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Double, double toil and trouble

old gypsy

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Finished with her early morning herb gathering, Lucy returned to the deli to find Icky already busy at work in the kitchen. The little goblin was stirring something in a large pot. Lucy’s sensitive nose detected an odd aroma faintly reminiscent of wild mushrooms mingled with more exotic ingredients she couldn’t quite identify. “What are you cooking, Icky?” she asked.

Startled, Icky quickly spun around to face Lucy. She smiled… a sly little smile that Lucy immediately recognized. The little goblin was definitely up to something.

“Mees makinz a nu brew, Miz Lucy,” she replied. “Sumthin speshul fer Ashlynn.”

“I’m not sure I like the sound of that, Icky. Exactly what are you making for Ashlynn… and why?”

“Ohhs, itz nothin badz, Miz Lucy! Mees promiss!” Icky gave the pot another stir. “Yoos noes howz Ashlynn bees always pickin onz mees en da ober goblins… mees gotz dis idea howz ta mak herz bees nicey. Dis stuffs… “ She pointed to the pot. “Dis stuffs bees moodz changin. Mees puttin itz in da nu brew mees makin, en iffin itz werks, Ashlynn’s gonna bees reel nicey ta goblins!”

“And if it doesn’t work?” Lucy asked.

Icky’s smile faded and she glanced down at the floor. “Mees habnt gib much thot ta dat possebility,” she replied.

“Well, I suggest you do give it some thought,” said Lucy. “Quite a bit of thought. After all, you wouldn’t want to make Ashlynn ill with this new concoction.”

“Ub corse notz, Miz Lucy! Mees neber wantz ta doos dat!”

Icky returned to her cooking. “En iffin dis werks,” she muttered, “Mees cud makz a fortshun!”

Lucy added her fresh herbs to the crate, then went upstairs to update the inventory. As she sat down at her desk, she wondered if she should have a talk with Ashlynn. Not that it would help. She sighed softly… “There isn’t a magical ingredient in the entire land that has the power to inspire Ashlynn to love goblins.”
 
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old gypsy

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Shortly after midnight, Lucy was awakened by the sound of footsteps in her bedroom. She sat up, suddenly fearful, but breathed a sigh of relief when she realized who had disturbed her sleep. "Icky," she said, "Why are you still up? It's way past your bedtime."

"Mees jes hadz ta sho yoos," whispered Icky. "Mees bin werking allz tru da nite. Mees didz itz, Miz Lucy! Mees didz itz! See?"

"I can't see a thing in the dark," muttered Lucy, leaning over to light the lantern next to her bed. "Now, what's so important that you couldn't wait until morning to show me?"

Grinning from ear to ear, Icky proudly held aloft what appeared to be a newly-bottled brew. "Mees callz itz 'Love-in-Idleness'.

"That's an odd name for a beverage," replied Lucy.

"Itz da name ub a majik fleurer," said Icky. "Dats da secrit ingreedient. Nowz allz mees needz ta doo iz git Ashlynn ta drinks it." Icky giggled gleefully. "Ashlynn's gonna bees nicey ta mees, Miz Lucy. Hers gonna lub goblins. Mees jes noes itz!"

Lucy smiled and shook her head. "How will you convince her to taste it, Icky? Somehow I don't see that happening."

"Mees gotz a plan, Miz Lucy. Mees gotz a plan..."

Before Lucy could respond, Icky quickly tip-toed out of the bedroom and ran down the steps into the dark garden.

Lucy pulled the blanket over her head and buried her face in the pillow, hoping Icky wouldn't hear her quiet laughter. Oh, Icky, she thought to herself, life with you is seldom boring.
 

old gypsy

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Icky spent the morning busily preparing for the upcoming Paxlair anniversary dinner. In the evening she attended two of the scheduled events, then returned home to have dinner with Lucy before delivering the package she had prepared for Ashlynn. She even wrote Ashlynn a lovely note. "Miz Lucy gonna bees prouds ub mees," she told herself. "Mees bin werkin hardz to lern mees hom skool lessins!"

ashlynn.jpg

She waited until Lucy fell asleep, then happily set out on her midnight journey to Ashlynn's house.
 
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old gypsy

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Icky arose early the next morning. After adding more wood to the stove, she cheerfully called out to Lucy. "Timez ta gits upz, Miz Lucy! Wakey upz, wakey upz, da berdies arr singin! Itz timez fer brekfest!"

Lucy came downstairs to the kitchen. Silently, she poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table.

"Whys yoos soo quiets, Miz Lucy?" asked Icky. "En whys yoos starin atz mees lik dat?"

Lucy's eyes narrowed slightly. "Where did you go last night, Icky?" she asked. "It's not like you to go out at such an ungodly hour."

Her question evidently caught Icky by surprise. "Ohhs... err... haha...ow!" Icky pulled her hand away from the stove. "Mees so clumsie... mees almos berned meeself!"

"I'm waiting," said Lucy.

