For the next couple of days, my situation--well, our situation--became almost normal to me. I did check the game forums a couple of times just to see what was going on; apparently the guilds who had “migrated” to the islands and such up north were getting pretty ahead in the competition due to the unique or rare items they could find up there. Our own guild was maintaining its position on the lists, neither advancing nor regressing. On Wednesday Ellie told us that they had stumbled into something we needed to see when we got back; she wouldn't tell us exactly what, but she promised it would be worth the wait. None of the other girls told us anything about it either. Thomas seemed just as clueless as Rachel and myself regarding the matter. I guess Andrea hadn't told him what was going on, which put it into my mind that they wanted this to be a guild-only secret.
Thursday came and went with a flurry of activity, just as Wednesday had, and Friday brought its own frenzy of activity. In Theater Class we were told to be ready for a long afternoon when we got to the theater after the school-day was over. I was already dreading the pile of homework that had accumulated from morning classes, along with the small project from our World Cultures class that had been announced the day before (in which we had been asked to examine aspects of certain cultures around the globe and relate them to one another) in addition to an assignment Mrs. Liang had given us, so a long rehearsal was not something I was particularly looking forward to this weekend.
“She isn't messing around, huh?” Rachel said as she looked over the notes she had taken as we got ready to head for the theater.
“I mean... I guess three pages isn't too unreasonable, considering...” I admitted with a weary shrug.
“Oh def.” she nodded back in agreement. “And we've been building up our vocabulary outside of classes anyway, so I think we definitely have this one covered.” she continued as she put the piece of paper in her pack between a couple of books.
“Right,” I agreed.
We'd slacked off a bit with the guild competition going on, but when we were in-game, we still went to places in Xuanpu where the translators were off to help us learn the languages in a more or less practical situation. Of course, speaking something is not the same as writing it, but we had a couple of good books to help us out with that.
“I have to admit, I kind of miss being in-world just because it was so convenient to have those cafes without the translators,” Rachel remarked as we finished packing and headed to the theater.
“Oh for sure,” I nodded. “I bet we could find a couple of places in real-life to try it if we really wanted to, though... like that one restaurant we went to with Josh,” I then said.
“Hm? Oh! Yes! That one!” she smiled back. “We need to go there again.”
“Agreed.”
“Wanna try tomorrow? After our work-tour.”
“We can do that,” I agreed.
“It's a date!” she smiled at once.
“It's a date,” I nodded, smiling back to her.
Our rehearsals that afternoon were focused. We spent the first couple of hours polishing up scenes, songs, and choreography, and after that had been done we went through a run-through of the whole play, as we had been doing the past couple of days. Everything was becoming automatic, yet it was also very natural. I was no longer Sean when I came out on stage; I was Robin Hood, the confident and merry outlaw who bravely and whimsically defied the sheriff, the bishop, and even Prince John himself. And it wasn't just me; all of us had begun merging more seamlessly into our characters over the past few days.
“All right, that's a wrap for the evening!” Miss Andrews said when we came to a finish later that evening. A chorus of cheers and clapping came from us at the words; then she held up her hands for silence again. “Don't forget! Tomorrow at the Park, nine-thirty sharp! We're doing a selection of scenes and songs from Act One at the Outdoor Theatre! Be ready!”
“Miss Andrews, Miss Andrews! Will he be there?” Lucille Wong, one of the extras, asked our teacher and director.
“He might be there, yes; which is why I expect nothing less than your best!” she replied to us as a whole.
“Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more! Or close up the wall with our English dead!” a certain cheeky co-star quoted with gusto.
“Wrong play, Matt!” a few of the others called back without missing a beat.
“Sheesh, man, it's a play not a battle!” Herby elbowed him as we laughed.
“It could be a battle! You never know with Maxidoofus Tumble-britches Rumbled Saint-Pompous the Turd!” the other quoted back.
“Pffft!” I quietly doubled over with laughter as Rachel broke out into the giggles, as did the rest of us. I could see our teacher rolling her eyes and smiling as Miss Holly bit into something to keep from laughing.
