*waves USA dragon flag *

[lavandarlizard2]

*the one with the alternating red and white dragons and the 50 golden toads crouched on a blue lily pad* ^___^ What can I say; they wanted to participate. And the gold dragon clutching the flag in one set of claws and clinging to the flagpole with the other set has been practicing for weeks. ^.o

Short part this time... The hamsters and bunnies got up off their furry rumps and started scribbling - finally! I just wasn't up to collecting more than this. O.O I worked three days this week and like to have died by last night. >.< My back is just not up to eight hours of being both vertical and slumpng over a too-low work space. I could literally feel my discs compressing and the vertebrae grinding together. =p Not to mention the heat-induced nausea. >_> Getting old and feeble. One of these days I'll be nesting in a cheap, state-run hellhole of a nursing home being abused by underpaid attendants. >.< Yip-fucking-pee.

PSA: And that, children, is why you want to start planning in your 20s for your eventual retirement. Do not end up like me. O.o End PSA.









“So,” began Duo when the last of his bacon had been run to earth and consumed. “Where is the theme-park-to-be?”

Heero rested his chin on his hand watching the Banshee make short work of the buffet breakfast. Utterly amazing how much the lean creature could eat and still maintain that svelte form. Most Magical Creatures had self-regulating systems and were unlikely to ever get “fat” as some Humans did, but it was still… remarkable. And it reminded him of their first meeting, not that long ago. Great Dragons… He had to be the luckiest Wyvern in history, to have found such a mate. Well… *potential* mate, he reminded himself with a mental poke. Duo hadn’t said “yes” yet; not freely. And he wasn’t going to chance screwing up something this important just because he *wanted* so much.

Duo’s question shook him out of his dreamy reverie. Ctik. Right. Rescue the idiot vampire.

“The house is in upstate New York.” He produced a map from his other space and laid it out on the table to show the Banshee. “It’s located in this area,” he said pointing to a spot just west of the Vermont line and barely south of Canada. Duo shivered.

“Wow. Cold country.”

“Not at the moment,” Heero muttered. “I hate mosquitoes.” He pulled out his cellphone to call the port room while Duo expanded the relevant portion of the map.

“This looks really… rural. Lots of woods… fields… Wonder what they grow way up there?”

Heero finished his phone call first, then shrugged. “I am not sure. I know the property was originally very large. The family farmed in the early days, but that was almost 300 years ago. I believe there may have been orchards until recently. Miles is some sort of consultant, I think. He works down in the city.” He cocked his head questioningly at Duo’s grin. “What?”

“Oh, nothing. Just… you seem to know an awful lot about someone you profess to not be crazy about.”

Heero raised one eyebrow. “’Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.’”

“Riiiight,” snickered the Banshee. “When do we leave?”

“Ten minutes. Our port will meet us outside.” He stood up and tucked the map away. “Shall we?”

Comments

[merula31]

*grin* Should I be feeling sorry for Miles?

Naaaaah!

*pets the dragon* I'd suggest a hot pad for the back- but it's too hot!

[lavendarlizard.livejournal.com]

Miles asked for every bit of whatever happens. ^___^ And Heero's already had breakfast, so he's not likely to eat him... O.o

I have managed to scunch myself into a ball - sort of - and that does seem to separate the vertebrae and discs enough to relieve the pain. >_> Being able to get horizontal whenever I want also helps. ^____^

[merula31]

Being horizontal is always good! Well, not always, but you know what I mean! *grin* Horizontal with fans and cool drinks is also good!

[lavendarlizard.livejournal.com]

There was a point last night, where I was looking at a folding table and wondering if I could just lie down on it for the lunch period.... O.o

I had to return library books today and fill the tank and just doing those two little things exhausted me. O.O I feel so... wombatish. >_>

[pellsfan.livejournal.com]

Poor baby. Hope your back feels better soon. I know how you feel, having a bad back AND being old. Dunno if I really want to ever retire. I know too many people who simple shrivel up and die when they had no everyday purpose.

As for Miles...Heero may not be hungry but from the sound of it, Duo could probably use another bite or twelve. Heheh

[lavendarlizard.livejournal.com]

The back no longer hurts, but I ain't moving any too quickly, either. O.o It'll even out over the weekend, I hope. ^___^

When I was young, 'retirement planning' was not something of great import for my socio-economic niche. We were pretty much the working poor and 'retirement' meant Social Security. *sigh* I've tried planning at various times - because I have so many hobbies, I could totally be happily retired - but "things" always happen to screw with me. But that's why I have no shame about getting in the faces of the young'uns now. ^___^ Plan ahead NOW; don't be like me! O.O

I'm always surprised that Banshees don't come with sharpened incisors... ^____^

[yanagi-wa.livejournal.com]

Are Miles and a pissy Wyvern going to get along? More please.

