After leaving the Gnarly Tree, Olivia heads for the dam to try and find Amelia to go with her to the castle. Instead, she spots the Kadie coming down the Mint Road with a bundle under one arm.

Olivia waves and calls a cheerful hello to her friend before hurrying to catch up to her. "Oh good, I was hoping I'd find you around here," she begins, then eyes the bundle under Amy's arm. "I'm not interrupting an errand, am I?"

"Just bringing back Abner's head," Amy says cheerfully. "What did you want to see me about?"

"Oh right, that," Olivia says. "The thing I had to stitch up after Zahn poked holes in it." She falls into step on the Kadie's other side before continuing. "I was hoping you'd come with me to see Dr. Pike today. To ask her what she knows about the trolls that live around here? And as much as I hate to suggest it, talking to Igor might turn up some useful information, too."

"Still think he was the one mentioned in the voice cylinders?" Amelia asks, and keeps on going towards the side-path to the Blacktail territory.

There's a blood curdling yell and Gunther comes tearing out of the bushes! He zig-zags around and then zips by Amelia and makes a grab for the box under her arm!
Olivia goes right along with Amelia, figuring she'll let her wait somewhere if there's territory she shouldn't enter. Then she nearly jumps off the path as Gunther comes hurtling by!

Amelia just blinks as the box is carried off, and then calls, "Gunther! What do you think you're doing?"

"Victory is mine!" declares the Kadie as he does a victory lap around Amelia and Olivia, "WHOOHOO!"

"Don't you dare drop that box, Gunther Kettenrad Wingnut!" Amelia warns, arms crossed against her chest.

Olivia just shakes her head at the Kadie boy, a funny little smile on her face. "Well, aren't you going to open your prize?" she asks.

Gunther skids to a stop and does what every nosy person does with a closed box. He shakes it and listens, trying to figure out what is inside it.

"Don't shake it either!" Amy yells.

"And why not?" Gunther asks suspiciously as he peers over the box at Amelia.

"Yeah, you don't want to mess it up after you worked so hard to get it, right, Gunther?" Olivia calls out in answer for Amelia.

"It's a fragile historical artifact!" the Kadie girl snaps. "And you are enjoying this, aren't you Olivia?" she says to her companion.

Olivia's smile only gets wider. "Just a little."

"I don't believe you! The Blacktails don't own anything fragile, not after you broke em all," Gunther retorts, grinning like a madman. And to prove it, he opens the box.

Amelia just waits, ready to run forward if the box should drop or go flying.

"Huh," Gunther comments, "Showing Zahn what you'll do to him if he cheats on you?"

The Kadie girl just sighs and holds out her hands. "Give it back now, Gunther. I have to bring it back home, and you can torment Olivia in the meantime."

For her part, Olivia holds onto the trunk of a nearby tree and shakes with laughter!

"Wow, I could have some fun with this," Gunther continues, "Put it on some rope and hide out in the trees. Then drop it on people when they go by. I just bet they would scream."

"Do you know who that is?" Amy hisses at the younger squirrel.

"Does it matter? Gunther asks and snaps the box closed … then tosses it to Amelia!

With a squeak, Amy dashes to catch the box! "Dagh! Gunther, show some respect for your clan founder!" she snaps after barely catching the box.

"Eh," goes Gunther, "I always imagined him with a bigger head."

Olivia leans her back against the tree now, giggling and wiping her eyes. "Nice catch!" she tells Amelia, just to tease her a bit more.

Tail lashing, Amy glares at Gunther and says in a very controlled voice, "Olivia… watch after Gunther while I go bring this back to the vault." And then she turns and stomps down the path to the Blacktail compound.

"She's so touchy," Gunther comments to Olivia.

Once the Kadie girl has disappeared, Olivia tells Gunther, in between laughs, "You really shouldn't have done that, you know. It was funny, I admit, but now it's going to take me the entire walk to the castle just to calm her down!"

"Do what?" Gunther asks innocently.

Olivia sits down now and rests in the tree's shade. "You know what – using Abner's head as a toy," she comments, one eyebrow slightly raised.

