"Lucy, I think I can!"

"Yes, but can you is the question?"

"Well then, Lucy, I know I can!"

"Maybe… but what does our hand have to offer? A few shots of endorphin, possibly, but no grendel export, or…" Lucy pondered the thought. "Or grendel machine exterminator. That’s the last thing we have."

"Grendel machine killer?! There is such a thing?!"

"Of course, girl, what do you think? Have you ever read a fairy norn tale?"

"No! How could you have? D2 said, oh, he is a darling but so stupid…Could you teach him? Please?"

"No I told you, if I taught everyone…The hand would notice…And…" Lucy’s voice faded to a whisper.

"Oh, OK, back to fairy tales, then. What about them? Tell me one? Please?"

"I’d love too! All right….How my mother used to tell it.."

"MOTHER!?"

"Please don’t…"

"But why?"

"She died…A painful death. That is all you need to know."

"All right."

"Anyway, Once apon a time in a little albia far, far away there lived a young norn princess. She lived happily in the gardens for many hours, until one day an evil grendel came and took her away to the top of the grendel tree. ‘You shall stay here forever! Or until someone rescues you! But they won’t! Scared little norns!’ And he left. ‘What shall I do!’ cried the little norn. She was very defenseless, being royalty, after all. But hours and hours later a dashing young norn saw her. ‘Princess, throw down your long golden hair!’He commanded her. ‘ut of course!’ replied. And the young norn climbed up the golden locks to rescue the princess. But an ugly grendel had hatched, and the princess shrieked and hid behind the norn in fear. `DIE RETCHED BEAST!` The norn yelled a war cry and killed the grendel in one slice. `Thank you, sir, how ever can I thank you?` asked the princess. `Marry me.` answered the norn. And they lived happily ever after. The End,"

"That was lovely! But didn’t grendels keep coming? After…"

"Oh yes. The norn comes back and slices up the grendel machine!"

"Slices up the… really?"

"Oh, yes."

"Do you think I could…"

"NO! And don’t try!"

"Why? I’m not a baby!"

"Fine. If I don’t will you teach D2? AND give him a name?"

"Ummm…Have it your way! Deal!"

"Good! I’ll get him!"

"Go on."

As Allison wandered through the jungle, she speculated on what to name D2. Have to ask Albert. He’ll know.

"D2!" Allison yelled.

"Norn!" Replied D2

"Yes. Come on."

"D2 come." He smiled.

"yeah, yeah. Come pull food. Get dat."

"NO! Stop!"

"Sorry!"

"Yes norn!" He smiled happily. "Kiss."

Lucy was found in cross-leg position, repeated the words "ah om" over and over again.

"What are you doing?" Questioned Allison, looking very confused.

"Yoga."

"Exuse me?"
"It’s… a form of relaxing…"

"Oh. Well, start teaching D2, will you?!"

"I don’t think it was such a good idea to have convinced the hand to give you your voice. Ic an’t even believe it. No one’s that cute."

"I am, obviously."

"Yes." Said D2, right on cue.

"Bye!" Allison waved a farewell hand at her loved ones, praying she’d see them again…

"Ah!" Allison muffled her scream. "I have to be quiet…"

"Aargh ugh." A hideous green face appeared out of nowhere.

"Go away!" Allison cried feebly.

"Gurg." And it raised a paw to hit her…

TO BE CONTINUED!!!