Rosie: -violently slams open a door- IS IT HERE?

Me: owo

Dino: OWO

Jkonna: …

Me: n—

Rosie: IS TODAY THE DAY?

Dino: -suddenly faints in Jkonna's arms-

Jkonna: … please go away

The Stone Fossil Fighter

Chapter 38: Welcome the Roses

Rosie

He-Hey! Those aren't very nice words to say, and that's not a very nice way of saying it in the first place!

Flustered, my face blushes and I can feel the heat rising through me. My stupid vivosaur's being overprotective again. It's so humiliating, too... And it's like, no matter what I say, he won't change his mind on anything. He's some old-timey rock from the stone age or something... but, I-I mean, he's kind of old, so I guess it makes sense in some creepy vivosaur way. Clay's thick head snorts through his words, and he snorts through my head, finding my thoughts futile or something. Wh-Whatever, Clay, be that way if you have too, you big, weird spinax. The random words I mumble at him of course do nothing as he has some armor that deflects my quiet crying, so it's more or less like I'm just even more stuck with him and his words and what he thinks is the best thing to do. Can't I be a different person than you?

In that low, rocky rumble of his, gray slits close and he murmurs softly to himself more than me. She uses these words of hers, calling mine sparse and unprepared, as if I am the one emotionally affected by these friends of hers and it's not the other way around. How... funny. A great, hulking swivel of his great, green head, and a preposterous little snort of his. Groaning, I roll my eyes up into the ceiling.

Pink. Like the walls. Like the throw rugs. Like the shelves. Like the sheets on the bed. Like the bed. Like me; just like me.

I love Clay and all; he's sweet sometimes and all caring and stuff; but he's... he doesn't understand that I love Dino! I need someone to talk to who can rub my back and tell me I did well, even though I failed in the end, even though there's no way I'll ever end up with him unless he miraculously picks up his heart and declares it feeling romantic feelings again, and I know just how likely that is. I care about him, I care about him so much, but I know it won't go my way, and that makes me really upset. I rub at puffing cheeks, and tired eyes, and I slouch, and I sigh. Pauper might get me, but she's... her mind: it's a little too wizened, a little to higher thinking for me to climb up those stairs and be there with her. My maia and my spinax, who follow me around everywhere, for some reason aren't in my maturity range, like, at all. I'm the whiny little kid and they try to pick me up and take me places, cool and shiny places, but I'm the whiny little kid who kicks and screams. Would if be different if they were? If their mentalities shrunk, and they didn't have all this freaking experience welled up in their heads, and they hadn't remembered so much of their past lives to add more reason to everything: then would it be different?

They remind me of Grandpa, though, and I love Grandpa. Very, very much.

Geez, Jkonna... y-you're not the only one with family problems... a-and all that... maybe you're grandpa's not as cool as mine—but! but still!

Fumbling and fumbling, I kick off my shoes yet again and stuff myself into my bed, biting my lip, telling myself to get my feelings under control when we all know that's something I can't do. Diga-do—di—gahhh..! I stuff my hands into my curls and I just sit there. Face-down in the seas of blankets, pink blankets, I just sit there and scream at myself in my head. It's all inside of me. All of it's just kept inside of me. I wanna work up the courage to see him again but I'm so scared and every time I think about it I'm so scared and then I put on these dumb shoes and pick up my courage and it doesn't take very long to lose it again. It's not like I mean to or anything... there's some things where it really really doesn't matter how hard you hold on because you're going to let go, you're going to. It's just one of those things.

My socked toes stuff into the pillows on the other side of the bed. I kick at them a little. A bit of substance on my feet. A bit of something to feel held on. They're shaped like fluffy little hearts, or big hearts, the whole lot of them: a whole load of turd, if you ask me. Cuz that's... like... dumb and stuff... hearts are dumb... I kick at my pillows again, send a few tumbling off the covers. They're like waves in a storm and I almost laugh.

This time, none of them hit the lamp, the lamp doesn't fall, the fall doesn't break the lamp, the lamp isn't destroyed into pieces, and the pieces won't need to be picked up. So it's kind of like no evidence. I'm not leaving any footprints, not letting it be obvious that I'm upset again. Stupid heart. Making me... like... cry all the time. He cries too. A lot. But I don't wanna disturb him or anything... it'd be rude... Surely Clay and Pauper can hear me, but I very purposefully don't raise my voice toward them, and they respect me. They're nice like that. Like sweet old people. That name brings out the peeved feelings in them, which is sort of funny. But I guess that's rude, especially when I'm such a mess...

But that's not allowed, is it? That's not allowed to go and pester him now, while I'm in my pajamas and crying the life out of me, is it? That's not allowed, is it? No, no, it can't be, it can't be. I thread my fingers through my masses and masses of pink curls and I hiccup through my feeling yet again. No, that's not allowed... I'm not sure how, but that can't be... It's just a thing that I... that I know...

Seeing me all sudsy in my tears gets Clay to creak open one muddy eye. He searches away from me when I hiss back at him; it only lodges that stone in my heart further down. But wouldn't it be bad if I let Dino see me like this? Isn't it wrong, or something? What... if... Exasperated, embarrassed into the very fringes of my life, I play that game in my head, the one where I ask myself what I'd do if he was my boyfriend, how I'd react now. The twinkling of mud in the corner of my mind rains thick, hard backwash through me like I'm some sort of failure. We-Well, I'm sorry, or whatever...

