Gunther's Grotto
Gunther's cabin, or grotto, as he calls it, isn't really a cave. But, with all the clutter in it, it might as well be one. Mounds of miscellaneous parts lie in piles with only a few narrow walkways through it to get to his elevated bed and his desk. The walls are lined with various weapons, from basic crossbows, to several prototypes of his repeating crossbow, to weird tentacle-looking devices that had best not be thought too much about. Amusingly, the only neat thing in the entire room is his bed. It's so well made a shekel could be bounced off the sheets.

Gunther can hardly move. After all the weirdness of the night - and then the effort to make sure it didn't come back - he's completely exhausted and worried that parts of him may no longer work (after all, he discovered new uses for some of them that he could scarcely believe. And it was certainly unfair that Nene was still 'bouncy' and hyper!

"What do you guys have for breakfast?" the Akwavi girl asks. "You probably don't have fish. Or fishcakes. Or fish bacon. Or fish sausage.. I bet you have pancakes though! And muffins! With honey and butter and syrup and strawberries and.." She starts to get the same lost-in-lust expression she wore last night (on two different faces no less).

"Mrgrgrpth,"mutters the kadie. He weakly grabs a pillow and thumps the otter with it too. "Muffins, nuts, that sort of thing yyeah," he agrees, feeling stiff everywhere except the over-used area, of course.

Nene wrestles with the pillow for a bit, but then notices that Gunther isn't joining in. "What's wrong? It's morning! You should be like... up and about and plotting doom and everything!"

"You wore me out," Gunther complains, "Like, a lot." He rolls to the side, then off the bed and on to the floor with a thump. Groaning ensues as he gets up to his feet and stretches to try and loosen things back up.

"Hey, I was only you for like, five minutes," Nene points out. "So.. you must have done the rest yourself. Didn't you enjoy it?"

There's a knock on the door, followed by, "It's Parsley," spoken in a very good imitation of Parsley's voice. "I'm here to check up on you two. Are you awake?"

Gunther rubs his own head, then scratches his left ear. "Of course I enjoyed it! It was, well, amazing! Really neat! Plus .. it was you and well, that made it even better, you know?" he says, looking sheepish ... then suddenly thankful Parsley is at the door! He pulls on shorts while hopping towards the door. "Yes! Coming!"

Once the door is disarmed and the Lapi maid enters.. her nose wrinkles even more than usual. "Oh my.. musky!" she notes. "You probably both need to be scrubbed down if you don't want everyone knowing what you've been up to. Now.. you're both back in your proper bodies, right?"

Gunther gets a devious look on his face. "Nope! Still Nene in here!" he jokes, seeing if Parsley figures it out or not.

"Oh dear," the Lapi says, shaking her head. "I'd hoped we wouldn't need to bring in the witches, but.."

Gunther rolls his eyes. "Or I could be messing with you," the kadie notes, then pokes Parsley in the tummy. "I'm perfectly normal now."

"Oh? Very well then.. take off your pants please," Parsley says, setting down her basket. "I need to examine you both.. then you can have some breakfast."

Gunther's eyes narrow and he protects himself. "Why do you have to examine me?" he asks.

"To make sure you didn't hurt yourself," Parsley says, "and also to make sure you're still male. Lingering effects could have caused some physical alteration you know.."

Gunther looks horrified at that prospect. So, he's pulling his shorts off quick! It isn't like a lapi hasn't seen guys before. "I'm sure I'm fine. Fine, fine, fine," he says in a huff.

"I'll be the judge of that," Parsley claims, and then kneels down to get a closer look. "Hmmm," she mutters, and starts.. feeling things. "Seems a bit smaller.. but that's a good sign."

Gunther dances around on his tiptoes. "What do you mean smaller and a good sign?" he demands to know.

"Well, you were a bit inflated from the residue of the Mint River Dragon, which Nene woke up," Parsley explains. "Now you're more normal."

"What? You mean he's always gonna be.." Nene asks in horror, and wiggles her pinky finger to end her statement.

Gunther ohs. He feels himself all around too, and under, to be sure himself! He thankfully didn't see Nene's gesture.

"No, I'm sure he'll still.. respond fully," Parsley says, and then gestures for Nene to sit on the edge of the bed.

Nene fidgets while Parsley.. well, feels her up. And down too, which causes the otter to laugh out loud! "No tickles there!"

"Yeah, everything is fine," Gunther adds to the analysis. It's then time for him to put his shorts back on while Parsley feels up Nene. "Hey, she's my girl. You can't touch her like that!" he squeaks.

"Have you been touching her like this?" Parsley asks, as she finishes up. "Do you need any lessons? But it looks like all of the effects have receded - you managed to both burn off the energy. However, since Nene still has a few more days of heat left, I suggest you find a nice secluded space outdoors to deal with it. The musk in here is a bit thick."

