#bergen_county

"Oh well, it was a long shot" she sighs "Fine fine.. Adam your apology is accepted. I know you didn't mean me any insult and that this all blew up on both sides by some misunderstandings."

"Thank you, Mrs. Lee."

"Now, Adam, you're free to have another Brownie or more milk, be delighted to have you, but if you like this is your chance to escape" A chuckle "And Dirk, if you want to go outside I.."

Adam, standing, offers her his hand."

She takes it and shakes it

... and he then offers his hand to Dirk.

Dirk looks surprised.. then takes it. His own grip starts..firm. No crushing

Adam shakes; no showing off.

And they part

"Well now THAT makes me happy, Thank you boys" Anne Marie approves "Adam, would you like another Brownie?"

"No thank you, Mrs. Lee." Truth be told, he didn't have a first one.

"Fine but.. oh" She takes four slices "Take these to your family, please" Putting them in a container "And this.." Something smell from the fridge "For your sister? Please don't mix them up"

"I won't. And ... thank you." He takes the items, gives Anne Marie a small bow and nods to Dirk, then turns to go.

"You're welcome. Dirk, escort your fellow Crash out"

"Yes ma'am" He says

And Dirk moves along, though he doesn't hover RIGHT behind Adam, he does escort him

Adam walks back through the house to the front door as if he were alone.

Dirk doesn't give him shit, but nods "See you later I guess " A shrug

"Yeah." And Adam heads home.

So he does...

(End Scene)

Elsewhere, Dagmar is out in the woods, on patrol.

And she hears a voice "But I want supreme power NOW." Almost teasing

"Little pebble, we are not about supreme power. Stop that." Klump

"Hello?" She calls out.

A lovely woman peeks out. Unlike Klump, she is not content to have a craggy rough husk.. she is vain and looks like a lovely lady in robes and so on...most would not realize she's a statue ..at first, or something like it "Over here, Dagmar. It's just me, Neera, and Klump, of course. Who refuses to let me delve into dark magics."

"Well, you have to be careful about dark magic. Seems sensible."

"Gotta wonder about price, yeah?"

"Well I was hoping to make others pay the price" She says sensibly.

A low rumble "Neera , sometimes I suspect you wish to punish me for making you a glome"

"I'll never tell" Neera says "How are you, Dagmar? have you seen Symon about?"

"Saw him the other day, he's doing okay."

"And it usually doesn't work, making somebody else pay. Comes around in the end."

"Well who made THAT silly system?" Neera protests "How are the cunning supposed to prosper over the simpletons with such restraints?"

"By being even smarter, right? If you were actually more cunning, you'd be able to navigate, while the simpletons wouldn't."

"Mmmph" A pause "Do you try to use this to manage Symon?"

Klump chuckles "it is her friendship with Symon that has taught her these skills and how to manage the ambitious, I suspect, Neera. but she is right"

"I don't think I manage Symon..."

"I mean, I tell him what I think? But Symon's pretty smart, he figures stuff out."

"My elf prince who is no elf and is no prince is an intellect I enjoy I confess, but you are rather bright yourself, " Neera says

"I do okay." She shrugs.

"I'm more the muscle, and that's okay too."

"The Little Thunder has seen many dark gatherings for one so young, so she knows how to guide others through it"

That from Klump

"I'm pretty lucky, nowadays."

"Luck is often a self made thing I've found" Neera says "As a rule I don't trust it"

"I get that."

"Well, what news period?" Neera says "Being a rock can be so dull"

"Hurtful" Klump rumbles

Eyebrow.