The Silliest Jurassic World Dominion FanFiction Ever Written

by Lord Kristine

Kayla Watts is recruited for a mission of the utmost importance.

15. Words

"God, Rainn, just say it!"

"Not right now. I gotta figure out how to convince Ramsay to come along with us on our trip."

Kayla groaned loudly. They took a turn down a narrow pathway that led toward Ramsay's condo.

"Raaaaaaaaainn! We've been interrupted one too many times for my liking!"

He rubbed his chin.

"You're right. Maybe it's a bad omen."

Kayla rolled her eyes.

"I don't believe in bad omens."

"It's happened way too many times to be a coincidence."

She threw her hands up, frustrated.

"Oh, for the love of- Look, don't feed into your anxiety. Just do what you need to do, okay? Make your own luck."

"I'm trying, I promise. And I'll say it when the time is right."

"Boy, you'd better."

He nodded.

"I will, I will. But it's hard for me to focus on more than one thing at a time, and Ramsay's gonna need convincing. I gotta pull out all the stops."

Kayla scoffed, shaking her head.

"It's not like we need him, though. Why even bother trying to convince him when he's pretty much useless to us?"

Rainn shrugged.

"I like Ramsay. I mean, I don't really have a lot of friends, so I'm glad that he's willing to be there for me . . . except sometimes, it feels like he isn't."

Kayla stopped walking.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, he still makes fun of me when we text. Just small things, but still . . . not great. Sometimes, I wonder if he even likes me at all."

Kayla bit her lip.

"Oh, Rainn . . ."

He gulped, suddenly a lot less confident.

"And I'm just gonna say it. I don't like how he put down his old boss."

"In all fairness, he was thrown into an uncomfortable position. Social cues were definitely missed."

"Yeah, but he wasn't mad about that part in particular. He seemed to not like Dodgson for being gay- He is gay, right? Is that still an okay word to use? . . ."

"Yeah, but we don't know that he's gay, per se. He might also be gay, but that's not really what the whole incident was about. I'm not sure what he goes by, actually. I guess he's at least femme-presenting, but I'm not sure if he's trans or not. And who's to say if he's even out? Maybe he hasn't quite figured out for himself what he-"

She noticed Rainn's face.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, it's just that I don't understand most of what you're saying."

"Oh."

"I'm trying, I promise."

She sensed alarm in his tone.

"I'm not mad at you, Rainn."

He exhaled.

"Oh, good. Kayla, I may not know a lot, but I'm doing my best to learn. And if I mess up, please tell me before it gets out of hand. I don't wanna hurt you just cuz I don't know stuff."

She waved her hand.

"Oh, you're fine. Believe me, I'd tell you if you said something insensitive."

". . . And you mean that both in terms of you being bisexual and also . . ."

He waved his hand vaguely, but didn't quite form a thought.

". . . You mean Black, right?"

"Yeah, that."

"I'll tell you if you say something wrong," she stated flatly, a little more irritated.

He relaxed a bit.

"Whew. That's a relief. I was terrified that I'd say the worst possible thing and you'd hate me forever."

She raised her eyebrows.

"That's a bit dramatic . . ."

"Well, I never know how badly I'm gonna fuck up until I do. I guess that's part of not knowing much. It's like, there's this whole other world that existed alongside me, 'cept I never saw it. I guess it's cuz I wasn't taught to be proper. I dunno if I mentioned, but my dad was pretty awful."

"I figured."

"Yeah. I remember, this one time, he blew up at me for buying one of those rainbow lollipops with the loose change I picked up from the ground. Took me months to save up for it, but he grabbed it from me and threw it on the ground like it was nothing. Then he started yelling about how someone was gonna think that I was queer . . . Not a fun day."

Kayla took his hand.

"I'm sorry, Rainn."

"Nah, don't be. I'm just ashamed to come from such a shitty family."

"If it's any consolation, you're nothing like your father."

He sighed.

"Fuck, that feels good to hear. I don't know how I'd live with myself if I was even a little bit like him. I see him in my anger, sometimes. Happens less nowadays, but still . . . It scares me, you know, when I catch myself saying something that he would say."

"Does that happen a lot?"

"Not lately. It was more when I was with my old crew. They were a nasty bunch, and I was afraid of how they'd perceive me, in terms of being tough and all . . . Seems ridiculous, in hindsight. They were shitty people. I shouldn'a cared what they thought of me. I guess that's why I admire Dodgson for doing what he did. I mean, he almost ended the world, so he ain't a great person otherwise, but he's braver than I'll ever be."

