Greetings, from Celadon!

[Celadon's Penultimate]

The next morning (and by morning, 2:30pm is meant), Savior bolted upright in bed, just as she heard mention of the Nemean Lion. But it wasn't easy to hear (stupid Penultimate, making the walls thick and eavesdropping-proof); she had to sneak up behind the door and listen in as Nikolai and Dyndron passed by her room, chatting.

"So...how exactly did the Nemean Lion die?" Dyndron asked, "What happened?"

"Some crazy stochastic stuff." Nikolai chuckled, crossing his arms and leaning back up against the wall, "From what we saw on the monitor playback, Savior had backed herself up under the Minotaur who had been pinned to the ceiling by the trick pillar. Right as the big cat got ready to make her into catnip, a small sack of coins slipped off of the Minotaur's side. Kitty caught the thing in his mouth, and choked to death, poor thing."

"Oh, that's wicked..." Dyndron snickered to himself, "So, I guess you'll have to go and find another Nemean Lion now, huh?"

"What? No!" Nikolai scoffed, "That's what the Penultimate has the Death Note for. His necromancer friend, Orpheus Netherkind II, figured out how to use it as a Book of the Dead, of sorts. I can bring the thing back to life, soul and all, so long as its spirit hasn't departed the Material Plane already. Yup, Ariel is doing just fine."

"Creepy." Dyndron sounded amazed.

"Yeah, I know." Nikolai agreed, "Now, come along. After I get the Penultimate to cancel out these creepy Death Note effects--Leave me alone, you creepy Shinigami! I will NOT write Dyndron's name in the book!-- we can get back to your tutoring and training."

The conversing voices continued, slowly trailing off down the hall, with neither any the wiser that Savior had overheard them. She peeked out of her room, looking to see if anyone would block her path, and then started out of her room. Time to give the Penultimate a piece of her mind.

[ParallelanPrincess]

The Penultimate was heavly immersed in an activity that required focus, cunning, and wit. That is to say, the noble art of paddle ball. He was so engrossed that he hardly noticed when Savior flung the doors of his office open.

"Tahn teht ay groseh!" Savor shouted.  

"My head is big? What does that even mean?" the Penultimate asked with a chuckle.

Savior was standing before him pajama clad, hair in tangles, and ranting in some strange mixture of French and Parallelan. Her face was a rather interesting shade of crimson. She looked like a woman scorned. How cute.

"It means that your supposed intelligence is merely foolishness. It means your wisdom is idiocy. It means that you value some monster's life over mine!"   Savior fumed.

The Penltimate merely smirked, put down his paddle ball, and walked over to Savior. He placed a hand on her shoulder that was quickly batted away.

"Interesting idiom. Now, how about we talk about this over some tea?"

[ParallelanPrincess]

Savior sat in the Penultimate's tea room angrily sipping a cup of lindaberry tea. Celadonian etiquette maintained that when a teacher offered a student tea it was to be accepted. Despite how ticked she was she couldn't abandon her manners. A proper lady was never rude even when she wanted to slap somebody in the face with a stop sign. Bridgette would be proud.

"Ah, Ivan makes the best tea doesn't he?" the Penultimate said, leaning back in his armchair.

"Pothos' is better," Savior snorted.

"Pothos makes it too sweet for my taste," the Penultimate countered.

Savior tried (and failed) to look unconcerned with this viewpoint. The Penultimate smiled. There was so much left for Savior to learn.

"I know you're dying to know why I didn't intervene during your fight. I didn't have to. You didn't need me to use the Death Note. You didn't need me to teleport you to safety. Your powers are all the protection you will ever need. That is, assuming you can unlock them."

[Celadon's Penultimate]

What an insult! Savior thought to herself. Of course she could unlock them, in time! She was...her! And she was more than happy to voice her sentiment. But something told her that, right now, she'd get nothing good out of flaunting her awesomeness. The Penultimate seemed all to eager to call her bluff. Even when she wasn't bluffing.

So instead, Savior was begrudgingly silent, and sipped her tea. Not loudly, like she wanted to (to get on his nerves), but softly. Ladies sip softly. However, her silence would not last long.

"So." she spoke up, "I'm not gonna have to keep doing stuff like that all the time, am I?"