“Go home and rest, kiddos!” our teacher said to us when the laughter was dying down, and with that we began heading out for the night.
Rachel and I, as had become usual for us, walked quietly along the well-lit streets of the city that led to the place we were staying. As we approached the cornerstore that we had been frequenting, Rachel suddenly squeezed my hand. I looked over at her; she seemed nervous about something.
“What's up?” I asked her.
“Can we duck in there?”
“Sure, Rey,” I said, and we headed into the store.
She led me at a brisk pace to a spot near the deli, where there were a few people milling around. I then picked up on what had been bothering her; there was a guy in a light jacket outside the store, looking right at us. Casually, I sat down at one of the small tables that this particular cornerstore had, and Rachel sat down with me. Out of the corner of my eye I glimpsed the man in the jacket turning his back to lean against the window; I think he lit up a cigarette or something, which was incredible to see in this day and age.
Didn't those things get banned in the twenty-sixties? I wondered to myself.
“I'll get a couple of drinks and... some cookies?” I said to Rachel, who nodded.
“One of the fun-pack cartons, please,” she told me.
“You got it.” I smiled back. A few moments later I had returned with our snack, and as we dug in we brought out our homework.
“Not moving, is he?” Rachel observed as we began deciphering the math problems.
“Not that I saw.”
“This is crazy,” she said in quiet exasperation.
“You're telling me,” I replied.
“If he's still there after we get through our math I'm calling Sabrina or Mandy.”
“Right,” I nodded to her.
I guess the flaw in Mrs. Jennings' plan is that we *have* to keep going to school, and someone clever enough will find eventually find out where we are regardless of how careful we try to be, I mused quietly. Still... this really is crazy. How badly does whoever is behind this want to derail the arts? What does it hurt to let people who want to express themselves do so? Isn't it better than a lot of things that money has been spent on in the past? Even I know that much, I thought with a sigh.
As we got more and more engrossed in our homework, we almost forgot that our “friend” was standing outside. Until he came in, that is. And then I didn't notice him until he was a table away from us. I looked up to see him taking a seat, just as casually as you please. Rachel had already quietly packed her things. I placed my pack on the table to make it seem as if I was looking for something in it while I put my own stuff away. Then I noticed something near the counter of the deli.
A bus schedule? A bus schedule!!
As quickly as I could, I looked it over; there was a bus due to arrive across from the store about five minutes from now.
Urrgh, but then how do we keep him from--
“Oh! Ohh, my gosh, I'm so sorry!” a woman's voice said. She had accidentally spilled something onto the strange man with the jacket. Without waiting, I quickly took Rachel's hand and began hurrying out the door with her as he began (rather nastily) replying to her.
Lady, if I ever see you again, I have to pay you back about ten times over, I said to myself as we quickly crossed the street.
“Why are we stopping now?” Rachel asked me.
“Bus stop.” I told her.
“Bus stop? Oh!!” she lit up with understanding.
“One of its next stops is that plaza about two minutes from the hotel,” I whispered quietly to her, and she nodded.
“We'll get off there, then... ahh, that poor woman,” Rachel said with a soft regret as she observed our 'friend' still berating her.
“N-not a very on-the-clock thug, is he?” I said with an awkward grin as the bus arrived.
“Thank goodness for that.” she replied as we got on; we paid our fare, and the bus began heading for its next destination.
At that moment the man in the jacket came barreling out of the cornerstore, skidding comically to a halt as he saw the bus taking off. I don't care to know what came out of his mouth as he realized we were nowhere in sight, but I'm sure it was just as unsavory as what he said to the poor woman in the store.
“We got lucky tonight.” Rachel said as she clasped my hand.
“We did.” I agreed. “I hope we can find a way to pay that lady back for her accidental help...” I added as I leaned back into the seat.
“Right?” she grinned back wryly.
