World of Warcraft®

"She really IS in a good mood." Spriggel took another surreptitious look at Derscha (one of a dozen) while "browsing" through the postings on the AAMS office bulletin board, trying to convince herself that Dershca’s good spirits were not a passing thing and that Now was the time to return the Hat.

For several days, ever since her return to work, Spriggel had fretted over returning Derscha's repaired Hat. What had been a delightful red hat (with white polka dots) had taken a severe beating at the paws, beak, and hooves of the Terra Incognito menagerie: it was surprising there was any Hat to recover. But the milliner was right: after a good cleaning and reforming, the dashing green ribbon banding the hat (awash in red and white flowers) and the sprig of silk peacebloom tucked into that band artfully hid the remaining blemishes.

It just was not the “same” hat it was, and Spriggel had lost sleep over that fact. Derscha had been attached to that old hat. So Spriggel resolved not to return the Hat until Derscha was in an exceptionally good mood (not that she was a coward). And it appeared now was that time.

“Derscha,” Spriggel’s voice quivered. “Stay right there; I’ve got something for you out in my saddlebag. I’ll be right back.” Spriggel escaped from the office before any questions could be asked and then cajoled, ordered, yelled, pleaded, and whimpered for Felstun (her gyphon) to fly down from the roof top where he was perched, so that she could get the Hat box. (She hoped against hope that no one in the office had heard any of that.)

Returning to the office with the Hat box, Spriggel froze just outside the office door, certain she wanted to return the hat, uncertain that Derscha would be happy.

Derscha was in a good mood.

Things had finally settled into a new routine. Business had picked up, and plans were in place for the future. Her new garden was doing well; she'd tucked one of the white flowers into her hair in lieu of a hat.

There was still the empty spot on the corner of her desk where she used to display her old red, polka-dotted hat. Not that she'd ever wore that hat any time recently. It'd been a gift, from the days she'd lived in Gnomeregan, and one of the few personal belongings that remained from her old home. It had served as a momento.

Yet, today, seeing the empty spot didn't make her sigh. She felt lighter than she had in a long time. She continued her paperwork - running a business involved a lot, it seemed - not aware of the smile she wore, nor that she was being watched.

Spriggel's voice startled her, and she stared blankly after the disappearing gnome.

"Oh, my, what now?" she wondered. The last package Spriggel had given her had been a mess of brochures from her trip, which had spilled out onto the floor when she'd opened the envelope. Had she been trying to suggest Derscha needed a vacation?

It was some time before the courier returned, nervously holding a box in her hands. Derscha smiled and beckoned her inside.

"Is that a delivery for me?" Not many people thought to send things to the AAMS. "How interesting! What is it?"

((No hats were harmed in the making of this post.

...much.))

((*looks at the photo in her hand of the mauled hat; looks at Lahkin's claim; looks back at the photo; looks again at Lahkin's claim; wonders about Lahkin's understanding of Common: maybe he used the wrong verb . . . .*))

[[giggle]]

Spriggel's throat went sandbox dry when Derscha asked "What is it?" She looked down at the wrapped hat box in her hand and took several slow steps to the desk, swallowing several times trying to speak around her constricted throat.

Pushing the box across the desk (the desk barrier would give her a small headstart if things went bad), Spriggel swallowed and said in a squeaky quiet voice, "It's almost as good as new."

Stepping back from the desk, Spriggel could not look Derscha in the eye but could only stare at the hat box wanting this all to be through.

Would Derscha be upset at the modifications made to the hat? It's crown wasn't as large as it had been; the milliner had to shorten it and make a few tucks in it to repair the holes. The milliner had assured Spriggel that the hat would still fit the head it originally sat on, but without a dummy head to try it out on, Spriggel wasn't so sure.

And the new additions to the hat: the green hat band, liberally patterened with red and white flowers, and the sprig of silk peacebloom tucked into the hatband; these hid a crease and some worn spots that couldn't be repaired otherwise.

Spriggel liked the look of the repaired hat but it wasn't her hat or her head it would sit on. Tucking her hands behind herself so that Derscha couldn't see the aggressive wringing going on, Spriggel stared at the hat box, waiting.

Almost as good as new?

That phrase never boded anything well.

Derscha unwrapped the box, keeping part of her attention on the nervous Spriggel. She lifted the lid of the box and saw…. a hat.

She didn't recognize it. The first thing she noticed was the peace bloom, and the ribbon. Then she saw the red-with-white-polka dots.

The very distinctive red-with-white-polka dots.

There was a long pause.

"My hat," she said in a very small, trembling voice. "What… happened… to. My. HAT?" The volume of her voice grew with every syllable.

Not waiting for an answer, she picked the hat out of the box and held it to eye level, critically examining it with narrowed eyes, turning it this way and that, noting every single repair and change. She glared at the hat with a ire reserved for muddy shoe prints, dirty white uniforms, and misfiled reports.