The Penultimate chuckled. With a touch, his lindaberry tea changed to braspberry tea, without Savior's notice. He didn't want to be rude to Savior's Parallelan sensitivities, but he seriously had a taste for the first tea he had become accustomed to in Celadon.

"No, I think different things are in mind to unlock your true potential." He took another sip, "I like how quickly you're coming along, but you've got to switch it up every once in a while, if we intend to keep you on your toes. Can't get you too used to any one kind of problem to solve. The brain is like a muscle; to keep it in real shape, it has to stay exercised. If you're too accustomed to one type of thinking, you'll get lazy and sloppy."

Savior twitched, "So, basically...you want to make me as crazy if you are?"

The Penultimate grinned mirthfully, "Hehehe...you wish, Little Miss Clover-Pants. But, if everything goes according to plan with your training, I can hopefully get you to come close."

As he realized he had finished the last of his tea, the Penultimate looked into his cup and frowned. With a wistful sigh, he faded into thin air, without another word to Savior, to the kitchen for some more.

[ParallelanPrincess]

Savior really, really hated it when he did that whole 'poof! I'm out!' thing. With a resigned sigh, Savior went back to her room and got properly dressed. She missed lunch and dinner was only a few hours away. Bridgette was probably hanging out with Terryfinda. Nikolai was training Dyndron. Cook was probably hunting dinner.

Savior had no one to hang out with.

Nice.

After fighting a rogue deity and monsters back to back, Savior was feeling a bit antisocial. It would be nice to spend some nice quiet time shut up in her room, hiding under the covers, and pretending the past week had all been a hallucination brought on by stress.

"Savior! A package just arrived for you!"

Or not.

Zei walked up to Savior carrying a large box in his hands. The man was surprisingly strong for his age.

"Who's it from Mr. Zei?" Savior asked as the man carried the package to her room.

"Let me see...Amadeus Secundus The Third from the Ahmoor District in Parallela. Wasn't that the boy who took you to the ball?"  

Zei had wondered about the teen who had escorted Savior to the ball. There was something about him that didn't sit right with Zei. He had shown up out of nowhere. Zei had caught him watching and following Savior everytime she left his side.

[ParallelanPrincess]

"Yeah, Amadeus volunteered to escort me. And by that I mean keep me from freaking out at the sight of so many royals, heroes, and nobles."

Savior examined the package. It was wrapped in the gift wrap Hymenaeus used for wedding presents. The writing on the address card was obviously Eros. The Erotes had sent her gift. She would have to get rid of Zei before she opened it. If it was anything godly, Savior would have some 'splaining to do.

"That was kind of him. Is he your brother? Cousin?" Zei noticed Savior's reluctance to open the package.

"He's um...I suppose he's my foster brother," Savior avoided those old eyes. They would see right through her.

"Foster brother? Brutus did mention you were an orphan." Zei said.

The trouble with lies was that you often had to remember them and keep them straight.

"I am  an orphan, but Amadeus's family adopted me. Brutus is so nosy. It's almost like he has no concept of privacy. Not everyone likes to share their personal business to people they don't know that well."

Savior never said she was subtle and Zei was smart enough to take the hint.

"I'll leave you to your package then."

Zei left. Savior suppressed the urge to shout "Finally!" at the top of her lungs.

[ParallelanPrincess]

Savior unwrapped the package with lightning speed. It was a large box with an envelope taped to it. It was stamped with a dove, the symbol of Aphrodite and the Erotes. Savior peeled the stamp off and stuck it on her vanity's mirror. Savior then opened the envelope.
 
Dearest Savior,
Himeros told me about your fight with Hylonome. Well done. I expected nothing less from you. You are well on your way to becoming a true goddess in your own right.

The writer was obviously Aphrodite. There were a few drops of ink next to the word 'right'. It was as if Aphrodite had paused for a moment to think something over.

Himeros also tells me you just defeated a Nemean Lion and minotaur simultaneously. That is

There were even more drops of ink now. Aphrodite had hesitated for quite sometime.

Amazing. It's simply amazing. I would have never thought my little Savior could be so strong. Under the Penultimate's tutelage you could become the greatest Tyche there ever was. I won't lie. Your predecessor and I were not on the friendliest terms. Eydis was cold, manipulative, and ruthless. I know you will never be like her. I raised you better than that.
If there ever comes a time when you believe you cannot complete the Penultimate's training.

Come Home.



