AE Ski Lodge!
Chatterbox: Pudding's Place
AE Ski Lodge!
AE Ski Lodge!
You're sitting at the dining room table, drinking a luxurious glass of fresh, ice-cold lemonade. Through the open window comes the sound of evening crickets; a breeze is just beginning, blowing the summer heat away. The air is full of the scent of jasmine and roses from the garden. There's no homework to do, no tiresome school to attend. You take a deep breath and enjoy the moment.
Only then the moment is shattered by two voices shouting. Then comes a small explosion.
"OW! Now I've got green pepper in my hair!"
"Yeah, like that's a problem. I've got bacon fat in my socks!"
Two figures run past you, leaving a trail of muddy footprints, crumbs, leaves, and green pepper behind them. Just as the dust is settling, a third figure runs after them, blowing a trumpet at an earsplitting pitch while simultaneously brandishing a police siren. The noise is deafening. And it doesn't go away, as the newcomer sits on the piano and proceeds to give you a concert that could be entitled "The New Sound: How to Drink Your Lemonade and Go Deaf While Doing It."
You sigh. How are you ever going to enjoy your summer this way? There doesn't seem to be the slightest chance that the beautiful, relaxing, glorious summer you had imagined, will actually come to pass. You'd envisioned hiking through the woods, lounging around all day with a book, and trying new recipes. Right now, trying a new recipe sounds about as farfetched as going to the moon.
The third AE hops off the piano abruptly and tosses a tomato-stained envelope at you.
"What's this?" you ask.
"Came in the mail." And the AE runs off, trumpet noises and siren alike dying away in the distance.
It seems like the end of a fanfare, somehow.
You open the envelope and draw out a piece of paper with a picture of Zeus at the top.
Dear CBer,
Are you tired and exhausted by your AEs' shenanigans? Do you want your summer for yourself again? Well, you're in luck. I'm writing to you on behalf of the Divine Travel Agency, a new enterprise established specifically for CBers and their annoying Alter Egos.
Starting today, your AE can enjoy a five-star vacation, complete with hotel, side trips, and more, free of charge! Best of all, this vacation takes place in another world... a destination that will at once enthrall your AE and give you peace. What better choice than Mount Olympus, home of the gods themselves? Here, your AEs can travel through scenic landscapes, meet the gods, and enjoy the best of what Olympus - famed mountain of myth and legend - has to offer.
Chaos and adventure may ensue - these are AEs we're talking about, after all - and you sign them up at your own risk. But what does that matter? Fill out the forms below on behalf of your AEs - and gain instant peace of mind!
Name:
Pronouns:
Age:
Appearance:
Personality, including quirks:
How do you want to be seen?
Eggs or bacon?:
Glitzy glamor, or earthy honesty?:
Favorite number:
Favorite prank:
Hyperfixations, obsessions, and interests:
What kind of a rulebreaker are you?:
What role do you usually play (eg., trickster, peacemaker)?:
What excites you most?:
Packing list:
Would you rather sail the sea in a star, or zoom down the road of life in an Olympus Motorcycle?:
Favorite Greek god:
Preferred food:
Other:
Note:
Popcorn, watches, and pin socks are strictly forbidden.
There are 28 spots available. CBers may come along, but are discouraged from doing so by their AEs. Up to two AEs per person, please, and an unlimited number of CAPTCHAs (they do not take up spots). Spots close on August 14, so hurry to reserve yours!
Sincerely,
Agent 59
And don't forget Agent 58, assistant to Agent 59!
Oh yes. You. I suppose you can sign as well.
Well, I already did! And I'm the one in charge of the entire operation! I'm the one who remembered the snacks, got the Kleenex boxes in order, issued the invitations, and cleaned up the hotel! Oh dear, that reminds me - I've got to buy new mops, since the last one went on a trip round the world. Excuse me...
He-hem, yes, don't mind him. I repeat: Sincerely, Agent 59 -
And Agent 58 -
Olympus Travel Agency
You seize upon the enclosed forms and fill them out. When you're done, they gently vanish away, leaving you with a sense of excitement. An adventure has begun.
