12 Magnolia's song, and her audience gathers.

 

 

Then.

"Oww!  Ah, why am I having so much trouble with this?"  After discarding the first two pairs of earring choices, the third pair made the decision for her by poking through to the side of her head.  

"Why so worked up tonight, Mags?  Everything alright?"  

She decided to deal with the earrings when she got there and began looking for her heels.  Not surprisingly, they were no where to be found.   "You know what?  I'll just pick something; it doesn't matter anyway,"  She pulled a lengthy dress from the shelf as she considered switching again anyway.  "It really doesn't."

He rolled closer.  "It's always mattered."

Knock, knock, knock.

She threw the dress on the floor.  "What?  What!  I'll be there in a few minutes. "

Knock knock SLAM POW POW.

"I'll see what they need."  Chive said diplomatically, making his way carefully around the discarded outfits to the door.  He opened it to reveal a sopping wet Mrs. Trufflebottom,  droplets falling freely away from her fur as she stood in place.  She had no hood nor cloak to cover her and her ears stood would have been visible a block away - if only by their shaking in the cold.

"It's freezing out here.  We need to speak,  right now. I'd prefer if I could come in out of the rain?"

*****

That same night, across Outpost.

In the home of the Angel Marbles. 

Jacques was spreading the food out on a blanket between them.  He had hoped Kipper wouldn't be suspicious when he ordered extra food tonight, but the other had barely given it an eyebrow.  Routine was so routine here that it would take something pretty serious to make waves.  Fortunately, they had something in mind for that.  Pulling this off would be difficult enough without the distraction of an empty belly.  Once everyone had grabbed some for themselves, he took some of the remaining food and used to recreate the layout of Selena and Kipper's, arranging rolls, carrots, and the like as he reviewed their plan.

"Right, so - Meatball, are you listening?  We are putting an end to Selena and Kipper's.  We are taking away their access to salts, and giving it back to Outpost to use for light and heat.  Right now Mrs Trufflebottom will be meeting with Magnolia and Chive.  When they're done, they're going to let as many of the townsfolk know what's going on as they can.  They are then going to use Chive's knowledge of the the salts mine to move as much of the salt out of there as we can, and get it to a safe house."

Kindel was clawing through the dirt, breaking it up to run through his paws.  "It was that sparrow-be-damned cellar they have.  None of us ever stopped to think about it, but it has to connect straight into the mines.  That's how they've been getting all the salt."

"So Chive's going to show us how to get in the backward.  And we're going to rob them blind."

 

"Once the town has their salts back, why would you think anything is going to change for us?"  Luca asked.  "All fine and good that the old folks get to go back to being who they want again, but we know know it's all the same for us Angel Marbles.  They'll just find new reasons to look the other way."

 

"They might at first.  A lot is going to change, and most folks don't do well with change.  But I meant what I said - we aren't going to leave you." 

Meatball hopped onto the tabletop and adopted a truly valiant pose.  "I would like to volunteer myself for the 'robbing-them-blind' duty!"

Jacques laughed so hard he lost his glasses again.  "Actually, my young friend, we have something far more suited to your talents.  I hope you're ready to have fun."

"What kind of fun?"

Jacques stood and up-ended his sash, dumping an odd assortment of gadgets, springs, knobby things, and the like to the ground.  "Remember those inventions you thought were interesting enough to take from me?  Well, I've brought you some really fun ones to play with.   I want you to go in there and really let loose."

*****

"This tea is quite tasty.   Have you shared it with Jacques yet?  He is quite fond of tea lately."

Magnolia fixed another cup for her guest.  "No, I hadn't realized.   I've only seen him drinking the salt cocktails."

Mrs. Trufflebottom's eyes sparkled.  "We all have our vices, don't we?  Ah - thank you.  Now, as you explained earlier, the mines have several different types of salt.  One obviously has been used for the drinks, another for lights, I assume another for the bathes maybe, and so on.  I can't tell one type from another so we will need your help for this.  We want to get all of the useful salt that we can out and to a safe house."

