"But Noble Bob", replied MB, "This cookbook is from the 1970s, they didn't have microwaves back then."
"Ah, valid point," mused Bob, "Perhaps there is an abandoned cookbook in the abandoned library. Let us venture forth, gentle companions, and see what adventure awaits us."
So the four companions (leaving Zed the horse outside) walked towards the yawning entrance of the abandoned library, waiting for the automatic doors to admit them to the inner sanctuary. Slowly, the doors drew open, revealing a dark and silent interior. The companions, as one, held their breath. Suddenly there appeared from within the darkness shadowy figures three, dressed in strange rags, seemingly the remains of cardigans with name tags, two of them with glasses, but the foremost figure wore a monocle. They proceeded to converse:
First librarian: When shall we three meet again?
Second librarian: When the cataloging's done, when the interactive display is fun
Third librarian: That will be ere half past one
First librarian: What time is that?
Second librarian: Closing time on Saturdays
Third librarian: There to meet with Bob the Cow
First librarian: I come, Dewey
Second librarian: American Library of Congress calls...
Third librarian: Anon
All: Dewey is decimal, and decimal is Dewey, Surf, through the internet and factiva.
With that the three librarians vanished into the darkness.
"What the hell was that?" asked Princess Miranda (in a most un-princess-like manner, as Princesses are not supposed to say Hell), "And why did they mention Bob the Cow?"
"That's odd, isn't it," said MB, "It's almost like they knew Bob was coming". Bob himself said nothing, but thought silent Cow-like thoughts as he chewed his cudd.
"Oh well," said Scary Rob, "Let's see what we can find in this here liberry, to help us on our Noble Quest". The companions all agreed that this was a good idea, and so ventured through the darkened shelves in search of materials to help them on their quest. After several minutes the Princess Miranda gave a lady-like shout - "Look! I found a book on converting old recipes into microwave recipes! Huzzah! We shall be able to eat soup after all!"
"Yay!" said MB, "Now all we need is some ingredients..." she was about to continue with one of her many good ideas on where to get ingredients, but was interrupted by a shout from her consort, Scary Rob, who had found a book on corrective dentistry
"Hurrah!" he cried, "Look at this! I am not doomed to be buck-teethed forever... we must go forth and find a dentist." Just then, the Noble Companions heard a squeeking noise from the back of the library.
"What was that?" asked Princess Miranda
"I don't know," replied Bob the Cow, "but it sounded like a large group of meerkats."
What will happen next? Tune in later for Chapter five: in which the soup may finally get made, we meet a unicorn, the Army of Ninja Meerkats comes closer to being revealed, and the Quest for a Cosmetic Dentist continues.
