Chapter Thirty-Seven
“And I thought ways like these were ways only alley cats would use....” the Mai Shashi sighed, sucking in her chest to try and squeeze through a narrow opening in a wall, making sure to keep off of her bad leg.
“Well that’s because Kitty showed me this way, and lots of others too!” Kiri said matter-of-factly.
“Who is this ‘Kitty’ you speak of?” Saubre asked curiously, trying to hold in a giggle when she saw the Mai Shashi was stuck again due to the size of her chest. She had gotten off Lycurgus’ back to squeeze through a narrow space between two walls he couldn’t carry her through.
“Kitty is Kitty, and Kiri is Kitty’s friend,” she almost sang. “Mai is stuck in hole, Mai is stuck in hole, she needs to work out more so her chest won’t get so mushy and fat!”
Lycurgus was shaking madly at the little girl’s comment, the Mai Shashi did not seem as amused, as she was the one doing the sticking.
Saubre could not hold back a yawn, and received a nasty look from the Mai Shashi.
“What is with that expression on your face like you’re in constant ennui?” the Mai Shashi yelled angrily.
“Calm down Mai, there is no need to take your anger out upon others,” Lycurgus sighed. “I wish you weren’t so easily chagrined....” he sighed once more, rubbing his forehead.
“Lycurgoose?” Kiri spoke up quietly. “What is ennui and chargimmed? Are they food? Are they tasty?”
“Oh, sorry Kiri,” Lycurgus muttered. When he was younger he had been very sickly and weak, which was no longer the case. A strange man who went by the name of Mastiff had appeared at his doorstep one day and promised he could cure Lycurgus, which he had done, but before then Lycurgus had had to stay inside and could not participate in athletic activities, so he had spent his time reading and learning.
He had read books on all sorts of things, and having an unusually good memory as well, and with that his knowledge of vocabulary was very good. He sometimes used strange words, but over the years that happened less and less, but occasionally some of those odd words he loved slipped out.
In addition, with Kiri, he had a dilemma. Her vocabulary was worse than that of the average persons’ since she had never visited a school.
“Well Kiri, ennui is when you are bored, you know when you have nothing to do and are tired of it?”
“Kiri knows bored!” she exclaimed. “Kiri does not like being bored!”
“Kiri, please refer to yourself using ‘I’ instead of your name, all right?” Lycurgus asked, deciding to eventually teach this girl proper language.
“Kiri- Aye will try!” Kiri nodded, her little hands balled to fists in determination to please Lycurgus.
“Well, chagrined is another way to say annoyed,” Lycurgus explained.
“Aye know annoyed! Mosquitoes are annoying!” Kiri grinned.
“Exactly,” Lycurgus chuckled.
“Would you mind getting me out of here?” the Mai Shashi ground her teeth together.
“I’m working on it....” Lycurgus muttered. “What’s the problem though?”
“My-“ the Mai Shashi’s face went bright red. She squeezed an arm out and pointed at her chest. “It’s too narrow....” she muttered, surprising them with the absence of her usual sharp tongue.
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Ashes
Mystery / Thriller"Once a being has been named, it has power. Be sure to take care of yours. I'd know how important it is, because I lost mine." Joshua is always fretting over the "what ifs" in life, but never trusts his gut feeling because it's always wrong... at...
