The Great High Speed Downhill No Brakes Disintegrating Wagon Ride

…which I survived, tho not unscathed

On The Road With Violet: Fly By Knight

Violet is walking down the road, trying to guess the name of her new traveling companion.

“Katrina?”

The pig gives an negative grunt.

“Kelly? Kim? Lily? Lucy?”

Grunt, grunt, grunt, grunt.

“Well, am I at least close to the right letter?”

The little pig gives an affirmative squeal.

“Hmmm…alright…Lana? Lois? Laverne?”

The pig grunts twice, then makes a sort of strange semi-squeal.

“Ah ha!”, says Violet in a rather triumphant manner, “Does it sound like Laverne?”

The pig squeals and nods.

“Hmmm…how about Lavender?”

Immediately, the pig begins squealing in joy and jumping about.

“Well, Miss Lavender, I’m quite glad to finally know your name. Now, what do you say to having a sit down and a bite to eat by the river’s edge?”

Lavender nods enthusiastically and follows Violet to a spot by the riverside, under a small oak tree. From out of her bag, Violet produces some bread, cheese, jam and a bottle of blueberry soda. Soon, the two friends are snacking away and cooling off from the rising daytime temperature.

As they are finishing up their meal and discussing the merits of a short nap, they hear a man coming up the road, yelling at the top of his lungs.

“Aim for the riverside, Professor! I’ll be there straightaway!”

They then hear a second voice, coming from the sky.

“Righto, Trembly! Do have the first aid kit ready. This looks to be a bit of a rough one!”

Violet and Lavender first look down the road, where they see a young man running for all he is worth in their direction. Then, looking up, they see what looks like a man with huge flapping wings spiraling downward towards a spot near their tree.

Lavender grunts a very puzzled grunt.

“I agree”, Violet replies, “This is most strange. But rather exciting, too, don’t you think?”

Lavender oinks in a way that says she’s not sure how exciting it is, but is certainly is strange.”

Within moments, the flying man crashes to earth. Seconds later, the young man reaches him and helps him out of what looks like some sort of clockwork powered flying suit. He then begins applying ointment and bandages to the older man’s injuries. All the while, the not too badly damaged fellow is speaking enthusiastically about what the view was like and how well things went.

Overcome with curiosity, Violet, followed closely by Lavender, walks over to speak with them.

“Good day, sirs. My name is Violet Thistledown and this is my friend, Lavender. May we ask what it is you’re doing?”

Leaping to his feet, the older man bows and introduces himself.

“My dear young lady, I am Sir Rupert Poppington, Professor of Clockwork Technology. This young fellow is my assistant, Nigel Trembly. As to what we are doing, well, that is nothing more nor less than the conquest of the air!”