Electra and me are going home...well, not home home, I was thinking maybe they'd be able to send us to Neverland instead.

Thank you to every one of my very good friends! Arion and Mr. Dresden and Vash and Saya and Mr. Crane and Rose and Ran and all the rest.

Princess, are you coming with us? Do we have a suitcase anywhere in the apartment?

Hope everyone had a very happy Christmas! I think I've got a good load of sailing (and writing thank-you notes) ahead for the next year.

Mr. Dresden, let's go out for one boat ride before the year ends!

[Filtered from Princess Ananova]

Also, is there anyone who's a decent hand with a needle? I'm looking to get an ear pierced, as I might as well look the part entire.

[standing atop a wobbly kitchen chair, next to a large christmas tree, singing softly, half to himself]

Let the stars in the sky
Remind us of man's compassion
Let us love 'til we die
And god bless us, everyone.

In your heart, there's a light
As bright as a star in heaven.
Let it shine through the night
And god bless us, everyone.

Til each child is fed
Til all men are free
Til our world becomes a fam'ly.

Starlight shines up above
And kindness by human kindness
Light this world with your love
And god bless us, everyone.

[succeeds at last in pinning the star on top of the tree, staring back at it, his face lit up by the glow reflecting back]

( Under_the_tree,_boxed_up )

I don't expect we'll get a repeat like that weather until springtime. Sad, really, it would've been perfect sailing weather had there been a breeze. But I can wait a few more months!





That'll be mine, only grander, and with room for more than one person should anyone like to come along. But all that's going on hold, because we're knocking down the wall in the apartment! I'm supposed to be helping with that, in order to make it bigger. There's just so many people living with the Princess and Mr. Dresden and me, there's hardly much elbow room besides.

Maybe it's a good thing I stayed small. Otherwise it'd be even more cramped up.

I ran away from Eton to be a pirate.

London's too full of stiff collars and ironed shirts and mannerisms and polite society. I wanted to sail the seas and be with my best mate and never be picked on again.

And maybe that'll mean stealing and burning and pillaging but it's all in the name of adventure, so that's all right, then.

And I'll be in a grande story one day.

Jolly Roger, the greatest pirate what ever lived!

...Well. Second greatest.

All those poor sick people..

Princess, Mr. Dresden, I'll be back later. There's something I need to check.

The last curse turned you into something entirely strange, Mr. Dresden, but I completely prefer you more the way you usually are. Don't be embarrassed about the demon, it's nothing to be ashamed of! At least, I'm almost definitely sure it isn't, but I don't know much about wizards in general.

Heh, uh, Barry? How've you been feeling? You were....loads of fun to spend the day with. You should turn human more often, in my opinion! People turn to stare a lot less.

That being said, it's time and enough to go out and learn some sailing, for future piracy's needs. No point in learning to swordfight if I don't know how to operate my own ship! Poor form, very poor form indeed, not doing the job right, as Jas might say. And there's only so much you can learn from books.

[Filtered from Princess Ananova]

I was looking at the calendar today for when we're supposed to flip it over from October into November..I was in the hospital from October 17th through the 19th, but the 17th was the Princess' birthday and I didn't get her a card or anything. Did anybody else even know when it was? I didn't..

And if nobody did...ought we to plan for a surprise party? Only this time it'll be a real surprise, because she's not expecting it half a month after her actual birthday.

Not entirely sure whether that's a clever idea or not...Does that make sense, having a surprise belated birthday party?

Even if it doesn't, I think I rather like the idea of it!

Princes...Mr. Dresden? Is this some sort of mass migration? There can't be this many people living in the City.

Arrrr. I be wantin' t' suck yer blood, mates.

An' I'll be takin' all that candy o' yers, too! Hand it over, that's right, line up now!

Yeh be hearin' th' children o' th' night? They're callin' me to th' sea I love!

To th' mainside, Mr. Dresden! We'll be runnin' up alongside 'em now! Hoist th' flag, call out th' wolves! This'll be a fight worthy o' our undead lives!


[ooc: Guess who couldn't decide whether to be a vampire or a pirate for Halloween.]

There's not nearly enough firewood here to burn all the witches.

Either switch to hanging, or somebody's got to come with me to the forest to chop down more trees.



[ooc: Adding Damages to the Ecology and Pyromania to the growing list of crimes]

Last night, Arion came to me in the form of a bird. He whispered to me that he was of the devil, and he whispered to me also,

"I saw Goody Weatherwax with the devil. She was dancing in the woods, late at night, with her familiars. She slaughters her chickens and her goat in the name of her master, the Devil.

I never saw Mr. Crane with the devil, but he abhors the Lord and turns instead to books and science, and shuns the Holy Scripture.

I saw my two unholy partners in my devilry, Dwayne and George, and they being just as of the devil as I, were of much use to me.

Most of all, I saw Mr. Harry Dresden, for he is the Devil's right hand man, and the most powerful of us all."


This, did he tell me, and I listened, and was afraid. I tell you this so that you'll bring them to justice, in His holy name.


[ooc: Hands up and points awarded to whoever read the Crucible]

You know, I think hospital food is nearly on par with Etonian food in how awful it is. Maybe more so, because at least at Eton you'd have the option of sneaking into town to buy sweets and things. Here, it's bloody difficult sneaking in even a pizza without all hell raising up. I would have not got cheese on the bedspread, thank you-! If they give you ice cream, why can't they give you pizza?


