I woke up because
somebody was shaking me. I opened my eyes and immediately I was rewarded with
a vision that haunts many young men's dreams.
I gasped.
Merta pulled away. "Zack, how long do you intend to sleep?" she asked.
"It was busy day," I mumbled. "Why do you wake me up?"
"Better I than her, I think."
I looked towards the door. Soot was standing there, with one of her pins
in her hand.
"I get the picture," I said slowly. "Now, Soot, why would you want
to wake me up?"
"My payment, remember? We had an agreement."
"Look, I won't let you do that."
"Do what?" asked Merta.
"She wants to watch when you're... um..."
"Oh." Merta blushed. It seemed she forgot all about the spanking I promised
her. "Well, I mean, she was a big help in rescuing me, and..."
"No," I said. "Let's not support her perverse streak, Merta, OK? You will
get spanked, but she won't see it."
I looked Soot in the eyes. She reflected my gaze.
"We will see," she smiled. "I don't like things easy, anyways."
And she was gone.
"She will try to peep," I said. "I just know that."
Merta sighed. "Oh, well, um... will you spank me now, my Knight?"
I laughed. "Good try, Merta, but don't forget we have to buy a hairbrush
first."
"Look..." she tried, "I mean it will hurt enough even without the hairbrush..."
"You need one anyways," I shrugged. "And you agreed with that punishment
yesterday."
"Yes, but that was yesterday!"
I laughed again. "No no, my Lady, you now go outside, I get dressed and
we will buy that thing. And then we will come back home, and you will get
punished for the escapade yesterday. Do we understand each other?"
She sighed. "Yes, Zack."
When we got down, Mom was already making the breakfast. And Soot was eating
it.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"You won't see me watch the spanking, so I'm having a breakfast."
"It's my Mom's..."
"Now now," interrupted us Mom. "I made enough for everybody, and..."
That's when May came in.
"Wow," she said. "Did we become a girls' pension overnight?"
"Well, not exactly," I started, but Soot smiled and shook May's hand.
"Hi! I'm Soot! Nice to meet you! You mus be May!"
"How do you know her name?" I wondered.
"Now now, a girl has to keep her secrets, right?" she waved me off.
"She was talking to your Dad after you fell asleep," said Merta.
"What's happening here?" cried May.
"Well, your brother is an escaped convict now and we're his accomplices
and we're hiding here from the law," answered Soot matter-of-factly.
"Soot! Don't listen to her, May, it was her fault we ended in the prison
anyways..."
"Wow," said May and in her eyes I've seen (to my utter horror) a look of
admiration.
"I'm the best thief in the world, by the way," continued Soot.
"Wow!"
"You can't decide that yourself!"
"I never heard about anyone else applying for the title," shrugged Soot.
"And I haven't even started yet about Merta and you..."
"You won't!!!"
"Excuse me," said Mom. "I have to check the other guest."
"Other guest?" asked May. I suddenly remembered who is Mom talking about.
"I'll help you!"
Merta followed me. So did Soot and May.
The girl was lying in Mom's bed. Still on her stomach. She was dressed in
her old nightgown, but her bruised bottom was carefully left bare.
"I've gotten my deal of spankings when I was young," said Mom. "I've given
a few, to you and May, I even saw some public spankings, but I never saw anything
like this."
"Zack hurt the man who did this," smirked Soot. "Hit him so hard he lost
consciousness."
May, who was horrified by the girl's look, looked at me admiringly again.
I didn't feel a need to explain the thing with the stone wall his head hit.
Mom grimly nodded.
"People like that should taste their own cruelty."
Soot slowly pulled out Feltar's flail. "Trust me, one day he will."
"So, will she be OK?" I asked. The girl was pale and she didn't look well.
Not at all.
"She's still unconscious, she has a bit of a fever and she... lost some
blood, but I think she will be fine. She won't be able to sit for a few weeks,
that's all. Zack, it will be better if you go away now. Noise is not good
for her."