(August 5, 2024 - 5:31 pm)
Thank you all very much for your enthusuasitc - oh dear me, that's not the way to spell it. Simply terrible. I shall have to go back and edit once I've done typing this all up. Typewriters (I mean keyboards, I forgot that this is the Modern Era) are so terribly finicky. You press one little key wrong, and it's all gone to pot. Most unlike writing on paper. Perhaps I'd better just write this all in a notebook. But then how would I get it to you? Ah well. With the waffles duly checked on, I should contineu (oops) with the Story of the AEs.
Day 5, Part 1
Next day dawned fair and sunny. Ariella rose early and went out to the hotel gardens, where she wandered about among the dew-covered flowers and thought tomantically of Rumi.
Tomantically?
Er - ah - yes. Ahem. It means Romantically. R's are written as T's now, hadn't you heard?
Just another typing mistake...
Not at all, 58, not at all. It was merely avant-garde. I am nothing if not a daring artist. Anyway, she wandered about and thought romantically of Rumi, who was her boyfriend and whom she liked very much. This is a common occurence with boyfriends, apparently. And at that moment, Apollo came by, dressed in a black leather jacket and skinny jeans, with his usual smirk.
"Morning," he said. "Have you seen my cows anywhere?"
Ariella hadn't, and told him so.
"That little brother of mine is just too much," Apollo went on. "This is the second time he's stolen them, and it's not even like he particularly wants cows. He isn't a shepherd boy, for goodness' sake. He just wants to bother me. Have you seen him anywhere?"
"I last saw him yesterday," Ariella said. "We had a lovely time. But I couldn't say where he is now."
Apollo, disgruntled, took his leave, just as all the other AEs came into the garden. They seemed very excited about something, and Ariella took the opportunity to ask Rumi what was going on.
"Hephaestus is offering a cooking class," he explained, happily. "We're all going to sign up. Imagine learning cooking from an Olympian!"
In his habitual beanie, with his eyes sparkling excitedly, he looked too cute to argue with, but Ariella had doubts about the whole idea. "Hephaestus is the god of blacksmithing, not cooking," she pointed out.
"Who cares!" exclaimed Kauri, with the usual upbeat energy. "It's all the same. Anyway, he's been cooking for a year now, and he's been chosen to appear on the Godly Goodness TV show! He must be pretty good. Anyway, this is a good excuse to get into the palace again."
"And to not wreak havoc!" said Melon, with her sweet grin that meant exactly the opposite.
That seemed to settle it, and they all rushed off to Mount Olympus, where they were greeted by Hephaestus.
"How lovely to see you all again! Just put your names on this sheet, please, and let's get started. This is Eros, by the way. He's taking the class too."
They found themselves looking at a short boy with a round face and curly, wispy hair. He appeared about ten years old.
"Mummy signed me up for this," he informed the group with great displeasure. "She said I need to learn to look after myself in case I never find a wife. I'd rather be playing Nintendo. Or working on my business. Did you know? I'm an Ontrepner."
"You're a what?" Typhoon was not at all impressed.
"An OnTREPner," said Eros disdainfully.
"He means an entrepeneur," said Hephaestus with fondness. "Little Eros is the light of the palace. He's the only child in the place now that Persephone's older. It's nice to have him around. Children are so lovely, don't you think? And I'm his stepfather, after all. Since I married Aphrodite. She had a little affair on the side with Ares - feminine liberation, and all that. But that's all over and done with." He was moving about around the kitchen, laying out utensils and bowls. "Now the first thing we're going to start with is cookies."
The kitchne hummed along under oiled wheels, so to speak. Some of the AEs managed the oven, others did the batter, others buttered the pans, and Hephaestus presided over the whole thing, murmuring
things like, "Yes, yes," or "No, add a little more sugar." When the cookies were in the oven, Hephaestus announced that they would move on to waffles.
"Wow!" said Kauri, making for the bowls. "I learned how to make waffles in school! You put the eggs in one bowl, and the flour in another, and you grab the whisk and BOOM!"
BOOM.
After a few minutes of eggs, flour, and a blur of arms and legs that was actually Kauri brandishing a whisk, the kitchen became livable again. The air slowly cleared of flour, and the furious sound of egg-whisking grew fainter. Everyone looked at each other.
Eggs, flour, and utensils were all over the kitchen. A merry Kauri was
still measuring special flavors into a teaspoon, saying, "So then you
need to put in some vanilla or lemon or whatever! This is really
unconventional but i think lemon-flavored waffles would taste good,
don't you?"
But Ramya and Izzy were nowhere to be seen.
