"But I couldn't," Desiree demurred, "since the ringing in my ears has been driving me crazy."

"Youthful lusts do strange things to us all, Sis."

"I see you're still suffering yours."

"I give him his head."

Rhodes seemed less ashamed than usual, but Desiree was self-absorbed.

"That must come in handy, sometimes."
"As it must for you."

Stallion snorted yet again.

The Cousin Of Silenus stared blankly,trying to gather his thoughts.

"I could use some liver. Did someone mention liver?"

Desiree sniped, "Focus please, focus."

Rhodes looked at TACO's trembling pale complexion & said, " Sis, I think he really does need some liver. Look at him, he's gone all Casper on us."

"It might be because he's feeling his Mercury."

"It might be because he's been attached to your hairnet."

"It might be because of that flask in his pocket," said Stallion, "now, tend to the bucket. I won't have my grandthings expiring just because he distracts you."

"What do you think Silenus has done to #3?" asked Rhodes, "Maybe they have some spare liver."

Desiree gave #3 a buzz.

"He said that he & Cantore were finished furnishing their loft. There's even a nursery.
We are all invited to the loft-warming soiree."

Desiree took the bucket from Stallion, and led the way.

"Where'd she get the map?" wondered Snoddi.
"Cannelloni laid it on the ground before he went to decorate his interior," said Runni, "& I think they've been in contact since."

"I'd follow her anywhere," Stallion averred, enjoying the view, "I'm tired of driving."

Stallion, bereft at the loss of his camera, trained his mind's eye, harder.

His mind's eye was befuddled. Stallion stumbled & called out, "Desiree, the least you could do is pick out an easier path for your sire!"
"You know who I answer to," she called back.

"Don't worry, horse-dad," said Rhodes, "I can follow."

"We'll bring up the rear," said Runni & Snoddi, in unison.

"I think my liver's getting better," said TACO.

"#3 will have a look at it, when we get to their house, Cousin," said Desiree, blithely uncertain she knew where she was headed.

#3 was less uncertain when they arrived: "Silenus' cousin needs to go to a hospital. My manual doesn't cover everything."

"Does that mean my forecast is going to be wrong again?" asked J. Canticle, but unconcerned because his occupation required only his opinion, "Do you like this color for the living room carpet?"

"No," said #3, "how can you be so bland?"

Silenus, who'd been busy in the closet, emerged & interjected: "When you have matching drapes, beiges easily come together."

"Promises, promises!" fumed Desiree, wishing she hadn't changed her hair before what nature intended for it.

#3 took The Cousin Of Silenus aside.

Silenus hoofed to within hearing distance.

#3 reassured TACO, "I have just the thing to puce you up."

"I was hardly just pretending I'm fine," responded TACO, "& puce isn't my color."

Jim Cuticle couldn't keep his hands off the manual.

"Perhaps you should name it Manuel," #3 snitted.

Desiree asked, "What is he so absorbed with?"

Rhodes asked if he could borrow it next.

"You don't even know what's it's for," #3 sniffed.

Desiree laughed, "It's a manual thing."

Silenus emerged from beneath the duvet. "Who's Manuel?"

"He was the roofer, Sil. You'd better not forget that I'm your #3."

"You seemed a lot more professional when we first met," sighed Silenus.

"I think I've seen enough," said Runni, "thanks for the tour. May I use some of this leftover paint?"
"Are you sure real paint will get us anywhere?" worried Snoddi.
"Trust me," she told him, "I AM a professional."

"So where are we now?" Snoddi asked a short time later.

"Relax, honey, it's a bowling alley," said Runni, "I'll get us shoes & beers."

"But the lights, the colors!" Snoddi almost panicked as Runni bustled over to the service counter, then disappeared into the bar.

"My poor dearest," said Runni, after several frames, "You seem a little distracted."
"Yes," agreed Snoddi, "I'm afeard I can't keep up with you."
"Snoddi, I'll hear no such excuses from you," all business, "just be the ball!"

*****

"Bro'," said Desiree, her gaze more unusually vacant, "we've got to help Snoddi-dad."
"Why, sis, & how would we get there?"
"His cohesion is dwindling. Stallion can take us."
Stallion wondered at the wisdom, but concluded that things couldn't get much worse.

"Y'all have a nice trip," said #3. "Since you can't stay for breakfast, I packed you a nice basket."

