Cube Route Piers Anthony

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.She had not been able to get rid of it before; could this be another aspect of that? She could give it to a person, but then it quietly returned to her? Magic objects could have odd properties.She'd have to try again, and stay alert.Meanwhile, she put it from her mind.At least she still had the water ball Ryver had given her.She passed another sign: HEADLINE.At this point she was taking signs seriously.But what did it mean?Then she saw a line of balls along the side of the path.Only they turned out to be heads.A head line."Step over me so I can see the color of your panties and freak blissfully out," the first head said.Then it blinked, getting a better look at her."Cancel that." The eyes squeezed closed.Cube almost ground her teeth.Even her panties were not good enough!Just at the right place there was another campsite.She entered it, and discovered someone else there: a winged centaur filly, with the large human breasts and handsome brown equine flanks and tail of her kind.She also wore a quiver and bow, the harness nicely framing her front."Hello," Cube said, surprised."Hello.I am Karia Centaur.Please don't repeat my name.""I am Cube Human.I'm on my way to see the Good Magician.""I just came from there.It's less than an hour's flight from here.""Half a day's walk," Cube agreed."But why are you here, since you're not landbound?""I am a winged monster," the filly agreed, though she hardly resembled a monster."But I can't fly indefinitely, so I need a safe place to spend the night.""I'm happy to share the night with you, if you're satisfied to share it with me.""Of course.I don't have human company very often."They handled the routine of harvesting supper and pillows for the night, then settled down in the shelter and talked."You said you just came from the Good Magician's Castle," Cube said."May I ask--""I'm a flying centaur, so my talent is flying.That is, flicking myself light enough to float.But I have an associated side effect that I would like to be rid of.So I went to ask the Good Magician.""As I am doing.Did he help you?""No." Then before Cube could look surprised, she explained."I didn't get to ask my Question.I did not make it through the three challenges.In fact I didn't pass the first challenge.So now I am returning to the herd with my tail between my legs, as it were.""But I thought centaurs were smart." Then Cube realized that she was being just as awkward as Ryver had been."I mean, it must have been a formidable challenge.""It was a stupid challenge, but it stymied me.It was a path that forked.One side passed close by a sticker bush that stuck me when I got close, so I had to avoid it.""A stick-her bush," Cube said."It probably stuck only females.I encountered one of those today.""Oh, a stupid pun.I hate puns!""But there are puns all over Xanth; you can't avoid them.""Yes I can; I fly over them.I make sure to land on pun-free terrain.It's just too awful when I accidentally step in one and get it stuck to my hoof." The filly shuddered."There is nothing more revolting than having to scrape squashed pun off your foot.""So maybe the Good Magician was forcing you to face what you hated.That was the real nature of the challenge."Karia frowned."I suppose so.I think it was unkind of him."It was apparent that the centaur had lacked the gumption to tackle something she found objectionable.That would never stop Cube, of course, but there was no point in pointing that out."Where did the other side of the forked path go?""I couldn't make head or tail of that.It terminated at a door.I opened the door, but it became a jug in my hand, and there was just a blank wall beyond it.When I moved the jug forward it became the door again, closed.It was no help at all.I was most frustrated."Cube laughed."You opened the door and made it a jar!""I fail to see the humor.""A jar.Ajar--open.Another pun.""Oh," the centaur said somewhat sourly."No wonder I didn't appreciate it.In any event, it was of no use to me.So I turned around and flew for home.""I wonder," Cube said."Couldn't you have used the jar to catch the stickers, so they couldn't stick you?""I suppose I could have, had I thought of it.But I was already pretty upset, and it seemed pointless to continue.""I'm sorry," Cube said."It must be a big disappointment.""It is.I so much wanted to have a rousing good adventure, but I can't risk it as long as I have the complication.""Complication?""The side effect.You see, I get carried away when anyone else speaks my name.That can be extremely awkward.""Another pun!" Cube exclaimed."Karia.Carry-a! You must really hate that!"There was no answer.Then she saw that the centaur was floating out of the shelter.She wasn't flying; she wasn't even walking.Her four legs were folded under her as they had been in the shelter, only now she was drifting in the breeze.Her eyes were glazed, as if she were distracted and not paying attention to her surroundings.In fact, she was being carried away."Oh, I'm sorry!" Cube said."I said your name!"Karia continued to drift.Cube ran after her, catching at a leg."Please, I'm sorry! Please come back!"The centaur opened her eyes."Oh, did it happen again?""Yes! I said your name, and you got carried away.I didn't mean to.I didn't realize--""That's all right.But now you appreciate my problem.""Yes I do.I won't speak your name again."Karia straightened her legs and touched the ground.She walked back to the shelter."I would like to go where nobody knows my name.Then I'd be safe.But there's always the chance I would meet someone unexpectedly, who would say my name, and then I could be in trouble.So I suppose I'll just have to stay home, where folk know to call me 'hey, you.' Not that I like that much either.""That side effect--it's another pun," Cube said."No wonder you hate puns!""No wonder," Karia agreed wryly."Why are you going to see the Good Magician?""I want to be beautiful."Karia looked at her more closely."I suppose you aren't.I hadn't noticed.""If you were a man, you wouldn't notice me at all.I want to marry and have a loving husband and a nice family and live happily ever after, but it will never happen as long as I'm homely.""Oh, I'm not sure of that.""You're not homely.You have a pretty face and a bosom that would make men stare even if it weren't bare.""Point taken.I have not suffered that particular problem of being unnoticed.Yet I would exchange a portion of my assets with you, if I could abate my side effect.""And I would gladly have that portion! If I had your breasts, no one would notice my face.""Oh, I don't know.Others do notice my face, and of course my rear.""Your rear?""Like most centaurs, I have a handsomer posterior than face, and of course I am duly haughty about it." Karia reached back and gave her haunch a resounding slap."I just wish I could see it better.""I have just the thing for you," Cube said, fishing out the mirror."Try this.""I'm not certain how this relates," Karia said, accepting it."Try it and see."The centaur held the mirror up before her face."Oh, my! Can that be my rump?""Yes.It's a rear-view mirror.""Delightful! It's even handsomer than I thought.""Keep the mirror," Cube said."Oh, I couldn't! I like it, despite the pun, but I have no return gift for you.""I will be glad if you can keep it [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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