(November 23, 2024 - 6:45 pm)
That was hilarious - but oh dear whatever happened to Ramya and Izzy???
(November 24, 2024 - 11:26 am)
This is a very good ski lodge and I'm glad that you are back and writing! But my poor AEs! Am I going to have to look after their cat for them forevermore? Are they dead? I hope that all will be revealed soon enough.
(November 26, 2024 - 6:57 pm)
Lovely righting! I mean writing. And I wonder what happened to Ramya and Izzy...
(November 26, 2024 - 10:42 pm)
Wonderful part, as always! I love how Hephaestus is on this cooking show XD
But oh noooooooo what happened to Ramya and Izzy??!!
(November 27, 2024 - 1:52 pm)
Thank you as usual! And yes, do rest assured that all will be revealed.
Day 5, Part 2
Everyone looked at each other.
"Oh dear," said Kauri, looking around. "The kitchen does seem rather messy."
"Aren't there two people missing?" said CeCe, who always knew where everyone was. She did a quick count of the group. "Yes, there are! And I could have sworn I saw two people vanish out the window." (The kitchen window was open; Hephaestus said it helped him to cook better to have fresh air.) "Only, who were they? I just don't remember their names. Ida and Roxana, or something like that?"
"Izzy and Ramya," said Hemlock.
Alyssa was standing by the window. "Yes, they disappeared out the window and vanished into the sky."
"How could they do that?" Orion was skeptical.
"They just did," said Alyssa with authority. She looked at Hephaestus. "What happens when you fall off Mount Olympus, so to speak?"
Hephaestus was looking very concerned. "You go back home. Don't worry, nothing serious will have happened to them. But they won't be able to come back to Olympus. I wonder what on earth went wrong?"
Kauri looked sad. "Oh dear, I hope I didn't have anything to do with it."
"No, no, I'm sure you didn't," said CeCe kindly. "It's just very mysterious. And they're okay anyway, so it's all right."
"You know what..." Typhoon had been thinking hard. "I think someone pushed them out the window. There's a steep drop just outside, as you can see. Once they were out, they would have started falling, and then a wind or something could have swept them up and carried them away. The thing is that they got out the window in the first place, and they couldn't have done that if someone hadn't pushed them."
"We're the only ones in this room," said Oriole slowly.
"It must have been one of us," concluded Juniper ominously.
"Well, it wasn't me," remarked Eros, whom nobody had taken much notice of ever since Ramya and Izzy disappeared. "I wouldn't do a thing like that. Would I, Dad?"
"Of course not! Here, I know what, why don't you run along and play. This isn't something you need to worry about."
"Thanks Dad!" Eros beamed for the first time all morning, flung away his apron, and ran off.
There was silence after he left. Everyone was wondering the same thing. Who had pushed Ramya and Izzy off of Mount Olympus? And why? And would it happen again?
(November 30, 2024 - 8:28 pm)
Ooooo I like this! Poor AEs, thankfully they were just sent home. Who could be the sender, though? My AEs are part of the suspicion...
(December 5, 2024 - 6:16 pm)
Thank you as usual! It is our true pleasure to bring this ski lodge to you...
Day 5, Part 3
The AEs soon recovered from the shock of having two of their number fly out the window. If there's one group of beings you simply can't frazzle, it's AEs. They were puzzled, but as Hephaestus was unable to vouchsafe answers, they didn't bother trying to figure out what had happened.
"It's probably just a one-off thing, anyway," said Astra sensibly.
So they wandered out to the gardens, while they waited for their newly made cookery confections to finish baking. Orion looked around at the beautiful Olympian slopes, sloping down to the tranquil flat blue sea, and felt the warm sun pressing gently against his skin, and listened to the birds singing in the trees, and felt happy. Perhaps he was Greek by ancestry and that was why he felt so at home here, he decided. After all, he was terribly handsome, just like all the gods. He was probably a long-lost son of Zeus. That would explain everything.
Just then he noticed Alyssa appearing from behind some bushes. She was sweaty and breathing hard, as if she had walked a long way. He frowned. That was odd. Hadn't she just been in the kitchen with everyone else, puzzling over the disappearance of Ramya and Izzy?
"Hi!" she said cheerily, vouchsafing no explanation. "Good to see you." She walked over to stand by Astra. "Hey, Astra, look what I found."
