The Misadventures of Osaka Jones

by RabidTonberry

One Month Later

"Osaka,
Osaka Jones?" The Nurse Redheart called out into the waiting room.

I sighed as I raised myself out of my seat and made my way towards her. She jolted slightly from my appearance but quickly recovered her professionalism. I couldn’t blame her for her shock look. I looked vastly different since the last time she had saw me. My orange coat and mane were in disarray and losing their sheen, my wings were in need of a very desperate preening, but the most piercing aspect of my appearance were my blood shot eyes and the circles that had taken residence underneath them. She gave me a hesitant smile and leads me further back into the clinic. She escorted me to an empty exam room and told me, “Dr. Stable will be right with you,” before closing the door behind me.

I shrugged and lay down on the examining table that was in the center of the room. Not long after Dr. Stable made his way into the room. He glanced at me and gave a concerned look. “Are you comfortable Osaka,” he joked, an attempt to lighten the mood.

“Not really,” I replied as I righted myself.

“So what brings you here today?”

“I’m having trouble sleeping.”

He eyed me up and down, “I expected as much when I walked in, bad dreams?”

I shrugged, “If I’m having bad dreams I don’t recall them. All I know is that I keep waking up screaming in terror. If this keeps up Rainbow says that she’s going to kick me out of the house,” I weakly chuckle at my own bad joke.

Dr. Stable doesn’t find it funny, “How long has this been going on?”

“Uh, a month,” I smiled bashfully.

Dr. Stable blinked, “You haven’t had a good night’s sleep in a month and you’re just now seeking medical attention? How are you even functioning right now?”

“I drink a lot of coffee.”

“And why didn’t you come in sooner?” Dr. Stable sighed.

“Well…I kept putting it off and I got quite good at dodging the question with Rainbow.”

“What changed?”

“Has Scootaloo ever given you the puppy dog eyes?”

Dr. Stable shuddered, “If you think that’s bad you should have the rest of the cutie mark crusaders give you the puppy dog eyes. How do think they always get their hooves on dangerous stuff when they’re crusading.”

“That actually explains a lot,” I silently chuckled as I watched Dr. Stable levitated a small penlight. I automatically closed one eye as he shined it into my remaining open one.

“To be honest I can’t really do much for you besides giving you some sleeping pills that will put you out for a goodnights rest no matter what.”

“I’m not really big on popping pills Doc,” I said as he switched eyes.

“Doesn’t matter I’m giving to you anyway. Sleep deprivation is very serious. Lack of sleep can play havoc on one’s mind and in extreme cases can cause death. The fact that you say this has been going on a month has me worried so I’m prescribing them, and if I find out that you’re not taking them my nurse and I will personal help Rainbow Dash shove them down your throat. Got it?” he finished with a stern look the brokered no argument.

“Yes sir,” I nodded.

“Good, now since you say that you’re waking up screaming I assume you’re having a nightmare of some kind and you say you can’t remember them?”

I shake my head in confirmation.

“Could be psychological, I could recommend you to therapist.”

“Already have one I see Princess Sparkle PHD at least once a week, and I’ve already told her about my problem. She sent a letter to Princess Luna but apparently for some reason Luna has been unable to locate my dreams, if I am dreaming, at all.”

“I see,” Dr. Stable mumbled as he used a floating pencil to scratch beneath his chin, “Has there been any change in your lifestyle that may have triggered the lack of sleep?”

“The only thing that’s really changed is the fact I quit drinking,” I replied.

Dr. Stable levitated a clipboard over and began writing on it, “May I ask when you quit and why?”

“Pretty much right after I awoke from my mini coma. After almost replacing all my blood with booze I thought it would be a good idea to stop and give my liver a break.”

“A wise decision, now that’s the only change in your lifestyle?”

I nodded my head.

Dr. Stable scratched his chin with his pencil again, “Well it is a good thing that you have stopped drinking so much and I really don’t see how that would affect your sleeping habits at least not for this long, but if you want to try having a small nightcap before going to bed just to see if it helps I don’t see the problem. Just a small one I remind you.”

“Okay Doc.”

“And I’m still going to give you the pills just in case it doesn’t work,” He said tearing off a piece of paper on his clip board and floating it to me, “Now I’m sure I don’t have to tell you to not take these pills while drinking?”