"I think you're pretty brave."

"Nah, I'm insecure. You know that."

"Well, we just gotta build up your confidence, that's all."

"I dunno if that's possible. There's not much to like about me."

"There's a lot to like about you."

". . . Like what?"

"Well, you're adaptable, for one, and you're not judgmental. There's a lot more, obviously, but I wanna tell you how proud I am that you were so supportive of Dodgson. I mean, the man's a shitty billionaire who almost destroyed the world, but you're right: his identity exists irrespective of that, and he deserves compassion on that front. Everyone does."

"That's true. And Kayla, if you were a cat, I wouldn't mind at all. I respect you for who you are"

She laughed.

"Right back at ya."

He twiddled his fingers.

"Hey, Kayla?"

"Yeah?"

"Are we supposed to ask Dodgson what he is, or is that rude?"

"I guess it depends on how you do it."

"And how do I do it?"

"Well, you might say something like, 'Hey, Dodgson, how do you want me to refer to you?' And then he'll tell you."

"Just like that?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. I wish that I was good at just knowing what people are, like you."

"Nobody knows offhand what's in another person's heart."

"Well, didn't you tell me that the dragon wasn't a girl?"

"Yeah, but that was just vibes . . . Although, I did know how your name was spelled, somehow."

"Eh, that's normal. Ain't it a guy name when it has two n's?"

"I dunno, I think it's typically seen as gender-neutral."

"Oh. So it can be either, is what you're saying."

"It can be any, not either," she replied gently, "There's more than just men and women."

He batted his eyes.

". . . How many more?"

"There's not really a fixed number. People are complex, so they mostly just do their best to express their feelings with a limited vocabulary."

He nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh! I think I get it now. It's like when you wanna replace a word that you wrote down, and it takes a while to find the right one. You know, I used to write a lot when I was a kid. My dad never really read to me, so I promised myself that if I ever had kids, I'd have lots and lots of stories to tell them. I wasn't the best at expressing myself, but putting things into words really helped."

"Yeah, that's how I felt when I came out. It's nice to have a word that describes you, even if it's not always easy for others to understand."

"Ah. Do I gotta learn all the gay words like I did with the dinosaur names?"

"It would be nice if you knew a few. Where are you at now?"

"I know bisexual, gay, and lesbian, but I don't think I'm supposed to say the other words I've heard."

Kayla tightened her lips.

"Okay, that's a start . . . I guess we can discuss umbrella terms. You know about trans people, right?"

"That's when they flip-flop, right?"

"Uh, maybe don't say it like that, but yeah, you have the basic idea. Are you only familiar with trans men and trans women, or do you know about nonbinary people?"

"I've never heard that word."

"Okay, so you know how the dragon- Wait, that's a bad example. I don't know what kind of society she comes from, and she's closeted. Um, let me think . . . Okay, so there are some people who don't strictly feel like men nor women."

He laughed.

"That's how everybody feels."

"No, it's really more compl- Wait, what?"

He shrunk.

"I'm sorry, did I say the wrong thing?"

She cocked her head.

"No, I'm just wondering why you phrased it that way."

"What, the thing about people not feeling a certain way? I didn't mean nothing by it. It's just that I don't think anyone really feels like they're a man or a woman. I mean, maybe SOME people do, but- Why are you staring at me that way?"

Kayla blinked.

"Rainn, do you not feel like a man?"

"Nobody does."

"That isn't what I asked."

He twisted his mouth.

"Well, do you 'feel' like a woman?"

"Unambiguously, yes."

He batted his eyes with surprise, then waved his hand dismissively.

"Well, maybe you're just different. Name one other person who feels like a woman."

"Shania Twain. Also, women. Women feel like women."

". . . Okay, well, maybe it's just different for men," he said, sweating a bit.

"Most men I talk to are confident that they're men. They feel it too."

He gulped.

"I don't know why you're so stuck on this."

She looked him straight in the eyes.

"Are you a man?"

"Sure."

"Do you feel like a man?"

"No."

She held out her hands, emphasizing her point, but Rainn just shrugged.

"I don't see the problem."

"I'm just pointing out a contradiction, that's all."

The penny dropped. He frowned softly.

"Wait, are you telling me that I'm that nonbinary thing?"

"No, I don't have the right to tell you anything. I'm just wondering if you've thought about this before."

"Can't say I have, considering I only heard of it today."

Kayla tapped her cheek.

"Rainn, could you change into an Atrociraptor for a second?"

He did. Kayla nodded.

"Alright, now tell me how you feel inside."

