As if it wasn't bad enough being captured by otters, they also managed to get a blindfold on Gunther. And after he tried to bite a few of them, a gag followed, and some ropes to truss the Kadie up like… like a trussed-up squirrel, really. There was plenty of jouncing along the way, and chattering in Kavi, which Gunther didn't understand. Twice he was pulled along through smelly water as well.

By the time the blindfold came off, Gunther was thoroughly lost. He found himself in a damp cave, and his Kettenrad night-vision wasn't helping any due to a hole in the stone ceiling letting a bright beam of daylight down onto his head. Beyond the circle of light he could only make out vague shadows. "Don't worry none, Gunther," Nene assured him, whispering into his ear as she removed his gag.

Even gagged, it didn't stop Gunther from trying to complain loudly and even accuse the two girls of betrayal and other horrible things. Good thing that with the gag it just came out as garbled mess. Now with the blindfold and the gag removed, he practically growls at Nene. "Turning on me, are you?" he hisses as his arms and legs squirm in the ropes. "Here I thought you actually liked me."

"Shhhh!" Nene urges. Someone clears their throat in the darkness, and robed and cowled figure steps closer. "So, you is wanting to become one of the legend'ry Otter Scouts, wot?" comes the voice of Emmett Oggton, who is trying to make it sound deeper than it is.

Gunther looks at Nene as if to ask should he answer that, or are they going to…

The young otteress nudges Gunther. "You can answer," she whispers.

"They can't be legendary," Gunther challenges, "If they don't have me as a member. Everyone knows that!"

"Dat's not what I axed!" Emmett says, crossing his arms. The sleeves of the robe are too long, and flop about past his hands. "You want in or not?"

"Of course!" Gunther answers. He looks like he wants to say a few more things … but even Gunther has some common sense on when to shut up.

"Okay then, you may untie him now, Nene," Emmett says. "Bebe, you get… the book." There's an 'ooooo' that goes through the rest of the unseen crowd at the mention of this.

Gunther's ears twitch as he starts calculating the distance between himself and Emmett, and his guess on how much rope he has on hand… It does at least get him to hold still for Nene.

By the time Nene finishes with Gunther's feet, Bebe rushes back. Her robe has at least been tailored a little better so that she doesn't trip over it. She's got a waterproof leather bag with her, that she hands reverently to Emmett. "Since you ain't an Akwavi, Gunther, the usual 'nitiation stuff isn't gonna work. Instead, we have something special, jus' for you!" Emmett declares, and removes an ordinary looking notebook from the satchel.

"Okay … wait. What is the 'usual' initiation stuff?" Gunther asks, his plans of revenge momentarily derailed by his curiosity. He crosses his arms, adding, "I can do anything afterall."

"Underwater scavenger hunt," Emmett notes. "You gotta get a scavenger as big as you are. But this is better! Catch two Creens with one trap, assa saying goes!" With a flourish of his floppy sleeves, the otter offers the notebook to Gunther.

Gunther accepts the notebook. The first thing he does is … check it for traps. "How do I know this isn't some sort of … make fun of Gunther event?" he asks suspiciously.

"Wot? Us?" Emmett asks in a hurt tone. "The Scouts are a serious group dedicated to the defense of the communititty and whatnot!"

"You." Gunther notes, "Like when you stole my brother's door and made a spinning ride thing out of it. Then the Creens invaded his workshop. Took weeks for him to get all the Creen crap outta the gears… " Satisfied that the notebook seems safe enough, he opens it.

Written on the inside cover, in a delicate hand and in Standard is: If found, please return to Kia's Restoration, Treacle Alley, The Bazaar, Rephidim.

"What, you want me to go to the sky islands?" Gunther asks suspiciously.

"'Course not!" Emmett says. "You gotta read the writings and such first."

"It just says that if this book is found, return it to Kia's Restoration and gives the address," Gunther says, looking both confused and exasperated. "Which is on the sky island of Rephidim."

"We got it in Trollhaven off'n a traveling eel merchant," an ottery voice pipes in from the darkness. "Hush, Biscuit!" Emmett snaps. "There's more than jus' that bit," he then says to Gunther.

Gunther starts flipping through the book. To Nene, he whispers, "You can't read? I thought you could… "

"It ain't in a language I know," Nene admits. Sure enough, the notes in the book are written in Skeek, and are crammed onto the pages around drawings and diagrams of… stuff. There are drawings of wooden sandals with wheels on them, a steam-powered catapult of some sort, spinning poles in giant wooden bowls with what are probably Kavi (since their tails don't look thick enough to be otters) flying about. There are several pages devoted to a garish looking thing called a 'Technopriest Landing Day Float' that has lots of diagrams of ornate machinery to go with it. Further on, there are drawings of a 'Chronotopian Sky Wheel' that carries people in baskets for no apparent purpose, "Coaster Carts" that appear to be wagons running on rails that follow a series of artificial hills, and other things that the author ran into on their travels – including some very detailed diagrams of a mechanical Drokar, sketches of odd buildings and a few scrabbly portraits of mutated Skreeks.

"This is some sort of weird machine diary," Gunther reasons out, "Something about a carnival, fun, and parade floats. I guess whoever owned this must have either seen these oddities … or was completely insane. Though, the machines do look possible."

"You can read it then?" Emmett asks, as the other otters begin to chatter excitedly. "Can you make any of that stuff? If you can make something fun, you're in the Scouts."

"Of course I can read it," Gunther answers. "The diagrams aren't complete, though. So I would have to guess on parts. But some of them would be easy. The shoes with wheels would be simple, for example. Bet Zahn would have enough info in his stuff to extrapolate on the catapult too. Hmmm. Of course, I could also just contact the author for full plans, since I do have the address… "

"You gots to be secret about it," Emmett says. "Secret is what Scouts is all about. So no help from Zany."

"Who said I would ask for help? I would just borrow his notes on steam engines," Gunther comments, "He never notices when I borrow stuff, anyway. Or he blames you." The Kadie then grins impishly.

"I like the spinny-bowl-pole-flying thing," Nene whispers to Gunther, putting in her vote for what he should work on.

"You do?" Gunther asks, looking up from the notebook. The Kadie gets a sort of melty-mushy look on his face at having Nene this close to him. "Okay, so … if I make some of these, what do you want to do with this book? Returning it might get a reward… "

"Oh, if you can get sumtin' working from it, we can send it back, sure!" Emmett says, rubbing his sleeve-draped paws together at the mention of a reward.

"Oh, it's not a question of if I can, but when. I can do anything," Gunther insists. "So, this is all I need to do?"

"Sure! But it's got to work too," Emmett says, bobbing his hooded head. "And the shoes too. We need something to use 'em on."

"Are you insinuating what I build doesn't work?" Gunther grumbles.

"Well, dis is something big though," Emmett says. "And fun. You don't usually do 'fun'," he points out.

"Hey, I'm a lot of fun! Nene and Bebe can attest to that," Gunther says as he snaps the notebook closed and crosses his arms. He looks at the two otter girls expectantly.

"Oh yeah, he's lots of fun to play with!" Nene agrees. Bebe bobs her head as well. "His traps are kinda neat."

"See?" Gunther says, looking smug.

"Yeah, but folks'll come from way off to ride some of the stuff in the book if'n you make it work," Emmett says. You can almost hear the grin.

"Wait, you want to invite outsiders here?" Gunther says and frizzes out.

"Lure, not invite!" Emmett says. "We can… keep an eye on 'em like. Find out what's goin' on wi'out having to leave town… "

"An' pick their pockets!" Biscuit pipes up.

"Oh, well, that's okay then," Gunther says as his tail-puff deflates some. "So, uh, have you actually ever had a non-otter in the Otter scouts before?"

"Wellllll… " Emmett drawls. "There was that time we tried to train a Creen, but it didn't work out. He got 'et by a fish."

"Will I be expected to look or dress like an Akwavi?" Gunther asks next.

"Err, I don't see how you could," Emmett notes. "Did you want to?"

