The Sun is Still Shining...

[Glitch]

Glitch sat himself down. Flopping with no grace to the floor, legs splayed in either direction and his coat tails taking up a good foot of space behind him.

Now properly seated on the glossy marble flooring, he stared up at the thrones. One for Her Majesty and one for...oh what was his name? The...uhm...the other Majesty.

This was the perfect spot. "No, not perfect." Glitch mumbled, scooting across the floor to the left, then to the right. Once he was back in almost exactly where he had begun, he stretched and leaned back on his palms. He was going to sit here. Sit here and wait until something came to him. Something wise and advisory...something to show he was finally up to the task of being at the Queen's side. "Top Dog's right hand man." He said proudly, feeling sure this would work.

If he just waited long enough. Just waited. Something would come through. Some perfect thought, some memory that brought back how to be the wise man he once was...something on how to get that brain back into his noggin. After all, he must have been in this throne room thousands of times, saying something clever. He would have kneeled... about here. And...now all he had to do was wait.

Something would come to him. It had to.

[Azkadellia]

It was still early morning, the palace quiet except for the hum of the servant's conversation from the kitchen and the dry swishing sounds of brooms on floors and steps. Most of the new Parliament members had spent all night discussing what to do about the famine. And, instead of putting their plans into actions, they were sleeping in.

It would have never happened during her reign--the witch's reign. The situation would be already solved. Food for those loyal to her--and strict rules about not giving any to rebels and traitors. That would have at least taken some hungry mouths out of the equation.

Of course, the witch had never been known for her compassion. And, more and more, Azkadellia was realizing that no one really cared what she thought or advised. It was as if everyone had forgotten that she had been involved in every decision the witch made--every strategy put in place--every solution that had been crafted. She supposed that might be for the best, there were a lot of bitter, hurting people that she and the witch had ground into the dust. Better to be the forgotten princess.

Still...it wasn't easy going from supreme ruler to superfluous in less than a fortnight. And democracy moved so slowly.

Az stepped into the throne room and noted Mr. Crow's mop of dark mussed hair in the center of the room. He'd sprawled out on the floor like a child and was staring up at the throne.

Az suppressed her sudden anger and approached in a languid way. She didn't bother moving quietly as heels on marble would give away her presence anyway.

"Good morning, Mr. Crow." She greeted flatly, eyes darting to the throne. "I remember when Deege and I used to play here when court was out of session--I never let her play Queen. Any other game, she could be the hero, the important leader...but never in that game."

Az looked away, focusing on the high cathedral style windows and the bright morning sunshine. She had known that would be her seat of power one day-- that stupid ornate block of marble with the emerald cushions to keep Mother's backside warm--how could she not when her often repeated royal title proclaimed her heir? But her chance to put her name in the history books, to make a new Outer Zone...it hadn't gone anyway near as she'd dreamed. And would mother, parliament, anyone give her another chance?

If they didn't, what was the point of her existence. A queen in soul and mind, without a country.

Diplomatically, half-to-fill the silence, she asked, "What do you make of the famine crisis, Mr. Crow?"

[Glitch]

Glitch heard the terrible sound of a woman's heels. This sound was easily categorized by how hard the heels hit the flooring. If it was a soft 'tic-tic-tic' then she probably was shy and was only wearing heels to make up for her height. If it was a controlled 'Tic-Tic-Tic' then it was a woman with a calculating mind and a mission. If it was the harsh 'TIC! TIC! TIC!" that was currently approaching, it was Azkadellia.

With a shudder, Glitch closed his eyes. Maybe, if he pretended he wasn't here, she would walk on by. When she greeted him, he knew the ploy that never worked had once again failed him. He offered a halfhearted...or brained as it was... smile.

A quipped comment almost escaped his throat, but the fact he could almost picture her wrapping her fingers there stopped him from speaking.

There was a long silence, and Glitch glanced over at her, looked back at the throne, over at her again, and then down to his boots. Wriggling his fingers in his sleeves, he sat silently, hoping she would go away. Of course, by the great Gale, that couldn't happen. So the wicked woman tried to strike up conversation. This so confused him, that he could only manage to give a huge smile and say in a surprised tone. "What famine!?"

[Azkadellia]

Azkadellia turned smoothly on her heel towards her mother old friend, and raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps you should take to wearing strings on your finger. It may help you remember that the O.Z. is potentially facing mass starvation."

She tamped down another surge of irritation with him and turned away, muttering, "Especially when you are partially responsible for it."

It wasn't his fault--his condition--after all, he hadn't asked to be turned into into this shadow of Ambrose Crow, genius. It wasn't his fault that she had forced his half-brain to make the Sun-seeder machine for her. Of course, if he had been the least bit more pliable and listened to good reason, he could have ruled at her side. It was likely that the machine would have been made--and her...the witch's... plan might have ultimately worked. But he wouldn't have had to become a head-case.

She wouldn't have had to punish him.

And they wouldn't have been on opposite sides for all these years.

Az stalked over to flip through the enormous tome of the O.Z.'s laws. Anything to distract her.

It truly was amazing the detail in this magical recreation of Finaqua. From the swirls in the marble floor, to the creak of the floors in her bedroom, and now, this massive book, everything was as exactly she had remembered from childhood. Mother's "there is no plan" plan for the magic rock to pop everything into existence when DG skipped it across the lake (could there be a more juvenile, silly trigger for such powerful change?) had worked out perfectly. Az had lit this very palace on fire herself and here it was again, looking exactly the same as before.

