Time enough has passed for our intrepid adventurers to heal up and rest up after their previous harrowing experience with the Orrery Room. It comes as some relief that they find the air elemental is still sealed out of the level of Air, and so they make it up to the next floor without any opposition.

Galen the Healer Mephit, Randle the Fire Elementalist Dragon and Wynona the Air Elementalist Eeee make their way up the stairs, entering a new and mysterious chamber.

Randle looks about. "Well, I wondered where the baths were. Did the people that lived here have to brave elemental dangers just to go for a dip?"

Galen scrutinizes the room in its entirety, taking note of the tiles, pool, windows, cabinet, towels – and especially the lanterns. Then he turns his head to Wynona and Randle. "Well … what do you make of this?" He's presuming that the other two already know it best not to discuss too much of what their plans are in front of the pool.

Wynona looks around. "Well … I'll take a wild guess and suppose that if this stands for an element, it's quite probably the element of water."

The bat then looks to Randle. "In any case, I suppose that whomever lived here probably didn't have trouble with the animates or the elementals. I think they've just grown unstable in his absence."

Randle nods. "It's genius really. Water elementals can help anyone here bathe, and none of those unfriendly mechanisms like we saw downstairs to circulate the water." He then looks to Wynona. "You mean they're getting restless?"

Wynona ventures, "Well, animate magic is inherently unstable. I mean … think about it: giving intelligence to an inanimate object meant to serve a very specific and limited purpose. What if you were trapped in the body of a cleaver, and your only purpose for existence was to cut things? It might push you over the edge."

Randle blinks and hadn't thought about that. "Is that why Sugar Bowl is so temperamental?"

The Mephitian nods. "A succinct point, Wynona." His tail bristles the tiniest bit, only a few hairs or so, as he recalls just how over the edge that cleaver was. Then he pushes the images from his mind, and glances around the room again. "I think the best thing to do for the moment, is just to look around, and examine everything we can in detail. If the pool is indeed inhabited by you-can-guess-who, I'll talk with it. How's that?"

Wynona says, "Well, that's my theory about Sugar Bowl and the rest. And I'd suppose that pool would be as good a place as any for You-Can-Guess-Who to be dwelling in."

Randle takes another look at the pool. "Can they guess who we are, though?"

"I'm not quite sure I know what you mean," the bat says.

As Randle looks at the pool, he spies a faint glowing point beneath the waters that can't be accounted for by just the reflections on the water; it might very well be a submerged glowing gem.

"It has probably already guessed that we're just looking around … and that is exactly what we are doing, no more or less," replies Galen, eyeing both Randle and Wynona, hoping that they understand his concern.

Randle looks about the room, then flies up to a window and looks down into the pool to get a better look

Galen watches Randle spread his wings, and lift and carry himself off the ground and through the air. It must be nice to be able to fly, he thinks to himself, somewhat wistfully.

Stormy winds buffet Randle from the back, as he perches at the window, but nothing to seriously trouble him. In any case, his vantage point allows him a view of the rippling pool and what most certainly must be a glowing gem inside. He can also see a chamber pot tucked into one of the corners of the octagonal room – but that's not normally the sort of thing one wants to investigate very closely.

Galen raises his voice. "Do you see anything, Randle?"

Wynona, meanwhile, examines one of the columns, and the runes inscribed into its capital and base. "Yes," she says, "most certainly the Element of Water."

Randle hmms and hops down, then goes back to the others, pointing to the bottom of the pool and talking somewhat more loudly than necessary, "No, nothing at all." He circles around the room a bit to investigate the columns surrounding the pool, and getting closer to the chamber pot.

Galen nods to Randle. "Okay." Then he walks over to Wynona, and looks over her shoulder. "Do you know what else those runes say?" he asks, his voice back to normal volume and tone.

The columns are positioned to the northeast, southeast, southwest and northwest of the pool, whereas the four windows about the room are positioned just as they were in the Orrery – at the north, south, east and west – thus granting one a clear view to the pool from the vantage point of any one of the windows. The chamber pot looks like a chamber pot, even as Randle approaches it.

Wynona looks to Galen. "Well, they're runes of containment. As they surround the pool, it would be safe to assume that they're part of the enchantment that binds a water elemental to the pool."

"Really?" says Galen, already musing over the implications. He does not notice Randle getting closer to the pot.

Randle blinks. "Wouldn't the elementals want us to remove them then?"

