Mythlands: THE HEIST

Sweet Home Elephantlandia

'Awfully decent of you to give me a lift old boy.' Toad once again thanked The Hare. 'Thought I'd have to go commercial for a minute, after old Babar had to dash off while I was finishing tying up my real estate dealings. Speaking of, could I trouble you for the use of a phone? Mine's died on me.'

The Hare nodded and pressed his intercom to summon a stewardess. Rose Red came through almost immediately carrying a tray of champagne.

'Good afternoon Sirs,' she beamed at her employer and his guest. 'Captain Blue wanted me to inform you that we'll be arriving at Celesteville International airport in approximately two hours. In the meantime here's a mid flight beverage and we will be serving a choice of Lobster Thermidor or Charbroiled Kobe fillet. Our lobsters have been flown in live from the Gulf of Lune and the steaks are made from cattle raised in the lands of the Shinto Kami. Non speaking and non thinking of course. Our vegetarian option is the Merryland tortilla with zucchini.'

'I'll have the steak, medium rare.' The Hare replied absently. 'And bring us a few bottles of single malt. Oh and Mr Toad will need a phone.'

'Cheers Hare m'lad. Steak for me as well if you please my dear. Quite fancy mine medium well.'

Rose smiled. 'Very good Sir. I'll just take the other gentlemen's orders and then ask Jessica to pop back with a phone.'

The Hare snapped out of his reverie. 'What else have we got in the kitchen?'

'Beg pardon Sir?'

'Anything plain?'

'Welll, there's some chicken for the staff and some eggs.'

'Offer Renard and the others that,' said the Hare testily. 'And don't take the champagne through. If they want any of my booze, they can drink the cheap stuff!'

Rose looked astonished, but quickly recovered herself. If the boss didn't feel like being hospitable to his guests, then it wasn't her place to judge. She did however wonder why he had invited them aboard as he'd had them sat right at the back of Hare Force One and immediately taken himself and Mr Toad away to his usual spot in the middle, where they were separated by over half the plane.

She left to take the rest of the orders.

Toad had noticed too. 'Scuse m'asking Hare, but have you and that Renard cove fallen out? I thought you chaps were getting on like a house on fire.'

The Hare deliberately looked out of his window and said nothing.

Obliviously, the good natured Mr Toad carried on talking. 'I suppose it's something to do with that Vali fellow and our dealings back in Vegas. The whole golden apple business, what?'

'I'd rather not talk about it Toad. Suffice it to say we're all going to Elephantland and I couldn't avoid offering them a lift. But I don't have to sit with them during the journey. Anyway, what did you want the phone for?' he said, not really caring, but it was a good way to change the subject.

'Ah,' returned Toad. 'Well I didn't want to impose on good old Babar when we arrived and my real estate wallah said nows a good time to buy property in Elephantland, said there was a nice little townhouse not too far from the palace. Fully furnished and a snap at 1.5 mil. He's already laid the groundwork but I want to close before we land so we can go straight there and not have to spend the night in a hotel.'

The Hare nodded and slumped back into his seat, nursing his flute of cristal. Toad was cheerful as ever, but then again, it was all a jaunt to him. As for himself, the Hare had no idea why Loki had ordered his forces to gather in Babar's Kingdom - it was a nice enough place but he couldn't see the significance.