"Ooh, what a gorgeous leaf!" marveled Astra, looking at the leaf in Alyssa's hand. "Where were you?"
"Just around," said Alyssa casually.
Then Orion heard a rustle in the bushes, and a fluttering as if a bird had just taken off - rather like the whirring of a pigeon when it flies. He glanced up, but the sky was empty. Yet he couldn't rid himself of the suspicion that someone had just been watching him...
(December 19, 2024 - 3:25 pm)
ooo ominous...
yes that would explain everything, including the chaos that Orion causes-
(December 19, 2024 - 7:43 pm)
Dear readers, thank you for your comments and/or patience, and do allow me to assure you that you have at your disposal another installment of this ski lodge. There were such a lot of travails and difficulties involved in getting it actually written and posted. First of all, my inspiration failed me, and I couldn't write a single word. Not a single one! I had just managed to churn out a few paragraphs concerning the next few events in your infamous AEs' lives, when - alas alack! - the computer went kaput. And when Agent 58 clicked on the tab where these paragraphs were written, it refreshed - and all the paragraphs disappeared.
I had them saved, of course, in a document, but it would be much too much difficulty to type them all out again, and anyhow it appears that my inspiration decided to return in the meanwhile, so - at last - here is the next part. Do enjoy it! The plot is very much thickening...
Day 5, Part 4
Rather sad at the disappearance of their two group members Ramya and Izzy, the AEs said goodbye to Hephaestus and trailed back to their hotel.
Their glumness didn't last long, though. Pretty soon the irrepressible Oriole was distracting them.
"I made brownies," she remarked.
Orion gasped. "Really?? That's awesome! But I thought Hephaestus was just having us make waffles and things."
Oriole, with a quick smile, whipped some brown paper "e's" out of her pocket and showed them to Orion, which led to general chaos as some of the AEs declared that that was a perfectly
The rest of the afternoon passed peacefully. Astra enjoyed herself in her room - first floor, number 5. She organized the things she'd brought along in her suitcase, putting the water bottle on a handy shelf, the snacks on her bedside table, and the maps and compasses on the desk. Then she played with the little chipmunk who had somehow slipped into the hotel; animals loved to be around her, and wherever she went there was usually a little furry creature accompanying her. Twilight, the CAPTCHA, got along with the chipmunk. At times the other AEs interrupted. Juniper rambunctiously bounced in, wearing white lace gloves and setting off tiny fireworks here and there, looking all over the place - the desk drawers, under the rug, and even between the books in the shelf - for four-leaf clovers. Ariella came in next, wanting to gossip about Luigi Mangione. And last of all came CeCe, from down the hall in room 8, wanting to know if she could have some of the waffles Astra had made that morning. But all three went away quite soon, and the room was peaceful.
Meanwhile, Kauri set up some art supplies and started to paint a landscape; Hemlock shut himself up in his room (number 13) and scribbled down some villainous monologues; and Orion got Melon to play a badminton game with him - though at first Melon protested, not wanting her gorgeous features to get *gasp* whacked with the birdie! Orion gallantly assured her she'd be just as gorgeous even if she were whacked with it, and that settled the matter. Soon Alyssa came by, and since she loved athletics, the three of them settled down to play badminton together, tossing the ball back and forth in a triangle of happy AEs.
Dinner was a lovely affair. I ordered the menu myself - it was chicken fricassee and Romaine lettuce, with brownies (real ones) for dessert. But 58 said we must cater to our AEs' tastes. I didn't agree, seeing as how they were all going to leave Mount Olympus quite soon anyway, but 58 went along and ordered an ~alternative~ menu with all the AEs' favorite foods. Pizza, pasta, and pomegranates were among the items mentioned. The meal was served in the hotel's grand dining room. The tablecloths were pure white, the windowsills gold, and there were flowers on every table. Soft classical music played from behind a red velvet curtain. The soft tinkle of utensils mingled beautifully with the equally soft tinkle of the piano.