"Why?"

"I just wanna see something."

"Okay . . . I don't feel anything. But that's normal."

His scales turned black. Kayla curled her finger under her chin.

"Would you say that you like being a man?"

His scales returned to blue.

"I dunno, it is what it is. I've never really thought about it."

"How would you feel if Soyona was mad at you?"

His scales turned black.

"Scared, to be honest."

"Uh-huh. By the way, I don't tell you enough how good of a person you are."

His scales turned yellow.

"Thank you!"

"You're a good man."

There was no change, but he grinned.

"Aw, you don't have to keep saying that . . ."

"But you are good . . . and you're also a man, right?"

His scales returned to blue with the last part.

"Sure . . . Say, what's this all about?"

"I'm doing science. Hey, Rainn, do you wanna go get ice cream after this?"

His scales turned orange.

"Yeah!"

"Wanna try the frog flavour?"

He gagged, turning green.

"No thanks, but you can."

"Shoot, I just remembered that the ice cream shop is closed today."

His scales turned light blue.

"Oh, that's too bad."

"But we can go to the new candy store up North."

Yellow.

"Great!"

"And we'll go skydiving after."

Black.

"Oh, I'm not sure if-"

"Or we can go for a fly."

Orange.

"Yeah! I'd-"

"I like spending time with you."

Pink.

"Aw, thanks. I-"

"Have you ever thought about how we're naked when we're dinosaurs?"

Purple.

"Oh, um-"

"You don't have to be a man."

A flash of yellow, followed by a steady black.

"I- I don't know what that has to do with-"

"You don't have to be afraid either."

Still black.

"I'm not!"

"Rainn, it's okay."

He shifted on his feet.

"Why are you asking me all of these questions?"

He turned to look away, then noticed his stripes.

"Shit! Have they been doing that the whole time?!"

He brushed at his scales, panicked.

"It's not- I mean, th-that's not accurate . . ."

Kayla hummed.

"Maybe. But I want you to know that I support you."

His scales turned yellow slowly.

"Really?"

"Yeah. No matter what you are, you're great."

". . . I am?"

"Of course."

His tail wagged.

"That's a relief- Uh, I mean, not that I- Uh- That is to say-"

He laughed nervously.

"I've been tripping over my words a lot lately . . . And I guess there's even more words to trip over now. Kinda intimidating."

"It's okay. You'll learn."

"You sure? I'm not that good at remembering things."

"But you listen. That's the important part."

"In the sense that I'm good at hearing when I'm an Atrociraptor?"

"You know what I mean," she whispered, grinning.

He shrugged hesitantly.

"I try my best, Kayla, but I'm afraid of letting you down. What happens if there's something that I don't understand?"

"You don't have to understand someone to respect them. And if you want to understand, I'll explain it to you as much as you need . . . though I can really only speak from personal experience."

"Oh. In that case, can you explain the bisexual stuff?"

"Yeah, sure . . . Hm, how do I phrase this?"

If one wants to be bi-sex-u-al

There isn't much to do

Being bi just means you're being the most honest form of you

Rainn nodded.

"Got it. What's next?"Well . . .

Think about if what you like is women, men, or in between

You'd like two of them or more, and that's a lot, LOT more, I mean

Or you maybe wanna say that you like people just like you

As well as people diff-er-ent, that also counts as two

He scratched his head.

"Okay . . ."

But make sure that your part-ener is okay with that term

They may ask that you add caveats- that bound'ry can be firm

So don't get stuck on labels or you may misgender them

It is well worth little compromises if you two have chem-

-istry

"Sorry, I'm thinking these rhymes up fast."

"All good. Continue."So the "bi" part of "bisex'ual" doesn't always mean just two

But it can as well as not, and that is really up to you

She huffed and puffed, having sung very fast. Rainn, who had furiously been trying to keep track of it all, let go of his head.

"Uh . . . I think I heard in the song that you can like more than two genders? . . ."

"I'm attracted to nonbinary people, yes."

He sighed, going slack.

"That's a relief . . . I mean, not that I'm- Not that we're- I'm just gonna shut up now."

He changed back into a human, wincing.

"Sorry."

"Don't be sorry. And don't worry. I won't tell anyone."

"Thanks. I, uh . . . I'd be scared to have people find out. For now, anyway. But maybe someday . . ."

"It's okay if you're not ready, but don't let anyone stop you from being yourself. Nobody's ever been hurt by someone's identity."

TSJWDFEW*

In her office, Moonwatcher stood over a small machine, shaking like a leaf.