We went on the street. May looked at me and said "I swear I will never again
complain I got a bad spanking. That was horrible!"
I nodded. "But we have another unpleasant duty right now, May. Merta needs
to buy a hairbrush."
May snickered. "Not for her hair, right?"
"Right."
"You will actually spank her?"
Merta smiled, but it was a strained smile. "Yes, May. He will actually...
spank me."
"So you're his girlfriend, then?"
"What?" I blinked.
"Well, boyfriends spanks their girlfriends, right? That's traditional."
"Well, we are..."
"He's my Knight," said Merta simply. "And he spanks me when I need to be
spanked." She sighed. "I'm afraid of the spanking. But I know I did a bad
thing and I must be punished. Um... shall we go?"
As we were going towards the store, Soot moved to me and whispered into
my ear: "She's unbelievable, don't you think? She practically begs to be
spanked! Ideal state, don't you think?"
"I don't know what you are talking about," I said, calmly.
"Oh, really? You like to spank her, admit it."
"Maybe, Soot, I would like to spank you."
She laughed. "As I said, I'm not the spanking type."
"You deserve it."
"But I don't let anyone to spank me, you know."
"That's a mistake, I think."
"You do?"
"I do."
She thought for a while. "You know what," she started, "how about a little
wager?"
"Wager?"
"Yeah, a wager. If I win, I can watch Merta's spanking. If you win... You
can give me a spanking."
"Sounds interesting. What do you want to do, flip a coin?"
She laughed. "Nothing that simple. What about a race?"
"A race?"
"You are going to get a hairbrush at the store. So will I. Whoever gets
it home first is the winner. And you can't use that flying thing Merta has."
I wouldn't, anyways. The village has thousand ears and thousand eyes. Merta's
powers should be kept secret.
"You're on."
"Great." She smiled.
"But if I win, you're going to get it the same as Merta. On your bare bottom,
with the hairbrush."
"Of course. But I'm not going to lose." She smirked. "Heh, you're one hudred
years too early to beat the best thief in the world!"
I wondered if I hadn't just made a mistake.
The general store in the village was owned by Mr. Geyr. He was a widower
and he had three daughters - triplets, 16 years old. They were usually selling
behind the counter, as they tend to attract customers. They attracted them
a lot. Unfortunately, Mr. Geyr had Traditional Views on age when girls and
boys should start to get interested in each other and the rumors said that
on more than one occassion a half-naked boy was seen running from Mr. Geyr's
store at night while unmistakable sounds of bare-bottomed spanking were sounding
from the upper floor.
But the little counter in the back was always manned by Mr. Geyr himself.
It was selling items girls didn't want to touch, in case they would touch
them. At private places.
Merta and even May tried to hide behind me when they saw the selection.
Soot, on the other hand, was watching the collection of implements with clear
interest.
"Well, Merta," I said, "pick a hairbrush. Don't worry, I'm paying."
Merta whimpered. "Zack, couldn't you... couldn't you pick it?"
"But what are you saying, young lady?" boomed Mr. Geyr jovially. "Don't
you know the boys don't have any esthetic sense at all? You must pick a nice
one that you would like!"
I pushed Merta forward. "Go on, Merta, tell Mr. Geyr what we need?"
"But... but..." She was on the verge of tears. Mr. Geyr saw that and changed
the tone of his voice.
"I see you've been a bit naughty, girl, right?"
Merta just nodded.
"And I guess you don't need the hairbrush to brush your hair, right?"
She nodded again.
"And I bet this is very embarrassing for you, right?"
Nod again.
"But that's how it should be, girl. I don't know what you did but if you
will want to do it again, just remember how are you feeling right now, will
you? Remember how embarrassed you are."
He coughed. "Now, what was it that you wanted?"
"A... a hairbrush, please," whispered Merta.
"What do you need it for?"
"I... I'm going to get a spanking with it..."
