Chapter Eight ~ So it goes

"How is it," AWC asked, "that no one ever seems to notice how oddly shaped guitars are? I mean, what are they supposed to look like, anyway? Blobs with sticks if you ask me. Maybe squashes."

AWC, Shadow the angry wolf who thinks he's an owl, Raven the raven, and Jack the theif were all sitting on the bank of one of the many small rivers that flowed through the heavenly forest. Across the river there was an Alice Cooper look alike competition going on amongst the furry woodland creatures. There were a few skunks, the wolverine or two, one flamingo, and a band of furry foxes participating. None were actually very good, but the free entertainment was good enough for the four... um...

Narrator: Creatures? Mischeif-makers? Adventurers? Who the heck are these people anyway and why are they hanging out all the sudden?

Jack the theif: It's really hard to introduce a main character halfway through the story, that's why. And here I am. Obviously.

Well anyway, just as a flamingo stepped onto the podium, greeted by the cheers of several furry woodland creatures and his girlfriend, there was a noise like a gunshot. Actually, the noise WAS a gunshot. A few of the creatures screamed, and Raven, Shadow, AWC, and Jack all jumped into the river for cover. Before AWC could jump in, however, her little muse leapt out of her pocket.

"Must rescue the musicians!!" Sally cried, leaping the river in a single bound.

"No Sally!" AWC yelled, but she was already in the river. "Those aren't musicians, just look alikes! You don't have to rescue them all!"

"Rescue!" Sally sped off towards the mob scene.

Several shots were fired.

"Sally, No!"

AWC tried to crawl out and up onto the riverbank, to rescue her muse.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Shadow said. "You'll get shot. Then you'll be a vegetable or something."

"Don't do it!!! It's not worth it!" Jack exclaimed. "Your life for a muse?"

Raven shook his head disapprovingly. "Nevermore," he added.

"It's too late, you can't stop me," AWC said. And it was true. Because she magically had butterfly wings and they were flapping furiously, having just sprouted from her back. They were now carrying her towards the fray. "Goodbye friends."

"Later."

"NO!"

"Rawk..."

The wings flapped and whirred, and carried her towards the podium. With her bird's eye view, she could see that a rogue unicorn had shot all of the alice cooper impersonators. AWC wondered if the unicorn was morally offended that they would dress up like musical satan, or if he was morally offended that they dressed up like the greatest musician who ever lived, but did not do so very well or convincingly.

And then she saw her. Tiny little midget Sally was lying lifelessly in the middle of the grassy green field.

AWC pointed, jabbing a finger in the direction repeatedly so that the wings would get it, "ok, now THAT way! THAT's where we want to go; THAT WAY".

The wings obeyed and carried AWC safely over to where her little muse was lying. "Sally!" AWC mourned, "You can't be dead, you just can't!" She grabbed Sally by her shoulders and shook hard. "Sally! Can you hear me, Sally!"

Sally made no noise or movement acknowledging her name had been called. AWC was about to throw.a.fit when a masked figure clothed entirely in black slid down through the clouds, straight from the sky. The sun seemed to make room for him. The unicorn in the corner of the feild where he had been rooting through his victims' pockets for spare change gave up and ran away in pure terror. The masked figure dropped down on the ground beside Sally. He listened to her chest, then nodded his head.

"Is she going to be okay?" AWC asked. Who was this?

"Yes she is. But her internal clocks will be off." The masked dude looked solemn.

"What does that mean?"

The masked dude clapped his hands. "Sally, awaken!"

Sally's bright green eyes popped open, and she stretched her arms out over her head with a loud yawn. "Good morning!" She chirped happily, "It's nine in the afternoon!"

"That's not right," AWC puzzled, "It's hour 176y78903218. Everyone knows that."

The masked dude nodded. "Sally doesn't though. Be patient with her is all I can suggest. Maybe you should take her to the hospital."

"And deal with mr. chainsaw and that annoying freddie highmore kid? I think not," AWC said.

"Suit yourself." And just like that he was gone.

Sally grinned and hugged one of AWC's legs. "What are you so happy about?" AWC growled. "You could have gotten yourself killed."

Sally shook her head, still smiling. "It's nine in the afternoon!"

So it goes.