Randle says, "I wouldn't want to stay in a bathroom all the time""

Wynona shakes her head. "I don't think I'd want to be trapped much of anywhere, really."

Randle ponders. "The air elemental wanted to stay; how do we find out what the water elementals want?"

"Nor I," adds Galen. The healer eyes the cabinet, and walks to it for investigation.

Wynona shrugs. "Uhm … we ask it?"

As for the cabinet, it is a short, simple cabinet, set on the floor, reaching up just beneath the window sill, with some decorative patterns on it in a nautical theme. Bars with towels on them – decorated with runes on the fringes – hang to each side.

Curious, muses the Mephitian. "Wynona? Can you come over here please? There are some runes over here, too." He then starts opening the drawers of the cabinet, to see what is inside.

Wynona nods and walks over to the healer skunk, even as he opens the cabinet. Inside, he finds some bars of lye soap, bottles of alcohol (not of the type to be consumed, Galen can tell), fur-combs and other toiletries.

Randle says, "Well, with towels someone besides the elemental definitely bathes here."

Wynona looks at the towels … then suddenly grabs Galen's arm. "Sir … I think … we … should go … take a closer look … at this column over here." She pulls on his arm noticeably.

Randle hmmms … looking down the edge of the pool. He looks around at his tailtip, then back at the pool. "Well, whoever's in there isn't coming out, so that just leaves one other course of action!" He walks over and picks up a towl, wrapping it around his waist.

Galen looks over the alcohol … and a possible scenario arises in his head. He decides to take the bottles, and puts them into his large belt pouch on his left side – but at Wynona's tugging, he realizes something is up. "Yes, let's go do that," he says, turning around…

"NO!" Wynona shrieks, though it's not quite apparent just why. Randle's scales around his waist seem to change slightly in shade – and the dragon immediately feels very, very parched.

Randle blinks and looks at the column … then makes a squeaking noise, and pulls at the towel around his waist. The towel, however, clings to his waist with such strength as is normally not found in cloth.

Galen sees Randle with the towel. And the dragon's scales change. He blinks. "Randle?"

The other towels start moving about on their bars. Wynona tugs on Galen's arm. "They're Towels of Drying!"

Randle wonders what he's changing into and inhales, breathing on the towel!

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?" yells Galen, immediately realizing Wynona's fear, as he rushes over to Randle.

The dragon's fiery breath, however, drives back the skunk, as Randle directs his flame at his own waist. The towel lets out an unearthly howl, and bursts immediately into flames – as does Randle's toga.

The other towels seem to shrink back from the pillar of fire that is the dragon, and slip off of their bars, scooting across the floor along the walls like fluffy caterpillars.

Wynona says, "Keep away from them! They're meant to dry someone off … but if they're unstable, they might remove all the water from you!"

Randle tears at the toga and jumps out of it, making a mental note to find something else to wear later. He doesn't lose his head to the point of jumping in the water now that the place is booby-trapped, but stands behind Wynona and Galen. "I shouldn't have done that, should I haven't?" he sputters, flabbergasted.

Now that the toga and towel are immolated, Randle quite easily disposes of the ashen remains. Wynona, even despite her state of panic, has enough presence of mind to politely avert her eyes.

Wynona squeaks, "Get clear of what's left of the towel! Magical things don't tend to go nicely when they're destroyed!" She puts action to her words by fluttering across the chamber, putting distance between herself and the discarded toga and towel.

In response to Randle's statement, Galen simply stares at him as if he was from another plane of existence. His mouth opens, and closes, as if to say something – then when Wynona issues her warning, he closes his eyes, and shakes his head quickly, and scoots out of the way of the immolating towel.

Randle blinks and feels his ears going red. He looks over at where he left his staff by the other towels, daring them to say something.

The towels, however, say nothing at all.

Randle feels better with some sort of equipment on him. He walks over, keeping a close eye on the towel, and takes the iron staff in hand, then backs up still looking at them. He mutters something under his breath, releasing some steam in the process "That was one of my good identical togas too… "

As Randle goes back to the towel to fetch his staff … it explodes in a burst of sparks and thick and noxious smoke, sending the dragon flying across the room.

"RANDLE!!!" shrieks Galen.

Despite the violent transport across the room, and the dragon skidding across the tiles, staff in hand, it appears that he has nonetheless survived the blast miraculously (and mostly) unscathed, though it can be hard to tell, with the smoke rising from his scales.