As the trio left the house, Silenus said to Jimmy C., "Did you hear them accuse US of using flowery language? I swear I never heard such flippant yet fervent felicitations as just freely flowed when they were focalizing #3's food service!"

"I noticed," said Judas Casual. "Do you have Miguel's #?"

"He only gave it to #3," Silenus sighed, "He said I scared him."

"We all have our cross to bear," said J.C.

Excited by their egalitarian effluvial effect,

They effortlessly elongated enunciation exercises.

It was the second most useful thing they could think of to do with their tongues. The sound of a horse at the door impeded their progress.

"I wonder what they forgot?" said #3, who turned to open what he had just closed.

There stood the second stud, with Merrick & Loudon & seventeen happy puppies comfortably ensconced on his back.

"I told you satyr milk wouldn't hurt them," Silenus told the humans. "Do either of you have any idea what they want, now?"

"A yogurt recipe." Merrick pleaded.

"It's smoothie time." Louden announced.

The Cousin Of Silenus kept one eye on the bowling pins,
and the other on the mouse that sat still on the mantle, daring him to stir.

"I must make my approach," he told himself sternly.

Himself said, "We already did."

The mouse made one of those weird mouse noises & scampered into its hole.

"I wish he'd quit doing that," grumbled S2, to himself, flicking his tail.

"I wishe'd keep doing that," thought the mouse.

Stallion clattered down to the bowling alley. Desiree & Rhodes further alit because a large red sign on the door said, "No Horses!"

"We'll be back shortly," Desiree told her Sire & added, "God, I hate prejudice!"
Rhodes was excited about bowling, so he just held the door for her to hustle her in.

Stallion snorted softly & started pruning the shrubberies. They tasted like plastic. This time he sighed. "I had the feeling real paint wouldn't work for this strange trick that Runni does."

A stranger approached him & stroked him with plastic hands. Quite suddenly completely overcome by aversion he did one of his own strange tricks & winked out of the area.

"Geez, I was only trying to be friendly, big guy," said the stranger to the empty air.

Rhodes & Desiree acquired shoes & balls & located their co-progenitors, (Snoddi had a 37 in the 8th, to Runni's 155), who seemed happy to see them, but also extremely surprised.
"How did you get here?" Runni asked. "No one has followed us before. I didn't think it was possible."
"Stallion gave us a lift," Desiree answered.
"Even so," began Runni, "I think I may have been mistaken about the Dutch Boy."
"What was his name, again?" asked Snoddi, in a suspiciously slurred voice.
"Dad!" exclaimed (!) Rhodes, "Are you on something?"
"He's still on his first beer," said Runni, "& he's only had a few sips..."
"Uh-oh," said the twins simultaneously.
"Mom, I think we should get him away from here," urged Desiree.
"We might as well bowl a few first," Runni, offhandedly, "I don't think it's urgent."
"Rhodes, go upstairs & update Stallion, then come back & help me."
"Okay, sis," he said, but moments later, "He isn't out there!"

Runni waved her bowling rag back and forth three times.

Snoddi mumbled hopefully, "Did it work, my beautiful Runsy Punsy?"

"I believe so, Snookered Snoddums. They all poofed away. Oh, shoot, hold on dear,
I must have waved that rag a little to the left. Where are we?"

Snoddi sighed. "My glass isn't half full or half empty, for it's gone, all gone."

"But my mind feels clearer," he added.
"We'll have to use the tried-and-true to get out of this void, Snoddi."
"I'm at your disposal whenever you're ready."

****

"Now, what?" wondered Rhodes.
"Mom's losing her touch, I fear," said Desiree, "Let's finish this game and go try to find Stallion."
...Desiree, 187; Rhodes, 192.

"I don't know where to start looking," she admitted as they stood outside.
"We could ask somebody," suggested her brother, "like, maybe that startled-looking flamboyant over there."

"Yeah, I saw the horse. Then I didn't," they were told, & that was all.

Desiree's children-net tightened a little to get her attention. "Rhodes, the kids tell me they still have a connection to TACO," she told him.
"Well use it!" he said, "I'm starting to feel like Snoddi-dad looked before he left."
"It's something in the air here, bro'. Hang on."

TACO Heard their intent.
He wandered into sight. His t-shirt read, "Kickapoo & Twyla Tharp too."

His hair styled by:
Hot Hazy Humid himself.