If... if we were—to—together—right now—I would... I would go to him anyways. Because he wouldn't care how tired or yucky I might look, would just brush my hair gently as he tells me that he cares about me and always will. He'd smile, too, and it would be a very nice smile...

A little shiver runs through me.

Can't I just bottle up his grin and keep it with me? Hold onto it when it's all cold and gross out there, keep me warm right here? Right where it matters? When my thoughts get so hazy and they coil and coil all around him, I settle, my body laying gentle against the covers, my feet still from their feelings. Just the thought of him helps me. Sometimes I almost wish it wouldn't, so it'd be easier to accept that his feelings are final and that he's gone through so much, and why can't I understand that, anyways? It's stupid. I'm stupid. Jkonna's stupid, Clay's stupid—but... but he's not. No, he's never stupid.

Impulse guides me off my bed and onto the carpet. I more crawl on hands and knees than use much of my feet: they drag behind me as I make my way for the dresser I've got laid out to one side. Stuffing my fingers into a random drawer, I shuffle through bits of clothes and junk I don't care about and come upon the slippery coat of glass protecting something very important to me. Gently, slowly, I pull it up and out of its hiding spot and pull it close to me. It's glass and the frame's brass; and yet it's warm.

D-Don't give me that look, Clay. So what if it is a picture of Dino?

He gives me that look anyways. Like some crazy balloon I practically feel the heat rise to my face and I stumble over my tongue, frantically reaching for my shoes yet again. The leather catches on my hands, and with one hand in a loop and the other touching his picture—one or more than I dare mention—a strange brush of cool, slick calmness emerges. It always takes something to get me to think of him, something about him if I'm gonna release all this hot tension. Mottled and knotted and bottled away in me. Not sure why I store it. Not sure what I'm storing it for. Why it needs to be saved anyways. But I save it and I hold it in my heart and I explode. It's just a thing that... thing that happens. That always happens. Ugh. Makes me wanna, like, laugh at myself or something. My finger traces the brass of the frame and I wish its little spiral curve, its backbone that holds him together for me: I wish it'd protect me.

Maybe nobody else does, but I still remember back when we first met. I was the one who reached out to him first!—I mean after Diggins or whatever. They all swooped in and found their places after me. So I'm first. So I'm special, right? Yeah..? I remember back when I used to... used to wear shoes all the time. They were small and simple: pink slip-ins. My honest-to-goodness favorite pair. But I took Dino's shoes because he was being mean and wouldn't give me back my hat; and then he took my shoes because I took his. Something crumbles inside of me where my fingers lie. I'm breaking so many rules with these things... but I... but I thought if I tried to walk in them... if I tried to break the rule... on purpose...

But it still hurts, so I'm just as useless here! I toss a hand from the teeny sandals, the ones that fit my size perfectly, so small and... and stupid, and I clutch his picture closer to me, because he means a lot to me and no matter what I do I just trample my... myself. I'm like a bunch of roses stepped on or flattened or something. Nobody really paid attention to the thorns so it didn't matter in the end... gaaaah. I can't help it. I can't help it. I'm going to think about him sometimes and it's going to hurt.

Somehow, I feel like he knew. Somehow I get this feeling inside of me that when he waved and went on his way, on that day, before he left, but after he told me those things, somehow in his bright, open, warm gray eyes he saw this and he knew. He knew it was gonna hurt anyways. I can't just let it go. I'll be... I'll be... it's like I'll... It's like if I...

Hazy and droopy, the thought happens in front of my eyes, me hurling this picture away from me and it snags on my clothes and it tears and it never, never, ever lets me go and I only get hurt more.

But I... but I won't do that. That'd be bad. I don't wanna hurt him. No, no, I don't wanna break him. He probably can't even tell...

When I raise myself to my feet and dig through all the skirts wedged into this drawer and I've assured myself that there's no way in ever one of the servant dudes will ever ever see this one, I rest and pull myself to the carpet yet again. I just sit on a rug. Just kind of curl up there. My gaze darts from spot to spot on the ceiling, bits and bits of well-smoothed wall. Grandpa said we could paint anything I wanted on it instead of just pink...

My feet kick at the sandals and I let them push them far, far away from here. Maybe I'll get them on later or something. Yeah, um, maybe.

The voices in my head, Pauper and Clay, swirl around with their suggestions, and their thoughts, and their questions and so on. They're always trying to construct a nice little path for me, one surrounded by the paisleys and the daffodils and all the pretty little flowers, one pre-cut and pre-walked for me. And if I stick to the trail and I don't run off to the forests lurching and looming on either side, then I'll be fine, then I'll be fine. But but there aren't... there aren't paths like that, are there? If there were I wouldn't be collapsed on my rug that smells faintly of reptile, thinking about all the photographs I've saved of him, worrying about how he is, my mind just revolving around him and him alone. It kind of... kind of hurts, knowing it like that. But that's kind of because I thought I was saving him when we first met.

