Part I
Tummi couldn't help but feel jealous and his self-confidence wasn't doing very well either. Just a month ago Gusto brought home a new gummi. Her name is Shelli and she reminds him of the roses in his garden. Her beauty draws people near her but if you handle her wrong her thorns will get you. That isn't to say that she is mean at all, in fact she is very sweet. She has certain spunkiness, though. From the time she first entered Gummi Glen Tummi was enamored with her. She is tall, graceful, and her soft pink fur is the same shade as many of his roses. However, she only had eyes for Gusto.
He put a few more final touches to his ship in the bottle before leaning back and surveying his work. "If only I could sail away on one of my ships," sighed Tummi. It wasn't that he didn't like Gummi Glen, he loved it here. He just had a sense of something missing, that he should be doing something different. Until he figured out just what that was, Tummi used food to fill the void.
The last time he remembered feeling so fulfilled was when he built his own ship. He and Gruffi went for what was supposed to be a short sail but ended up getting swept away. The trip was a wondrous adventure and they returned with Gusto. If only he could be on a ship again.
~:~
"The Lord Tulli will see you know, young sir," stated the Lord's footman.
Josi nodded his thanks and nervously entered the great common room of Tulli manor. He put on a cocky aire to hide his nervousness but he wasn't sure if it was convincing. The young bear was summoned to Lord Tulli's place when word got to him of Josi's upcoming trip. Josi decided to join Chummi on his sailing ship in hopes of finding his missing brother, Augustus.
"There you are young lad," welcomed a warm voice from one of the high backed easy chairs. "I was hoping you would make it in time for tea."
"Thank you, my lord. That is kind of you." replied Josi politely. He wanted to play it safe until he knew just what it was that this lord wanted him for.
"I heard you were taking a trip." Lord Tulli waved Josi down into a nearby chair and had his servant poor him some tea.
Josi took the tea up grateful to have something to wet his nervously dry throat. "Yes. My brother went on a trip many years ago and never returned. We believe that his ship had crashed but aren't sure. I'm hoping to find him or find out what happened to him."
"Very good! Such loyalty among brothers is hard to come by anymore. Very good." The tawny older bear took another sip of tea before continuing. "You will be traveling far then?"
"As far as we have to, my lord. Captain Chummi once visited Gummi Glen. He wants to go back and visit. We worked out a deal to search between here and there."
"Sounds like you are looking for a needle in a haystack."
"That I am, but this needle can be rather flamboyant so I'm pretty sure he will be sticking out." Josi grinned at the memory of his older brothers exuberance.
"Would you mind looking for one more person while you are already on your search, lad? My daughter ran away years ago and I haven't heard a word from her." The look of sorry in the lord's eyes tore at Josi's heartstrings.
"I can do what I can, but I'm not positive I'll find anything."
"Understandable. Quite understandable. However, if there is any chance..." Tulli cleared his throat before continuing. "It would mean a great deal to me.
"Young lad, it means so much to me that I'll even pay for your supplies, anything you need, if you help find my little girl." Tulli promised.
Josi reached out and clasped Tulli's hand. "My lord, I would have helped even with out the extra supplies. Now, however, we can do an even more thorough search. I'm sure we will find our family." Josi smiled reassuringly at the Lord Tulli and hoped his was right."
~:~
"Hold still, Shell," absently muttered Gusto. He was working on a marble statue of Shelli but she was having trouble staying still.
"I can't help it," complained Shelli. "I'm getting bored. Entertain me."
Gusto looked at her shocked. "Entertain you?! You are witnessing the greatest artist alive at work. What else do you want?!"
Shelli grinned impishly. "How about a little song and dance?"
"No."
"Yes."
Gusto gave the silly pink bear a stern look. "No."
"Fine," replied Shelli. She then continued to pick up small rocks from off the cave floor of Gusto's studio. When his attention was averted she began tossing them at his feet. When one hit him Gusto would dance away delighting Shelli. She continued to throw them faster but making sure not to hurt him.
"I'm making you dance," she singed.
"That's it! I quit! I can't work like this," exploded Gusto.
"You can't quit, Gusto Gummi! You promised me a masterpiece," yelled the laughing gummi to Gusto departing back.
"I can't make a masterpiece while dancing a jig for you. I give up."
