Caterpillar & Red Fish (Halfstreet Archives)- genre: YA steam fantasy/adventure

Caterpillar and Red Fish (Halfstreet archives) part the fourth

Samora marveled at the beaming faces; there were so many of them—how did so many gather in such short time? She giggled at the confetti touching down to her cheek, in flurries from the exaggeratedly high ceiling, and nodded to the young host who escorted her from the door; where she had just moments ago stood in disorientation.

'...And then she said 'The answer is love.' A child. Can you imagine?' the blue head bragged to Samora's left, which she saw upon turning, emerged from a handheld contraption in the hands of a very short girl staring back at Samora in a disconcerting manner; the stick of a lollipop crown protruding from her mouth. Samora kenned the meaning glancing the ribbon reading 'Three-time Riddler', and redirected her time and attention from the icy grill of the fellow riddler, to the celebration's thrilling emanations of merriment.

Another giggle bubbled from her chest shortly after, when she spied a group of swaying friends singing 'You can't stump me. I see through your game...'. She found her self clapping with delight. A celebration was the perfect event to follow a solved riddle. It was so obvious now.

She stepped through pirouetting purple streamers, clapping hands over her ears wandering too close to the noisemakers, until she made her way around the room to accept handshakes, and short meetings with the celebrants of her victory, which they did not, quite clearly, consider small.

When she'd rounded the room a second time, a frosting-drizzled cake, just large enough for one, rolled towards her on the bed of a small wooden cart.

'If you'll bless the cake, we'll each have our slices and empty our pockets for your gifting,' announced her escorting host, who bowed from behind the cart with a wide smile.

Stepping towards the confection, Samora bowed her head in return, and wished heartily for the well-being of everyone present, in blessing, then lifted her head, ready to be further dazzled by the plentiful slicing of such a small cake.

Her host made quick work of the distribution, cutting paper thin slices that found their way upon napkin after napkin around the room, once the first was placed into her hands. Samora's eyes grew wide at the dazzling taking her tastebuds with the initial bite, finding further amazement in how long it lasted. She marveled that each bite seemed a large one, but turned out to be very small. The slice seemed it would last forever.

'Empty your pockets in the presence of beaming grey matter,' her host called to his fellow celebrants.

'Oh no you don't have t-' Samora began in protest, finding herself stopped short by the dozens of hands outreached to her. 'I-thankyou. Thankyou very much,' she said, deciding acceptance a more gracious idea than what would surely be perceived as rejection.

'You may appreciate a bag to collect them,' her host added, now only steps from her, extending a blue satchlet.

'Thankyou so very much,' Samora said; thinking her words an insubstantial show of gratitude, but finding herself unable to convey just how appreciative she truly was.

Her host merely nodded, grinning, and gestured to one of the many hands reaching out to her.

She stopped short at a hand extending an indigo square to her, wrapped tightly in waxpaper.

'Don't worry,' said the gifter,' They're Succor sweets,' he assured.

Samora thanked him, and the next person, and the next, until finally taking in hand the offering from the final gifter.

'Cortex Spirals,' the gifter said, answering the question in Samora's eyes. 'Try it.'

Taking the suggestion of the gifter, Samora crossed the room to a large red pillow raised a foot from the floor by a light gourd glowing moon-yellow. Looking to her new friends gathering round her, she raised a brow, and unwrapped the candy swirl, lifting it to her lips.