"I like the sound of your plan so far, Mrs. Trufflebottom.  But what happens to the salt we're leaving behind?  The unusable salt we leave behind is also the dangerous salt, and I don't think I need to remind you why?" said Chive as he gestured his legs anyway.

"I hadn't forgotten; in fact, they are key to the plan.  That's why we need to get everyone to safety first, and we'll need some help for that.  I need you to move as much of those salts as you safely can under the cellar area of Selena and Kipper's.  Preferably right under the door if you can; we'll make sure no one comes down."

The couple frowned at each other.  They saw where this was going, all right.  "What about everyone's belongings inside?  You've seen the tables."

"We have a plan for that part."

"What about getting everyone out?  You know how much danger you are putting them in?"

"There's a plan.  I just said we need some help, remember?"

"What if something goes wrong?!"

"Something did go wrong!"  Mrs Trufflebottom's cup crashed down on the table, tea splashing against the wall.  She chewed out the words to them.  "Everything went wrong here, and two Squirrelfolk from hell knows where took advantage of the situation - and I mean took advantage of you.  They've kept you living like slaves so they can live like kings. " Grimacing, she stood and shook the remaining water from her.  "What I could see going wrong is that you've been given a chance to make it better and did nothing." 

"We took a chance when we came here," Magnolia muttered.  "Look how that ended."

"Has it ended?"  She turned for the door, leaving a soaked floor behind her.  "We need help.  I'm going to the next home and doing this again.   I would love if you came with me.  I'll understand if you don't."

And without another word she squish-squashed out into the night.

Many raindrops fell on Mrs. Trufflebottom as she walked alone before she heard the sound of footsteps and a smooth, rolling from behind. There were no words exchanged as they met her at her side. Every step they took along side her said all that was needed.

The three arrived drenched and lamp-less at the next residence.  When the door opened and the owner recovered from their confusion, the story was told together as a group this time.

By the time the moon was directly above, peeking between the clouds, it cast a ghostly illumination on almost every resident in Outpost descending carefully into the mines.

*****

 

Now.

 

Kipper's paw twisted back and forth and back again, scrubbing the inside of the glass while his eyes remained half on the doorway.  He set it down and scanned the restaurant as if he could have some how missed her. He hadn't, of course.  Magnolia had never been late before.  Nor has anyone else.  He knew exactly when everyone would arrive.  He knew what they would order when they came up, what they would talk about, when they would walk away.  

Do it again tomorrow.

 

He looked down at the glass he cleaning and considered for a moment throwing it straight into the wall.   He wondered if the zombies at the tables would even notice.  Glancing around, he decided not.    There probably wasn't anything big enough in here to throw to catch their attention.  A full on explosion might do it, which conjured a humorless smirk to his face.  They had moved to Outpost for excitement and adventure and instead found themselves struggling to survive on what may well be a group of livestock.  And his only source of amusement now were the moments he could dream of destroying it, just to see what they would do.

 

Still, he was better of than they were. 

An abrupt Thwap! across the back of his head snapped him away from his thoughts and back to the task at hand. He ground his teeth.  Selena didn't have the same appreciation for day dreaming.

 

"Give it a rest.  She'll be here."

 

"Mags is never late.  Pfft, no-one is ever late.  That's the whole problem with this place, you know that.  Every day it's the same old - "

 

Whatever it was every day was interrupted by Selena's paw slapping across his mouth.  "If there are problems you know where to discuss them.  It's not here.  Our singer will be here soon.  Let it go."

 

"Right," he said making a face, and then working his mouth around a bit as if to find where it should stop.  Instantly he was once again the charming, handsome Kipper was holding the empty glass at the bar once again, ready to serve. 

***

 

On the right side of the bar/restaurant, only three tables back, with her feet casually resting on the chair next to her was a patron Kipper had seen seated several times before.  As always, not ever purchasing anything, nor talking to him, nor doing anything to help business, she was just another invisible customer to him.