The towel, however, is most assuredly gone now, and the area around the towel racks is covered in a thick and sooty layer of ash.

Meanwhile, the pool ripples and vibrates, and a column of water slowly rises from the center of its surface, gaining definition as it forms into a translucent and vaguely humanoid form.

Randle grates his teeth as his backridge scrapes across the floor, then ends up indignantly on his back, leaning to one side. He opens one eye, then the other and slowly checking his number of fingers and toes, and the staff as an afterthought. "Alright … from now on, I think you can lead, Wynona."

Quick as a wink, the healer rushes to the sprawled dragon's aid. "Randle!! Are you all right?!?"

Wynona, however, seems to be occupied with keeping her distance from the creeping towels. (Fortunately, none of them are anywhere in Randle's or Galen's vicinity for the time being.)

Randle blinks and looks at the water elemental, so late in making an appearance. He blinks up at Galen. "I'm … thirsty. Otherwise okay, though. Thankfully I have a dry sense of humor."

Galen blinks thrice on the dragon's response. He puts unstable animates on him, sets them on fire, gets blasted across the room, and still has a sense of humor. Interesting chap. He scans Randle over. He looks all right. "Let me help you up," he says, offering his hand.

Randle carefully gets to his feet again, taking Galen's hands to help himself up. "Good thing I know how to sew. I'll be needing a tablecloth when we get back." He looks at the water element with a bit of surprise, as she looks slightly draconian in shape, then over at Wynona and the towels. "The towels are still advancing?"

Although seemingly made of water, the form of the elemental takes on a more opaque quality, until it looks more as if it might be fashioned of tinted glass, with webbed fingers and ear-flaps, a softly blunted muzzle, and a wild, tangled mane of "hair" that seems to alternate between suggesting seaweed or icicles, depending on how it flows. The elemental seems to take no notice of the dragon and skunk – or even the bat – as it focuses on the charred remnants of the towel. The elemental leans over, scooping up a large "ball" of water from the pool, then shapes it in her hand … and hurls it toward the direction of the cabinet and towel rack.

Wynona, meanwhile, keeps fluttering to and fro, hounded by the animate towels that hungrily chase after her. Once roused from the towel rack, it seems that they've settled upon Wynona as being in need of "drying". Being a flying creature, she has little difficulty in keeping out of reach, but she seems none too pleased about the situation regardless.

It's after he helps Randle back up onto his feet, that the Mephitian notes the presence rising from the pool. He freezes for a moment – then relaxes a little, and takes a few steps toward the pool. He takes a deep breath, and exhales, as he bows as graciously as he can muster. "Good day, Oh Elemental of Water."

The "ball of water" that the elemental shaped up seems to be more aptly described as a bubble, as it slowly wobbles its way through the air after being "hurled" by the undine. The elemental slowly turns, fixing pupilless azure eyes on the skunk, as the bubble impacts the sooty area and pops, exploding in a sudsy swell that covers the ashen mess.

Randle huffs at the towels and makes to roll up his shirt sleeves … although the effort is obviously wasted. He tromps in Wynona's direction, glaring at the towels. "Go … dry yourselves!" However, at the sight of the bubble, he's momentarily distracted.

The towels, upon Randle's approach, halt, and start skittering away. Perhaps his ability to fry one of their "brethren" has made them skittish in his presence. In any case, Wynona is able to alight upon the ground again as they scamper off to another corner of the room.

"Th-thank you," Wynona squeaks, panting as she is able to actually rest a moment, looking toward the sudsy mass as well.

Randle keeps looking at the towels, then points to the rack. "BACK!" Under his breath, he rumbles something about the real thing working better than the magical version.

The suds churn and chug, scouring the cabinet, floor and walls … then, as one great mass, begin to shuffle back to the pool, leaving a sparkling clean area in their wake. Alas, no trace is left of the ruined toga or towel.

The suds dump into the pool, which then churns and twirls about as if forming a miniature maelstrom … and then in a moment, all is calm and clear, and the pool is just as pristine clean as before. Meanwhile, the dragon seems to be having some success in herding the towels back toward their racks, as they caterpillar-crawl back to their original positions.

Randle blinks and follows the bubble, wondering what happens to the dirt as it enters the pool. He looks up an smiles a bit to the elemental. "Thank you. Do they give you any trouble?"

