::fade in:: Kate is in the backyard with Franklin, The Dog. She is staring at him intently while he gnaws on a stick.
K: ::muttering:: Why won’t you talk? C’mon. Say something, Dog.
D: ::walking into backyard:: S’up, guys?
K: ::muttering:: Talk to me, Franklin. Talk to me!!
D: C’mon, Red. You know the dog can’t talk. We’ve discussed this before. Franklin can only bark. And growl. And bark some more.
K: ::pouts:: I know. But after reading FAIREST #15 I got to thinking that maybe, just maybe, Franklin could hold up his end of a conversation. Sean E. Williams wrote that story in such a way that I really wanted a four-legged talking pal.
D: That’s a fairytale, Sweetie. Do we need to have the Real Life vs. Comic Book conversation again? I read this one during lunch, and the start of the newest FAIREST arc is inspiring. This time the spotlight is on the Indian fairytale character Nalayani.
K: ::kicks in the air:: AWW YEAH!! Another kick-ass lady in comics! Nalayani’s village keeps getting sacked by a pack of wild dogs called Dhole. The men are nowhere in sight (of course) because they are out fighting the evils that came with the new Maharaja. They aren’t around to protect the village and Nalayani has to do it because the only people left are the elderly and the children. The Dhole didn’t exactly turn tail when the old man yelled, “Get off my lawn!”
D: That doesn’t work when I yell it either. ::wanders off to do some gardening while wearing black knee-high socks with very white tennis shoes::
K: Come back here, Old Man Malmon. Nalayani shoulders the responsibility of saving her village because she’s a tough chick. She’s RESPONSIBLE. She takes her bow and arrow, and heads off to ask the new Maharaja for help saving her village. And while on this journey she meets…
D: … the talking jackal Tabaqui!
K: That’s some dog.
D: Yeah. Williams does a great job introducing Tabaqui into the story. While Nalayani distrusts the talking jackal (as one does), eventually they become traveling companions and then friends.
K: No spoilers here, but their story ends with me getting a bit misty.
D: ::wipes eyes:: OH HEY EVERYONE LOOKS LIKE IT’S A BIT DUSTY IN HERE I’LL JUST GO OPEN A WINDOW AND HEY LOOK AT THE TIME!
K: That’s my tough guy. And, hey, Tough Guy? We’re already outside.
D: Shut up.
::wipes eyes on back of hand:: Back on point: FAIREST #15 wraps up with Nalayani reaching the Maharaja and pleading her case for help. Along the way we learn what happens with Tabaqui and a big reveal…
K: THAT WON’T BE REVEALED HERE!
D: Williams’ debut on FAIREST guarantees that we’ll be back to find out what happens next month.
K: And maybe Franklin will learn to talk by then.
F: Won’t happen, lady. ::WINK::
