#dreaming

A look at her troll.

Earl says "sorry.. we were hoping to explore this ourselves first... it started as a mission for my family, and you could od it fine... but.." A low voice "Frankly, I think Zara nd I both haven't done this in what seems like forever so if you don't mind? Ah, could we take it?"

Olgar looks at Zara, "That what you want?"

"It's... been a nice adventure."

Earl looks at her, "If yyou want to stop it we can? I thought you might like more"

She gums on her lower lip. "I... we don't have to, if you do not wish it..."

"Would you enjoy the journey?" Earl takes her hand, "See, if it makes you smile, I'd walk through fire"

"And.. I've liked a lot of this trip too" He adds so she understands it is not some burden

"I would like to cross the sea, aye. It seems da'an would not have placed the gate so for no reason..."

Earl looks at the Rover, "We've got this. "

Olgar inclines his head, "I hear you"

A gesture of thanks.

"Oh here, " Olgar says "THink of it as a cheat if you like..." He offers up an egg, "Crack this open... it creates a little messanger pigeeon chimera that carries a message pretty fast. I know, cellphones are all the rage, but this remembers the dreaming better. Lets me know if you have trouble, OR if you just want to pass on something you think the rovers will look into"

"Charming. A far more appropriate medium than a cellular phone."

"Thank you, glad to see wilders who get it," Olgar says "THought I was just old"

"Age is venerable, sirrah."

'You're getting on my good side, Miss Zara. You two kids have fun. Report to the DeBukes what you find , if I hear from them you've been missing too long I will probably butt in, but it's nothing personal, It's just the job. "

"Understood."

And with that, Olgar moves onto investigate the hold in wissconsin

Earl looks over, 'Want to drop by this lodge in Rome or pass by?"

"Well, it sounds decently well in hand there..."

"It does.. brush past the rath, make sure we know where it is, and then mosey on past and over the sea?" He asks

She nods. "A good plan."

And he takes her hand and goes to do just that

And thus

Oh they find the way out, but do not take it.. that's for another time... and soon the adventure begins anew

-----

They passed into the deepest dreaming for a moment there... zara looks down at herself and gasps in horror, she now has the curves of a swimsuit model, bronzed skin, and long blonde hair... in short, she is repulsive! (by sluagh standards)

((And somewhere, another Swimsuit Magazine Issue is spawned....))

Hiss!

A brutish hairy man with a wife beater shirt that does not quite cover the beer belly, and a red baseball cap comes out, behind her, "What was..." He looks down "Oh great"

When he sees Zara, he fights a nose wrinkle of distaste "Zara, is that you?"

HISS!

"It's you.. and this is me.. " A sigh "Earl."

"What is this?" She rubs at her arms, as if she could scrub the tan off.

"I think I remember some animal...could have been a pooka.. ., Sorry, Zara."

While her form is gross, distorted, plastic barbie style... when he says her name again, she notices she's just a little less bronze

her senses, at least, remain keen

"Earl." She tries it on him.

"Herne. My Artist. My Hunter. My Poet."

Earl looks confused, but his skin shifts blue, and his gut recedes noticably by the time she finsihes that

"Zara, my hind, my moon, the ghost that haunts my sweetest dreams, the raven."

Oh what a relief, her her skin loses the bronze luster, and those obscene flotation devices on her torso dwindle half way

"Ah." Relief.

"Earl Preston DeBuke."

"Hey, middle names make me jumpy" Oh yes, thje hair is gone, the voile is almost back.. that horrid wife beater with stains is now more of a t shirt with tye dye

"Mayhaps, but... needful. Earl, Earl, my Light, my Shade, my Refuge."

"Zara Scwhartz, my night angel, my solace, the wings that lift me when I thought I would never touch the darkest stars."

Her hair has lost all but one streak of that gold, her form slender and scrawny and.. to Earl, beautiful once more

A sigh. Finally.