Galen, having turned his head momentarily from his bow, and seeing Randle save Wynona inwardly sighs with relief – which catches in his throat, as he sees the suds clean away all traces of the ashes. It dissolved it completely. he notes to himself, not so comfortably. Then he resumes eye contact with the Elemental. "Your powers are great and wondrous, I see. Thank you so much for tending to the mess – the tiles look as spotless as ever."

The elemental silently nods to the dragon and to the skunk … but then her azure eyes turn to regard the dragon intently – and, perhaps, with a slight look of disapproval. She stoops down, and reaches into the water … and pulls up another bubble, though this one is not quite so large as before. She starts purposefully shaping it … still looking at the dragon.

"Randle," speaks Galen, quickly, "perhaps you should leave for the moment, please."

Randle perks his ears innocently, watching her and trying to keep his eyes on the bubble.

The water elemental holds out one hand toward the dragon, and makes a distinct "come here" gesture.

"Or … maybe not," speaks Galen again. Upon observing the elemental's gestures, he relaxes – a nearly negligent bit – as he already guesses something of the spirit's intentions.

Randle blinks and looks back at Wynona and Galen. "This could be a chance to communicate."

Galen gives a nod to Randle, agreeing haphazardly with the dragon's statement. Then he looks back to the elemental, silent. Please, please, don't let it be the case that it wants to kill him, he prays to himself.

Wynona just fidgets, looking uncomfortable and – for the moment – indecisive.

Randle realizes his scales are still sooty, and shakes. He takes a few steps toward the elemental.

The elemental, once Randle is closer … suddenly reaches out and grabs the dragon with surprising strength! In a flash, the dragon is pulled into the pool, which explodes in a fury of scrubbing bubbles! Water splashes furiously about, as the elemental determinedly SCRUBS the dragon's scales violently!

Wynona squeaks in surprise! "Randle!"

Randle eeps and holds his breath, trying to keep a hand on the edge of the pool … and tries very hard not to giggle. "Careful, I'm ticklish!"

Galen's prayers stop, and he is just about to jump into the pool to save Randle – and then notes what the elemental seems to be trying to do. He holds back. "Stand back, Wynona," he says, without looking behind him to her.

The dragon finds himself having great difficulty keeping his hand on the edge of the pool at all times. Sometimes, he's right-side-up … sometimes upside down … and no soonerdoes he speak, then he gets a mouthful of suds! The whole exchange goes on for some while and then … a sparkling-clean dragon is deposited just outside the pool, a few bubbles escaping from his muzzle to pop quietly in the air. Somehow, a fluffy pink bathrobe has materialized in the process, presently adorning the dragon, and he has a couple of fuzzy Lapi slippers on his feet.

The water elemental nods, looking satisfied … and sinks back down into the pool. The bubbles dissipate, and the pool returns to its normal, placid state.

Randle holds his breath for a moment longer, then pants and exhales a stream of bubbles. He looks down at his pink attire and blinks at first, then turns this way and that, admiring himself. He glances at the pool, wondering if she can hear. "Thank you!"

If Galen stared strangely at the dragon before when he was nude, the Mephitian's facial expression was nothing compared to the one that now adorns his face. He slowly looks Randle over, up and down, mouth agape, and eyes wide. A moment of utter, silent incredulity passes … and then Galen bursts out laughing!

Wynona timidly peeks out from between the fingers of her hands covering her eyes. When at last she sees it's safe to look again, she lets out a relieved breath. "Whew!"

Randle reaches up and scratches his mane a bit. He liked the elemental before, but not… He's a little breathless, and that's saying a lot for a dragon. His scales tingle all over and it takes the laughing of his friend to bring him back from Cloud Nine. "What? We had a meaningful cultural exchange."

"True," Wynona says. "You could characterize it as such."

Randle huffs and shakes his mane out a bit. Whatever water the elemental missed is quickly drying off his skin from the natural heat. "I haven't felt that good since … since… " He blinks and sees Wynona in the room, changing the words. "Since last Christmas."

"A cultural exchange?? It looks like you've exchanged more than that!" replies Galen, still laughing. "It looks like you dragons tend to stick together, no matter your origins and physical makeup."

Wynona says, "Well, ah … if nothing else, I think this might be fairly educational about what we have to be careful of if we get on the elemental's bad side."

