Chapter Text
The Tutorial Kid’s energy is com-tag-ous. Afternoon successfully booked, the two of you begin running down the hill toward the river.
When you get down to the bridge, you realize there’s somebody fishing there already. You don't want to interrupt them and scare away the fish. Maybe you’ll ask them if they have any extra fish later, though. The people in Dormont have been really excited to give you stuff since you defeated the King. (Belle would be weird about it, but she doesn't have to know.)
“The other Dormont kids like to hang out by the big rock near the bridge over there. I bet there are lots of smaller rocks for skipping, too,” Agathe suggests. You grunt in agreement before doubling back and turning east, toward where the river bends between the vegetable fields and the clocktower.
While you’re walking, the other kid tries to make small talk. “So you Saviors hang out together most of the time, right? What kind of stuff do the Saviors usually do?”
“Mmm. Yeah, they’re pretty great. When we’re traveling we’re always together! It’s safer that way when there are Sadnesses around. We protect each other.” You don’t feel like your role as Snack Master actually helps protect the others that much, but you puff yourself up with pride anyway. “But we all have super important chores to do, so I’m on my own for today! I already finished my chores though, because I’m very responsible.”
It's not really a lie, but it's not exactly the truth, either. Since the King is gone, and you’re not camping out, you didn’t actually have many chores today. There’s not much to do until you hit the road again.
Frin and Za are napping, and you don't want to bother them. Za never napped before the fight with the King, but he had explained to you that Frin needed a nap buddy right now, in case they had nightmares. (You know that's true, at least partly, but Za was also blushing when he said it. You can tell “nap time” is what Frin calls a double on-ton-dray, and you don't want to watch them being gross.) Meanwhile, Belle and Dile are having a Serious Talk with the Head Housemaiden. You were hanging out with them earlier, but they weren't saying anything interesting, so you left.
On your way to the rock-skipping spot, you pass a small field where a couple of sheep are grazing. They look different than you remembered from the last time you walked through Dormont. Stopping to gawk for a moment, you gasp: “Those sheep are naked!” It’s like seeing Frin without their cloak!!! Weird.
The Tutorial Kid laughs and clambers over the fence, even though it would only take a couple extra steps to walk around to the other side. “Yeah, my friend Bee’s family usually cuts off their wool in spring. But their parents were frozen until you beat the King. These guys got soooo fluffy!” They throw their arms around the nearest animal, nuzzling into its sheep-stubble.
One of your neighbors had chickens in Bambouche, and you saw a bunch of other farm animals while you were on the road, but this is the closest you’ve ever gotten to a sheep. You grimace. For some reason, it reminds you of one of the Sadness types you saw in the House. The ones Za called triplets. “It’s got weird eyes,” You comment.
“Meeeeeeeeeeh.” The sheep grumbles back.
“Meeeeeeeeeeh!!!” Raising your arms above your head, you glare at the sheep.
“Meeeeeeeeeeh!!!!!” Your new companion joins in.
Somebody giggles. For a second, you think it’s one of the sheep, but then you realize another kid is sitting in the grass behind the flock.
“Hi, Bee!!! I didn’t see you there!!!! But that was silly of me, because you’re always hanging out with the sheep. Ha ha ha!” Agathe does the weird fake laugh again and starts to haul themself over the sheep, just like they climbed over the fence a minute ago. The animal blandly walks away, and the Tutorial Kid falls back onto the grass with a gentle thump. “Whatcha drawin’?”
Without the sheep in the way, you can see the other kid clearly. They’re definitely younger than you, and probably a bit younger than the Tutorial Kid. Their face is in-scrook-ible. Sitting cross-legged, with a pad of paper in their lap and a pile of crayons in the grass. Holding up the pad of paper, they show you a picture of three people holding hands. Three big people, and one small person in the middle. It’s pretty good for a kid's drawing.
Agathe points at each of the figures in turn. “Is that you and your parents?” The Drawing One nods. Then Agathe turns to you. “Bonnie, this is Binta. They're the Drawing Kid. And I call them Bee, but that’s a special nickname just for us. You can’t use it.” They wag a finger at you. “Bee, this is Bonnie! They helped beat the King and unfreeze everybody!”
You feel your face darkening. It’s true, but it feels weird when they say it like that.
The Drawing Kid doesn’t say anything. They just look up at you and offer a shy smile, then turn to a new page and begin drawing a fresh picture. The Tutorial Kid doesn’t seem surprised. You guess that Binta’s quiet, like Frin.
You're a little surprised that the Tutorial Kid doesn't challenge them to Rock Paper Scissors, though. But they seem close, with special nicknames and all that. They probably play together all the time, and Binta doesn’t look like they'd be much of a challenge anyway. (Then again, neither does Belle, and Frin only looks like he could put up a fight when he goes Scary Mode.)
You all sit in silence for a minute, listening to the sheep baa-ing and munching grass. The Drawing Kid’s crayons also make a nice, soft grinding sound while they work on a new picture.
One of the sheep comes very, very close to you, and you try not to move. Those Sadness-like eyes still make you uncomfortable, but it doesn’t do anything spooky. It just eats a dandelion, then walks away.
The little artist suddenly lifts their pad of paper up to eye-level and examines it. They look at you, then back to the paper, and frowns before adding a few more lines with a light-ish crayon.
