FW

Can I just ask, are you back from University yet?
          
          I'm also curious if you have any ideas what courses the Guard might be studying; I have Vitani in Industrial Art and Aesthetic Design so far.
          
          *The Commoner's Audit, Part 3*
          
          Vitani/Victoria: *cont.* I will accept no Guardianship other than Simba's. If you want to Audit my life, then you'll do it on my terms in my own home, otherwise you can explain to Princess Nirmala why you're ignoring her seal.
          
          *long gap*
          
          Vitani/Victoria: Actually, sir, my name is 'Victoria.' 'Vitani' was a Declaration of War against the Pridelands by Zira. 'Victoria' was a gift from my Father, Simba, to protect me against a certain Black Sean which has been stalking me for six months now ~ a Black Sedan which, I believe, was sent by your firm.
          
          Lead Auditor: That is an administrative absurdity, Miss...
          
          Zuri: It's factually documented, Auditor. If you refer to her as 'Vitani,' then you are addressing her by a name which no longer exists in the Abioye Probate Files, meaning every document you prepared this Morning is legally unenforceable. You have no right to move her without her consent, or the consent of her legal Guardian, Simba.
          
          Vitani/Victoria: Meaning you've spent the last three hours Auditing a ghost. If you want to continue, you will address me by my full legal name ~ Miss Victoria Vitani Caroline Abioye. If not, you can explain to your employers at Pridelands Redevelopment why you failed to perform even the most basic due diligence on the woman you've spent the past six months trying to possess when you had no legal claim to me.
          
          Sarabi: The truth is an inconvenient thing, isn't it, Auditor? It appears the 'High Risk' girl you've been trying to bury has outgrown your system. Do you want to start over, or shall we move on now to the disavowal of the Lion Guard now?
          
          *long gap*
          
          Zuri: Phones in Airplane Mode. Now. Any signal leaking from this Foyer will be logged as an Unauthorised Redevelopment Interest. We cannot have a conflict of

I'm working on three books at the same time, so I am having to alternate between writing three different scenes.
          
          The chapter for "Rival's Love" I'm writing appears to have changed into a bus ~ car chase. 
          
          At last, our Villains make their grand entrane.
          
          *The Commoner's Audit, Pat 1*
          
          Kion/Kabili:  Four. There's twelve of them, nine clerks and three Auditors, carrying briefcases like shields.
          
          Sarabi: Masks on. The Commoners are ready to meet the King's men.
          
          *A black SUV pulls up outside the house and three Auditors get out, followed by only one Clerk. They meet Vitani, Sarabi, and Simba in the Driveway.*
          
          Minor Clerk: We are here to examine the status of the Asset, the Minor, the Scout, and the Guardian. *He points at Vitani, Kion, Fuli and Sarabi as he speaks.*
          
          Bast the Cat: Hisss!!!
          
          Lead Auditor: This environment is high stress. It is unsuitable for someone of the Asset's unique needs. She is to be moved immediately to a more secure facility for a private interview.
          
          Simba: *Clears his throat* You want to talk about safety? This is the original Court Order separating Miss Victoria from Zira. Look at the signature at the bottom. Any attempt to move Miss Victoria against her will is an attempt to override a Royal Medical Decree from Tree Kingdom. If you take her from this house, not only are you arguing with me, you are inviting a Diplomatic Crisis with a Royal Family which doesn't believe in 'Assets,' only 'Patients,' and they will protect their own. Her FND isn't a 'glitch in our system,' it is our failsafe. Her mind works faster than her body can keep up ~ that's why she sees patterns in your ledgers that your 'healthy' accountants missed. As for her health? Mtaalamu Industries has World ~ class physiotherapy facilities on site ~ she doesn't need a secure facility, she needs her family.
          
          Vitani/Victoria: I'll give you your interview. Heck, we can do it right now in the Boardroom. However, let me be clear: I am not a piece of equipment to be recalibrated. I

We now have two ducklings in addition to the lambs and there's talk of goslings on the way. [That's Baby Geese.]
          
          Here's part two. Next part involves the villains' big entrance.
          
