FenDoubt perch*U$ gauDrilling

This arrived every bit, twice over disturbing than a typical stalker. It was inhuman, yet expanding on our behavioral phrasing @ multipLEvels.

Suffice to say, noboDeclared a reply immediately. Noticing our inhibition, the Fowl then decided to pluck upon that string. "You act stunned after engaging in thievery? I should be astounded if you thought the Owner would juSTomach the loss. You shall return what you stole or perish; neither shall you peer directly into my face while doing so."

"I knew it," The Dictator ventilated. "Hear what horror you've attracted!?"

Trent took a verbal shot to roast the High & Mighty Preacher (yet having to reserve lava nozzle). "Are you that hideous, Quasimodo, you must mask your face?"

It let out a rattling rush of whoops, like a pack of baboons warPound in Cassette tape. "hExxeCute yoo, I was merely trying to save your Clan the trouble of being indebted a personal favor."

Gutterson's vocals rose, switching the topic to Shield us like a Paladin: "What is it you're in search of?"

"That's more appropriated," it cooed. "A rare tool is in your possession: the Wolpertinger Jackhammer. Although i must admit, difficult to identify as such, being presently detached from its Drill."

Beck@hemoth whispered: "Let me handle this folks;.." before announcing louder, "IN THAT CASE, what features can we recognize?"

Grandma revealed, "Consists of fracTallied wood chunks, and opaque garnet of inward skeletal attachments."

Vision gradually trailed down the length of Becca's arm, as Gutt pointed at it. The gems weren't opals after all. "It would seem... to be in my hand, actually." - She frowned suspectly across the bar at the frazzled soul'DiEar.

Talons could be heard dancing with delight. "Well, that was easy enough! Now would you be lambs and place it outside for me?"

Becca cocked her head, then shrugged. "Why not?... We have a surplus of items." She started to step toward the Shack's Doorway.

Gutt cleaned his gravely throat. "Why not??" he echoed. "Is because of its restoration values. We're geared for a meeting in which we may face a great amount of bodily harm."

"Oh mYi'yi..." gritted the Bird. "For that matter, how would you expect to barter a period of keep then?"

Noise zipped shut and suspended for unyielding seconds, as we attempted to think critically. Faces flustered faster than ideas were forming.

The Dictator deposited an offer before I could manage anything. "Well we've only got about half an hour to be somewhere," he found his backbone. "Can we arrange that once we get home?"

"Pipe down you weasel, "I cruSHot his retreat. "That deal's hardly solid enough to satisfy a newborn."

The beast honked a heckle:. "You were each born yesterday, relative myself. Mind not the time; I can bargain that too if you wish."

That struck me quaintly. It also lent me a sliver of time to steal deeper traction. "You saying you're old enough to flap against the grip of time, Grandma?"

"That I amm, fledglings. But transportation very well spike=$ the cost."

I noticed Ruby frantically slicing a hand afront of rigid neck at me, as if I shouldn't even consideRetorting, like I hadn't the first clue what I was yapping at.

I eased off the gas. But miNIka stormed ahead nonetheless, baggy clotheSloshing. "Well it appears we're at your mercy. So what type of benefits do you value for trade?"

"Decisive AND deferential in development," our Negotiator squawked. "How rewarding! Evermost I prize the volatility of bereavement, & secondly measures of compliance. You have $aved face with one act of humility; but for your twin'sults I shall require a specific degree of difficulty to atone."

Irritated glances were heaped upon Trent & Capone.

"On the other Wing," it continued, "I may sometimes become intoxicated by keepsakes and baubles - only 3 among your dozen auras entangle that sort of Charge at the moment. Shall they reveal them in the next sixty seconds, or risk the guilt of my wrath upon your entire company."

Without hesitation it chirped into a reverse countdown.

Trent spouted, "Please don't ask me to give up the Flamethrower or my Triple-Starship-Alliance hanky!"

"You are mislead, pump-Clown:" It cackled. "You toiled over neither of those things."

