Some Things Just Can't Be Understood

Pheobie gave a pained groan. "Oh... My head..." She groaned. "my ribs..." She slipped a hand under her head. "What hit me? I think I blacked out for a minute" She struggled to sit up.

The cat brushed against her, purring loudly.

"Thanks to my two left feet I tripped on the last step and ran into you," Professor Maple explained, helping Pheobie get up. "Didn't get a concussion, did you pup?"

The cat peeked out behind Pheobie and meowed loudly, giving him a glare.

"Yes, I am Maple the Walking Disasteroid," the brunette man answered, glaring back.

"I see pretty colors" Pheobie mumbled. The poor girl looked dazed beyond belief. It was quiet possible that she did have a concussion.

"Bring her on in and let her sit" The shop owner stated, holding the door open for them.

"Yeah, let's do that," replied Maple, leading Pheobie over to chair so that she could sit down. "Do you have a ice pack?"

"Yeah, got some in the back," the repair man replied, heading off to get one. "Everything better be there when I get back."

"I'm too clumsy to be a thief, sir," answered Maple with an almost friendly grin. "As you just saw."

"Whatever," the man said, as he disappeared into the back room. "And my name isn't 'sir'. It's Crawford."

Pheobie slouched in the chair. There was a bit of dirt on her skirt from where she fell and more dirt on her neon colored socks. "Hullo" She chirped quietly

The cat jumped up into her lap.

Professor Maple was getting a little worried. He hoped that he hadn't seriously injured her in his clumsiness. How typical of his life if was was the case. The cat curled up in her lap, keeping one wary eye on him.

"Here you go," Crawford said as came back, giving Pheobie an ice pack. "Well, I doubt you two came here just to trip over each other, so what brought you here originally?"

"Oh yes, my ship needs repairs," Maple explained. "It crash-landed in the plains just beyond the apple tree. I would have brought it here if I could have got it to run."

"What kind of ship is it?" asked Crawford.

"A dimension-traveling one," the brunette answered without skipping a beat.

The repair man blinked.

"But you don't have to worry about the dimension-traveling parts, they're still fine," Maple quickly assured. "It's the flying and running parts I'm having trouble with. Oh, and there are a couple of holes in the backside of it."

He gave Pheobie another glance.

"Perhaps you can tell me where the doctor's office is as well?"

"You don't want to take her to the doc. He'll only lock her up again. Thinks she's nuts." Crawford stated.

"Please not the doctor" Pheobie moaned. "I'll be fine in a little while!" she pleaded

"Eh? Well, that's not very doctorly. I've yet to know a case where locking someone up makes them better and not worse," stated Professor Maple, now a little angry. He himself was used to being an outcast, but it burned him up when someone else was treated that way. Perhaps because he knew what it was like. Especially the locked-up part.

The cat remained curled up in her lap, starting to purr loudly as it dozed off.

"Anyway, I guess I'll need to show you where it is," Maple noted as an afterthought. "Though I guess maybe I should wait until Pheobie here's feeling better. Don't really want to leave her by herself like this, especially since this is all my fault as usual."

"That'd be best. I don't like leaving people alone in the shop. And this'ns so absent minded when she's not hurt, I'd hate to have her here when she is." Crawford stated.

Pheobie held the ice pack to the back of his head. "Ow... Mr. Maple, I can walk with you there" She mumbled "I'm okay"

Maple thought about it. He didn't want to rush Pheobie out when she was still hurt, but he didn't want the ship out by itself much longer either. He didn't need anyone stumbling in and stealing or messing with the wounded vessel. He settled with waiting a bit longer.

"So, you've known Pheobie here for a while, have you?" he asked Crawford. "When did she start being able to make illusions?"

"Rainbow brite, how old are you?" Crawford asked, looking at Pheobie.

"Nineteen"

"eighteen years ago." Crawford replied "Started on her first birthday. Known her since day one, she lives right next door."

"My parents died when I was six. He kinda helped me out" Pheobie shrugged. She pet the cat, looking down at the floor.

(OOC: LOL, I remember Rainbow Brite)

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Professor Maple. "I can't really remember my parents. My memory's all screwed up from my job. Consider that if you ever get an interest in traveling dimensions. Anyway, are you feeling better now?"

The cat lifted up his head and meowed loudly.