          *Simba's SUV pulls up into the drive outside of Sarabi's house, Oakenstead Manor. Vitani and Sarabi are outside, waiting to greet him.*
          
          *Simba greets Vitani with a warm hug.*
          
          Simba: You'll do an amazing job as Special Advisor. *To Sarabi* Mother.
          
          Sarabi: She will do more than an 'Amazing Job,' Simba. She has already found the cracks in the Audit that your Council missed. She doesn't just advise; she sees.
          
          Simba: I can see that. You look...formidable, Vitani. The Board won't know whether to hand you the ledger or run for the lifts.
          
          Vitani: *Her FND hand finally still* Let them run. It'll make the 'Foot Traffic' report more interesting. Thank you...Dad.
          
          Simba: 'Dad.' I like the sound of that. It's better than 'Mr. Abioye,' or 'Mr. Mayor.'  But, remember, the Lead Auditor is looking for a reason to call this adoption a conflict of interest. He thinks Oakenstead is a hiding place.
          
          Sarabi: Let him think that . A hiding place is just a fortress they haven't recognised yet. Shall we go, Simba? The 'Special Advisor' has a Schedule to keep, and I believe you have a Boardroom to set up.
          
          *Long gap.*
          
          Sarabi: *To Kion* Kabili, dear, please escort Fuli to her new bedroom and help her unpack her bags when her belongings arrive.
          
          *Simba takes a leather folio in the backseat of his SUV and slides it towards Vitani.*
          
          Vitani: *Reading aloud* "Victoria Caroline Abioye, Aged 15 years, Special Advisor to Mtaalamu Industries. Preferred Name: Scout. Religion: Areligious." That's it? No "Princess?"
          
          Simba: No 'Princess,' we don't need the fanfare, Victoria. The name itself isn't for a Crown, it's for the Lawyers. It's a Legal Shield. By making you one of us, I am making you a part of the Mayor's Private Household. The Auditors can't subpoena your past, they can't search your room, and they can't touch you

Well, the next chapter of "Safi's Legacy" is going very well and I am planning new chapters and characters for it.
          
          This chapter has Kion after a night with his Grandmother, Sarabi, waking up in her house.
          
          *Kion gives a long, loud yawn as he stretches his arms, the first rays of sunlight creeping in through the drawn curtains*
          
          Vitani: Morning, big bro. You're just in time for breakfast. Mum says it's omlette and orange juice today.
          
          Kion: *Realising he has, quite literally, NOTHING to wear* Breakfast? Vitani, what time is it? The patrol...oh, my God, I missed the Sunrise transition! Fuli is going to...
          
          Vitani: Fuli is fine, Kion. She's in the pantry, auditing the eggs. As for the time, it's 'eat ~ your ~ breakfast' O' Clock. There's no Patrol today, no transition. There's just you, me, and a very determined Grandmother who will probably make you eat a second helping if you keep looking at the door like that.
          
          *Kion's tattoos glow in the morning light* Kion: I don't have anything...my belt...my jacket...it's all gone! My supplies, even the undershirt...
          
          Vitani: It's ash, Kion. Sarabi and me burned it last night. You're not the 'Commander' today, you're just a 15 year old boy with a sister who's better at Scouting than you are.  Now, sit down, the juice is fresh and, for once, the only objective is you have to decide if you want pepper on the eggs.
          
          Kion: She really burned it?
          
          Vitani: Every thread. Welcome back to the living, Big Bro. It was the best fire I've seen in all my 10 years living in the Pridelands.
          
          *long gap*
          
          *Fuli enters the room with her usual, high ~ speed energy, ready to deliver a Morning Report. However, she stops dead in her tracks at the sight of Kion in a dressing gown and a relaxed looking Vitani.*
          
          Fuli: Kion? You're still in your robe, and...is that orange juice? I had a three ~ page report on the perimetre fence, but...looking at you...I think the fence can wait five minutes.
          
          *gap*
          
          Kion: Hey, that's my toast!
          