Icky smiled innocently. "Wells, Miz Lucy, mees thot yoos wuz sleepin. Mees wuz stills wyde awakey, soos mees jes takey dat pressie ta Ashlynn. Mees dint wants ta wakey herz ups eber, soos mees jes lef da pressie en herz mailbox."

Lucy managed a half-smile. "I hope you realize that Ashlynn isn't likely to sample your gift, Icky."

Icky grinned. "Mees thot ub dat... en mees hab anober planz jes en case herz dont drinks itz."

"And pray tell what that alternate plan might be?"

"Dats a bigs secret," giggled Icky.

Lucy just shook her head. Icky seemed to be full of secrets these days. She rose, went to the stove, and poured herself another cup of coffee.
 

old gypsy

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Icky went to the event at Ashlynn's house that evening. Ashlynn didn't say a word about Icky's gift.

"Maybees Miz Lucy wuz rite," muttered Icky. "Maybees Ashlynn lookied in da mailbox en dint wants ta letz mees noes herz saws da pressie. Maybees herz saws itz and drinked itz en itz dint werk. Maybees herz drinked itz en itz dids werk, butz herz don wantz ta says itz werked." She sighed. "Maybees itz timez ta switchie ta planz B."

"Mees don wantz ta trubble Miz Lucy 'bout dis eny mores. Mees maybees talks ta Nubby in da mornin. Himz sed himz bees willin ta helps."
______________________________________

Later the same evening:

Icky's chance to speak with Nubby materialized sooner than she expected, during the special event hosted by Nubby on Pitmuck Island. While the participants were happily searching for hidden treasures among the numerous dragons he had set loose for their enhanced amusement, she explained her plan. However, it became apparent that Plan B (and Nubby's assistance in implementing it) might not be required. Shortly after the event, Ashlynn informed her that she had indeed received Icky's gift, although she had not actually sampled it as yet.

When the event was completely over and all the guests had gone home, a sleepy Icky gratefully curled up under her tree in the front yard of the deli, more content than she had felt in a very long time. The effectiveness of her magic brew would soon be tested!
 
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old gypsy

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Icky hummed a happy little tune as she placed the last of the menus into the baskets she'd prepared for the dinner guests. "Girkle, Miz Lucy, fer fixing da typos in da menu," she said. "Eberyting iz reddy nowz fer da Paxlair dinner. Mees eben madez da brews ta takey wit ussins."

"You did a good job, Icky," replied Lucy. "I just hope the menu isn't too... err... exotic?"

"Ohhh noes," said Icky. "Itz bees fines. Mees use da bestest goblin recipes!"

Lucy nodded. "Of course," she said, smiling. "How silly of me to worry."

"En lasts nite mees dropt da fixded menu en ta Ashlynn's mailbox, soos wees shud bees allz sets!"

Icky spent the rest of the morning tending the garden and catching up on other chores. Later, tired and happy, she settled down under her tree for a long afternoon's nap.
 

old gypsy

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As Lucy headed out to the butcher shop later that day to check the price of sausages, she thought about something Icky had said..

"What in the world is a 'typo'?" she wondered aloud. "All I did was revise a few mistakes in the menu." She shrugged. "I'll never fully understand goblin linguistics."
 

whiterabbit

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girkle to mz lucy an icky fer da wonderful dinner last nite no better way to close da week of pax lair 15th annnv.
was very yummy, and da peooples an pointed eared ones bees wonderful friends
 

old gypsy

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"How did the dinner go last night, Icky?"

"Ohhhs, Miz Lucy, itz bees a grande wunderfuls timez. Eberybuddie bees soos nicey. En da ober goblins didz sech a goos job."

Icky ran over and hugged Lucy's leg. "En mees tink da magikal brew werked, Miz Lucy! Ashlynn bees sooos nicey toos us!"

"I'm really surprised, Icky. Pleasantly so, to be sure!"

Lucy slipped some gold coins into her backpack and went to the door. "I'll be back soon, Icky. I just have to pick up a few brewing ingredients, so you can get started on your new project."

"Girkle, Miz Lucy!" Smiling happily, Icky waved to Lucy as she rode off on her white boura.
 

old gypsy

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It was nearly 2 a.m. when Icky finished the last batch of brew. "Mees hopes Scabby bees round soons," she said. "Deese gonna bees a hitz atz himz tavern fer sures." She paused and scratched her head. "Hopes soos enyways."

With some difficulty, she moved the kegs to an out-of-the-way spot where they could age for a few days.

"Wees gotz 'Tread Lightly'. Wees gotz 'Primal Fire'. Wees gotz 'Moonblight'." She smiled. "En ub corse wees gotz 'Love-In-Idleness'... Gotz toos keeps dat handi fer Ashlynn."
 
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DreadLord Lestat

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Scabby had heard rumors that Icky was making new batches of brew. He immediately thought of his tavern and knew that he had to go check it out. "Mees liked it wen Ashlynn was bein frendly to us gobbies" he thought to himself.

"Mees eben more sur dat her mades eben stronger brew fer Ashlynn and maybe eben some tasty ones fer the other nice hummies like Nanoc and Phoenix" Scabby left the tavern and started towards the Deli.......
 