"That's right, but I hope that's not the only function! It's a hairbrush
after all and you have a very good hair. So what do you think? Shall we select
one that is good for your hair, not just for your bottom?"
"Yes... please..."
Mr. Geyr turned to pick up a hairbrush, but suddenly he whirled back. "You put that down this instant!"
I looked around. Soot was already in the door, with a big black hairbrush.
It looked pretty nasty.
"Ha! See you!"
Mr. Geyr became rather red, and I had to save the situation.
"I'm really sorry, she's... difficult. I'll pay for that, of course."
"Right," growled Mr. Geyr. "That you should. But I would like to speak to
that girl anyways."
I selected a smaller brown hairbrush from the rack.
"This one has the right color for you, Merta, right?" She nodded.
"I'll take this one." I threw some coins on the counter. "Keep the change!
We must get home before that girl!"
And I ran out.
After a few steps, May caught with me. "What are you doing?"
"I made a bet with Soot! If she gets home first, she will watch Merta's
spanking! And I don't want that!"
"If you don't want that, why did you make the bet?"
I didn't want to talk about the spoils of my win.
"She's persuasive! But she cheated, she told me... oh..."
"She told what?"
"She told, and I'm quoting here, 'You are going to get a hairbrush at the
store. So will I. Whoever gets it home first is the winner.' Get a hairbrush!
I didn't think she would just steal it!"
"Well, she is a thief, isn't she? Stealing things is natural for her."
"Hold on, I see her!"
Soot was waiting on the corner, but she started to run as soon as she saw
us.
"She's playing with you," said May. "She's too fast, you can't get home
before her."
"I have to!"
And we ran like the wind.
Soot was an expert, after all. She was used to pursuits and she was used
to run in the towns. We had to jump out of the way of people but Soot was
just never at the same place as anyone else.
May knocked on the door of old Ms. Hunter.
"Yes, my dear?"
"It's vital! Can we go through your house?"
"Well, yes, my dear, but -"
"Thanks!" she cried and pulled my arm. We ducked into her door and jumped
out of the window on the other side. "We'll explain later!" shouted May.
"Great thinking, May!" I jumped over the low fence. "Now we are in the lead!"
Someone tripped me.
"Ouch!"
"Oh, sorry," smirked Soot. "Someone was getting too cocky for his own good
here."
"I'll get you for this!"
I have to admit, Soot was a good runner. But she was even greater tease.
"What happend if you win?" asked May.
I had no reason to keep her in the dark. "I get to spank her!"
She smiled. "Well, can I watch?"
"What? I can't beat her now!"
"We will see, Bro, we will see... I know her weak spot. Give me the hairbrush."
I did so.
Soot stopped just before the door of my house. I stopped, too.
"What's happening?" she teased. "You still have a chance!"
"No way in hell! You are just playing with me!"
"Well, and if I am?" She laughed. "You were so cute to fall for that! As
if I ever let anybody spank me! So, time to win!"
She opened the door and hesitated.
"What's the matter? You won't try to win? You're a bad sport, you know that?"
And then something flew through the air.
Soot jumped when a brown hairbrush whizzed past her head and fall to the
floor with a clunk.
"Yes!" cried out May. "We won!"
"What do you mean?" shouted Soot.
"The bet was to get the hairbrush home first, right?" answered May. "And
we did that. You've lost!"
Soot opened her mouth to say something, but then she thought better.
"All right, fine," she pouted. "You've won. Damn! I hate this when
it happens!"
I just smiled.
"Ten years," she complained. "Ten years without a spanking and now this.
Oh well, noone can say that Soot doesn't keep her promises."
I came to her and grabbed her ear. Dad did this to May sometimes, when he
was very angry with her. Soot stiffed, but didn't protest.
"OK, have your fun with me," she said. "I'm not one for holding grudge.
Or for backing up. But next time..."
"Let's go," I said.
"Where?"
"Back to the store. I paid for the hairbrush you stole, but you are still
going to apologize to the owner."