"Oh my GOD! The views just dropped by ninety percent! We suddenly became a whole lot less marketable! What the HELL is going on?!"

A red light started spinning as sirens blared.

"THE COMMENTS! OH GOD, THE COMMENTS! IT WASN'T BUILT FOR THIS MANY NEGATIVE REVIEWS!"

The machine caught fire. From across the room, the recently hired My Assistant Terry But Not The Girl One came running forward. He made a jump for the fire extinguisher, but tripped over his own shoes and fell on the blaze. He screamed in agony.

"OH GOD! HELP ME!"

"AAAAAAAAA-"

TSJWDFEW*

"Anyway, we'd better meet with Ramsay," Kayla said, "I hope he's in a good mood."

TSJWDFEW*

"So in conclusion, today has been pretty great so far!" Ramsay exclaimed as he held up a large ham and a twenty dollar bill, "I'm feeling swell, as a matter of fact, so if you need anything, now's the time to ask."

Rainn grinned.

"Glad to hear it! Will you come with us on a magical journey to the land of dragons?"

"No, absolutely not."

Rainn's face fell.

"But you said-"

"I meant, like, if you needed to borrow my hedge clippers or something. I'm not gonna get into any more hijinks with you two."

Rainn looked to Kayla for help. She crossed her arms.

"Ramsay, I know that we're asking for something big, but this means a lot to Rainn and I. You should be flattered that we're even considering you for this trip, given your general ineptitude."

"Reverse psychology won't work, and don't talk to me about ineptitude when you're bringing HIM along."

Within a second, Kayla had grabbed Ramsay's wrist. His finger, which he had been using to point at Rainn, withdrew as he tensed up. Kayla stared him in the eyes and spoke at a low volume.

"Do not disrespect Rainn."

Hearing the menace in her voice, Ramsay slowly withdrew his hand, which she dropped halfway, eyes still latched onto his. Rainn didn't know how to respond, but seemed surprised that she had come to his defense. He stood a little taller and cleared his throat.

"Ramsay, I know that it's a lot to ask for, but you're my friend, and I need your support right now."

"We're not really that close."

Rainn twiddled his fingers, then gulped.

"What if I told you something really personal? Something that almost nobody knows about?"

Kayla became alert.

"Rainn, don't use that as leverage. You shouldn't come out until you're ready."

Ramsay pulled his head back with surprise.

"Come out as what?"

Kayla's eyes went wide as she realized what she'd said.

"Fuck . . ."

Rainn shrugged.

"It's okay. Ramsay's my friend. He should know."

Rainn took a deep breath.

"Ramsay, I'm-"

He paused, looked over to Kayla, then whispered something in her ear. She whispered back, and he nodded.

"Nonbinary. I'm nonbinary."

Ramsay snorted, smiling condescendingly.

"Okay. I'm still not going with you."

"Oh . . . But you accept me for who I am, right? . . ."

"Did Kayla put you up to this?"

"No! I'm being serious. I'm nonbinary."

Ramsay rolled his eyes.

"I don't think you know what you are. I mean, you don't strike me as-"

Kayla stepped between them, seething.

"RAMSAY, STOP."

He held out his hands.

"Kayla, you know that Rainn just goes along with anything you say. He doesn't even understand what you're talking about."

"You're not giving him enough credit. Rainn is an adult who can make his own decisions. He- Where'd he go?"

The door was open. Kayla's heart sunk.

"Now you've really done it!"

She wagged her finger in Ramsay's face sternly.

"You're coming with us on our trip. Rainn deserves a proper apology. Fuck this up, and I'll punt you so hard that you'll never have kids."

"But-"

She lunged forward, making him flinch, then ran out the door.

"Figure it out!"

TSJWDFEW*

When Kayla found Rainn, he was curled up in the middle of the jungle, shaking like a leaf. He had become an Atrociraptor, and his scales were black. Between panicked breaths, he whimpered like a dog. Kayla walked up to him slowly, then sat down beside him as he continued to tremble.

"That was a lot. You okay?"

"I don't have any real friends."

Kayla put her hand on his neck. She could feel his pulse, and it was racing like a jackrabbit. She sighed.

"Ramsay's a jerk, but you have me."

"Then you're my ONLY friend. I thought that things would be different here, but it's all the same shit. What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing! It's only been a few weeks. These things take time."

"It didn't take time to get people to hate me!"

"Well, that's just how life is. But don't worry about it. You've improved so much, and if people can't see that, they're- What are you doing?"

Dirt shot behind him as he pawed at the earth.

"I'm digging a hole."

