a little peace and quiet on Teppenpaw Commons

Manfred Bulla

April 26, 2005 10:02 AM

a little peace and quiet by Manfred Bulla

The sounds of the newly arrived and arriving students filled the school as Manfred made his way back in from the gardens. The spell he had cast, which was the work of much of the summer and only finally completed that day, was one he was rightly proud of. Very few others could have managed the tricky little nuances that had been involved in getting the combination of different charms that he had used to work not only together, but within the highly magical field that made Sonora the paradise within the desert that it was. All in all, when the spells had been given time to settle, and the full effect was revealed, he was fairly certain that the staff and students at Sonora would be impressed.

He made his way thoughtfully through the school, heading for his office, his strides long, slow and measured. It was going to be a busy year he suspected. What with the sesquicentenary, Lucinda turning Seventy Five in spring and the issues surrounding the recently held election, it was going to be quite eventful even without worrying about classes or his writing.

Arriving at his door, he let himself into the room. Manfred felt that he deserved to have a nice relaxing day before things got hectic when it became time for the feast, so he walked over to the liquor cabinet, poured himself a small glass of Ogden's and sat down in his comfy chair. He took a small sip before placing the glass on the small table next to the chair, and turning on the Wizarding Wireless which was the only other thing situated there. A familiar tune was just finishing, and he closed his eyes and leaned back with a satisfied sigh, stopping only to reach blindly for his glass.

A recap of last weeks installment of Little Prairie Elves in the House, Ma and Pa Shingles were devastated to find that Laury had been trying on clothes whilst...\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

39 Manfred Bulla a little peace and quiet 2 Manfred Bulla 1 5

Tony the plant

April 27, 2005 9:49 AM

Heh, you think <i>that</i> will last? by Tony the plant

Tony almost missed the deputy head's door as he continued his lumbering amble through Sonora. He hadn't traveled this far from his lovely hall in a long time, and it was beginning to affect him. Not that a change of scenery wasn't nice, but so was his quiet hall, and Gladys, and even the stupid palms that he'd taken to pushing in the path of student's in a rush. Yeah, he was anxious to get back, but first he needed to talk to Bulla.

Who knew what the headmistress could be doing right now, all Tony knew was that in her state it was sure to be something dangerous....for her, the plant life, or any onlookers. Well, that might have been stretching it a bit, he really did have faith in his boss despite her recent loss of a owls from the spider web ridden nest that was her head....then again more owls were escaping every day. He needed to talk to Bulla.

Tony turned the door knob with slight difficulty as a result of the slippery nature of his leaf arms. He nudged his large green head through the door, first looking over to Bulla's desk, where a smart guy like him would certainly be. However, he wasn't there, and an interesting voice was coming from the right. Not familiar with the latest in wizard technology (though wireless wasn't exactly new by any means), Tony twisted his head in the direction of the sound. "Oh, sorry Mister Bulla, I see you'se got company," company that seemed to be either invisible or hiding. "I need to have a word with you'se for a sec, if I could."\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

0 Tony the plant Heh, you think <i>that</i> will last? 0 Tony the plant 0 5

Manfred

April 27, 2005 7:29 PM

and it was just getting to the good bit!! by Manfred

"...but, Mama, I don't want to wear a sack to the elf ins-"

"Oh, sorry Mister Bulla, I see you'se got company."

Manfred half jumped in his seat, choking and spluttering as his last sip of Ogdens went down the wrong way. What remained in the glass was spilt all over his otherwise clean robes as he hurridly tried to sit up. He fumbled with the wireless first getting the wrong knob - "-love you Mama-" bellowed out - before stumbling across the correct switch, and flicking it off.

"Tony-" His voice was dry and hoarse, and he had to stop so as to cough for a half a minute. Apparently Firewhiskey wasn't good for lungs. "Tony, what's happened?" The plant wouldn't be here for no reason. As guardian to the Headmistresses office, Manfred knew that he took his job very seriously. He would only have left his post and sought out Manfred if it were very important.

His face, now that the first surprise was over, took on the familiar lines that it wore while he was in his capacity as Deputy Headmaster, and he jumped out of his seat. The slight dampness of his robes was brought to his attention and he frowned, patting it ineffectually, while moving towards Tony.

"Should we be moving while you tell me this?" he asked, thinking if time were of the essence, then it would be best to do so.\n\n

39 Manfred and it was just getting to the good bit!! 0 Manfred 0 5

Tony

April 28, 2005 3:46 PM

Let's go thata way by Tony

"Yeah, we should get movin'." He knew Bulla was deputy head for a reason. The guy was smart, very smart. Move while talking, what a good idea. Tony backed out of the doorway and turned in the direction he had originally come which lead to the shortcut. Not use to walking for so long, he was beginning to feel the effects in his aching roots, a feeling he couldn't remember ever experiencing before. Though he was sure there was a time when he had been more active than this. It was a foggy memory, but still there and thankfully it had left him with a decent knowledge of the mansion.

When they were a ways a way from the Teppenpaw entrance (it was common knowledge that the headmistress was off her rocker, but he still wasn't willing to spread the rumors even more), Tony tried to explain what he'd seen as best as a plant could. "Marnett's acting odd, odd even for her," he began, looking over his shoulder for any kids that might be lured in by the sight of a talking plant and a deputy head walking briskly down the hall. "She ran out of her office, Mister Bulla. Ran. Lookin' kinda wigged out at that."

The secret entrance slid open which led to the front of the mansion. It was a dark hall that was fairly a straight shot except for one fork in the path, the left going in the direction they wanted to go, the right to....well, Tony wasn't sure where that path led to, and as dark and muggy and a bit creepy as it was in here, he really didn't want to find out. There might be some plant-eating rats down that way. He quickened his pace at this thought, and finally exited into the foyer. This is where he stopped.

"She went out that way." He pointed to the door, but wouldn't budge any further. The only way he'd go outside was if Bulla dragged him, and he'd put up a good fight before that happened.\n\n

0 Tony Let's go thata way 0 Tony 0 5

Manfred

April 29, 2005 9:54 AM

I thought you didn't want to come outdoors? by Manfred

Manfred nodded grimly as Tony filled him in on what Lucinda Marnett had been doing - the reason the large, talkative plant had left his hall for the first time in a very long time. He couldn't understand quite what might have happened... until he realised where the passage that Tony led him down ended.

At this point, he turned slightly green for a second, then hurridly schooled his features to the more understandable worry.

"She's out in the Gardens?" Manfred asked, his voice steady enough that if he hadn't known the thoughts going through his head, he himself would have been fooled into thinking that he was a competant Deputy merely looking out for his superior. He opened his mouth again, half prepared to ask Tony to accompany him when he shut it again.

If Marnett had stumbled across the surprise to soon...

If the surprise had been what set her off running in the first place...

"Very good Tony," he said, nodding in a manner exactly like he would if a student had done something very accomplished in Charms. "I'll take over from here - you had better get back to your post. With new students arriving, there's always the chance that one might end up being a nosy little berk who doesn't understand the meaning of private property."

He hurried out through the doors and into the garden, trying to work out where he should look first.\n\n

39 Manfred I thought you didn't want to come outdoors? 0 Manfred 0 5