AN: Yep, second chapter up. This part, though boring, actually gets the story into swing of things (and is a bit more lighthearted); you may not think it does, but it does. And it's finally got Treasure Planet in it! YAY! cough Yeah, so anyways, here's chapter two.
DISCLAIMER: TP © Disney, the Twi'lek © Lucas Films
Skin of Gold
Chapter 2: Just Arrived
The thing about Pluto's teleporter was that it never dropped you in the same place twice- the location was totally random. And when Constance was teleported into Montressor, she knew she didn't have a choice on where she wanted to be teleported. But it was quite a shock when she landed smack dab in the middle of a town. A very, very dirty town. A cloud of dust puffed up when she hit the ground, causing many around her to cough and glare. She muttered an apology and trailed off with an excuse, not that they paid her any mind after the first few seconds, though. Her army bag and cotton purse were situated on her shoulder once more and she began to take in her surroundings; she looked up and stood in shock- Montressor had a SUN! This was by far the greatest spectacle she had ever witnessed. "My LADY!! It's so beautiful" She cried at the top of her lungs, this time ignoring the folk that threw her angry glares. Constance marveled at the brilliant star for a few more seconds, or at least until her eyes started to burn, and moved on down the main street.
Montressor, to any resident or constant traveler, was the definition of a "small potato", and a dirt-infested one, at that; but to Constance, it was as if the teleporter had taken her away to paradise- the planet was no potato, it was an abnormally huge pumpkin. She stood in front of every window, and looked in, stood at every street crossing, and followed each carriage with her eyes. "If I was not in hiding", she said to herself, "I would consider purchasing a home here! I wonder if all other planets are as marvelous as this..." She wandered off in thought until she was rudely interrupted by a sign that happened to be in her path, and walked right into it, causing more unwanted attention from passers-by. Rubbing her nose grudgingly, Constance took a quick glance at what it read, and did a double take. "'Ms. Ferquad's Boutique of Small Pets. Real Friends, Real Cheap!'" She quoted happily. The head-clan on Pluto would never allow any other species to inhabit the planet, so she never had an animal to call her own. 'I have already run away, right?' She convinced herself, 'I might as well go all out and buy a pet for myself. What is stopping me?' So the alien skipped casually inside.
Inside was almost too much for the Twi'lek. Cages upon cages of colorful and exotic animals lined the walls, chirping, barking, gurgling, and any other kinds of sounds creatures make. Each had a card taped to the container, identifying its species, life expectancy, and how to care for it. Constance like a child at Christmas time, looking from one cage to another; some were furry, some were scaly, others were a bit of both. Some were bright colors, others were almost invisible to the naked eye; beaks, muzzles, fins, tails, it was all so wonderful to the girl. "I can not possibly choose just one", she groaned, "There are way too many".
"Perhaps I can be of service", a kind voice called from the back counter, causing Constance to jump from surprise. The voice laughed, and a creature that appeared to be an old woman dressed in old-fashioned clothing with the face of a toad came into sight. "Hello, my name is Ms. Ferquad, and I overheard you talking. Maybe I can help make your selection easier", the creature smiled wide- so wide, in fact, that Constance half thought the top of her head might come loose; but she nodded for help, just the same. "Ah, then let us see, shall we? Now, what, uh, qualifications, do you have in mind for your pet?"
The young woman thought hard for a few minutes. "Well, I suppose it would have to be easy to care for, something that won't need much feeding, if any, is extremely portable, simple, cute, and lovable", she concluded, nodding in self assurance. Ms. Ferquad stretched her mouth in thought for a moment, and then replied, "I may have something you're looking for, if you're willing to work on that last trait you mentioned, however". Constance looked on in curiosity as she disappeared into a gap between the cages, rustling around a bit and emerging seconds later with a miniature wire cage that contained something that resembled a lavender ribbon tied in a bow. "Is that what I think it is?" Constance whispered, causing Ms. Ferquad to laugh once again. "I'm no mind-reader, child, but I can surely say you're no where near right", and as she spoke the tie seemingly came to life- it opened its two big black eyes and started to float, anyway. "No one's quite certain what this little critter is, so I just call it the bow-tie. It's been in this store for I don't know how long, and no customer's bought it yet."