"What for?"

"I'm going to jump into it and never come out."

"Well, don't do that . . ."

"Nobody wants me here anyway."

"I do."

The ground was up to his shoulders. She stepped aside, avoiding the hail of dust.

"Nobody else wants me around. Ramsay didn't even believe me. He thinks that I'm a faker."

"You're not a faker. Ramsay is-"

"It's not just Ramsay. It's every person I meet. If they're not calling me a monster- which I am- they're making fun of me for being incompetent and naïve. I'm useless and worthless and I'm going to hide in this hole now. Goodbye."

He dove in. His rear poked out, but otherwise, he was submerged. Kayla sighed, then picked up a stick and started scraping at the ground beside him. Hearing this, his tail wiggled slightly.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm digging a hole too."

"Why?"

"Cuz I'm not just gonna sit here and watch you ostrich."

"Ostrich isn't a verb, and they don't actually do that."

She crossed her arms.

"You know what I mean."

Kayla tossed the stick aside, then dug with her hands. When the pit was big enough, she sat down. Rainn, who wanted to see what was going on, withdrew his head, then sat down in his own hole, holding his feet above his belly. He chirped nervously, looking around at the forest. After a minute or two, he sighed.

"This isn't a solution, is it?"

"Not really."

He rolled over and rested his chin on the ground.

"So what do I do? I can't go back to being a bad person . . . and I can't keep pretending to be a man, because now I know what it feels like to be honest with myself."

"Wow, you're really blowing through this transition fast, huh?"

"It's been a rough few weeks."

She nodded.

"I get it. It sneaks up on you after years of trying to push it down."

"And pushing it down is bad, right?"

She shrugged, hands still placed on the ground beside her.

"It's not great. But I can't tell you how to live your life. If you feel safer closeted, that's up to you."

He scratched the back of his neck.

"I feel like I want people to know, but I'm afraid that they'll laugh at me. At least when they call me a piece of shit, it's warranted, but what do I do when I like what I am and no one believes me?"

"I believe you."

"I know. But nobody else will. I don't know if I'm brave enough to have people laugh at me."

"If people laugh at you, they're in the wrong."

"But it still feels awful. I think I gotta take the coward's way out and just pretend that this never happened."

"That's not cowardly."

"It feels like the wrong move."

She exhaled.

"Well, that's up to you. It takes bravery to be open about your identity, but it's also very brave to put up with people not knowing the real you. Either way, you're doing something that most people will never have to think about, and I'm so, so proud of you."

His scales turned yellow. Slowly, he dug out the dirt that separated their holes, then rested his head on her lap.

"Thanks, Kayla."

She scratched his head. He looked up at her with one eye.

"You know what's fucked up?"

"What?"

"I wouldn't have even figured it out if I had stayed dead."

"Oh . . ."

"And now I'm here, and everything's new and exciting . . . and it's so hard for me. But why is this so hard? It should be easy."

Kayla fiddled with a blade of grass, splitting it slowly.

"I know that it's hard, and I don't have a simple answer for you, unfortunately. I wish that it was easy, but the way things are right now . . . it sucks. It really does."

He lifted his head a bit.

"What do I do?"

Kayla opened her mouth, then shook her head.

"I'll let you know when I figure it out."

His slit pupils shrunk to thin lines.

"Oh my god, is there really no solution?"

Kayla gulped.

"Uh . . . Um . . . Why don't you vent about it?"

He blinked.

"Oh. And that works?"

"It'll make you feel better, probably, but it doesn't fix systemic issues."

"And how-"

"Why don't you say what's on your mind?" she replied quickly.

He stood up, kicking the dirt off his claws. She did as well, tossing the shredded grass aside. Rainn took a deep breath, puffing out his chest.

"Okay . . . I'm really upset, because I'm having a hard time right now, and it feels like you're the only one who's here for me."

"Go on."

"Um, Ramsay made me feel shitty by being condescending. Seems like he should have been nicer to me. But maybe not. Maybe I deserve-"

"Rainn, just be upset. It's okay."

He growled nervously.

"Alright . . . I'm just a little miffed, because for once, it's not my fault that people are treating me badly. I know that I've done a lot of bad stuff, but I don't deserve to be ridiculed like that. I mean, isn't it enough that I died? How-"

-can these people say

That I'm not doing my best

I've put in all the work

Don't I deserve a rest?

And yeah, I did fuck up

But things have changed since then

How can they call me names?

