[Puzzle 012]

[hisapprentice]

[For some unfathomable reason, in all the stories Luke knows about fishermen, they go out at the crack of dawn to catch fish. That's not for him, no sir! He meanders along the river headed south to the lake at a decent hour, just after breakfast, intending to bring a gift to a dragon or two living in the village. It's cold but he doesn't seem to mind, bundled up and with a spring in his step. A few hours later, he returns bearing the scaly treats in a bucket, off to locate Hiccup and Astrid and their terrifying but awesome dragons.

That afternoon he works in the stables. After what feels like plenty of cleaning up and conversation, he realizes he might have a quiet moment alone and looks around. Nobody here. Good.

The boy completely forgets he left the journal open on a nearby stool, and so it records: Luke Triton, a little dirty and rough around the edges, turning with determined steps and pointing hard at...nothings.]

Aha! It's you! [Step, raise hand, point!] It's you! The guilty party... [Oh, he can almost hear the swish of authority as he turns and points at the book.] is you! Ha- ...Wait a minute... [Footsteps on dirt and straw draw closer, and then-]...Oh no!

Comments

[fourteen]

It sure sounded important! Is everything okay?

[hisapprentice]

Of course. Everything's fine. Just, uhm, forget about all of that.

[fourteen]

.... wait, does that mean you weren't actually talking to anyone?

[hisapprentice]

[Apprehensive sigh.]

Yeah, that's what it means. I wasn't even talking to the horses.

[fourteen]

.... were you practicing for something? [ Starting to catch on. ]

[hisapprentice]

[He groans just a bit.] Look, is there a way to go and erase stuff like this?

[fourteen]

I guess you could put a filter on it... that's the only thing I can think of, though! [ She laughs quietly. ] Sorry. I didn't realize I was intruding on something!

[hisapprentice]

You weren't! I just have to be more- ['careful', but he wasn't doing anything bad.] Um. Pay more attention, I guess.

[fourteen]

Don't feel bad. The journals do this to everybody! Can I ask what you were practicing for? [ Her tone is sweet. She's genuinely not making fun of him, if it helps his embarrassment at all. ]

[hisapprentice]

For...for when I solve puzzles.

[fourteen]

You solve puzzles? [ Curious. ] What sort of puzzles?

[hisapprentice]

All sorts of puzzles. [You asked for it, Xion.] A true gentleman leaves no puzzle unsolved!

[fourteen]

[ She doesn't mind. ]

Hehehe. That sounds fun! So does that make you a true gentleman? Could I maybe see some of the puzzles you solve?

[hisapprentice]

It makes me an apprentice to a true gentleman.

[She wants a puzzle shewantsapuzzle!] Of course! I can start with an easy one if you're not familiar with many puzzles.

[fourteen]

Um, sure! I don't do them very often... [ Eh heh. ] But maybe I can change that starting now!

[hisapprentice]

Well this is a pretty easy one, and you can use a pen and paper if you want.

"Once upon a time a farmer went to market and purchased a fox, a goose, and a bag of beans. On his way home, the farmer came to the bank of a river and rented a boat. But in crossing the river by boat, the farmer could carry only himself and a single one of his purchases - the fox, the goose, or the bag of beans.

If left alone, the fox would eat the goose, and the goose would eat the beans.

The farmer's challenge was to carry himself and his purchases to the far bank of the river, leaving each purchase intact. How did he do it?"