Witch Doctor Makiwa hobbles through the gate. “Oh all right then.” he says to the partiers and sidewipes a pinata. He watches the scrabble for the candy sweets. “Surprised you've got any bloody teeth left in your heads.” He mutters and heads toward the bar.

Lilliputian Cherriki Ten squeaks and squeezes Shi, terrified for the instance of weightlessness just before she fal- er, jumps from the tree with Shi.

Witch Doctor Makiwa waves, “Hello Sir Nu-” and stops short as he sees a jumping Shi with a small person attached. “Oh!”

sugar-hi unicorn stumbles slightly on landing, but just about stays upright. she caws to mister Makiwa.

Sir Mister Nuke still has wide eyes from seeing a Shi-with-Cherriki flying out of the tree. He is still mid-wave to Makiwa.

Lilliputian Cherriki Ten doesn't move. She is still holding on to Shi like a child clutching on to her mother, her face hidden against the taller woman's clothes, “Is it done yet. . ?”

Witch Doctor Makiwa starts forward to help then stops. Is help needed? “Howzit Shi? And. . is that you Cherri?”

sugar-hi unicorn seems fairly unperturbed by that kind of holding on. not seen Lester in a day or so. “uhm. . . yes. . . probably. . . ” she takes a cup of coffee with her free hand, grinning invisibly to mister Makiwa.

Sir Mister Nuke is now coffeeless! He looks at Shi and Cherriki, “Uh, hi.”

Lilliputian Cherriki Ten looks up at Shi and then over at Makiwa and then back to Shi. She hugs the other woman, “Thank you for saving me!” She hops back and waves at Makiwa, “Hi Mister Makiwa!” To Nuke, “Hello again!”

Witch Doctor Makiwa frowns at the voices coming from Shi. Still? He wonders briefly if he should get his dice out. Mark you, that didn't work so well last time. . . .

sugar-hi unicorn giggles. “any time, miss. . . ” she looks almost-at mister sir Nuke over the top of her mug. “Hellosir.”

Witch Doctor Makiwa grins , “Cherri it is you! You've er,” he waves the palm of his hand in a downward motion, “changed.” He finishes a bit lamely displaying an unerring grip of the obvious.

sugar-hi unicorn blinks as mister sir Nuke is surrounded by wall, and carefully places a leaf on his head. Because. then she returns to her coffee. priorities, see?

Lilliputian Cherriki Ten smiles up at him a little, “I am short. Or maybe you're just really tall! Either way, I am smaller to you know.” She peers at him closely before smiling brightly, “I can see you now too!”

Witch Doctor Makiwa claps his hands and smiles, “Growing shorter improves your eyesight! Who would have guessed?

Witch Doctor Makiwa says, “Still haven''t got your own voice back then Shi?” He says, glancing skyward.

sugar-hi unicorn giggles, eyes flickering slightly. a new Thing learnt! at mister Makiwa's question she shakes her head, before mimicking “Hearvoice, charly, calledself Shi but isn't shi you'reShi an soundedlikeShitalkin'!”

Witch Doctor Makiwa takes a moment to decipher this piece of babble from Shi. “Miss Charly has your voice and is claiming to be you? Oh. Dear.”

sugar-hi unicorn shrugs, not very sure herself. “its. . . its miss Charly, sir. . . ”

Lilliputian Cherriki Ten blinks, not entirely sure of the connection but she smiles nonetheless. She shuffles back over to Shi and says, “I'll help you get your voice back Shi, I gotta go!” She hugs Shi about the waist before bouncing cheerfully over to Makiwa.

Lilliputian Cherriki Ten I have to go Mister Makiwa. It was nice seeing you again!”

Lilliputian Cherriki Ten proceeds to toddle as quickly as she can out of the commons.

sugar-hi unicorn grins, and murmurs someone else's “thankyoumiss. . . ” after miss Cherri.

Witch Doctor Makiwa smiles, “Yes it was nice of you to see me this time! Take care.”

sugar-hi unicorn blinks, and headtilts, murmuring “see me this time. . ?”

Witch Doctor Makiwa hobbles over to a bar stool, parks his knobkerrie in mid air and climbs onto a stool, taking the weight of his knees. He answers Shi, “Oh when we first met Cherri couldn't see the nose in front of her face.”

sugar-hi unicorn blinkblinks, and tries to see her own nose. given that it's hidden under a mask, it doesn't go so well. “and. . . and not yousir, either?”

