Stick
Eater
Ever
since Phoney Bone claimed he was a dragon slayer, he was the town's
people's favorite and he was on his way for winning the bet. A hooded
figure rests in the Barrelhaven tavern who the villagers call a
Stick-Eater. When Smiley comes to get receive payment from the
stranger, Lucius advises him not to and gives the pilgrim his share
on his behalf. Wendell didn't believe it was wise to provide the
stick-eater a meal claiming they were in cahoots with the dragons,
when Lucius asked if he had any problem with it, Wendell answered no,
but he would receive his beers from Smiley from now on.
Business
Fone
Bone, Thorn, and Gran'ma Ben continue their trek to Barrelhaven. Upon
reaching an overlook of the village, Fone Bone remarks that the
Barrelhaven looks peaceful, to which Gran'ma Ben warns that "looks
can be decieving."
At
the tavern, dragons are on the villagers' minds. When approached by
Lucius with an offer of another round, Wendell and Euclid refuse, but
immediately accept an offer from Smiley, as do other patrons. Lucius
becomes infuriated at the town's obsession, and Phoney and Smiley
muse over their plans, with Phoney admitting he has no plans to slay
a dragon, as they aren't really dangerous. When Jonathan Oaks orders
from their end of the bar, Lucius confronts Phoney in the pantry. To
Phoney's protests, he plans to call off the bet, as he doesn't find
it worth riling up a mob, and because Phoney is disrespecting the
Dragons' wishes to remain hidden. Phoney challenges Lucius to tell
the villagers the truth, but leaves him fuming when he makes no
action to do so.
In
the woods, Gran'ma suffers an attack of the Gitchy Feeling. The trio
is ambushed by one of the Two Stupid Rat creatures.
Earth
and Sky
The
Two Stupid Rat Creatures bicker over whether to bake Fone Bone,
Thorn, and Gran'ma Ben in a quiche, or make stew from their bones.
They are interrupted by Gran'ma Ben, attacking them with her sword.
They retreat, and Gran'ma gives Thorn her sword, which agitates the
rat creatures. Gran'ma suggests that Thorn may be close to The
Turning. She interrogates one of the Two Stupid Rat Creatures, who
confesses that they have been ordered to evacuate the valley, but is
interrupted by Kingdok, who knocks out Thorn and Fone Bone, and
attacks Gran'ma Ben. Fone Bone comes to, and calls for the Dragon's
help.
Smiley
hears Fone Bone's faint calling, but Phoney has another problem - the
customers are nursing their beers. The pair suggest various
possibilities, and Smiley mentions the Midsummer's Day Picnic, which
Lucius kept secret from Phoney. Smiley and Wendell both hear Fone
Bone calling, and a search party goes out to find them in the woods.
Wendell and Euclid find blood all over the ground and trees.
Kingdok
continues to throw Gran'ma Ben through the woods, hitting her against
a tree and discussing how much he hates the Flat-Landers. As he is
about to kill her, Thorn ambushes Kingdok and slices off his arm with
Gran'ma's sword. He suffers an attack of the Gitchy Feeling, and
hallucinates Gran'ma and thorn as queen and princess respectively. He
cries out, and the Two Stupid Rat Creatures escort him off into the
night. Fone Bone finds Gran'ma Ben and Thorn, and dress Gran'ma's
wounds as she warns Thorn that the Lord of the Locusts is seeking
her.
Council
in the Dark
In
the woods, Kingdok has collapsed and the Two Stupid Rat Creatures are
in a panic. they try to stop the bleeding and one blames the other
for attacking the trio. They realize what the Hooded One will do to
them if Kingdok dies, but soon realize that he is the only one who
knows they disobeyed the evacuation order, and if he dies the Hooded
One will blame Thorn and Gran'ma Ben. They agree to flee and go into
hiding, and they abandon Kingdok in the forest.
Thorn
bandages Gran'ma Ben, who explains that Thorn is a Veni-Yan-Cari who
can walk between the Realms of the Awaken and Dreaming. Fone Bone
volunteers to defend Thorn, and Gran'ma Ben suggests that the Hooded
One may be a rogue Disciple of Venu - an ancient religion that
studies the dreams. She is afraid that the Hooded One will sacrifice
either Thorn or Phoney to free the Lord of the Locusts, and decides
to take Thorn to Atheia. Thorn refuses and lashes out at Gran'ma.
Despite Gran'ma's protests, Thorn storms off into the woods. Gran'ma
gives Fone Bone her sword, and an amulet, and tells him to find Thorn
and warn Lucius about the Lord of the Locusts. Fone Bone races after
Thorn, and Gran'ma Ben runs into the forest.
Fone
Bone gives Thorn the sword, and they reach Barrelhaven - which has
been walled off. Jonathan Oaks explains that Lucius never came back
from his search. Jon refuses to let Fone Bone and Thorn in, under
orders from the new boss - Phoney Bone.
The
Straggler
Once
again, The Hooded One comes before the Locust. She reports that the
men of Pawa have allied themselves with the Locust and the Rat
creatures, that Thorn, the Red Dragon, the Bones, and Gran'ma Ben are
all in Barrelhaven, and that Kingdok was badly wounded, which may
mean Thorn is turning. The Hooded One questions the Locust's plans,
but the Locust assures her that it is her above all else who the
Locust loves. If she frees him, she will never lose him again.