Randle folds his arms a bit, looking at the rolling skunk"Be careful to stay away from those towels," he scolds, then sees a way he can turn it around. "Well, sticking together is better than scenting others away, I suppose!" He lifts one fuzzy slipper, then then other. "You know, these are pretty comfortable. I'll have to add some family crest or something on the front though, just so the guild members still take me seriously." He ponders patterns to embroider in the front … then breaks out of his pondering as something occurs to him. "What now? Do you think she could hear us?"

Wynona says, "Mmm … she very well might."

Galen nods at Wynona's response, though he is still chuckling to himself mirthfully. "True, true… " He laughs a little more, and nods to Randle. "Whatever yousay, though I advise you don't put Lapi slippers anywhere on the crest." He chuckles a little bit more, then composes himself a bit, and focuses back to the pool. Hmm … for that gesture of goodwill, perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea at all to ask…

The healer clears his throat, and bows again. "Thank you so much for tending to my friend here, Miss … " He trails off. He can't think of a proper name for this aquatic entity.

The pool ripples again, and the elemental rises again from the water, hands clasped together, posed as if a servant waiting for direction, azure gaze fixed upon the skunk.

Galen's head looks up, though he is still bowing. He scrutinizes the elemental … and realizes that she is the most beautiful one he has seen thus far. The lantern lights shine and reflect off and into her. " … Miss Shimmer," he says, completing his address.

The Mephitian takes a moment to compose himself. "Miss Shimmer," he asks, "your deeds for my friends are as wonderful as you are to look upon. I thank you." He pauses. "Do you like being here in this pool, all the time?"

Randle tries flexing his toes in the slippers, making the rabbits looks up a bit

As Galen regards the elemental's face, he can't help but notice that there is one feature conspicuously missing from her features: a mouth. In any case, she is no less silent than before. She only looks toward the skunk, and her azure eyes briefly "blink," making no response to his question other than that.

"Please, nod your head for 'yes', and shake your head from side to side for 'no,'" says Galen.

The elemental's head slowly moves from one side to the other. If it is following Galen's instructions, that would make for a clear "no."

Wynona leans over to Randle and whispers, "Actually, I think pink is quite flattering on you!"

Galen is silent for a moment. He blinks. "Do you wish to leave this place, and be free again, to make wherever you go a cleaner and more beautiful place?" he asks.

There is another definite pause, and then the elemental nods the affirmative.

Wynona pauses, putting a hand to her chin as if in deep contemplation, while regarding the ongoing exchange.

Randle smiles a bit at Wynona and can't help grinning. He looks down at the bathrobe again and shrugs with a huff. "Well, I'm just glad I'm not a blue dragon or this would look very silly."

"Not as bad as green and pink, though," Wynona suggests.

Galen is silent again, deep in thought. Out of all the elementals I've met so far, this one seems to be the only one who isn't happy, or at least satisfied, with their containment. Another thought strikes him, which surprises him: he is feeling a pang of pity for this luminescent entity. "You wish to leave this place?" he asks her again, loudly, yet softly.

The elemental nods, azure eyes blinking again.

Randle earperks and watches the elemental and Galen.

The Healer gives a single, small nod in return. "Miss Shimmer," he asks yet again. He pauses, closes his eyes, then opens them again. "… is there any way we can help you become free?"

The elemental looks as if she might respond … but then her hands tightly clasp together, and her eyes close.

Galen considers the elemental's response. "Miss Shimmer," he begins, "I know you cannot speak to me, though you understand me. Can you write, if you were given something to write with?"

Randle searches his pockets for a pen and paper.

Alas, Randle's pink fluffy robe was not equipped with pen and paper, as useful as that might be. And the elemental only shakes her head from side to side in the negative.

Galen thinks for a moment. "Miss Shimmer … if we found a way to free you, would you restrain yourself from attacking us?"

The elemental nods, though her eyes are still closed.

Wynona says, "Be careful, Galen. The elementals in this tower are bound, and they might be under certain magical instruction to control their behavior – especially if they're meant to act in any capacity as guardians. They may be restricted from responding in certain ways, or may be instructed to treat certain actions – perhaps even the wrong sorts of questions – as hostile overtures."

Randle says, "Maybe if she had more than one set of orders she could satisfy one … and get to the other later?""