Shelli really didn't want Gusto to quit and get mad so she followed him. Before he could pull the lever on his elevator she tackled him. "I won't let you go without my masterpiece."
"Your masterpiece? Fine. You make one. I'll even supply you the paints."
"Really?" asked Shelli.
"Really. Let me up, I'll get you some paint." Shelli let Gusto get up and watched him walk over to his paint supplies. She loved spending time with the artist. It was so easy to rile him up and usually he is playful back. He just gets too serious when it comes to his artwork.
"Will you be needing red?" he asked.
"Probably."
"I'm almost out. We'll have to get more." Gusto picked up the jar of red paint and walked back over to the elevator. "Aren't you going to get up?" he asked the pink gummi laying on the ground.
"Nope. You told me to stay still."
"Well, we're moving now!" Gusto pulled the rope releasing the elevator. The sudden drop made Shelli shriek and grab Gusto's legs. To keep from falling Gusto grabbed the side of the elevator and let go of the paint jar. By the time they reached the bottom both gummies were splattered with red paint and laughing hysterically.
~:~
"I'm sorry we haven't been able to find anything, yet, Josi." Chummi was disappointed that their trip so far had been a failure. They had been traveling by airship for months and there was no sign of the missing gummies.
Josi leaned against the rail looking down on the ground far below them. "I understand, Chummers. I can't say I'm not disappointed...but I kinda expected it."
"At least you'll get a break from traveling. In a couple more weeks we should be at Gummi Glen," assured Chummi.
"Land! Glorious land! Oh, how I miss you!" yelled the younger pink gummi to the ground below.
Chummi just laughed at the pink bear. "Catching some cabin fever, eh?"
"Let's just say I plan to grow roots once we land," replied the smiling Josi. Once again looking wistfully down to the ground below Josi spied color moving through the forest. He borrowed Chummi's spyglass and was startled at what he saw. "Gummies below!" he shouted.
"Can't be," replied Chummi. "It's too soon. We aren't even close to the Glen.
"Close or not, buddy bear, there are bears down there. What do you say we take a side trip and say hello?"
Chummi could think of no reason not to. "Take her down," he shouted to his crew.
Tummi couldn't help but feel jealous and his self-confidence wasn't doing very well either. Just a month ago Gusto brought home a new gummi. Her name is Shelli and she reminds him of the roses in his garden. Her beauty draws people near her but if you handle her wrong her thorns will get you. That isn't to say that she is mean at all, in fact she is very sweet. She has certain spunkiness, though. From the time she first entered Gummi Glen Tummi was enamored with her. She is tall, graceful, and her soft pink fur is the same shade as many of his roses. However, she only had eyes for Gusto.
He put a few more final touches to his ship in the bottle before leaning back and surveying his work. "If only I could sail away on one of my ships," sighed Tummi. It wasn't that he didn't like Gummi Glen, he loved it here. He just had a sense of something missing, that he should be doing something different. Until he figured out just what that was, Tummi used food to fill the void.
The last time he remembered feeling so fulfilled was when he built his own ship. He and Gruffi went for what was supposed to be a short sail but ended up getting swept away. The trip was a wondrous adventure and they returned with Gusto. If only he could be on a ship again.
~:~
"The Lord Tulli will see you know, young sir," stated the Lord's footman.
Josi nodded his thanks and nervously entered the great common room of Tulli manor. He put on a cocky aire to hide his nervousness but he wasn't sure if it was convincing. The young bear was summoned to Lord Tulli's place when word got to him of Josi's upcoming trip. Josi decided to join Chummi on his sailing ship in hopes of finding his missing brother, Augustus.
"There you are young lad," welcomed a warm voice from one of the high backed easy chairs. "I was hoping you would make it in time for tea."
"Thank you, my lord. That is kind of you." replied Josi politely. He wanted to play it safe until he knew just what it was that this lord wanted him for.
"I heard you were taking a trip." Lord Tulli waved Josi down into a nearby chair and had his servant poor him some tea.
Josi took the tea up grateful to have something to wet his nervously dry throat. "Yes. My brother went on a trip many years ago and never returned. We believe that his ship had crashed but aren't sure. I'm hoping to find him or find out what happened to him."
"Very good! Such loyalty among brothers is hard to come by anymore. Very good." The tawny older bear took another sip of tea before continuing. "You will be traveling far then?"