And so he "owed me." I hadn't any friends so more or less I was the one clinging to him and begging at him not for him at him to stay, stay, stay, because I'd be desolate if he went away. Don't want him to go away, want him to stay with me... And so Medal-Stealer—Stealer—Joe nabbed my medals and he had to help me get them back. And then the stupid digadigs cursed me and he had to do all the saving on his own—and then he met Jkonna too. And plus I got stuck with all those scary denture sharks underwater and he had to help me then: and of course who can forget when I got kidnapped! And when he saved me, prince in his armor, and he... more or less carried me away in his princely arms—more or less—and I told him my feelings and I think he was okay with it... I thought... I thought... The memories really unfold all these elaborate moments of joy, but it only sharply stabs me again that he doesn't, almost like he can't, feel that way now. He can't... love me like how I love him. But I can't be strong for him, like Clay thinks I should be; can't flit and fall into him and beg for forgiveness, beg for anything like Pauper thinks I should be...

That's cuz I'm me, darn it... and I'm not them... and their rightful path isn't mine... but what am I supposed to get up and do with myself? How can I peel myself off the ground and find anything that catches my eyes? What I want won't hold me; what I need won't take me... gaaaaahh!

It's diga-difficult when things are—

Hopeless. My hands hit like a slap and I cry into them. So small... My bunched, moody curls, impossible as ever to stuff into hair bands, spring and crawl like creatures coming to life around me, like little monsters out from within me. It's creepy. I should... I should at least get out of this nightdress. It's comfy and it's safe but, but... What was it... what were those words...

"Rosie."

"Yeah, Grandpa?"

I clutch them into my memory.

"They need you over in the Fossil Center, Rosie. Dino and Jkonna need you over, Rosie."

I hold them and I hold them until my hands imprint from within them.

It's kinda hard to convince myself to get dressed and get going when all of these memories flicker like mirrors in tandem, swinging around my face. There's the past... there's my thoughts... there's a lot of things, really. And I'm just so... so pink. What if I feel gray today? What about blue? Whatever. Oh my gosh...

Ya think it'd be so easy to just get up and go but I really really don't work like that. Just because Clay thinks one thing and Pauper's ideas are almost identical doesn't mean I can somehow fit into this mold of iron that's only able to sustain some older person... like... like Grandpa. He's probably already gotten himself together and visited by the Fossil Center. He and Doctor Diggins both went over whatever it is and if I know either of them they might as well be dunking some sort of pastry in coffee. Curiously I lift my head and smooth the wrinkles in my nightdress, and I wonder, quietly, if I can go in just this instead of worrying about the clothes and the shoes... if I can just go in this big, white, airy bag of clothing that's soft to the touch. Now, of course, as it always must be, Clay and Pauper wouldn't agree with me; but what if this is just how I feel? What if I wanna... I wanna...

Muddled whispers escape from my ears. I angrily toss myself to some sort of sitting position and slap my hands into the rug. You guys are keeping secrets again! It's not something I can just stop myself from grumbling all over: I never... liked secrets. Dino never kept any from me... he only kept one from himself, but that's a whole different story.

Maybe that's it; maybe I'm scared to see him or something. Or scared of Jkonna—g-gaah, why wouldn't I be scared of Jkonna? She's terrifying! She's reckless and harmful and thoughtless and bold, everything and more that I'm totally not! And plus, she probably knows more about what she's doing than I do. She probably, every morning, woke and understood that even though Dino was going through scary stuff, she had to help him: I bet every single day she woke with a smile just knowing she'd be there for him! And then she lashes like a lambeo or something, I don't even know... I feel so useless when I see her because she's the one by his side and the one supporting him and... and everything! Maybe he can't love in that way but I know that he really really loves her... and she really really cares back. And it's annoying because there's absolutely no way for me to get in!

Dino hurt you once; and so I hurt him. We could always ki—

Oh my gosh. NO. WE ARE NOT! DON'T EVEN SAY THAT, CLAY! MAY—MAy—Maybe... maybe I wanna be that person to help Dino, and it's stupid that Jkonna has to be that one, but... but... If she's doing her best, and that makes him happy, then in the end it doesn't really matter. I'll figure it out eventually... o-or something. Right now I gotta do what's important. They had something to say to me! Clay, we gotta get rolling!

You have been sitting here since dawn: debating how to approach them, wondering what you should wear, mussing over your sandals, screaming and kicking your pillows, inevitably finishing no single part of the single task your one and only grandfather asked you of. He grunts, clears his throat. And so now would you like to be started? Muddy eyes twinkle, but only a little bit. Pauper leans in from the other side, her maia bulk shadowing his big green back.

When I stand up, it takes the full duration of three seconds before I fall to my knees. But but but but but but... the-there's so much I've gotta worry about... an-and... and what if... what if they... they don't like me anymore anyways... and I'm worthless and useless, and I'm stupid... and dumb and and... Jkonna's better... Wallowing agony; what am I saying: of course she's better! She managed to rig herself into our lives and... and make him... make him... him... happy... And where does that put me, anyways? Where am I? That's right; I don't know; I'll never know, at this point.

No matter your thoughts, you shall one day be queen of the Richmond foundation, putting it lightly. Kew, yew, ee, ee, enn. You shall one day be ruler of the Vivosaur Island. You shall one day be watcher of these people and helper of the harmed; you shall one day take your place at your rightful throne after your grandfather passes onwards and his transcending soul tells you that you will do good, here, for this is who you are. You will put great work here, for this is how it shall be. Yes? See, my dear? Pauper's great eyes flutter a little cheerfully when she tells me this.