Anyway, the meal was served - the Divine Travel Agency does not do buffets, those are much too Holiday Inn - by, unfortunately, Dicky LeBaron from the Edward Eager books. Though we also had Sherlock Holmes - a fascinating waiter, unobtrusively serving you your pizza or pasta or whatever it is, and watching you all the while with a gently observant expression. And then when you say something like, "Give me the bill, please," he says, "You have been to the Philippines six months ago, your aunt speaks Russian, and you don't really want to pay this bill," and you're very surprised as to how he figured all of that out. Though perhaps the last one was rather obvious, since when you scan the bill you find that it amounts to six hundred dollars. But then he waves your dismay away with a thin hand. "No no, this is an all-expenses-paid trip." "Then why did you show me the bill?" you demand. "Because you asked for it," he replies. "Remember, your best friend is a secretary!" And with that inscrutable remark, he drifts away. But Dicky is quite different - he generally swaggers up to you and says, "Here's your pizza, man, and wanna put on some Elvis Presley rock'n'roll instead of that longhair classical? And by the way, don't ask me to bring you the bill, okay?" and then with a charming wink, he's off again.
Today Sherlock drifted about and informed Melon that she had a green thumb (to which Melon replied, "My thumb is a perfectly nice color, Mr. Insulting So and So!!!"); Juniper, that she liked to eat dandelions (to which Juniper said innocently, "Doesn't everybody??"); and Rumi, that he was a master rulebreaker (to which Rumi only winked). Dicky, meanwhile, swaggered as usual. His suggestion of Elvis Presley was well received, especially since Typhoon had done nothing for fifteen minutes but mutter "I hate classical. I hate classical. I hate classical" and glare around at everyone, and soon the dining room echoed to the sound of "It's All Right Mama."
That being said, it appears that my laptop is running low on battery. Sigh. Such mundane considerations. But it wouldn't do to lose all these paragraphs, so I had better go ahead and post this. Onward!
(December 22, 2024 - 6:32 pm)
:) i love the AE chaos and the brown-e's
(December 22, 2024 - 11:32 pm)
Dear me dear me dear me, it appears that I did not proofread properly! Such a terrible mistake in the fifth paragraph of Day 5 Part 4 - an unfinished sentence!!! There are no bounds to my mortification. First typos, and now this!
The sentence (once finished) reads thus: "[...] some of the AEs declared that that was a perfectly acceptable trick, while others maintained that brownies were too sacredly delicious to jest about, even in fun."
(December 23, 2024 - 3:36 pm)
ohhh my goodness that was so funny :)) And Dicky LeBaron yayy!! You're characterizing him spot-on :)
Sorry about not commenting more often, things have been so busy :/ But this is definitely one of my favorite ski lodges, and it's so ingenious how you're making it a non-death one.
And no worries about the unfinished sentence :)
(December 24, 2024 - 8:46 am)
Ahh I'm sorry I haven't been reading along/commenting---I've been rather busy lately---but I loveee this :DD it's so chaotic and creative and packed full of wit and originality, and I love the style it's written in (with the Agents just relaying the events of the day in their own tone of voice :DD) and your writing style in general and yess I love Edward Eager books (granted, I've only read Seven-Day Magic and The Knight's Castle, but those are such good books!! I should go see if I can find the rest of his books somewhere...)!! Anyways, I might not comment much in the future, but I really do love this ski lodge so much, so thank you!! :DD
(December 24, 2024 - 1:32 pm)
What encouraging enthusiasm! It cannot help but generate even more enthusiasm on the part of those who write this ski lodge, and gratitude as well. And @CelineBurningBright, do not worry about not commenting after this - we were quite pleased to read what you have already posted, and that was sufficient.
We'd also like to add that we thought Dicky LeB would be a hit with the readers...
Oh dear, 58, here you are again. Why don't you, er, go buy some more mops? You mentioned at the start of this ski lodge that you had to do that...
All taken care of. The preparations of this Agency are shipshape. Any paperwork you'd like me to look over?
What a fortunate suggestion. Here are some bills-
*glances at the bills* What!! They come to $58,000!!! We haven't got that kind of money-
Er, never mind that now, do look them over. I must write another ski lodge part.
Day 6, Part 1
The next day, Alyssa got up early and went downstairs to the computer room of the hotel to check her email. She hadn't given it a second thought ever since she arrived on Mount Olympus, and she decided it might be a good idea to take a look.
It was a good idea. The most recent email was from "queenhera@olympusmail". When she opened it, it read:
Dear AEs,
As you may already know, I am Queen Hera, wife of Zeus and one of the rulers of Mount Olympus, and I am one of Olympus' top fashion models, having appeared in such magazines as "Goddess Glam," "Harper's Bizarre," and "Chic." Today, I'm hosting the Stars of Olympus Fashion Show, and participating as well - by walking the runway and modeling my latest creation. Would you like to join me? Come as you are, show clothes will be provided upon arrival. The show is located at the Elysian Pocket Park, beginning at 11 am.
