French Breakfast Is A Long One

Arthur, Pablo and Dries have now landed in Sydney, and finally learned of the terrible events which they avoided in Paris.

I guess we were lucky, says Dries. We could have been there. Instead, we were not there, but flying.

That's one way of looking at it, says Arthur, frowning. I wish I'd been there.

Dries looks shocked. But Pablo knows Arthur better than Dries does.

Explosions, says Pablo. Death. The gates of the unconscious, the unknowable, evil, visions, the future, madness, that's Arthur's oeuvre.

Dries looks unconvinced.

So does Arthur.

Pablo stiffens. Océane! What if SHE was one of the one hundred and twenty nine dead ones?

Call her, says Arthur.

No way, says Pablo. She was shitty with me.

Call Gaius, says Arthur. He'll know. But don't mention the Bristlebirds.

Why not? says Dries. You'd better not be thinking....

No, says Arthur. We're not thinking.

Pablo calls Gaius.

Gaius is in an art shop in Montmartre, buying a box of coloured pencils for Mai-Mai, who is in the art shop as well.

Hello? says Gaius.

It's me, Pablo, says Pablo. Is Océane.... I mean are you all right?

Yes, yes, says Gaius. I'm fine. I suppose it was Arthur that asked you to call me. The dear boy. Tell him I'm touched. Are you in Sydney?

Yes we are, says Pablo. By the way, is Océane all right?

Of course she is, says Gaius. She is not the sort of person to be out enjoying herself on a Friday evening.

Pablo let's that go by.

Let me know when you get to Ray's house, says Gaius. There is good news. An egg has been laid.

Sure, mutters Pablo, ending the call on a low note.

These ones are nice, says Mai-Mai, waving a box of 60 coloured pencils.

Jumping Jupiter! says Gaius. Look at the price!

Back at the hotel, Mai-Mai opens her box of twelve pencils.

Now, says Mai-Mai. Radishes first.

Would you like me to help you? asks Carl Linnaeus. I am the father of modern taxonomy. And radishes have their own special name.

Okay, says Mai-Mai. What is their special name?

Raphanus, says Carl Linnaeus.

What does it mean? asks Mai-Mai.

Raphanus means radish, says Carl Linnaeus. But there are different types with different shapes and colours and they all have their own names.

Mai-Mai draws a red circle. She gives it a face and a tail.

This one is called Cherry-Belle Raphanus, says Mai-Mai. The next one will be Purple Plum. After that, Bunny Tail. It's a long one.

Is Mai-Mai that clever? Or is she just lucky, coming up with those names?