While that is happening.....
The chatter between the Melissas is beginning to again sound like something
understandable.
"So....you woke up this way?" the human Melissa asks her elven sister.
"I guess I can ask the Doctor and those other mages to see what they can
do for you, but if your Matrix was altered....that's that."
"I hope my....what you call a Matrix...DID get altered," the elfin woman
says back emphatically. "This is a dream come true, sister! All this and
magic? If anything, talk to your friends on seeing that I stay this
way."
The human looks down at her elfin counterpart oddly.
"Uh....by any chance did you ever date Roger Monte?" she asks.
"That stiff?!" laughs the elfin Melissa. "The man had no soul! I once
mentioned my dreams to him....and he went about and tried to tell me how
silly they were."
"Mine....apparently had a little more tact and intelligence....or luck
with me," the human Melissa sighs. "Mine didn't do what yours did. What
he did do was teach me to love myself as what I was. I guess that
lead to me no longer wanting to become an elf for life....just to visit
the condition and see what it's like."
The elfin Melissa held back the first thing that came to her mind, and
then gave it a little consideration. She hadn't actually hated being a
human being. It was just that the idea of being and elf was....so much
more appealing. Graceful, elegant, beautiful, and long lived! She could
see....how it could be such....but frankly she preferred being an elf and
wished to remain one, thank you very much!
She said as much.
"Okay I guess that isn't really a problem then," the human Melissa smiled.
"And I guess that perhaps you have the better idea anyway....though I wouldn't
have wanted it by choice. Elves here don't age....nor even sleep!"
"You're kidding, right?" the elfin woman asks skeptically. She smiles
a bit more at the thought and then laughs aloud in delight when her sister
actually convinces her that it's true.
"Time enough to do what I want....then," the elfin woman sighs, then
straightens in consternation as she remembers something!
"Oh.....for crying out loud!" she mutters to herself! She might not
age....but time WAS a factor here!
She then tells her sister what she was apparently sent to do here on
Terra Prime in the first place!
"Ma'am," Fred says in a concerned voice. "Forgive my rudeness, please!
I failed to ask you your name!"
"My name, milord?" Rinsa blinks in surprise. Who would have guessed
a foreign noble would want to know a commoners name? "My name is Rinsa.
Just Rinsa, for I'm not..... of enough wealth or prestige for a family
name even though I'm the court's dressmaker."
"Lady Rinsa," Fred rolled it around on his tongue. "Lovely name. And
don't feel ashamed of the lack of a last name. It's common back in my land.
"Well, that was before the Enemy blew it off the map," the manfox sighs.
"I'm sorry to bring up sorrowful memories, milord," Rinsa says, truly.
"No matter, 'tis done and can not be undone," Fred sighed. "Not without
consequences of more dire results....I'm told by a certain.....Time Lord."
The manfox then turns back to the business at hand.
"Rinsa, I was escorting Lady Melissa.....the human Melissa down here
to get herself a new dress for herself. I was hoping that....."
"I might have an extra in stock from a cancelled order?" Rinsa says.
"Milord, with the coming of the Phage I have quiet a few orders that the
customers never....will pick up. Let's see."
Rinsa looks over at the human Melissa, and hides a feeling disgust at
the lady's choice of clothing (1970's fashion not exactly in fashion here
on Terra Prime).
"I think I have the perfect dress," Rinsa says absently as she searched
through a group of dresses. "The Duchess of Teris was a bit on the....tall
side like your friend there. They even had a similar build!"
Rinsa holds up a dress of silk and camel hair that is died a light shade
of green. Rinsa looks at it, then at Melissa. She pictures in her mind's
eye what the woman would look like. She did it and smiled at the results.
Fred the manfox also sees in his minds eye what the look would be, and
his ears perk up in admiration. This style of dress wasn't that of an Alarian
court.....but it would meet anyone's approval....including perhaps this
Melissa's approval.
"Alas...there's nothing I can do for her choice of....shoes," Rinsa
almost sniffs, but hides it from showing on her face. Fred has the good
grace to hide the fact that he knows the woman's feelings on the matter
none the less.
Fred was of a different opinion about that style of shoe, but didn't
feel the need to get into an argument with this talented young woman. It
was all a mater of taste, and as the way Melissa chose to dress would have
made him turn his head....back when he was human.
Just as Fred is about to call the human Melissa over, both Melissas
are running over to him. As the human Melissa dresses in her new dress
(it got her stamp of approval for being stylish and something like out
of the Arabian nights.....), the elfin Melissa tells Fred and Rinsa what
happened to her.....and that it would be a good idea for the Doctor
to get to the Master's TARDIS asap.
The group is out the door (with a quick exchange of money for the dress)
and they are nearly running back to the chambers where the excorism was
taking place. Rinsa is "asked" to come along, for she has heard much (and
could cause a bit of panic if word got out). Rules were of a concern to
those on Terra, but any business concerning an Agent of Chaos.......
-
 Meanwhile,
Trilling gives off a moan as he regains consciousness......
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