[lavendarlizard.livejournal.com]

Only if Miles bathes in soy sauce. ^____^

[sunhawk16.livejournal.com]

You got three days in under those conditions? O.O You GO, dragon! *high fives you* Was that the end of that gig, or will you be going back next week? Money would be good, but I think I'll kind of hope that was the end of that one, and they find something else.

I want Duo's metabolism... >_>

[lavendarlizard.livejournal.com]

It was... excruciating. I started to hurt within half an hour. >.< he first and third days were *all* stand-up work. The second was an hour of stand-up and then the rest of the day crouched on a folding chair, ensuring that everything hurt. >_>

And wouldn't you just know it? O.^ I became fixiated on how the warehouse should be rearranged to make things flow more smoothly. >_< When you have to constantly retrieve more trays and sleeves from the totally opposite end of the building from where the machines are in use, someone has done some piss-poor planning.

It didn't pay enough for me to grit my teeth and live with the pain, but it's over now, so it was interesting, if annoying. They just needed some extra help to get caught up on a few jobs that were supposed to be finished yesterday. >_>

What's the point of being a Magical Creature if you don't get some serious life perks? ^____^ Yeah, I want that too. *sigh*

[sunhawk16.livejournal.com]

Too bad you couldn't hire back out to them to be an organizational consultant! :P Anything lined up for next week? *has fingers crossed*

[lavendarlizard.livejournal.com]

Just the college appointment on Monday. ^___^

That warehouse is definitely not production-friendly. Stuff is just plopped down anywhere. >.< And when you break into a wrapped pallet, the wrapping needs to be pulled off and tossed properly, not left to dangle onto the floor, getting caught in forklifts and pallet jacks and attempting to trip anyone who walks past. And yes, I know that makes me an anal-retentive flake. >_> It's a gift.

[sunhawk16.livejournal.com]

Nah... just makes you practical!

[lavendarlizard.livejournal.com]

That's what I always thought... but you know... when you have people staring at you like you've lost your mind when you point out these things... it kinda shakes your faith in yourself. O.O

"Oh, no! We love tripping over dangling shrink and getting tangled in wild straps! It's an adventure!"

Fucktwits. =p

[sunhawk16.livejournal.com]

They must not have to deal with Osha. O.o

[thekittywolf.livejournal.com]

ugh. your poor back! Hopefully you can work out the kinks over the weekend and never go back to doing something like that again. Laying on the floor for a bit always helps me align my spine again, but that might not work so well for you.

Thanks for the part. I can't wait to see how Duo changes the interaction between Heero and Niles. Always something the Banshee will surprise them both with, I'm sure.

[lavendarlizard.livejournal.com]

It usually gets better once I stop doing what it hates. >_> Seems to take forever, but eventually... *sigh*

Sometimes I can do the floor thing and sometimes not; depends on where the hurt is. =p

[thekittywolf.livejournal.com]

:( Well, I REALLY hope your next temp job is somewhere with a nice comfy chair then.

[fushichou.livejournal.com]

Great part! I don't usually comment, but...just west of the Vermont line and barely south of Canada....That's where I live!! Definitely cold in winter, but right now it's mosquito country, especially with all the rain we've been getting lately. Can't wait to see more!

[lavendarlizard.livejournal.com]

O.O;; That's bizarre! The hamsters just opened up the Rand McNalley and pointed to a spot and informed me that that's where Ctik lived. Holy crap... >_> I guess the little furballs get some extra hamster chow tonight... ^____^

Glad you're enjoying it! ^__~

[fushichou.livejournal.com]

Definitely some extra hamster chow....Though it's a nice spot to pick randomly! It's mostly corn and hay farming up here, with a bunch of apple orchards as well. Right now is the tail end of strawberry season. The biggest "cities" are Plattsburgh on the NY side and Burlington on the VT side; it's pretty easy to get from one to the other. Montreal is about an hour to the north, and the nearest theme parks are ther or Lake George, an hour and a half south. Lake Placid (1980 Olympics!) is right nearby, and there's great fishing and boating on Lake Champlain. Can't wait to see the next part!