Thirty-Eight
"Hello, Fifi," said Princess Ariadne. "You're here in time to witness my rescue."
"Oui, Mademoiselle Princess," said Spot. "We are here to rescue you. Now is the time to take you to Monsieur le One Eye."
"Ha ha," said Ariadne. "We have no time for your hilarious antics, silly dog. The arrival of my hero is nigh."
"Your hero?" said Spot, who then glimpsed a climber at the other balcony. "Feh. We wait for the cuckoo prince. At whom we laugh. From how he struts and pretends in the big top. And I suppose he brings Monsieur le Reynard to assist his rescue of Mademoiselle Princess. That is nothing. Do you know Monsieur le Brian? He is also what they call the helper animal."
"Wait, what?" said Brian as creatures filled the room.
"Ah," said Spot. "So we may have to let Monsieur le One Eye wait after all. Fine."
"Ariadne," said the climber.
"Oh, Tonio," said Ariadne.
"After Spot escaped," said Tonio, "the rest of the circus fled from Tuffy's wrath. I alone witnessed a chimerical beast carry off my Ariadne. In my search, I helped Fox escape from a trap and he joined me to find my lost rose. To gain the help of the wild migrating birds and the queen of the field mice, Fox promised to never again hunt them and theirs. After they informed us to where my petite flower was taken, we stowed aboard one of the boats to here. And here we now are."
"Yes, of course," said Spot. "All I have is the exceptional fascination in your story. But speaking of the struggles of life against death, do you by chance recall the begging serenade in the night?"
"You mean that terrible hollering?" said Ariadne. "Sounds like a tortured wildebeest."
"Ah, yes, very terrible those miserable sounds," said Spot. "That is what I mean to say."
"How odd, now that you say it," said Ariadne, whom Tonio then joined at the window. "The dawn is almost here, and the night has been peaceful for a change."
"...unnnhhhhhh..."
"Well, there it is now," said Ariadne.
"Uh oh," said Brian.
"And the birds and the mice have brought us more good news," said Ariadne. "They tell us the King of the World has abdicated his crown. If Tonio can win it, we can be a real prince and princess."
"Ah, yes," said Spot. "About the crown, oh—"
"Well that's odd," said Ariadne. "I haven't had trash fly in here like that before. Sorry, Brian."
"...unnnhhhhhh..."
"—ow," said Brian.
"...unnnhhhhhh..."
"I think we should go," said Brian. "Before that Cyclops finds heavy things to throw at us."
"Oh, dear," said Ariadne. "We're at least nine stories high. If any of us should slip and fall on the way down..."
"Mademoiselle Princess," said Spot. "As I bring myself now to say, I am also here as the, as the helper animal. The crown I bring is for the new King of the World. Mademoiselle Princess. Tonio. Into the bag.
"Alas, Monsieur le Brian," said Spot. "I lure the rain of destruction onto Mademoiselle Princess. I cast away all care to fight for her. Jump the fire for her. Chase off the cow head for her. Hold for her when shopping the purse. All the dying I do, I die them for her."
"So are you ready to go yet?" said Brian.
"Very well then," said Spot. "Certain death must watch us walk again away. With the eye contact and with no trace. Against all the odds, no?"
- Chapter 37
- Chapter 38
- Chapter 39