The Army of Smilies

[Katzaniel]

"And make sure he doesn't see you," says General Grin unnecessarily. The subject of his admonition nods and slips away. The General peers into the darkness, muttering to himself about overconfident inferiors.

 

That night, a shadow makes its way across the tender grass leading to the Recruitment Office. Lieutenant Wink ducks into a corner as Melba leaves for the night. She nearly cringes at the amount of noise the Almost-Secretary makes, but correctly assumes that this is normal for the huge woman. When the disruption passes, Lieutenant Wink continues her stealthy journey toward the Office.

 

Door watches as the spy sneaks in, but it's so used to odd strangers that it exhibits nothing but silent amusement at the antics of one who looks so much like the icon from the Mrs. Pac-Man game. Lieutenant Wink gathers the information she needs, tosses at Wyvern's desk a few applications that are intended to distract him but which are in actual fact never found, and makes her assumed-to-be-secret escape. Yui watches her leave, just as amused as Door, and continues on her way to the Minstrel Hall.

 

OOC: To be continued, I hope.

[YanYanGanaffi]

This looks like the start of a really good story.

[Katzaniel]

OOC: Thank you, YanYan... I hope it doesn't disappoint!

 

IC:

 

"Mission successful," reports Lieutenant Wink early the next morning, handing General Grin a file. He opens it and looks over the photographs of various items, including multiple get-rich-quick schemes and one of Door, whose bright smile is unnoticeable to their eyes. The file also includes a blueprint of the Office, which the General immediately lays out on the table, eyes sparkling.

 

"Perfect, Lieutenant," he fairly purrs, already grabbing coloured pins and placing them around the map. "Get the Colonels in here when you go, please."

 

Lieutenant Wink sees the telltale signs that the General has receded into his own world and leaves, tagging Rolleyes and Unsure on her way out. "He wants to see you," she laughs, smirking at them.

[Katzaniel]

"Large and yellow," Yui was saying to Salinye that same afternoon. "Spherical. I'm certain it was female, because there were cartoonish lips. And she seemed to have some problem with one eye."

 

Salinye laughed. "Well, I'm sure we'll be introduced when Wyvern gets around to the application. Pity she didn't stay around to wait like most applicants do, she sounds like a real character. I wonder what the pictures were for."

 

Yui shrugged. "Fancies herself a tourist, perhaps. Anyway, nice talking to you, but I have to go set up the next Pen Recommends votes. See you around."

 

"Sure thing, Yui." Salinye stands up. "I should get back to Katzaniel on a Guild issue she was mentioning the other day, anyway."

 

The two leave, and each tells another about the newest soon-to-be-Initiate, and the story spreads. Somehow, though, it never does get to the busy Wyvern.

[Katzaniel]

The sun sets over the Pen Keep, and Melba dusts Wyvern, who has been sleeping and scheming in his chair all day long. (This might go some ways to explaining why he is unaware of Lieutenant Wink's presence in his office the night before.) Snorting the dust out of his nose, he wakes up.

 

"Hey, get outta here, can't an Almost Dragon sleep in his own office?"

 

"Can't an Almost Secretary dust in her own office?"

 

The two try to stare each other down until a loud bang rattles the building. They glance toward the noise in unison, and then stare as an object is thrown through the window. Then Melba runs into Wyvern trying to reach the exit, and Wyvern pushes her, and she knocks him over.

 

Wyvern lies sprawled against the wall, lightheaded and wobbling slightly. He watches the bomb for a moment before it occurs to him that he should try to get out. His slow brain coupled with his unresponsive muscles mean that he is still just within range of the bomb when it goes off, propelling him out the door and into yet another wall. Staggering, he manages to walk down the hallway a few feet before falling face-first onto the floor.