Witch Doctor Makiwa says, “It seems not. At least not at all clearly. Now look Shi. What are we going to do about your voice? I mean all this talking in tongues not your own - people might start thinking your possessed or something.”

sugar-hi unicorn nods solemnly. “been. . . been looking, sir. . . looking everywhere. . . ”

Witch Doctor Makiwa frowns, “But Miss Charly has your voice now you say? How? Did she steal it or was it an accidental transfer sort of thing?”

sugar-hi unicorn 's eyes flash, and she somehow contrives to look uncertain. “don't. . . don'tknowsir. . . it's miss Charly, though, she wouldn't. . . ”

Civilian Chinaski strolls in and sits under a tree with legs crossed at the calf.

Witch Doctor Makiwa nods, “Yes it does seem unlikey that she would steal it. Doesn't seem like her way.”

sugar-hi unicorn nodnods, earnest and confused and- oh there's a mister Milo. . . uhm. she blinks. something is subtly different.

Witch Doctor Makiwa waves to the lady by the tree. “Perhaps I could try a little spell?” he says dubiously.

sugar-hi unicorn backs away a tiny step, wary. “little spell. . . uhm. . . does. . . does it bite?”

Civilian Chinaski waves to Shi with a smile.

Witch Doctor Makiwa laughs, “If it did it'd be the first! But no, I don't think it would bite. What do you think, give it a try? I mean, what harm could it do?” Hmm.

sugar-hi unicorn has heard variations on those last few words many, many times. she grins nervously, and nods “. . . kay,s ir. . . ” the voices groan in despair. she will never learn.

Witch Doctor Makiwa stands up, a little wary himself. But we've got to try. Right? He opens his palms in front of his face and studies his hands for a moment, deep in thought.

sugar-hi unicorn tries to stay still and not lean forward to try and see mister Makiwa's hands as well.

Civilian Chinaski smiles at the man who waved.

Witch Doctor Makiwa begins to make patterns and shapes in the air with hands. After a moment tiny little green sparks float from his fingers, tracing patterns in the air before dying away like fire embers.

sugar-hi unicorn 's eyes widen, staring at where the patterns were. her fingers twitch slightly.

Witch Doctor Makiwa half closes his eyes and intones, “Strange voices inhabiting this one's throat, away from her mouth now must float. The voice that reside inside Charly must now return here to Miss Shi.” He claps his hands suddenly and opens his eyes.

Witch Doctor Makiwa studies Shi, expectantly.

sugar-hi unicorn quivers slightly, and winces, closing her eyes tight. eventually, when she gets the idea something is required, she asks “_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _?”

Witch Doctor Makiwa mouth gapes open in horror at soundless Shi. “miss shi? are you alright miss?” makiwa claps a hand over his mouth. Oh no! Not again!

sugar-hi unicorn backs away another couple of steps. “_ _ _ _ _ _ _! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. . . ” she trails off, realising that she's not making herself heard. oh.

Witch Doctor Makiwa frowns, “ohcrapcrapcrap, don'tworrymiss. fix it so'sallgood.” he thinks furiously for few moments and once again begins to makes shapes in the air with his hands.

Joey walks in, and sees the look on Shi's face. “Shi?”

sugar-hi unicorn 's glaze flicks between Joey and mister Makiwa. “_ _ _. . . ”

Joey looks worried. “Mak, what'd you do?”

sugar-hi unicorn waves her hands in a “not-his-fault,i'msorryi'msorry” sort of way, and then completely compromises that valuable message by hiding behind joey.

Witch Doctor Makiwa intones once more. “this spell with which nought can be won, uncast, return and make undone!” He looks at Joey, then at Shi imploringly.

Joey blinks. “You're casting spells on her? . . . Isn't that slightly risky?”

sugar-hi unicorn peeks over Joey's shoulders. “_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ -orrysir and. . . the voicesall. . . sorrysir. . . ”

Witch Doctor Makiwa relaxes a little as Shi can once more be heard, although not in her own voice. “I. . . ” Oh, sweet relief he has his own voice back as well. “do apologise your majesty. I was merely tryin to help relocate Shi's own voice.”

Witch Doctor Makiwa thinks, warts, he should just stick to what he's good at.

Civilian Chinaski nods slightly to Joey. Xe's pretty much staying out the way.

sugar-hi unicorn dutifully murmurs a “thankyou, stillsir. . . ”

Joey nods at Chinaski. He blinks at Mak, and scratches his head. “I wasn't aware you could affect the world through magic.”

sugar-hi unicorn is, for the record, fairly impressionable. and also claims that the sky has stolen her voice, so who knows?

Joey is highly intruiged by this possible power. He turns and hugs Shi, glad she's okay. . . As okay as she was.

sugar-hi unicorn hugs Joey back, a little shaken by the momentary muteness.

Joey remembers his earlier thought! “Shi. . . How good are you at mimicking?”

