Under an Illusion

In Margaret's tinny, floating above the seagrasses, waiting for something to happen.....

Margaret: Gaius?

Gaius: What is it?

Margaret: You aren't wearing a hat.

Gaius: I brought one.

Margaret: Then you should put it on. The UV rays will burn you.

Gaius (rummaging in his back pack): Here it is.

(Puts his hat on. It appears to be spotted with bird poo)

Belle: Give it to me for a minute.

Gaius: What for?

Belle: It's dirty.

Gaius: Let me see.

He takes it off, sees the bird poo, and dips his hat in the water. He rubs the white spot with his finger.

Belle: YOUR hat's nice, Margaret. Is that a bird badge?

Margaret: Yes. Gaius and I both have a bird badge. Ha ha!

Gaius: Is that a joke Margaret? They are quite dissimilar, a bird badge and bird faeces.

Margaret: Lighten up, Gaius. Do you know what you need?

Gaius: Not more of your monkey bread!

Margaret: No, you need to get out of your comfort zone.

Gaius: I'm out of it now.

Margaret: I have some tickets....

Belle : Oh how lovely! What for?

Ageless chooses this moment to rise to the surface.

Ageless: Tickets?

Gaius: Ageless. What news?

Ageless: I give up. Terence is down there skewing the results and creating extra fish noise.

Gaius: Drat the boy! I suggest you go down and retrieve him.

Ageless: What was that about tickets?

Margaret: Nothing. I was inviting Gaius to a theatrical production.

Ageless: Well, if he doesn't want to go....

Belle: I'm sure he does, don't you Gaius?

Ageless: If he doesn't, I'll take them.

Gaius: We'll talk about it when Terence is brought up from the seabed.

Ageless (climbing onto the gunwale): Baby Pierre will do it.

.......

Down below in the seagrass, Terence has found Daniel O'Connell.

Daniel O'Connell: What did you come down here for?

Terence: To rescue you. What did you come down for?

Daniel O'Connell: To see for myself what was happening.

Baby Pierre (through the waving ribbonweed): You guys mucked us up. You altered the fish noise.

Terence: How do you know?

Baby Pierre: Ageless was recording. You're in big trouble.

Terence: I won't be in trouble. Grandpa will help me.

Baby Pierre: No he won't. Okay, where is he?

Terence: I don't know. In Melbourne.

Daniel O'Connell: Is that near the Canaries?

Micro-organisms: He he he! Nowhere near the Canaries!

Terence: You don't believe in grandpa. But I do.

Baby Pierre: Grandpa Marx? He isn't even your grandpa.

Terence: Wah! He is. He bought me a hat.

Baby Pierre: And anyway, You're under an ILLUSION.

Daniel O'Connell: What illusion is that?

Baby Pierre (whispers to Daniel O'Connell): He's skipped a generation.

Daniel O'Connell (whistles): I never thought of that.

Terence: Can we go up now?

Baby Pierre: Okay. How?

Daniel O'Connell: Wait here. I'll fix it.

The Liberator ascends, with a mission.