"Pah. People are too serious! It's just a head," Gunther comments with a shrug. He walks over to a nearby tree, then up said tree. The young Kadie then proceeds to hang upside down from his feet.

"But it's also one of the trophies of Amelia's clan," Olivia remarks mildly, watching Gunther swing from the other tree. "At any rate, I'm glad you, er, ran by. I wanted to thank you again for taking care of me on the night I walked in my sleep through town. I probably would have been seriously hurt if you hadn't followed me."

"Oh, that," Gunther says as he swings back and forth slowly, "No big deal. What were you doing, anyway?"

"Apparently, I had this really vivid dream in which I discovered that I was really a troll in Skeek form," Olivia explains, enjoying the coolness of the shade. "Just like in all those kid's stories you hear – you know, if you aren't a good child and obey your parents, the trolls will get you and replace you with one of their own? It was like that, but I found out I was the troll that had replaced the real Olivia."

Gunther's eyes narrow. "So … what you're telling me is that you're a troll in disguise… " he says slowly, and starts to pop his knuckles…

Olivia stretches out her legs and lets her toes wiggle. "I already thought of that, Gunther," she says calmly, folding her hands behind her head. "That's why I had Natasha and Isolde check me out. Not to worry – I'm a real Skeek, no troll anywhere in me." She sniffs the air for a moment, then wrinkles her nose. "In fact, I can still smell that weird goo Isolde used on me during the ritual. Boy, did that stuff sting… "

Gunther sticks out his tongue. "You're no fun anymore. I was hoping you would run or panic that I was going to jump on you," he complains.

A pair of dark arms come around the tree from the opposite side of the trunk, and mercilessly tickle Gunther's ribs.

"Gwah!" Gunther flails wildly! This also unfortunately means his feet let go and he falls on his head. Thunk!

For the second time that day, Olivia wipes tears of laughter from her eyes!

Amy looks around the tree, and chuffs. "I was hoping he'd fall on you, Olivia," the Kadie admits.

Olivia looks at the Kadie boy sprawled out on the ground. "You're right, she is touchy today," she comments with another grin.

"Don't make me shave your tail, Amelia," Gunther grumbles from where he holds his head.

"Well, I feel a little better now," Amy admits. "So, off to the castle I suppose."

"Gah, why are you going to that place?" Gunther says as he finally gets off the ground. "I can't let you two go alone! You're just girls!"

"Olivia is gonna seduce Igor," Amy whispers to Gunther. "To get his secrets."

Gunther considers this, then comments to Amelia, "Well, at least he's better looking that Djivan."

"Oh, don't worry, Amy, I'm sure you'll get back at me somehow," Olivia says as she gets to her feet. When she overhears what Amelia whispers to Gunther, she wrinkles her nose again. "That would be one way… "

"And since when did you take on escorting girls to the castle, Gunther?" Amy asks, as she starts heading up the road.

"I have to! Everyone knows girls can't go anywhere alone," Gunther asserts as he follows after Amelia. "Who would keep them from destroying the place and burning it to the ground?"

"Or keep them from falling into rivers and down ravines when they walk in their sleep?" Olivia adds, with a knowing wink at the Kadie boy. She then rushes to catch up with the other two.

"That too. It's a real pain to scrape the guts off the rocks enough to keep the carrion feeders away," Gunther comments.

"What's this about sleepwalking?" Amelia asks.

"Oh, I walked in my sleep all the way through town the other night," Olivia explains, falling into step on Amelia's other side, so that she's between Olivia and Gunther. "I went all the way to the secret date place and just, well, sort of fell over in the amphitheater."

"Yeah, it was a cool place, too. I'm going to have a time tearing it apart for stuff," Gunther adds as he falls into step.

Amelia nearly trips, and then reaches out to grab Gunther by the back of his neck. "You are not going there by yourself, do you understand me, Gunther?" she hisses.

"Gack!" goes Gunther when the back of his neck is grabbed. "Why not?" he grumbles, "It's just a hole in the ground!"

"Yeah, I know it's pretty amazing in there – but it has its dangers, too. Such as the trolls that wander around at night, remember?" Olivia adds.

