MERRY CHOTTER AND THE DRUM MAJOR'S STONE
By Cassie the Crazy Band Child
Rating: PG
Chapter Five
Summary: The moment we've all been waiting for. Merry gets carted off to the magical, musical school of Smog-Hurts.
Disclaimer: The usual. I own nothing except for the pretty white marching shoes I just polished randomly the other day. Even my horn belongs to the school district.
CHAPTER FIVE
Finally, Merry shook off her feelings of anxiety and asked in a quivering voice, "Who are you?"
The silhouette entered the room. It belonged to a man who was on the tall side of tall and could certainly get some help from Jenny Craig. He was dressed in torn clothes that may once have been nice and, when he finally spoke, his voice was deep and rumbled. "My name is Haggis-face."
Merry contemplated that for a second and decided that the name didn't fit. The man's face was the only semi-attractive part of him. He continued, slowly. "I've come to get you. I was sent by Smog-Hurts."
Confusion rippled across Merry's face. "Smo-WHAT?" she couldn't help but ask in a rather incredulous tone.
"Smog-Hurts," Haggis-face repeated simply. "Y'know? Magically enchanted school? Located in the middle of nowhere? Music? Magic? The greatest conductor in the world, Albus Stumblemore?" When Merry's face didn't show any signs of understanding, he sighed deeply. "Oh, come on. Don't tell me they," he motioned to the slumbering Ürsleys, "didn't tell you about SMOG- HURTS!"
Merry nodded shyly. "Is that a bad thing?"
"For you it is. Where did you think your parents learned it all? At the bloody HIGH SCHOOL?" Haggis-face's voice was getting louder and louder.
At that, Uncle Harnon, Aunt Melunia, and cousin Adley all awoke with a start. "Who are you?" Adley asked incredulously.
"Don't take her!" Aunt Melunia cried. "I don't want my sister's child poisoned like she was."
"Aw, let the kid go," Uncle Harnon argued. "She's nothing but trouble, anyway."
Merry wasn't sure which adult to side with; Melunia was showing a bit of compassion, but Harnon was giving her freedom.
"Your parents, Merry," Haggis-face reminded her, "were some of Smog-Hurts' greatest students. They excelled in both music and magic. If they hadn't been killed by~"
He was interrupted by the preteen on the floor. "They were KILLED? Uncle Harnon and Aunt Melunia told me they were in a car collision with a milk truck!"
Haggis-face laughed mockingly. "A car crash? A car crash kill Jillie and Thames Chotter? Well, they were lactose intolerant." He started to chuckle.
"HAGGIS-FACE!" Merry yelled angrily. "These are my parents you're talking about! And you said Thames, like it rhymes with James. Don't you mean Thames, rhymes with Gems, like the river?"
"Nope," Haggis-face assured her. "It's Thames, like James. Your dad was just weird like that."
"Uh, okay," Merry replied. "So my parents went to this Smog-Hurts school thing and then they got killed? And you're thinking I WANT to follow in their footsteps?"
"Relax, relax. Smog-Hurts has a very low death rate, mainly because no Buggles know where we are. You'll be safe there, especially with Stumblemore in charge. Besides, would you rather stay with THEM?"
"Too true," Merry replied. "But what, exactly, are Buggles?"
Haggis-face sighed again. "You really don't know anything, do you? Buggles are tone-deaf, unmagical folk. Now we really must get to Try-again Alley if you're going to make it to Smog-Hurts."
"I don't have any money to buy school supplies," Merry whined.
Haggis-face gave his third, heaving sigh. "Child! You have rich, dead parents. You think they left you NOTHING?"
"Right," Merry replied. "Let's go, then. Bye, Aunt Melunia. Bye, Uncle Harnon. Bye, Adley!"
"Oh, yeah, I brought you a birthday present, too. From the gang at Smog- Hurts," Haggis-face remembered. He handed Merry a long, thin box that looked like it came from the jewelry store.
She opened it slowly; after all, it was her first real birthday present. Inside was a silver necklace with a charm dangling off. The shape of the charm was unfamiliar though, so Merry had to ask one last question. "What on earth is that charm supposed to be?"
Haggis-face sighed a sigh that made his other sighs invisible. "It's a MUSIC NOTE. I can tell you've got a lot to learn."
With that, the pair left the old hotel room.
A/N: Okay, they're on their way. No reviews to thank. That's it! Sorry it's so short. the next one will be longer. I promise!