"For a virtual projection, you're awfully realistic," said Rhodes.
"Yeah, well, I've been busy helping move the furniture," owned TACO, "What's up?"
"We're stranded in one of Mom's less-successful creations, & our transportation has popped out on us," said Runni, "Do you know how to reach him?"
"His return is in his nature, kids. Be patient & he'll be back."
"But the fumes are starting to get to Rhodes already," D. protested.
"I suspected Runni was wrong to choose the latex," mumbled the cousin, "I'll try to get through to him, but I have a couple things I need to finish up first."
"How rude," she thought, as he switched applications, "calling them things!"

S2 was perfectly comfortable, resting on the porch swing, but the puppies were becoming more & more restive. Merrick looked at Louden, & they followed their noses to do some dumpster-diving, returning with an assortment of take-out containers & the remains of the house-warming snacks. The puppies were grateful.

#3 emerged as they were finishing off the last of the orts. "You animals," he tsked, "have only to ask for your supper. Look at the mess you've made!"
They all looked at him, cutely, as if they didn't understand him, distracting him from his incipient snit.

"Aw, c'mere, you & you & you & you & you & you & you & you & you & you & you & you & you & you & you & you & you & you big dogs, too. Let's make a dog pile!" he chortled.

***

Desiree was more worried about her brother than usual.

"Should we roll another?" she asked.
"I don't feel up to it, sis," he answered.
"It doesn't matter how you feel," she opined, "You look fabulous."
"That's becoming my concern," he admitted.

"Hang on," she said tersely, "I'm getting a call."

"Des'?" came TACO's breathless voice, "I can't reach your sire."
"How hard have you been trying?" she asked imperiously.
"Sis!" hissed her brother, "I'm dizzy!"
"I'm trying to help you; be quiet," came her reply, "...cuz', I don't have his #."
"I know that, Desiree. I'm thinking the plastic in your mother's creation is interfering with his homing instinct."
"Frankly, cuz, I wouldn't want to come back here, either."
"There, there, beautiful. Access 312-671 & see if you can't reach him yourself."

Jules Champion had just the manual for this situation.

He took what seemed an hour to find it, what with the temporal time disturbances,
& myriad pretties causing distractions.

His belly began making demands.

"I found it!" he exclaimed.

"Found what?" TACO played along.

"Thee Manual, my friend," Jolly giggled.

He held it above his head for all to see.

Maintaining & Munchies. It was a well worn copy.

Having come extricated, #3 busied himself rattling pans in the kitchen. "I could use some help here!" he called, subconsciously modulating his voice just below their awareness.
He needn't have bothered; Silenus had JC's full attention.
The dogs watched through the window.

***

"Sis?" mumbled Rhodes.
"Save your strength, Bro'," she answered, "I've another idea."

"Grandma?" she whispered into her connection, "Are you out there?"
"We have a grandma?" asked Rhodes.
"You were out sowing your oats when I met her," answered Desiree.
"Was that before you got your hair-net?" Rhodes was trying to be delicate, but the fumes were powerful.
"Grandma!" Desiree cried in despair to the air. This gave her another idea, so she soon had her sire on the line.

"Pretty efficient grand-things you birthed, baby," he said with unfeigned affection.

"Can you come pick us up?" she asked.

"Only if you're able for a snatch-n-grab."

Stallion galloped down to the plasticplanet. His kids weren't there!
Ignoring the prohibitive sign, he kicked open the doors & revealed himself.
Rhodes was unconscious, with Desiree performing CPR.
Stallion knickered, disgruntled.
"Desiree, darling daughter, you're doing it wrong. Let's GO!"

Stallion was fairly unhappy. "I birthed you, you know! You should climb on my back."

"Strapping lass though I am, sire, I can't move this lightweight, & I'm a little dizzy, too!"

Pondering was getting him nowhere, when S2 arrived with #3 astride.

"Cousin told us there might be a problem," #3 explained.

#3 & Desiree, together, had no problem hoisting Rhodes over Stallion's withers, & Desiree leapt up behind him. "I can stabilize him now, #3," she said.
"What?" said #3, beginning to feel the atmosphere.
"You can take your hand off his ass," she replied.
"Oh," said #3 & mounted S2, flushing.

The horses headed for the door.

The plastic populace was coming in, objecting to incursion.

"C'mon," said Stallion, "there's a back way out."

"Trust you to know it," grumbled S2.

They emerged into an alley, where the air was strangely fresher.
One of its denizens approached Stallion.
"Don't touch me," he whimsied.
"First, feel it," one wanted.
Stallion was surprised. This touch wasn't plastic at all!