Everything was going along very well, until about the second room in, when things began to get damp.  It was warm in there, and Muse Sisters looked as though they might faint or swoon in their long robes.  MysticOnyx Mage was doing a very good job of leading them, and explaining everything along the way.  MysticElestial Mage looked very amazed and almost star struck at the beauty surrounding him.

Everyone was concentrating on the words of the Eternal Pan… and no one seemed to notice as Muse Thalia tentatively touched the beautiful Pan…. and got the message, “Get”.  The next moment, Onyx was leading them into another room, where each one found themselves alone, alone with another talking Eternal Pan.  Interestingly, Muse Thalia had two talking Pans in that Meadow, and found she was obliged to put one in her pocket to continue.  She whispered to her Sister and her Mage friends, “I have a talking Pan in my pocket!”, thinking that they too must be going through a similar experience.

 It was a little frightening for the Muse Sisters to find themselves alone in the Pan meadows, but whispering to each other in the magical ESP was reassuring.  Onyx was busy helping everyone, and whispering words of encouragement.  Eles seemed to be thoroughly enjoying this dreamlike trip.  He did long to see his Muse friends again; it was hard for them to be separated during this Outing, and he sensed that they were a little afraid.  He was worried in particular about Muse Thalia.  Her last ESP sounded a bit hysterical.

At last Eles and his Muse friends were re-united in the Pan Meadows of Meditation Park.  There they patiently waited for Onyx to finish leading everyone safely outside.  As they waited, Muse Euterpe became aware that she was being ESP’d by the Eternal Pan… and it seemed to be coming from her Sister’s pocket!  Eut turned to Thalia and asked her, “Sister, what do you have in your pocket?”  “Oh, just this”, said Thalia, and pulled out Eternal Pan.  Well part of him.  His head seemed to have been left behind.  However that did not impede his ability to talk!

As soon as she pulled him out of her pocket, Eternal Pan began to speak again, speaking of his lost and stolen love.  She gazed at him fondly, and said, “He’s very lovely to look upon, but he does talk rather a lot!  Where’s yours?” she asked her Sister.

“Mine??”  Euterpe was astounded.  “But I haven’t got one!”  She paused a moment.  “Sister!”  She exclaimed.  “Do you realize that what you’ve been carrying about in your pocket is one of the most important pieces of the story?”  Euterpe whispered to Onyx, and sure enough, Onyx confirmed that only a Pan head was left in the Damp Cave, and it was not speaking!  Who knew that Pans speak from their bodies and not their heads?!  All very puzzling and fascinating thought Onyx.

Their light-hearted excursion to assist the Pans was now approaching a disaster!  Thalia started to run with the Pan, determined to get it to a quiet place where she could get a look at him.  She was afraid to show him to anyone else, afraid that they would want a Pan too!  She rushed to her favorite quiet area of her Garden, Alayne’s Patio, where she dropped the headless Eternally talking Pan into a chair.

The Mages and her sister Euterpe were right behind her.  “There!”  Cried Thalia.  “There he is!  Look at him!  He won’t stop talking now, and he’s got no head… and I’m frightened!”  Euterpe comforted her frightened Sister while Eles and Onyx discussed the possibilities.  “He must go back to his Cave,” said Onyx.  “Right.” said Eles.  “But will he want to go?  He seems attached to Thalia.”

And it was true.  There certainly seemed to be a bond between Muse and headless Pan.  Frightened though she was, Thalia was gazing at him and murmuring, “my pan.”  “Thalia!  Snap out of it!”  Commanded Euterpe.  “Oh Sister,” said Thalia eagerly, “Do you think Mother will let me keep it?”   Everyone turned to stare at the smitten Muse.  A moment of shocked silence followed.  “Thalia, not only do I not think Mother will allow you to ‘keep it’, but she will most likely curtail our walking activities if she finds out!  Besides, he’s not yours!  He’s GOT to get back to the Quest clues!  He’s essential!”

 Thalia was glum, but she knew it was true.  She was actually fairly horrified that she’d picked up this headless chatty Pan by mistake, and now wasn’t sure what to do with him.  The Mages conferred, and then Onyx contacted the Oracles.  Oracle Trashka responded very quickly, and arrived in time to see Eternal Pan start his talk all over again.

Seeing him reclined, headless in a chair, talking away in the Muse Gardens, seemed to render the good Oracle speechless, and all she could do was laugh for several minutes.  The Mages and the Muses were relieved that Oracle Trashka was not angry over the misplaced Pan.  Trashka told them it was the best laugh she’d had all week, and with that she picked up the talking Pan, waved him good-bye to Thalia, and went off to return him to his Damp Cave.

A fit of giggles and chuckles, yes even guffaws and chortles now struck our Robed friends, and they laughed and laughed for the longest time at their misadventure.  “Oh dear Morpheus,” laughed Thalia, “I cannot believe what I just did!”  “Yes, Sister,” said Euterpe.  “This was a great deal worse than wanting to bring the ATM home with us from V-Mart.”

“Ladies, we have to return to the Jungle,” said Onyx.  “We enjoyed ourselves very much.”  “Oho yes,” said Eles.  “I will always remember the Case of the Purloined Pan with a hearty laugh!”