A few minutes later, we were back at the hotel. Deciding that our snack was good enough for an evening meal (at least for one night), we headed up to our room at once to finish it off--and to finish our homework off as well. It was nearly eleven before we had gotten through all of it, including a rough draft of our World Cultures assignment. Rachel looked at it with an expression of dissatisfaction, but I was just relieved that we had gotten somewhere with it at all.
“Maybe we should try looking at a different aspect...” she remarked.
“Hmm?” I looked at her curiously.
“Like... instead of a general look, we could focus on one thing; like literature, or games, for example.” she told me.
“Hmm...” I thought about it seriously for a few moments as I laid back on the floor. “Literature is probably the better way to go... though games would be more unique, maybe?” I then said, and she nodded.
“We could look at both and then decide which one,” she said.
“Agreed.” I replied. I then yawned, stretching out as I continued to stay where I was.
“Gonna stay there all night?” Rachel smirked at me.
“Maybe. It's been a long day after all.” I returned.
“True!” she said as she curled up next to me, pulling the blanket off the bed to cover us both. “Good night,” she whispered softly.
“'Night.” I managed to reply before I fell asleep, her arms wrapped securely around my waist.
***
“Wake uuup,” I heard a voice call to me the next morning. It was Rachel, who was poking my cheek as I shifted position to try and evade the attack.
“'Hewmurrminz...” I grumbled softly.
“We don't have a few more minutes. It's eight o'clock. Let's get some breakfast and head down to the park.”
“Mmf?” I stirred myself as I heard her mention the time, slowly sitting upright. I was still on the floor; as I blinked awake, I noticed that she was pretty much ready to go. “Right,” I said, hopping up to get changed for the day.
Rachel gazed at me with a smile as we ate our breakfast a few minutes later. I took a sip of coffee, flavored with some French Vanilla cream, and then gazed back at her. She reached over to take my hand, setting it on the middle of the table and facing it upward, dancing her fingers across my palm.
“What are you doing?” I wondered with a soft laugh.
“No-thing.” she grinned as she continued. “This is really spoiling us... it's really gonna be weird when we can go home again. And then summer vacation will come along,” she said with a longing sigh, and I nodded.
“I can't wait,” I said with a smile.
“Right??”
“That reminds me, I don't think I've been prepared for a summer vacation since before middle school...”
“Oh don't worry. I'm practically in the same boat,” Rachel said to me.
“Hmm.”
“I guess we'll--ack!! Hurry!” she then said as she caught the time from a nearby wall clock.
“What time is i--gyeck?!” I exclaimed as I turned to see eight thirty-five etched on the screen. We wolfed down the rest of our breakfast, and then began walking briskly towards the Park.
Just in time, the two of us arrived at our destination, where we found the rest of our fellow cast-members and our director heading towards the stage. We fell in step alongside Joanna and Malcolm, the former smiling and the latter giving us a nod. Ahead of us, I could see Matthew with his arms around Herby and Maggie, the three of them guffawing about something.
“Those three have been friends for a long time, huh?” Rachel said.
“Oh you know it.” Joanna told her. “Since kindergarten, right?” she looked over at her brother, who nodded in agreement.
“Pretty much. Matthew managed to goad them into theater classes when they were in... third grade? I think... and they've been a part of the school's drama clubs ever since.” Malcolm said.
“That's pretty cool,” I remarked.
“He acts like such a buffoon, but he knows his stuff when it comes to theater,” Joanna said.
“As if those Shakespeare recitations hadn't convinced me,” I returned with a grin.
“Pfft! Exactly,” she nodded, laughing.
“He has... five of those plays memorized?” Malcolm scratched his head, trying to recall.
“Wow,” Rachel said in amazement as I whistled with the same.
“And here I'm just trying to hang on to my lines for this play,” I quipped.
“I'm sure,” Malcolm smiled as we laughed.
“Nine.” Kenny Richards, who was playing one of the guardsmen, told us. “He has nine of them memorized. He just got 'King Lear' down this February.”
“Ooh, that's a one to memorize,” Malcolm remarked.
