Ari and company found themselves staying in the last two open rooms in Rashelo's little inn. Girls to one, boys to the other. But currently they were all crammed into the one room designated as the guys'. The group waited quite a while before Stan and Rosalyn showed up soaking wet. And Stan being what he was, an evil king, was extremely unhappy about that.

"SLAVE!" he hollered at Ari, "HOW COULD YOU LEAVE MOI, YOUR MASTER? I SHOULD PUNISH YOU FOR SUCH INCOMPETENCE!"

"What's the matter Shadow King Stan. Was Rosalyn more to handle than you can?" Epros said from his seat in the corner of the room.

"No, you stupid floating trannie. Ari is my slave, and slaves stand by there masters no matter what."

"Just give it a rest will ya Stan?" Rosalyn scolded from the door. Ari Stood up from where he was laying on the bed.

"Sorry Stan. Didn't think you'd want me around." he apologized without meaning it. He just hoped it would end the shouting. It was so peaceful those few hours Stan wasn't around. He and Bigbull played a game of go-fish with Linda and a reluctant Epros, as Marlene sipped her tea; watching. Meanwhile Kisling silently wrote down the events of today.

Stan growled slightly and threw himself onto the bed.

"Hey!" Bigbull said indignantly, "Your getting the bed all wet bro!"

"Don't call me bro!" Stan said agitated.

"You don't even sleep, so why mess up their bed!" Rosalyn added, hitting Stan over the head with her parasol.

"Stupid Woman." He grumbled getting up, "I'm going to dry off." With that Stan left for the bathroom.

"Wow, effective," Ari said impressed, "How'd you do that?"

"I'm just as surprised," Rosalyn replied sounding utterly exhausted and greatly relieved.

Ari flopped back on the bed, resuming his previous position. "You know, it feels like forever since I last walked free of that king."

"Happy?" Rosalyn questioned.

"You have no idea." he said.

"I have a pretty good idea…"

"Oh yeah, I forgot. Three years ago…But you weren't stuck with him very long."

"That brings up a good question. Why isn't your shadow pink?"

Ari looked at his shadow. Right, it was still black.

"Good question Rosalyn. I guess I'll have to ask Stan later."

"The earth has made enough of a rotation to result in the so-called setting of our orbital star, the sun, to the …."

"DON! The doc is confusing me!!!" Bigbull whined like a little kid.

"English Kisling," Marlene asked exasperated.

"It's late, I'm turning in." he said plainly.

"See? Was that so hard?" Marlene wondered getting up. Rosalyn and Linda did likewise.

"See you all in the morning!" Linda said cheerily.

They bid the girls goodnight and slid into their sleeping positions. It was Ari's turn to sleep on the floor so he made himself comfortable. He was about to ask the others when they thought Stan would be back, but as if on cue the evil king stepped through the door. His shirt was draped over his arm and he was mumbling some not-so-nice words.

"Darn It!" Stan scolded quietly. He looked around the room. "Oh good, that hero-like thing isn't here anymore." he said contemptuously.

"What happened bro? I thought you went to dry off." Bigbull asked confuzzled. (confused AND puzzled.)

"I had my suit almost completely dried out when that stupid guy who runs this rat hole freaked out and dumped a bucket of water on me to douse the flames." He said draping his clothes on the vanity. "I hope the water ruins this stupid vanity. And when we depart tomorrow the doormats coming too."

Ari couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny slave?" Stan snapped.

"The fact that the inn keeper would dare to throw a bucket of water on the one and only great evil king Stan."

"See! That's the kind of slavely thoughts that should run through your head all the time. I fail to under stand you… And don't you dare try to spout off some scientific drabble old timer." Stan snapped at Kisling who looked like he was going to comment on Stan's statement. Past tense being the key part of that statement.

Ari turned over in his makeshift bed on the floor and closed his eyes. Bigbull and Kisling each got their own bed and Epros slept on the chair in which he was sitting.

"Slave. I'm sleeping in your shadow." he announced before disappearing.

The lights went off, all was quiet, and the group had a good nights sleep.