As Ms. Ferquad spoke, Constance got increasingly attached to the creature. It had a strange cuteness to it, and she liked it. "How come no one has purchased this delightful thing yet, ma'am?" she inquired, keeping her eyes on it. Ms. Ferquad sighed, "It has a bit of a... problem, I guess that's what you'd call it. People seem to get into trouble as soon as they bring it home; it's always returned within five days."
"Is it really that bad?" Constance asked, and suddenly the bow-tie emitted a response from its now wide open mouth. "Really that bad, really that bad", it mimicked, in the same voice that had originally said it; the Twi'lek let out an 'eek!' and nearly dropped the cage. Ms. Ferquad nodded as if to say 'oh, yeah'. "You don't have to feed it, though; talk is all it needs for nutrition", she said convincingly. Constance studied the bow-tie a bit more, not appalled, but fascinated with its strange talent. She had read a number of books in her life that mentioned these types of cases: to ancient parrots and mocking birds, to morphs that currently inhabited worlds far and wide; a smile spread across her face at the thought of owning something like that. "I will take it", she said, much to the surprise of Ms. Ferquad, "how much?"
"We don't use money in this town, hun, we trade. So, what have you got?" Ms. Ferquad put the cage up on the back counter, looking to Constance expectantly. The youth crossed her brow, and dug into her cotton purse; her hand surfaced holding a bag. "I have ryll, from Pluto. Will that do?" she shrugged. The shop-owner's eyes bulged dramatically at the young alien's words. "Of course, dear! Just a smidgen of that and bow-tie here's all yours"
Constance emerged from the shop minutes later carrying the creature, without the cage. "So, they lady in the store said you could tie yourself to things?" A nod from the bow was the answer. "Well, that certainly is convenient..." she brought a head tail forward and let them rest on each shoulder, then she held them together and placed the tie at the point where they met. Instinctively, its ribbon tails twirled around every which way, forming a smart tie in the center, holding her tentacles together; Constance mouthed a 'wow'. "I must say, you have to be the best thing that I have received since I do not remember when!" she exclaimed.
The sky started to turn shades of brilliant red and gold as the sun slowly crept its way under the desert-like horizon; the hot afternoon had faded away, and twilight had taken its place. Constance walked along the many roads of the town, stopping every now and then to gaze into shops, or count the carriages that drove past, but she was also searching for a place to rest for the night; her bags, though light, were starting to take a toll on her back, and she was looking forward to putting her feet up. "Gee, I can tell Montressor does not like visitors all that much, I have yet to spot any sort of lodging", then she groaned as the last trace of sun disappeared, and the street lamps lit up with a burst of fire; her situation was getting desperate, and she closed her eyes tight in aggravation. Of course, that wasn't a very smart idea when mobile, and Constance soon found herself in ahead-on collision with another pedestrian.
"Oh! Fiddlesticks!" was all she heard as she tumbled backwards into the dust once again, though this time she hadn't landed as hard. 'It is about time my rear was given a break...' but her thoughts were interrupted by the other person, more specifically a dog-like man, clothed in vintage attire, pulling her up and making what she thought to be quite an unnecessary fuss. "I'm terribly sorry, miss. I had NO idea you were in front of me. You poor thing, you're all covered in dust". Constance held up her hands as if to say 'stop', and dismissed his ramblings. "I am alright, honestly, I am", she replied politely, "I should have been paying more attention, anyway".
The dog-person adjusted his spectacles, getting a good view of her, and his face was struck with curiosity. "My, I do believe I've never seen the likes of you before", he said, baffled, "what species are you?" Constance hesitated to answer man's strange question, but decided to just roll with it. "I am Twi'lek; I just arrived here from Pluto. Oh, and my name is Constance, by the way, Constance Faith", she added the last remark as an afterthought.
"Goodness, where were my manners?" the dog-man exclaimed animatedly (Constance thought him to be funny after a while), "Doctor Delbert Doppler, at your service. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Faith. So tell me, why is a young lady like you out here at this time of evening?"
