"Well.." thought Spark while she cleaned and placed things in order in her kitchen set "the show is over for the season, and about time it was" Lights turned off, the rest of the show`s crew were starting to pack things away.
"Who would have known the grasshopper filling could be such a requested recipe?" she chuckled. It was that one along with the leprechaun cake that got the highest nominations. And all the films winners were very satisfied with their classics, specially those who won Emperor or Slumber Party.
"What`s so funny?" Zhyan asked her, sitting in the small set`s dinning "room" while picking the food prepared for the show. Now that his role was over, he was pleased with himself and looked at the aztec girl, smiling. She smiled back and aproached, taking the apron off and leaving it over a chair.
"Nothing really" she said, serving some cold drinks for both.
Zhyan took the apron and examinated it. Its fabric was of a soft and black material and the embroidery was a materpiece of needle work.
It portrayed a big and majestic snake, emerald green in the back, its belly part gold yellow and part bright red. When the fabric waved, so did the snake. The head was a bit odd, though as it had a crown like crest around it and like the body, it was not showing scales, but feathers.
"This is beautiful, Spark" he said marveled "where did you get it?"
"My Grandmother made it for me, a while ago" she answered "kind of a graduation present"
"And the image is so real" Zhyan added after eating his last spoonfull of pixie pie "you know, it has a good resemblance."
"Really?" said Spark giving him the cold drink and taking a seat at his side "want to tell me more about it?"
***
At Conejito`s Place, cooks were busy preparing the evening orders and the kitchen boiled with activity.
"Ramon!" the Chef yelled at one of his assistant, "you already got that case my friend sent from Mexico? the one for Friday`s special?"
"Sì señor! It arrived a couple of minutes ago" was the answer "the DHL people is downloading it right now..."
All the presents went silent as they heard a loud scream followed by a thud and a gasping sound. Rushing to the loading area they saw a a figure almost 6 feet tall, about 225 pounds of muscles which resembled a sabretooth biped lion, with pink fur and wearing a ballet suit. And that lion held a DHL courier by the neck.
"Say," one of the cooks whispered to another "is it Mardi Gras already?"
***
Zhyan was confused at Spark�s reaction to his tale as she had rushed from the table and yelled for Pumyra to approach. Drink, food and archangel forgotten, as the assistant was called, Spark paced around.
::That explains everything!!:: The temper, the lack of focus during the rituals and the show. Something was wrong and she had refused to believe in her instincts. :: I hope there is still time: she feared the worst.
Calling Pumyra once more, she found her purse and from it retrieved an old scroll. Going to the table she extended it and begun its reading. Cursing in her native language, she turned to call her assisstant a third time.
::finally!!: she thought as the blurring figure of the thunderan teen could be seen. The aztec girl swirled her atention back to the amate scroll, just to find Zhyan staring with crossed eyes at the symbols and colored images printed in the ancient document.
"Zy!" she said, smiling at that scene "what do you think you are doing?"
"umm" the archangel raised, a bit embarrased "just wanted to know what made you so angry...was it something I said?"
"No, it wasn`t you..." she said placing a hand on his " tell me... Could you take me to where you saw it? Where you saw the snake?"
"yes, Spark?" Pumyra arrived with Silvercat near her.
After getting a yes from Zhyan, Spark turned to the girls and gave the senior assistant a master key.
"Pumyra, you are in charge. See that everything is packed, carried away, close the pyramid and pay the workers" the thunderan teen opened her mouth "If the producers ask, tell them I went recipe hunting"
Spark felt Zhyan�s hand on her shoulder and smiled ::hunting, indeed:: she turnede her head and nodded to him. The archangel spread his wings and both, deikindrian and human disapeared.
"but... but" Pumyra stared at the space were Spark had been "By Lion-o`s... sword!! Me? In charge? What am I supposed to do now?"
"hey Miss Pumyra, or should I say Lt. Pumyra?" giggeled Silvercat "the bridge is yours now"
"huh?" Pumyra glared at her friend who rolled her eyes.
"just two words, Pumy..." the smile in S`kat`s face widened when she grabed the master key from the thunderan "TOGA PARTY!!!"
***
Thunderwolf ran, as he has never do so before.
Thunderwolf noticed the group of people staring at him and growled, releasing the human he was holding as if he was a ragged doll. A large refrigerated case was at his feet. TW knelt and opened it.... mists raised from within.
His broad chest felt as if it was going to explode.
"Faster! Must go faster!" The run was taking so much time...
TW extended one paw and searched until he touched something cold and raspy. He was grabing a sea turtle, dozens of them where in the case. Snarling, TW threw the turtle away and faced the humans, who cringed at the sight.
TW did not care about the few bystanders staring at him running at top speed on the street, have they not seen some one running before? Bunch of ...
"Who is in charge ?" he managed to say, trembling with rage, his eyes ablaze with fury "I said... who is in charge, pathetic bummers?" this time TW snarled as no one moved, his teeth and fangs displayed in a grin. He wanted...no, he needed answers, and by Grune`s mace, he would get them "I want the other case. NOW!!."
"what other c-case?" the chef answered to that roar "this is the only one we were expecting"
TW`s growl went deeper "What for?" he asked tearing the upper part of the ballet shirt the magical dust of Dirka had given him.
