MC Dorms: 2009: Summer Vacation.

[The Count]

Count, following Hoggle's answer: 7 8 9 10! *Laughs.
Me: Did he say 10? With us atop this flight of...

*The stairs flatten, like at a fun house, we all end up sliding down to the bottom and next labyrinth section.

*Lets Hoggle take the lead once again, figure out how close we are to Kelly at that gobliny honky tonk, or the castle, whichever it is we're going to.

 

[RedPiggy]

Hoggle (rubs his rump as they land): Well, at least yer not as heavy as Ludo. *looks around* Actually, we seem to have ended up just below the junkyard. I can tells because of the smell. We needs ta find us a ladder or a staircase or somethin'. *finds a plaque in front of a large boulder. On the left of the boulder is a lamp and on the right is a bucket. Elsewhere in the area is a fountain and a miniture oil rig.* "Three lives have I. I am gentle and soothe the skin. I am light and touch the sky. I am hard and crack the rock. What am I?"

 

[The Count]

Erm... Water?

 

[RedPiggy]

Hoggle: Sounds good to me. *takes the bucket over to the fountain, fills it, and pours it on the boulder, which rolls away, revealing a vertical shaft behind the wall and a ladder* Well, let's go. *everyone climbs up to the junkyard* Ain't no puzzles here, but let's take a break. We've been walkings for awhile. An' you can keep souvenirs, if ya finds anythin' that suits yer fancy.

 

[The Count]

*The travelers three thank Hoggle for the respite. They wander a bit, plopping down on a few seats, then cast their eyes about to see if anything calls to them.

 

[RedPiggy]

*Hoggle sits down only to be shaken off*

Pearl (sits up from underneath a pile of junk): Get off me! *spots Hoggle* Oh, fancy meetin' you here. *sees Ed, UD, and Count* Well, bless my lil' ol' heart!

Hoggle: What're you doin' here?

Pearl: Well, sugah, Kelly's got the keys to the bathroom an' my makeup's inside. *laughs, sighs* I just couldn't let the poor darlin' think her roommates didn't wanna be with her neither.

Hoggle: How'd ya get through here 'fore us?

Pearl (grins, picks up a red-leather-bound book): I read the play, sugah. Followed it to the letter. Wound up here and some crazy lil' green gal with some sort o' compulsion complex started loadin' me up with all kinds of knick-knacks. *to Ed & company* How y'all been doin'?

 

[The Count]

Hi Pearl... We're okay.
*Count's off examining a few batty baubles, ultimately deciding on a roadsign like badge topped by bat ears and wings.
Count: Hmm, I don't think they've made a Midnight Badge for that young Ash fellow yet. Still, this'll serve nicely as the shield for our world of Numberwania.

Me: *To Pearl, is Cotterpin with you? I'd hate to lose her in here.

Uncle D spies a carpetbag case, and a Book of Spells pin set, with six tarot card pins inside. He takes the lot. Hoping he'd maybe find something for Ed as well, his eye happens upon a hard PVC figure of a lovely Autumnly woman. He hides it, to present to his fiend later.

Me: Kelly's probably having a grand time at that karioke place inside this maze.
*Spooks return.
Mmm, looks like we're ready when you are Hoggle.

 

[RedPiggy]

Pearl: No, I didn't wanna risk her gettin' hurt an' all. She's safe back in the bedroom.

Hoggle (stands up, pocketing a few random objects for himself): Let's go. On to Goblin City.

Kelly (snoring and drooling over a heap of frazzled goblins)

 

[The Count]

*All following Hoggle. So erm, which way now? *Hopes we don't get any interference from Moraine.

 

[RedPiggy]

Hoggle: Oh, I wouldn't worry abouts none o' them. Intruders'll quickly find themselves forgotten in an oubliette.

Pearl: But I managed ta sneak on in.

Hoggle (shakes his head): You were invited. When ya shows up don't make no difference. Anyone else who shows up is on their own. They can finds their own way back. *comes up on the large door to Goblin City* Ah, here we are.

Pearl (stares at the inactive form of Humongous, a giant horned robot): That thing ain't gonna attack is it?

Hoggle (chuckles): I blew up all the insides, remember? It's basically ornamental now.

*Humongous' eyes light up*

Hoggle: O_O Uh ... oh ...