"As a matter of fact, you might be able to help me answer that question. Do you know of any inns close to here? Preferably along this street?" she asked hopefully, but Delbert twisted his face in doubt. "Not around this town, or within walking distance, I'm afraid". Constance let out another groan of frustration. "What am I to DO?" she shouted, to no one in particular, "what am I to do...though I suppose I would not be able to afford lodging for so long, anyway. Oh, why did I not think of this before I left?" she paced to and fro, Delbert watching closely. He gave the girl a sympathetic look, but his dog-like face brightened as he was struck with an idea. "Well, you know, I'd be more than willing to give you shelter for as long as you'd like at my home. It's only about seven miles from here; my buggy is parked just down the lane a little ways. I'm sure my wife won't mind a guest in the household." Constance felt her spirits ignite as the doctor spoke, and as soon as he was done, she his hand all her might (the doctor politely, yet desperately, asked her to desist after the first few seconds), and thanked him kindly. As soon as she regained her composure, Delbert lead her to the carriage, pulled by a big horse-like creature he called Delilah (Constance hesitated at that point whether or not she wanted to ride behind what she thought to be a scary-looking beast. Only after much persuasion from the doctor did she load her bags and herself into the cart), and they started off into the dark, with only a lantern near the front guiding them.
It was considerably late when the cart pulled up in front of a large, but simple, building. Though it was dark out, one could just make out the shape of a large telescope jutting towards the stars. "Here it is, my humble abode", Delbert announced lightheartedly. Constance looked up at the home with her mouth slightly open, "what kind of doctor are you?" she asked. The doctor thought for a moment. "You know, I honestly have no idea; I think it's just a misleading title", he said blankly, "I should really read my job description more carefully...Ah, well, we don't want to catch anything sitting out here, do we? Grab your things, Constance, and let's hurry inside". She did as she was told and stepped up to the entrance. Delbert fussed over selecting the right key to go into the slot, and the Twi'lek watched all the while in amused fascination (partly because she had never seen a key and lock before, but mostly because she found her new friend so comical to observe). After a period of much toil, the door finally opened, and the two stepped into the living room, that was cluttered with many a book and artifact; but aside from that, was a warm, richly furnished home.
"Delbert?" a voice sounded from the top of the stairs; Constance was immediately fond of its strange accent. "Yes, it's me" Delbert hollered back in response, "come down, there's someone I'd like you to meet!"
In one graceful leap, the outline of a slender person landed on the ground floor, much to the amazement of Constance. 'This planet grows more interesting by the minute', she thought to herself. The figure approached them, and was now seen to be some sort of a cat humanoid; she wore a tidy house dress, and stood tall and proudly. But her feline-like features showed distinctive signs of fatigue. "You look exhausted; were the children keeping you awake?" Delbert inquired. "No, no, of course not. The sounds that were made because of them were", the cat-woman smiled, and her ears perked as her eyes traveled to Constance. "And who is this?" she motioned to the girl.
"Oh, yes; it almost slipped my mind", Delbert blurted, and turned to Constance, "Constance, this is my wife Amelia. Amelia, this is Constance Faith. She just arrived from the Milky Way Galaxy, and fell into a bit of a jam lodging-wise, so I've offered for her to stay with us for as long as need be." Amelia's happy facade dropped as soon as her husband finished, and her face twisted into slightly annoyed shock. "Delbert, darling, may I see you in the drawing room?" she spoke through a tight smile, "we'll just be a tick, Constance". The two stepped into another room to the side of the main one, and Amelia shut the door. But Constance was too intrigued at that point, and crept to the door quietly, placing an ear-knob to the keyhole to hear the conversation.
"Have you gone stark-raving mad, Delbert?"
"I'm perfectly sane, thank you. She's only resting here as long as she needs to"
"And how long do you think that will be? We don't even know the girl, and you're just letting her live here for as long as she pleases."
"Well, she seems perfectly friendly to me..."
"You know as well as I do that we can't take care of another in this household for free, we already have the four children. If Constance is to stay here, she'll have to earn her keep."
"How?"
"We'll put her to work at the Benbow Inn, of course. Sarah could use an extra hand; only, the girl will be paid in meals, instead of money."
"So she can stay here? For sleep and leisure, anyway?"
"I suppose the answer is yes."
"Perfect."