"I wasn't asking you, furball."

"...Do you really travel dimensions, sir?" asked Crawford, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh yes! I can show you a few tricks once the ship is up and running," assured Maple. "However, it'll have to be brief, for reasons stated eariler."

"Yeah. I'm feeling better. I'm still seeing stars, but its better now." Pheobie replied. She stood up holding the cat. "Lets go to your ship"

Crawford nodded and picked up a toolbox. "The sooner the better"

"Then ahead we go!" announced Maple, trotting proudly forward until he got to the steps. This time he travelled them very carefully.

-----

Plants were already trying to devour the somewhat miniscule vessel, the vines moving along its silver siding even as Maple watched. Soem had snaked into the holes in the rear of the ship.

"...Looks like we should have brought some weed killer too," Maple remarked dryly.

"If only that would get rid of it." Crawford remarked dryly.

Pheobie stepped forward, fumbling with a book of matches that she pulled from her pocket.

"Well let's see here..." Maple muttered, activating the GS machine on his wrist. It was a small black machine with a screen on it, usually mistaken for a clunky wristwatch by the unknowing. While it could indeed tell the time it had many more options, most having to do with dimension manipulation.

Normally he didn't use it unless serious dimension abnomalities were involved, but it looked like these plants were going to be a pain otherwise. He flicked through the options, trying to decide which mode would be best for the situation.

Pheobie struck a match and a small column of flame erupted. The plants emited some sort of paniced screech before retreating back into the ground. "I am Pheobie! I bear fire!" She shouted.

Crawford shook his head. "She's got it covered"

"Good work, pup! That makes things much simpler!" Professor Maple praised, before marching toward the ship.

It looked larger on the inside than it did on the outside, though it was trashed and worn both inside and out. Various wires were hanging out of the ruptured ceiling, some of them cut.

"So where should I start?" asked Crawford dryly, examining the mess of a vessal. The cat was currently riding on his shoulder, apparently not trusting Maple after the previous incident.

"Well, I suppose the ceiling would be good," Professor Maple replied, noting the condition of the ceiling. "As long as you don't mess with the big computer that's at the front you should be fine."

"Otherwise I might turn myself into a frog or something?"

"Precisely!"

Pheobie smiled brightly at the praise. "Thanks!"

She remained outside while the two worked, sitting on the grass with the cat happily. "So how long it gunna take?" she called to Crawford.

"A few hours. It'll be done by tomorrow at the latest" Crawford replied.

"Well, it's starting to get dark, so I suppose I should find a hotel or some other place to stay," replied Professor Maple, peering at the orange-and-gold sunset between the trees. "Will you be alright by yourself, considering all the lovely man-eating plants out here?"

"Oh yeah, got a blowtorch with me if they give me trouble," answered Crawford without even looking back. "Have to deal with these frsh-and dirt eaters all the time."

"Alright then," said Maple, turning back to Pheobie. "So, where would be a good place to sleep around here?"

His stomach growled.

"...Or eat, for that matter?"

"You can stay with me" Pheobie smiled. "I'm an okay cook" She stood, holding the cat. "I'd like the company"

"Ah, really?" Maple asked, feeling a little nervous. He was used to sleeping in hotels, but that didn't mean that he liked them. "Well, as long as it doesn't bother you I suppose. Too bad furball here can't come, huh?"

The cat meowed as if complaining. Whether it was protesting to Maple's nickname, the fact that it couldn't come back with them to Pheobie's place, or the simple fact that it hadn't eaten in a while Maple would never know.

"That's okay! Mr Kitty can stay here with Crawford" Pheobie smiled. "And I like having people over to eat with me! Its fun" She set the cat down.

The cat looked at Maple reproachfully before padding into the ship.

"Make sure Mr. Crawford doesn't get eaten by any naughty plants," Maple called after the cat, who only meowed as if annoyed by the noisy human. "Well then! Off to your place!"

He began to amble ahead, only to realize that he had no idea where she actually lived.

"...Perhaps you can show me the way?"

(OOC: Might just want to jump ahead to Pheobie's place in the next post, unless something is going to happen along the way. It's up to you.)

Pheobie smiled as she brought Maple his plate. "Here you go! Hope you like it!" She set it at the table in front of him before going and getting her own plate.

(you pick what they're having)