"What? I don't apologize! That's a rule! Ouch!" she gasped as I hit her
bottom with my hand. I put all my strength into it and Soot jumped. "That
hurt!"
"Let's... go..." I said. "I don't want you to make any more trouble today,
young lady. Understand?"
"Young lady? I'm older than you!"
*SMACK!*
"Ouch!"
"No talking."
I was really angry with Soot. But I had to admit that although she was stronger
than me, she kept her word. She definitely wasn't your common "naughty girl",
but she lost the bet and she was willing to behave like one for a time.
When we entered the store, Mr. Geyr raised his eyebrows. "I see you've caught
her," he said.
"Yes, and she has something to tell you, don't you?"
Soot lowered her eyes, but she murmured "s'ry."
Mr. Geyr shook his head. "I have made a few canes in my spare time," he
offered. "They are up for a reasonable prices..."
"No, thank you," I smiled. "The hairbrush she took will be enough, I think."
"Poetic justice? I like that. But next time she tries a stunt like that,
I would really like a few minutes alone with her... I would teach her manners!"
"No," I shook my head, "I don't really think you would. Once again, she
is very sorry for angering you. And in a short while, she will be much more
sorry."
"I hope so, young man. I hope so."
It was almost a noon when we finally made it back home. By that time, May
had already told everyone about Soot's spanking. She seemed to really like
that idea.
"Why?" I asked her. "You were convinced she is so cool, weren't you?"
"And she is!" she chuckled. "But maybe I have a mean streak. If I ever met
a girl that deserves a good spanking, it's her!"
Mom announced that lunch is ready and the spanking must wait until afterwards.
But before the lunch, both Merta and Soot gave me - reluctantly, I noticed
- their hairbrushes and I put them on the table so everyone could see them.
I was really enjoying that lunch. So was May.
And after the lunch...
I lead both girls in my room. May entered, too, sniggering a bit.
"Well, Merta," I said, "Soot did all this so she could see you spanked.
So I think it's just fair for you to see HER spanking?"
Soot blinked, but then she sighed. "Oh, all right, let her watch... I don't
have anything to hide, after all."
"I just wanted to ask, Merta - do you prefer to be spanked before or after
Soot? I can do both, you know, it's only your choice."
Tears welled up in Merta's eyes.
"What's it going to be, my Lady?"
"Afterwards."
"May, do you have the hairbrushes?"
May offered me one.
"No, May. First of all, this is not the hairbrush I have in mind for Soot,
and second, it's too soon for it. First, I'm going to spank her by hand so
she would really appreciate the brush."
I enjoyed myself immensely. Soot was frowning and if looks could kill I
would be dead, but she wouldn't do anything to stop me. She couldn't. A bet
is a bet.
"Well," I said, "let's just get down your... ah..."
All girls I've ever seen or heard spanked wore skirts. But Soot had trousers,
black of course, which meant that when they come down...
She sighed. "You have a towel?"
It took a while, but finally she removed her trousers and panties completely
and tied a towel around her waist as a meaning of preserving her modesty.
I thought she's probably doing it more for my sake than for hers.
She lied across my lap and I pushed the towel up to uncover her bottom.
Like her face (and her legs), it was white.
May dropped down and looked in Soot's eyes. "Say you're sorry!" she demanded.
"You did a stupid thing, you cheated, you stole, just to revel in a pain of
another girl! What will now happen to you is exactly what you deserve, you
nasty girl!"
"OK," sighed Soot. "It was really stupid, OK? You happy now?"
I spanked her.
"Ouch!"
"That is not enough, Soot. The deal was that you will get spanked
just like Merta and Merta would get extras if she talked like that."
Merta nodded. "That's right."
I added another spank.
"Ouch! Look, I'm sorry, I really am. Oh, how long will this take?"
*SMACK!*
"Yeuch! It hurts!"
"And you've seen nothing," I said, and I started to really rub it in.
