything better to do with your time.
FIN:
You're really amazing, you know that?
KARANTHIR:
How nice of you to notice. . Tell me, does she know you were unfaithful to her?
FIN:
I never cheated on Daprima.
KARANTHIR:
Oh come now dear brother, let’s do the math. Daprima asked
us to move here, and on the eve of our departure from the
Elvin realm, you and Shichi had your liaison.
FIN:
Oh my God, you're right.
KARANTHIR:
I’m right? And here I am with no one to witness this monumental
occasion - when you finally admit it.
FIN:
You think I should tell her? It happened so long ago.
KARANTHIR:
I don’t think you’ll be able to keep it from her. Too many already know.
FIN:
Like who?
KARANTHIR:
There's you and me, Shichi and Thyssa. I believe Phae was there
and of course Zyfan … And let’s not forget Daprima’s eerie ability
to read one's thoughts. An outright rude habit of hers if you ask me.
FIN:
I have to tell her.
KARANTHIR:
I think that would be best.
