anincurableoptimist!”observedadejectedMeggiheryouaretoonaiveorIamtooignorant.”

    “Ifyoudon’tbelieveme,let’smakeanexperimentonhumannature.SomeofmyoldfriendsmayhaveshownsignsagaihatisbecauseIhavenotunicatedwiththemforalongtime,thusgivingcredeherumorsofmydecease.NotknowingwhatisgoingonintheKingdom,theyaretakinga‘wait-atitude.Thisisrayalbutacautiouswayoflife.Makesomevideos,eaepersonalizedanddifferentaouttothebelievetheirmemoryofourfriendshipisstillfreshanddeep.Weevaluatetheirreaandknowwheretheystand.”

    “Good”noddedMegginn.“That’sagoodidea.Thiswaywetestthemwithouttheirknowihcorrupt,KingDimitri.Imustremindyounottouimateitshugelureaation.Ifanyoftheseemissariespntoembezzleyourmoney,youotbesoft-hearted.Theymustbedealtwith.Weotletithappenandmusteupwithatermeasure.Letmedealwiththis.”

    “Fihat’sperfect.”Thenhegedthesubject.“Howeit’ssoquietheretoday?Whereareyourtwelvebeautifussistants?”

    “Haveyottenit’sAisha’sbirthdaytoday?”smiledMegginn.“Everyonehasgohepacetohelppreparefortonight’sbirthdayba.Aishaiskindtoeveryonesosheisverypopur.Everyostopitandmakeherbirthdayaveryspecialoccasion.Waitahere’llbemanypeoplegettingintoxicatedtonight.”KingDimitri’sfacecloudedwhenherememberedMr.Finger’swhisperedwordsinhisears,butMegginnwasnotpayingattentionanddidnotnoticehisgeofexpressioinued,

    “Weusedtoseeeachotherquiteofteninthemundaneworld,butnowthatweareinydom,weseldommeet.Doyourememberhowyouusedtoappearwhenevermydipidatedtancoloredcarbrokedowheyjustces?Anyway,Iwantyoutopromisethatwhenwegobaundaneworldyouwillearbeforemewhenevermycarbreaksdown.OK?”

    “OfcourseIpromise.HowIrefusesuchacharmingandiingdate?NotonlywillIappearbeforeyou,Iwillsopushyourcar.”Bothofthemughedatthat.Suddenlytheneighingofahorsesplittheair.TheylookedoutofthewindowandsawMedusaflybyfollowedbyLightning.Theybothheoppositepeak.“It’sgettingdark”KingDimitrisaid.“Timetogototheba.”

    “Iwantyoutocarryme!”poutedMegginn.“Youcarriedmeintomydipidatedcar,soIpromisedtoetdom.Iwantyoutocarrymetotheelevator.Youhaven’tcarriedmeforalongtime!”

    “Yesm’am”saidDimitri,stoopingdown.“Mypleasure”.

    3

    Thetwelvebrightredpacestylenternshangingfromtheeavesofthefrorahepaceemanatedanairoffestivity.Uhemtwonakedbeauties,oeonebck,weretalking.WhentheysawKingDimitriandMegginnwalkihesuspensieandingtowardsthem,thetwohastenedfreetthem.

    “Aishaaskedmetoeayou”saidWhiteFairy,“butMedusaheresaidshesawyoufromthewindowtalkingtoMegginnandyoutwoseemedtobehavingaseriousdiscussion.Sheadvisedmenottodisturbyou.Butyouareherenow.Hownice!”Dimitrismiledandhem.HesaidtoMedusa

    “YouhaveworkedhardtodayiingtheborderswithLightning.Iseverythingpeaceful?”

    Medusahesitatedandthensaid,“Ifyouwillgrantmeanaudieyourearliestvenience,Iwillmakeyouafullreport.”KingDimitrinoddedandsaid,

    “Good!Youmustbetired.Lateronatthebayoumustdrinkafewmorecupsofwineandloosenup.”Anotherbeauty,Lotus,walkedoutofthepacegatesaying,

    “ein.ein.Everyonehasbeenwaitingforquitesometimenow.”Thepacewasbrilliantlylit,rfmesbzedinthevariousfirepdfemal

anincurableoptimist!”observedadejectedMeggiheryouaretoonaiveorIamtooignorant.”