“Yes Mom I know,” I sarcastically replied as I grabbed the paper with my mouth.

Dr. Stable rolled his eyes, “Are you sure you’re not Scootaloo’s father? You both do have the same personality at times,” he smirked at me.

I just ignored him as I walked out of the exam room and back where Nurse Redheart station was. She grasped the paper in her magic and wafted it over to her. She nodded as she read and grabbed a bottle of pills from somewhere behind her and floated them to me. I was able to stuff them between my wings so I wouldn’t lose them.

“Now Dr. Stable would like to see you in a week to make sure how you’re doing, okay?”

“That’s fine,” I replied.

She smile, “Okay will see you a week from today and feel free to come in if you need to see him sooner than that. Have a good day Mr. Jones.”

“I’ll try I replied as walk out of the hospital into the mid afternoon sun. I inhaled a good dose of the fresh air as I left the hospital and I let a small smile develop on my face. “I may look like shit, but hey at least it’s a nice day out,” I muttered to myself as I walked to the park.

I walked through the Ponyville Park that was located just off the market district. Several ponies had greeted me on my way to the park, just wanting to know how I was and to thank me for saving them from Surprise a month back. I’d been in this town for almost four months now and I would have to admit that it grown on me. I smiled and waved back and made small talk those who approached, thankfully nopony asked about my current disheveled appearance, but I’ve been told by Rainbow that such things aren’t uncommon in this town especially since Twilight moved here.

As I mused to myself I caught sight of a pony that I have been lucky enough to call my friend leaning with her back against a tree reading a book.

“Hey Octavia,” I said as I reached the earth pony but she seemed to not have heard me. I tilted my head and took her in. Her face was flushed and noticed that her tail was flicking underneath her every now and then. I looked to her the book she was reading and a smirk developed on my face.

The book was titled, “The Baker, The Time Traveler, and The Dinner Guest,” the cover of the book was of a silhouette of a pegasus mare and an earth pony stallion sitting at a table across from each other with their hooves on the knee of a pegasus stallion that sat between them. Underneath the picture was the authors name Steely D. Wing.

I continued to smirk down on here and silently reminded myself that I owed Ditzy and Time Turner a thank you drink for giving me permission to use our little night together for the basis of my book, and also to give something to Twilight for helping me find a publisher.

It appeared that Octavia still hadn’t noticed me standing right next to her. So I leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Looking for ways to spice up your and Vinyl’s life? I’m sure Rainbow and I would be happy to help. “Octavia shrieked in surprise and her book went flying from her hooves hitting me in the muzzle.

I rubbed my muzzle as Octavia glared at me as she slowly got her heart back under control, “That was not funny,” she growled.

“I beg to differ,” I chuckled as I stopped rubbing my muzzle and stuck my tongue out at her.

“You can be as childish as Vinyl sometimes you know that?” she said continuing to glare at me, “and just so you know I normally don’t read books like that, but Vinyl kept going on about it and it’s not often that Vinyl gets so absorbed in a book.”

“Sure, Sure,” I said nodding my head and smirking at her.

Octavia sighed, “How do you know what that book is anyway?” she asked as soon as the though occurred to her.

I handed the book back to her as I answered, “Liquor isn’t my only interest you know I also dabble in writing so I try to keep my ears open to any new interesting books that have come out,” I lied.

“Well your Cutiemark is not just a sniffer of brandy but of also an ink quill so I guess that makes sense, and it’s good to know that booze isn’t you’re only passion in life,” she joked smirking at me to just show that she was just giving me a hard time.

I just smiled back in return. Twilight, Rainbow, Ditzy, and Turner were the only two that knew that I had written the book, and although I was sure that Octavia and the rest of my friends wouldn’t care that I was writing erotica, I just wasn’t sure how the rest of the town would take it so I decided to use a pen name, and I would have to admit it was good to be writing again since I really haven’t done any since my arrival in this world, although it did take me awhile on figuring out how to write with hooves.

Octavia cleared her throat and brought my attention back to her, “Sorry Octavia was in my own little world. You say something?”

“I was just wondering if you were okay. You’re looking a little,” she paused to look for the least insulting word, “worse for wear then you normally do.”

I sighed, “Yeah I’ve just been having some trouble sleeping lately, nothing you need to worry yourself about,” I said giving Octavia a reassuring tired smile.

