The forest treeline, behind the tea table setting of Vapeland, has a reddish blue hue as their leaves are turning varied colors with Autumn. The shades of blue run from sky blue to navy and the reddish ranges from hot orange, and fire engine red, to pastel pinks and orange colors. Sunlight showers them softly, on this cloudless day, and the various appendages and branches begin to reflect a faceted myriad of colors! The colors grow even more varied, as the jewel-like effect is enhanced. The colors start to move around! They finally settle upon a dark reddish burgandy color, flux, wax, shape, and form a human figure that appears to be walking. The figure becomes more distinct and finally a man emerges. He is old. His gorgeous, burgandy, crushed velvet tuxedo, is accented by a brownish red shirt, white bow tie and ruby cufflinks on each sleeve. His black cummerbund is edged with blue. His thin hair and golden rimmed glasses belie a certain vitality for some reason. He grows nearer. It is James YardByrd's Assistant!
"Hail, lauds, and greetings Vapelandians! My employer is away this fine Fall day. So...he suggested I stop to visit since it has been so long. My Dear Ms. Morri!" James bows low at the waist and rises slowly. "Our sincere regrets at having missed your birthday; Happy Belated Birthday. We also read, with concern, your current struggles for health. Our prayers, positive energies, and most kind thoughts are with you. My boss wished me to ask about: YuttyNutt, The Charmed One, and Riversong; are they all well? He sends a special greeting to Monkey and thanks for his Wordsmith title; we both continue our efforts in this area across the Realms!
There are so many new citizens it makes me feel good, inside, to see the growth, vitality, good cheer, generosity of them....and you all." James pauses here and inhales deeply and releases his breath and a fine bluish mist delineates it. The sunlight reflects on it as it vanishes and the wind rustles the drying tree leaves. A lark, carefree and happy, can be heard singing in the nearby meadow; the distant sound of a babbling brook, even, and soothing adds to the remarkable sunlit day.
"Ah. To breathe this fine air and see you all today is a blessing...indeed." A tiny cloud has drifted over the sun, not blotting, but dotting it! A beam of sunshine breaks through and striking one of the more bluish leaves, in the canopy behind James, reflects upon the ruby cufflink on his left sleeve. He looks up for a second, as if hearing something then continues.
"Regrets, my friends, but my visitation time wanes. To paraphrase...the autumn mantle of these energized trees, the bond of friendship among the citizens, visitors, benefactors, and guests, this delicious sky, this magicked Earth...they call...they call across the Realms to me and my employer. It isn't a Siren's song of threat but the invitation to come, to share, to love, and enjoy, this our home, our respite from the Realms of cruelty and ego-centrism, our home for the fantastic and imagined...this...our Vapeland! Viva La Vapeland! Viva La Vita Vapeland! Viva Vapeland!"
James bows low, his left arm around his waist and his right one lifted. He he rising up slowly, and his right hand reaches for, and touches, the Ruby cufflink on his left sleeve and he twists it slightly. A glowing reddish burgandy color begins to swell there. It grows and James reaches inside his left lapel and brings out an old parchment. He throws the parchment and it drifts lazily to the soil below. He slowly is disappearing, waving goodbye, a large smile on his face! The paper too fades but only after its message has been read by all:
"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns."
~George Eliot
. Was just so excited that the portal was open.