"Oh," Fin deduced. "You want utterly intimate things."

"To begin with," it winnowed cryptically.

I felt a nudge from behind. It proved to be Siggy. Straining, he visited, "Bro, what if it's talking about my Locket? Where's it at?"

Of course - this tragedy had to be dredged back when we had our backs pitted against the wall. I felt like my organs were being harvested. What could i possibly say?... "Can't be," I started, "Cause uhh, I got the chain caught on a lever downstairs andd..." - (my windpipe cracked) - "lost it down a pipe."

I heard my pal stifle a choke.

"I'm really sorry, dude," I begged. "Happened so quick."

He sucked bewildered breath, & jaw flexed multiple times, only to pull back out of view. Maybe he needed to re-calibrate his temper before addressing me; or perhaps considering the dire situation, he figured there wasn't enough time to rant about the luck rotten enough to have had the necklace break loose near an open pipe. And I didn't have time to try & convince him of the actual events that had stolen the memento. He just wasn't Seeing the bright side yet; that it was an accident. Drat, and it very well may have made suitable trade...

Flipping mental gears, I wished to the Stars we could just chew the roof off and whiz a slew of fireballs to this interrogator. Actually, Maybe with permission... I swiveled and quietly bolted around the counter to get beside Gutt. I grabbed his sleeve frantically, and nestled my suggestion whether he would be willing to sacrifice the roof (& probably even the TV) for an ambush. His lips stretched, and his tongue popped out in consideration.

When he finally peered at me, he was mouthing sideways: "Happens anyhow if deal fails." I hung my head toward the counter, exhausted. But instantly Malibu was tapping on my shoulder. He made a wide sweeping gesture at the myriad contents blanketing the counter & tapped a soft gorilla-thud against his chest.

My eyebrows rocketed toward stars & I jiggled a shaky thumbs up.

Then we heard Anika issue forward a possibility: "How about my belt buckle? It's a wagon of bananas, heirloom from my auntie & uncle," she described, plucking at it. "Takes 4 years just for one tree to bloom its fruit. That's all kinds of special."

"I'd be obliged," gushed Grandma's gizzard. (Morale soared!) "Except with those burdensome pants you style, you'd do more tripping & unraveling, than Traveling!" (...and hopes dove back as low as her jeans would have sagged).

"Wail hungerin' termites," Buck cursed. "I pain-Ned a stone Shark ya right might love! If Ida brung it wimme. That's ma spirit animal."

"Thirty..." Gurjivow ignored, deadpan demanding.

Malibu wiggled his fingers with fervor. "Say I've got a ton of herbs and spices down here," he suggested. "Need anything?"

"Common as pixie tricks," the Stickler rejected. "Albeit, I am quite fond of pRepTiles: wouldn't mine one of those deceased hatchlings."

Whatever kind of insight it was using to locate such information without eyes, wormed like vinegar through the atmosphere.

Gutt redressed, "I suppose you're aware that they cause exceptional phenomena."

"I can actually perform half the incantations with no external assistance," it bragged. (I hoped Granny was only bluffing). - "But yet, give me the one that cellularly Fizzzles. I could use an upgraded shield, against-over more stalwart foes."

Gut asked me to fish in the crate for the *stuB#link* Egg, (since he was functioning halFuzzy-blinDim): - I dispensed the requested brown egg with 6 pink slashes flaring its length.

I don't think there was anyone in the house at this point, who wasn't shaking in their boots - Except Becca & Saul. She was no doubt preoccupied with some idea.

I followed her scrutinizing vision, which seemed to be settled on Caphony. I tried to fuse one Gaze and another's body language together, and soon noticed that Teeth was swaying his knuckles against the pocket of his leg. Looking closer it seemed...

"Hey Grease-noggin," Rubes pointed him out. "What's in your pocket?′

His dangling hand flashed up and perturbed bounced fingers off his chest. "Oh, nothing much." His other hand plunged across to his other hip, and there, exhumed a small rubber ball and two twisted strips of gum. "Just hygienic stuff."