“Right?” the other boy agreed. “I know he has 'Midsummer Night's Dream', 'Macbeth', 'Hamlet', and 'Merchant of Venice' down as well, and I think 'The Tempest'... but I can't recall which others he has memorized, though I'm sure he'd tell you.”
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
“I'm gonna guess whatever one that line from last night was from,” I said with a shrug.
“Oh! Right; so 'Henry the Fifth' is in there, too.” Kenny said.
“I hear someone talking about me!” the person in question called back as we neared the stage. “He's got the list right so far! Those six, along with 'Comedy of Errors', 'Othello', and--hmm... Herby, what was the other one?”
“You're asking me?? What a dork,” the shorter boy sighed. “It was 'King John', ironically enough...”
“Ah yes!” the other said delightedly.
“How can you have it memorized and then forget you memorized it?” Maggie wondered with a shake of her head.
“Because 'life is as tedious as a twice-told tale, vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man...'” came the reply.
“Oh good grief, Mags, you had to ask and get him started,” Herby grinned over at her.
“I take it that was a line,” I softly remarked, and Rachel giggled.
“Sorry!” she returned with a goofy grin.
“Ah! 'Oftentimes excusing of a fault doth make the fault the worse by the excuse,
as patches set upon a little breach discredit more in hiding of the fault than did the fault before it was so patch'd...'”
“Ah, shut up, Matt,” Herby said to the cheeky thespian, giving him a friendly flick on the shoulder.
“Heh-heh!” his friend beamed back.
“All right, kids! It's nine-thirty; we're on in half an hour! Get changed and get out here!” Miss Holly said as she clapped her hands to get our attention.
“Oooh, a full preview!” I heard a familiar voice say.
“Guhyeck?!” I tensed up, slowing turning around to see three young ladies of university age looking on with a smile.
“Hi kiddos!” Mandy beamed as Rachel also turned to look.
“Hey!” my girlfriend exclaimed with delight. “You're here to watch??” she said excitedly.
“Yes, we're here to watch! Go change already so we have something to watch!” Christina called over teasingly. A few of our other cast-members laughed, and Rachel grinned back as she dragged me along. I could see that Sabrina, cat-like as ever, had the biggest smile on her face as I was led away.
“Even the college girls, huh, Sean?” Matt grinned.
“Nyah--?! It's not like that!!” I protested.
“Sure, sure!” he said, stealing me away from Rachel as we neared the changing area. “We'll keep you safe, ladies, never fear!” he quipped.
“Oy!”
“Be nice, Matty!” Maggie said as she disappeared with Rachel into the girl's room.
“I'm always nice!” he returned.
“Ahh--” I started.
“Even if I am teasing!” he continued, ruffling my hair as we entered they boys room.
“Hahh...”
“But seriously! Friends of yours, huh?” he said to me as we started getting into costume.
“Y-yeah, good friends; and honorary club-members, I guess you could say,” I replied.
“Cool!” he grinned. “It's that Gamers thing, yeah? Maybe I'll come on board next year,” he said.
“I guess I know what that means,” Herby remarked.
“You betcha, pally-o!” his friend smiled back.
“We'll look forward to it,” I said with a smile.
“Right on!” Matt returned, holding out a hand. It took me a moment to realize he was expecting a high-five, which I slowly returned. “Still not quite used to us, huh? Well we'll fix that!” he said merrily.
“I-I'm sure,” I replied as we continued getting ready.
All of a sudden I'm no longer the moody kid who was only good for getting into scraps, huh? I mused to myself, pleased with the thought and quietly grinning at how shocked the me from this time last year would be if he could see his future at this instant.
A few minutes later, most of us were ready. Some of our more intricately costumed performers were still being suited up, but Rachel and I were among those already waiting by the stage. I could see our three friends grinning and admiring us from afar. About ten minutes 'til the hour, the others were finally ready, and as the clock struck ten our teacher and director came to the stage to announce us and our performances.