I sort of break. Right in half. I-IIII-IIII—buh—buuuuuuuuHHHT! DI-DIGADIG-DINO-NO!

I think I shall carry her toward the festivities at this time.

Yes, Clay, I think that is a splendid idea. Be careful around the legs; she is still kicking strong.

Yes, Pauper, of course, dear.

Gentle and smaller claws catch and take me, placing me somewhere along a spine, between two different spikes. Instinct convinces me to tuck my fingers into the hulking green mass in front of me, to hold on tight, to wait. It's a soft rumbling of a journey, of thick feet and smaller arms swinging, swinging, waving toward the people in red around. It's a gentle and slow journey, too, one suggesting a whole lot of care and not much of a time to meet, just a need to get there.

For a glittering moment, the world condenses around me as he takes a hefty leap: jewels from the ceiling go shining and a skylight beaming from high, high, high above, just for one single glittering moment, shakes in my sight: then it all comes tumbling down with the mighty crash of a wave. Of a wave of Clay's feet mashing against the rivers casually running through the Richmond building. To this day I've never been able to tell if the hinted waterfall at the back was real or not... Its water sprays, so it looks real, looks real like a great many things out there, but if it's not..? Fake...

We burst from nicely-carved doors and hop down a flight or two of steps. Out into the sunshine sprays light and blue, lots and lots of big and blue sky. I don't get much time to look; Clay lumbers onward, faster now, picking up speed as all he has to avoid now are buildings somewhat taller than him and the regular person. No chandeliers. No expensive thingies Grandpa bought cuz he's all for classiness like that. Just motion and the thrumming of his big, warm toes on a well-done path. Perhaps some roads you feel unable to travel, he ventures, but it seems this one suits you and most anyone else quite finely.

That doesn't really make sense... I drop my eyes to the mud he churns, giggling when it makes funny squelch noises.

Of course it would not. He sighs between my bits of laughter and that makes me laugh even harder, drowning him out in one way or another. My fingers hold tightly to him, because he's Clay, and he's my rock, and if anyone's gonna stick with me till the end, it'll be him.

When we go on past the Resort Area and stumble over some flowers, Clay avoids the roses that were crushed a few months ago by some futabi or something and effectively crushes the nearby petunias. The way he focuses in on those plants like they're his mortal enemy causes me to sort of yell at him to stop. He does, but not without another slow, satisfying stomp. Weirdo...

For some reason, I'm reminded of Lone...

Clay lumbers and lumbers once more, on and on until reaching the Fossil Center, and, shrinking, places his small arms upon my shoulders and asks more than tells me to try to do my best and not worry so much about the bright white clothing bunched up around me. The things I never changed out of. The shoes I never put on. The hair I never managed into bands, now free and wildly roaring around me, curls and curls and pink. And it's a really loud pink, too, it's so bright and... and uncomfortable. Shaking my head, my spinax flips into his medal and lands green and shiny on my palm. I put him away in a pocket by Pauper and slowly enter the cool chambers of the Center. Questions screech inside of me like monsters: What if they're all mad at me for still wearing my pajamas? what if I'm late? what if... what if they don't need me anymore? If I really am inferior t-to scary Jkonna... Maybe I won't know until I show, but why do I have to go in the first place? Why can't I stay back or run away, when then I'd feel way more safe?

Gaah—Rosie—stop that! It's not very important. I wanna see them a-anyways, don't I? I mean, of course I do; I'm just this awkward and dainty and thin... thin rose. Of course I am.

Somehow I manage the steps toward the booth to the side. Wendy's perfectly done face and perfectly curled, blonde hair frames her where it's not kept in its bun. Her lips purse and her makeup's ideal, smooth, cut and done and pretty, pretty, pretty, as it always is. And somehow she makes her minty green jumpsuit work. Blue eyes perched, she murmurs in her slow and soft voice, "Dear, dear Rosie... How may I help you today? Would it be that invitation Diggins sent to you and your grandfather? The one about visiting his office area, having a few words to share... Oh, yes, yes. Is that it?" Even though she can tell I've hardly tried dressing myself up today, she still offers me such a sweet smile.

"Tha-Thank you, Wendy!" I cheep. "It hasn't been all that easy for me today, so I'm sorry about the me—"

"Oh, Rosie, don't worry about it! We all have our off moments!" Aw, she's so sweet, isn't she! I can't imagine a soul making her bristle! They must be some stupid scum if they do, anyways. Ulgh. Wendy's so cool. "Just..." Her voice lowers a bit, lashes flutter some. "Be careful. I heard that those Dino and Jkonna kids..." She pauses and her head rustles on her shoulders. "They're out and about, too." Isn't she such a joker, too? Oh, I love Wendy. Her eyes flash small bits of darker concern but otherwise she smiles and I walk my way off. Down a small corridor of fluffy purple carpet, I stop, and I try to remember which door the office is. It was something important...