"This definitely counts as cheating," she said very seriously.

Then she giggled.

Just a little giggle, as the hat shook in her hands, and her eyes watered.

Having filed the dancing rodents supplied to him away for delivery to Andy and the Homeland lodge, Bralox wandered his way into Derscha's office. He paused as he sighted the hat, gazing at it with beady orcish eyes. Slowly, carefully, he mosied on over to the desk...And plucked the hat out of Derscha's hands, placing it on his own head. He grinned stupidly, looking down at the two gnomes. "Bralox look pretty?" He posed, as if one of those Blood elf Fashionista's out of a catalogue.

Somewhere in a tavern, as he sipped at a Cactus Cider, something horrifying struck Drakehide, as if the world itself were crying out to him. He set down his drink, wavering a moment, his strength waning, and he felt for a moment as if he might be ill, or pass out. He rubbed at the area surrounding his mechanical eye - when headaches struck, they tended to be worst there.

He felt the horrid, sinking, earth-shattering feeling that a million voices had just cried out, and suddenly were silenced.

Well, either that, or somewhere on Azeroth there was an orc posing with a funny-looking hat like he was a blood elf fashionista.

"Third damn time this week," the warrior grumbled, returning to his drink.

((Sorry, couldn't help it. xD))

((Oh, LOL, Bralox, Drakhide. :D ))Derscha gaped at Bralox pure shock.

He was wearing the hat.

He was wearing THE HAT.

She blinked, and another giggle escape. Followed by a chuckle. Then by what was probably best described as a guffaw. She covered her mouth, trying to hold back the laughter, and failing miserably.

"It... looks...." she gasped between fits of laughs, "...silly!"

Bralox looked visibly saddened. "Bralox not want to feel silly." He mumbled. Then an idea struck him. The hat, was after all not meant for him... but... Grinnning, he reached out again, this time taking Derscha herself in a strong yet gentle grasp. He lifted the hat off his head, and replaced it with the gnome boss...

Before placing the hat on HER head.

"Bralox look better?" He turned to ask Spriggel, careful not to dislodged the Gnomish overseer from his brow.

Spriggel prepared to bolt as Derscha’s voice rose: “What . . . happened . . to. My.HAT?”

She held her place, but barely, watching Derscha examine the hat closely. In a serious voice, Derscha said, “That definitely counts as cheating,” and Spriggel turned to race from the room, but stepped on her own foot and stumbled (& so missed Derscha’s giggle). At this point that absurd orc entered the room, and Spriggel spun around again to see what was up.

In fascinated horror, Spriggel watched - rooted to the ground; her mouth open in silence, stuck trying to decide if a scream, whimper, or a faint were the appropriate response - as the orc set the hat atop his OWN blocky head. That impudent fellow then turned and asked, “Bralox look pretty?” WAS HE SERIOUS? Spriggel blinked several times, started to giggle but caught herself and looked guiltily at Derscha.

But Derscha began to laugh and told the orc that he looked silly, and, in relief, Spriggel started to cry.

But the orc wasn’t done. Not wanting “to look silly” (but apparently okay with “absurd”), the orc uncapped himself, then recapped himself. WITH DERSCHA! And then he put the repaired hat on her head instead. “Bralox look better?” he asked Spriggel.

It was all too much for Spriggel, and she collapsed to the floor, laughing and crying hysterically. She couldn’t get a word out to let the orc know her opinion on this “improvement.” Instead she laughed and cried so hard that she got the hiccups, which made her stop crying but laugh/hiccup even harder, until her sides were so sore and she could hardly breathe.

Derscha grabbed Bralox's head for dear life.

Out of sheer reflex, she reached to take the hat off her head (she'd sworn never to wear it again!) but her perch was too precarious, and she had to settle for leaving it be.

Spriggel was having some sort of seizure on the floor.

She tapped on Bralox's head. "I think we'd better check on Spriggel."

The orc nodded, and knelt down, Derscha sliding down his neck to rest on his shoulder, he reached out....and poked Spriggel several times in the belly.

(( Gnomes are good for hat! ))

((Esp when beribboned & bedazzled))

Spriggel unsuccessfully tried to squirm away from the orc’s pokes, but she was still trying to recover her breath and wasn’t as agile as she would normally be, so she had to satisfy herself wtih fending him off with her feet & legs.

“Oh . . the. . look . . on . . .your . . . . face . . . . ,” Spriggel gasped, pointing at Derscha and her hat, ". . . as . .you . . bounced. . to . . and fro . . . .*giggles hysterically*"


Finally catching her breath, she sat up and addressed the orc with a big grin, “And Bralox, dear, it will take a lot more than a “hat wearing gnome” hat *giggles & winks at Derscha* to ever make you “pretty”. I mean you’re one fine looking orc . . well . . but pretty? Unique, yes, but I don’t think I’d ever use the word, "pretty," for you."