‘The Squashbuckler Diaries’ are the daily tales of Joy Shelley’s Life in the Dream. The ‘Lost in Dreams’ books will tell the story of what happens to her at ages 6, 9, 12, 15, and so on. The diaries tell us what happens before, after, and between the books.

#48: The Showdown (Come Again, Part 3)

Following the events of the morning, where Dragon Little drove Dragon Father crazy, Dragon Father and Dragon Little fought the lackeys of evil on the Robot Planet, until at last they came to the palace of the Robot King.

“It is useless to fight me!” the Robot King whirred. “I have conceived of every possibility, every contingency. You have lost before you have made your first step!”

Dragon Little looked at Dragon Father. Dragon Father nodded at her.

Together, they looked back at the Robot King and said, “You have lost before you made your first step!”

The Robot King buzzed a bit in confusion, then said, “No, it is YOU who have lost!”

Dragon Little and Dragon Father said, “No, it is YOU who have lost!”

“Space Pirates, what is going on here?” There was distress in the king’s voice.

“Space Pirates, what is going on here?” they answered together and took a step towards him.

“Are you repeating everything I say?” he took a step back.

“Are you repeating everything I say?” they chorused.

“No, no… Your behavior… is confusing my circuits!”

“Your behavior,” they came closer, “is confusing my circuits!”

“Only one thing to do!”

“Only one thing to do!”

With a trembling hand, the Robot King pressed a button.

The wall slid open behind him, and a huge robot stepped out.

Dragon Father’s posture changed. Now there was fear in it. “What is that?” he asked the Robot King.

“Like I said,” the Robot King answered. “I have taken care of every eventuality.”

“What have you done?” Dragon Father demanded.

“What have you done?” the huge robot echoed.

“Oh, no,” Dragon Father said.

“Oh, no,” the huge robot echoed.

Dragon Father grabbed his head with both hands. “I hate this day!”

“I hate this day!” came the metallic answer.

And so it was that Dragon Father’s certainty in victory turned into deep frustration.

The battle, however, was not won in his dream. The battle was won when he was awake. I will tell you that story tomorrow.

—Told by The Red Dragon


See how I changed the idea for this post:

#49: I Will Fight You Till I Die (Come Again, Part 4)

#47: Come Again? - Part 2