Rachel then nudged me, subtly nodding towards another part of the audience. I only needed one glance to see that a certain pompously dressed figure was indeed out there, as some of us had expected. My hand slipped over Rachel's, and I gave it a gentle squeeze of reassurance. She smiled back at me, and moments later we heard Henry begin playing his lute to start us off for the day.
It was only forty minutes or so of the three-hour play, but those forty minutes felt like forty days in front of an audience. And later we're having an informal social with them?? I bemusedly wondered as we worked our way through the archery contest.
“Huzzah, huzzah!” Marcus as the Sheriff clapped his hands reluctantly, a perfectly annoyed smile on his face. “Good sir archer, I pray you, come hither and receive your prize!” he said, bringing out the golden arrow.
“My Lord Sheriff, I thank you! And I give my salutations to all those whom I have bested in this merry contest of yours!” I said in turn.
“Of course, of course!” the other said as he bestowed the prize upon me. “Now, my good fellow, as is the custom of my contest, you will of course place this arrow in the hands of the maiden you deem most fair! Naturally, there is no other but--” he began, suddenly glaring at me in shock as I bestowed the arrow not upon Lady Genevive, but upon Maid Marion, who faintly blushed as I handed it to her.
“M-my Lord!” she said to me.
“I pray you, good lady, receive this arrow and all its merits, for you are the fairest of women this fine faire has presented!” I said, and an applause came from the stage-audience while the sheriff once again reluctantly applauded with them; Genevive, of course, did not look amused at all, and Gisbourne was entirely disinterested.
“Yes, yes! Of course; my people, your champion for the day, and his chosen lady!” the sheriff then said. “Might I know your name, good sir archer?”
“I am Robin of Locksley, my Lord Sheriff!”
“Robin, of Locksley,” he returned, rolling the 'R' in an irate lilt, “My people! I give you Robin of Locksley and the Lady Marion,” he said again as our 'crowd' cheered. The actual audience cheered as well, and with that we moved on to the next selection.
When it was all over, I sighed in relief before remembering with a mild groan that we were going to have some more pictures and publicity in just a few minutes.
“Hahh...” I sighed.
“What's this, my fine young fellow? Not feeling up to the challenges of social obligation, even if you do cut a dapper figure in that attire?” a certain person said as he approached. It was Mr. Saint-James.
Ehh... how do I respond without being a wise-guy this time?
“And you; what is your business, with him specifically?” a more welcome voice said. Sabrina had arrived.
“Oh-ho, I thought I recognized you over there. It's quite rare to see you outside of your little world.” the austere-looking man returned with a clever grin.
“My horizons, are expanding. Unlike some people,” she returned with a subtle shrug.
Ouch. What a zinger, I thought to myself as I saw the smile on his face scrunch up just a tiny bit.
“Or to put it another way, some of us have all we need, and are content to seek no more lest we lose hold of what we have!” he quickly retorted.
“My! Then you should have, no need, to attack the arts,” she said just as quickly.
“Ahh, ha-ha-ha-hah, attack? Nay, nay! To correct an imbalance of egregious expenditures on the part of the city council is hardly an attack,” he replied.
“What shall we say, of your, 'egregious expenditures', Robber Baron?” Sabrina calmly said to him. His smiles disappeared in that moment.
“Hmm; I can see that someone reads and listens too much for their own good.”
“Or perhaps, for the good of others, so that one day, they might be in a place, to do something about people like you.”
“Yes, I see. Capital. Well, carry on then. I shall have no decent conversation to-day, it seems. Good luck to you, my boy, when opening night finally comes along; I will say it seems you've polished things up more than I expected! That is indeed a compliment! No need to thank me; it is but the merest penny I should hand out to such as yourself; good day, I say, good day!” the aristocratic businessman said with a flourish as he walked away from us and out of the park.
I took a deep breath, and let out a long sigh of relief. Sabrina patted me on the back as Rachel came over to join us. She took my hands, and gave me a soft smile before looking over to Sabrina.
“Thanks,” she said.
“Of course,” the older girl smiled back.
