Voluntown, CT’s Young Writers Group

(This is the 4th entry to the story. For those of you havent read this yet, please read the first post “Kanaye”. Soona said she didnt mind me calling her Soona on here.)

Dessika opened her mouth to ask Shalie about her newest skill but an impatient look from Lyonna made her reconsider.

“So what are you going to do about it?” she asked Tayla instead.

“What’s been done about it, you mean.” Tayla grinned. “Emrea took care of everything. Now I’ll be presented to court in Paeridysian finery.”

Lyonna’s shocked gasp was drowned out by Dessika’s squeal of excitement which echoed throughout the store.

“Oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh-oh-mygosh. That’s-so-amazing-what-does-it-look-like-what-color-is-it-who-designed-it? I’m-so-jealous! You’re-going-to-be-the-talk-of-the-court. Oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh!” She talked so fast her words completely blurred together.

“Dess, Dess, Dessika! Breathe.”Lyonna said tiredly. “Oxygen is good for you.” She shot a look at Tayla and Shalie who had collapsed into helpless giggles.

Dessika rolled her eyes elaborately but started talking at a normal speed. “So what does it look like?

She asked, glancing at Shalie. Tayla shook her head, described the dress and tried to do it justice.

She knew it would probably have been easier to ask Shalie to ‘project’ whatever that was, but Shalie still looked pale from transmitting the other one.

*You shouldn’t worry about me so much. I’m fine.*

*Hey! No eavesdropping on my thoughts.* Tayla sent back.

*I don’t need to. You and Lyonna always worry if I look even the slightest bit pale.*

Tayla paused her narrative about the dress to stick her tongue out at the deaf girl.

“Geez. I wish I had a maid with superhuman efficiency and parents willing to spend gads of money on me.” Dessika moaned enviously.

“Yes, but then you’d have to deal with the Demon Grandmother.” Lyonna pointed out practically.

“I could take her.”

“Yeah, after a couple of days with Dessika we wouldn’t have to worry about the Duchess anymore.

Dess would reduce her into a nervous quivering jelly that jumps at small noises. I almost feel sorry for her.

Tayla snorted. “She’d have to be human for Dessika’s powers to work on her.”

*I don’t know about that, Tayla.* Shalie interjected sweetly. *I don’t think some the chaperones Dessika sent screaming for the hills really qualify as human. I’d classify that last one as really more of a reptile.”

Dessika had a reputation of going through chaperons like dirty dish water. Currently the score read: Dessika 26 Chaperones 0. In fact, the other three girls met her on the day that the first chaperone had enough.

The girls had been sitting at the exact same table trying the Turning Owl’s strange, home-brewed coffee for the first time. Tayla had just taken the first tentative sip when a plump, red-headed girl burst in and slammed the door behind her. She was breathing heavy, as if a pack of ravenous Slayerwolves were chasing her. Tayla, Shalie and Lyonna leapt to their feet.

“Are you alright?” Tayla enquired, prepared for a fight.

Something in her voice must of conveyed that fact because the girl looked up sharply. Seeing them she smiled comfortingly.

“No, no. No one’s after me. Well, kind of. My governess is raising a fuss because I gave her the slip again and last I saw her she was reporting a missing charge to a watchman and so I’m kind of trying to evade the police because my father is going to hit the roof if I’m brought home by the police again and really, with the situation at home right now that would not be a good thing.”

There was a brief moment of silence while they tried to process that.

“Was that all one sentence?” Lyonna finally asked