Gah, my shirt's so light in comparison to all this purple. I'm sticking out... I'm sticking out. It's an uncomfortable feeling, one that crawls in my body and leaves me shaky. Dino, where are you? I know you're here somewhere; please, please, come out soon. What keeps me from scaring myself is the truth, the strong and hard truth in my head that Wendy told me he and Jkonna are out and about, too. She didn't seem the happiest about it—she can be quite a joker—but still, still... I know this. I know this. It resounds in my heart and I smile because I know th—AT THIS IS THE BEST DAY IN THE WORLD AND RUNNING THROUGH HALLWAYS IS—

L-LO-LONE! When did she get here! Dino! Dino! Dino!

Frantic, I trip myself over just to grasp that wiggling, purple tail into my fingers and tug her close to me and hold her, hold her, never let go again. She squawks with each tug, and she cries within an inch of her life, because she's Lone, but I dig my nails in even further until I've gotten settled. Curled up on the group with a nasaur practically leaping out of my arms. So, here I lie, sucking air off the tip of the world with everything I have, face blustery and red—well, pink, whatever—staring at the wide-eyed creature with wider pink depths. Trilling in place, spinning in place, Lone gives up, one or another, and puffs her teeny cheeks at me. Where's Dino? I try to ask as innocently as possible.

For half a second it really looks like I'm about to lose my nose, until, Gaaaaahhhhhhhhahahh! There you aaaaaare! Maaaaaaannn! Everyone was like soooo confused because you were soooo not here and Dino got all angsty like the Dino he is and Jkonna was soooooo guilty like she thought she ate you or something in her sleep—haaaaahaahaaaaahhh. She burps in my face. It was super duper funny and I ate every last cookie.

Yeah, I can tell... I'd be madder about this if she wasn't the key to Dino and if I wasn't such a mess anyways. The sensation of sugary, mouth-watering sweets cascades through me, edged in the scent of backwash, until I really do wish she had bitten off my nose. I don't think I'll need it much more. Before she can go I scoop her through my hands and squeeze her tightly to me, practically strapping her to my chest. For some reason Lone squeals a whole lot throughout this. I just ignore her; she's coming with me; Dino, how I must see Dino. So anyways, where is he? And I watch her.

And she watches me.

Ummmm... Lo—?

I CAN'T FEEL MY LEGS ROSIE PLEAAAASEEE IF YOU'RE GETTING ANYTHING OUT OF ME PLEAAAAASEEEE STOOOOPPPPPPP.

Face all the redder, I try not to hold her so tightly. The tiny girl visibly eases herself apart, sighing and trilling and singing all in one blow, until a hesitant map of the Fossil Center paints through my mind with her squealing voice. Oh, it's just the second door to the right... I totally swear I knew that! It's... it's just... I thought, "Dino," and I lost it.

Lost what?

Sh-Shut up, Lone.

Ugh... I really am such a mess. Awkwardly I smear a free thumb over my cheeks, wet and hot and puffy, and try not to wince so much. The shuffle of my bare toes over plush carpet fuels of freedom, footfalls of freedom, should be such a wonder, but I stare in my oversized clothing and my curly, undone twirls of hair, and the fact that I haven't worn a pinch of makeup, and I'm not so sure. It's just things like that, right? It's just... these little things. I swallow the pride that went missing months ago into my throat and struggle to open the door. Lone gently peels back my fingers and jiggles her thumbless appendages over it, snorting with its refusal. When I place one hand on brass, and her fingers copy, some way or another, we manage to enter. The moment that four or five or so pairs of eyes roll over me I fish for both of my hands and smooth over my awful looks. My face is... it's so round... Dino's all ha-handsome and angular and tall and he's not—this—pink! He-Help me...

On a slice of instinct and mostly because it's all I know and all I can do, I pelt for the dinaurian standing around with the others and hide my head within him and shudder a lot more than I should. His giggles infect me with his sunny, sunny, sweet self, and it makes me giggle back, just a tiny, tiny bit. Only a bit does he pat my head, but it stays warm where he's touched me. Casually, drawling out his bright but blunt Dino soul, he murmurs, "Well, it look like the final party guest has arrived."

"Dino"—yeep!—"shut uuuup. This hasn't been a party and I diga-doubt it's gonna turn into one just because diga-dear little pinky showed up." The scary part isn't her sarcasm, or her obvious obliviousness to how much she scares me, but the way his name is highlighted each time she speaks. "Diiino! Ha... But it's kind of cute, digadig? I guess?" I hiss through my teeth at the sound of Jkonna's fire. She just laughs, laughs, laughs; I hide more into him because he's safer.

More laughter. This from warmth, like a beach, somewhere gentle and safe and not a volcano of heat. "Maaan! Rosie, I hate to break it to you, but it's not hibernation time, and I am not a cave. So please excuse... yourself? Am I saying that right?" Again the fits and the giggles. "Shut up, Jkonna, I'm trying my beessst!" And when she tells him that his best isn't enough, I manage to withdraw, slumping to his side as close as I can get. Still, Jkonna, a bit shorter than me, manages this better and I am just left. Ugh.

Paperwork fills all parts of my vision that isn't Dino, and around the cluttered stacks lies a person or two. Grandpa. The flashing glasses and stark contrast of color in Doctor Diggins. A potato of a vivosaur loiters around a couch sofa, and it takes me the entirety of five seconds to register her as that acro thing of Jkonna's—yeep! her really scary one that acts a little like her! As fast as possible I tear myself away from that thing and try and try and try to get as close to Dino as possible. Maybe it's not supposed to be a competition... but it... but it is. For me.