"It isn't like anyone else comes in here," Gunther retorts and crosses his arms. "And I think it smells fine in here."

"It'll attract more Akwavi," Parsley warns. "And it gets into things too. Anyway.. I have strawberry muffins this morning if you'd like some."

"Into things? What things?" Gunther asks, eying Parsley. "But okay, we can use my workshop or something." And of course the suggestion that muffins are present completely changes the topic. "Muffins!" he declares, and makes a grab for the basket.

"You'll show me your workshop?" Nene gasps, after fighting for a muffin. "Wow, you must really love me then!" she churrs happily.

"It'll get into your fur and your clothes and then Emmett will be sniffing your butt all the time," Parsley warns.

"If Emmett so much as looks at my butt funny I'll thump him into next week," Gunther warns, shaking his fist. This also gives Nene time to grab a muffin.

With two muffins, Nene teasingly uses them to cover her chest. "Ooooo... awww.. no more cream.." she realizes, now that her breasts are back to normal. "Emmett sniffs everyone's butt eventually though!"

"Well.. yes, he does," Parsley admits. "Now, do you have any questions for me about.. anything?" she asks, ears perked high.

"What happened isn't going to have any weird side effects, will it?" Gunther asks as he munches on a muffin. "We won't swap again, will we?"

"Well.. probably not," Parsley notes. "But if you do, just.. do the same thing and it should sort itself out. You can never tell how long these bonds last."

"It was fun getting to be an otter and swimming and stuff. It was tolerable being a girl, but only barely," Gunther claims, then grabs another muffin.

"Hey, I'm at my most tolerable when I'm bare you know," Nene points out, feeling a bit slighted. "My body is awesome!"

"You are awesome! But better as you. I don't know how to be you," Gunther points out.

"I'll have to teach you then," the Akwavi claims. "Everyone should know how to be as awesome as me! Right Parsley?"

"You were especially awesome when you had bits to suck on," Gunther remarks, then downs the other muffin. "So, everything is okay and normal now, yeah? And since you claim is is stinky in here ... do you know how to clean it?"

"Yes, there is an old Chalk recipe for getting rid of otter musk," Parsley notes. "Do you trust me to have access to your cabin for a while?"

"I still think it smells nice; cuz it smells like her," Gunther grumbles, "But yeah, I do trust you. You saved me from almost certain otterdoom." The kadie then adds with a grin, "Plus my dangerous stuff is kept elsewhere."

"Well, you two just go air out a bit and leave the rest to me," Parsley says. "Just don't go trying to steal any pies okay?"

"Bah, I wouldn't steal any old pie. I need a huge pie! One big enough to hide in, or set a trap in," Gunther claims. "Then I can leap out and catch the dragon."

"Catch.. What are you babbling about now?" Parsley asks, and puts a palm to Gunther's forehead to see if he has a fever.

"The dragon up at the castle. The one that demans pies, or course," Gunther says as he eyes the doe as if duh she should know this already.

"I'm at the castle often, and I never saw a dragon there," Parsley claims. "Besides, haven't you had enough of dragons by now?"

"Only once one is under my complete control!" Gunther declares. He even raises his hands to the ceiling and cackles.

"You.. are back to normal, I see," Parsley notes, and gathers up the empty basket. "I'll clean the crumbs too, so you don't get ants in here."

"What?" Gunther asks, then grabs a shirt to go with his shorts. "Imagine me with a dragon! I could rule the lands. Hordes would fear me."

"I'm sure hordes already fear you," the Lapi doe notes, rolling her eyes. "I'll go get the cleaning supplies and come back.. do you have any clothes that fit right now, Nene?"

"She looks fine without clothing" Gunther comments as he pulls a shirt over his head.

"Uh, my shorts!" Nene claims, and digs out the leather pants. The sinew holding the two halves together looks a bit stretched, but the otter puts them on anyway. "I might need a belt," she admits.

Gunther grabs one of his own belts and tosses it to Nene. This is ... well, Gunther must like her since he's sharing without even a hint of a grumble about it.

With the belt and a folded up pillow-case as a tied-around tank top, Nene is ready to go! "Where are we going to find a giant pie?" she asks Gunther.

"Uhm," Gunther says as he rubs his chin. The bakery! They must have one there somewhere..."

"I was banned from the bakery a few times. It was an innocent mistake each time, too. How was I supposed to know the white creature was just one of the bakers covered in flour?" Gunther complains as he heads to the door. "This town is prejudiced against me!"

Parsley shakes her head, and closes the door just enough so that she can get back in later. "I hope they don't get into as much trouble as we did at that age.." she mutters.

"Do you think it smelled bad in there?" Gunther asks Nene as they head through the compound towards the elevator down.

