Part 18 (1/2)
”I suppose that could be the case. I confess that Breanna surprised me phenomenally the other night. However-”
”So now it's our turn to surprise her. She'll appreciate it Believe me. she will ”
”Surprise her?”
Pia considered, then changed the subject for a moment. ”Okay. Let's go tell the others.” She paused. ”But don't tell them this ”
”Don't-?”
”This.” She put her arms around him. hauled his face down, and kissed him soundly on the mouth.
He stood hallway stunned ”I, ah-”
”And when you do that to her,” she continued, not yet breaking the embrace, ”do this too.”
”I'm afraid I don't understand.”
She caught his right hand and cupped it in her left hand. She carried it around behind her. ”This.” She squeezed his hand, making his fingers gently pinch her left b.u.t.tock.
He did not quite freak out, but it was a close call. She put his limp hand back by his side and stepped away from him. Then she led him back toward the entrance. They had work to do.
Chapter 6: MODEMODE.
In the morning Nimby and Chlorine struggled with new Mundane clothing, and helped each other look presentable. They went downstairs just as their Companions arrived to guide them through breakfast.
”Now we need to show you how to ride the Lemon,” Dug said. ”But first, maybe we'd better tackle the Modemode.”
”The what?” Chlorine asked.
”The GigaGrid. It goes by various names and nicknames. It covers the world, but you need a modem to access it, so we call it the modem mode, or Mode M Mode, or Modemode. Three syllables. We met you there in the O-zone of the magic mesh address of the Mundane Mega Mesh, or mmm, of the Grid. I realize it's confusing at first, but it does make sense in its fas.h.i.+on, once you get the hang of it.”
”Zone-mesh-grid-mode.” Chlorine said, working it out. ”All steps of a stairway ”
”Yes,” Dug said. ” That's where we found you. Now we need to be sure you know the way back, because if you should ever be in trouble, that's your escape route. You can reach it from any modem, not just this one. So you can travel anywhere in Mundania, and switch back when you have to; no need to do it from this site. But the mesh is fun in its own right, and you might as well enjoy it. So we figure to take you in for the check-in, then give you a small tour of the Modemode.”
They went in. Chlorine sat in Pia's seat, and Nimby in Edsel's, with Kim and Dug standing behind them for guidance. Chlorine followed the labyrinth, picking out the letters on the keyboard, invoking the modem spell, which was a.s.sociated with something called a browser and a provider, then M D M D : // and on. She had to give Pia's ident.i.ty, and Pia's pa.s.sword, ”insulin,” before being granted admission. When she got to the magic mesh, there she was in the familiar hall, and there was Nimby with her.
Breanna wasn't in her Leaf, but they left their check-in message. Probably she hadn't made it in yet, because there were fewer mesh connections in Xanth. and Breanna might have forgotten about the Ear. But Nimby and Chlorine had done their part. The message would respond automatically when the others checked in; the magic of the O-Xone would see to that.
Kim made Chlorine go back to the screen and keyboard in the house, then to the magic mesh again, making sure she knew the route. Dug did the same with Nimby. Then they went exploring elsewhere in the mesh. ”The browser enables you to go places.” Kim explained ”We use Exsc.r.a.pe and Mundania Inline.”
”Inline?”
”You have to wait in line often. Sometimes you can't get in at all, but they still charge you plenty. Let's go to a babble box.”
”A what?”
”It's a place where people can meet and talk on the Grid. Friends.h.i.+ps are made there, romances flourish, and fights occur. It's a lot of fun.”
”In fact, many people are ensnared in it.” Dug added. ”Typing their lives away. They can't leave; babbling has become their lives.”
Chlorine wasn't sure about Mundane fun or living, but went along. After all, anyone who put eye to gourd peephole in Xanth was similarly caught, until someone else broke the connection. Folk simply had to learn to be careful.
”I know what you're thinking,” Dug said. ”And you're right: there's even a Through the Gourd Home Leaf”
Kim guided her to ”lumber on” to a GigaGrid Alternating Babble, or GAB. where the gabbing occurred. They went to GABfest and merged.
She had to a.s.sume a persona, and decided on ”Poison.” because of her magic talent of poisoning water. The interaction was in the form of words on the screen. Kim had to reach in and type for her, because she could not do it fast enough.
She ”signed” the guestbook, and it started.
Poison? Someone called Fun Gus typed. LOL!
”That means Laughing Out Loud.” Kim said. ”You'd better come back with some clever rejoinder.”
Well I do it only to water, Chlorine replied with Kim's help.
You pee in water?
”Oh, he's one of those” Kim said with disgust. ”Change the subject.”
Chlorine did. What's your talent?
I make things fun, Gus replied. How old are you?
”Watch it.” Kim warned. ”He's a prowler.”
But Chlorine answered. Twenty two. That was Pia's age. Why do you want to know?
How about a date?
”Don't get too friendly with this predator.” Kim said.
I'm out of dates. Will you accept a pineapple?”
l.m.f.a.o!.
”Never mind that that means,” Kim said. ”Dump him.”
”No. I want to know.” She typed l.m.f.a.o?
A picture appeared It showed one donkey mounting another, but the one below was laughing so hard that the other was falling off. ”Oh. donkeys,” Chlorine said. She had liked them ever since Nimby first appeared to her in the form of a dragon with a donkey head. ”But I still don't understand what they're doing.”
”Never mind!” Kim said urgently. ”Break off this dialogue.” A new name appeared: Moon s.h.i.+ne. Hi, Poison. I make women look better in the full moon. Is this creep bothering you? Don't b.u.t.t in, fertilizer face! Gus typed angrily.
”'Fertilizer' isn't exactly the word he typed.” Kim said. ”The babble box automatically translates any objectionable terms,” No, this is interesting, Chlorine replied. How about going priv for modering? Gus inquired.