"Why the heck diga-did we elect to meet in here again? It smells like compost or something, digadig."

Fits and giggles.

I sulk by the side of the boy all of my attention I've pinned on. He doesn't seem to waver in the slightest, even with all these thoughts and all these feelings on his shoulders. I wonder if he feels them in the first place, if he even cares... and why these feelings can't go off and die. But I don't know, and that's the point of it all, isn't it? Or something. I lurch back when out of nowhere that acro goes spinning for Jkonna's small, dark hands; she swings the teeny potato around in her arms and, laughing, deposits her on the table in the middle I can hardly see with Lone. Lone burps again.

The doctor moves himself, struggling, from the position by the other side and further in; Grandpa follows him kinda quietly, kinda quickly. I shift from where I stand. Tug a bit on Dino's arm. He doesn't look back at me and I swallow my lump of a heart.

"Did I..." My voice feels so small. I stumble over the words. "Di-Did I... miss... miss a-all the important things or... or..."

Flustered looks hit everyone's faces. It doesn't take long to find that kind, simple sympathy, all syrupy and sweet in Doctor's turquoise eyes. The reflection from eye to glasses to me only amplifies how I feel deep on the inside. He's always been a nice guy. "Err... to be honest, heh, seeing who I am, you can't trust me to remember every little detail, buuuuut..." His eyes roll to the ceiling; his face offers shining bits of friendliness. "I'm feeling like we hadn't gotten very far whatsoever. Jkonna and Bliss were mostly goofing off; she and Dino really wanted to wait for you! And—don't worry about taking time! Really, no one minds. We get it."

N-Now I'm all embarrassed, anyways... g-gah, what am I? Oh my gosh... Swallowing past indigestible chunks of emotions, I brush over my cheeks again, feeling so unprotected without my blush, without my mascara, so, so unprepared for the rest of the world to eke in, even with my grandpa right over there and the doctor just in front of me. They're both nice, but the room is burning... burning... all this paper...

Dino doesn't stare at me like a whole new person; I wonder if this is just another difference he'll never notice of me... Ma-Maybe it's better this way! Now I'll feel less able t-to rely on him! S-So much better! Right! I dissolve into myself, hands tight little balls by my sides. Awkwardly I try to nod. I wonder if anyone can tell... but I feel so obnoxious when those icy eyes try me. Jkonna's... ju-jus—

"So then I guess I'll take out the medals now?" Mister Diggins doesn't seem to notice all that much that he's cut through my thoughts; I try to pretend I wasn't thinking of much as heads bobble and his hand goes to one of his pockets and out comes a pair. They're little discs, clear and shining, each end surrounded in a thick and harsh shell suggesting protection, or maybe power. One brims with red; the other, blue. I wince. My gaze involuntarily shifts... icy blue... fiery red... and orange...

The shudder that claws through her body does get noticed by the boy sandwiched between us. When her face grows pale, his eyes reflect oozing concern upon her; when she shakes and steps back, he steps back with her. And he tells her words, little secrets, bit by bit, all to her, words in his sweet voice that only she gets to hear. When he moves back toward the rest of our messy little cluster, Jkonna hangs back, the clinging of shadows thick upon her body. I feel like that... I-I feel that...

When he grunts and bites his lip, I almost miss the display in his hands, the fire and ice that he holds and he holds so tightly, so tightly to him. Acceptance of po-power... of fire and ice... of icy eyes and fiery soul... of... And he took both of them. Is that—is that allowed? Was... Jkonna supposed to...

Slowly, I piece together the story. There's gaping pieces open, spots that I'm gonna fill, maybe: but Dino and Jkonna had those two... those guys, and the-they had to take them back o-or something... and Jkonna couldn't do it? And he's—the stain on his face and the ice in his hair—what if... what if it... Ancients kill... ancients kill... what if it... what if it... he... he can't... he... can't... can't...

CRACK!

Everyone in the room starts.

Dino slowly shakes his frozen head out of its hung posture, slowly regulates himself, and very, very slowly removes the vivosaurs from sight. Face the lightest orange I've ever seen it come, the slithering of a body stuffed with water explodes into the atmosphere. Droplet more or less comforts him; she showers him in a waterfall of fluid and his breaths come slow and long, and he waits, and he rests, and he nods. Bones crr-crr-crr-raaaaaaaaacccck! All of those. All of those in his neck.

Oh my goodness I think I'm going to faint.

Hel—p—

Clay's head is in my mind, breath in my ears, calm and slurred and soft, always there, always there. Diggins tosses me this really scrunched, really quiet look and asks me if I need anything to drink but I just angrily shake my head. I'm too scared, but... but if I wasn't... maybe I'd, maybe I'd tell Jkonna just what... just what I... just what I... And yet my eyes follow and slink and go to her, and she's frozen in place, hands twitching, shaking, one over her lips and the other fallen aside like it's too shocked to do much of anything. The burning in her gaze suggests who she's really mad at; the ice in her limbs tells her she can't do anything.

