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Sept. 12 – Generous Offers (Part 1)

“Hello, Miss Rouse,” said Bookworm to the mouse Moreau, whom she saw standing in the asylum foyer when she entered.

“Hello there!” Beatrixe smiled happily at her. “Did you move into the hospital?”

“Temporarily,” Bookworm replied wryly. She was beginning to wonder just how long ‘temporarily’ was going to be, though.

“Ahhh. So you intend to move houses again?”

“Well, since mine burned down, I do need a new one, yes.”

Beatrixe’s eyes lit up. “I just got an idea! I think you’ll like it!”

“Really?” Bookworm couldn’t help but feel rather dubious.

“What if I built you a house like the asylum?” Beatrixe smiled.

“How do you mean? Resistant against fire?”

“Oh, that would be good, too,” she replied, waving her hand a little. “But I meant as handsome as it is!”

“Well, while that style works for an asylum, it’s not really the best for a regular house,” Bookworm said, a little solemnly to hide her amusement.

“Oh, so you don’t want a fortress that won’t burn down?”

“A *house* that wouldn’t burn down – yes. I don’t know that I need a fortress, though.”

Beatrixe scratched at her head. “A burn-proof house. Going to have to put a lot of thought into that. I’ll see what I can do!”

“Thank you.” Bookworm knew she would have to find ways to repay the mouse.

“Anyways,” Beatrixe continued, “I was talking to Dr. Ears yesterday.” Bookworm smiled a little at this appellation for Dr. Sonnerstein. Beatrixe leaned in a little, as if confiding in Bookworm. “Apparently, he seems to think that the nice bear who fixed my numbers a few months ago was in fact this ‘Prometheus’ fellow!”

“Yes, he was.”

Beatrixe reared back, startled. “What? But Prometheus is a villain. This was a nice bear that never went ‘MWHAHAHAHHAHA’!”

“They don’t always do that,” explained Bookworm. “Especially in their victim’s hearing.”

“Wait… who was a victim?” The mouse looked quite puzzled.

“Well, in this case, you were, to an extent. He used you to get at me.”

“What a cruel bear!” declared Bea. “Maybe we should stick him somewhere unpleasant for a few weeks and let him think about what he did wrong.”

“I’d like to do that, yes.”

“Well, then, why aren’t you?”

Bookworm sighed. “I’m trying. He’s difficult to catch, though.”

“Ohhh.” Beatrixe pondered on that a moment. “You can’t just bait him with tea and honey?”

“I don’t think that’ll work.” Bookworm couldn’t help but smile a little.

“Ah, you already tried?” She thought a moment more. “Maybe a giant bear trap?”

“He’s too smart for that.”

“Well, how smart is he?”

“Smart enough to steer your digging to undermine the militia headquarters.” Beatrixe’s gaze showed nothing but confusion, so Bookworm sighed and added, “He’s really smart.”

((To be continued…))

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One Comment

  1. Cyan Rayna Cyan Rayna October 16, 2015

    A house that won’t burn for you Miss Book means no library. So that probably wouldn’t work too well.

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