20 Lion Loin (2/2)

”I do…” he began.

There was an increasingly familiar shimmer of golden light in the air.”You need to back away,” Nelda warned. She struggled to her… foot.

”Of course, but I…”

#

With a flash Nelda was back on Earth, in the plant room, holding a sheet to her body Venus-de-Milo style.Time seemed to have moved on somewhat as Beaker was not on the floor.The furniture had been moved so that she was facing a long table covered in an incongruous white table cloth, to one side a rolling white-board was covered in handwritten equations and diagrams.

Hearing a gasp behind her she turned.

In front of her stood a lanky man with tanned skin and auburn hair, completely naked except for a pair of golden spectacles.

[You have got to be kidding me.]

[Well, he doesn't belong here.]

Nelda pressed her hand against than man's [gryph-man's?] chest and pushed him firmly back into the golden portal.Showing her naked ass to a panel of senior scientists in the process.

”Yes, that's her!” shouted a shrill voice. [Angry Brenda?]

Nelda's follow through plunged her hand into the puddle-portal.She felt it suck closed around her wrist.And then she found herself yanked and sucked perfunctorily back to Mirth.

She had barely a moment to adjust before the dark brown hurricane hurled her against the wall.Nelda instinctively pushed back and felt Herby's raptor-like beak snapping repeatedly a hair's breadth from her cheek.

”No sorceress hussy is going to steal my brother!”

Suddenly Honeybeard vaulting though the window and catapulted himself at Herby.Nelda barrel-rolled herself under the bed at hoofs and claws and horns flailed in all directions.

BugleHead clambered in, ”What's going on?” he asked.

Herby and HoneyBeard were ineffectually wrestling in the corner, neither showing signed of being a gift MMA fighter.

”I honestly have no idea,” SmithGuild replied.”I think they'll tire themselves out soon.”

Under the bed one of the Lapis phoenixes was crouched, holding in is beak a large white shell, like a small nautilus.It dropped the shell and stepped away from it.Stared it Nelda for a few seconds, blinked, and then ran from the room almost tripping BugleHead in the process.

Past the shell, Nelda could see her sheet lying on the floor on the other side of the room.