should they? Podiddley was spotless. Furthermore, he was wearing an Asilliwir tailor-made tunic and flare pants of white silk. He was clean from head to toe and smelled like yellow roses. Twirling his brown mustache, Po sauntered up to Timmer who was busy
tuning her lotari for the party. «Is there a thief from the south living at this abode? Podiddley is his name.» Timmer pointed toward the room out of which Po had just come. «Yeah. He's in there. But you'll have to hold your nose. Po's a foul housekeeper.» Po grinned. «Thank you.» «Sure,» said Timmer, going back to her lotari. Insufferably pleased with himself, Po decided to see if any of his housemates could recognize him tonight. As Po approached Janusin, he told himself that it was a good thing Doogat was gone—the Mayanabi Master never missed a trick. No point in having all the fun spoiled before he even had a chance to have any! «Master Janusin,» said Po formally, «I want to commend you on that lovely statue of Trickster outside. I've always thought that Greatkin Rimble was a little taller than conventional wisdom would have him be. And the balance of the pirouette is remarkable.» Janusin warmed to the praise. He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his lavender silk tunic and looked as modest as he could. The sparkle in his eyes betrayed his pleasure, however—as did the spreading lavender of his hair. Like Po and Timmer, Janusin was dressed simply and elegantly. Barlimo had commented earlier to Po how odd it was that everyone in the house had opted to wear a solid color costume. She had expected them to wear bangles, mirrors, and ribbons—especially Tree. But Tree had surprised them all and selected a robe of startling orange-red. The Jinnjirri makeup artist joined Janusin and Po now. «'Scuse me,» said Tree politely to Po. «This'll just take a minute.» Turning to Janusin, he said, «You seen our beloved thief anywhere?» «Beloved thief?» said Po in genuine surprise. «Yeah—his name's Po. He lives here in the house. Most of the time he's not beloved,» continued Tree. «But tonight I'm feeling generous. I'll get over it,» he grinned. Janusin shook his head. «No. In fact, Tree—I haven't seen Po since we set the feasting table. Did you try his room?» «No answer.» «What does this Po look like?» asked Po, unable to resist. «Can't miss him,» replied Tree. «He's a regular scum-bum.» «He's got a good heart, though,» said Janusin. «You just have to get beyond what he looks like in order to see it.» «And that takes some doing,» said Tree, nodding vigorously. «True,» agreed Janusin. Po frowned privately to himself, unsure if he'd just been complimented or insulted. «What's his draw?» «Same as yours,» said Janusin. «In fact, you look a tiny bit like him—hair color and physique, you understand. We'd never catch Po in clothes like yours. Or with his hair clean,» he added with a good-natured chuckle. «I've often wondered if the meaning of Po's name is 'slob.' « Po sniffed haughtily. «Podiddley, gentlemen, means 'steadfast dancer.' It's an old name, and a proud name.» «Oops,» said Tree with genuine embarrassment. «I think we've insulted our guest. Sorry.» Tree paused. «Actually, sir—if you want to know the truth—Podiddley's got something real special about him. It's just that he doesn't use it much, and it's a waste, you know? Makes him hard to live with sometimes. So we try to—uh—improve him every now and then. But it's only because we see that special thing that he won't share with us, see. I mean—well, I guess I'm trying to say that we kind of love our 'steadfast dancer.'» «We just wish he'd be a little more openly steadfast, that's all,» remarked Janusin. Then, with eyes twinkling, the sculptor added, «Be nice if he'd stop dancing around the rent, too.» Po's face colored. He looked away, unexpectedly touched by their warm feelings toward him. «Well, I hope you find your Podiddley,» he said quietly and walked into the teeming crowd of costumed people. The two Jinnjirri said nothing for a few moments. Then Janusin commented, «Maybe now Po will see that we're not as blind as he thinks.» Cobeth and Rhu entered the Kaleidicopia by the back door of the kitchen. Mab looked up from arranging vegetables on a platter just as Cobeth crossed the threshold. She backed up, her face pale. Cobeth ignored Mab. She had been nothing more to him than a possible lay. When that hadn't panned out, he had lost interest permanently. The Jinnjirri actor grinned at Barlimo—who did not return the salutation. «What's the matter, Barl—Housing Commission still on your ass?» Barlimo's even-tempered green hair streaked with red. «Not at the moment, Cobeth. I'm hoping it'll stay that way.» «We'll see,» he replied, his eyes cool. Mab cleared her throat. «What have you got against this house? I mean, why do you hate us all?» Cobeth regarded her in silence. Then he shrugged. «Something to do, I suppose. Besides, it keeps you on your toes. Keeps you creative.» «As if that were something the people in this house needed,» remarked Rowenaster drily as he walked into the kitchen. He was dressed in cool gray. The color blended calmly with Mab's tunic of blue-toned pink and muted the glaring brilliance of Barlimo's fuschia attire. «You know, Cobeth, it's only by Barl's good graces that you're allowed here. I certainly have no love for you,» he remarked, referring to his stolen library card. Barlimo pressed her lips together. It was Doogat's good graces that allowed Cobeth here tonight—not hers. If she'd had her way, she would've reported the Jinnjirri