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Disclaimer:
The characters of Methos, Richie Ryan, Connor MacLeod, and Duncan MacLeod belong to DPP. This fan fiction is for entertainment only; there is no profit involved.
(A small disclaimer by the author: I know nothing about horseshoes. This was 3/4 of the way written when I asked hubby the rules of the game. Unfortunately, his rules and mine don't agree. He says there is no way this would ever work. After arguing with him for several minutes, I finally gave up and said, "Well, in my world, it does." End of story. The result is what you see here.)
"Clang!" went the horseshoe as it circled the post and settled to the ground. �Another point for me!" crowed Richie as he ran over and picked up his set of horseshoes. "One more point and I win. What was that bet again?" Connor frowned, something wasn't right. The kid was making nearly every toss. "Winner doesn't have to help build that desert oasis the clansibs decided they want." "Which we wouldn't have to build in the first place if Mac hadn't decided to play "Sheik of the Desert" the other day with MacNair," Richie grinned. "Gain a few more years and you'll find that women adore that kind of play. And since when did you get so good at this, Rich?" asked Duncan. "Just lucky today, I guess. Whose turn?" Methos popped the top on yet another beer, taking a long pull off it. "Anyone know what's with lahoffy over there?" The others looked in the direction Methos was pointing to catch sight of lahoffy on her hands and knees, crawling through the grass while coloring the air around her blue. "Connor, did you give her "The Look" again?" queried Duncan. Connor quirked an eyebrow at his kinsmen. "She doesn't usually swear when I do." "So...who's going to ask?" drawled Methos. Nobody moved. Finally Richie asked, "Rock, paper, scissors?� Methos lost and made his way warily toward lahoffy. "Lose something?" More cursing filled the air. "As a matter of fact, I did! Get your lanky butt down here and help me look." lahoffy continued patting the grass, parting it in places where it needed to be mowed. Methos let the comment slide. "What are you looking for?" "My halo's missing again! I haven't seen it since our last Par-Tay." "Halo? All this for a bleeding halo?" "You don't understand! If I don't have my halo, no one believes I'm innocent!" A slight whine crept into her voice. Methos snorted. "Like anyone believes that now...OW!!" Gingerly, Methos rubbed his shin where she'd hit him. "Quit being your Methos-y self and help-me-look!" she ground out between clenched teeth. Methos paused for a moment, thinking. "Don't think that will be necessary. Follow me." "What? Methos, get back here! Where are you going? Hey, wait up!" lahoffy yelled as she scrambled to her feet, signaling to the other clansibs to join her. Duncan looked quizzically at Methos, who shook his head slightly, mouthing, Wait and see. "What was all that about, Methos?" asked Richie. "She seems to have lost something. Her halo, to be exact. Wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you, Richie?" Richie's face went blank for a moment, and then flushed as he began stammering. "Me? No, I, uh�why would...uh, hee, hee..." his voice trailed off as he glanced around at the faces surrounding him. "Show us the horseshoes, Richie." Connor said flatly. "Aw, come on, guys, you can't be serious, they're just horseshoes..." "Kind of funny how no one else has been able to get a good look at them," said Duncan. Light dawned in lahoffy's eyes. "Get him, girls!" "Wait, no...AAAACCCKKK!!! " Richie went down amid squeals, giggles, and a tangle of arms and legs. "Ow�hey...that�hee, hee...tickles...watch where you're grabbing...!" "Got it!" shouted a triumphant voice as she held the halo aloft. lahoffy snatched it, studying it carefully. "Richie Ryan, just look what you did to my halo! It's ...it's...all dented and dinged and bent..." "It was already like that," muttered Richie. "You're always dropping it and OW!! stop that!" Unrepentant, lahoffy kicked him in the shin again. "I'll do worse than that if you ever steal my halo for horseshoes again. Just look at it, Connor!" she wailed. Connor slung an arm around her shoulders, hiding a smile. "Come on, bring it to the stables and I'll see what I can do for it. I'm a blacksmith, remember?" lahoffy sniffled, then perked up. "That's right...ooo...can I watch? Will you do it with your shirt off?" she bubbled merrily as Connor led her away. Richie stood, dusting himself off. "Well, all's well that ends well, right?" "Not quite. You were cheating, Rich. Can't get away with that," said Duncan. He grinned wickedly as he turned to the remaining clansibs. "What do you think, ladies? Any ideas for punishment?" The clansibs huddled into a group, giggling and whispering excitedly among themselves. "Aw, come on, Mac, you can't be serious. Don't let them decide, please, anything but that." "We've decided," said Sharz. "You know how we've been talking about painting the interior wall some other color than that icky gray? That's what you get to do, Richie." Richie breathed a sigh of relief. "That's all? That's not so bad, I..." "Sans clothes," piped in kyrdwyn, eyes gleaming. "While we watch." CB grinned. "And supervise," chimed in imnxtc. Richie groaned while Mac and Methos struggled and failed to keep straight faces. The three clansibs locked arms with Richie, dragging him toward the shed for supplies. "Those girls have such wicked minds," snorted Methos. "Wouldn't laugh too hard, boys, you get to build the oasis," said wildcat. Methos sighed. "Do we at least get to wear clothes?" As the day wore on, the clansibs happily trekked back and forth between the budding oasis and the painting, gleefully tossing in not-so-helpful comments. "Missed a spot, Richie." "I think the palm tree needs to be a few more inches to the right." Pause. "No, back to the left..." "Methos, I don't speak Sumerian, but that didn't sound very nice." "Richie, how'd you get paint there?" "Duncan, you really shouldn't be wearing a turban right now, you know what that does to MacNair--" "MacNair! Duncan can't shovel sand if you've got him buried in it!" "Are we sure we wanted sea green? I thought we decided on sky blue." "Richie, why are you banging your head on the wall?" The day ended with a freshly painted wall (and Richie) and a newly built oasis for playing "Sheik of the Desert". And the halo that started it all? Connor managed to pound the dents out and polish it to a gleaming shine. Which lahoffy promptly tarnished again while helping Connor clean up. lahoffy
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