Sincerely,
Hera
PS There will be fireworks at the end.
Fireworks? Alyssa didn't have to think twice. She typed out a quick reply - "yes, I'd love to, thanks!" and joined the other AEs in the dining room for breakfast. Agent 58 and I were there as well, very anxious about the state of the bills. The AEs were eating an enormous amount, and the hotel was very expensive, and financial ruin was beginning to appear upon the horizon.
"I'd like pancakes," Alyssa announced to the waiter, "with a big side of bacon, please!"
"I'd like fried egg whites!" ventured Juniper.
"Er, wouldn't you prefer something a little less expensive? More sustainable? Healthy living is all the rage right now," I put in. "Maybe just orange juice and toast."
"Orange juice and toast!!" exclaimed Oriole indignantly, and proceeded to order a big bowl of oatmeal.
"Never mind," said 58 briskly to me, "I've got a plan. Should work wonders, too. Do you know any beef merchants?"
I instantly saw what he was getting at.
"No, but I do know someone who might be very interested in what you mention..."
The AEs just ate their breakfast and then they all proceeded to the Elysian Pocket Park. Alyssa was the only one who had checked her email, so she led the group. She didn't tell them what they were going for, only said that she wanted them all to come with her to the Park to see something extremely special. They all wanted to know what it was, but Alyssa refused to say. Mystified, they all trooped after her.
The Elysian Pocket Park turned out to be what had been grandly called the Elysian Fields, back in the days of ancient Greece; nowadays, thanks to an order (issued by Zeus) that all names must be inclusive, it was called the Pocket Park ("a Pocket," said Zeus, "is something that all people have access to, not like a Field, and including the word Pocket in our name makes the Elysian Whatever-it-is much more Inclusive"). It was also a more honest name. The place really wasn't a field at all, but a small, neat park with a few benches, paths winding along, trees that rustled softly in the breeze, and a fountain whose clear water played merrily in the sunlight. But it was beautiful. Alyssa could see why the ancient Greeks considered it Paradise.
Past the winding curve of one of the paths, the fashion-show crew were assembed. Alyssa was impressed, though it took a lot to impress her. Beautiful models in stunning clothes stood about. Most impressive of all was Hera, a tall, graceful woman with dark hair, enormous eyes, and perfectly sculpted features, dominating the scene. She wore a shimmering purple dress like a jewel. Cameramen stood about, with their large cameras mounted on tripods, saying things like, "Move over there, Jim," or, "No, you'll get a better angle over there." A small stage had been set up, and there was an audience of various people sitting in modest folding chairs. Socrates and Plato graced the scene, as well as several gods and goddesses. Eros was sitting next to Aphrodite, saying, "But Mommy, I should really be doing market research for my latest business!"
"This is amazing!" said Oriole, immediately in her element. "A fashion show!"
"Ugh," said Typhoon, disgusted.
"Wonderful, I get to show off my good looks," said Orion, with a wink.
Hera came over. Alyssa thought she could see why Hera was the queen of Olympus. she was beautiful and majestic, with a unique regality, and she seemed like a woman whose good side it was important to keep on.
Hera looked at everyone. She took in Alyssa's jean jacket and high-heeled black boots and nodded approvingly. "A unique look." She glanced round. "Why, most of you are dressed better than I thought you'd be... But some of you had better be dressed differently, to fit in better with the theme of the show."
"Um -" protested Hemlock.
But Hera had already waved a hand. And some of the AEs suddenly appeared quite different.
Hemlock wore a suit that looked as if it were out of the 1950s... except for the fact that instead of black and white, it was a rainbow of colors, from mango yellow to watermelon red. Oriole wore a sleeveless orange Valentina dress with gold earrings. Most surprising of all, Typhoon was in a ruffly pink frock that appeared to be made of cotton candy.
Hera studied them, her head tilted to one side. "That'll do very well. Why don't you amuse yourselves for a few minutes. The show begins soon. Aphrodite will be starting us off, and you'll come on after me."