For all the coolness Soot was displaying normally, she was just a naughty
girl underneath. As my father said "Lower her panties and you will see her
true self." Merta and May watched as she kicked her legs, and her swearing
has transformed into pleading, sobbing, and eventually, crying.
Her bottom was pretty red when I stopped. She wanted to get up, but I put
my hand on her back. "No, you won't! May, give me the black hairbrush. The
bigger one."
"Waaa, Zack, you don't have to! Trust me, you've just spanked me for everything
bad I've ever done! There is no need..."
"Merta is younger than you, Soot, but I don't think she will be this fussy
when it's her turn."
"But why that brush? You told me that I will get spanked like Merta..."
"You chose this brush yourself. Don't blame me." I straightened my arm and
May put the implement in.
"And you should know" - SMACK! - "THAT" - SMACK! - "YOU" - SMACK!
- "DESERVE" - SMACK! - "THIS!" - SMACK!
"Aaa! You pervert!"
"Pervert, am I?" SMACK!
"You just like to see girls crying! You are just like Feltar!"
"No, he's not!"
That was Merta. She was furious.
"He's my Knight!" she cried. "He must do this because that's the deal! He
must protect me and he must spank me when I'm bad! And I don't like being
spanked either, but it's the proper thing to do when I'm bad!"
May put a hand on my shoulder. "She's right, you know," she said. "If he
likes spanking girls, does that really matter? People are always the best
in things they like to do! But he doesn't spank you because he likes to, he
spanks you because you need to be spanked!"
"Next time I'm naughty," she continued, with a resolve in her voice, "I'm
willing to go over his knee and accept my punishment from his hand. Because
he cares for me. And he cares for Merta. And he cares for you, you silly girl,
although I really don't know why!"
And then I realized Soot is crying. This was not the reluctant cries of
a girl who doesn't want to show her tears. This was genuine crying of a girl
in pain.
"Sorry," she whispered. "Whatever you are, I shouldn't have said the last
thing. You were right. I deserve a spanking. A mother of all spankings, probably."
I put the hairbrush on her bottom and she shivered when the cold wood touched
the hot buns.
"Yes," she nodded. "Finish it, please. If for nothing else, for the thing
I said I really deserve..."
Her voice trailed and I started to spank her again.
She was already crying and the spanking only made her cry more. But this
time, she was whispering "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" through the crying.
It took about a minute before I decided she had enough.
"May," I said, "take her clothes and put her into your room. She will need
someone to talk to. And you, Merta - you come here."
Merta sniffed. "I get the same spanking as she did?"
"Not quite that big," I whispered to her ear.
That was true. Soot was older and tougher so I gave her a spanking I wouldn't
dare to give Merta. And the last part with the hairbrush, that was hardly
a spanking at all. It wasn't punishment, it was... cleansing.
She kissed me. "My Knight... your Lady asks you to punish her well."
"I promise."
She went over easily, pulled up her skirt and raised her bottom a bit so
I could get the panties down.
And I spanked her.
I was surprised that she actually resisted tears longer than Soot did. But
it didn't take long before she, too, was bawling like a baby.
"Be calm, my Lady," I whispered. "I know that the punishment is unpleasant,
but it is my duty as a Knight to do it."
"I know... but it hurts so bad! sniff..."
I continued with spanking. "Your bottom remembers, my Lady! It remembers
what is happening to it and WHY is it happening. You left me yesterday. Why?
Didn't you trust me?"
"No, it was... I didn't think... ouch!"
"And a sore bottom will help you to think the next time. They could hurt
you. And it would make me very... sad."
"Because you're my Knight?"
"That's right, Merta."
I gave her last few smacks and stood her up. "OK, now bring me the hairbrush.
Your hairbrush."
She did so. She gave it to me and started vigorously rubbing her bottom.
"No, don't do that. It's pointless. I must kindle the fire in your bottom
anew." I smacked the hairbrush against my thigh. I was surprised how strongly
I felt the smack. It must be even worse when used on an unprotected, fragile,
girlish behind...