“Rainbow keeping you up at night?” she asked smiling at me in a teasing matter.

I blushed, “…no,” I stammered caught off guard and embarrassed, “We’ve been taking it slow.”

Octavia grinned at me and started to give me bedroom eyes, “Are you now? But yet you just proposition me with a possible foursome? I wouldn’t call that taking it slow Osaka,” she said taking a step closer to me.

“I uhh,” I took a step back, “I was just teasing you Octi. I wasn’t serious, at least you know without talking to Rainbow first,” I stammered.

“So you need to ask Rainbow before you do anything then?” Octavia said continuing to advance upon me blocking me into a corner against a tree.

I swallowed as Octavia’s muzzled got closer to my own. So close that I could smell the coffee that she had drank this morning. “I need an adult,” I suddenly blurted out.

“We’re both adults here Osaka,” She said closing her eyes and inching her lips closer to mine.

I closed my eyes and quietly accepted my fate as I silently prayed that Rainbow wasn’t currently flying above me or that Scootaloo wasn’t currently hiding behind a tree watching me.

Octavia’s sudden bolt of laughter caused me to open my eyes, “Oh please Osaka, as if I would do something like that,” she snickered behind a hoof, “At least not in public. Vinyl on the other hoof is another story,” she added at the end.

“I still think I need an adult,” I groaned.

“Well maybe now you’ll think twice before startling a poor mare that’s in the middle of reading a book,” she said smirking at me.

“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” I sighed, “I’m sorry for startling you Octavia.

“Apology accepted Osaka,” she smiled briefly before giving me a concerned look, “now I suggest you go home and get some sleep, or do I need to tell Rainbow Dash that you were propositioning mares at the park?”

“You’re an evil pony you know that?”

“Oh I’m quite aware Osaka,” she grinned.

I rolled my eyes, “I’ll be heading off to take a nap here soon. I just need to check on Scootaloo and Lyra real quick. They should be somewhere around here with the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.”

“Is Lyra still living with you guys?”

“Yeah, Rainbow and I felt sorry for her so we’re letting her crash on the floor till she finds a new place.”

“That’s nice of you, but if I may ask, how does she exactly get up and down from Rainbow’s house? And for that matter how does Scootaloo get up and down from there herself?”

“Well Lyra just teleports and we have an enchanted cloud floating around the place that Scootaloo can summon if she needs to get up or down from the house.”

“Really? I always just assumed Rainbow just flew her back and forth.”

“That would be kind of dumb don’t you think? I mean even before I started living there Rainbow is usually still at work when Scootaloo gets off from school, so she would of ended up waiting for hours for Rainbow to get off just to go home.”

Octavia scratched her chin in thought, “You’re quit right,” she shrugged, “It was just something I was always curious about.”

“It’s all good,” I chuckled, “I’ll be honest I didn’t even know about the cloud myself till probably two weeks after I moved in.”

“How’s that even possible?”

“Hey sometimes I’m not the most observant pony around,” I pouted.

“Obviously,” she giggled, “Now come on I’ll help you look for Lyra and Scootaloo,” she said putting her book in her saddle bag that was leaning against the tree. She slipped her bag on and started to trot away, “I do recall hearing some fillies laughing over here not too long ago.”

“Thanks Octavia,” I said trotting after her.

It wasn’t long before Octavia and I encountered our pray. Lyra was lying in the grass with a newspaper in front of her and a pen grasped in her magic. The Cuie Mark Crusaders were sitting around her in a circle.

“Applossa Fried Fritters is a hiring,” Apple Bloom said pointing to a spot on the newspaper.

“I’m not going to work for Applossa Fried Fritters Apple Bloom,” Lyra lightly growled.

“Why not? They offer a full dental plan, health insurance, and offer a 401k.”

“Doesn’t your family own Applosa Fried Fritters?” Scootaloo asked.

“Yes, but that’s beside the point. It’s a good place to work.”

“Plus their fritters are delicious,” Sweetie Belle added licking her lips.

“That’s because of our special blend of seven herbs and spices.”

Scootaloo shrugged, “I prefer Popeyes Fried Fritters myself.”

