Page 37 of The Misplaced Warrior

He nodded, standing up, his tail zipping into the air. It was all black, save for the tip which was white.

“You belong to Liv, right?” Gen questioned. “They say you’re a mysterious lynx. What does that mean?”

“No one belongs to anyone,” the animal said. “But I will say that I prefer Liv over all other people, ever. So I guess she’s my person.”

“That’s sweet,” Gen remarked.

Plato twitched his nose, like he didn’t like that description. “And the type of creature I am is a lynx and they call me mysterious because I often appear without warning and disappear much the same way. I know things. I’m sort of an enigma.”

“Right,” Gen said, looking back at the wall of symbols. “A second ago, what did you say?”

“You heard me,” the cat said deliberately.

“You are talking about my father,” Gen stated, turning to face the lynx again. “He never quit looking for me. How do you know that? How old are you?”

“It’s hard to say,” he answered. “And I know things.”

“Well, that’s sweet and I’m sorry if I worried him,” Gen replied, feeling the sentimentality of the moment weigh her down slightly.

“He knows and was very happy to see you come through finally in the twenty-first century. He and Elizabeth like watching you. They are very proud.”

“Oh, you can go to the Land of Chimera?” Gen asked. “Is that what you are?”

He shook his head. “I can go anywhere…”

“I guess I know why people say such strange things about you.”

“What do they say?” he asked, then shook his head. “Never mind. I already know. I always know.”

Gen actually laughed at this, surprised by how weird and wonderful this strange lynx was. “Can you tell me any more about my father and Elizabeth?”

“What do you think?” he asked dryly.

Gen nodded. “Probably not. I heard you only give cryptic information and only when you feel like it, much like Mama Jamba and Papa Creola.”

He nodded. “I dare say, I taught them how to do it right.”

She gave him a curious look, trying to understand exactly what this inconspicuous creature was. “Well, it was nice to meet you. So you just popped up to tell me what? That my father never quit looking for me? That’s sad. I’m sure that was heartbreaking. I’m sorry I made him worry so.”

“You can’t be blamed,” Plato said dismissively. “And things happen. It makes people grow. We can lament on how unfortunate it is or be grateful that things happen for our growth.”

“Did my disappearance help his growth?” Gen questioned. “He’d lost one of his daughters.”

“Some things only grow in darkness,” Plato replied with an edge of mystery to his voice.

Gen simply nodded.

“Also, I came to formally meet you,” Plato continued. “It seems you’ve arrived in this new world creating a lot of problems.”

She sighed. “That’s what I do. I’ve always been like that. It’s like trouble is magnetized to me.”

“Or you’re just willing to point it out when others turn a blind eye to it,” he related. “That must be exhausting.”

She shook her head. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. I might get bored.” Gen laughed at herself.

“You sound like a real Beaufont,” he imparted.

“I am one,” she argued.

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