“Can we go back to Panarena yet?” I said with a soft groan.
“We're getting our Dream Machines this Sunday night and not before.” Rachel said to me with an adamant smile.
“Hahh...”
“You'll be fine.” Sabrina remarked as she stepped back to allow Christina and Mandy to have a moment with us.
“So cuuute!!” Mandy said as she wrapped Rachel up in a big hug.
“Right?” Chrissy agreed as she did the same to me.
“Nrrgh,” I helplessly returned.
“I'd try to pick you up and show you off, but my strength stat is a lot lower here!” the raven-haired girl grinned as she let go of me.
N-not gonna fall for that trap, I said to myself, expecting her to expect me to make some sort of comment on that.
“Of course it is!” Mandy lightly scolded her. “And besides, he's heavier here, too!”
“Hmm?” her girlfriend pondered for a moment, and then picked me up anyway.
“Oy!” I grumbled as she set me down a moment later.
“Hmm... I'd say about five kilos lighter...” she mused.
“You'd know better than the rest of us,” Mandy shrugged back, a grin on her face.
“Come to think of it, where is everyone else?” I suddenly wondered.
“Hiii, dorks! We snuck in when it started!” Ellie said as she and the others came over to join us.
“I thought that was you!” Rachel exclaimed as she hugged Andrea.
“It'd be silly not to show up when we were the ones who told these three!” the other girl smirked back.
“Hee-hee!” Ellie grinned, bopping my shoulder as she looked me over. “That costume's grown on you for sure.” she nodded with approval.
“Thanks,” I said as she beamed in reply.
“No stage-pieces out, huh?” Thomas said as he looked back towards the stage itself.
“Not today,” Rachel shook her head.
“Guess it was too much to bring for a few shorts like this,” I shrugged.
“Probably so,” he agreed, “But, would've been neat to see one or two of them.” he added with a smile.
“Oh for sure.” I agreed.
“Yo! Hood-man!” the voice of Ty came to my ears, and a moment later there was a hearty clap on my back. “That was good, Dans, real good!” he said to me.
“Eh? Ah, thanks!” I returned.
“I'mma be there when this thing goes live, boy!” he told me. “Come to think of it, they're recording one of those shows, aren't they?”
“Ahh... were they?” I turned to Rachel.
“I think so? On the second weekend, maybe... or was it one from each?” she said as she pondered the question.
“Hrrn, I was just thinkin' it'd be nice to show some of our other friends, y'know?” Ty said, and I smiled back.
“It would be, if -- ahh--!” I suddenly stopped, thinking about it for a moment. Ty blinked as I froze, and then a mischievous grin crossed his face.
“Ohh, right; we're the only ones who know... so far!” he remarked.
“Ahh... ha-ha-hahh...” I returned weakly.
“I don't think they'd be uptight about it; but if you wanna keep on keepin' it close, then I don't mind,” he said with a shrug, giving me a gentle thump on the shoulder.
“What's this about?” Joanna asked as she joined us.
Hyeck!?
“Hmm? Naw, just some game we all play,” Ty told her.
“All of you, huh?” she blinked in surprise.
“Riskopoly!” Thomas quickly said. “It's a club favorite, and sometimes we invite Tyler so we can break up into more efficient guil--groups, I mean, 'groups',” he corrected himself. “Hahh, I've been in Panarena too long; we should get back to playing Riskopoly again when the play is over so Sean can join in with us!”
Eh?? Since when were you such an actor?? Ehh?? Ahh--!! Does that even fool her? Joanna's sharper than that, I'm sure of it!
“Ahh, right, I remember that game. It's kind of like the competition in Panarena that's on right now, huh, Rachel?” she replied.
Safe?
“More or less,” Rachel agreed.
I guess I'm safe...
“Speaking of which, I'm gonna slip back into my clothes and head home... my guild is probably going nuts somewhere...” Joanna then said, waving as she left us.
“My bad!” Ty said as he patted my had. “Forgot about that girl not knowing... yet,” he said with a grin.