"No." Ruby steered. "How bout the other side?"

A few gusty flaps stirred along the Roof. "That's riite, he's playing coy."

"Fine you asked for it," Capone relented. He proceeded to pull a gold ring from his pants. "It's my basketball title Stone - from the playoffs two years back." He settled it onto his finger and blew across the Signet with satisfaction. "I picked the pattern myself, although I didn't chisel the Boulder." The Kingpin kissed the oblong bauble, to which parts of the rectangle refracted pomegranate and paisley hues, and a few faces spackled more translucent depending on how it tilted; at such angles you could see into core.

"Wait now," Saul objected. "Your school only won a singgGoal round that year didn't they?"

"Don't get technical on me, geek. It was rare enough occasion to be worth ordering a personal trophy of Try-OOMPH!" Capone blasted & powered his fist. "Forged from Rhodochrome, Sodalite, and bloodstone... it manifests my desires like a crystal ball! - (by the way) makes for excellent noogies if you wanna get on my bad side," he sneeered.

Gurjivow roared and screeched. "Indeed, a superstitious trinket - smothered in pretense. But were I to divest him, the bulk of you would smugly revel the mourning too much."

Our gremlin Tyrant hustled to pluck it down from its roost upon his middle finger. As he cradled it he belched, "Good; cause if anyone really wants this ring, all i aim to share is a kidney stone of sorts," he warned the room.

"Hey, you're the only one who needs it," Pheo flipped at Capone, while he was sliding it down toward a pocket near his groin. "It seems bigger than your pecker."

"Very original," Teeth coiled. "But I wonder if you weren't born in Virginia; cause I can guarantee this hardened Stone of mine would increase your holes, Manless Voidgina."

"Classic pervert kneejerk," Pheo disagreed. "Cause if women aren't sluts, then they're prudes. A lady got no use for trophy-shining Womanizers."

I think Gutterson almost dropped the crimson and azure egg twice over, raggedly cringing at the low blows.\|/

"There we go again witHorrid backwash defenSociality..." Bec@Hemoth interrupted, before the feud could steam any longer. "Sorry I had to follow the potentiaLead; thought it might score."

"Haven't heard entertainment like this since the Obskiddian hermit lost its apatite trying to drink the gaseous Lantern-fish," approved the Lender. "But the Accuser is more suspect than the suspected... Now where were we? 20 seconds I believe."

For the first time Rebecca looked to swoon into a sweat, appearing partially human. "Okkk, drill for tailors..." she vow~mitted. "Confound. Your expense. GurjVOWWWELL!!" Ruby raged, intensity staggering until it so freakishly distorted that two of the empty measuring beakers cracked beside me.

People pressed down over their ears.

As relative calm soaked back around, Gur'jovial emanated chuckles. "The grieving of another greatly disturbed trader. Reminds me of some of my previous pupils when i caught them trying to determine my birthdate and background, by tracking down my Ambrosia-Ex partners."

Becca then beckoned Saul, defeatedly: "Open the satchel, FalCoDEarie."

He walked over and slung the knapsack off his back. "I'm sorry we couldn't conseal it," Saul said as he unzipped it in front of her. Come to think of it, right against her cleavage. She brushed his gruffly uneven bangs. "Don't worry about it, Love. It's in good Fans." She leaned across and lip-locked him. A mammoth tear spewed from her lashes, & dribbled down the edge of her cheek; it hung & spun under her jaw where it collected. They swam into each other, trying to relieve the tension and combine fortitude all at once.

Sig crippled under his breath... "Un-equill charge there, hermano."

Saul resurfaced, grinning like we were at an amusement park: "Sorry for secrecy bro, but you know I'll toss peer approval down the drrrain for refined codes."

Following our two most powerful candidMates reluctantly stepaRadiating from entwinement ~ the sorceress sank her arm down the sack.