Witch Doctor Makiwa frowns a little, “Well yes, although not that well practised as yet. Obviously” He says to Joey wondering if he's jeopardised his chances of a knighthood.

sugar-hi unicorn headtilts. “not that good at mimicking. . . ?”

Joey smiles at Mak. “Sorry, sorry - I was just worried. How practised are you?”

Joey glances back to Shi, and concentrates. “Can you mimic this?” He's been practising his accent.

Witch Doctor Makiwa thinks about this. “Hmm, hard to say, hard to say. I'm always on the look out for willing vict, er, volunteers though Sire.”

Joey has to smile at Mak, and says, without turning to look at him, “We've got no 'Merlin' per se as of yet in our Castle-to-be, see.”

sugar-hi unicorn listens carefully. “Ca- Can you mmimic thiss- this- this. . . ?” her eyyes flicker erratically. it's hard.

Joey blinks. “Damnit. Thought we could steal it back for a second then.”

Witch Doctor Makiwa ponders the name Merlin? Merlin. Sounds familiar from somewhere. A practitioner? “Well practise makes perfect, or so I've heard.” He says a little sheepishly. “Sorry Shi, I tried.”

sugar-hi unicorn smiles, not that its visible, and offers mister Makiwa a small blue-grey feather. leaning slightly on Joey, because her head is full of words that don't seem to belong to her.

Joey puts his arm around Shi, and says “We had a Mage once, but they resigned. . . How'd you like the position?”

Witch Doctor Makiwa hobbles over to Shi and accepts the feather. “Forgiven then?” He asks softly. He turns to Joey and cocks his head.

sugar-hi unicorn nodnods. she seems to think she's as much to blame as he is. she blinks, watching mister makiwa's singing knees.

Witch Doctor Makiwa's face cracks into a grin. “You want me to join? As a knight? As a spell caster, potion maker type person. A practising practitioner?”

Joey grins. “All three and more.”

Civilian Chinaski shuffles closer and tries to wave Shi toward xemself while Joey and Mak are occupying one another.

sugar-hi unicorn eeeps happily, before noticing a waving mister Milo! she blinks, and totters slightly towards her.

Witch Doctor Makiwa sinks down to one knee, with some difficulty. Both knees sing a duet of creaks, pops and groans. “Majesty, I would be honoured to serve.” He bows his head.

Civilian Chinaski looks up at Shi. (Xyr narrator offers “xe xem xyr” though other pronouns could work too.) “What do girls do?” Xe asks in low tones.

Joey places his Circular Saw (very carefully) on one shoulder, then the other, Mak's head. “Rise sir Makiwa, Mage Knight.”

sugar-hi unicorn blinks, entirely unfocused, and swaying slightly. she repeats something she may have heard once. “devour men's souls. . . ” she wheels round and crows as mister Makiwa is knighted, before trying to wheel back round again, and toppling over.

Joey, unfortunately, is quickly preoccupied by rushing over to Shi. Mak is now a Knight however.

Witch Doctor Makiwa, after the circular saw is withdrawn a safe distance looks up at Joey and smiles broadly. He attempts to rise but his knees have locked, “Erk!” He says unceremoniously. He really needs to get back to his cellar and make more knee ointment.

Civilian Chinaski seems to contemplate Shi'slittle pearl of wisdom.

sugar-hi unicorn sits up, and blinks in a concerned, if glazed manner, at mister Makiwa's knees.

Joey helps Shi up. “Are you okay? When did you last eat, or sleep? . . . Or have a cup of coffee?” He blinks at Mak, and nods to Chinaski. “Could you help him?”

Witch Doctor Makiwa is now trying to push himslef up from his kneeling position. Unsuccessfully.

Sir Mister Nuke becomes Unwalled! Very unforgiving wall, that one. He looks around at the gathered people. Joey is here now too!

sugar-hi unicorn is still watching mister sir Makiwa dazedly. “. . . bit. . . hungry. . . ” she notes a mister sir Nuke, and hoots quietly.

Joey waves to Nuke, nods at Mak, offers Shi a cocoa biscuit, and leads her to the bar. “Can we get a meal here?” He blinks at Shi, and considers. . . “Something that doesn't come from a can.”

Sir Mister Nuke notices that Makiwa seems to be having trouble getting up and moves over to him, offering a hand.

sugar-hi unicorn murmurs thanks that don't belong to her, nibbling on the biscuit. but we like food from tins, sometimes. if it's colourful, maybe. something blue! oh, let it be something blue!

Civilian Chinaski waves to Nuke.

Witch Doctor Makiwa gratefully accepts Nuke's hand, 'If you wouldn't mind, damn decent of you sir Nuke.“ With Nuke's aid he hauls himself to his feet. One knee lets out a loud crack! while the other merely whimpers.

