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Dec. 15 – A Tired and Tiresome Return

Lisa was sweeping clean the front hall of the asylum–a several-times-per-day chore these days, with the sooty snow–when the door opened and Beryl came in slowly. “Lisa,” he said, sitting down tiredly on the bench.

“Beryl.” Lisa was relieved to see him for herself, and sat down beside him. “How are you?”

“Exhausted, if you want the truth,” he replied softly, weakly.

“You look it.” She tsked at him. “You should go and rest.”

“I just woke up from a nap. It’s been… trying.” As Lisa nodded sympathetically, he continued, “I may actually join Avariel over at her new Aquilla place she’s so proud of. A restored something or other from the Empire.” He waved his paw lethargically. “That’s not important. What is, is this: Doctor Dinosaur is alive again.”

Lisa hissed, her eyes widening in alarm. “How did that happen?!”

“I don’t know how, really. Science…” He shrugged. “Genetic destabilizers or something. The point is, that was why his creations were searching for me. They needed his blood.”

“How could they get that from you?” Lisa asked, confused.

“Do you remember how badly Arnold wanted to make Doctor Dinosaur bleed? How he pounced him to let you get away and began to claw him?” Lisa nodded. “They tore each other apart. Arnold was possibly the only person that ever made the raptor bleed. And that blood… well, it made its way in. In me, it was just there–didn’t do anything. But for those robots it was their only way to get their creator back.” He sighed. “If I’d know that from the start I’d have done a lot of things differently.”

Lisa felt frustrated and distressed. What would it take to get rid of this enemy? “Do you think he’ll be after you? And Tepic?”

“Yes–and you, too. But fortunately for you,” he gestured to her body, “you’ve grown up. And he doesn’t know my eyes changed color, nor does he know my new name. So there’s a good chance he might not recognize either of us, or could be deceived. But I wanted you to know.”

Lisa sighed. “I hope you’re right. I’ll warn the cats, too–just in case.”

“Kasa is alive as well,” he added, looking closely at her. She nodded. “My friends were able to bring me word that the two of you were alive, at least.”

“Our plans worked in the end. But they weren’t hiding in the city.”

“No wonder my friends couldn’t find the hiding place.” Lisa shook her head, and reminded herself to let them know it wasn’t their fault they couldn’t find Kasa before Beryl set his plan into motion.

Beryl blinked slowly. “Lisa, I’m… tired. And I still have to talk to more people.” He looked up at her. “Are you all right here?”

“Yes. I’m working with Lo and Angel, to make sure they can handle what is needed soon.”

Beryl nodded and slipped off the bench, going to the door. As he opened it, he looked back. “Good luck,” he said, and quickly exited, leaving Lisa to finish her sweeping.

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