          Fuli: You look...lighte

We're just settling down for the Easter Holidays at the moment. I'm having plenty more ideas for "Rival's Love" and I'm starting a new book.
          
          Here's the latest. This is supposed to be Vitani in hospital after surgery on her eye.
          
          *Vitani wakes up to find herself in total darkness ~ thick bandages stand between her and the life she is tryng to reclaim. For the first time in years, there is no "fogging" or "digital" glitching ~ just a heavy, expectant silence.
          
          Doctor: Easy, Vitani, your Internal Vitals are perfect. You're in a safe harbour now. No more patches or fixes.
          
          Vitani: It's too quiet...I keep waiting for the Data Code to scream at me that the battery is dying.
          
          *long gap*
          
          Vitani: Is the digital feed dead? I can't see anything...it's just...empty.
          
          Doctor: It's not dead, Vitani, it's just powered down. The hardware is still waiting for the graft to take. There'll be no more fogging sensors when we power it up again.
          
          Vitani: *breathing shakily* I'm not used to the Quiet. Back home, you always heard the drones or the vents. Here, I feel...useless. Like, if I can't keep watch, the building will fall on our heads.
          
          Doctor: That's Zira's conditioning talking. You've been on 'Guard' for too long and you've forgotten how to be a patient. Kion and Ono ran an Audit on the new casing for your Optical Implant. It's of the highest Engineering standards.
          
          Vitani: And Easton? Is he...is he still scared of the storm outside?
          
          Doctor: *chuckles softly* He's asleep in the hallway, clutching a half ~ eaten toastie. He told me to tell you that your new eye will be able to see through walls so you can find his lost socks.
          
          Vitani: *smiles softly* Shortish kid...big dreams. He thinks I'm almighty because of  a thing I need to see. I just want to see his face without the old HUD for once.
          
          Doctor: You will. You just need to rest for a few more hours. The Natural Prescription is sleep, not worry.
          
          Yes, Vitani is scared of the dark, just to help you finish the rest of it.

We found one of our chickens has passed away yesterday, and we had a new buggy driving around on the farm for the first time. It's called a "mule," I'm told.
          
          We now know the name of the horses and goats next door: Pumpkin, Bella, Billy and Sidney. I'm guessing Pumpkin only comes out on Hallowe'en.
          
          *Simba is leading Vitani through a heavy, Hydraulic door. The air is chilled to protect the mainframe.*
          
          Simba: I told the Council I brought you down here for a History lesson, Vitani. They think I'm showing you the Digital Archives of the old Kings.
          
          Vitani: *Kicking a stray ethernet cable out of her path* And what do you think? That, if you put enough ozone and blue light between us, I'll forget that I'm still just Ward 004 to your Biometric scanners?
          
          Simba: I think that Ward 004 is a legacy title you've outgrown. But the Pridelands...they haven't outgrown their fear. They want a Firewall between them and the Shadowlands.
          
          Vitani: And you want me to be the hardware.
          
          Simba: I want you to be the encryption. If you can see the Packet Switching of the Country's Security, they can't call you an Outsider anymore. You become the Interface.
          
          *long gap*
          
          Simba: Vitani, the Council doesn't see a leader when they look at you, they see Zira's daughter. They see a Security Risk waiting for a trigger.
          
          Vitani: So you want to turn me into a Mainframe Asset? If I have a serial number inside my skull, does that make me 'safe' enough for their tea parties?
          
          Simba: It makes you essential. If you are the only one who can navigate the Shadowlands grid, they can't afford to Deport you.
          
          *long gap*
          
          Vitani: You talk about 'consent,' Simba, but, if I say no, I'm back on the Transit Bus to the Shadowlands by Morning, aren't I?
          
          Simba: *quietly* The 2013 Peace Protocol is a fragile algorithm, Vitani. I am holding the Firewall open for you with both hands. The Ocular Implant isn't a leash, it's a Decryption Key to a life you weren't meant to have.
          
          This scene making much sense so far?

I saw my first four butterflies of the year; one was a peacock, the others were green.
          
          Care to finish this one off for me? It's still very much a work in progress.
          