Like the witch had never come here. Like she should still be wearing her hair in curls and running through the halls to get away from Toto's stupid lessons. It felt like she should belong...but she didn't.

"All that power," She made a soft hmphing sound in her throat, "to bring back castles, labyrinths, forests and lakes...but none to spare in rescuing..."

There was a ripping sound. She had clutched the page hard enough to make it tear. Az patted it down and closed the book, glancing at Glitch. "As brilliant as it has been to update you on the latest headlines, I'm going to get breakfast." She marched towards the door, and then turned, "Would you like to join me?"

[Glitch]

Glitch winced as she came closer, scared she would aim for his fingers with those heels, he pulled them in at his sides and then, perhaps as they were not safe enough, set his hands on his lap.

He dipped his head a little, knowing that there was very little hope of him getting his old Advisor-y job back. He had completely forgotten there was a famine. How could he have forgotten that? That was the sort of important advisor-y thing he should have been obsessing over how to fix.

Shooting a sour faced glare at her for the quiet comment on how it was partially his fault, he did not feel guilt. That hadn't been him. That hadn't been his fault, with the sunseeder being used for evil, with his brain being an essential part of it. That had nothing to do with him.She wouldn't have had to punish him.

Glitch hopped to his feet, giving a vanishing-appearing grin that showed his thoughts flickered on and off like a faulty light bulb. He had not realized he was tense until she tore one of the pages and he leaped into the air, clutching his heart. "By the Stars! Don't rip the rule book! We need that!...It's breakfast already? I thought...I could have...I could have sworn there was a famine. Is that over now? Ha, figures. In and out, up here you know." He tapped his head, mumbling to himself, and then realizing Azkadellia was in the room. He stepped back as she offered for him to join her. "Woah, you're not getting me to fall for that! I'm-I'm-I'm...uh...Hey! I smell breakfast! Come on, even evil empresses have to eat...you do...right?" His fear of her vanished for a moment.

[Azkadellia]

She glanced at the rulebook as he commented that they needed that. The rules of the O.Z. had been neglected entirely during her reign--little more than ignored relics--and her will had been the only rule. Did they need them? Perhaps if they wanted to go back to the lazy happy days before the witch. But whether by fear or rule, it was still power that kept everyone's darker natures in check.

She just doubted that Mother and the newly elected fools would be able to convince the citizens of the O.Z. that they had it. And that was the important thing... the appearance of power...not actual power. It was why she'd worn elaborate costumes and demonic-looking hair-styles and never went outside her tower (at least publicly) without Vy-Sor, her bodyguard.

She glanced at Mr. Crow--Glitch. No one was going to take him seriously when he looked like an escaped circus-act with mental-patient dreadlocks. Except, for mother and DG, perhaps. In any event, he certainly didn't look like the "top hand-man's right dog" or however he kept messing up his title.

Her eyes flickered to his. He was overreacting to a simple offer of breakfast as if she had been trying to kill him.

"There is a famine going on. We just happen to be important people with a well-stocked larder. Hmm," She smiled placing her hands on her hips, "Mother's poor heart may bleed for those wretches, but we still have enough food to feast at her coronation ball..."

He was already babbling on, so she rolled her eyes as he insinuated that a simple mention of "breakfast' meant that she had some devious little plot to catch him in. She almost wished she did. It might giver her life some purpose.

"Of course, I have to eat. And, I will remind you again, as I have done everyday. I may have gained some of the witch's less charming personality traits but I am no longer possessed. Come along, Mr. Crow." She felt. vaguely, that she was addressing a pet. He sort of was--Deege's pet inventor--not enough going on to make decisions for himself, had to be looked after like a toddler. "I smell bacon."

[Glitch]

Glitch ignored her, it was the only sane thing to do. She was a walking cloud of gloom and parade...coronation...destroying lighting clouds. That didn't even make sense to him. He shrugged it off, much like her accusation of the coronation being a pointless waste of time and food. He refused to believe that. They all...well, everyone other than him apparently, had been working on figuring out how to feed the people of the O.Z. for months. It was about time they had a joyous occasion. Besides, everyone showing up would get something to eat, and the people who were coming to work would get paid too! He didn't see a problem here.

After such a long string of coherent thoughts, he felt rather pleased with himself, and shrugged away Azkadellia's oppressive opinion.

Of course! He had been wanting to remember how to be an Adviser in this time of hardship! He'd forgotten. Glitch frowned to himself, trying to muddle his thoughts into something that made him feel useful. Nothing was appearing.

At the mention of bacon, Glitch's mind raced to capture the memory of what bacon tasted like. He didn't remember. But it sure smelled good. He had missed a lot of things while he was without a brain. His brain, Mug Lug, Corn on the cob...shampoo...bacon. Yes, definitely that was on his list of missed things.

He jogged to the kitchen, poking his head in the door. Three of the staff were cooking breakfast, he glanced at the time-clock...it was only 5am. "Oh." Glitch realized that it was too early for the royal meal, and the servants were getting their own food around. He smiled as one of the servants, a tiny woman with bright green hair paused and looked at him. "Cann'a get ya somethin'?"

"Yes, if you have some extra bacon..." Glitch asked in a very solemn tone.