"Because, it's my hole in the ground," Amy hisses. "Got it? Mine. I found it!"

"Oooooooh," Gunther says and thinks for a moment. "Then you had better marry Zahn soon so it's partially his and I can go by myself," he adds with a huge grin.

Amy shakes Gunther a bit from her grip on his scruff. "My treasure, you still need my permission. And you'd better be nice to me if you really want it. Because if you go without it… well, then you'd be an invader wouldn't you?"

"Gah! Lighten up! I'm just picking on you like I would if you were my sister," Gunther complains as he's shaken around.

It takes Olivia a minute to realize that this has become a territorial issue and remains silent, not wishing to interfere in something she really knows little about.

Amelia lets the boy go, but says, "Seriously, it's dangerous, Gunther. I've already had to drag one person back from being taken by trolls, and if you manage to upset them… "

"And you need to watch out too, Olivia," Amy adds. "First you attract Igor, then Djivan, and then a troll… It'll be frogs next, and I know I've seen Creens eying your hat."

"Then I'll kick their butts," Gunther asserts, "Assuming they have butts. I bet they have them on the tops of their heads… " He shakes his head and then puffs Amelia with his tail, adding, "And seriously, when are you gonna marry him?"

"When he proposes," Amy says. "Probably after his airship finally flies. And shouldn't you be worrying about… catching fish?" she says to Gunther with a wide smile.

Gunther coughs. Loudly.

Olivia laughs a little, sensing the mood is lightening at last. "During my date with Djivan, the Creens were eyeing my jewelry, as well," she says, indicating her ears. "And at any rate, I've just found out that I was attractive to trolls at a very young age. Apparently, one was a friend of mine when I was three years old."

"You were attractive to a troll? Uh, well, that does explain a few things," Gunther has to admit and apparently glad for the subject change.

Olivia merely sighs at this and rolls her eyes heavenward. "Not in the sense you're thinking, fish-boy," she teases. "It was just a creature I played games with. I was only three, for crying out loud!"

Gunther elbows Amelia, whispering, "Bet it was Djivan… "

Amelia just rolls her eyes and picks up her walking pace.

---

Main Hall
The main hall of the castle was kept warm and dry by a fire blazing away in the huge hearth at the far end. While moderately sized, as far as castle halls go, it still seems a bit crowded. Racks and shelves cover the walls, stacked full of books and bottles filled with strange floating things. Stuffed animals (and not a few monsters) stand, crouch, and hang mid-pounce in various areas, apparently placed at random, while live animals chitter, squeal and hiss in stacks of sturdy cages. What furniture there is is mismatched, overstuffed, and draped in acres of pink taffeta.

"Three girlth in one day?" Igor comments to Gunther as he leads them into the castle. "Firtht the Lapi, now a Kadie and a Thkeek. Going for a full thet?"

"He's dating two otters too," Amelia notes. "So yeah, he's got a full set."

"I have to collect something," Gunther asserts and puffs out his chest. "Your Mistress collects Eees, after all." He nods forward and reclining in one of the chairs in the main hall is Liliana's cousin, Rey. He's wearing … a LOT of pink. He's got on one of Pike's pink robes and with how he's sitting … he might have on some of Pike's other things, too! Best not look too close.

"And I am not dating two otters," Gunther asserts. "We haven't been on a single date, even!"

Olivia tries her best to smother her laughter. She pats her hair into place for a moment and coughs, then asks Igor, "I hope we didn't come at a bad time? We were just wondering if Dr. Pike was free to talk to us today. Oh… and, um, you too, if you don't mind?"

"Well, the doctor is buthy mixing up thome thort of horrible black concoction for her next experiment," Igor reports, then lowers his voice to add, "One with that Mage Qing fellow, even." At normal volume, he says, "I can go get her of courthe, if you want, and I alwayth make time for pretty girlth."

"If you distract her … I can make a grab for whatever she's making," Gunther whispers back, "So we can find out what she's up to!"

Igor just raises his eyebrows (quite a sight) at the young Kadie. "I don't think that would be withe."

