Chapter 5: The Invisible Hand

[Calithin Crest]

"You know, when I start feeling sad... I just stop being sad and be awesome instead. It works out really well."

I note that Linnea has not eaten any cookies herself. This confuses me.

"Linny... Do you... Not like cookies? Now, I ask this question mearly as a formality because of course I know that you DO like cookies since it is impossible not to... Rather, what I am trying to say is... Have a cookie. In most circumstances cookies are better than being captured and tortured, so you should eat one and put the whole thing behind you."

[Virgil Evans]

The pens where quiet, but the pictures where moving. Virgil blinked and squinted. The bees buzzed about, aliting on the logs, but could find no new flowers. So they circled the rose.

"Somebody doesn't buzz nice..." Virgil touched the table with his forehead and closed his eyes, listening to the bees. "One of you... buzzes nasty..."

He opened his eyes and sat up, facing the known stranger. "There's no sun!" He put both hands on the picture, still looking at the man, "No sun but there's a flower. No sun and no moon!"

[Linnea Korpela]

Linnea picks up a cookie and bites into it.
"Yeah I guess your right but it was a really dumb thing and I'm still sore about it."
She eats the cookie and shrugs gently as she stared at the counter top.

[Calithin Crest]

I rarely pay attention to my father. Not ever really. And I'm certainly not going to start today.

"How did you get yourself captured anyway? Do tell. I am all curiousness and gumption."

I open the fridge and look around for something to drink... There are alot of questionable things inside containers that I don't really think I'm going to risk trying, so after some searching I just give up and get myself a glass of water.

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

Keitoleinen is getting bored with all of this sadness, so he opens one of the drawers by the sink and pulls out a plastic green squirt gun. He fills it up at the sink and squirts Linnea in the face.

"Everything is so boring and sad. This makes me angry. Don't be sad." He orders her and squirts her again.

"Now, entertain us both with a funny story. It may be true or untrue." He demands.

[Linnea Korpela]

Linnea again was embarrassed to be put in the spotlight.
"I ah..." she knew there was no avoiding the question. "It was stupid. Someone heard about my art and make it out to be non manalist so they arrested me."
She was hoping that it was something that Calithin would just accept and not dig deeper, but in essence that was what happened.

[Calithin Crest]

"No one is amused by your antics, sir."

I am jealous. I want a squirt gun... You learn the hard way what not being prepared gets you in life. NOTHING, that's what.

"Well, that sucks Linny. I recommend not doing anymore art. Or... Not showing people the art that you do. Or joining the circus. All of these are viable options right now."

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

Keitoleinen squirts Calithin. "I don't care. Everything is too serious. The world is too serious." He says before squirting Calithin one more time. It makes him feel a little happier.

"Maybe you could take up a new hobby instead of art, Linnea, such as...fighting with kites...like they do in Afghanistan. I would much prefer that to art. Or even laser tag." Keitoleinen suggests. He squirts water in his mouth and feels very cool since he is the only person in the room with a squirt gun.

[Linnea Korpela]

Linnea puts her hands up in her face but she wouldn't yell at him.
"I could try that but that's what I DO you know. And if I didn't have the gallery then I would have nothing."

[Calithin Crest]

"Yeah Dad, you're so insensitive... If she didn't have the gallery then she wouldn't have anything. Is that what you want? How could you even suggest that she give up something she's so passionate about? You're ridiculous."

I REALLY want a squirt gun. I think for a minute then get an idea... I look around the kitchen until I find a water bottle, then I take a paper clip out of my pocket and poke a hole in the cap of the bottle, creating a makeshift squirt... Thing.

"Huzzah!"

I squirt some water on my father and Linnea and feel pretty happy myself.

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

Keitoleinen wipes the water off of his face and pretends not to care at all about having been squirted. "I can't believe that you squirted Linnea after all that she went through." Keitoleinen says, feigning a sense of injustice. He hands Linnea a towel so she can dry off. "I think he has had too many cookies. Cookies make him sadistic. So, let's cut him off."

Keitoleinen grabs the remaining cookies and hordes them in his arms, away from Calithin.

[Linnea Korpela]

Linnea gets squirted with water by Calithin, she lets out a squeak and jumps up from the stool. She isn't exactly happy about this water battle continuing with her in the middle.
She sits back on the stool and hopes the two of them will at least go to the other side of the kitchen and play with their water.
But she doesn't respond to either of the comments, she is now embarrassed and doesn't have any reason to justify herself.
From the behavior she heard from Calithin earlier she can only wait for the meltdown to begin.

[Calithin Crest]

"Oh, she doesn't mind. Look. She's having fun. Come on! Not fair."

I inch closer to Keitoleinen.

"See... You stopped all our fun by taking the cookies away from me and now Linnea is sad again and all over there by herself."

I stealthily reach over his shoulder...

"Besides, the cookies have nothing to do with it and I'm still hungry!"

I manage to snatch a few cookies and stuff them into my mouth quickly.

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

"No, you've had enough." Keitoleinen asserts. He holds the cookies tighter so no more can be taken. "Ha, well, have fun with your squirt bottle while I eat the rest of these!" Amd with that he dashes out the door of his mansion and climbs a tree in his yard. He sits on a sturdy branch where he eats what cookies remain, feeding one to a squirrel.


(gotta go!)

[Linnea Korpela]

Linnea settles down while she watches Keito run off with the cookies.
"Sorry," it wasn't her fault that he ran off with the cookies but she didn't know what else to say and she well...was kinda sorry that he couldn't have anymore.