Gentle, gentle. Dino's always so gentle now, and it only makes me love him mo-more. The way he's slow in his movements, slow to try and manage to crack a grin, slow to wave and tell Jkonna he's okay, the ancients are more or less okay—and gay, he tries to joke off of—always so very very tender now. And always he's soft toward her. Fearful, stuck in her rut of thoughts, Jkonna can't move toward him; her hand limply reaches but it falls and she lets it go. Scared of touching him. I-I don't blame her... but she's... she's... The anger falls like her fingers, and I tug at it, desperate, but it won't come, and I know it's never gonna.

He bites for a smile, this time turning toward me. He's slow and gentle and it's not scary when he moves so rigidly, the sound of the cracks still ringing, ringing in ears. "I'm okay. It... hurts a little, but..." When he spins over, immediately the Doctor catches him, tosses papers labeled Registration of Nomadii Cup like they don't matter, as bold and shining as they sound, and he lays him gently upon the orange cushions. They keep him safe. Dino's eyes flutter as he struggles to, at the very least, sit himself upwards; awkward and stupidly I toss myself to one side, and through pants, he mutters his thanks.

His back is against mine. We're touching and he knows it. He's not thinking about it, not this much, he's thinking about what he did for her and she's thinking about it, too, but I'm thinking about shining black scales against cloth and past cloth and on my pale, pink skin.

Words are on his lips before I manage my first one. "Y'know, you look... cuter... without all that stuff on." It's a struggle, like everything else he's said—but he—he took out the effort to talk to me. My soul cries from wherever it lies within me; papers scatter out from below me. Jkonna stays in her corner.

Gray orbs shine from where they hit me; I thrash in this nightdress that he obviously could bother to care more about. And yet he doesn't. And it's not like Wendy's thoughts, which kindly accept that today isn't my day and I'll be all dressed and prim tomorrow; he really just doesn't care. He's happier with me being me, and if that's blown-up cloth and bland white fabric, then that'll do. I look like Jkonna. She always has that dress thing on, the one with the brown that fits her so fine and simple. I don't wanna be like Jkonna...

But everyone has a piece of everyone else. I can't be completely like anyone; and so I also can't be on the opposite side of anyone else. It's... it's impossible. It's hard enough as it is to find one person who doesn't like cake, or candy, or coffee or something: someone with enough thought and change to be completely off of your ideals in all and any way... of course I'm going to resemble her. Somehow. For some reason I don't like accepting this, not at all. Lone's big, cyan eyes zone in on me, soak up in me, from her perch on the table now showing glassy splotches. Happily her body lifts from one spot and jumps into Dino's lap, and she trills from this perch.

"Yeah... hah... love you too, Lone," he murmurs, so quietly, fingers guided by the way his nasaur's head lilts and twists, petting his purple buddy who's come so far with him. She's satisfied and so is he... of course they are.

By his side, on his lap, another potato allows herself in: although this one is golden, like the sun, and her shimmer reflects on everyone from where she lies. Lone happily chirrups at the sight of her friend; Harei's blush looks too heavy for her face.

Sullenly I stare off through the papers of the room, past the people of this plane, and I can't help but think about him and wonder why I'll never make it. Why I'll never... never...

Soft thrums against the Fossil Center throw me off for a moment there, causing he and I both to nearly fall. Grandpa, from where he stands by the Doctor, wrinkles his old face, shifting. "Rain again. The sky has been crying for quite some time lately..." His low but welcoming rumble files through the chamber. His wizened old eyes drop for the boy rested up against me again, and he nods a bit. "Dino, if you don't mind my asking, I believe it'd be best if you told Rosie everything yourself. I'll go run for a drink, if it helps your throat or anything, but... you know how she is, lad. And you know she'll need to..."

"Oh, yes, yes, totally." A cheerful nod for a childish boy, drained and drained of his usual flair. He's still smiling, even with the cracks and the rings in his ear. Shyly, as my grandpa moves off again toward the edge of the chamber, Mister Diggins wends his way for his, well, daughter, and he smiles toward her and the shivers begin to fade. Bliss—that acro—has already gone and folded herself in her friend's arms. I sigh from where I lie and listen to the tears that won't fall from my face.

Ssshhhhhhhhhh...

It's like a gentle whisper.

Dino brings up his voice, and, smiling, tries to tell me about something new and very different from all the struggles he's just ended through. He tells me about old things, about when we met and about when we found Iggy, and he tells me Thomas, too, and all the lovely adventures we'd taken. He tells me about Thomas returning, about scary ancients and possession and confused people and worry. He tells me about a beach and Jkonna's fear, and he tells me about how happy he was when I managed to come back for him. And how he feels now, how much better off he is. The way his eyes search mine just tells me that he's been looking for a way to express this; my heart warms, glows, just a little bit. And it's more than enough feeling to sail over the moon. Dino... Dino...

Tea wends its way around for all and he takes his time before trying to word this one out. He reminds me, very softly, of his family. Of family he so dearly loves who visit him more often than he has the shamelessness to admit, a dad and a Raptin... and a sister. A missing sister. A missing sister in a very bad place, scared and lost and alone just like all the other ancients. Needing help. There might be less than a soul on her side... he tells me that Mister Diggins knows where she is, right at this moment, and he tells me Jkonna's coming with him.