 

Scarlet watched, kicking her feet in a mixture of amusement and annoyance as he checked the dining area after each glass for Magnolia.  Magnolia was adored by Selena and Kipper because she was useful to them.  When she wasn't around, the words they used to talk about her weren't nearly as...respectful.  Scarlet may be invisible to most folks, but at least she could come and go as she pleased.   

 

She decided she'd kept Kipper waiting long enough.  It was time to start the party.  

 

Swinging her body around, she kicked her feet from the chair and pushed it away from her.  The patrons of the restaurant ignored her, and Kipper and Selena were too concerned throwing hushed words at each other.

 

Magnolia enters.

 

She shook the rain from her body as she strode forward, confidently toward her singing station.   Ignoring everyone and everything around her, she feigned overplayed frustration as she set up.  

"Hey, you're here.  We were starting to wonder," said Kipper as he rushed over, ignoring Selena's protests from the bar.  "No Chive tonight?"

 

"No, he wasn't feeling well.  The whole thing held me up too."  Her dramatic entrance, combined with the well-timed visit from Kipper, had ensured the attention of the entire room.  Unbeknownst to Kipper of course, was that he and Selena were the only ones in that restaurant that weren't in on the plan.  Magnolia had to hold their attention as long as she could, though.  It was bad enough that several of the folks seated still had dirty hair and smudged clothes from the mines the night before.  She had to maintain the illusion a little longer.

She'd finally stumbled upon her starlight dress at the back of her closet, forgotten and waiting to be remembered again.  The memories that came with putting it on told her exactly what she needed to sing tonight.  All she needed to do now was breathe. 

 

A deep breath of air.  One final vision of the restaurant, of the bar, of her audience before her.  Her eyelids and chest fell in sync as her mouth formed the breath into words. And when she opened them again, and saw those same faces again, smiles, nods, tears, she turned the words to sheer magic.  

 

Tonight was her night.  The irony, of course, was that she was planning all along for someone to take it away from her. 

 

*****

 

"Well. Apparently something does change in Outpost.  The old bag finally picked a new song."  

 

"She did,"  Kipper confirmed, leaning one arm onto the bar-top as he listened in.  "It seems like a good choice for her, too.  She should have done this ages ago."

 

"Pcha, and risk upsetting customers?  Better that she's consistently mundane than bad,"  Selena replied, not seeming to care who could hear her. "Are you even listening to the words?  The rain is bad enough without a Mopey Magnolia singing here.

Kipper had resumed duties of half-mindly filling a beverage.  "This isn't bad though.  I mean - listen to her!  What if she could sing like this all the time?"

 

"Yes, imagine all of the new customers she could bring in!  Pouring in from every corner of Outpost!  Brilliant."  She handed an ornate, 3-layered drink to the man at the corner of the bar who accepted it from her apathetically.  In her disdain she missed the wink he gave to the man next to him when she stepped away.

 

"Well, I think the song's nice, Sel," Kipper said; not willing drop the issue.

 

"Then I'm sure Outpost will find a way to destroy it soon enough.  Like everything else."

 

*****

 

With every eye, and ear, locked onto the talents of Magnolia, Jacques and Meatball had crept to the door without being bothered.  Scarlet's face was clearly visible from where they stood, and even now her face was a rosy beacon.  There was a fire ready to be set free.

 

"Are you ready?"

 

Meatball could barely contain himself.  Jacques had clearly chosen the right Mousefolk for the job.  He watched Magnolia with half an eye as he waited for the signal.  She'd said she was singing something new tonight, but he hadn't heard her sing like this before. She was coming alive tonight, and everyone inside knew it.  Which was the whole point, unfortunately, because it meant they weren't paying attention to anything else.  

 

Just then Scarlet kicked her paws casually up on top of the table, leaning deeply back into her chair.  "That's your signal, Meatball.   Go in there and let loose absolute hell."

 

And armed with as many of Jacques' quirky inventions as he could carry, laughing over the top of the spell Magnolia had just carefully woven, Meatball bounced into Selena and Kipper's with every intent to destroy it - soon enough.