Apple Bloom glowered at her friend but her anger was interrupted by Lyra clearing her throat. “I appreciate you girls help but my special talent is music not frying food so let’s continue to look for jobs that involves that,” she said bringing her attention back to the help wanted ads.

“But there aren’t any Miss Heartstring,” Sweetie said.

Lyra sighed, “Yeah I’ve notice,” she groaned,” Looks my only options right now are to loan my harp talent to parties and playing on the street for bits and I really don’t want to do that again.

“Again?” asked Scootaloo.

“I did a lot of busking back in my college days. Also did it for a while after school back when I was first getting started. It’s actually how a met Bon Bon,” she said with a sad smile.

“Are you okay Miss Heartstrings?” Apple Bloom asked.

Lyra sniffed, “Yeah I’m okay. Let’s get back to work, you three aren’t going get cutie marks in career consoling by us just talking.”

“She’s right girls,” Scootaloo said before all three shouted, “Cutie Mark Crusaders Career Consolers,” Making Lyra visibly wince from the noise.

“Cutie Mark Career Counselors?” I said as Octavia and I got close to them.

Lyra’s ears perked up from my voice and she turned her head to look at Octavia and I over her shoulder, “Yeah, when I told them that couldn’t join them in a game of tag because I was looking for a job they asked if they could help. I thought why not,” she said shrugging at the end.

“I’m glad you’re looking for a job Lyra but the girls are right there is no shame in taking a job that doesn’t involve music while you wait for something else to open up,” Octavia said.

Lyra said something in reply but I tuned it out as Scootaloo approached me. “You went to the doctor right?” she asked giving me a stern look.

“Yes Scootaloo I went to the Doctor.”

“What did he say,” Scootaloo hesitantly asked with her head to the side not looking at me.

“He said I need to get some sleep so he gave me a bottle of magic pills to help me do that. He also said that I’m lucky to have two loving ponies looking after me but they really need to stop worrying so much,” I said sticking my tongue out at her at the end.

“Well maybe if you took better care of yourself Rainbow Dash and I wouldn’t have to worry so much,” she deadpanned.

“I know how to take care of myself,” I winced.

“It took us a month of nagging you before you went to the doctor.”

“Point taken,” I sighed.

“You are going to go home and try to get some sleep aren’t you?”

I rolled my eyes at, “Yes Scoots, I just came by to make sure you and Lyra were okay.”

Scootaloo inched close and gave my foreleg a hug, “Yes we’re fine. I’m more worried about you.”

“I know Scoots, “I leaned down and returned the hug, “I just need some sleep that’s all.” I looked up and saw that Octavia and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders were in the middle of trying to explain to Lyra that shouldn’t feel like a loser for choosing a job outside her talent. I smirked at the sight, “You tell everypony I said bye. I’m going to head on home.” I leaned down and nuzzled Scootaloo’s head real quick before turning away and taking off.

A few minutes later I landed on Rainbow’s porch and cantered my way inside. I collapsed on the couch. I slid the small pill bottle the Dr. Stable gave me out between the feathers I secured it in and read the label.

Neighquil

“I kind of don’t want to take this just out of spit for that name,” I mutterd to myself.

Take two pills with water for a good eight to nine hours of sleep.
I looked at the clock that Rainbow kept on the living room wall and saw that it was only a little past two thirty in the afternoon. “I’m not really wanting to wake up around ten or eleven at night,” I bit my lip in thought. My head turned to the closet that I kept my personal keg of bourbon in. “I haven’t had a drink since that whole mess with Surprise,” I took a deep breath and let t out, “ Dr. Stable said that having a small drink before sleep could help,” I said to myself as got up and walked to the kitchen. A second later I opened the closet door with a small snifter in my grasp.

The sound of somepony entering the house woke me from my light slumber. I cracked an eye open and watched as Rainbow silently closed the door behind her. She looked over at me and noticed my open eye, “Sorry,” she squeaked, “I was trying not to wake you.”

“It’s all good,” I yawned as I stretched my legs, “Was only trying to get a little shut eye. What time is it?”

“Little after five.”

“Scoots home yet?”

“No, but I saw her and Lyra heading this way when I was flying overhead. So they should be back soon,” she said sitting down on the floor in front of me. She gave me a stern stare, “You go see Dr. Stable?”

“Yes Rainbow I did.”

