A Daring Ambition

I'd better go now, says Katherine. I promised to do that Baked Emu.

I hope your half pumpkin's still there, says Letitia. Things sometimes go missing.

Can I stay here? asks the knowlesi. 

Not really, says Letitia. You have to go back to the rainforest where I found you.

What if I don't want to? asks the knowlesi.

Don't you want to? asks Katherine.

Not yet, says the knowlesi.  

That's okay, says Letitia. I'm going to spend today working on my thesis.

So he can stay for a while, says Roo-kai.

Not on his own, says Letitia. 

Roo-kai is about to offer to stay in the Japanese garden with the knowlesi when Sweezus appears.

Me and Arthur are heading off now, says Sweezus. 

Not staying for lunch? asks Katherine. I'm doing Baked Emu with Crushed Pumpkin.

Can't, sorry, says Sweezus. Got to get back to Adelaide asap, to prepare for the Tour. 

Hey! says Letitia. I was sure I knew you! You're that guy from Team Condor!

Yeah, says Sweezus. I'm the captain. Last year was a bit of a fuckup, but this year'll be better. Except we haven't done that much training.

You look pretty fit, says Letitia. 

There's more to it than that, says Katherine. There are tactics involved.

We're not short on tactics, says Sweezus. 

Best of luck! says Letitia.

What's the Tour? asks the knowlesi.

Tour de France. A bike race, says Roo-kai. 

Sweezus looks at the knowlesi.

Your legs look okay.

They're good, says the knowlesi. 

He does a hopping dance, on the rock, to prove it.

Awesome, says Sweezus. You could ride a bike with those muscles.

Sweezus is just trying to make up for the cutting-up-of-frogs-in-school-biology, that he mentioned before.

But the knowlesi is forming a daring ambition.