Gunther looks at Nene and Bebe, then rubs his neck in a rather Zahnlike gesture. Looking at the floor, he mutters, "Well, if they thought it made me cuter… " Shaking his head, he quickly adds, "So, uh, where am I, anyway?"

"Our secret headquarters!" Emmett boasts. "Pretty neat, isn't it?"

"It's very empty and dark," Gunther notes. "Where are all your plans of the town and such. Secret headquarters should have plans."

"Plans?" Emmett asks. "What for?"

"For what you are going to do next, or are currently doing. So you don't … you know, forget," Gunther says and rolls his eyes. Behind him, his tail is idly flicking against Nene.

"Forget what?" Emmett asks next. Nene bats at the tail, and explains, "We keep our Scout gear here, like our stash of stinkbombs and stuff."

"Exactly," Gunther says to Emmett. "Oh, that stuff," he says as he looks back to the young otter. "I guess I don't get to see the entrance till I'm a member, right?"

"Roight!" everyone choruses.

"So, how do I get out of here, then?" Gunther asks.

"Same way you got in, only backwards!" Emmett barks.

Gunther's muscles tense. "Oh no, you aren't tying me up, gagging me, and blindfolding me again," he warns. "Give me one good reason I would even let you?"

Nene has the blindfold ready, but pauses to ask, "If we go out backwards, do have to blindfold his bum?" This causes some chatter among the otters as the discuss the notion.

"Well, you can blindfold and tie up Nene or Bebe for free sometime, how's that?" Emmett offers magnanimously. Even though Bebe starts kicking him in the shin.

"Uh, how about they just come spend time with me in the Wingnut compound," Gunther counters, "I mean, I don't have many friends over. Okay, well, ever. I don't exactly have many friends."

"Sure!" Nene agrees, while Bebe thinks to ask Emmett, "If he ain't a scout yet, do we still get points if he lets us into his room?"

"Errr, no," Emmett decides.

"What about if they have to figure out my door trap first?" Gunther offers.

"You invited them, so it don't count," Emmett says. "Unless they get in when yer not looking."

"I tried," Gunther apologizes to Nene and Bebe.

"I don't care," Nene says. Bebe still pouts for a few seconds, but then grins. "Hah, that means nobody will ever get points! Cuz he'll be a scout before anyone can sneak in!"

"Can I get points for sneaking into my own room?" Gunther suddenly asks with a devilish grin.

"Err… that… no, I don't think so," Emmett decides.

"And why not? It's not like I invited myself," Gunther argues.

"Because you ain't a scout yet, and only scouts can earn points," Emmett says in a burst of logic.

"After I'm a scout," Gunther points out.

"You ain't worth points after yer a scout," Emmett says. "If I gave out points for sneaking into other scout's stuff, nobody'd leave the barges!"

And suddenly remembering something, Gunther says, "And oh, yeah, right. Nene, Bebe, I have something for each of you. I can give it o you after you escort me out."

"But what if I become a scout right as I'm sneaking into my room?" Gunther tries to argue, grinning.

"Presents?" Bebe asks, coming to Gunther's side. "Smooches?" Nene guesses, still holding the blindfold.

"Presents," Gunther answers.

"You gotta be here to be a scout, and it ain't your room," Emmett explains, and then chuffs. "Yer just being silly now."

"I can be in two places at once," Gunther asserts, "I have several Gunther decoys… "

"That ain't the point, yer jes trying to loop our holes," Emmett says. "You can't do that until you're a full-fledged Otter Scout."

And in an unusual display of trust Gunther actually offers his hands to Bebe to tie back up and closes his eyes for Nene. It might be the first time he's ever shown that much trust outside of his own clan members. To Emmett he sticks out his tongue, then says, "Which will be soon."

The otter twins blindfold and tie Gunther back up quickly, and one of them gooses him too before he's hefted up onto multiple shoulders to be carried back to dry land.

The goosing gets a grumble from the Kadie. But at least this time he's not trying to bite anyone or put up too much of a struggle as he's carted back to dry land. "Did the twins actually suggest that I be inducted?" he wonders. He has all of a couple minutes to ponder this before he's being carried through muck again, sputtering and complaining the entire way…