Thunder lurches, a wail of a dance, a warble over the sky. I try to cover my ears, try not to cry.

"But—But Rosie... that's not exactly what I'm trying to say here. I don't wanna leave you alone, I swear. It's not that at all. While Harei and Lone... and Droplet, and Bliss, and everyone is coming with us, you'll have the others, as per always. There's so many cool people out there you have yet to meet who would love to meet you. There's this weirdo, Holt, I think you'd love to be friends with, cuz he's... sort of like me but a lot younger than the both of us. There's kids and older people and McJunker and Woolbeard... there's level-up battles... and uh... other than that—there's...

"It's that... I've been doing a lot while I've been around. And especially now, with all the... ancients. I'm not completely sure; like, Diggins said one of his old friends or whatever found these stories about the past and that some really messed up and powerful ancient was doing bad things and now he's dead or something and everyone is in, well, discord. Anarchy. All those fun things. And I've... been able to hold some of them off at times, but I know that you have more medals than me—you had fifteen when we first met, shut up. And more. Many more. You can keep watch on the Island and help keep everyone safe while we run off and have fun saving my sissy... Heh."

Blushing, his eyes are on the vivosaurs. Harei manages to glimpse back; Lone snorts back at me, like she finds my gape funny o-or something.

"And then there's also the fact that Pippy would kill me with begging if I didn't do anything."

Laughter. It punctures my heart, bursts through my lungs, and I almost do cry. But... but I'm done crying. Let the rain fall... let the rain fall... Let it fall without me...

And somewhere nearby, I know there's a petite seismo smiling ridiculously much, hiccuping over his "pip-pips" and wailing over "cheerios." Sweet old Pippy... When I move over and pet his vivosaurs, his smile infects me; when I move over, Jkonna hesitantly shoves herself over on the couch too, and I can't help but smile and she looks ready to cry in return.

But we're all done crying... so we let the rain fall... let it fall without us...

Pippy

Excitedly, I follow the older fellow as he takes leave off the room. Droplet knows where I'm going, so I'm not all too worried, even if my poor dear Dino hasn't yet a clue. My tiny feet pitter and patter as I roam past his trailing lab coat and the paunchy one before him. It's so exciting, going on this adventure! Oh, how fun! Perhaps it isn't very far, and it's not so important that they must lock doors behind a basement, but they're going upstairs together with carts of tea and I must see what is coming along. Besides, the elder fellow invited me, more or less; perhaps because he knew I would not eat all of their cookies like my sweet lassie Lone did. But there are no such spots of problems with that! At least, I rather think so.

Their voices bubble over my head as I come with, so excited, so very excited.

"And you're letting them go, Doug? Your daughter and the boy? Dynal is not in any way against this? Are we sure this idea is friendly to what may be going on later?"

"I know, Rian, I know it's a bit of a stretch to the mind, but this is a good idea, it must be!"

"Did you forge—"

"Yes, but I also remembered! Very brave recovery, yes. And Vivian, as well, will live with it! She's proven to be preeeeetty overprotective too. So I'd say that's an even better sign than any that he should go, yes? And it's sweet..."

"Doug... it's not safe, especially at this time. You know what your friend—Nigel Scatterly himself—said of that Zongazonga fellow who's somehow related to the girl."

"Perhaps... but I also know that the girl had a boyfriend or something who helped her, and she helped him, and... at the same time, haven't you heard of Torn? I swear, everyone's heard of Torn. P.A. and Slate would not shut up about him when they learned about him. And don't get me started on Tiffany. She kept saying she was going to cry. I get that it looks dangerous, really, but we need to have more faith in them. Dino's able to withstand two ancients within and without him. Jkonna's gone through those months... and then years beforehand, before she knew me. They're tough and sentimental..."

"What was the name of the boyfriend again, Doug?"

"Oh, right: Rupert. You've heard of him, haven't you, Rian? I always forget his last name, it's so darned long, but he's the one who's been with Dina this time. He's changed a lot with her... really, they all have come for the better, it seems."

"I can hardly believe it if Rupert has feelings for a girl! Feelings for someone indeed. But I wouldn't doubt it, after what you've shown me. I just worry, Doug, about what might come of those youngsters when their time comes and they meet... I worry, you know."

"Yes, I get that... but it won't come for some time yet. I've told you that the Caliosteo Islands and their neighbor... what was—oh, oh! Nomadistan. Yes, them, they're almost halfway around the world. This meeting won't be that soon... Just gotta believe in them, right?"

The two look back at me, smiling a bit. I try to smile, but it's rather hard when you've got a big, brown muzzle!

For some reason I'm drawn to one of the names of the people they tossed around... odd. I wonder.

Then out of nowhere the thunder goes screeching though my soul and I squeal and Doug comforts me and feeds me a single, sweet cookie.

"Just be careful with all of this, Pippy," he murmurs, not unkindly. "It'll be a lot for them to mull over..."

Yeah, Pippy got a POV... it comes into much more importance toward the very end of the story (oh my gosh two more chapters) but at the same time I just needed this scene xD even if Pippy himself only really showed up for a couple paragraphs...

So here it is! Surprise Rosie chapter! X3

And after this are two more... I think it's a little obvious by now what they are xD