Anyway, the Erotes wanted to send you some words of encouragement. Also, the box is full of your personal belongings. We felt you might want some of your things to brighten up your room.

Good luck, Savi! I know you'll make it. ~Hermaphroditos

Don't give up! Give 'em Hades! Also, no dating until your 20. I mean it. ~Pothos

Don't crash and burn! But if you do make sure you do it fabulously! Pheme sends her regards ~Hedylogos

You don't NEED Good Luck. You ARE Good Luck. Remember that.~Hymenaios

See you in the Pantheon.~ Uncle Himeros

You can do it. I raised you right after all. ~ Eros

[ParallelanPrincess]

Savior carefully laid the letter on her vanity. She'd finish her training, become a goddess, and move back in with the Erotes. Regardless of whatever insane training the Penultimate put her through she would make them proud.

Savior went to the box and opened it. Inside there were various small packages and pieces of clothing. Savior closed her eyes, reached in, and pulled out the first theing her hand touched.

She had grabbed one of the most wonderful things to have ever been made. A pair of blue jeans. She now had two pairs of pants. Fourteen more and her life would be complete.

Savior repeated the blind grab a few more times pulling out some of her most prized possessions.

A miniature guitair from Hymenaios. Her favorite sandals. Her romantic comedy DVD collection. More pants. A sundial wrist watch.

The Erotes had somehow managed to fit most of her room into into the medium sized box. The last item was apparently a  large portrait. Savior didn't remember owning any pictures that size. She hoisted the picture out of the box and laid it on her bed.

The pictured depicted seven handsome winged men and a gorgeous woman standing around a darkskinned woman holding a cornucopia with a sly grin.

The Erotes and Aphrodite were standing around her.

A small note was taped to one of the corners of the portrait.

From me to you. Good Luck, little one. ~Anteros

Her family was awesome.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

"What's going on, old man?" Brutus watched Zei leave Savior's room and close the door behind him, "Shouldn't you be downstairs with the rest of the servants, helping in the Library?"

Zei stopped, looked over his shoulder and stated matter-of-factly, "The Penultimate said that whoever was closest was to deliver Savior's mail. And her getting her mail and messages is of top priority." Then Zei added smugly, "So says the Penultimate. You know...the rightful master of this house, and sovereign of all of Celadon?"

He walked away, shaking his head with a smug smirk. Brutus had much to learn.

He entered the Penultimate's office, and his face fell back into seriousness, a smile only peaking out at each corner of his lips.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

"Emmasterein Penultimatu?"

"Da?" The Penultimate was curious; Zei had always taken him into consideration and spoken English, since he knew it was the Penultimate's first language.

The two continued on for a good hour, though, and the chat was good. Fond memories were shared, ideas tossed about, questions asked, beliefs expressed in an air of candidness the two only afforded one another.

The two were nearly on the verge of bringing their discussion to a close when a metal dish clattered to the floor, cutting the Penultimate short. He stopped his jovial yarn about how he had met the Kitty of Doom, and raised a hand, quick like a cat. A sharp gasp and a stifled cry was uttered around the corner, and the Penultimate's eyes narrowed; the section of wall just preceding the entrance to the study turned transparent, revealing the frightened maid Angel. She was suspended mid-air, the tips of her shoes barely touching the ground.

The Penultimate sighed. His hand fell casually, releasing his hold on her. The wall turned opaque again, and Angel fell to the ground, on hands and knees, eyes still wide with terror. Zei looked over his shoulder, in time to see Angel stumble to her feet; he stood.

"Well, Master Penultimate", he smiled, turning from Angel back to the master of the house, "I see you have another guest. I won't keep you any longer. It was nice having this talk with you, though. Take care, the both of you."

His smile remained as he exited the room with his characteristic dignity, even as Angel picked up the contents of her plate, menacing him. He KNEW she didn't understand a word of Celadonian...

[ParallelanPrincess]

Brutus stood by the door of Savior's room. If anyone asked, he would say he was guarding it. He was actually listened to closely to whatever was going on behind Savior's door. He would her the sounds of something being torn followed by that annoying shriek of hers. If she was destroying the manor, the Penultimate might get rid of her.

He couldn't let that happen.

Brutus decided to stop her before she did too much damage.

[ParallelanPrincess]

Brutus knocked on her door three times. Hard. Fast. Authoritative.

"Yeah~?" came a giggling voice from inside.