“N-no worries, pal,” I smiled back. “Heh!? Yet?!” I then realized.
“Damn, boy, you know everyone at our school who plays is gonna find out it's you somehow or another,” he told me. Ellie nodded wisely, and Anhe softly giggled.
“The question is how she hasn't figured it out already,” Mary remarked. “For the moment, she thinks Lana is Rachel.” she whispered. Ty blinked a couple times and then cracked up.
“Yo, what??” he laughed, clapping his hands in amusement. “Aw, man--that is some funny stuff!”
“Right??” Ellie agreed.
“Isn't it though?” Mandy smiled.
“'Aight, I gotta get going as well; got some work-stuff to do before I go and goof off; y'all have a good day -- 'meant what I said, Dans! Keep up the good work!” he said as he headed off, and I smiled back, the two of us waving to each other.
“It's like you were never at each other's throats at all,” Andrea said in amazement.
“Oof, I remember that fight,” Thomas said with a faint grin.
“Ah-heh,” I said as I affected one of my own.
“It looks like, they're wrapping up,” Sabrina then said as she looked over at the others. “Oh, Sean, Rachel; they're waiting for you,” she told us.
“Hmm?” I wondered as Rachel took my hand and gently hauled me along.
“Picture time!” she said.
“Ehh...? Why do we have to have pictures again? We already have some, don't we?”
“Yes, but we're outside this time!”
“Hahh...” I sighed. I heard a certain word being chorused by the others as they broke out into laughter. If you don't know what word I mean, then I can't help you.
***
Later that day, we were back in our normal clothes, stopping for a brief lunch with the older girls on our way to Fun Castle for our club activity.
“You are doing okay with your assignment?” Anhe asked us.
“We're gonna work on it more tonight,” I said, “But I think we have it.”
“Good!” she smiled back.
“Your foreign language homework?” Christina wondered.
“Yep.” Rachel nodded back.
Sabrina then pulled out her surprise-card and began chatting up Anhe in Japanese, to which our younger friend eagerly began chatting back in first astonishment and then delight. From what I could understand, she was asking Anhe about her family and the places we would be going to, which were eagerly described to her. Then Anhe switched to Mandarin with a faint grin, and Sabrina bowed her head apologetically.
“Sorry; I, don't know that one, yet,” she returned.
“Ah! It is okay. I was really surprised, though -- in a good way!” the other girl said.
“I'm glad,” Sabrina smiled back.
“It's good to know we won't be defenseless if we leave the kiddos behind while we're in Japan, though.” Mandy remarked.
“Hm, hm.” Christina nodded in agreement.
“Hah? Leave us behind?” Ellie wondered. “Oop! Never mind, I getcha!” she then grinned.
“Hm?” Anhe blinked curiously.
“I don't think we want to know,” I told her.
“Probably not,” Mandy winked. “Hmm... this time we'll be away for a month, huh?” she then mused.
“That's basically four months in Panarena time,” Andrea noted. “We'll have to make sure Fyu and Dracky are okay with us being gone that long...”
Hmm... I didn't think about that part of it... I realized to myself as her words sank in.
“I'm sure if we explained it to them, insofar as they could understand it, they'd agree to let the others 'borrow' them now and again.” Thomas said.
“Probably,” I agreed.
“What are we gonna do to wrap up our place in the competition?” Ellie then wondered. “Getting to all those resources and stuff is nice and all, but what the heck are we gonna do with them?”
“We'll worry about that when our little leader comes back to play with us.” Mary said with a shrug. “For now, it's twelve-thirty.”
“Already? Yikes, we gotta get going!” Andrea said as she finished off what was left of her lunch, as did the rest of us, before getting up to head out.
“I'll come by later, to get you two,” Sabrina told us.
“Okay,” Rachel nodded back.
“We'll see you later, then,” I said.
“Have fuuun!” Mandy called.
“It's Fun Castle, so duh!” Ellie grinned back, and we laughed as we parted ways for the time being.