>If you're truly worried about file sizes, there's always a part one
>and part two thing like in Knights.

"Worried" isn't really the right word, but nevertheless, upon further review, I think this is what we'll do. On the plus side, that means the first part should be ready in a day or two. Minus side, it might be a bit of a race trying to get the other part done before school resumes. Then again, if we didn't split it, it might be a bit of a race trying to get any of it done before school resumes.

That said, here is one last teaser fragment from what now appears to be Taken by Storm, Part 1: Honeymoon by the Sea.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.

        Back on Air Temple Island, Sergei couldn't help but feel a bit
miffed.
        He understood that he tended to make a sensation wherever he
went; he couldn't help it if people weren't properly equipped to cope
with his sheer awesomeness, but he was usually magnanimous enough to
acknowledge that, yes, it could sometimes be a problem.  Still, the
place he and his mistress found themselves in at the moment seemed
plenty peculiar enough to handle him.  It never occurred to him that
there might be animal control regulations in town that it would take
some time for Kaitlyn, even with the Avatar's help, to get into
compliance with.  All Serge knew was that she and Juni had gone into
town and left him on the island, and now he found himself thoroughly
bored.
        He considered swimming to the mainland and tracking them down.
The latter wouldn't be that hard, but the former would probably take too
long.  It'd be just his luck to get there and then discover that they'd
caught the ferry while he was on his way over, and were now back on the
island, wondering where he'd got to.  Reluctantly, he discarded that
plan.
        The young humans in the funny clothes had been a worthwhile
diversion for a little while, but they were all busy doing whatever it
was they were doing, and none of it made enough sense to Serge to remain
interesting for long.  The lemurs were no help at all; they just cleared
out as soon as they spotted him coming, and he didn't care to chase
them, as he was reasonably certain this would be misinterpreted by the
people as well.  As for the giant, shaggy creatures who lived in the
caves, they were even less interesting than the humans.  All they seemed
to want to do was eat hay or sleep.
        By midafternoon, he'd been reduced to prowling the crags and
corners of the island, looking for anything in any way diverting.
Nothing was forthcoming, and Serge had just about resigned himself to
going back to the bison caves and reconsidering his interest in sleep.
He was on his way back there now, taking a shortcut across a little
courtyard out in back of the women's quarters, when he at last smelled
something interesting - and became aware a moment later that something
interesting had smelled him as well.
        Another animal, not as enormous as the sky bison, but quite a
bit bigger than Serge himself, emerged from a small outbuilding in the
courtyard, snuffling the air.  Undaunted as ever, Serge ambled over to
say hello, trying as he did to catalog his new acquaintance.  At first
sight he thought it - Serge corrected himself, she - might simply be a
colossal white dog.  Her broad, blocky head reminded Serge of Buddy, the
Labrador retriever who lived a few doors down from their old house on
Tomodachi; but there was something bear-like about her giant stature and
the way she carried herself.
        This remarkable creature seemed equally unconcerned about the
appearance of a very large striped cat in her yard; she moseyed on over,
still sniffing thoughtfully, until her nose nearly touched his.  For a
moment they regarded each other impassively.
        Then the dog, bear, whatever she was, went back to her house and
returned with a piece of meat, which she dropped in front of Serge,
having correctly deduced that he was the only other carnivore on the
island (since the Avatar, by long agreement with the management of the
Air Temple, was one only when she was -off- the island).  Serge regarded
it for a moment.  He wasn't terribly hungry, having had a substantial
breakfast, but it did smell good, and the offer was exceedingly
generous, so after a decent interval he bowed his head graciously,
picked up the meat, and neatly sheared it in two with his teeth, leaving
the other half for his host.
        Having thus established full diplomatic relations, the two
settled down to have a bit of late lunch together.