By Cassie the Crazy Band Child
Rating: PG
Chapter Five
Summary: The moment we've all been waiting for. Merry gets carted off to the magical, musical school of Smog-Hurts.
Disclaimer: The usual. I own nothing except for the pretty white marching shoes I just polished randomly the other day. Even my horn belongs to the school district.
CHAPTER FIVE
Finally, Merry shook off her feelings of anxiety and asked in a quivering voice, "Who are you?"
The silhouette entered the room. It belonged to a man who was on the tall side of tall and could certainly get some help from Jenny Craig. He was dressed in torn clothes that may once have been nice and, when he finally spoke, his voice was deep and rumbled. "My name is Haggis-face."
Merry contemplated that for a second and decided that the name didn't fit. The man's face was the only semi-attractive part of him. He continued, slowly. "I've come to get you. I was sent by Smog-Hurts."
Confusion rippled across Merry's face. "Smo-WHAT?" she couldn't help but ask in a rather incredulous tone.
"Smog-Hurts," Haggis-face repeated simply. "Y'know? Magically enchanted school? Located in the middle of nowhere? Music? Magic? The greatest conductor in the world, Albus Stumblemore?" When Merry's face didn't show any signs of understanding, he sighed deeply. "Oh, come on. Don't tell me they," he motioned to the slumbering Ürsleys, "didn't tell you about SMOG- HURTS!"
Merry nodded shyly. "Is that a bad thing?"
"For you it is. Where did you think your parents learned it all? At the bloody HIGH SCHOOL?" Haggis-face's voice was getting louder and louder.
At that, Uncle Harnon, Aunt Melunia, and cousin Adley all awoke with a start. "Who are you?" Adley asked incredulously.
"Don't take her!" Aunt Melunia cried. "I don't want my sister's child poisoned like she was."
"Aw, let the kid go," Uncle Harnon argued. "She's nothing but trouble, anyway."
Merry wasn't sure which adult to side with; Melunia was showing a bit of compassion, but Harnon was giving her freedom.
"Your parents, Merry," Haggis-face reminded her, "were some of Smog-Hurts' greatest students. They excelled in both music and magic. If they hadn't been killed by~"
He was interrupted by the preteen on the floor. "They were KILLED? Uncle Harnon and Aunt Melunia told me they were in a car collision with a milk truck!"
Haggis-face laughed mockingly. "A car crash? A car crash kill Jillie and Thames Chotter? Well, they were lactose intolerant." He started to chuckle.
"HAGGIS-FACE!" Merry yelled angrily. "These are my parents you're talking about! And you said Thames, like it rhymes with James. Don't you mean Thames, rhymes with Gems, like the river?"
"Nope," Haggis-face assured her. "It's Thames, like James. Your dad was just weird like that."
"Uh, okay," Merry replied. "So my parents went to this Smog-Hurts school thing and then they got killed? And you're thinking I WANT to follow in their footsteps?"
"Relax, relax. Smog-Hurts has a very low death rate, mainly because no Buggles know where we are. You'll be safe there, especially with Stumblemore in charge. Besides, would you rather stay with THEM?"
"Too true," Merry replied. "But what, exactly, are Buggles?"
Haggis-face sighed again. "You really don't know anything, do you? Buggles are tone-deaf, unmagical folk. Now we really must get to Try-again Alley if you're going to make it to Smog-Hurts."
"I don't have any money to buy school supplies," Merry whined.
Haggis-face gave his third, heaving sigh. "Child! You have rich, dead parents. You think they left you NOTHING?"
"Right," Merry replied. "Let's go, then. Bye, Aunt Melunia. Bye, Uncle Harnon. Bye, Adley!"
"Oh, yeah, I brought you a birthday present, too. From the gang at Smog- Hurts," Haggis-face remembered. He handed Merry a long, thin box that looked like it came from the jewelry store.
She opened it slowly; after all, it was her first real birthday present. Inside was a silver necklace with a charm dangling off. The shape of the charm was unfamiliar though, so Merry had to ask one last question. "What on earth is that charm supposed to be?"
Haggis-face sighed a sigh that made his other sighs invisible. "It's a MUSIC NOTE. I can tell you've got a lot to learn."
With that, the pair left the old hotel room.
A/N: Okay, they're on their way. No reviews to thank. That's it! Sorry it's so short. the next one will be longer. I promise!