    “Ifyoudon’tbelieveme,let’smakeanexperimentonhumannature.SomeofmyoldfriendsmayhaveshownsignsagaihatisbecauseIhavenotunicatedwiththemforalongtime,thusgivingcredeherumorsofmydecease.NotknowingwhatisgoingonintheKingdom,theyaretakinga‘wait-atitude.Thisisrayalbutacautiouswayoflife.Makesomevideos,eaepersonalizedanddifferentaouttothebelievetheirmemoryofourfriendshipisstillfreshanddeep.Weevaluatetheirreaandknowwheretheystand.”

    “Good”noddedMegginn.“That’sagoodidea.Thiswaywetestthemwithouttheirknowihcorrupt,KingDimitri.Imustremindyounottouimateitshugelureaation.Ifanyoftheseemissariespntoembezzleyourmoney,youotbesoft-hearted.Theymustbedealtwith.Weotletithappenandmusteupwithatermeasure.Letmedealwiththis.”

    “Fihat’sperfect.”Thenhegedthesubject.“Howeit’ssoquietheretoday?Whereareyourtwelvebeautifussistants?”

    “Haveyottenit’sAisha’sbirthdaytoday?”smiledMegginn.“Everyonehasgohepacetohelppreparefortonight’sbirthdayba.Aishaiskindtoeveryonesosheisverypopur.Everyostopitandmakeherbirthdayaveryspecialoccasion.Waitahere’llbemanypeoplegettingintoxicatedtonight.”KingDimitri’sfacecloudedwhenherememberedMr.Finger’swhisperedwordsinhisears,butMegginnwasnotpayingattentionanddidnotnoticehisgeofexpressioinued,

    “Weusedtoseeeachotherquiteofteninthemundaneworld,butnowthatweareinydom,weseldommeet.Doyourememberhowyouusedtoappearwhenevermydipidatedtancoloredcarbrokedowheyjustces?Anyway,Iwantyoutopromisethatwhenwegobaundaneworldyouwillearbeforemewhenevermycarbreaksdown.OK?”

    “OfcourseIpromise.HowIrefusesuchacharmingandiingdate?NotonlywillIappearbeforeyou,Iwillsopushyourcar.”Bothofthemughedatthat.Suddenlytheneighingofahorsesplittheair.TheylookedoutofthewindowandsawMedusaflybyfollowedbyLightning.Theybothheoppositepeak.“It’sgettingdark”KingDimitrisaid.“Timetogototheba.”

    “Iwantyoutocarryme!”poutedMegginn.“Youcarriedmeintomydipidatedcar,soIpromisedtoetdom.Iwantyoutocarrymetotheelevator.Youhaven’tcarriedmeforalongtime!”

    “Yesm’am”saidDimitri,stoopingdown.“Mypleasure”.

    3

    Thetwelvebrightredpacestylenternshangingfromtheeavesofthefrorahepaceemanatedanairoffestivity.Uhemtwonakedbeauties,oeonebck,weretalking.WhentheysawKingDimitriandMegginnwalkihesuspensieandingtowardsthem,thetwohastenedfreetthem.

    “Aishaaskedmetoeayou”saidWhiteFairy,“butMedusaheresaidshesawyoufromthewindowtalkingtoMegginnandyoutwoseemedtobehavingaseriousdiscussion.Sheadvisedmenottodisturbyou.Butyouareherenow.Hownice!”Dimitrismiledandhem.HesaidtoMedusa

    “YouhaveworkedhardtodayiingtheborderswithLightning.Iseverythingpeaceful?”

    Medusahesitatedandthensaid,“Ifyouwillgrantmeanaudieyourearliestvenience,Iwillmakeyouafullreport.”KingDimitrinoddedandsaid,

    “Good!Youmustbetired.Lateronatthebayoumustdrinkafewmorecupsofwineandloosenup.”Anotherbeauty,Lotus,walkedoutofthepacegatesaying,

    “ein.ein.Everyonehasbeenwaitingforquitesometimenow.”Thepacewasbrilliantlylit,rfmesbzedinthevariousfirepdfemal