ETTING   OME   O   LFANDRA

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Hespa's Story part 7 - The Trouble with Real Life

**HEY!!** The force of Hespa's voice causes Emma to nearly jump out of her brightly-coloured skin.  **can we focus, please??...you too, pyros....it's all very nice for emma being there, i'm sure, but my situation is a little more of a problem....if we don't figure out how to switch back by the time my- our- emma's parents wake up... well, i doubt they be too thrilled to find a real live dragon in the house....i *really* want to sort this out *without* involving the police or the army...**

"Awe, I spent several years in the RL.  I'm sure you would be able to manage Hespa.  I really don't want you to pursue that though because we might not hear from you.  There's lots of places to hide in Australia.  It's a big place you know."

"Just make sure you can dart out the window or something if anyone were to show up.  We don't need you getting into any additional trouble.  RL is full of trouble."

**i don't want to hide ou in the outback, i'd boil!...sorry, cira, but i happen to like my civilisation....as for darting out the window, emma's windows aren't quite that big, plus they have flyscreens...**

Not to mention getting out of human civilization without being seen...

**...and if our mother doesn't find emma in her bed when she looking in tomorrow, i imagine she'll get pretty worried...**

"I hadn't thought of that," says Emma, frowning.  "On the other hand, she's not likely to look in until nine or so, which gives us more time..."

Cira sighs seeing that they had better do their best to get Emma and Hespa back to where they both belong, and only worry about the alternatives if that fails.  He trusts that if something were to go haywire in the RL that Hespa will be able to take care of it.

"I'm sorry, I wouldn't want you to boil.  That's not ok."

Yes, Hespa, you're absolutely right, I was merely trying to calm Emma down and point out that, while it certainly isn't convenient for her, it isn't a bad place per se.  Of course, in a few hours it will be significantly less than convenient for you, to say the least...sSo let's get started.  Hespa, you obviously know the most about the situation...I'd love to help out, but I'm not quite sure where to begin.

"Well, we could find one of the archmages.  Oooh if Lady V. were around we might try using her nexus, I seem to remember there was a link to the RL there...  I felt it."

"Is she around?" asks Emma.

Cira scans the newsgroup but cannot locate Lady Viriatha de Cordova.  He shakes his head 'no'.

**i guess we'd better explain all that written and unwritten stuff to cira and pyros, if they're going to help us... you *are* going to help us, right?**

"Sure!  --  How?"

**ok, explanation first, how second....but a quick explanation, if we can manage it....emma, you up to talking yet?**

The new dragon takes a deep breath and nods.  "I'll see what I can do..."