Juliet, are you doing all right..? I haven't a chance to speak with you since our awfully big adventure and was wondering whether you were all right. What's your room number? Have they let you go home yet?


Thanks everybody who wondered where I was; sort of accidental, really, disappearing. Next time there's to be a kidnapping I'll leave a note so you don't have to come find me. Besides, not too much harm came of it, I hope? Other than a few sleepless nights, if you're the Princess.


Does anyone know where to find another communicator? Mine was smashed and I've had to borrow Arion's. I think at some point it ought to be returned to him...


Bloody hell, it's the nineteenth already! First thing after escaping here is to find a pumpkin-! All Hallow's Eve wouldn't be the same without carving up jack-o-lanterns.


And thanks for the book, Mr. Dresden! I hadn't read it before, and it's always exciting, reading about pirates.

Bloody hell, looks like zombie day isn't over yet...Mr. Crane, I think you'd better..er, not look out your window today. You might hit your head fainting.

Nobody's thinking about eating brains, right? No? Good form.

...Course, maybe that's coming up tomorrow.


..Is it only the people who're dead who are affected?

==BANG


BANG



BANG==


[sounds of a hoarse voice of a boy yelling for all he's worth, from far off in a tiny airtight room]

PRINCESS! ARION! MR. CRANE, ANYBODY?! SOMEBODY HELP..



[ooc: Nothing icky, but sealed in the tiny room the little girl was trapped in at the very end of Saw III, and running out of air.]

Almost midnight, so I don't know whether the curse'll end in a hour, or if it's one of those three-day curses. I hope it's the latter, it's loads of fun moving things around with your mind. Like magic!


Er...Princess, Mr. Dresden, sorry about the state of the kitchen. I'll clean it up again tomorrow.


And...er, sorry I haven't met you yet, Lady Rozalin, it's been bloody busy around here. My name's Jolly Roger, nice to meet you, and glad you're living with us now! I don't normally wreck the apartment, really. It's just on curse days. Not EVERY curse day..Just some.

Arion, why are you always so twitchy?

---

Princess, how come you and Jas. aren't together?

[sounds of clucking and squawking from a pack of upset chickens, followed by the yowl of a cat and the hissing of a particular venomous spider]


Uh, Mistress Weatherwax? Lyra an' I-KATRINA GET DOWN OFF THE ROOSTER-we found the chickens, but it was too late in the day to bring them around to you an-Hold on..

[sounds of a small boy running to catch up with an escaping hen, as another trods over spilt cat food, clucking noisily]


[pants, returning] Right, so we're bringing them by today...or is it still tonight? One of those darkness curses, maybe...


...Princess, Mr. Dresden? Please don't be mad about the chickens...Oh, and don't go in the bathroom, I hear goats are very territorial..I locked him in there because he almost trampled the kitten.

Electra's hiding under the fridge. Just watch your feet, please?


.....



Uhm...Anyone need eggs? I think I spotted a few under the kitchen table this morning..

Anyone seen Mr. Crane around, lately? I hope he didn't get sent back or anything..


Mr. Dresden? My name's Jolly Roger! Sorry I didn't get to meet you earlier before you moved in, but it's topping swank having you here! You don't have a problem with cats or spiders, do you? We've one of each. I can introduce you!

[Private to Ananova]

Princess, what happened between you and this person? Sorry if it's none of my business, but I don't like her making threats against you...Maybe we can set up traps or something? Jas showed me how..

[/private]


Right! Who's up for rugby tomorrow in the Square? I want t' see some hands! Arion, you're co-captain! Pick your team wisely!

Visit The King's College of Our Lady of Eton beside Windsor!


Commonly known as Eton College, in England. Founded in 1440 by Henry VI, it rests north of Windsor Castle in Berkshire, and is the favorite school of the British Royalty to send their young ones. It's got twenty-five houses divided into two groups; the Collegers, and the Oppidans. The Collegers are the ones on scholarship, who've got free ride throughout their years. The Oppidans pay their way through.

Everyone who attends Eton gets to wear the traditional black tailcoat, white tie, and pin-striped trousers, which in my opinion look topping swank no matter what your personal tastes. The top hats and canes are optional.

We've got many sports at Eton, not just the Wall Game. We also play football, cricket, rugby, and have a topping swank rowing team.

Eton's been the home of many notable important men where I come from, such as James Kenneth Stephen (who was one of the greatest players of the Wall Game, and a suspect in the famous Jack the Ripper case) and Sir John Harington, inventor of the W.C. I read in the library that some bloke called James Bond went there too, but I've never seen him in the records, so he probably came after my time.

It's also the former home of King Jas., Keeper of the Wall, and Lord Protector of the Pudding, though you all once knew him here as Captain James Hook of Neverland. And he was the greatest Oppidan that Eton ever had, but you won't find him in the school records. As his last act at the school, Jas burned all the records he'd ever been to Eton by torching the Hall of Records.


I'd say, if you're entering Eton as a Colleger, you've nothing to worry about, but if you're an Oppidan, be prepared to get kicked around and whipped and called a scug a lot. We're lesser'n dogs, and it's part of growing up, learning your place.


This place, I think, is nicer.