Contest Entry (written word)

The sun was setting as the VonBelmontague family entered the gates of the Port of Coimbra. It always seems to be setting when we're here, Richter mused, as he walked down the streets with his cousin Alorra and their newly found friend, Mina the Pirate.

As they entered the plaza, Richter saw there was a commotion, a mob gathering around that drunken sea captain. What was his name, Richter thought? Captain Morgan? Captain Montalban? No, Captain Ricardo.

"We better see what the fuss is about" Richter said to his companions, who nodded in reply. They pushed their way through the crowd.

"What's the problem, captain? A rum shortage?" Richter asked

"Yar! It's the VonBelmontague family!" the old sea captain replied. "Not as dire as that, my friends, but close. The accursed great white whale, Doby Rick, has been spotted nearby! He's on a rampage!"

"But I thought Doby Rick was always hanging around here? That's what the guy with the fish on his back says" Alorra chimed in.

"Yar! 'Tis true that Doby Rick is oft causing trouble at sea, but now the foul beastie has been spotted on land. He's run amok in Coimbra itself!"

"A whale on land?" Richter asked, skepticism undisguised in his voice. "I've heard of them beaching themselves, but then they mostly just flop around and die, not go on a rampage"

"Yar! Doby Rick is no ordinary whale!" Captain Ricardo retorted.

"Well then, where did he rampage? I don't see any signs of destruction" Richter

"It ate all my cabosse, huhhuh!" Lisa Lynway announced with a giggle.

"Well, you do have very nice cabosse." Richter said with a leer. "In fact, I'd like to.." Richter began to elaborate, but was interupted by a punch on the arm by Mina.

"After it ate all your cabosse, where did it go?"

"It headed that way, huhhuh!" Lisa giggled in reply.

Her head must be full of cabosse, Alorra thought.

"Yar! It must be heading back to the sea! We must be quick and get the surly fiend before it gets away." the sea captain cried.

"Okay, let's go"

The group moved quickly towards the port area, the VonMontagues and the Captain in the lead, spyglass in hand. As they moved, the captain sporadically put the glass to his eye to look ahead.

"Yar! I spy white blubber! Thar he is! About to batten poor Satine, the textile crone" the Captain shouted excitedly, pointing to a great white spot in the distance. The group hurried. With a quick casting of Accelerando, the VonBelmontagues sprinted ahead of the pack. I'm surprised that worked, Alorra though, usually I can't go into that stance in towns.

As the VonBelmontague family neared the great white mass, Richter screeched to halt and spun around to face the encroaching mob, the other two quickly stopping and turning around as well.

"Wait a minute! Wait a minute! That is not Doby Rick, or any kind of land whale!" Richter shouted.

"Yar! What is it then, matey? I spy yards of white blubber! It must be Doby Rick, up from the fathoms to wreck his unholy vengeance upon the town!"

"No, no no, that's Andre, the famous fashion designer from Reboldeaux." Alorra explained as the sea captain and the mob approached warily. "Here, come say hello to him." Alorra grabbed Andre by the hand and lead him towrds the crowd.

"Well well well, if it isn't the most marvelous VonBelmontague family!" Andre said with a smile, then began posing.

"Hello Andre!" Alorra said, "What are you doing here in Coimbra?"

"I'm here for the sake of fashion, of course! I couldn't find anyone to bring me the fabulous fabrics from darling Satine here, so I had to bring myself to them."

"See, Captain?" Alorra said. "It's Andre, not Doby Rick."

The captain eyed Andre suspiciously from head to toe, grimacing and now and then using his spyglass for a detailed look.

"Yar! If you aren't Doby Rick, why is your skin all bright white and shiny?" the Captain asked, giving Andre's midsection a poke and watching it roll.

"You admire my outfit? It shows off my magnificent physique, does it not?" Andre announced, oblivious to the case of mistaken cetacean identity.

"Yar! And what about the greasy smell?"

"You mean the exquisite fragrance of my hair oil? It's enchanting is it not? It's from the finest salons of Ilier. "

"Yar! What about eating all of the Lynway wench's cabosse?"

"Dear Panfilo made me an delicious breakfast before I left, but after the long journey, I needed a small repast. And I reimbursed the young lady with coin."

"He did, huhhuh." Lisa giggled.

"Yar! I guess he's not Doby Rick. But I still say he's a land whale." Captain Ricardo stated, disappointment in his voice. He and the crowd began to disperse.

"Well Andre, you certainly do cause quite a fuss when you travel." Richter said, watching the crowd disperse, keeping a close eye on the departing figure of Lisa.

"Of course! I'm idolized by people all over the world."