She disappeared among the guests. Alyssa was momentarily distracted by the guests themselves, whom she hadn't looked at much. All sorts of famous models were there. Irina was standing under a tree, in a beautiful short white dress; Virginia was posing for preliminary photos in a floor-length ball gown.
[Quick note from 58: Not Virginia, 59, Victoria. Response from 59: Oh. Well, I never did know my fashion models anyway. To proceed-]
When Alyssa came back to reality, she realized that Typhoon was rebelling.
"I will not wear this - this - this Thing!! It's ridiculous! Is there a restroom where I could change??"
"No!" Hemlock suddenly began a monologue. "I have a better idea! Of course, my dear Typhoon, you must not wear that fluffy pink thing. It does not suit you at all. But we shall do something else. Come with me, for I have a plan that will save you and also show Queen Hera that she must not meddle with us AEs."
Typhoon and Hemlock disappeared from view. Just then Aphrodite, her golden hair flowing around her shoulders, dressed in a snow-white low-cut gown, appeared on the stage.
"Good morning, ladies and gentlement! I am Aphrodite, your presenter for this lovely fashion show. We find ourselves attending the opening of yet another successful run of the Stars of Olympus Fashion Show, which has been running for ten consecutive years and featured such glorious stars as Hera, Ares, and even, on one memorable occasion, Hermes! Let's give them a round of applause."
Everyone clapped.
"Today we have some special guests joining us, at the request of Hera herself. They are AEs from the mortal world, and they will be displaying their unique clothing styles! Please put your hands together for our newest stars!"
More clapping. Irina flashed them an encouraging smile.
"And without further ado, let's get started! Ladies and gentlemen, our first guest - Ares!"
Ares swept on to the stage, in a Greek tunic. Once he'd swaggered off, it was Hera's turn. She glided smoothly along the stage, turning at intervals so all features of her beautiful dress could be seen. The crowd clapped wildly.
"Now what?" muttered Ariella, suddenly panic-stricken.
"I'll go first," offered Oriole, who loved fashion and performing. She took a deep breath and walked onto the runway. Proudly, confidently, she strode past the audience, making sure not to walk too fast so that they could look properly at her orange dress. Cameras flashed and someone in the audience made a low exclamation - "What a lovely dress!" Satisfied, Oriole made it to the other end of the stage.
"That was fun," she said to Aphrodite, who beamed in response.
The other AEs followed, some timidly, some with great confidence. Each appearance was greeted with cheerful applause.
"Where are Typhoon and Hemlock?" asked Hera restlessly.
Oh dear.
Time went by, and neither one showed up, so at length the stage was turned over to the professional models. Alyssa settled down to enjoy the beautiful clothes and pretend that she could actually buy them for herself. At last the last model walked the runway and Aphrodite announced that the show was over. A last round of applause followed, and then it was time for the fireworks.
"Fireworks! Yay!" said Alyssa to Oriole.
"I know, right?" Oriole's eyes sparkled.
"Yippeee!" Juniper was jumping around on the grass.
"But it's not nighttime," said Astra.
"These are special daytime fireworks," Hera explained. "They show up even against a blue sky."
Everyone took a seat. There was an expectant atmosphere. Energy thrilled through the crowd. Alyssa's breath came quicker.
BANG!
A beautiful pattern of red, green, and gold sparkles flung itself into the sky and began to turn cartwheels above the crowd. A gasp went up.
BANG!
A group of small silver stars leaped into the air and fizzed gently away.
BANG!
Golden rain fell gently from some unknown point in the sky.
BANG BANG BANG!
Two figures, one in a rainbow suit, the other in a frilly pink dress, ran through the crowd, jumped onto the stage, and threw a firework straight onto the ground.
BAAAAAAANG!!!!!!!!!
Alyssa gasped. Noise and smoke filled the air. Shrieks echoed around her. She could hardly see anything. Any minute now the entire area would be destroyed - fireworks were deadly dangerous. In a split second she had launched into a run, sprinting as fast as she could from the scene.
A minute later she had reached a higher slope of Mount Olympus, from which she could see the Pocket Park. To her great surprise, it looked exactly the same. The fountains, the trees, the seats, were all there. People were gingerly beginning to recover from their fright. But one thing was missing: the stage.
She looked up. Floating gently away from the entire mountain was a small wooden concoction: the stage. And on it, she could just see a figure in a rainbow suit and another figure in a pink ruffly dress.
(December 29, 2024 - 7:03 pm)