"Savior, what are you doing in there?" Brutus asked as if interrogating an intruder.

"Makin' a pie~" Savior said, laughing at her failed attempt at sarcasm.

Brutus groaned.

"I see. Do you require any assistance?"

"Nahn! I'm good. Oh wait, stay right there. I gotta ask you something."

There was rustling, the sound of something toppling over, and Savior muttering about a heavy picture.

Savior bounced out of her room (slamming the door quickly behind her) with an insane grin.

"Good afternoon, Brutus~!" she cheerily greeted him.

"Afternoon, Savior. Now what did you need to ask me?"

[ParallelanPrincess]

"You're a butler, right?" Savior asked the large, muscular manservant.

Brutus huffed. "Indeed."

"How come I never see you cleaning anything?  I mean, Cook...cooks. Dyndron and his friends do the dishes. Nikolai takes care of the greenhouse. Everybody does stuff in the libraries and studies. So what do you do, Brutus?" Savior was curious. Brutus never seemed to do anything besides look menacing.

Brutus glared down at the small, foolish child before him.

"Look here, little girl. I don't do windows. I don't do floors. I don't cook. I don't clean. And I most certainly don't wash. My job description is making sure all who oppose the Penultimate pass away and die. That is what I do. " Brutus said .

"So what are you then?" He sounded like a bodyguard...or an assassin.

"I am a butler."

Savior was silent and then. "That is awesome. I take back three-fourths of what I said about you."

Brutus smile against his will. The girl was finally learning her place.

"If that's all you want to know, I shall be on my way. I have a training session with Dyndron and Nikolai."

Brutus began walking away.

"Can I come? Please?  M'bored! I won't get in the way!"

Brutus would be a fool to pass up the opportunity to crush the two weaklings in front of their fangirl.

"Of course, Savior." He stopped to let her catch up.

"Y'know what, Brutus? You're alright. Still a bit of a jerk, though."

[Celadon's Penultimate]

The two entered the sparring room just in time to see that Nikolai and Dyndron had started without them. And, from where Savior was standing, things did not appear to be going well on Dyndron's end.

"AAAAAAAAUUUGGGGHH!!!" Dyndron wailed pitifully was he sailed inches over Savior's head, to crash into the wall into a heap.

The wall emptied itself of all the Dyndron it had stuck in it, and the poor young butler collapsed to the floor in a dismayed, unhappy heap. Nikolai, on the other hand, was smirking wickedly to himself.

"You'll have to do better than that to get this book out of my hand, Dyndron." He chuckled, "This one's a real page-turner."

Dyndron picked himself up unsteadily and put his hands on both knees, huffing with annoyance. He looked back and frowned yet more.

"Hey, Savior." Dyndron offered a halfhearted smile, and Savior waved, "And,uh...Brutus."

"Don't pay attention to me, Punching Bag." Brutus jeered, "Nikolai's your problem. For now."

Dyndron turned to see the brown-haired bookworm turn a page casually. Great. Just the opportunity he needed. Right? Ah, well, it didn't matter. He crouched low into a wrestler stance...braced himself as best be could...and charged, full-force, trying his best, and failing, to mimic Brutus' ferocity.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

"Ah, so you haven't given up." Nikolai bookmarked page 223, and clapped Persephone's Promise shut with a smile, "Fine, then. Let's see if you've learned anything in the past fifteen seconds."

Dyndron rushed closer and closer, his fist cocked back for a wicked punch, hopefully to Nikolai's jaw or gut (it didn't matter which; Dyndron would consider landing a blow in either place a minor success). Sweat poured down his forehead and over his chest and back, but he ignored his growing fatigue. Wounds and fatigue be damned, he would land a blow, if it was the last thing he did. He amended the latter part of that thought; he dared not tempt fate.

Too late, it seemed, he had already jinxed it. Or, that's what he told himself, at least, as the attack was upon him. Certainly it was Fate's fault, as Nikolai let out a lithe leg to the side, pirouetted cleanly as a ballerina, and twirled slowly out of Dyndron's path, before bringing the same foot back around to kick Dyndron behind him to the ground. Dyndron crashed again, but this time, would not stay down as long. It was getting plain-out embarrassing how easy Nikolai was beating him. If he was going to have his behind handed to him, he'd at least go out with the appearance that he put up a fight!