Oh well, time to do it.
The whole time I was spanking Merta's bottom with the hairbrush, she was
crying desperately. She didn't promise, she didn't plead, she just accepted
the punishment like a Lady she was. But she cried, oh so much!
Finally, I put away the hairbrush and stood her up again. She hugged me
and she pressed herself to me as if I was her only certainty in the world
and she didn't want to let me go at any circumstances.
Which might as well be true.
Soot needed some time alone, but Merta didn't.
I let her sit on my lap and hug me until she stopped crying. That was the
tiniest thing I could do for her.
I left her upstairs and came down. Spanking two girls was surprisingly exhausting.
And exciting, too, but I didn't want to go that road.
"We heard them crying down here," said Dad.
I shrugged.
"You are a fast learner, Zack. Actually, you fare better than me!" He smiled.
"When I have to give May a spanking, I always feel that she... resents me
afterward, only for a short while, but it's definitely a resentment. But they
like you even when you are spanking their bottoms. That's a gift, Zack, and
you should use it well."
I opened my mouth to say something, and at this point, a third girl started
crying.
We ran to the room where the girl was lying. She was no longer unconscious,
but she was sobbing into her pillow.
Mom patted her head. "Psssh, dear. It's OK, you're safe now. Can you tell
us your name?"
"I...I'm Grace. Mayor's maid, madam."
"Mayor of Ceris?" inquired Dad.
"Yes, sir. He... He said that his wife is missing some jewelry... and he
said that I'm the thief... and he put me in the prison... and there was a
man with..."
"I understand," said Dad. "You are safe here, don't worry. You don't have
to go back there."
"I couldn't anyway... he fired me..."
"You can stay here," offered Mom. "We can always use a spare hand. I mean...
after you heal, of course."
"Thank you, madam."
"Oh, you don't have to call me madam."
"Sorry, madam, I have to. Maid conditioning, you know. As long as I'm a
maid, I have to call you madam, madam. And I don't know how to do anything
else."
Mom gave up. "OK, call me however you want, Grace. Would you like to eat
anything?"
Grace nodded. "Thank you very much, madam."
And so Grace joined us at the dinner. She ate standing up, but so did Soot
and Merta and all three had tear-streaken faces. But noone commented that.
"Where are they going to sleep?" I asked. "I don't think we have three spare
beds."
"Soot and Grace can be in my room," offered May. "I have lots of spare blankets,
we will manage. Merta could," she sniggered, "sleep with you."
"May!" said Mom, but she didn't look nearly as displeased as she sounded.
Merta blushed.
She opened her mouth to say something.
And suddenly someone hit our front door with the axe.
When we got to the hall, the door were already destroyed. A group of men
was standing on the other side. They had black masks on their faces. Except
the one in the front.
For one thing, I would prefer him to wear a mask, as Feltar's face
was badly bruised. But he was smiling.
"The door was unlocked, you know," said Father. "All you had to do was to
press the doorknob."
"Ah!" smiled Feltar. "I see you are all here. That makes things easier.
You are arrested. All of you."
"On what charges?" Father was really angry.
"Oh, we find something. For the beginning, assisting a murderer."
"Murderer?"
"Yes. She murdered a mayor of Ceris. Tonight, after you helped her escape
her just punishment."
"She was unconscious the whole time!"
"Well? Does it matter?" Feltar showed his teeth. "I say she's a murderer.
That's a death penalty, of course. And after she's dead, there will be nobody
to support her version."
"I will be here."
"No, you won't. You are resisting arrest, sir. You might be accidentally
killed."
Dad smiled.
"It was you, weren't you?" he whispered. "You killed the Mayor. Or maybe
you didn't make your hands dirty, you just sent someone to do it. But you
won't get away with that."
"Take them alive," said Feltar calmly. "We will say they died. Of course,
since they are dead... Nobody can hear the screams of dead, right?"