I'm not one of those men

Not quite manly

I've decided

But they cause me such strife

I am trying

To be better

But I hate my life

Who cares

But still, they gotta twist the knife

And it sucks

Because I hate my life

Shitty father, absent mother

Same old story, that's fine

Wanted closure

But I guess that it'll never be mine

It's just

Oh god

And then that day that Rooster died

My dad hit me when I cried

Owen cut me

And for what, he

Doesn't know how I feel inside

Not a villain

But I'm still in

This perpetual cycle of self-loathing that never seems to go away no matter how much I try to improve because I just hear my dad saying that I'll never amount to anything so why even bother but I'm still doing my fucking best and it's not like he cared about me anyway because he still let my aunt come over even after I told him how creepy she was being so it's a good thing that my uncle divorced her I guess but on the other hand our relationship wasn't really the same after that and I kinda felt like he blamed me for what happened but what the hell was I supposed to do because if I just shut up and let it happen I might be even more fucked up than I am now and believe me I'm plenty fucked up because even though I didn't want to admit it I think that I wanted to go to California so badly because my dad mentioned it in passing but my mother wasn't even there and why would she be because it's not like she'd be waiting for me since she was the one who left in the first place except she only did it after I was born so what does that say about me that not a single person in my family ever loved me and even the people who knew me at my best didn't stick around because they thought that I was trash and maybe they were right because I've fucked everything up so badly that I can never go back-

He took a deep breath.

. . . or something like that.

Kayla blinked.

"Jesus."

Rainn sighed.

I am trying

But nobody seems to notice or care

And I wonder

If it's 'cuz there's nothing worthwhile there

That's why I'm never gonna have kids or a loving wife

They'd just leave me too

And I hate my

LIIIIIIIIIFE!

He huffed and puffed. Kayla's jaw was agape.

"Wow. That was a lot."

He gulped.

"And it's not even all of it, that's the scary part."

"Tell me the rest."

"Naw, that'd take forever."

"Then tell me what's been bothering you lately."

He looked away.

"I don't know if I can."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want you to blame yourself."

"I promise, I won't."

He looked down.

"Okay . . . I don't like how I lost two dogs by being incompetent."

"Rainn-"

"I know you're gonna say that it's not my fault and that I was just a kid, but there's no excuse for Rosie. I swore that I locked the gate, and-"

"Maybe it was a faulty lock?"

"You don't gotta make excuses for me. It's obvious that I fucked up, because that's all I ever do."

"Not in my experience. Remember, I said that I'd tell you if you were fucking up. And I haven't."

"Yet."

"Don't be so negative."

"I can't help it. I'm afraid to be happy, because every time I start to feel good, it gets taken away from me. There's only one good thing in my life, and I don't know what I'll do if I lose that too."

She let out a puff of air.

"Right . . . Maybe we need to work on your support network, just so you have something to fall back on when things get rough. So what's good about your life right now?"

"Um, well, there's you, obviously, and I don't have to be a man now, so there's that too. Then there's Sugar and the horses . . . I have a place to live, that's a big one . . ."

"What about in terms of people? Who can you look to for support, other than me?"

He shrugged.

"Ellie seems nice. Alan and Ian too. I guess Ramsay and I aren't doing great right now. Oh! Right! And there's Moonwatcher! But she's kind of mysterious and unpredictable. Half the time, I don't even notice that she's- AWGH!"

He jumped as he spotted Moonwatcher standing beside him. Her hair was simmering in places, and her eyes were distant.

"Don't read the comments," she said, giving no further explanation.

She handed him a blue balloon with cursive writing, though she had clearly added part of it herself.

Congratulations!

It's NOT a Boy!

Rainn looked at it.

"Oh, thanks, Moonwatcher. But I don't mind being called stuff like that. Wait, am I still allowed to use those words?"

Kayla nodded. Moonwatcher pulled a pen out of her pocket, then added more to the balloon.

Congratulations!

It's NOT strictly a Boy!

But gendered terms are fine.

Rainn grinned, watching as the balloon twirled in his paw.

"This is great! Thanks, Moonwatcher!"

She nodded, still staring ahead, then walked backward into the jungle with a haunted look. Kayla blinked.

"That was ominous."

Rainn's face fell.

"Wait a minute, how did she know about me? Did Ramsay tell her?"

"I hope not. You'd better ask him."

"Oh, right! Gotta change back first, though. My phone disappears when I'm a dinosaur unless I'm holding it in my hand."

"That- Ew, that's a good point. Where do our clothes even GO?"

He changed back, then reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone to text Ramsay. But instead of writing something, he read a message on the screen.