[Celadon's Penultimate]

There was a mumbled sound in his mind briefly; Savior cheering for him? Dyndron couldn't tell; his mind was too focused on Nikolai. He leaped up again for a second attempt at a strike. Another full-on charge.

This, too, would be a failure. Every blow he attempted was easily countered and parried, riposted, matched; kick, punch, punch, kick, block, duck, dodge, under Dyndron's legs, backward bending, bringing Nikolai's leg's up around Dyndron's neck, while holding Dyndron's ankles with his hands. Brutus and Savior cringed simultaneously, oohing in empathetic dismay, as Dyndron collapsed to the floor yet again, hogtied by Nikolai's flexible frame.

"Give up, Dyndron..." Nikolai warned, "I've wasted much less energy than you have."

"N-nn-no!" Dyndron grunted, struggling uselessly against Nikolai's grip, "I know I can get a hit in on you!"

Brutus smirked, and offered nonchalantly, "It's very admirable of you, rookie, but he's got you at checkmate. You haven't gotten nearly close enough to the lessons you'll need to get out of that maneuver."

Dyndron struggled, strained, grunted, groaned, and finally...gave up, plopping to the floor helplessly. Nikolai sensed the release of muscle tension, and eased up, jumping up from his victorious contortion. He helped Dyndron up, and the two were greeted by the sight of Brutus snickering. The brute leaned in toward Dyndron, who shrunk away nervously, but Brutus only clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"No worries, runt. I'm not here for you. Go hit the showers; you reek of weakness and defeat," Brutus chuckled, "And while you go powder your nose, I'll take on a real challenge."

Brutus and Nikolai met challenging gazes for a second...Savior could almost feel her and Dyndron's hearts stop simultaneously. They had both been wanting to see those two spar since they had both arrived. This was gonna be awe--

"Some other time, killer." Nikolai snickered sarcastically, interrupting Dyndron and Savior's hopes, "I've got to hit the showers, too. And then Savior and Dyndron and I will join Zei for some tea and afternoon lessons. See you shortly, Savior..."

[ParallelanPrincess]

The moment Dyndron and Nikolai were out of earshot, Savior asked something she had been wondering for quite sometime.

"Hey, Brutus...Why does everyone beat the mess outta Dyndron?"

"Because he's our newest and youngest butler. He needs to be properly trained even it if is kills him. You think the villains that threaten Celadon will do things that we expect, or that we're used to? Most certainly not. All of the Penultimate's personal servants go through the exact same training. Some ,such as me, fare well during training. Others, like Iain--don't ask-- don't do so well. They usually die within a year." Brutus said.

"Okay, that's pretty dang ominous. Dyndron's been here for 11 months, hasn't he?"

Dyndron's training sounded a lot like an elaborate hazing ritual. The Penultimate's training methods now made sense in a rather disturbing way...

"Three actually. You and Bridgette have been around for month." Brutus said matter of factly.

"Yep. You know that passive aggressive intimidation thing kinda pales in comparison to a Nemean Lion."

[Celadon's Penultimate]

"You know girls mature faster than boys...he'll get to that level eventually." Brutus grinned insidiously,  "Now, if you'll excuse me, since Nikolai is in no mood to spar, I've got a body to guard."

He left chuckling to himself. He would ask the Penultimate if he needed anything, and if he didn't, back to using Dyndron's face as a dartboard in his room. Savior was about to leave the sparring room, but was met by Bridgette at the door.

"Oh, there you are!" she smiled, "Where's Nikolai, though? I thought he said he'd take you to your next lesson while I brushed up on my sparring with Terryffinda."

"Yeah, him and Dyndron are showering," Bridgette's eyes widened, and Savior caught herself, quickly amending the statement, "They're in the showers, I mean! Separate showers! Not the same--I mean, they're not--"

"What's this about us being in the shower together?" Nikolai emerged from the showers with his pants on, using one hand to carry his shirt, and the other to wipe his head with his towel.

"I didn't mean it like that!" Savior rolled her eyes, blushing.

Dyndron emerged with his pants on as well, using one hand to carry his shirt, and the other to wipe his head with his towel, and looked confused (something he was getting used to around here), "Didn't mean what like what?"

"Nothing." Nikolai, Bridgette and Savior replied innocently; Nikolai added, while putting on his shirt, "Now, shall we get on to our lessons?"

