roundup

They had no idea what was about to happen, but Kai13 did. In the main hall, Kai13 sat, slumped over, grumbling under his breath.

"Now remember, when they ask you what's going on, you know nothing." Heather smiled down at him. Kai13 grunted an answer. Heather leaned over him. "You know this is the only way. They'd never do it any other way." Kai13 grunted again. Laying a finger under his chin, Heather made Kai13 look up at her. Leaning closer, she gave him a slow, sweet kiss. Kai13 growled. Heather jumped back before he could drag her onto his lap. "Save it for later, hot stuff, we have work to do first." Heather grins down at him, "I'm off to find our *volunteers*.

Kai13 watched Heather fairly dance off and frowned slightly, "She's enjoying this just a bit too much."

It didn't take long to find her *volunteers*.

Heather turned a corner to find YeoZaaaKai and DarkKai. Heather smiled, a two for one deal. "Hi YeoZaa, Dark." Heather smiled as she walked up to them.

"Good day, Lady Heather." nodded DarkKai.

"I wondered if you two could help me with a little problem?"

"Why sure, we'd love to." YeoZaa grined. Heather smiled as she lead the two down to the main hall. This was gonna be easyer then she thought. An hour later, Heather had almost enough to get started. She had found MyKai talking with SamuraiKai, UnknownKai had been in the courtyard, prince_kai and WOWKai in the kitchen, Kai4 and Kai21 had been messing with DiscoKai. She had draged GothiKai off the roof, WitchesKai had been walking down the hall, DionysusKai had been chating with CheyKai, CowboyKai had been up on the battlements. Tyrathca_Kai found his way to the main hall after Heather had again complemented him on how handsome he looked with his restored hair color.

Heather stood back and looked over her *volunteers*. Smiling she pulled SamuraiKai aside. "Sam, sence I don't want revo to do me grievous bodyly harm for ruining your suit, I brought you these." Heather handed Sam some of Kai13's well used clothes.

"But, Lady Heather, she wouldn't..."

"I know, I know but just the same, I don't want you clothes ruined." With that Heather pushed him into an unused study to change. A few minutes later Sam rejoined his brothers, now in an old pair of pants and t-shirt.

Heather walked over to the main doors. Climbing onto a chair, she raised her voice to be heard, "I want to thank you all for volunteering to help me."

"Uh, Lady Heather," MyKai spoke up, "Just what have we all volunteered for?"

Heather smiled down at him, "Follow me outside and you shall see." Hopping down from the chair Heather walked over and opened the main doors. Kai13 refused to look up at his brothers as they followed Heather past the main doors. Kai13, staring down at the ground, groaned, "It's all my fault."

Hearing this, Kai21 moved closer, "What? What's your fault?"

"I reminded her. I didn't know she'd do all this." moaned Kai13.

"Do what?" hissed Kai21. Kai13 never got a chance to answer. The group had walked threw the courtyard and past the gates. There, on the other side of the bridge over the moat, stood what had to be the worlds largest free standing aquarium. It was just over 8 feet tall, at least 20 feet long and 15 wide. It had thick glass walls and was filled to the brim with crystal clear water.

There was stuff piled on the ground nearby; several tarps, ropes, several metal boxes, a notepad, and a hand full of baseball bats. Heather turned back to look at her group, several wore puzzled exspretions, others curious. Tyrthca_Kai and a few others had horrified looks on their faces, haveing put 2 and 2 together.

"Um... Lady Heather, what are we going to do?" asked WOWKai, afread he already knew the answer.

Heather had a deseptively sweet smile on her face, "You boys are going to help me give the grindylows their yearly inoculations, THEN, you're going to clean the moat."

*****
The brakish water was thrown into the air as CowboyKai lassoed the horns of a grindylow. It thrashed back and forth, it snarled as he and CheyKai pulled it over to the shore. WOWKai and Prince_Kai grabed it's horns and helped drag it on shore. As it thrashed about, WOWKai stradled it's shoulders, holding it's head still. Price_Kai threw himself across it's body, trying to hold it down. GothiKai calmly knelt beside the growling beast, wiped the side of it's neck clean and administerd the injection. What followed next was pure chaos as they draged the grindylow across the ground, up a crude wooden ramp and into the aquarium, all the while trying not to be thrown off, gouged or bitten.

As the grindylow swam around in the tank, glareing daggers at those outside, Heather smiled, "One down, only 29 more to go." Heather motioned for SamuraiKai to follow her, they walked farther down, away from the rest. "Sam, revo ashured me that you don't hold a grudge agenst the grindylows."

"Yes," SamuraiKai said calmly, "they did only what is in their nature."

"Yes, they did, but I couldn't help but notice the look on your face a few minutes ago. I want you to spend some time with a grindylow, one on one." Heather pulled a plastic baggy out of her pocket with a small piece of fish in it. Only then did Sam notice the pair of black eyes watching them from the water. Slowly, smoothly, the grindylow pulled herself out of the water, resting her chest on the shore, snorting. Heather stepped over to the creature, crouching next to her. "This is Lady." Heather opened the baggy and pulled out the fish. Holding it close to Lady's muzzle, Heather waited. Lady sniffed the offering, opened her mouth and gentley took it from Heather's hand. Sam moved closer, crouching on the other side of Lady.

Heather ran her hand over Lady's smooth hide. Lady looked over at Sam, snorted and layed her head back doen. "May I?" Sam asked. Heather smiled up at him, "Sure, Lady likes to be petted."