Standing at the obelisk looking down at the burning castle, DanDan's gaze drifts into the middle distance as clarity like a dove descends from the blue wash of the sky, making everything clear. Freedom of thought, self determination and authentic fr...
As scented smoke from the smouldering pine cones twirls between them, and small sparks spiral away like free electrons escaping into the night, their conversation is disturbed by the sound of hoof steps on the rocks above. They both turn sharply to see in the parting mist a horse testing for safety with a cautious glance onto the beach, left and right, then emerging from the pines he makes himself visible to the pair.
Daniel is astonished to see a single glistening horn on the head of the beast and stranger still that the horse, now clearly a unicorn, is pink, in the moonlight it's clear that he is as pink as the icing on a Tic-Toc biscuit, his skin glistening like mother of pearl and a 1950s chrome bumper.
The beast approaches Tiddlepuss, stops and then folds his front legs, lowering his body and head so that the tip of his horn lightly touches the sand at Tiddlepuss's feet.
'Your furry majesty it warms my soul and fills my heart with joy to see you alive, how can I be of service to you.'
'Arise Floyd, my loyal friend, I too am filled with warmth to be in such company, my mission is urgent, and I need both your counsel and assistance.'
Tiddlepuss turns to find Daniel has vanished. Calling out his name, he slowly emerges from behind a rock outcrop further up the beach, hesitant, he returns gradually towards the fire.
'I thought that Unicorns were fabulous imaginary monsters. I never imagined I would see one alive.' says Daniel staring at the creatures beautiful eyes.
'Well, now that we have seen each other,' said the unicorn, 'if you believe in me, I'll believe in you.' His calm and authoritative voice reassuring Daniel as he pivots his understanding of what is real and what is make-believe in his young head.
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Tiddlepuss steps forward 'This is Dan Dan, he has come to us through a portal garment on a quest to restore the colour balance to our land.'
Floyd steps forward, he looks Daniel up and down as if questioning what he sees,
'What are you wearing - is that the portal garment?'
'Yes, I think it is, I think it must be, my nanna Pearl knitted it for me.'
'Does she not care for you? Even in this light, it is clear to see it's truly hideous'...
Daniel is both perplexed and somewhat angered into defensiveness, wanting to protect the hard work of his nanna.
Tiddlepuss steps forward as if to intervein.
'We don't have time for this now, he is here, and that is all that matters. What news do you have my friend, what of Bingo Bill and the army of numbers?'
Floyd steps back and braces himself to deliver unwelcome news.
'The army is on the move again, they have been seen throughout the land. They are preparing for something, but we know not what. The two fat ladies have been gathering arms, every town has paid a tribute of horses. And there has been movement on the borders of the Forest of Jazz. Some say the angel headed hipsters have awoken from their sleep and are playing their saxophones in the night.'
Tiddlepuss's shoulders drop, his ears swivel downwards, and his back hairs stand up.
'It's worse than I feared - Dan Dan has come just in the knick of time - time which may no longer be on our side. In the morning we travel to Miletus, I must speak with Anaximander, we must start to assemble the Versace code clue by clue.'