At that answer, Galen finds himself smiling nearly before he can stop himself. He does not hold his smile back. He is about to address the elemental again – then hears Wynona's words. Though he is not facing the bat, he nods, to show her his acknowledgement. Hmm, he muses. After a few seconds of silence, Galen bows again to the elemental, deeply and profoundly. "Miss Shimmer, thank you so much for your time, and for your deeds, and for your presence. I assure you, that my friends and I feel for your plight, and we will do all that we can to help you." He rises back up. "We must leave for now. Again, you have our gratitude. Thank you."

Randle remembers he's supposed to be quiet and shuts his steaming trap.

Wynona drums her fingers on her chin, and whispers to Randle, "I really can't say for sure. I would need to know exactly how the summoner – " She notices Randle's sudden silence, and quiets as well.

Randle smiles and waves to the Elemental. "Thanks again for the new clothes … and the bath." He feels his ears going a bit pink.

Yet Wynona is not quiet enough. Galen's ears perk at her whisper to Randle. But he does not turn his head to her. He bows again, solemnly, to the entity, then rises and turns around, facing his companions. "Let's go."

Randle nods and follows the others.

Randle, Galen and Wynona make it safely back to the bottom of the tower, where in short order they are treated to cups of steaming tea. Sugar Bowl is surprisingly well-behaved, now that Randle has figured out the proper way of dealing with the little miscreant.

Wynona sits at the central table, breathing in the steam rising from her own cup of tea.

"My, my!" Miss Teapot burbles, "you look simply adorable in that pink fluffy bathrobe!"

Randle smiles brightly at the Teapot. "You think so?" He takes another look, then wonders why the others are smiling.

"Yes, he does, doesn't he," says Galen, side-glancing to the dragon, and laughing silently to himself. He takes a sip from his teacup. I really must not focus on drinking mateh so much. This tea does wonders for my nerves.

After he finishes his cup, the Mephitian stretches his arms out, cricks his neck a little, then relaxes again, and rests his hands on the table, clasping them together. "Well now," he says. "First off: Randle," he turns his head to the dragon, "Thank you for saving Wynona from the towels … and thank you for making me laugh. I needed it." He grins.

Randle smiles. "Laughter is also a form of healing." Hecoughs up a bit of smoke. "I needed some myself."

Wynona nods in the affirmative. "I don't think I would have stood up as well against those towels as you did. My kind aren't nearly so durable as dragons, after all."

"Quite true," replies the healer to the dragon. He then turns his head to Wynona. "Yet Randle and I might be desiccated husks by now if it wasn't for your reading the runes on them. I was just about to handle those towels, before you warned me. Thank you, Wynona."

Randle asks, "I wonder if the elemental ever has to fight the towels?""

Wynona shakes her head. "I don't know. I would imagine that they might very well be capable of causing that elemental severe distress if ever they reached her pool, if they're as misbehaving as they seem."

"Probably not, or else one side or the other would be destroyed by now," replies Galen. Something else is on his mind. "Wynona," he asks, "I recalled you whispering to Randle about something just before we left the elemental. What were you about to say?"

Wynona pauses a moment, as if trying to remember, then says, "Oh! I was just going to explain that I can't really know for sure how the elemental might react, without knowing precisely how it was instructed and bound by its summoner."

The bat adds, "And any competent summoner would quite probably include some instructions to prevent us from simply dissecting those instructions for loopholes by asking lots of questions."

"I see," nods the healer. "Yes, I don't think we should presume that Celesti wasn't as smart as that." He sighs. "Still … I'm curious: do those lanterns appear to be the power holding Miss Shimmer in her pool, based on their runes?"

Wynona shakes her head. "They were only light sources. Any magic on them was apparently just to keep them alight."

Randle nods. "We already know, though, that one of her commands is to keep the room clean. She's likely also instructed to guard the gem. The question is if we made a complete mess of the room, would she be able to spend so much time scrubbing that we could get the gem?"

The bat offers, "An elemental's anchor to this physical realm would consist of – " She looks to Randle. "That's a horrible idea, but it just might work!"

A well-formulated plan instantly crumbles to dust. Galen slowly nods his head. "Very well, then." He pauses. "Did you see anything else in the room that looked like it could be holding Miss Shimmer in?"

Randle says, "Well … after being free she wouldn't have to clean the rest of it up. I would have to!" He blinks and ponders getting even with the towels.

Randle says, "Depends if she has priority orders, though, such as 'Defend the Gem at all costs.' We can't know that for sure."