Fone
Bone, Smiley Bone, and Thorn's search party find no trace of Gran'ma
Ben or Lucius, and Phoney invites Fone Bone to dinner. Thorn goes to
sleep in the tower room, watched by the Hooded One. Fone Bone finds
the big room of the bar converted to an extravagant dining hall.
Phoney and Smiley admit their scheme to get out of their debt and
back to Boneville in style, which Fone Bone refuses. He tries to
explain to Phoney the issue with Thorn, but all his attempts are
dismissed. He storms out, leaving Phoney and Smiley to revise their
plan. Fone Bone encounters a baby rat creature, who leans on him,
pinnign him against a tree.
Thorn
dreams she is on a cliff with her grandmother, who enters a sinister
cave. A hooded figure in the image of a young Gran'ma Ben beckons to
her, and attempts to take her hand. She is interrupted by Fone Bone,
who wakes Thorn up. He presents the cub to Thorn, who threatens to
kill it if he doesn't kick it out.
Deliver
us these Laws
Jon
sees Lucius approach the gate, and rouses Phoney and Smiley. The
villagers clear the logs, and ask for word on Gran'ma Ben. Lucius
admits he couldn't find her. Fone Bone pulls Smiley away from the
crowd, and takes him to the stables. Phoney greets Lucius, who is
enraged at the new "security measures." He realizes,
however, that the village supports Phoney, and decides to sleep in
the barn instead of Phoney's offer of the kitchen.
Fone
Bone shows Smiley the cub, whom he takes to immediately, feeding it a
sandwich. Lucius enters the barn and Fone Bone gives him the amulet.
Lucius realizes it's the Nights of Lightning all over again, and Fone
Bone explains why he was yelling the other night. Smiley wonders if
Thorn will allow him to wear the crown.
Wendell
notes that there never was a dragon in Barrelhaven, and that they
shouldn't be the ones trapped behind walls. The villagers agree that
it's time for Phoney to earn his keep.
Lucius,
Fone Bone, and Smiley visit thorn, who breaks down in Lucius's arms.
The
Lord of the Locusts speaks through The Hooded one to the Rat
Creatures and Pawans, and rallies them to take up arms against the
Flat-Landers.
The
Midsummer's Day Plan
Phoney
accuses Wendell of holding out on him, and travels the town taking
taxes from the villagers.
Fone
Bone argues that rat cub must go to the mountains, to be with the
other rat creatures. Smiley suggest that they do it themselves. Thorn
comes in to apologize for her behavior, and announces that she is
returning to the farmhouse. Despite Fone Bone's protests, she leaves
the sword behind and leaves the barn. Fone Bone and Smiley follow
her, but Smiley is distracted by Phoney making a speech about the
morals of the village, and orders the townspeople to bring their
valuables to him. Lucius admits that dragons exist, and Phoney
accuses him of allying himself with them. Phoney announces that all
the valuables will be used as bait to catch and kill a dragon. Lucius
explains to Smiley that the only way to discover dragons for oneself
is to be taught that they are make-believe. Fone Bone returns from
the tavern without Thorn, and wonders to the whereabouts of Gran'ma
Ben.
The
Lord of the Locusts sends the Pawans and rat creatures to destroy
their respective enemies, and sends Kingdok to capture Thorn and the
Bones.
The
Turning
Thorn
leaves a letter for Fone Bone on her dresser and wanders off in
search of the farmhouse. Fone Bone and Smiley jump the wall, and
Smiley runs off with the cub, pursued by Fone Bone. Phoney orders Jon
to get the wagons ready to go to the Dragon's Stair and to search for
Fone Bone and Smiley. He is confronted by Ted, who he tells about his
plan to scam the village. Ted warns Phoney that his thieving days
will catch up to him. He finds the barn empty, with nothing but
Gran'ma's sword. When he leaves, a mysterious hand takes the sword.
Thorn
falls asleep in the forest, and four hooded figures place the sword
in front of her and trigger a dream in which she is approached by the
Great Red Dragon. She looks into a light and sees rat creatures. Then
her grandmother, and then Fone Bone, but will not say if they are
alright. Fed up, Thorn decides to go to her friends, to which the
Dragon notes that she is already awake. She wakes up, and races back
to the village.
Phoney
prepares the cows to move out all the treasure, to the cheers of the
villagers.
On
the Dragon's Stair
The
group reaches the Dragon's Stair, and Phoney orders the terrified
villagers to set up a crude snare while he makes a trail with the
treasure. He is confronted by Ted once more, who admits he wants
Phone out of the valley as much as anybody. The snare triggers, and
Phoney approaches the Great Red Dragon, caught in the trap. The
Dragon admits to seeing the trap, thinking Phoney needed a dragon to
fool the townspeople. The villagers tie the Dragon's head down, and
force a knife into Phoney's hand, threatening to kill him if he
doesn't kill the Dragon. He is interrupted by Thorn, who demands to
know what is happening. She orders Wendell to free the dragon and get
the villagers ready to face the rat creatures. As they are arguing,
one spots fire coming from their town, and mistakes it for the
dragons. A group of rat creatures approach the crowd and Thorn faces
them, accompanied by the four hooded figures who returned her sword.
They push the rat creatures back, and Phoney frees the dragon who
chases them off. Thorn orders the villagers to get their supplies,
and takes off with Phoney to find Lucius back in the burning village.
The shocked villagers prepare for war.
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