#earthrunes

"Thanks, though."

"I mean part of me.... it could be..... you know?"

"Not sure I do...so go ahead" He says

"You know. Exciting."

"Ha. It could. I think though in the end you gotta be yourself... you think of this as a job, and you'll feel like ...well, like a hooker without a choice. Think of it as a rescue. This girl? If the gift of pan makes her want to dance.. dance with her. If she wants to be wined and dined, wine and dine her... as long as you'd be happy with that too. And if she wants to have a wild stand with you, then ...I bet you want that too, but if you don't, or it feels wrong, Don't. It's mutual consent all around or it's bullshit"

He pauses "Crap. I think Mister Davidson's brainwashed me."

"What do you mean?"

"Our Rover is a diehard feminist... wear's a pink hat at rallies"

"Yeah, but that's cool."

"Well, it must do well by him. His wife is superhot" Zane observes the fruits of the Rover's life style

"Word." Adam agrees.

"Hey." He grins. "Remember that time at school you made us write our lists?"

"Oh geez, that feels like forever ago" A grin "yeah. Worked too. Really fueled that bunk."

"What bunk?"

"Oh, to help take out the attackers on the farm. Oddly lead to Pomengranies I'm not allowed to have" A sigh

"Huh? Is that what you meant to Alanza earlier?" head tilt "Pomegranates?"

"Oh, that was something different"

"Well, what did you mean?" Adam drops to sit on the cooled earth of the garden.

"It was Vince who said pomegranate cordial" a reminder

"Oh, sorry. Nevermind then. I'll ask him. He seems like a pretty cool dude."

"Yeah, Vince is chill... I don't know him that well, but everyone seems to like him. I Hear he's got family who are changelings too, but they live in another state?"

"Join the club."

"Well, your folks seem to be going back and forth for you. At least they love you right?"

"His don't? I mean, love him?" Adam seems startled by this.

"Oh they do... " he says "Sorry, wasn't talking about anyone specific. Dude you'd be surprised how many changelings come from broken stories. We're both rather lucky in our way. THough I admit, if I moved to another hold and my parents followed me I might groan a lot"

"Like you say, they haven't been, like, here in my business." He admits.

"Very cool. "

"Yeah. Figure eventually they'll go back to stay."

"Do you want them to?"

A shrug. "Yeah? I mean, they have their own lives, right?"

"I guess so" A nod

Hoofsteps..and not Zane's

Sir Bachdion enters "Adam?"

Adam stands. "Sir?"

"You know my friend Zane, right?"

"I've had the pleasure of meeting once or twice, heard more. Good work, young man" Sir Bachdion drops his head

Zane blushes "Thank you, Sir. Heard a lot about you too. You really saved a princess trapped in a Shriner convention?"

"To be fair, it was the princes who had the Shriners hostage" Bachdion says "How goes, Adam?"

(pause)

"Good, Sir!"

"Good , I've handed over my apartment to those two ladies"

"You Did? For good?"

"No no.. not for good" He says "Just for a month" He says

Zane nudges Adam

"Still, I bet that's a huge help..." nudge "Uh. Sir? Are you still thinking of, uh.... you know. Going over there? To see them?"

"I was," he nods "keep up to date, try to ease their souls.. who knows how far it will go but if we can chip away at that banality, well, good"

"Did you still want me to go with you?"

"Well, I thought you and the young lady were hitting it off" He admits

Another nudge from Zane to Adam. Clearly he wants his buddy to tell Sir B what he told him

"Uh.... Yeah, she seemed nice. How do you figure this would work?"