"As far as we have to, my lord. Captain Chummi once visited Gummi Glen. He wants to go back and visit. We worked out a deal to search between here and there."
"Sounds like you are looking for a needle in a haystack."
"That I am, but this needle can be rather flamboyant so I'm pretty sure he will be sticking out." Josi grinned at the memory of his older brothers exuberance.
"Would you mind looking for one more person while you are already on your search, lad? My daughter ran away years ago and I haven't heard a word from her." The look of sorry in the lord's eyes tore at Josi's heartstrings.
"I can do what I can, but I'm not positive I'll find anything."
"Understandable. Quite understandable. However, if there is any chance..." Tulli cleared his throat before continuing. "It would mean a great deal to me.
"Young lad, it means so much to me that I'll even pay for your supplies, anything you need, if you help find my little girl." Tulli promised.
Josi reached out and clasped Tulli's hand. "My lord, I would have helped even with out the extra supplies. Now, however, we can do an even more thorough search. I'm sure we will find our family." Josi smiled reassuringly at the Lord Tulli and hoped his was right."
~:~
"Hold still, Shell," absently muttered Gusto. He was working on a marble statue of Shelli but she was having trouble staying still.
"I can't help it," complained Shelli. "I'm getting bored. Entertain me."
Gusto looked at her shocked. "Entertain you?! You are witnessing the greatest artist alive at work. What else do you want?!"
Shelli grinned impishly. "How about a little song and dance?"
"No."
"Yes."
Gusto gave the silly pink bear a stern look. "No."
"Fine," replied Shelli. She then continued to pick up small rocks from off the cave floor of Gusto's studio. When his attention was averted she began tossing them at his feet. When one hit him Gusto would dance away delighting Shelli. She continued to throw them faster but making sure not to hurt him.
"I'm making you dance," she singed.
"That's it! I quit! I can't work like this," exploded Gusto.
"You can't quit, Gusto Gummi! You promised me a masterpiece," yelled the laughing gummi to Gusto departing back.
"I can't make a masterpiece while dancing a jig for you. I give up."
Shelli really didn't want Gusto to quit and get mad so she followed him. Before he could pull the lever on his elevator she tackled him. "I won't let you go without my masterpiece."
"Your masterpiece? Fine. You make one. I'll even supply you the paints."
"Really?" asked Shelli.
"Really. Let me up, I'll get you some paint." Shelli let Gusto get up and watched him walk over to his paint supplies. She loved spending time with the artist. It was so easy to rile him up and usually he is playful back. He just gets too serious when it comes to his artwork.
"Will you be needing red?" he asked.
"Probably."
"I'm almost out. We'll have to get more." Gusto picked up the jar of red paint and walked back over to the elevator. "Aren't you going to get up?" he asked the pink gummi laying on the ground.
"Nope. You told me to stay still."
"Well, we're moving now!" Gusto pulled the rope releasing the elevator. The sudden drop made Shelli shriek and grab Gusto's legs. To keep from falling Gusto grabbed the side of the elevator and let go of the paint jar. By the time they reached the bottom both gummies were splattered with red paint and laughing hysterically.
~:~
"I'm sorry we haven't been able to find anything, yet, Josi." Chummi was disappointed that their trip so far had been a failure. They had been traveling by airship for months and there was no sign of the missing gummies.
Josi leaned against the rail looking down on the ground far below them. "I understand, Chummers. I can't say I'm not disappointed...but I kinda expected it."
"At least you'll get a break from traveling. In a couple more weeks we should be at Gummi Glen," assured Chummi.
"Land! Glorious land! Oh, how I miss you!" yelled the younger pink gummi to the ground below.
Chummi just laughed at the pink bear. "Catching some cabin fever, eh?"
"Let's just say I plan to grow roots once we land," replied the smiling Josi. Once again looking wistfully down to the ground below Josi spied color moving through the forest. He borrowed Chummi's spyglass and was startled at what he saw. "Gummies below!" he shouted.
"Can't be," replied Chummi. "It's too soon. We aren't even close to the Glen.
"Close or not, buddy bear, there are bears down there. What do you say we take a side trip and say hello?"
Chummi could think of no reason not to. "Take her down," he shouted to his crew.