"Huh. He sent me a text a few minutes ago. He says that he's sorry and that he isn't gonna tell anyone. Is he lying?"

"Ramsay's insensitive, but he has integrity. Moonwatcher must have found out some other way."

"How?"

"I dunno, but I'll keep an eye out. Maybe she's spying on us."

"Yeah, but why? I mean, nobody cares about our personal lives enough to watch what we're doing at any given moment."

"Oh, of course not. They'd have to be a total loser."

There was a long silence.

"Anyway, I don't know what to do about Ramsay," Rainn said, "I feel like I really messed up."

"You're not the one who messed up."

"Well, I kinda did a bad job at coming out."

"Naw, Rainn, you did fine."

"You don't have to say that. We both know that it doesn't come to me naturally. I'm not good at expressing myself like you are."

She shrugged.

"It doesn't come naturally to me either, if that brings you any comfort."

"Then why are you so confident?"

"Practice. I've had years of dealing with . . . Well, a lot of things. But I wasn't always like this. I used to be sweet and shy . . . but you get jaded over time, when you constantly have to justify your existence."

"Oh, no . . . Is it ALWAYS gonna be this hard to tell people?"

She shrugged.

"I don't know. I hope not. But it's been constant for me, and I've been out since I was a teenager."

"Isn't it good that you figured it out early, though? I mean, I didn't know shit until just now."

Kayla sighed.

"I don't know. It was hard, having to figure it out alone. There was nobody that I could talk to about it."

"Not even your parents?"

She lowered her eyes.

"They were the first people I came out to. I thought that they'd be cool but . . . they weren't . . . It took them years to get to where they are now."

"How'd you get them to change their minds?"

"Lotta hard work. Lotta fights. But they love me, so they eventually came around."

"And it all worked out?"

"Luckily, but . . . Sometimes, I still think about that night . . . What they said to me . . . Nothing ever takes that back."

He looked her in the eyes.

"I'm sorry."

She waved her hand.

"It's alright. I'm fine, but it wasn't easy. I don't think I've ever cried as hard as I did that night. But eventually, I learned to ask for what I need instead of expecting people to be nice on their own. You never have to stop fighting for their acceptance."

Rainn stood a little taller.

"Kayla, I know that it don't mean much, coming from me, but I think you're great, and I never want you to feel like I'm not accepting you."

"Again, I'm not worried about you, Rainn. You're different from everyone else. I wish that people put in half the work you do."

"God, that's depressing. I shouldn't be the standard for anything."

She smiled.

"Give yourself more credit. I mean, before this morning, you didn't know what nonbinary meant, and now . . . Well, you know."

"I dunno if that counts, cuz . . . Well, I always felt like I was different, even if I didn't have a name for it. I'm just lucky that you told me about the nonbinary stuff, or I'd have never known."

She nodded.

"I hope that I can do for you what nobody was able to do for me. I'll be with you every step of the way, no matter what. I don't want you to feel like you're alone. Because you're not."

Rainn laughed softly.

"Well, neither are you, now. I may be a few years too late, but I'm here to listen to you whenever you need to talk about these things."

She splayed her fingers over her chest, biting her lip.

"Thank you. Really. I don't think anyone's ever taken my feelings into account as much as you do."

He cocked his head.

"I just don't like to see you upset, that's all."

"Most people wouldn't even notice, and the ones that do assume that I'm strong enough to handle anything . . . And I am, but sometimes, I get tired of being the strong one. I just want someone that I can look to for support, you know?"

"I get it. It's hard to ask for help."

She smiled distantly.

"Yeah, but it's worth doing."

He laughed.

"Don't I know it! I'm lucky to have someone who cares about me. When I first got here, I thought that I was completely alone."

She chuckled.

"Remember when you were scared to leave your room?"

He smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah . . ."

"And now we're in the middle of a jungle, surrounded by talking dinosaurs. You're stronger than you think."

"That's a very good point. I shouldn't have been so worried . . . But in all fairness, I was certain that you'd never speak to me again."

She hummed.

"You know, if you had reached out, I might have helped you sooner."

"But you might have said 'no'. And that was the part that scared me. Because if someone like you thinks that I'm a lost cause, there ain't any hope for me."

She smiled sadly.

"You know, you don't need to put me on a pedestal."

"I'm not. You're just a really great person, simple as that. I mean, who else could'a figured out that I'm- Ah, fuck. I forgot the word again."

She held out her hand.

"Give me your wrist."

He did, and she pulled up his sleeve, then fished a pen out of her pocket, biting the cap in her mouth. He twitched a bit as she wrote "nonbinary" on his arm. She capped the pen definitively.