Joey smiles at the gremlins who, perhaps having noticed Shi around offer her what is most decidely blue eggs and ham. He's pretty sure it's safe.

Sir Mister Nuke waves to Milo with his free hand and frowns at Makiwa's knees, “Have trouble with them?”

Civilian Chinaski is among the 12% of most charming contestants. This skirt is really working for xem!

sugar-hi unicorn makes a small, high pitched sort of noise at hte sight of the blue eggs and ham, and, well, devours.

Witch Doctor Makiwa smiles and grimaces at the same time which produces a very odd looking expression. “Thank you Nuke. Yes, from time to time. Not as spritely as I once was. I really need to make up some more ointment.”

Sir Mister Nuke ah's and nods, “Running short then? Need me to help gather materials?” He help Makiwa over to the bar for a stool to sit on.

Joey smiles at Shi. He can't help but think that she looks rather akin to Lester, when he's hungry.

Witch Doctor Makiwa leans on Nuke and is helped, limping, to a bar stool. “Thanks. I have all the ingredients in my cellar. I just forgot to make up a fresh batch is all. Anyway, how are you?” He asks, sitting on the stool.

sugar-hi unicorn would, on that note, ask where Lester is, but she's got her mouth full. full of blue! eeeep!

Joey is pretty sure he's sleeping in that Tree up there. . . it's his usual napping spot, or so it seems.

Sir Mister Nuke sits at a stool next to Makiwa, “I am doing alright, been working on some Books. How are you doing?”

sugar-hi unicorn finishes removing all traces of blue from her plate (wait. how did she do that? the mask never came off. . . ) and hugs Joey. “thankyou. . . how are you. . ?”

Witch Doctor Makiwa says, “Oh yes, I dropped by your place earlier. It's coming along nicely. Me? I'm doing great! I'm a knight now. A Mage Knight, knighted by the king!” He nods deferentially at Joey. 'I guess that makes me sort of a 'Sir' too!”He grins.

Sir Mister Nuke grins, both at the compliment and at the news, “Congratulations, Sir Makiwa! Welcome!”

Joey smiles. “Much better, for seeing you. How've you been? No progress with your voice?”

Witch Doctor Makiwa smiles happily and grabs Nukes's hand and shakes it vigorously, “Thank you, thank you, fellow knight. I only hope I can live up to expectations.”

sugar-hi unicorn hesitates. but miss Charly wouldn't would she? she doesn't even climb trees, how can she be the sky? she shakes her head. “been. . . looking, though.”

Rookie Cougar Where can i change my species?“ She Asks” well?

Civilian Chinaski When you meet Horatio, he might change you.

sugar-hi unicorn hoots at the rookie lady, and nods sagely. “Horatio. . . ”

Sir Mister Nuke smiles, “I am positive that you will do great.” Something strikes him, “You know, I might just have a quest for you to help me with. I will have to check with the King first.” He pauses, “Unless he already gave you a quest. . . ”

Rookie Cougar Who?

Rookie Cougar where can i find him?

Witch Doctor Makiwa waves to the rookie and would note that Location Four is probably a good place to ask such questions.

sugar-hi unicorn giggles, and mimics something she heard once. “everywhere, and nowhere. . . ”

Joey blinks at Shi. “On the topic of Horatio. . . d'you think he could help you?”

Civilian Chinaski He'll find you.

sugar-hi unicorn blinks. “. . . could help. . . uhm. . . would. . . would he?”

Witch Doctor Makiwa looks at Nuke. “A quest? Oh yes, that's sounds exciting. And no I have not been given any instruction as yet. I am merely a newly minted knight after all.”

Sir Mister Nuke smiles, “Perfect, I will discuss it with the King, but I am sure everything will be fine.”

Witch Doctor Makiwa nods a little tired now. “Excellent!” He say as he stands a little jerkily. “Good to see you again Sir Nuke, let me know about the quest. I'm afraid I have to be going now.” He turns and bows slightly hand on chest to Joey, 'Majesty.“

Civilian Chinaski looks at the sun. Xe blinks at the pink dots in xyr eyes. Xe gets up and heads out with a broad parting wave.

Joey hms. “It's risky. He's risky. . . but it's worth giving it a shot, right?” He nods to Sir Mak and Chinaski.

Witch Doctor Makiwa turns to Shi, “Shi, I hope we can find your own voice soon.” He grabs his knobkerrie for support, waves to everyone and hobbles out of the grounds.

Sir Mister Nuke waves to Makiwa as he leaves. He will have to leave a note for Makiwa in his house about the quest.

sugar-hi unicorn caws a g'bye to mister Milo and mister sir Makiwa, before headtilting. “its risky. . . it's risky. . . but. uhm. . . yes, right.” she nods to herself, attemping to look determined.