TW did not listen to the cars, nor to the screech of their tires, to the drivers cursing while trying to step on the brakes in time so they would not hit him. He did not notice. Rain started to fall washing the pink out of his fur also making the road slippery. He did not care. His paws continued to hit the floor, again and again... he should not stop, he could not. And he would not do so.
"it is for the soup!" the man cried as TW also threw away his ballet shoes. Some how the lion man was less menacing while wearing the suit "at fridays seafood is served all over the city! Seaturtle soup is one of our specialties as other places will also serve seafood!"
TW`s eyes widened "By my Father`s fangs!! Where?"
After an hour or so, TW saw a building and doubled his efforts.
***
Dirka flew to the pub at the Melia hotel, finding just one individual in it, besides the bartender. She hovered over the bar till where the robbed person waited.
"is it done?" the person asked to the hovering chipmunk
"yep, yep, yep, yip, yup!" it answered "both cases must be there by now, and the traveler has arrived! Iack iack iack... his part of the job was done as well."
Nodding the robbed one threw a small pouch on the table, the muzimaaaaa activated her appliance and its vacuum retrieved the pouch. Immediatly it started to glow and the he/she wiggled in laughter.
"There is your payment. Now, scram! "
The vacuum hummed, and the yellow furry one disappeared in a cloud of dust.
The robbed one called the bartender and asked for a drink. It was only a matter of time until a couple of snarves arrived and asked their own beverages while joining the robed one.
***
"Craked plates Al, we should return to our traditional baked cod and fried perch!"
Al and his assistant stared at the refrigerated case, where a young shark thawed. Near 6 feet long and the case marked 190 pounds, it was a type of shark neither one expected... it had humanoid features, arms and legs and was wearing multicolor swimming trunks.
Then, another creature appeared. A tall lion like creature with a torn rag around his chest, bare footed, his fur looked white under the pale light of the kitchen.
His growl made both of the cooks aware of their imperious need to get the heck out of there. Slowly the lion approached the case, and looked inside. With a gentle move he moved his paw over the merman`s cold cheek before leaning to pick him up. He then walked out of Serb Hall, into the rain.
***
He started a fire, as the night was getting close. Chanur allowed the female cats some time to rest and feed before the story exchange began..
Ayanna told him about the trip. How their goal was to arrive to a certain place, yes they ignored its exact location. Even Thundera Tiger had being traveling by instinct alone. So guided by the tigress they reached this point within the jungle, where the team had separated. The cheetah was speaking with such solemnity and coherence that Tygris Hawk was impressed.
"I always knew she should cut off the catnip tea!" thought to herself. "those pills were 5,000,000 units each at least Or even more, I bet"
When the cheetah finished, it was the hani`s turn to speak.
****
The overwhelming heat made Indiana Jones to finally take his fedora hat off for a moment and clean the sweat on his forehead and eyebrows. His horse was making more progress through the jungle than he could have ever thinked or expected it to. Smiling he looked back where his father Dr. Jones Sr, was riding along side a beautiful blond girl. Jones had insisted against Indiana about using horses, the latter considering the way tangled with jungle vines and thick trunks. He had walked it before. But now the path was clearer.
And it was due to HER. To her presence. And of course, his father insistence.
Indiana immediatly knew Peachyra was an avatar, as he noticed the headdress the night he met her, longing to possess it ... and the girl was such an excellent extra bonus. His eyes appreciated her figure which glowed under the sun as the goddess she was bonded at, Aeon. Indiana`s smile widened when she looked at him and smiled too. She gave him a wink that sent a shiver down his spine. He looked up to the sun and back to the jungle. Just in time. Placing his hat back he kept moving. They would arrive "there" very soon.
"Junior!"
Grimacing, Indiana stoped his horse and turned.
"I think we should rest for a while, Junior" Dr. Jones exclaimed
Indiana looked at the sun once more and decided it was safe to do as his fater said. Nodding, he guided his ride toward his companions.
Peachyra smiled thankfully. She enjoyed the trip and the company, but the heat was too much. Complying to her unspoken request a nearby tree leaned over her to provide shade, while small bushes swayed their leaves producing a scant breeze. She began to descend from the horse, helped by Dr. Jones.
"I did not know it was so far" she said "it is already mid afternoon"
"Do not worry, my dear" Jones answered "we will be there in no time, right Junior?"
"Father, please. Call me Indiana" "But Junior, that was the dog`s name!"
Peachyra rolled her eyes. This father-son exchange was the only thing that ruined the travel. She had agreed to join them in a journey to visit this "really great place" they knew in the middle of the jungle. She has been in the zone for a time and was used to the pyramids and mayan ruins. She even had visited (Icshell) Ixchel`s temple, goddess of moon at Cozumel island. Jones Sr had insisted in such a charming manner for her to join them though, how could she resist a true gentleman like he? ::Still, we better arrive there soon: she thought, sitting under the tree.
Dr. Jones Sr approached her with a small basket.
"You might want to try some of these, my dear" he said, showing her the basket`s interior. It contained a bottle, some goblets, cheese and... muffins?
TBC