"And?" Gunther asks.

"And you don't want to methth with the thtuff," Igor says. "Bethideth, Gathpode ith in the lab with her. You'd never get patht him."

"I could kill him?" Gunther offers, grinning.

Olivia manages to give the Skreek something of a winning smile while elbowing Gunther pointedly in the ribs at the same time. "Thank you, Igor. I'd appreciate it if you'd just ask if we could speak to her, at least. If her experiment is really important, we can always come back later."

"Hehn hehn hehn," Igor chuckles, and musses up Gunther's headfur with one hand. "What did you want to athk her about, anyway?" he asks Olivia.

Grinning, Gunther wanders over to a bookcase. He pulls down a random book and starts flipping through it.

Olivia's smile doesn't falter as she replies calmly, "We wanted to ask if either of you knew anything about the trolls that live near here. We've been having some problems with them of late."

"Well, Old Orifithe mutht have written thomething about hith rethearch," Igor reasons. "I will go let the doctor know you are here." And then he's shambling off towards the hallway that leads to the kitchen and laboratories.

Amy peeks at the title of the book Gunther grabbed, and says, "You… probably shouldn't be reading that, Gunther. It's… uh… a girl book… "

"Hey, this book has pictures," Gunther calls out to the others, "Strange ones too." His brow furrows an he turns the book this way and that, trying to figure the picture out. Well … it's pretty obvious when he does because his eyes get HUGE.

Gunther slowly peeks over the top of the book, still wide-eyed, and looks at Rey.

"I warned you," Amy says, and glances to the Eeee as well. She still can't get the image of shiny buckles out of her head…

Gunther's head tilts and he admits, "I didn't know they were that, uh, flexible." He closes the book and slides it back into the bookcase. He does this all by holding the edges of the book between two fingertips.

Olivia hears this bit of by-play behind her back and just grins. "That's right – Amy did tell you to put it down. Now it's broken your brain! Folks don't easily recover from such shocks, you know!" she says over her shoulder.

Gunther looks at Olivia for a moment, then grumbles, "Aw, man! Now I just pictured you and that rat. Ewwww!" The Kadie looks ill.

"Hey, here's one about trolls, I think," Amy says, pulling another book down. It's got a lurid cover, and the title 'Lord McKewn and the Trollop'. She pages through it, then puts it back. "Or maybe not."

"Don't blame me, it's your own vivid imagination at work!" Olivia replies to the Kadie boy. "I had nothing to do with that!"

"Well, you did let him see you naked that time," Amy points out to Olivia.

"What's this about nakedness?" Dr. Pike asks as she comes into the room, followed by Igor. "Yeth, do tell?"

"Did someone vant me nekkid?" Rey calls from the far side of the room and starts getting up and slipping off that pink robe…

The doctor is still wearing her rubber apron, and adjusts her glasses when she sees Gunther, trying to remember where she last saw him…

Olivia sighs and mimics Liliana's hand-rolling gesture at Amelia. "I was in the baths that time and Gunther just-" She startles when Dr. Pike and Igor enter the room… then she hides her eyes when Rey stands up… !

"No… uh… not right now Rey!" Pike blurts.

"Darn!" Rey calls out and sits back down in his chair. He's practically grinning from ear to ear.

Igor chuckles and winks at Gunther. "Ah, a little peeper, ith he?"

"Absolutely not! I'm a security expert," Gunther asserts.

"What?" Pike asks, looking to Gunther again. "Well, I do have an experimental drug that might cure him… although it hasn't been working on Rey yet… "

"Trolls," Amy interrupts. "We wanted to find out more about trolls."

Desperate for anything to change the subject, Olivia greets Dr. Pike and adds, "May I introduce Gunther Kettenrad? He's Zahnrad's younger brother and something of a security expert for Stonebarrow, as he claims." She then glares at Gunther as a warning to behave himself for once!

"Yes, trolls," Gunther agrees, straight-faced, "Amelia wants to find her real family."

"Oh, well… your friend Clover is doing better now, if that's what you mean," Pike says. "Eating like… like a Lapi I suppose. She eats a lot, anyway… oh, Zahn has a brother? That's… hmm… "

"That's what?" Gunther asks.

