<meta name="LineWrap" content="true"><TITLE>SR_Bk1 0016</TITLE><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0017.txt">Next (Page 17)</A><BR> nope!"<P><P>"Now how do you expect me to psychoanalyze you if you had a good childhood! Hah?"<P><P>Canary sneezed a nasty sneeze.<P><P>"You're the doc, you tell me. Arr arr arr!"<P><P>Lemon lifted the glasses off her nose a little and stared at her patient.<P><P>"Well now! Finally some progress! An unexpected burst of animal aggression!"<P><P>Just then, Chamomile came into the room. Colonia the Sword, in her new devil girl form, followed.<P><P>"Oh, now what the hell are you doing now?" Chamomile said impatiently.<P><P>"Psychoanalyzing Canary to find out why he's so crazy," Lemon said with a smile.<P><P>Chamomile looked away, took a sharp intake of air, and bit her lip. "Lord, give me patience."<P><P>Lemon's eyes locked with Colonia's and there was a vital spark between them. Colonia smiled and motioned with her head and eyebrows toward another part of Yellowhaus.<P><P>"Lemon," Chamomile said, bending over to pick up a mess of scattered magazines on the floor, "we still have well over a year before we reach our destination--could you please try and have some consideration for the rest of us?"<P><P>Lemon eyed Chamomile's athletic, graceful form. Adorned with her loose yellow martial arts clothing, Lemon appreciated the contrast between the beauty and the deadliness of Chamomile. She liked Chamomile, even if she did so enjoy taunting her.<P><P>"If I cure Canary from his craziness, that'll help us all, boss," the psychoanalyst devil girl said.<P><P>Canary yowled wildly.<P><P>Chamomile stood up and threw the magazine back on the ground.<P><P>"I mean it! Please make an effort to clean up after yourself and make yourself useful! "Chamomile said. "I know you want to help people, and that's commendable, but don't do it at the expense of others!"<P><P>Lemon gave Chamomile a salute.<P><P>Chamomile gave Lemon a grimace, and then turned and left.<P><P>Lemon turned to Colonia.<P><P>"What a grouch! She has to learn to calm down!"<P><P>"Maybe you can psychoanalyze her, too," Colonia said with a sexy smirk.<P><P>"I wish."<P><P>"So when you're done with Canary there, think you can help me out? There are a lot of peculiarities, being a devil girl. I never imagined. I don't know how you deal with it."<P><P>"Oh, I'll be more than glad to assist you--just let me finish up with the carpet here."<P><P>Canary went limp, his tongue hanging out of his mouth, panting.<P><P>"He sure is nuts," Colonia said.<P><P>"Yup. And that's what I aim to fix!"<P><P>Just then, a big snore came from Canary.<P><P>"Asleep again!" Lemon exclaimed. "Is it narcolepsy, or just plain laziness? I must investigate further! But all in good time."<P><P>Lemon got up and crossed the room to Colonia.<P><P>"Come on sister. We have much to discuss."<P><P>Lemon led Colonia by the hand. Soon they came to Lemon's room. It was an eclectic mix of cushions, gold and brass decorations, paintings from Hell, and a few torture devices.<P><P>"Like it?" Lemon asked.<P><P>"You know, I think I do," Colonia said slowly, sitting down on a sofa. Lemon sat down next to her.<P><P>"Now Colonia, I know what you must be going through. Being a devil girl is a tough business. But you're lucky--I'm here to help!"<P><P>"Yeah--it seems like being a devil girl might be rather great, it's just these feelings, these images, these urges..."<P><P>Lemon held her fingers to Colonia's lips.<P><P>"Shush. First things first."<P><P>Colonia nodded.<P><P>"Now," Lemon said. "The first thing we have to work on is your name. 'Colonia the Sword' just won't do. Too dull. What other names have you been known by?"<P><P>Colonia frowned in thought and looked away.<P><P>"You know--I don't know. I guess I've been called a few things in my time. I was forged as Colonia, but one of my owners called me Becamman the Stordred."<P><P>Lemon shook her head.<P><P>"He said I was his insurance against marauders from the hills. Huh. That was a long time ago," Colonia said.<BR><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0017.txt">Next (Page 17)</A>