Finally satisfied, they hand you their newest drawing.
(You got the FRIENDSHIP DOODLE!)
“Oh! It’s me… and my family!” You gasp. They drew you, Belle, Za, Frin, and Odile, all smiling triumphantly. In a stroke of artistic genius, Binta has added some swirlies and little birds flying in the background to show things moving around, unfrozen. Looking up at the Drawing Kid, you see them grinning widely.
Something is missing from the picture, though. It’s not your whole family. Nille isn’t there.
Oh… The Drawing Kid has noticed you aren’t smiling anymore. Oh no!!! You’re having feelings!!!! Right here!!!!! Your two new acquaintances look up at you in shock as your lower lip wobbles.
Their shock doesn’t last long. In a half-second, they’re clinging to you like burrs. The Drawing Kid buries their face in your shirt and the Tutorial Kid puts their chin on your shoulder.
“Staaaaahp you dummies,” you begin to object, but your protest is cut off by hiccups. Oh no!!! Big, fat tears start rolling down your cheeks. Okay… So you needed a good cry.
It’s weird crying in front of these kids you just met, but you guess it could be worse. You’d been holding it in around your family because you didn’t want to worry them. Which is funny, because you kept telling Frin he was a dummy for doing the same thing. But they have big grown-up problems, and you just have kid problems, so that’s different.
“Th-Thanks. Um. Sorry I called you dummies… It’s just… I miss my big sister. She can be a real crab sometimes, but she takes good care of me and love her a lot. She got frozen all the way back home in Bambouche so I haven’t seen her in like forever. I really do think the picture is cool, though.”
“It’s okay,” Agathe whispers. “You can blow your nose on a sheep if you want. Bee and I won’t tell anyone.”
Your sobbing turns to laughter, and they laugh with you.
Eyeing the sheep, you consider Agathe’s offer, but you don’t think you want to touch it. Instead, you dig in your rucksack and find a napkin. It’s got some crumbs from a pastry on it, but it’ll do. You wipe your face.
For a minute, the Tutorial Kid looks at the ground like they’re gonna challenge it to a battle. Is that their thinking face? Then they look back up at you. “Um… But for real, Bonnie… Like for real for real!!! Lots of people in Dormont got frozen. We all cried about it. And we all wanted to fight the King and make him stop. But you actually did it!!! So… I bet your sister is gonna be real proud of you!!!!!” They do another dramatic pose, like they're punching the sky.
You don’t know what to say about that, so you just hug yourself and sniffle again.
The Drawing Kid lets go of your hand and sits back down with a ‘whump.’ They pick up their crayons and starts drawing again. A few minutes later, after you’ve caught your breath and cleaned yourself up a bit, they tug on your sleeve gently and hand you a new picture.
(You got the SIBLING DOODLE!)
They don’t know what Nille looks like of course, so they just drew you, holding hands with a bigger version of you. Except they gave her long pigtails instead of a hat like yours. You don’t think you’ve ever seen Nille wear her hair in pigtails, but you appreciate it, all the same. “...Thanks a lot. It’s great. You’re both really nice.” They give your hand a quick squeeze. You squeeze their hand right back. "Um. Tutorial Kid mentioned your parents were frozen. You must have missed them a lot, too." They nod, their mouth pressed into a thin line. You think they're trying really hard not to cry, too.
The Tutorial Kid hums. “Binta had a really hard time, but they're also super strong. And me and my mommy were taking care of them while their parents were gone!" Leaning over, they ruffle the younger kid's hair. "You said you and the other Saviors protect each other. We try to do that, too."
You nod. That makes sense. You're glad Binta wasn't all alone. You were alone for a little while after Nille got frozen, before Frin and the others found you. It was the worst.
(You put both of the drawings in your bag along with your Souvenirs.)
Agathe picks up a stick and jabs at the dirt for a minute before speaking again. "Y’know. My mommy said the Saviors are very strong, but being strong takes lots of practice!!! You have to do hard things, like running really fast or lifting heavy stuff. But you also have to let yourself rest too. You can’t be healthy and grow if you don’t rest. It works the same for your muscles and for your feelings!!!! My mommy’s a nurse, so she knows a lot about that kind of stuff.” They reach out poke your foot with the stick. Not hard, just a little tap. “That’s why I challenge people to battle! So I can get stronger!!!! But I always take a break after! And you did a lot of super duper hard things, so you probably need extra rest now, right?”
“Mmhmm. I guess that makes sense.” You wipe your nose and eyes again, thinking about Frin’s forever school. They got really strong, fighting and fighting and fighting, but it made them so tired... Maybe later, you’ll tell them what Agathe’s mom said. You hope it’ll make him feel better, too. “Anyway. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Do you still wanna go skip rocks?”
The Tutorial Kid playfully punches your shoulder. “Yeah,” They turn to the Drawing Kid. “Bee, do you wanna come?”
They take a moment to think about it, then nods, and begins gathering up their crayons. You and Agathe help. You offer to carry their stuff in your bag, but the Drawing Kid has their own satchel. (You tell them you like their satchel and they smile.) All packed, the three of you keep walking to the river.
You guess making friends in Dormont isn’t such a bad idea, after all.