"Frightening?" Olivia suggests, glaring at the Kadie boy for that last comment!

"He's a bit more… garrulous, than Zahnrad," Pike observes.

"You can dissect him later," Amy says. "Did your great uncle leave any notes about the trolls other than those cylinders?"

"He might have," Pike says, adjusting her glasses again. "I put most of his stuff in a trunk and haven't really looked through it all, except for some of the bits on demonology."

Gunther leans in and peers at Pike. "You summon demons?" he says slowly. "That is a security matter… "

"Goodness no," Pike says, waving a hand. "I was just trying to find out what that ritual circle in the basement was used for… "

"Would you mind if we had a look at his papers?" Olivia asks next, waving at Gunther to tone down his paranoia for the moment. "There could be some useful information there we might use in dealing with them."

"Good. Then I won't have to kill you," Gunther relents.

Olivia just looks between Gunther and Dr. Pike, giving up the cause as lost. "I'm so sorry about this," she says simply.

"That's… very kind of you, Gunther," Dr. Pike says, and then looks around the mess of a room. Finally, she goes over to one of the big chairs, and takes the pink cover off of its footrest to reveal… a chest. "Ah, here it is! All of his papers are in here, but… ah… I didn't sort them or anything… "

Gunther smiles winningly to Dr. Pike. "So, do you want to open the chest Olivia … or do you want me to open it?" he asks the Skeek and just griiiiiiins.

Olivia looks pleased and relieved that the Eeee is not going to just throw them out because of one crazy Kettenrad. "Thank you so much! We can sort through them ourselves, and we promise not to harm anything while we have a look," she says gratefully. To Gunther, she says firmly, "No, I think I can do that, thankyouverymuch!"

Gunther looks a bit disappointed at the promise to not destroy anything.

"Well… if you don't mind, I need to do some more work," Dr. Pike says. "But Igor will be here if you need anything at all!"

"Not at all, thanks again for your help!" Olivia tells the Eeee.

"What are you working on?" Gunther says quickly. "Can I see?"

"A special nutrient mixture," Pike tells the Kadie. And then after a moment, adds, "No, you may not see. I have enough distractions in the lab as it is, sorry."

Gunther frowns, disappointed. "Okay, I'll just spy later, then," he notes, cheering himself up.

"Alright then!" Pike says and claps her hands before heading back down the hallway.

"Sorry Gunther, it looks like you're stuck helping us," Olivia says, patting the Kadie boy on the shoulder. When he glances away, Olivia mouths to Amelia, Make sure he doesn't leave!

Amelia rolls her eyes again, and perches in the chair next to the chest. Igor pulls out a key ring from his sack-like garment, and sorts out which key opens the chest before handing it over to Olivia.

Olivia nods her thanks to the Skreek and takes the key, then fits it into the lock. After she turns it and hears a promising click, she returns the key to him. Then the Skeek carefully lifts the lid of the chest.

Gunther looks really bored quickly. But, at least he doesn't try to sneak off. He just flops into one of the pink chairs and watches.

The chest is full of unmarked notebooks and old tomes and stuffed envelopes, all just jumbled around. There's also a cloud of dust that puffs out when the chest is opened.

Olivia waves away the dust as it rises and tries not to sneeze all over everything. Once her vision has cleared, she reaches into the chest and takes out the topmost notebook, then opens it. She also casts an eye over the tomes to see what their titles might be.

The larger tomes all seem to have titles written in Olympian, but the notebook in Olivia's hands is written in Sylvanian, at least. The first few pages talk about the recording machine that Orifice purchased in a Chronotopian antiques shop, and the rest is filled with his notes about the various formulas he tried before finding one that worked as a viable recording material.

Olivia looks up at the others before closing that notebook and replacing it in the chest. "Well, nothing on trolls in there, but it did say where Orifice bought that wax-cylinder recording machine of his. Zahn might be interested in that, who knows?" She looks at the rest of the stuff in the chest and adds, "But then, it looks like I have a long way to go before I can give up!"