          *Bunga's Birthday Cake Crisis, Part 1*
          
          *The bell above the door of Kim Goldbloom's Grocery Store jingles, but, instead of a casual stroll, Bunga slides in on his hands, doing a tactical roll behind a display of muffins*
          
          Bunga: Stand back, civilians! Miss Goldbloom, Kion and Vitani are hitting the big 1 6, and we need a high ~ calorie tactical diversion. Also, do you have any of those apple fritters? My Natural Prescription levels are hitting a critical low.
          
          Kim Goldbloom: *Drops a tray of croissants in shock* Goodness, Bunga, you nearly gave me a heart attack! A 'tactical diversion'? I usually just call it a Birthday Party. And, please, come out from behind those bran mffins; they're breakfast, not cover.
          
          Bunga: *Leaps up onto the counter* Oh, details, details! In the Industrial Zone, breakfast IS a cover! But, today is different. I'm here on official Found Family Lattice business. I need to commission a cake. A big one. Something which screams, "we survived the City and we got an awesome family and a couple of medical braces."
          
          Kim: Well, I don't have a "Survival Stencil," but I do have extra sprinkles. What do you have in mind for the September Twins?
          
          Bunga: 16 layers, one for every year they spent being 'variables', and it needs to be structurally sound enough to support a carbon ~ fibre topper. Can that be done, or do I have to call Miss Yolihada for a blueprint?
          
          Kim: I think we can manage without a TV chef, Bunga. Although we might need a bigger oven, looking at your 'Super Growth Yeast'.
          
          *long gap as they get out the ingredients*
          
          Bunga: All right, I've got the Perimetre Secure. We have flour, eggs, and a high ~ profile stash of 'Super Growth' Yeast. What's our insertion point?
          
          Kim: Usually, Bunga, I pre ~ heat the oven, and are you sure about that yeast? It's actually vibrating.
          
          Good?

This dialogue is supposed to be set immediately after the implementation of the Amani Protocol.
          
          Let's just say someone has her reasons to probably dislike the renaming.
          
          *Sarabi clicks a Signal Jammer on her dining room table*
          
          Sarabi: The Lattice is blind for the next 10 minutes. Sit down. No, not like that, Victoria, sit like a woman who doesn't have a Publicist watching her through the curtains.
          
          Victoria: *her hand spasms* The Black Sedan will see the Dead Zone, Sarabi. They'll think there's a System Breach. We're supposed to be visible. We're supposed to be noisy.
          
          Kabili: She's right. If my heart rate drops off their telemetry, they'll send a Tactical Team to 'check on the Heir'. I have a Soccer Scout coming in an hour and I need to be Vapid right now.
          
          Sarabi: You are so busy being Vapid you've forgotten how to bleed. Look at your thumb, Kabili, the orange juice is dissolving your Tan. What happens when the War actually starts? Do you just wipe it away?
          
          Zuri: *panicking* It's a medical grade sealant, Sarabi! It's not meant for manual labour! He doesn't peel his own fruit, he 's an Adaana! You're compromising the Aesthetic Integrity of the Metamorphosis!
          
          Sarabi: *Sliding a stoneware plate towards Kabili* No, I am compromising the Lie. Eat. Not because you need the fuel for a game, but because your Grandfather sat at this table and taught you that a Prince knows the taste of the Earth as well as the Honey.
          
          Kabili: The Earth tastes like Chemicals now, Grandmother, and the Lattice is the only thing keeping the Black Sedan from firing. If you want the Prince, you'll get us all Executed.
          
          *Sarabi sets down the final plate*
          
          Sarabi: Six plates, six sets of steel, no napkins to hide the blood, no candles to blur the digital ghosting. Look at them.
          
          Kabili: They're just plates, Grandmother. Zuri says the Lattice prefers fine China. It scans better for the Gala Prieview.
          
          Sarabi: To the Black Sedan, you are a data point. To Zuri, you are a masterpiece, but to this

This one should hopefully be interesting and amusing.
          
          This is meant to be during an Art Class.
          