Rainbow sighed and smiled, “Good, you know I don’t like hassling you to go see the doctor Osaka. I’m just worried, also doesn’t help that you can be so stubborn sometimes.”

“But that’s why you love me.”

“Love,” she chuckled, “I’m just trying to make sure my boy toy remains healthy.”

“I knew you were just with me for my looks,” I pouted.

Rainbow and I both laughed at each other but our merry making was cut short by Rainbow breaking out in a massive yawn.

“Tired?”

“Yeah,” she smacked her lips, “We’re due for a few days of rain the next few days so I had to fly around town making clouds. Boy I am beat,” she continued eyeing me still sprawled out on the couch. “In fact,” she said beating her wings taking to the air, “I could use a nap,” she finished landing on top of me. I grunted from the sudden weight. “Hush you, and stay still,” she laid herself on top of me getting comfortable, “Ahh, much better,” she said resting her head in the crook of my neck.

“Comfy?”

“Mhmm,” she nodded snuggling in deeper, “You make a pretty good mattress.”

“You know Scoots and Lyra will be home soon?”

“Oh? You embarrassed to be seen like this?” she said lifting her head up so she could look into my eyes.

“I’m more embarrassed about them seeing something else.”

“Ohh?” Rainbow smirked, “Is that what I’m feeling down there? I just thought I had a twig stuck to my coat that I didn’t know about.”

“Twig? I like to think it’s bigger than a twig, and for your information it’s not even half-mast yet.”

“It isn’t?” she said with fake surprise, “Then maybe we should go to my bedroom and fix that,” she finished with a sultry look before diving in for a kiss.

“You know if we’re interrupting me and the kid can go around the block a few times?” Lyra said from behind us.

Rainbow and I both jolted straight up from the sudden interruption taking to the air and hitting our heads on the cloud ceiling and falling onto the floor in a tangle of limbs.

“Hey squirt how was school?” Rainbow asked from her position underneath me.

Scootaloo shrugged, “Was alright, got an A on my spelling test.”

“That’s my girl,” Rainbow praised pulling herself out from underneath me, since I was too dazed from trying to figure out what just happened. “So I’m thinking pizza for dinner; that cool?”

Lyra and Scootaloo both answered with a, “Yeah!” I just groaned on the floor.

Rainbow leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Oh stop your groaning I’ll make it up to you, okay?”

I groaned in acknowledgement

Rainbow acknowledged my groan by kicking me in my side as she walked off to the kitchen.

“Sorry for interrupting Osaka,” Scootaloo meekly squeaked.

“It’s all good Scoots,” I said standing up, “You didn’t interrupt anything.” I reached over and rubbed her head earning me a giggle and a smile from her, “Why don’t you run up to your room and play, call you when the pizza is here.”

Scootaloo nodded and gave me a quick hug before bounding up the stairs. I watched her round the corner into her room. I turned and saw Lyra Gazing at me with a big goofy grin, “What?” I asked.

“You three are so cute together!” she beamed.

“Three?”

“You, Scootaloo, and Rainbow, duh,” she answered.

“Well I knew I was cute but I wasn’t so sure about those two. Good to know they’re not holding me back.”

Lyra rolled her eyes, “You’re not as funny as you think. You know that right?”

“Says you,” I replied sticking my tongue out at her.

Lyra snorted at my childish antics before regarding me with a curious look, “You know there’s something I’ve been wondering Osaka.”

“About?”

“You’re not originally a pony right?”

I tilted my head and kept my eyes on Lyra as I sat down back onto the couch, “Yeah, but you already know that.”

“I know, it’s just that everypony pretty much believes you now and I-“

“I wouldn’t say everypony,” I interrupted, “Rainbow and Scootaloo believe me, Twilight kind of does but she still wants proof before she admits that I’m from another world. As for the other girls I don’t know what they believe and Vinyl and Octavia think I just imagined the whole other life during a very long bender.”

Lyra rolled her eyes and sighed, “Osaka I’m just trying to figure out why you’re not trying to find a way back home?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean you show up in our world and almost immediately start up a new life here. You convince the Apple Family to start up a new distillery, you publish a book.”

“How do you know about that?”

“I live with you dude I saw you writing it, my point is why haven’t you been trying to find a way back?”

“Why would I?”

“Huh?”

I sighed and leaned back into the couch, “I really didn’t have much there besides an empty house Lyra,” I said avoiding eye contact.

