the airplane

[instar]

Bella, Andi, and Robin all get on the plane. Bella and Robin have toothbrush caps in their pockets containing flies. Nothing in particular happens when they go through security. They fly for an hour, and then Bella, rather than risk crunch time due to turbulence or a line for the bathroom a little later on, gets up to take Trouble into privacy for demorphing and remorphing.

She takes the toothbrush cap out of her pocket and sets it on the tiny little counter, and then flattens herself against a wall to give him room.

Comments

[hold_infinity]

"Oh, whatever's going," she says amiably. "As long as there's no anchovies."

[sundayfish]

Two large with pepperoni, one with onions, it is then.

[instar]

Over pizza, Bella says, "So Dad, we accidentally got Robin all enthusiastic about the national park and she wants to go. I have a nasty bruise on my ankle and want to walk even less than usually but I think it'll be all cleared up by like Tuesday, can you take off Tuesday do you think?"

[sundayfish]

"Sure," says Charlie, glancing at Robin. "Long as it's only for the morning. Got some things to do in the early afternoon."

[pandion]

"We can pack lunches and have a picnic in the woods and then go home," suggests Andi.

[hold_infinity]

"I am all in favour of picnics," says Robin.

[sundayfish]

"Sure," shrugs Charlie. "Picnic in the woods. You need a ride to the grocery store for," he waves a hand and says vaguely, "picnic things, between now and then?"

[instar]

"That'd be great, yeah."

[hold_infinity]

"Picnic things," giggles Robin.

[instar]

"Sure, sandwiches and little tubs of cut-up melon and stuff," shrugs Bella.

[pandion]

"And those sugar cookies they have at the store here, I always miss those when we go back to Arizona."

[sundayfish]

"No problem. Tomorrow evening groceries."

[hold_infinity]

"Ooh, tell me more about sugar cookies," says Robin to Andi.

[pandion]

"They're soooooo soft," says Andi, "and they have sprinkles in them, and I don't know what they even do to them because there's nothing special in the ingredient list but they're better here than anyplace else."

[hold_infinity]

"I'll have to try some," says Robin.

[pandion]

"We'll get a bunch."

[hold_infinity]

"Good plan."

[pandion]

Dinner concludes, Andi freezes the extra pizza in plastic bags, explains that Robin's going to crash in the twins' room "like it's a sleepover", and then starts channel-flipping to kill the evening.

[instar]

Bella goes upstairs. There's probably going to be writing.

[hold_infinity]

There probably is.



Robin turns out to be unfeignedly enthusiastic about Andi's sugar cookies.

[pandion]

They are damn good sugar cookies! Andi makes sure to save some for the picnic, though.

(They're going to be hanging out there for longer than Charlie expects.)

[hold_infinity]

Robin reluctantly refrains from eating all of the cookies. (It's a good thing they got lots.)

[instar]

Bella writes a lot. She passes the boys bread and whatever more substantial food she thinks she can sneak. And she informs them when they're going to leave for the park. They should go ahead of the Swans - traveling as flies in the car leaves too much risk of travel delay, but they'll be able to catch the family where they park. (Maps are deployed.)

[aeskhyne]

The boys are very grateful for the snuck food, and they successfully follow the group to the park parking.

[instar]

And off goes the Swan family into the park. Bella does her very best not to fall over too much so they can make decent headway into the woods.

They have a picnic.