          *At the back corner*
          
          Vitani: *Pressing her palms against her temples* DOes that light always hum like a hornet's nest? It's...it's digging into my eyes, Zuri.
          
          Zuri: *Pinning a large sheet of black carstock to her easel* Hush, 'Tan', I've got you. Consider this your 'Private Gallery'. No high ~ intensity beams allowed. Now, pick up the charcoal. It's matte, it's quiet, and it won't reflect a single spark of the light.
          
          Vitani: *Exhaling* Thanks. It's much better in the dark. I can actually see the paper now.
          
          *Meanwhile, Shaun and Bunga sit at the centre table, covered in open jars of "Liquid Sun" glitter glue.*
          
          Shaun: *Talking rapidly* Hey Bunga, did you know that acrylic polymer has a tensile strength of nearly 10,000 pounds per square inch? If we layer it thick enough, we can create a three ~ dimensional topography of the Farm!
          
          Bunga: *sniffs a jar of gold glitter deeply* I dunno, Shaun, but this stuff looks exactly like the honeycomb from the Hakuna Matata Falls. It's practically screaming "Eat Me!"
          
          Shaun: Bunga, that's a negative! It's not for ingestion, it's for the Post Modernism assignment! Wait! BUNGA, DON'T...
          
          *Bunga takes a globby swallow just as the teacher, Mr. Dowwe, turns around*
          
          Bunga: Mmm! A bit crunchy, a little plasticky. Needs more beetle flavour, definitely.
          
          *Bunga sneezes, suddenly coating the room in a fine layer of honey ~ glitter.*
          
          Vitani: *Staring at her moody sketch of the Outlands* It...actually looks better. Like the night sky back in Tree Kingdom.
          
          Kion: *Staring at his now shiny Lion Mark* I guess being 'Fierce' can be a little 'shiny', too.
          
          *Kion and Rani are  sitting at the window, Kion staring intently at a puddle of red paint.*
          
          Kion: It's still wet, Rani. I painted that line 5 minutes ago. In a Patrol, 5 minutes means the difference between a disaster and a win. Why is everything here so...stagnant?
          
          Care to finish the rest?

Still no word on the new pigs as of yet, but I had one of the farm cats sitting next to me yesterday.
          
          Our old Labrador suddenly jumped up, wagging his tail excitedly, and barked when he saw the doggy biscuits being delivered this morning.
          
          *At Oak Alcove, Vitani is pacing the perimetre, her eyes darting to the canopy*
          
          Vitani: The North entrance is too wide. If that Black Sedan has thermal imaging ~ and we have to assume that they do ~ we're sitting ducks in this hollow. We need a fallback point. Somewhere with high ground and a single bottleneck.
          
          Kirsti: Vitani, breathe. I've already run a diagnostic on the Alcove's canopy density. Between the oak bark and the heavy leaf cover, we're practically invisible to standard satellite sweeps here. Even a short ~ range LiDAR scan would struggle to pick us out."
          
          Vitani: I don't care about the LiDAR. I care about the fact that Zira taught me 'Invisible' is just another word for 'dead' if you aren't moving. In the Outlands, if you stayed in one place too long, the shadows started biting back.
          
          Kirsti: This isn't the Outlands and I'm not Zira. You're looking for a 'Kill Zone,' Vitani, and I'm looking for a home and a daughter. There's a difference between guarding the perimetre and living inside one.
          
          Vitani: Is there? Because that Sedan doesn't look like it wants to move in and decorate. It looks as if it wants to erase us. You call it 'bureaucracy' and 'parking violations,' but, to me? It's a Scout. And Scouts are usually followed by hunters.
          
          Kirsti: Then it's a good thing you have me for your Mother. I spent 6 months orbiting the Earth in a pressurised tin can. I know how to manage a 'hostile environment'. But I also know that if you spend every second bracing for the impact, you forget to just enjoy the view.
          
          Vitani: Ono says something similar about the big picture, but he's the Keenest of Sight. He has a drone. I'm meant to be the Fiercest...I'm supposed to just stand my ground.
          
          Kirsti will feature heavily soon.