"She might have a conflict of instructions, if she was given multiple priorities," Wynona adds. "As for what might be holding Miss Shimmer, I believe that the runic columns would contain the primary bounding force. As for how we might set the elemental free … well … I think we would have to move a large amount of water. An elemental is given reality in this realm by a large quantity of its given element. The water in the pool is most certainly that sample element."

Galen nods at the two. "Your plan is good, and is just what I would have thought up to, with her being a neat-freak and all." He closes his eyes. "Yet … " He trails off, and doesn't finish.

Wynona says, "I have to concede, Randle may be right – We don't know her priorities."

Wynona adds, "I am just hoping that originally she was summoned to do cleaning and duties in that pool room, and that this idea of guarding gems was added later. That might put it lower on the priority list."

Galen nods, agreeing with Wynona. But he doesn't speak. His eyes are half-lidded, and his head downcast.

The bat looks at the skunk with concern. "Token for your thoughts?"

Randle says, "Only one way to find out."

The Mephitian doesn't answer the bat right away. He sighs, slowly, and silently. After a small while, he speaks. " … I'm just feeling bad for her," he says. His voice is very small.

Randle blinks and offers Galen some of the tea with sugar "She'll be free after we release her. That should be a good thing?"

"No thank you," says Galen, for the tea. Another pause. "Maybe she'll be free … but I still wish there was some way we could get the gem … and help her get out. Without having to use the same tactics of deception, combat, and provocation that we've been using for all the other elementals." He pauses again. "If the only way we can get the gem is to do just that, very well … but I really, really wish there was another, better way."

Randle says, "Perhaps getting the gem would free her?""

Galen shakes his head. "We took the gems from the other elementals, and they were still contained."

Wynona nods. "And we haven't checked up to see if they're any more cheery for it, either."

Randle blinks. "They are? I thought the air elemental just wanted to return, and couldn't?"

Wynona's mouth quirks. "Maybe, but I'm not inclined to go ask. That elemental makes me … more than a little edgy."

"Well, perhaps," replies Galen, "But she didn't seem to mind at all tending to her sphere. And the fire elemental in the kitchen didn't seem to mind being the head cook there."

Randle ponders. "Well … maybe we can blow up the deserted palace or something afterward, and they'll all be free."

Wynona says, "The water elemental didn't seem to mind sudsing up Randle or the mess, though. We didn't ask if the other elementals enjoyed their lot, did we?"

Randle grins absently at mention of the "sudsing." He finds his mind wandering and shakes his head to clear it.

"True, Wynona," says Galen. The Mephitian closes his eyes, and opens them again. "Yet I can't help shake the feeling, that Miss Shimmer is different, somehow. I may be wrong … but I get the feeling that she's the only one who seems genuinely … forlorn."

"Well, it could just be that water elementals are naturally more melancholy," Wynona offers with a shrug. "Just as fire elementals are more temperamental, air elementals are haughty, and earth elementals are … uhm … well, I'm not really sure what they are."

Randle says, "Down to Earth?"

Wynona covers her muzzle as she stifles a grin and a snort.

Galen nods, softly. "You have a point, there, Wynona." He takes a breath. "Well … if there really isn't any other way to get the gem, than to fight her … then that's what we'll have to do. But, before we plan for that – " He raises his head, and looks first at Wynona, then Randle. " – is there anything else we could do?"

Wynona shrugs. "I'm afraid I don't have any other ideas. I'm sure there's some other way … but I just don't know enough to come up with another plan."

Randle says, "Perhaps get a whole box of ashes from the fireplace?" He blinks. "When would we fight her?"

"When she caught wind of what we were doing, and her instructions kicked in to deal with would-be gem-thieves?" Wynona offers with another shrug.

Galen sighs. "Okay then. That settles it." He raises himself up a bit. "We're going to have to take the gem against her will." He looks to Randle. "Fighting, I think, is out of the question. It will have to be generally the same tactics we used for the previous elementals: trickery and deceit."

Randle says, "I guess I was counting on her wanting to favor one direction over the other." He raises a cup in toast. "To filth, treachery, and the pursuit of the common good!"

Wynona giggles. "Hear, hear! Though I think Miss Shimmer will have something to say about the filth part."

"That is probably what we're going to do, Randle," says Galen. At the dragon's toast, he raises his cup a little too … but only slightly, and his heart is not in it, nor his thoughts. Miss Shimmer … I'm sorry we'll have to do this to you. But if and when all of this is over, I swear I will find a way to set you free.