“What about your friends and family?”

“My family is gone Lyra, and as for my friends. Well let’s just say you can’t really still call them friends after you keep refusing to see them.”

“What do you mean your family is gone?”

“I don’t really want to talk about it, Lyra,” I said with a little too much force.

Lyra took a step back and her ears went flat, “I’m sorry Osaka I didn’t mean to pry. I was just-”

“It’s okay Lyra,” I interrupted, “I didn’t mean to snap…It’s…It’s just something I don’t like talking about.”

“It’s okay Osaka,” Lyra swallowed, “You know if yo-”

“Hey Lyra,” Rainbow interrupted walking back into the room from the kitchen, “Can you teleport down to It’z Amore’s and pick up our order? Apparently their delivery pony is sick so they’re only doing carryout.”

Lyra looked at Rainbow and opened her mouth as if to say something but stopped. She looked back to me and then back to Rainbow before closing her mouth and gave us a smile. “Sure I’ll be back in a jiffy,” she said for teleporting away with a pop.

“You alright,” Rainbow asked plopping down beside me on the couch.

“Yeah,” I sighed leaning into her side, “I really didn’t mean to snap at her.”

“I know Osaka,” she said wrapping a wing around me, “But would it be bad for her to know the truth?”

I sat there in silence.

“Osaka?”

“No,” I finally said, “I just don’t like talking about. I rather just pretend it never happened.”

“You know you can’t really do that.”

“That’s the only good thing about my world,” I darkly chuckled, “If you just want to drink and forget the past no one can really stop you.”

“Speaking of drinking, don’t think I didn’t notice the taste of liquor when I kissed you earlier.”

I gulped, “I can explain that.”

“Oh relax Osaka,” she rolled her eyes, “I’m not a slave driver. If you want to have a drink you can have one. Just you know take it easy,” she meekly finished.

“I will don’t worry. The Dr. Stable told me to try having a drink before taking a nap to see if it would relax me. It seemed to work.”

“How long did you sleep for?”

“Roughly two and a half hours I guess.”

“Did he give you anything to help you sleep?”

“Yeah he gave me some pills that I’ll try out tonight.”

“Good,” she said snuggling into my side.

We both sat there enjoying the silence and our shared warmth as we waited for Lyra to return with our pizza, “Isn’t it the stallion that’s supposed to have the mare wrapped up in his wing and not the other way around?” I chuckled.

“I thought you liked being the little spoon every now and then?” she smirked.

“True, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like being the big spoon more,” I said smirking back.

Rainbow gave a lustful gaze which I immediately returned and ruined by letting out a yawn in front of her face.

Rainbow giggled and retracted her wing, “Maybe once you finally get a goodnights rest I’ll see if you’re bluffing or not Mr. Take it Slow,” she laughed.

“You’ll be taking it slow up your ass,” I remarked.

“According to your book you’re the one who likes to take it slow up the ass,” She countered as Lyra popped back into the room with our pizza in tow.

“I apparently picked a good time to come back,” she quipped having heard the last bit of what Rainbow said as she entered.

“Hey Lyra have you read Osaka’s book yet?”

“Not yet,” Lyra replied while levitating the pizza’s into the kitchen, “Vinyl and Octavia have told me it’s pretty good though, I asked if I could borrow it once Octavia is done.”

“Who knew that smut was a good seller in this world,” I muttered.

“What was that Osaka?”

“Nothing Rainbow, Hey Scootaloo pizza’s here,” I shouted up the stairs.

“Oh yeah I almost forgot,” Lyra said levitating two envelopes I could only assume were on top of the pizza box when she entered. She gave one to me and one to Rainbow, “I found these in the mailbox.”

I took the envelope and read the letter within,

“Dear Osaka Shanghai Twist Jones,
I Lord Fancy Pants humbly invite you to be one of my personal guests to this year’s Grand Galloping Gala which is to be hold on this day in two weeks’ time at Cantorlot Castle.
I look forward to seeing you.

-Lord Fancy Pants

P.S. I would also like to order two barrels of your Reserve Whiskey enclosed is a check for the order and a little extra for the shipping.”

Comments

[Ranakastrasz]

:D

Always glad to see a good story updating.

Makes me want to reread the whole thing again.