Tales From the Cave-Beauty & the Superbeast

Little Town

The sun rose over the horizon, casting its light onto the quaint little town of Markshev, signaling the start of a brand new day. The birds twittered and sang to awaken the townsfolk, the squirrels scurried over the forest floors in search of breakfast, and a fresh morning breeze blew through the tree branches.

The sunrays fell upon a nice little workshop, belonging to the village woodcutter, Geppetto. If that name sounds familiar, its probably because you know him as Pinocchio's father. Yes, Pinocchio. The plucky little puppet who earned his wish and was turned into a real boy by the Blue Fairy. But it was not him nor Geppetto who was leaving the shop that cheery morning.

The bell overhead jingled as the door opened. From out of the shop stepped a young woman, no older than twenty, wearing a baby blue peasant's dress with an embroidered apron she had sewn herself. Her fiery red hair was pulled back from her face in a braid and tied with a nice ribbon matching the color of her dress, the white ballet flats on her feet matching her apron. But the first thing you noticed about this young lady was her lovely skin—as green as a field of freshly grown spring grass. This was M'gann, an alien immigrant from Mars, and the adopted daughter of Geppetto the woodcarver.

A wooden basket slung over her arm, M'gann straightened her apron and started the walk down towards the church in the heart of the village. She was the first one up and out before anyone else, but, just like she expected, within a hour, the whole town was bustling and buzzing with housewives doing chores, merchants selling their wares, and schoolchildren running off to class.

M'gann sighed. It was a nice little town, but after a while, it got rather boring. It was always the same old routine, day in and day out. Nothing ever changed. Nothing exciting ever happened. It had gotten to the point where M'gann could predict each and every little quirk or deed done moments before it even happened.

"Well, good morning, Meg!" She turned around to see Mr. Sugar standing in his bakery window, waving at her with a friendly smile. She smiled back. "Good morning, sir!" "Now where are you off to today?", he asked. He held his hands up. "Wait, wait, don't tell me! You're off to see Father Tom to return and borrow another book, aren't you?"

M'gann chuckled. Guess she was as predictable as anyone else in this town. "You guessed it.", she said as she pulled a thick book out of her basket and hugged it as if it were a real person. "I just finished the most wonderful story. Its about two lovers in fair Verona." Mr. Sugar shrugged. "Sounds boring to me.", he said, before giving her a final wave and ducking back inside to resume working.

M'gann smiled and rolled her eyes. She hadn't expected him to take interest in her new book. No one else did. The only time anyone else in this town picked up a book was if they had a school assignment, or when they needed printed instructions for something. Not M'gann. She loved reading. She loved feeling as if she had wings, taking her to far-off places, or sending her off on daring adventures.

At last, she reached the tiny white chapel in the heart of the village. She poked her head inside to see Father Tom rearranging the small shelf of books. Why he did that, she didn't know. No one ever visited his library but her. He turned around mid-shuffle to see the familiar face of his favorite visitor. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the only bookworm in town!", he said, laughing heartily, a merry twinkle in his eye.

M'gann smiled as she extended her hand to give him her book. "I came to return it to you." Father Tom's white eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You mean you finished it already?" "Are you kidding? I couldn't put it down!", M'gann said, her eyes scanning the slim selection of stories on the shelves. "Do you have anything new?" Father Tom let out another merry laugh. "Not since yesterday!"

"Oh, that's alright!", M'gann said, her eyes landing on one book. "I'll borrow this one, than!" She slipped it out and held it towards the priest for him to check out for her. "That one? But you've already read it twice!" "Well, its my favorite!", she cried, holding it close over her heart. She twirled around in a daze. "Far away places, daring swordfights, magic spells, and best of all—a prince in disguise!"