Everyone agreed that would be best; too much awkwardness in one sitting was not good for one's health. Nikolai departed with his two students, and Bridgette prepared to spar with Terryffinda.

[ParallelanPrincess]

"So, let me get this straight. Ekarias-" Savior began

"Icarius, Savior." Nikolai corrected her.

"Yeah, him. Anyway this dude gets trained by Dionysus himself, gets killed by idiot villagers who thought he poisoned them, had a dog dig up his grave, and his daughter hung herself as an act of mourning?" Savior asked incredulously.

"That's...the overall gist of it." Nikolai answered.

"Now, that just tanks. Get somebody too drunk and the next thing you know you're buried beneath the local bar."

Savior had a colorful way of recounting myths. She often forgot key facts, such as Dionysus's reaction (A god's wrath is not something you want to invoke) and Icarius becoming a constellation , but seemed to remember the basics.

Dyndron thought Savior's knowledge of all things Greek was uncanny. While he had benn being beaten by Brutus, Savior had obviously been studying. She was a few years younger than him and had been at the manor for only a month, yet she was already surpassing him. He'd be jealous if Savior wasn't so modest. He wasn't jealous in the least...


In Nikolai's opinion, Savior's knowledge of the Greek myths was proficient enough. Dyndron had finally learned the basics. (He probably would have learned faster, if he didn't sustain so many head injuries during sparring)

It was time to move on to other pantheons.

"Savior, how familair are you with the Roman gods?" Nikolai asked.

"Uh, I know they exist." Savior shrugged.

"Dyndron?"

"I know their Greek equivalents and a few myths." Dyndron responded.

"Very well. The Romans were the Greeks equals. However, some would say they were their betters. Roman society seemed to revolve around improving all the faults of Greek society."

"I'm guessing that goes double for their gods." Savior said.

"Indeed. Roman gods were a bit more...kind then their Greek counterparts. They were more powerful as well. " Nikolai said.

"No way, Venus couldn't hold a candle to Aphrodite." Savior said defiantly.

"Actually, Venus was a goddess of war and vineyards as well as love and beauty. And the Romans saw her as more...womanly than Aphrodite." Dyndron said quietly.

Savior looked like she'd been slapped.

"No fooling?" she asked weakly.

Dyndron nodded.

Seeing that Savior was going into a state of shock, Nikolai decided to end the lesson for the day.

"We'll reconvene tomorrow. It's time for dinner and you know how Ivan gets if we're late."

[Celadon's Penultimate]

Dinner came and the Penultimate regaled everyone with a tale about how he came into possession of Prince Shadowulf's Safarian Rarae Objecti. The Rare Objects were such amazing items, with such astonishing and outlandish powers, in fact, that he resolved to only tell one story a night, about each of them.

And tonight he would start off with the one that got away.

"I never could figure out just where it was", the Penultimate admitted, "The ancient Safarians must have really put some powerful magic on it, and hit it somewhere good. I've never even been able to get a ping on it. Nope, I'm pretty sure that the Gilded Ninnyhammer has gotta be one of my most difficult targets yet."

"The...the Gilded Ninnyhammer?" Savior snickered.

"Sounds like an award for the biggest idiot in the world." Brutus scoffed.

"Well, sorry to disappoint, Brute old boy, but there's no such award." Nikolai cut in, annoyed, "Your talent will simply have to go unrewarded. No, the Gilded Ninnyhammer is much more powerful than some simple trophy. It is perhaps the biggest threat to intellect in the known universe. It's not only indestructible, but is also incapable of directly dealing fatal injury. Instead, it whacks the living daylights out of the enemy, and leaves them to live the rest of their lives as dull, dimwitted fools."

Everyone at the table oohed and ahhed in amazement. Such an object of power, who the heck could think to make such an object, and leave it to be potentially found by unwitting mortals? No doubt, mortals would misuse its capabilities. Nikolai reasoned that that was obviously the reason it had to be hidden away, and Bridgette rebutted that that was instead the reason why it should never have been wrought in the first place. It was indeed an interesting discussion.

After a while, though, the conversation would have to come to an open-ended adjournment. They didn't have enough dinner (or hunger) to keep the conversation going on much longer, and so they called it to a close. It was late anyhow. And so the Penultimate resolved...he would finish his tale some other time. But for now, it was about time they all got ready to retire for the evening.

Indeed. Sleep favored those who sought him early.