bastard to the Great Library authorities for suspicion of theft. Never mind if they ever got it proved. A Jinnjirri under suspicion like that would have a hard time in this Saambolin city. Might force Cobeth to leave altogether, she thought wistfully. The Jinnjirri actor smiled sweetly at the professor. «The feeling's mutual, old man.» Then, without further conversation, Cobeth ushered Rhu out of the kitchen. As soon as they passed through the swinging door, Cobeth's yellow hair turned a violent red-black. «Cocksucking assholes!» he said in a low voice. «I'll fix them, I will!» Rhu frowned. «What're you going to do?» «Take them on a little journey to Neath.» He pulled out a vial of holovespa powder and walked toward the feasting table. Moments after Cobeth and Rhu entered the Kaleidicopia, the brindle hound escaped from the confines of Aunt's second floor room. Limping, the pied-eyed bitch made her way down the stairs toward the commons room. She stopped on the second floor landing to survey the general chaos and gaiety below. Timmertandi, who was dressed in soft aqua, took to the cleared dance floor and began singing a raucous medley of bawdy Jinnjirri songs. The Jinnjirri in the audience clapped their hands. A few Dunnsung and Asilliwir joined hands to circle dance. A spiral formed, broke, and formed again. As the drumming grew louder, Timmer sang a Tammirring favorite. Suddenly catching sight of Cobeth, the dog named Pi trotted down the rest of the stairs, reminding herself to limp. She crept over to where Cobeth stood with his holovespa vial, avoiding the crush of feet around her. Cobeth pulled down his mask. It was the same one he had worn on the night he had raped Fasilla—black and yellow and studded with mirrors. Trickster ducked behind a curtain. She sat no more than two feet from where Cobeth loitered with Rhu. She pricked her ugly ears, listening to their conversation. Rhu put her hand on Cobeth's arm. «Do you think spiking the punch is such a good idea, Cobeth?» She looked about herself nervously. «There's no telling who's here tonight. Not with all these masks. Professor Rowenaster and Master Janusin know some people in some pretty high places—Saambolin-wise. I've already had my house raided for drugs once. I'd hate to invite a repeat performance. Might hurt the playhouse, Cobeth. Might hurt your work,» she added. Cobeth snorted. «The people who live in this house hurt my work,» he retorted. «They all think they know something about Trickster. And they don't. None of them grew up in Suxonli. None of them.» «Yes, but—» «Stand aside, Rhu. Trickster's going to teach these folks a lesson!» As Cobeth announced this, Trickster slunk toward him on her dog belly. Then the brindle bitch positioned herself close to Cobeth's yellow-booted feet. There Trickster waited to be stepped on. Opening the vial of yellow holovespa powder, Cobeth poured it into Fasilla's fruit punch with a flamboyant sweep of his arm. The amount, as usual, was excessive. There was enough holovespa in Fasilla's pommin and orange juice mix to set the entire Jinnjirri Quarter of Speakinghast turning for a week. At the moment, Fasilla walked through the swinging door of the kitchen, carrying cups and saucers. The Asilliwir woman didn't see Cobeth until she was practically on top of him. The mask gave Cobeth away. Fasilla swallowed and all but dropped the cups and saucers on the feasting table. The clatter was violent. Cobeth looked over in her direction. But, as in Mab's case, Cobeth did not acknowledge Fasilla. It was clear to the Asilliwir herbalist why this was; he did not recognize her. She, on the other hand, had never been able to forget him. Not his mask, his mannerisms, his smell—or his cruelty. She debated what to do. Then she saw the empty vial on the feasting table. She picked it up when Cobeth wasn't looking and sniffed it. Fasilla recognized the bitter smell of holovespa instantly. Her eyes narrowed as she realized where Cobeth had dumped the contents of the vial. She was speechless. All the outrage she had ever felt about this man came to the fore now. Catching sight of Yafatah walking toward her, Fasilla's outrage swiftly turned to protectiveness for her child. She did not want Cobeth to know that Ya was his daughter, nor did Fasilla want Yafatah to know that Cobeth was her father. Without thinking of the consequences, Fasilla pulled out the Asilliwir akatikki she kept hidden in her belt. She set a dart tipped with fast acting poison inside the blow tube. But as she raised the akatikki to her lips, Cobeth fell over the brindle stray, stepping directly on the bitch's bandaged front paw. Trickster let loose with a scream of pain that silenced the party. Aunt came running— as did half the residents of the Kaleidicopia. Aunt reached Fasilla first. Aunt stared, her jaw dropping. Recognizing Cobeth from Fasilla's description of his carnivale mask, Aunt stepped between the Jinnjirri and the Asilliwir. Aunt's only thought was to stop Fasilla from ruining her life; the dog's pain could wait. Without saying anything to Fasilla, Aunt tackled her from the front and sent the Asilliwir flying backward into the heavily laden feasting table. Plates and platters of rich foods crashed to the floor. Glasses shattered. House members of the Kaleidicopia did what they could to rectify the damage. Po did his best to separate the two women, but his hurt hand hindered his attempts. Aunt finally ended the skirmish herself by planting her fist soundly in Fasilla's lower back. Fasilla gasped for breath