The door opened swiftly, catching Constance, who had been leaning against it, completely by surprise. She fell to the floor, but quickly picked her self up and stood before Amelia and Delbert awkwardly. "Well, seeing as how you've heard the chat," Amelia stated matter-of- factly, "there's no good sense in re-telling it. You start your new job in the morning, Miss Faith". There was a pause as the information was soaked in, then Constance gave a girlish squeal and lunged herself at Amelia to hug her, spilling out one 'thank-you' after another. Amelia's face turned from initial disgust to a warm smile, and she patted the girl on the back with much difficulty.
All three of them spent the next few hours chatting, mostly about Constance. She told them everything about herself except for the problems with her grandmother and the pirate that hunted her (though she debated on telling them of the last subject inwardly). Constance asked a lot about their world; however, she stuck mostly to questions pertaining to their lifestyle, and was simply captivated by just those answers. But the other two were most fascinated, especially the doctor, with the living bow- tie attached to her head-tails. Delbert cried in childish wonder each time the creature mocked him, as if each time it was the first time he had heard it. "I've never seen a creature quite like this", he studied it closely, "I'll have to add it to one of my books, some time soon. Now, I think it's time we get some shut-eye, especially you, Miss Faith. You've got a big day ahead of you." Constance silently agreed with him, yawning wide; she hadn't noticed until now how tired she was.
Some minutes later, Constance was led to her room, in which a very long 'oo' was escaped her mouth. It was a moderately sized, plain, and it had a quaint charm to it. The bed was large and inviting, and the other pieces of furniture, though few in number, would suit her needs perfectly- a hundred times over compared to her previous room she had shared with Nero. She said her polite 'goodnights' to the Dopplers and was left to herself, where she quickly stripped down into just her long blue shirt, tied her pet to a bed-post, rinsed her face in the tub of water that was provided for her, and jumped onto her bed. And at one point whilst in midair, she had fallen asleep, and all her aches, pains, and woes were soon whisked away.
AN: Awww, such a nice ending to a chapter, wouldn't ya think? Yeah, in the middle of typing this, I forgot what Delbert's house looked like, so I winged it; sorry if it's inaccurate. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed that (don't worry fan girls, I'll introduce Jim in the next chapter). Nothing much happened here, but that bow-tie character I added will be a pretty important part once the story gets going. That's all I really have to say for now...
DISCLAIMER: TP © Disney, the Twi'lek © Lucas Films
Skin of Gold
Chapter 2: Just Arrived
The thing about Pluto's teleporter was that it never dropped you in the same place twice- the location was totally random. And when Constance was teleported into Montressor, she knew she didn't have a choice on where she wanted to be teleported. But it was quite a shock when she landed smack dab in the middle of a town. A very, very dirty town. A cloud of dust puffed up when she hit the ground, causing many around her to cough and glare. She muttered an apology and trailed off with an excuse, not that they paid her any mind after the first few seconds, though. Her army bag and cotton purse were situated on her shoulder once more and she began to take in her surroundings; she looked up and stood in shock- Montressor had a SUN! This was by far the greatest spectacle she had ever witnessed. "My LADY!! It's so beautiful" She cried at the top of her lungs, this time ignoring the folk that threw her angry glares. Constance marveled at the brilliant star for a few more seconds, or at least until her eyes started to burn, and moved on down the main street.
Montressor, to any resident or constant traveler, was the definition of a "small potato", and a dirt-infested one, at that; but to Constance, it was as if the teleporter had taken her away to paradise- the planet was no potato, it was an abnormally huge pumpkin. She stood in front of every window, and looked in, stood at every street crossing, and followed each carriage with her eyes. "If I was not in hiding", she said to herself, "I would consider purchasing a home here! I wonder if all other planets are as marvelous as this..." She wandered off in thought until she was rudely interrupted by a sign that happened to be in her path, and walked right into it, causing more unwanted attention from passers-by. Rubbing her nose grudgingly, Constance took a quick glance at what it read, and did a double take. "'Ms. Ferquad's Boutique of Small Pets. Real Friends, Real Cheap!'" She quoted happily. The head-clan on Pluto would never allow any other species to inhabit the planet, so she never had an animal to call her own. 'I have already run away, right?' She convinced herself, 'I might as well go all out and buy a pet for myself. What is stopping me?' So the alien skipped casually inside.
