Cloud-Named-Chloe and Her Cat Louey

The next morning, the team walked to the side of Mushroom House Library, where a shiny new addition stood in all its glory. Bright and orange, with many gills, it looked like a joyful chanterelle. A sunflower grew by the porch, a pair of thick sticks supported its huge heavy head.

Ray opened the door and led the team into a brightly lit space.

“Wow,” Chloe said, shaping herself into a ball and twirling around in excitement. “This is so strange and awesome!”

In the middle of the huge room, blackboards formed a circle. Green vines and woody lianas hung down, crossed and climbed from those blackboards to walls on all sides. Along the walls, many screens of different shapes and sizes glowed softly. Some had twig- and sprout-looking antennas, others had weirdly shaped ears sticking out, and the remaining were smooth and polished without any appendages whatsoever.

Suddenly, a small, simple voice came somewhere from above. The voice said in a friendly manner: “Good morning to you all. I am Abacus. Please let me know how you would like me to call you?”

At once, everyone turned to see the source of that simple, pleasant voice. And what they saw amazed them even further. They saw a tiny creature of soft black fur dabbed with tiny blue sparks. Two big trumpet-flower ears graced a cute roundish head. His nine limbs were wrapped tightly around a liana. Of those nine limbs, three pairs ended with various types of paws. His big eyes were blinking. He was looking at the team with deep interest, as if studying them.