“Wait, look Brzko, what are they doing?” The Muse of Mischief asked. She and Agent Brzko were the last to arrive, the rest of their group had been on the terrace long enough to have enjoyed a few espidruns. They had some catching up to do.
“It almost looks like they are trying to balance full shots of espidrun on their noses.” He answered.
“Well that hardly seems like a fair contest, Ferocity has a snout!”
“Oh! Did you see that? Zri just spilt his. He’s really changed hasn’t he, relaxed a bit.”
“Yeah, somewhat. He still takes the work seriously, maybe he’s just learning to accept himself.”
“Good point. Are you ready to go down and join them M?”
She nodded, took his hand, and started walking down the stairs. About halfway down she announced their arrival. “You better not have finished off that bottle before we got here!” She teased.
“M! Brzko! You’re here.” Lelelu called, excited.
“Ah, it’s just like you to keep us waiting M.” Bartala teased.
“What makes you think it was me, maybe I was waiting for Brzko.”
Everyone just laughed at M’s attempt at pretending to be insulted.
“Who’s pouring?” Brzko asked, taking a seat between Ferocity and Xiix. Lelelu took care of his requesting, refilling everyone else’s glass except Xiix’s.
“Have I offended you in some way Lelelu?” He projected.
“No Xiix but you still have some in your glass.”
“Ah yes, but it is only the steam I find appealing.” He projected.
Ferocity leaned forward, reaching in front of Brzko, he grabbed the glass, quickly drank the remaining espidrun and said, “There, problem solved.” as he returned the glass to Xiix, smiling and showing all of his teeth.
Lelelu just shook her head and pretended to be annoyed while she filled Xiix’s glass and a few others.
M stood and raised her glass, “A toast!” Everyone lifted their glasses, “To my oldest friend Kufeter Whakeclyte Wissswara Bartapulnye, we are thankful to you for joining us, all the better for having you, welcome to the group!”
“Welcome!” Everyone yelled or projected.
“Thank y…”
“Whakeclyte? Your first name is actually Whakeclyte?” Zri teased.
“Mmmm, this from a being that has a single name, but masks his true form when in the company of others.” Bartala teased back.
“Touchdown Bartala, touchdown.” Zri said.
M choked, she laughed so hard that espidrun flew out of her nose.
“Do you mean touché Zri?” Brzko asked laughing.
“Yes! That’s it touché! What is a touchdown?”
“Uh, something that would take time and visual aids to explain.” Brzko answered.
“It’s a term from a contact sport played on the barbaric place where M and Brzko were raised, Earth.” Bartala said.
“Really? Contact sports? That place is worse than I thought.” Zri said.
Bartala nodded in agreement. “So what do we call ourselves?”
“What are you talking about darling?” Nalau asked.
“M said welcome to the group. What is this group called?”
No one made a sound. “Uhhhh we don’t really have a group name Bartala, it’s not a clubhouse ya know.” M said.
“We need a name. How will people refer to us – you know that group that consists of two Clyreans, two Ploosnarians, a Trelod, a Dragon, a Gaznzulian, and a Suus?” He asked sarcastically as he refilled glasses.
“The Regulators!” Zri said, excited.
“Zri, have you been watching Earth television?” M asked.
“Uh, yes. There is something called westerns. Have you heard of them?”
M and Brzko both laughed. “Yes Zri, we’ve heard of westerns. Be careful, too much Earth television will rot your brain.” Brzko said. Zri leaned back in his chair to consider this as though it would actually make his brain begin to rot.
“Coalition.” Nalau said quietly.
“What was that my love?” Bartala asked.
“We are a coalition, are we not?”
“Yes, we definitely are a coalition.” M said. “But that sort of suggests a temporary bonding.”
“Guild.” Brzko said.
“That is a perfect word to describe us.” Bartala said. Everyone agreed.
“But we can’t be just the Guild” He said.
“Why is a name so important to you Bartala?” M asked.
Before he could answer Xiix projected, “It provides a sense of belonging, acceptance.”
“Exactly.” Bartala added.
Lelelu who thus far had been quiet spoke up, “Everything we do is within the Cosmos.”
“The Cosmos Guild? It doesn’t sound quite right.” M said.
“Advocates.” Ferocity said. Everyone looked at him.
It hit the Muse of Mischief then, she stood and raised her glass. “To the Advocates of the Cosmos!”
And so it began. With glasses raised, standing in a circle, are two immortal Clyreans, a blue Trelod, a fire breathing Dragon, two royal Ploosnarians, a reflective Gaznzulian, and a four armed Suus.
They are THE ADVOCATES OF THE COSMOS.
The Muse of Mischief 