The Fantastical Explorations of Rinny Migaw

Chapter 1: Many Many Maps

"Oh, excuse me. Pardon me, ma'am. Excuse me. I'm sorry." 

Mr. Rinny Migaw had no time to wait. His task was absolutely urgent. To a random stranger, he might seem like any other ordinary well-dressed, monocle-wearing, dashing rogue of a man with arms full of scrolls. They would be wrong. He was an extremely unordinary well-dressed, monocle-wearing, dashing rogue of a man with arms full of scrolls (or that's what he thought anyway). He was Rinny Migaw and Adventure was his middle name. Mr. Rinny Adventure Migaw and, well, how ordinary could he be with a name like that?  

His scrolls were stacked so high he could hardly see where he was going. Indeed, he may have entered the wrong building if it wasn't for the large flashing 'Mayor' sign. 

"I've got them!" Rinny cried, rushing into a large building and stopping at the front desk. He peered out from his pile of papers at little fairy secretary. "I've got the maps for the mayor." 

"Why Mr. Rinny Migaw, back so soon are you?" 

"Sorry Gwyn, no time to talk, the mayor must meet these maps immediately. You look lovely, by the way, I have to be humbled by what you've done with your hair. Goodbye!" Before Gwyn could respond Rinny was scurrying down the hall, leaving a trail of rolled maps that slipped from his arms. 

"But Rinny," Gwyn called out, picking up the fallen maps and trying to chase him down, "he's in a meeting. He can't be disturbed."  

"Nonsense," he called back. Nothing was more important than what he held in his arms right now. 

"Mr. Mayor!" Rinny announced, bursting through the door. "I've got-" he paused for dramatic effect, "-the maps." He dropped the load of scrolls onto the desk and stood staring triumphantly at the ceiling. He had never noticed before, but there were little bunnies painted right above- 

"Darn it, Rinny, can't you see I'm busy?"  

Rinny looked away from the bunnies in shock. Across the desk sat a large, dark man that could only be described with the word 'greasy'. His face was pink with irritation and he pointed a sausage finger at the little fairy that flew through the door. 

"Gwyn, I let you know I was not to be disturbed."  

"Yes sir," Gwyn said, "I'm sorry, I tried, but he was quite insistent." Rinny looked around, there didn't seem to be anyone else in the room. 

"Perhaps I've missed something, there doesn't seem to be anyone else in the room but us." 

"Try looking under all of your maps," the mayor grumbled. Rinny gasped as a small, feminine figure emerged from underneath the pile of papers he had dropped.  

"My sincerest apologies, m'lady," Rinny said, scrambling to remove the rest of the papers from around her. "I would never put papers on people. At least, not on purpose." The girl turned to him, offering a sincere smile, but saying nothing. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Mr. Rinny Migaw, master of exploration, discoveration, and alliteration, not to mention cartography," he said with a wink. She continued to smile, but again said nothing. 

"That just means he's a map maker," the mayor said, rubbing his forehead. 

"Mr. Mayor, might I inquire the identity of this individual? I don't believe I've laid eyes on her before."  

"Later, Rinny. As rude as your entrance was, this meeting does involve you as well," the mayor said, trying to get back on track. 

"Really?" Rinny asked, pulling up a chair and sitting on it backwards, eyes still locked on the silent woman, "do tell." 

"I will, but first can we do something about all of these maps?" 

"Oh!" Rinny exclaimed, standing right back up again, "that remind me mayor. I must tell you what I've found. Farther than the forest but closer than the caves, I've mapped it all out, and made some delicious discoveries. Magma mushrooms, and a lake of frozen fog. I've even brought a sample," he said, pulling a wispy solid cloud out from his coat pocket. 

"Later, Rinny," the mayor said with a little more force. Rinny rolled his eyes and sat down. The indignity of it all. 

"As you wish." He was about to put the cloud back in his pocket, when the girl's hand snatched his wrist. She pulled his hand close, her face beaming at the object in his hands. "Oh, you like it, eh?" Rinny said, a smug smile on his face, "Well if you tell me your name I might even let you tou-" he was stopped short as she grabbed the frozen cloud from his hand and enthusiastically showed it to the mayor. 

"I see. I see," the mayor said, being infuriatingly cryptic as usual.  

"What? What do you see?" Rinny asked, annoyed at his sample being snatched. 

"Rinny, this girl fell from the sky today and we have no clue where she came from," the mayor said, taking the cloud and examining it. "We've been asking her questions but I don't think she can talk." 

"I see, I see," Rinny said, mimicking the mayor's gestures. 

"She's been pointing at the sky a lot, and drawing pictures of castles on clouds. With this - cloud - you've brought to us, I think you've solved the mystery." 

"Well, no surprise there Mr. Mayor. I am known for being above averagely astute." 

"Look," the mayor said, rolling his eyes, "I hate to admit it, but you're the best explorer we have. If there is such a thing as a kingdom in the sky, you can find it. Rinny, I charge you with finding a way to take this girl home."