"It smelled like.. uh.. the women's barge," Nene notes. "Where the girls all go when it's That Time, to avoid problems and unwanted babies," she explains. "It makes me feel funny."

"A good or bad funny?" Gunther asks as he hops into the elevator, then waits for the otter to join him before lowering it.

Gunther ... actually kisses Nene. He tries to recover his poise quickly, though, and lowers the elevator!

There's activity in the Wingnut compound of course.. but everyone tends to be focused on whatever their own tasks are, so it shouldn't be difficult to sneak away.

Gunther laughs. "Ottery," is his comment, and it is approving as well. The elevator thumps a short time later, and Gunther peers around. "Okay, coast is clear!" he announces, then darts off the elevator!

Nene is right on his tail (and she lets him know by trying to bite it). Once they're too the road, it's a clear shot to town!

With morning comes the smell of fresh bread and other delights from the bakery, causing everyone to slow just a bit in their morning business when they pass. There's always a gaggle of younger children at the window, looking in and steaming up the glass, and the usual line of customers.

And of course Gunther isn't going for the front door ... he goes past, around, then behind the building. He also hides behind every pole and barrel along the way. Why? Because it is Gunther.

Nene follows along, but doesn't always hide. Especially when people are looking anyway. "What's back here?" she whispers once they're behind the building.

"The back door, of course! The way into the kitchen. It is where deliveries are made a lot during business time," Gunther whispers as he crouches and skulks around towards, well, the kitchen door.

The door is open, mainly to let some of the heat out from the ovens. There's also a lot of noise in there as things clatter about, or are pounded or mixed, along with some coughing when the flour gets out of hand. "When are the eggs getting here? Didn't we order double?" one Skeekish voice asks.

"You take the one on the left. I'll take the one on the right. Use a rolling pin if you have to," Gunther whispers to Nene. His tail is thrashing about wildly and excitedly. "Then we steal a huge pie!"

"Wait.. that's crazy!" Nene whispers. "Shouldn't we make sure they have the pie first? If we knock them out who's going to bake it?"

A shutter opens right over where the two are crouching, and the cooling rack is extended through the window. Several pies are placed on it! Apple from the smell.

"But, but, it isn't stealing if you ask," Gunther has to point out, his tail deflating.

"Of course it is, it just means they know you did it," Nene points out, and looks up at the pies. "Those look normal-sized.." she notes.

"Yes, but ... this isn't how I do things," Gunther complains. He even waves his arms about. And yet, the kadie must be defeated because he gets up ... and knocks on the doorframe.

A portly Skeek comes to the door. "Oh.. my.. if it isn't Gunther Kettenrad," he says, forcing a smile. "What can I do for you today young man? And is that.. uh.. an Oggton with you as well? My, what a day for surprises!"

"I want your giant pie," Gunther claims, crossing his arms over his chest. "I have a dragon to capture."

"Our giant pie?" the baker asks, wringing his hands with a dishtowel. "Uh.. our largest is about ten inches across.. that's pretty big!"

"That is too small! It must be big enough to hide at least two people inside it," Gunther huffs. "And I know you make them!"

"When did you ever see anyone make a pie that big?" the baker asks, wide eyed. "Why, you may as well throw a blanket of a washtub and pretend it's a pie.."

"That doesn't smell like a pie! That's like saying rub a kadie in oil and pretend to be an akwavi. They still smell like a kadie," Gunther claims.

"You could put a real pie inside of it," the baker suggests, trying to come up with some way to get rid of the crazy squirrel without any breakage.

"Well, maybe a dragon would," the baker offers. "I mean, it's not like they come across pies all the time, is it?"

"But.. you do realize, with a real pie.. you'd have to be cooked inside of it, right?" the Skeek points out. "You can't just lift up the crust and climb inside.."

"Sure you can," Gunther argues and waves his arms, "But fine. We'll try it your way. We'll take an apple pie to bait with in a tub." The kadie looks rather annoyed to not be able to use his full plan.

The baker gladly hands over a still cooling pie. "Here! Best to use it while it's still hot and all.. just bring back the clay pan when you're done.."

"Ah, no, this is on the house," the baker claims. "All in the name of.. ah.. dragon slaying and what not. Community effort!"

Gunther continues to eye the baker a bit longer. "Fine. I will remember this noble sacrifice," the kadie relents. "Come, princess!" he tells to Nene, then darts off!

"I'm a princess?" Nene asks. "Wait, does that mean you're going to tie me up to a pole to lure out the dragon if the pie doesn't work?"

"Ahahah!" cackles the kadie as he darts, pie held high over his head! "I can't wait to see you in a princesss dress! It'll be great! I might do it even if the pie does work!" And off he goes. As crazy as ever, ol' Gunther.