One month later, I was back at Audubon, reading one of the books* I got from Foster City School's biannual book fair two days ago inside the break room when who should come in there...but Anneliese, who called. "Nathan!"

I jumped back on my seat upon seeing her.

"Ooh, Your Highness!"

Anneliese stifled a chuckle when she saw my book on my head, from which I removed said book while chuckling nervously, then asked. "How did you know I was..."

"Your mother said I would find you in here." Anneliese explained as she sat across the table. "Also, you don't have to be so formal. It's just me."

"I know," I said while sitting up straight. "But because you're a royal and everything..."

Following my little chuckle, I cleared my throat, then changed the subject, asking. "So, how are things now that you have the Golden Asteroids?"

"Oh, much better, thanks to you." replied Anneliese. "And at Bowditch?"

"Well, from what I've seen," I said. "Erika seemed happy being Miss Mustante's aide in Drama class."

"I know." said Anneliese. "She told me about the horrible treatment she's been getting from Madame Carp. So now, it's safe to say that she won't be doing business with anyone anytime soon. And the cows?"

"Oh, they started a little detective business soon after the first case." I explained. "And who knows what the next one will be?"


At Bowditch, Maggie, Mrs. Caloway and Grace stood behind their stand, inside the Patch of Heaven Petting Zoo, when Nazz came up to them, saying. "I've been looking for this book all month long. It was blue, and there was a picture of this detective guy in the front, with gold all around it."

Maggie's eyes widen, realizing Nazz was referring to the Sherlock Holmes, and that it belonged to her.

She held it up with her tail, chuckling nervously.

"Wow, that was fast." Nazz said as she took the book. "Thanks, Detective Maggie."

Grace and Mrs. Caloway stared at Maggie, who said. "How was I suppose to know that book was hers?"


"And how about the new hall monitors?" asked Anneliese. "Are they enjoying being part of the patrol?"

"Well, if you know SpongeBob and Patrick as much as I have," I said. "They're loving every second of it."


"Dabba-dabba-dee! Tu-tu-tu-tu! Dabba-dabba-dee! Treet-tit-tu!" SpongeBob and Patrick scatted while patrolling around Bowditch.


"Buck, too?" asked Anneliese.

"Oh, yeah. Of course." I replied.


"Whasa!" Buck exclaimed while demonstrating his karate skills to the piggies, who copied him, crying out. "Hi-ya! Ho-ha!"


"Mmm, perhaps a little too well." I said, now that I thought about Buck in the HMP.

"Well, it's good to know that everyone found what they were looking for." said Anneliese, whom I turned away from while saying. "Yeah, they sure did."

Anneliese sensed what I was thinking about, then asked. "You still feel sick?"

"Hmm, sort of…especially around this time of year," I said. "When all of Foster City School would gather around for the Halloween Costume Parade. That's part of what I miss the most when I was back there."

"Ah." Anneliese said understandingly, then asked. "But if there's no parade at Bowditch, what do you do to celebrate Halloween?"

"From what I've learned last year," I explained. "We had ourselves a little potluck."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, it wasn't the same as the Costume Parade." I said. "But we did have a...potluckin' good time!"

As we both shared a laugh, Anneliese felt an idea growing inside her head.


Author's Note:

*Coincidentally, one of the books I got from the book fair at Foster City School was a panorama sticker book of..."Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper."