The Portrait of Zool

Another new record:

I like it - kind of poppish, but better. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKqoJtMr_5E

I picked up sever LPs lately - this is one:

I loves me some DARK chocolate! - though Ritter sports bars with Hazel nuts are good in a pinch! Ice Cream or Sherbert?

Doh! You're not supposed to transcend the question! Ummm...never played Donkey Kong or it's many siblings. I am a big fan of the Myst games though. Mystery or adventure?

Touche!Before Ken can answer Swami Noguru raises a finger and speaks: "My dear, I hold it as self evident that where there is something, and there most certainly IS something, then there can obviously be no such thing as 'nothing'. Emptiness is therefore a null term." The Swami sat back down fully satisfied with his answer. :PKnowledge or power?

That's difficult for another reason, as the whole 'birth of western civilization' thing was birthed by pain of slavery, all the way up to the beginning of the 19th century in fact, when it was estimated that three quarters of humanity was yoked by some form of serfdom or outright slavery. We have oil and electricity now, which also has a cost, but at least we've opened our eyes to other human beings since then. But on their positive merits... guess I'd have to go with Greece. India or Asia?

Tough one! The Mountains can be so serene, but the valley can be so open, so vibrant. I'll take valley by default since I live there - but can't wait for my next trip to the mountains. color or black and white?

Soft. I like one I can shape the way I want. Steaks: Rare or well done?

Pancakes, French toast or biscuits?

Chunky - gotta have something to chew. Doors - French or slide?

Truth! I wouldn't want the dare to turn out to be something I'd have to tell the truth about later! baseball or football?

Love swiss on a ham sandwich, though Prov is a close second. Sweet pickles or dill pickles?

Up the hill a short ways, unseen among the brush and boulders, lay a cloaked figure. He lay quite still, only occssionally shifting slightly to ease the pain in his left side from all the old injuries. Though some distance away, the area was very quiet, owing to no wind in the enormous cavern, besides which the man had rather acute hearing. He could hear everything said, but he did nothing. For now, he just listened, and waited.

Winter's on it's wayLost in pristine frozen clim'Awaiting rebirth

"No Minta?" said Zool. "Perhaps she's out recruiting in the Pen graveyard, or organizing another candy store siege. She can't have gotten far - not at the Pen." Before Rydia could answer the Swami spoke. "Speaking of the Pen graveyard..." All eyes turned to where he motioned, the curtained entrance, through which had just walked in a tall distinguished gentleman. The top of his head was bald, but a thick curly gray hair fringed the rest. He had solid black arched eyebrows over fierce piercing eyes of the brightest cerulean Rydia had ever seen, a thick gray mustache, and was impeccably groomed. He wore a long black wizard's robe. In one motion he scanned the room and headed for our little group. He looked well past middle age, but walked with an ease and strength that belied his apparent age. "Excuse me," he said with a confident gentleman's voice, "Is this seat taken?" he queried, indicating a chair next to Rydia. "Always room for one more, Lord Dreadful," said the Swami in an even voice. "Ah! My reputation has preceded me," said the man with a broad smile as he sat down. "Yes - yes it does," said the Swami. "Lord Dreadful?!" said Zool in surprise. "I seem to recall... Weren't you killed with everyone else in the cave of the Magic Breathing dragon, after abducting Princess Willamina?" "There are a lot of misconceptions about that adventure, our deaths being one of them, but as you can see I am alive and well, and even us villains must eat, you know, so here I am, and overjoyed to be in the company of such lovely ladies..." he said, nodding to Rydia and Yasmina each in turn. After giving them each a friendly smile, he looked up as a waiter walked by. "Oh waiter," he said, tapping his wine glass, "A Cabernet for me, if you'd be so kind, and please refresh the ladies drinks - and keep them coming!"

Fettuccine. I love pasta. Ranch or vinaigrette?

My system has been down again. I got my speakers back together but my amplifier tends to run very hot so I am adding a fan to the back. I built the mount today, should have it installed tomorrow.

"Now Rydia," chided Zool, "How can you not share our concern for this poor lost child? Can you not see she is lost and hungry? Where are your maternal instincts?"

HA! Don't we just do the craziest things when we're young? Elton rocks! A cheap LP I picked up the other day: AIn't nobody got pipes like Annie Lennox!

"The best," he assured her as he motioned to a ready waiter who brought a chair for the girl. She watched every move closely, her bright eyes trying to take everything in at once. The chair was placed, the waiter retreating at another signal from Zool. Once satisfied the invite was genuine, she sat down. "Water and juice," said Zool to the waiter, indicating the girl with a gesture. Within moments a tall glass of chilled water in a sparkling cut crystal glass and a porcelain cup decorated with fanciful dragons full of the most exotic and delicious juice the girl could ever have imagined were placed in front of her. "You still haven't told me your name," said Zool gently.