Inside was almost too much for the Twi'lek. Cages upon cages of colorful and exotic animals lined the walls, chirping, barking, gurgling, and any other kinds of sounds creatures make. Each had a card taped to the container, identifying its species, life expectancy, and how to care for it. Constance like a child at Christmas time, looking from one cage to another; some were furry, some were scaly, others were a bit of both. Some were bright colors, others were almost invisible to the naked eye; beaks, muzzles, fins, tails, it was all so wonderful to the girl. "I can not possibly choose just one", she groaned, "There are way too many".
"Perhaps I can be of service", a kind voice called from the back counter, causing Constance to jump from surprise. The voice laughed, and a creature that appeared to be an old woman dressed in old-fashioned clothing with the face of a toad came into sight. "Hello, my name is Ms. Ferquad, and I overheard you talking. Maybe I can help make your selection easier", the creature smiled wide- so wide, in fact, that Constance half thought the top of her head might come loose; but she nodded for help, just the same. "Ah, then let us see, shall we? Now, what, uh, qualifications, do you have in mind for your pet?"
The young woman thought hard for a few minutes. "Well, I suppose it would have to be easy to care for, something that won't need much feeding, if any, is extremely portable, simple, cute, and lovable", she concluded, nodding in self assurance. Ms. Ferquad stretched her mouth in thought for a moment, and then replied, "I may have something you're looking for, if you're willing to work on that last trait you mentioned, however". Constance looked on in curiosity as she disappeared into a gap between the cages, rustling around a bit and emerging seconds later with a miniature wire cage that contained something that resembled a lavender ribbon tied in a bow. "Is that what I think it is?" Constance whispered, causing Ms. Ferquad to laugh once again. "I'm no mind-reader, child, but I can surely say you're no where near right", and as she spoke the tie seemingly came to life- it opened its two big black eyes and started to float, anyway. "No one's quite certain what this little critter is, so I just call it the bow-tie. It's been in this store for I don't know how long, and no customer's bought it yet."
As Ms. Ferquad spoke, Constance got increasingly attached to the creature. It had a strange cuteness to it, and she liked it. "How come no one has purchased this delightful thing yet, ma'am?" she inquired, keeping her eyes on it. Ms. Ferquad sighed, "It has a bit of a... problem, I guess that's what you'd call it. People seem to get into trouble as soon as they bring it home; it's always returned within five days."
"Is it really that bad?" Constance asked, and suddenly the bow-tie emitted a response from its now wide open mouth. "Really that bad, really that bad", it mimicked, in the same voice that had originally said it; the Twi'lek let out an 'eek!' and nearly dropped the cage. Ms. Ferquad nodded as if to say 'oh, yeah'. "You don't have to feed it, though; talk is all it needs for nutrition", she said convincingly. Constance studied the bow-tie a bit more, not appalled, but fascinated with its strange talent. She had read a number of books in her life that mentioned these types of cases: to ancient parrots and mocking birds, to morphs that currently inhabited worlds far and wide; a smile spread across her face at the thought of owning something like that. "I will take it", she said, much to the surprise of Ms. Ferquad, "how much?"
"We don't use money in this town, hun, we trade. So, what have you got?" Ms. Ferquad put the cage up on the back counter, looking to Constance expectantly. The youth crossed her brow, and dug into her cotton purse; her hand surfaced holding a bag. "I have ryll, from Pluto. Will that do?" she shrugged. The shop-owner's eyes bulged dramatically at the young alien's words. "Of course, dear! Just a smidgen of that and bow-tie here's all yours"
Constance emerged from the shop minutes later carrying the creature, without the cage. "So, they lady in the store said you could tie yourself to things?" A nod from the bow was the answer. "Well, that certainly is convenient..." she brought a head tail forward and let them rest on each shoulder, then she held them together and placed the tie at the point where they met. Instinctively, its ribbon tails twirled around every which way, forming a smart tie in the center, holding her tentacles together; Constance mouthed a 'wow'. "I must say, you have to be the best thing that I have received since I do not remember when!" she exclaimed.
The sky started to turn shades of brilliant red and gold as the sun slowly crept its way under the desert-like horizon; the hot afternoon had faded away, and twilight had taken its place. Constance walked along the many roads of the town, stopping every now and then to gaze into shops, or count the carriages that drove past, but she was also searching for a place to rest for the night; her bags, though light, were starting to take a toll on her back, and she was looking forward to putting her feet up. "Gee, I can tell Montressor does not like visitors all that much, I have yet to spot any sort of lodging", then she groaned as the last trace of sun disappeared, and the street lamps lit up with a burst of fire; her situation was getting desperate, and she closed her eyes tight in aggravation. Of course, that wasn't a very smart idea when mobile, and Constance soon found herself in ahead-on collision with another pedestrian.
"Oh! Fiddlesticks!" was all she heard as she tumbled backwards into the dust once again, though this time she hadn't landed as hard. 'It is about time my rear was given a break...' but her thoughts were interrupted by the other person, more specifically a dog-like man, clothed in vintage attire, pulling her up and making what she thought to be quite an unnecessary fuss. "I'm terribly sorry, miss. I had NO idea you were in front of me. You poor thing, you're all covered in dust". Constance held up her hands as if to say 'stop', and dismissed his ramblings. "I am alright, honestly, I am", she replied politely, "I should have been paying more attention, anyway".
The dog-person adjusted his spectacles, getting a good view of her, and his face was struck with curiosity. "My, I do believe I've never seen the likes of you before", he said, baffled, "what species are you?" Constance hesitated to answer man's strange question, but decided to just roll with it. "I am Twi'lek; I just arrived here from Pluto. Oh, and my name is Constance, by the way, Constance Faith", she added the last remark as an afterthought.
"Goodness, where were my manners?" the dog-man exclaimed animatedly (Constance thought him to be funny after a while), "Doctor Delbert Doppler, at your service. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Faith. So tell me, why is a young lady like you out here at this time of evening?"
"As a matter of fact, you might be able to help me answer that question. Do you know of any inns close to here? Preferably along this street?" she asked hopefully, but Delbert twisted his face in doubt. "Not around this town, or within walking distance, I'm afraid". Constance let out another groan of frustration. "What am I to DO?" she shouted, to no one in particular, "what am I to do...though I suppose I would not be able to afford lodging for so long, anyway. Oh, why did I not think of this before I left?" she paced to and fro, Delbert watching closely. He gave the girl a sympathetic look, but his dog-like face brightened as he was struck with an idea. "Well, you know, I'd be more than willing to give you shelter for as long as you'd like at my home. It's only about seven miles from here; my buggy is parked just down the lane a little ways. I'm sure my wife won't mind a guest in the household." Constance felt her spirits ignite as the doctor spoke, and as soon as he was done, she his hand all her might (the doctor politely, yet desperately, asked her to desist after the first few seconds), and thanked him kindly. As soon as she regained her composure, Delbert lead her to the carriage, pulled by a big horse-like creature he called Delilah (Constance hesitated at that point whether or not she wanted to ride behind what she thought to be a scary-looking beast. Only after much persuasion from the doctor did she load her bags and herself into the cart), and they started off into the dark, with only a lantern near the front guiding them.
It was considerably late when the cart pulled up in front of a large, but simple, building. Though it was dark out, one could just make out the shape of a large telescope jutting towards the stars. "Here it is, my humble abode", Delbert announced lightheartedly. Constance looked up at the home with her mouth slightly open, "what kind of doctor are you?" she asked. The doctor thought for a moment. "You know, I honestly have no idea; I think it's just a misleading title", he said blankly, "I should really read my job description more carefully...Ah, well, we don't want to catch anything sitting out here, do we? Grab your things, Constance, and let's hurry inside". She did as she was told and stepped up to the entrance. Delbert fussed over selecting the right key to go into the slot, and the Twi'lek watched all the while in amused fascination (partly because she had never seen a key and lock before, but mostly because she found her new friend so comical to observe). After a period of much toil, the door finally opened, and the two stepped into the living room, that was cluttered with many a book and artifact; but aside from that, was a warm, richly furnished home.
"Delbert?" a voice sounded from the top of the stairs; Constance was immediately fond of its strange accent. "Yes, it's me" Delbert hollered back in response, "come down, there's someone I'd like you to meet!"
In one graceful leap, the outline of a slender person landed on the ground floor, much to the amazement of Constance. 'This planet grows more interesting by the minute', she thought to herself. The figure approached them, and was now seen to be some sort of a cat humanoid; she wore a tidy house dress, and stood tall and proudly. But her feline-like features showed distinctive signs of fatigue. "You look exhausted; were the children keeping you awake?" Delbert inquired. "No, no, of course not. The sounds that were made because of them were", the cat-woman smiled, and her ears perked as her eyes traveled to Constance. "And who is this?" she motioned to the girl.
"Oh, yes; it almost slipped my mind", Delbert blurted, and turned to Constance, "Constance, this is my wife Amelia. Amelia, this is Constance Faith. She just arrived from the Milky Way Galaxy, and fell into a bit of a jam lodging-wise, so I've offered for her to stay with us for as long as need be." Amelia's happy facade dropped as soon as her husband finished, and her face twisted into slightly annoyed shock. "Delbert, darling, may I see you in the drawing room?" she spoke through a tight smile, "we'll just be a tick, Constance". The two stepped into another room to the side of the main one, and Amelia shut the door. But Constance was too intrigued at that point, and crept to the door quietly, placing an ear-knob to the keyhole to hear the conversation.
"Have you gone stark-raving mad, Delbert?"
"I'm perfectly sane, thank you. She's only resting here as long as she needs to"
"And how long do you think that will be? We don't even know the girl, and you're just letting her live here for as long as she pleases."
"Well, she seems perfectly friendly to me..."
"You know as well as I do that we can't take care of another in this household for free, we already have the four children. If Constance is to stay here, she'll have to earn her keep."
"How?"
"We'll put her to work at the Benbow Inn, of course. Sarah could use an extra hand; only, the girl will be paid in meals, instead of money."
"So she can stay here? For sleep and leisure, anyway?"
"I suppose the answer is yes."
"Perfect."
The door opened swiftly, catching Constance, who had been leaning against it, completely by surprise. She fell to the floor, but quickly picked her self up and stood before Amelia and Delbert awkwardly. "Well, seeing as how you've heard the chat," Amelia stated matter-of- factly, "there's no good sense in re-telling it. You start your new job in the morning, Miss Faith". There was a pause as the information was soaked in, then Constance gave a girlish squeal and lunged herself at Amelia to hug her, spilling out one 'thank-you' after another. Amelia's face turned from initial disgust to a warm smile, and she patted the girl on the back with much difficulty.
All three of them spent the next few hours chatting, mostly about Constance. She told them everything about herself except for the problems with her grandmother and the pirate that hunted her (though she debated on telling them of the last subject inwardly). Constance asked a lot about their world; however, she stuck mostly to questions pertaining to their lifestyle, and was simply captivated by just those answers. But the other two were most fascinated, especially the doctor, with the living bow- tie attached to her head-tails. Delbert cried in childish wonder each time the creature mocked him, as if each time it was the first time he had heard it. "I've never seen a creature quite like this", he studied it closely, "I'll have to add it to one of my books, some time soon. Now, I think it's time we get some shut-eye, especially you, Miss Faith. You've got a big day ahead of you." Constance silently agreed with him, yawning wide; she hadn't noticed until now how tired she was.
Some minutes later, Constance was led to her room, in which a very long 'oo' was escaped her mouth. It was a moderately sized, plain, and it had a quaint charm to it. The bed was large and inviting, and the other pieces of furniture, though few in number, would suit her needs perfectly- a hundred times over compared to her previous room she had shared with Nero. She said her polite 'goodnights' to the Dopplers and was left to herself, where she quickly stripped down into just her long blue shirt, tied her pet to a bed-post, rinsed her face in the tub of water that was provided for her, and jumped onto her bed. And at one point whilst in midair, she had fallen asleep, and all her aches, pains, and woes were soon whisked away.
AN: Awww, such a nice ending to a chapter, wouldn't ya think? Yeah, in the middle of typing this, I forgot what Delbert's house looked like, so I winged it; sorry if it's inaccurate. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed that (don't worry fan girls, I'll introduce Jim in the next chapter). Nothing much happened here, but that bow-tie character I added will be a pretty important part once the story gets going. That's all I really have to say for now...