Ack—it was TWO WHOLE MONTHS ago that I last updated. Yes. Go ahead. If any of you are still reading this(Abumblebee, this means you) I give you permission to give me a swift kick in the behind. Well, I'm sorry. I was of the belief that the summer months would be more relaxed and I could steadily write the stuff I had not finished. Mainly, this. Well, the actuality of the situation is that I'm busier now than I was in the winter. Sorry for the shortness. If Abumblebee does actually kick me, I might remember better to update more often.

LotRseer3350—Gaah, I don't even know if you're still reading this. Don't blame you if you aren't. I probably wouldn't. If you are, well, this is my random scene. Haha. Chaos reigns…

Abumblebee/jessbaum—a. Yes, he should have tried on the hat. This I will admit. We can pretend. b. Thank you very much. That particular one has been stewing in the back off my head forever. It felt good to give it fresh air. And yes, if you're reading this, there is more. I should hope so. And so, here we go….

Shop Talk

            Huck once again found himself hopelessly lost aboard the Nautilus. They really needed to give guests a map.

            He had started out looking for the 'automobile' that Skinner had told him about. It sounded very interesting, and a very valuable asset as well. Finally, when Huck had bumped into Ishmael, he asked for directions to where the automobile could be found.

            Instantly Ishmael's eyes lit up. "So you want to learn about the automobile, Mr. Finn? Well, I'd be happy to show you. Helped the captain build it myself." Clearly, he was very proud of this creation.

            They made their way to a garage directly across from the main gangplank. In reverence, they slowly walked around it, Ishmael detailing its stats. "90 miles an hour!" Huck said. "We don't have anything back home that can even compare to this."

            Ishmael was nearly bouncing with excitement at Huck's enthusiasm. "That's right; she's a one of a kind. The idea for her was mine, but the captain was the one who figured out how to make her a reality."

            "Does she have a name?" Huck asked. Ishmael gave him a blank look. "You know, like steamboats have names. Like the Nautilus. Does she have a name?"

            Ishmael scratched his head and crouched checking the tires. "Well I never really thought about it. I suppose she doesn't have a name. Have one in mind?"

            "Yeah. Hermes." Huck was referring to the Greek messenger god, the fastest of the gods.

            "Hermes? Where did you pick up that one in America?" Ishmael asked.

            Huck smiled. "Not all Americans are the stereotyped uneducated. Some of them are. I'm one of them." He smiled. "But my best friend growing up loved anything that had anything to do with adventure. He tried to educate me as much as he could. What do you think of the name?"

            Ishmael looked at his beloved automobile. "Hermes," he said. He smiled. "I think she'll live up to the name well." He opened the passenger side door. "Want to try doing it yourself?"

            Huck stared for a moment. "You mean, I could drive her? Nemo wouldn't have a hissy fit that I was touching his technology and you wouldn't be worried that I might breathe on your car wrong?"

            "Yep. You wanna?"

            Huck's face split in a wide smile. "Yeah!" and he got in the driver's seat, very eager to begin.

            Until he realized he didn't know how to turn it on. "Um… a little help here, Ishmael?" The older man laughed and began explaining the principles of the car to his attentive student.

            Eventually, Huck got the car turned on and was slowly driving around the garage. He was dangerously close to hitting the walls several times, and at these intervals Ishmael made it very clear that the correct course of action would be to stop. Right in Huck's ear.

            When they were finished, Ishmael closed the door to the garage and gave Huck very clear directions back to his quarters.

            "Thanks for letting me see this, Ishmael. I don't think you know how lucky you are, getting opportunities like this every day."

            Ishmael smiled and straightened. "Aye, I know I'm very lucky to be serving with Captain Nemo, with my being British. After this is all over, why don't you and the others stay on? I'm sure the captain would be pleased to have guests, and I could put in a good word for you."

            "I would very much like that. Out here, on the sea, it's much more open, and no society is trying to make you act proper and things. I could get used to it."

            "Well, try not to get lost on your way back, Mr. Finn. Good evening," Ishmael said as he walked away. Huck was feeling much more welcomed and very happy as he forgot the directions to his room and meandered his way back to anything recognizable.