Quiet Knighties of Quiet Stars (01/01)
Date/Time:  Sun, July 8, 2001; morning; after "Almost Home At Last"
By Knighties Brooksie and Sandra
Knighties used by permission
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Saturday night at the loft had been quiet.  Most of the Knighties were
either still recovering from the Raven/ettes party of Friday night, or still
reeling from the Knightie War Council revelations of Saturday morning.  The
Knighties needed time to think and reflect upon the greater impact and
implications of these character switches.

They could sort of understand that the Nat and Nick switch could be
explained away by their simpatico relationship.  And this could also apply
to the Tracy - Vachon switch as well.  But the LaCroix - Screed switch,
well, that was simply unnatural.  The Knighties had a quiet chuckle among
themselves at what the Cousins, NA and Ufers must have been thinking when
they saw their beloved General spouting Screedspeak and walking around with
a rat in the breast pocket of an Armani suit.

So Sunday morning the Knighties woke up (or stayed up!) and welcomed the
Natpackers and Nickbody for breakfast.  Contrary to what the Natpackers
expected, they did have food in the loft.  After all, the Knighties were
mortal and had to eat!  They had merely made up an extensive list, logged on
to a grocery delivery service's website, and charged it all to Nick's credit
card.

When Nick and Natalie switched back to their own bodies - every Knightie
breathed a sigh of relief that things has returned to normal again.
However, that was quickly replaced with concern when Nick started professing
a strange desire for souvlaki.

"Souvlaki?" asked Sandra, hoping she spelled that right.

Nick shook his head.  "Souvlaki?" He also wasn't sure he spelled that right.
He made a face and stuck out his tongue.  "Bleh.  I don't want that."  He
got up off the floor.

"Are you sure you're okay?" asked Sandra.

Nick smiled.  "Yeah, I'm fine."  He ran his hand down the front of his...
sweater.   Suddenly remembering what his body had looked like when it
entered the loft, he paled and ran up the stairs.

"Fashion attack," said Brooksie.  In the silence that followed, during which
several of the Knighties blushed red, Katrinka said,

"Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I'm starved!"

The Knighties, Nat, and the NatPackers sat down to breakfast.   Sandra kept
an eye on the stairs.

Soon Nick returned, changed into normal clothes and devoid of makeup, acting
like his normal self.

Apparently...

However, later that morning, when the Natpackers had gone, and the breakfast
was cleaned up, and Nick and Nat had said their goodbyes, Nick once again
professed an interest in tasting some souvlaki.  He was now confident that
he had spelled it correctly, having checked the website of a local Greek
take-out place.

"But Nick," said Eowyn, "Slouvaki has garlic in it!"

"Yes, I know.  But I can't seem to shake this craving." Nick replied.

"I've got an idea," said Katrinka.  She went to the cabinet and pulled out a
small box of garlic.

The Knighties gasped.  "How did that get in here?" they all chorused.

Nancy, Roz and Eowyn all went over to the Knightie Acting War Leader.  "Kat,
dear," said Nancy gently.  "I realize that all good cooks use garlic, but,
we never bring garlic into the Loft.  It is against the rules."  She looked
meaningfully at the wide-eyed Kat.

"B-b-b-but.  I thought it might come in handy, this being a war and such.
You never know, the General, Vachon, Nick even, could get dangerous," Kat
stammered.

Nick bristled.  "I would never knowingly hurt anyone of you Knighties - you
all should know that!"  But Kat didn't know how right she was, and that the
garlic would come in handy in the future.

Sandra, veteran of almost all the wars, spoke up.  "I've got a better idea."
She turned to Nick.  "What is the name of your mortal sister?"

Nick looked at her incredulously.  "Sandra, you know that her name is Fleur.
What's the point in asking me?"

Sandra frowned at him.  "We just needed to make certain that your craving
for slouvaki wasn't an indication that you were your partner."

All the Knighties started to laugh and chatter to each other about such an
improbable event.

Nick, however, looked horrified.  "If that ever happens," he said with a
pitiful look on his face, "shoot me!"

Eowyn, Roz and Nancy looked at each other, and winked.  "Sure Nick," said
Eowyn, "whatever you say."

Nick got up and started up the stairs to his bedroom, then thought better of
it and came back down and sat down on his leather sofa.

"Anyone hungry?” he said as he looked around the assembled Knighties.  “How
about pizza, extra garlic?  My treat."

***** END ******