If a masked face can look uneasy, the ones behind Feltar did. The one thing
worse than a mindless killer is a thoughtful killer. A killer with fantasy.
"I know you, Feltar," said Father. "You were always a bad man. But you never
overstepped your boundaries. What happened to you?"
A red tetrahedron hit Feltar's cloak. And exploded.
"It's the witch!" he shouted. "A thief, a witch and a murderer! What a combination!"
Soot hit me with her elbow. "Go!" she hissed.
"But..."
"There will be time to sort it out later, now go!"
We ran out into the garden.
Merta was drawing a picture. A big one.
It was a triangle inside another triangle, upside-down. Each corner of one
triangle was connected to two corners of the other.
"Symbol of Air," said Soot. "Big enough to lift us all. But it won't get
us far."
"But what about my parents..."
"Get them!"
"They've just ran away," announced Soot. "That's what I would do, and your
father is a sensible man. They know this village and this village knows them.
They will hide them. They bought us time."
I hesitated. "But what if they catch them..."
"Every parent, Zack, loves his children. They would sacrifice anything
so you could escape. We can get back to find them, but not now.
"What is happening here?" asked May, clearly in shock.
"I can't explain now!" I shouted. "Merta can get us out of here!"
"If we don't get away!" shouted Soot to my ear.
"Yes?"
"I wanted to... thank you. For the spanking. I know it sounds stupid, but
I don't feel that angry with the world anymore!"
"Zack, Soot, May and Grace," said Merta. "I hope it can carry five people..."
And she finished the diagram.
I saw eight triangles rise from the ground and enclose us into a transparent
crystal. And then we rose.
Feltar ran out of the house. "We will meet again!" he cried. His calm face
cracked and for a moment we saw the real person inside. The really insane
person. "I... will... find you!"
"That's great!" shouted Soot. "I still have something that belongs to you
- and I can't wait to use it!"
Merta braced her hands and feet on edges of the structure. She closed her
eyes.
"Go!"
Last thing I saw were soldiers milling in the streets. They didn't get Mom
and Dad, I thought.
Then the crystal broke clouds and the ground disappeared.
Merta was pale and sweating. "It's hard... to... keep it together," she
breathed. "It's... too... large."
And then she fell down.
After a short while, so did the octahedron of air.
Which is definitely not how your day is supposed to end.
End
of Chapter 3
May's Retrospective Readers' Corner:
It's like snowballs: You start with a few characters, but then there just
is more and more...
You know, Fulgur doesn't really like converting the stories to new format.
That means he has to read them again - and he hates to do that. Oh sure, when
he writes them, that's another thing, but when he reads something he
had written some time ago, he inevitably feels silly. "I wrote this?"
he wonders. He's often appalled. Oh, more like... embarrassed. He's that type.
I mean, just imagine a girl would read that! Surely she would think
him a pervert at least - and male chauvinist pig at worst!
Really... why it's always us who get spanked?
Well, the answer is that Fulgur simply prefers it this way. He still has
that old-fashioned Knight-and-Lady kind of thinking. He's happy with the thought
of equal rights, but he wishes to help the girls as much as he can - and
deal out punishments for the trouble they cause by himself. This kind of
attitude is transferred to the story. Yes, girls and women in Geomancer world
get spanked - get spanked a lot! - but that doesn't mean that men have it
any easier. They are always the ones to take blame and when they are punished,
it's not a spanking - it's prison, or a fine, or something like that. Actually,
most of us would prefer a spanking to a fine! And a spanking is definitely
better than a prison! Only if it wasn't so damn embarrassing...
The "hairbrush scene" sequence had originally a bit different ending. The
original idea was that Soot does get home first - but since the hairbrush
she's carrying was paid for by Zack, it's technically his hairbrush,
and so he wins. In the end, Fulgur rejected this idea because he thought it
would look like hair-splitting.
May's Retrospective Readers' Corner: