heke?There’snothingyoudotohelphere.Youjuststandasideandwatch…”WheneverIleenwaswithMr.Finger,shealwaysthrewherweightaroundandhimfeeltoofortablebecauseshewasalwaysafraidthatasamanhewouldtakeadvantagehterandnottreatherwell.Mr.FingeruoodIleen’sfearsahatherattitudetowardshimwasjustaposesheaffectedandthatinherheartshereallylovedhimtoo.IleenturnedandaskedVio,“Howhashebeenagtely?Didhebullyyouordoanythingtomakeyoumad?Ifhedid,justletmeknowandIwilltellCyclopsahebigguywilldealwithhim.Cyclopswillshakeallyourboneslooseayouhaveatasteofhissuperhumahandmatchlessenergy.”Vioshookherheadandsaid,

    “Ohnomother,he’sbeenquitegoodretly…Hedoesn’tdarebullyme…”

    “That’sgood”saidIleen.“That’sgood.”

    “Bullyher?”mumbledMr.Finger,mutteringunderhisbreathasifspeakingtohimself,butalsoasifhewaherstohearwhathewassaying.“DoIdare?Ithankheavensandregardmyselfveryluckyifshedoesnotbullyme!NeverinmywholelifehaveImetanyonewhodarestointimidateme.EvenKingDimitrineverdoesthat.She’stheonlyodarestodoit…”Thewomenstandingaroundcrackedupathismumbledpint.EvenMedusawhowasnormallyseriousandsolemncouldn’thelpughingoutloud.

    IleeuneasyandhereyeskeptseargthewatersurfaderingwhyCyclopshadbeeerforsomugerthanhenormallydidandhopingnothingadversehadhappeohim.Medusatoofeltrestlessashersharp,anxiouseyessearchedtheshadowsofGiantMountain.Suddenlyallthesnakehaironherheadstohtuponendsandherpiergeyesopenedwideasifshehaddetectedtracesofenemyinvaders.gingintoahugebckbirdshesoaredhighupintotheskiesandhoveredthereilyseargtheareabelow.WhiteFairydidnotuandwhyMedusawassuddenlysoalert,soshefollowedsuiteandflewupintotheskytoo.SoonMedusamadeoutfive,sixshadowsstandingonasmallhill,lookingtowardsthekepointingauring.Medusaimmediatelyuhedhersharpironcws,foldedheroutspreadwingsuntiltheywereclosetoherstreamlinedbodyandmadereadytodivedownaheseuniruderswithahead-onattack.WhiteFairysaasgoingonandshouted,

    19

    “Ohno!NoMedusano!Don’tdoit!ThesepeoplelooklikeKingDimitri’sgoodfriends.Wemustn’thurtthembymistake!YouremaiintheairandIwillgodownandfindoutwhat’sgoingonthere…”Medusanoddedinagreement.ShegedtoaglidingmotionandcircledtheskieswhileWhiteFairyflewtowardsthefiguresstandingonthesmallhill.Asshegotnearer,shesawthattheyreallywereKingDimitri’sgoodfriendsMr.Kaffee,Richard,Jamaz,BigOaraheyhadoncebeencloseallieswhoworkedtogethertoeradicateHawknoseandhisgangofmobstersandburnttheirLakesidedentotheground;soshewasgdtoseethemagain.Mr.KaffeeandhisfriendsalsosawthepuffoflightsmokeflyingtowardsthemandreizedthatitwasWhiteFairy.Theywavedtoherandshoutedexcitedgreetingsinglee.WhenWhiteFairygedtohumanshapeandappearedbeforethem,theyhuggedherandintroducedDavidtoherasanotherofKingDimitri’sgoodfriend.WhiteFairyalsohuggedDavidclosely,whichgreatlyetedhimandmadehimwildwithjoy.Aftertheetionofthemeetingofoldfriendscalmeddown,WhiteFairyrealizedthatMedusawasstillcirgoverhead,sosheraisedherheadandmadehandsignalstoMedusaintimatingthatthesewerefriendsandnotfoesosheworry.ThenshepoiowardsthekeasifaskingMedusatoflytherefirstandshewouldbringthegu

heke?There’snothingyoudotohelphere.Youjuststandasideandwatch…”WheneverIleenwaswithMr.Finger,shealwaysthrewherweightaroundandhimfeeltoofortablebecauseshewasalwaysafraidthatasamanhewouldtakeadvantagehterandnottreatherwell.Mr.FingeruoodIleen’sfearsahatherattitudetowardshimwasjustaposesheaffectedandthatinherheartshereallylovedhimtoo.IleenturnedandaskedVio,“Howhashebeenagtely?Didhebullyyouordoanythingtomakeyoumad?Ifhedid,justletmeknowandIwilltellCyclopsahebigguywilldealwithhim.Cyclopswillshakeallyourboneslooseayouhaveatasteofhissuperhumahandmatchlessenergy.”Vioshookherheadandsaid,

    “Ohnomother,he’sbeenquitegoodretly…Hedoesn’tdarebullyme…”

    “That’sgood”saidIleen.“That’sgood.”

    “Bullyher?”mumbledMr.Finger,mutteringunderhisbreathasifspeakingtohimself,butalsoasifhewaherstohearwhathewassaying.“DoIdare?Ithankheavensandregardmyselfveryluckyifshedoesnotbullyme!NeverinmywholelifehaveImetanyonewhodarestointimidateme.EvenKingDimitrineverdoesthat.She’stheonlyodarestodoit…”Thewomenstandingaroundcrackedupathismumbledpint.EvenMedusawhowasnormallyseriousandsolemncouldn’thelpughingoutloud.

    IleeuneasyandhereyeskeptseargthewatersurfaderingwhyCyclopshadbeeerforsomugerthanhenormallydidandhopingnothingadversehadhappeohim.Medusatoofeltrestlessashersharp,anxiouseyessearchedtheshadowsofGiantMountain.Suddenlyallthesnakehaironherheadstohtuponendsandherpiergeyesopenedwideasifshehaddetectedtracesofenemyinvaders.gingintoahugebckbirdshesoaredhighupintotheskiesandhoveredthereilyseargtheareabelow.WhiteFairydidnotuandwhyMedusawassuddenlysoalert,soshefollowedsuiteandflewupintotheskytoo.SoonMedusamadeoutfive,sixshadowsstandingonasmallhill,lookingtowardsthekepointingauring.Medusaimmediatelyuhedhersharpironcws,foldedheroutspreadwingsuntiltheywereclosetoherstreamlinedbodyandmadereadytodivedownaheseuniruderswithahead-onattack.WhiteFairysaasgoingonandshouted,

    19

    “Ohno!NoMedusano!Don’tdoit!ThesepeoplelooklikeKingDimitri’sgoodfriends.Wemustn’thurtthembymistake!YouremaiintheairandIwillgodownandfindoutwhat’sgoingonthere…”Medusanoddedinagreement.ShegedtoaglidingmotionandcircledtheskieswhileWhiteFairyflewtowardsthefiguresstandingonthesmallhill.Asshegotnearer,shesawthattheyreallywereKingDimitri’sgoodfriendsMr.Kaffee,Richard,Jamaz,BigOaraheyhadoncebeencloseallieswhoworkedtogethertoeradicateHawknoseandhisgangofmobstersandburnttheirLakesidedentotheground;soshewasgdtoseethemagain.Mr.KaffeeandhisfriendsalsosawthepuffoflightsmokeflyingtowardsthemandreizedthatitwasWhiteFairy.Theywavedtoherandshoutedexcitedgreetingsinglee.WhenWhiteFairygedtohumanshapeandappearedbeforethem,theyhuggedherandintroducedDavidtoherasanotherofKingDimitri’sgoodfriend.WhiteFairyalsohuggedDavidclosely,whichgreatlyetedhimandmadehimwildwithjoy.Aftertheetionofthemeetingofoldfriendscalmeddown,WhiteFairyrealizedthatMedusawasstillcirgoverhead,sosheraisedherheadandmadehandsignalstoMedusaintimatingthatthesewerefriendsandnotfoesosheworry.ThenshepoiowardsthekeasifaskingMedusatoflytherefirstandshewouldbringthegu