"Hello." Cricket was startled, then deathly afraid. She spun around to see who had addressed her, and was startled a second time. Set up in front of the table, almost leaning against it's edge, was a painting. Depicted in the painting, that she could see from under the table, were the legs of a chair, just like the other chairs around the table, and a strange man leaning down to look under the table, dressed in a black suit with red trim, and looong hair that stuck straight up on his head, and the painting was looking at her, and talking to her... "Wha... Who... What are you?" Cricket said in a hoarse whisper, not at all sure what to make of the painting, or the strange man in it. "My name is Zool," said the painting. "What is your name little girl?" Cricket's eyes grew larger the longer she looked at the strange man, but she held her place. "I'm not such a little girl!" she retorted, then thought about where she was. "You're not mad at me are you?" Zool chuckled. "No, I'm not mad at you. I am wondering why you don't come up here and sit with everybody else." Cricket didn't answer, she just shook her head. Zool smiled a crooked smile. "It's okay to come up. Really! We want you to come up with us. We have food." Cricket's mouth watered. She hadn't eaten in a long while.

"Do you indulge?" asked the Swami with a smile. "I have difficulties with that myself." As he spoke a waiter filled his wine glass. As the servant raised the bottle a trap door in the side of the Swami's turban popped open and a luminous blue arm reached out as quick as lightning and snatched the Swami's wine from the table, then just as quickly disappeared back into the turban with it's ill gotten glass. "See what I mean?" Said the Swami. He then motioned for the waiter to bring and fill another glass. "Now that I've paid 'tribute', I should be safe for a time," he said with a grin. Ozymandias tugged further on his beard. "You know, I think I've seen that arm somewhere before..."

I'm so bad...

As the heavy curtains at the entrance of the Boaz Room closed behind Brighid and company Zool grabbed his hair and pulled, filling his frame with handfulls of floating fluff. "WHAT DO WE DO!? WHAT DO WE DO!?" he shouted to no one and everyone, somehow remaining in the same place and running in circles at the same time. "Poor Brighid is friends for only a few hours and already she's speeding straight down the dragon's throat!" Rydia's sensitive ears flattened at Zool's shrieking, her eyes squinched in pain. When he finally stopped to take a breath her head poked up above the remains of the foliage she had at last come to rest in. "My glass is empty!" she shouted, holding it high as proof. "Calm yourself Zool", said Ozy, his own hands busy defending himself against the malicious midges, a battle which he had already lost, as evidenced by the spirited Watusi he was dancing. Yasmina found a chair, righted it, and sat back down at the table. Swami Noguru stood by the door and took stock, cocking his purple turban to one side and scratching his bald head as he surveyed the scene. The Boaz Room showed ample evidence of the series of calamities it had recently suffered. He tapped the head waiter on the shoulder and spoke a few words to the man. The head waiter nodded, turned smartly, and headed into the back room. Bedlam ensued. A squad of gnomes spilled out of the back room, each bent on a task. The last remaining animals of the Swami's menagerie were herded out. All the furniture was righted and rearranged, with a chair found for everyone. The disco ball was removed, plants were replaced, carpets were scrubbed, walls were cleaned, ornaments were dusted, lights were lighted, even all the patrons clothes were pressed and their shoes shined! Rydia managed to beat down a few gnomes with the carp as they tried to do their job, but was eventually overwhelmed and deposited at the table with the rest. Another group of gnomes, dressed in anti-meringue suits, corralled the muse-meringue and plopped her into a chair next to Harmony. Finally all was back in place and spit spot. The gnomes left as quickly as they had come, leaving a completely different scene in their wake. The Boaz Room needed to look posh - at least once every few hours. "Ozymandias!" said Rydia with delight, sipping her refilled glass. "You look... fit." Ozy was still dancing, trapped with the last jitterbugs in the netting, and seriously questioning his decision to return home Fortunately, Harmony's spell was finally burning off the last one, and he actually had not been that affected by the jitterbugs, as he already walked like an Egyptian. The Swami had also been returned to the table, wearing a fresh robe, and the burn marks had been removed from the turban so that it looked as good as new. He looked at Zool and said, "Yes Zool, by all means calm yourself. Brighid is a big girl and can take care of herself, and while I agree all is not as it seems I think perhaps things are not as dire as you fear." Zool seemed mollified by this, calming him to where he too could sit down, allowing Matt to wander down and collect itself before repositioning back on Zool's head, looking perfectly coiffed, as always. As this was going on the next course of food appeared, a stream of waiters bearing platters of excellent cuisine and bottles of fine wine heading out of the kitchen and to each table. The Swami smile broadly at the wonderful repast which was quickly laid down in front of him, then turned to Ozy jovially. "Good sir! It seems our introduction has been overlooked. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Swami Noguru. I am very pleased to meet you - though I have a vague recollection in a much drier clime that perhaps we had met in passing some years ago?"