VMP Arrivals...

As Snoop quietly snuck across the street and into the alley beside the council chamber, he could now see clearer through the window. There she was, Granny Flare, and she was doing the cleaning. 

At first he thought she was sweeping with her broom, but realized that she was actually holding a Dusty Myte and pointing it towards the floor as it was sucking in the dust. ​

It was that new style of cleaning she had shown to some of the other house Brownies at her last convention that he had written about.  She called it 'vak-u-ming' (whatever that was).  "It will never replace the broom," Snoop thought as he continued watching her clean.  "There must be a meeting going to happen today," he realized when he also saw the brewing tea pot and cookies.  "There sure are a lot of cookies and cups, so it must be for a full council meeting.  Maybe even some VMPs (Very Magical Persons) " Snoop muttered to himself.

Since he knew all of the best hiding places to observe the towns people, he soon was sitting comfortably in an old chair outside of the Hicaberry Tea Shop.  Here he could sit at one of the best places for a cup of  tea and could watch the council chamber too as he hid in the shadows of the eaves.  Snoop had long ago set aside a small expense budget for just this purpose because the Tea Shop made him buy something when he just sat on their porch and watched things happening.  

​"At least the tea is better than what I brew at the Bellwether," Snoop thought while he slowly sipped a little.  "I might have to make this cup last a long time since it doesn't appear that anyone has arrived yet but Granny Flare."

It was then that he noticed the troll.  It was Dulbbe, the new King of the Trolls, and standing besides him was Drat.  "Where did they come from," he wondered.  "They had not been there a minute ago."  Listening closely as he leaned over slightly (another reason he had picked this spot), he could just barely hear Dulbbe talking to Drat.

"You were right," Dulbbe said to Drat.  "It was uncomfortable besides being dirty too.  I don't want to have to use that route again unless we absolutely have too.  I mean, I can usually see well in the dark, but not in that pitch black hole you took me through.  I don't know how you did it because I could not see my hand in front of my face!  And don't tell me what was making that sound when were were walking around down there... I don't even what to know who or what it was," Dulbbe finished with a shudder as he brushed his clothes with his hands.

"Sorry Sire, but you did say you wanted to get here fast," Drat answered (but not before Snoop noticed that the rat had answered with a small smile on his lips).  Still smiling, Drat stepped aside and motioned for his King to enter the council chamber first as he followed.

"Interesting," thought Snoop.  "I wonder who else will appear."  Just as he said that, the coach with Queen Ffion pulled up being pulled by no less than four Nytemares.  "She must have been in a hurry," he decided.  "This must be important!"  

As Snoop continued to sip on his tea, he was able to observe several more arrivals for the meeting.  There was Hewy, Hir'aeth the Gooblin King, the Goodie sisters, Awena from the Sleeping Sisters, the Baron and his mother the Dowager, and even Dewin the Wizard.  All VMPs indeed!  It was the last guest that appeared the made Snoop realize that he had to get into the meeting somehow.  It was that young Wish Dragon who had transformed into a Moon Dragon, Drai'ochtluan.  "I am glad that he likes to go by 'Dree' for short," Snoop sighed to himself.  "I would have to look up the spelling every time I want to write it down."

As Snoop was trying to figure out some means of getting into the council chamber, he did not notice that a Pyksee had been sneaking up behind him until she pulled on his sleeve, making him jump several inches into the air.  It was Meen, the new Queen's minion.  "Don't do that," he told her.  "You made me jump."

Not realizing that Snoop meant it as a bad thing because she liked to jump everywhere, she shrugged his comment off and pulled on his sleeve again.  When she thought she had his full attention, she delivered the message she was sent out with.  "The Council asks if you would join them in the council chamber.  They said they did not want to start without you."

Snoop was flabbergasted... how did they know that is exactly where he wanted to be?