#elsewhere

"Cruise control is the knob to the left, below the windshield control and above the volume shifter."

"Aw, man." A sigh.

A pause, and he admits, "...I read the manual during the drive up."

"...maybe I can drive on the way back now?"

A pause, "What?"

"Mmm well, adventures ARE dangerous. Sure"

"But only for a short time, okay? A little practice"

"Oh, my unicorn pencil sharpener is gone."

"It's... it's fine, just, y'know."

"Well get it back" SHe says "Piskies almost always return things. Tell me more about the little thunderbirds?"

"Oh, there's a whole THING, a ritual, to coax them to visit at night. The locals offer up gifts, and the birds hang out in these glass globes to the whole garden's illuminated..."

"Apparently the old Count tried to cage them, but that didn't work. Wouldn't, nothing more miserable than a wild chimera like that locked up in a jar."

"Exactly so."

She listens intrigued and a bit wistful. She always liked thunderbirds

Fade to driving, for now - as soon they will arrive at the Gathering of the Tribes!
-------------