Flying Fish Or Prisoner

What's this? asks Gaius, looking up from the frying pan. An Aprosmictus erythropterus!

What's this? says Celia. Fried plums!

It's my new parrot, says Terence. Her name is Celia, not mictus-roptrus.

No one fries PLUMS! says Celia.

That's what I think, says Arthur.

Except ancient Romans, says Sweezus. Ancient Romans do weird things with food.

Different, not weird, says Gaius. And we would prefer eggs.

Eggs! squawks Celia.

Eggs, says Sweezus. I could go a few eggs.

Me too, says Arthur.

There aren't any, says Gaius. Hence the plum fry-up.

Arthur and me'll go into Nanum and get some, says Sweezus.

Excellent, says Gaius.

Sweezus and Arthur go out.

They walk along the road a little, and stop, because they have seen Ageless.

Is it Ageless? He looks bigger and better. He is cobalt blue with black arrowy thingers.

Hi! says Arthur. Nice new look! Black arrowy thingers.

Yeah, says Sweezus, You look like a prisoner, in a movie.

These are chevrons, says Ageless. Only the ignorant describe them as arrowy thingers.

That's crazy, says Arthur.

Crazy, says Sweezus. Chevrons. I thought they were flying fish.

Proving your ignorance, says Ageless. But what is so crazy?

Kobo had a message from you, says Arthur. I was there when she got it. You described yourself to her.

I don't recall doing it, says Ageless What did I say?

Something about seeing yourself reflected in still waters...

Poetic, says Ageless. But I don't see myself in that way. I look down directly. What else did I tell her?

You said you were cobalt blue with black arrowy thingers.

There you have it , says Ageless.  Proof you were dreaming. I would have said chevrons.

I wouldn't dream arrowy thingers, says Arthur. My vocabulary stretches to chevrons.

Ageless glances sideways at Sweezus. Heh-heh! His doesn't.

Resplendent, says Arthur. You said you were resplendent

That does sound like me, admits Ageless. Well boys, I'll get going, and sort out this garbled message my beloved must have partly invented. Where are you two off to?

To buy eggs, says Sweezus.

Obtain eggs, says Arthur.

They continue to Nanum.

Ageless marches, bold and resplendent, to the cabin, displaying his chevrons.