Part 15 (1/2)
”But where is Punny?” Ida asked.
They all looked, and saw only pun-kins of all different sizes. No people.
”She isn't here,” Justin said, disappointed.
”But she must be,” Ida said.
Then Justin got another idea. ”Unpun.”
”Leave me out of this!”
”Where do you want to go?”
”That way,” Unpun said, pointing.
”So it must be the opposite way,” Justin said. ”Another kind of irony.” He marched the opposite way.
But all he found was a pile of funny papers surrounded by tiny punkins. No woman.
Unless- He picked up one of the funny papers. There was the cartoon figure of a woman. ”h.e.l.lo, Punny!” he said.
”Oh, you found me,” the cartoon picture said. ”I was trying to hide, because my life is not worthwhile without love.”
”Your love is here,” Justin said. ”Give me the Ring of Idea, and I will restore him to you.”
”But he's dead!”
”The Ring will restore him.”
”So it can,” the picture agreed. ”But only if wielded by the chosen user.”
”I believe I am that one.”
”Oh. In that case, try it.” The figure lifted her hand, where a Ring was marked.
Justin somewhat dubiously put his fingers to her paper hand and touched the Ring. To his surprise it came free, and was a regular physical Ring. He put it on his little left finger, and it fit comfortably.
But was it the real Ring of Idea? Did it have the phenomenal magic power attributed to it? He needed to be sure. ”Unpun, let's see what this can do,” he said.
For once the zombie did not balk. Justin approached him. ”I am not sure of the protocol of operation,” Justin said. ”Do I invoke it, or what?”
”Just think of the Ring as you speak,” Ida said. ”Will it to make your idea real. Unlike my own talent, you can originate your ideas for reality yourself, knowing the Ring's power. It can make anything happen in this realm, and is not without impact in Xanth proper. Do not abuse its authority.”
”I wouldn't think of it,” Justin said. ”But I think restoring Unpun to life should not represent an abuse.”
”Definitely not,” Ca.s.saunova said, moving a forefoot to avoid a punkin that was sprouting beneath it.
”Very well.” Justin thought of the Ring of Idea, and spoke. ”Unpun, return to full life and humor, your talent complete.”
Just like that, Unpun straightened up, his ragged clothing mending, his face and body becoming halfway handsome. The pun-kins around him sagged as if cooked, shrinking to mottled b.u.t.tons. His talent was manifesting.
”Oh, Unpun, you're back!” Punny exclaimed, stepping out of the funny paper and becoming fully real. Except for her little hat, which remained paper. She ran to hug him.
”I'd rather have a paper doll,” Unpun said, holding back.
”You can't be serious!”
”Of course I'm not serious!” he said, laughing. ”You look hilarious in that stupid paper hat.” But as he spoke, the hat warped and fuzzed out.
”It must have been a pun of some kind,” Punny said as she kissed him. ”Oh, Unpun, let's go back to Xanth now.”
”Of course.”
Ca.s.saundra turned to Ca.s.saunova. ”Isn't that just the most romantic thing?” she asked him.
”Yes.”
She kissed him. ”Let's carry these good folk wherever they're going, then see whether we can devise something similarly romantic.”
The male centaur glanced at Justin. ”By all means.”
”We can depart from here,” Ida said. ”But there is something I must clarify first.”
”There's a complication?” Punny asked, alarmed.
”Only a small one. What you just gave Justin is merely the soul of the Ring of Idea. There are no physical things here, merely their souls. The physical Ring is in Xanth, and it must be found so that Justin can wear it and use it.”
”Another search?” Justin asked, discomfited.
”I'm sure you can readily find it, now that you have its soul. Simply maintain your awareness of it as we return.”
”Gladly.” Justin turned to the centaurs. ”I thank you for your kind a.s.sistance, and-” He broke off, for they weren't listening. Catarrh had already departed, and the other two were kissing again.
”I think you started something,” Ida said.
”Perhaps so,” Justin agreed, thinking of Breanna. How he wanted to be back with her!
”Shall we return?” Ida inquired.
”By all means,” Justin agreed.
”My body is in a closed chamber next to Princess Ida's room,” Punny told Unpun. ”I will come to join you the moment I wake.”
”Now let your substance expand into mist,” Ida said. ”And orient on my body in Xanth.”
Justin concentrated on diffusion, and soon felt himself dissipating. He expanded right out of the pun-kin patch, the comic strip, and the region of the surface of Ptero. He floated hugely over that world, like a cloud, and saw three other clouds similarly forming: Ida, Unpun, and Punny.