Calkano

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yooos makes so many tasty tings Icky! Before mees only drink rot gut and mees only eat ice cream, ice cream cake and mees fishins! Now mees big eater! Now mees gots mees own little tummy drum mees carry eberywhere! *plays da bongo on hims tummy*
 

old gypsy

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Icky woke up from her afternoon nap and noticed Scabby and Nubby walking toward the deli. She ran to meet them and gave them both a big hug. "Yay!" she said, jumping up and down. "Comes tastez da news brews!"

Once inside, she placed a large mug in front of each of them, and a plateful of well-aged cheese and sliced turnips. "Digs inz," she said. "En Scabby, yoos tellz usins wat yoos plannin fer da tavern!"
 

whiterabbit

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meees got a birdy from da peoples at Silverdale. Deli wood be getting anudder shipment of stuff from dem. Mebe on 2 days from nows.
Ozog
Nubby bees promoted last nite
 

old gypsy

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Lucy found Icky up on the roof stocking the breakfast vendor. "I was beginning to worry about you, Icky," she said. "You've seemed a bit preoccupied lately. I hope nothing is wrong."

"Nooes, Miz Lucy. Mees jes bin deeps inz thot, tryin toos findz da ingrediant wees needz toos mak a tongue dat werks. Mees en Ashlynn trieds lotz ub stuffs. Nooes lucks soos fars."

"Well, let me know if I can help in any way," said Lucy. She turned to go downstairs, then paused. "Please don't forget to make those cakes we've contracted to do... we mustn't let your new mission interfere with prior obligations."

Icky sighed. "Mees nooes, Miz Lucy. Mees primiss tooes doos betterz."
 
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Calkano

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mees been tinkin bout dat, Mees tinkin wees use a new tongue and wees join it ta da old spot wit some of dat undyin flesh so it no rot or anyting, den wees get some blood from a goblin doner and pump it into da tongue so it bees goblin tongue. Mebe dat werk
 

Ashlynn_L

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Dragging the last crate over to her new bookshelf Ashlynn felt relieved to finally have most of her library finally organized. Though she doubted the famed Sir Dew of the Britain Library would approve of her methodology in arranging the books, it would do fine for her.

Ashlynn pried open the final crate with a dull, rusty parrying dagger lying nearby. It was a rotten old trinket from Magincia but it made a decent enough tool. The books inside were dusty and old but still in good condition. She glanced at the overs of each book as she removed them and placed them in separate piles based vaguely on category, keeping an eye out for anything that might help regrow or reattach a tongue.

On the Regrowth of Wounds

Too easy, Ashlynn thought. Probably wouldn't even regenerate lost appendages she imagined, putting the book to the side.

Vicissitude - Lost Secrets of an Umbraen House

"Hah," Ashlynn grinned, "I am not messing with that".

Several books further in, the covers of two curious looking tomes caught her attention.

"Hmm... what's this," she whispered to herself. Both books looked like they had belonged to her uncle. The cover of one was made of old leather that had begun to crack in places. The other seemed to have a faded, moth-eaten red silk cover.

"A Marriage of Foreign Flesh - Milo's Primer on Flesh Craft."

Ashlynn mulled it over for a moment, "Well, it could work."

She slowly read the cover of the other book. Alchemical Regeneration - A Medical Revolution. Perhaps Lazulli could look over that one, Ashlynn thought.
 
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old gypsy

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Ohhhs! Ashlynn, yoos bees on ta sumthin! Kin mees helps?

~ Icky ~
 

Ashlynn_L

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Yes Icky. Are you any good at brewing potions? Or have you ever stitched some corpses together to make a flesh golem?
 

old gypsy

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Yes Icky. Are you any good at brewing potions? Or have you ever stitched some corpses together to make a flesh golem?
Ohhhh.... Miz Lucy bees da expert atz potshuns en kin mak dem fer usins. Mees purdy goos wit a needle en thred. Butz corpses bees yucky! Ewwww! Corse, iffens yoos steralizes dem ferst, mees gib itz a tries.
 

old gypsy

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mees been tinkin bout dat, Mees tinkin wees use a new tongue and wees join it ta da old spot wit some of dat undyin flesh so it no rot or anyting, den wees get some blood from a goblin doner and pump it into da tongue so it bees goblin tongue. Mebe dat werk
I've been thinking about what you said and believe you may be correct regarding the blood. There are other issues, however, that may explain why no further progress has been made on this project. Like humans, goblins have different blood types - even sub-types not fully understood or studied by the scientific community. Evidently it's a far more complicated procedure than any of us ever imagined. I recently came across the following observation in an old medical journal:

"Hyperacute rejection occurs a few minutes after the transplant if the antigens are completely unmatched. The tissue must be removed right away so the recipient does not die. This type of rejection is seen when a recipient is given the wrong type of blood. It also occurs if tissue from a different species is used."

There were other entries, most of which I did not understand due to my unfamiliarity with medical terms. Regardless, I think we will need to do a great deal more research before we dare attempt the transplant that was proposed.

~ Lucy Little ~
 
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