"There. Now you won't forget."

He grinned at the word, then rolled down his sleeve.

"This makes me so happy. I'd shout it from the rooftops . . . if I wasn't so scared to let people know."

She looked around.

"Well, we're in the middle of nowhere right now. Why not scream it?"

"Okay . . . Yeah, okay! I'll do it!"

He checked his wrist one more time, then turned his head toward the sky, spreading his arms.

"I'M NONBINARY!"

A flock of birds scattered in the canopy. His words echoed several times. Rainn winced.

"Do you think anyone heard that?"

She clenched her teeth.

". . . Probably not?"

"I sure hope you're right. Still wish that I had a real friend to come out to, though."

"Hm. Did you have anyone in mind?"

"I'll try to come up with someone. Can I borrow your pen?"

"Keep it. I stole it from the hotel by accident."

"Sure, by accident," he laughed, "I took the shampoo."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Rainn, the shampoo is free."

He winked.

"Yeah, it was."

Rainn pulled up his sleeve and started writing on his other arm. He held it out for Kayla to see. She cocked her head as she read the list.

Friends: Kayla, Ellie, Alan, Ian, Moonwatcher

Ramsay?

Soyona?

Enemies: Kirk, Owen, Claire, Maisie, The CIA

She blinked.

"Well, it's a start, I guess. But I wouldn't really call any of those people enemies. They're just people who don't like you very much."

"Yeah, but there's no short way to say that. It's not like they're MY enemy. I'm just theirs. But I'd be their friend, if they let me . . . Well, mostly Claire and Owen. Kirk is dead to me forever, and Maisie's a kid, so we can't exactly be friends."

"You can try to be a role model."

"I think that ship has sailed, what with the whole kidnapping thing. But I owe her an apology, at least."

"I'm sure that she'll appreciate that."

Rainn jumped as his phone started buzzing. He checked the screen.

"Our meeting with Moonwatcher is in an hour. I guess Ramsay's not coming . . . But Soyona is. Should I tell her, do you think?"

"Rainn, you don't have to tell everyone right away."

"Yeah, but I lack impulse control. May as well get it out of the way."

Kayla laughed.

"Whatever you feel is best."

TSJWDFEW*

On the way to Moonwatcher's office, the pair stopped by the grocery store for travel supplies, then dropped them off at Kayla's place. She packed up a small hygiene kit as Rainn stared at the family photos on her dresser. He pointed at one of the frames.

"Hey, are these your parents?"

"Yeah, Moonwatcher brought me some stuff from the other world."

"Oh. Do your parents know that you're here?"

Kayla waved her hands sarcastically.

"Hi, Mom and Dad. Just writing to let you know that I got roped into a dangerous rescue mission, was abducted by a dragon, and by the way, I can turn into a giant reptile now."

"I still think that you look more like a bird."

"Well, people don't always look like what they are. Hey, do you think that I need makeup for the trip?"

"I'm bringing deodorant, so . . ."

"The implications of that sentence are horrifying."

She opened a cupboard and screamed. Leonard was standing inside with a makeup kit in his mouth. She grabbed it from his beak and shooed him away. He clambered down the sink and snapped at Rainn, who jumped over him and hid behind Kayla.

"I hate that thing."

"I'll protect you, don't worry."

She shut the door, then looked around to make sure that Leonard hadn't snuck into the bathroom. She sighed and opened the makeup bag.

"Ugh, he ate my good eyeshadow! I'm gonna have to buy some more."

"What about this one?" Rainn asked, holding up a similar container.

She scrunched up her face.

"Eh, I bought that on a whim, but it's a bit much. Glitter doesn't suit me. I should really just throw it away."

She held it over the trash can, then paused. She turned to Rainn.

"Hey . . . Do you want it?"

"Yeah!"

He took it from her hand, stared down at it excitedly, then cocked his head.

"Wait, what for?"

"To use. On yourself."

"Oh! . . . Yeah, okay. How does it work?"

She picked up a brush.

"I'll help you. You can have this too when I'm done with it."

She dabbed it in the eyeshadow, then lifted her hand. Rainn flinched.

"I don't like stuff going in my eyes."

"Just focus on my face. Don't think about it."

He stared at her as she worked, closing each eye individually. When she was done, she leaned back and smiled.

"You look good."

He turned to look at himself in the mirror. He seemed surprised, more than anything.

"Wow, you did great! I was worried that you'd make me look like a clown . . . mostly cuz I'm not very-"

She put her finger over his mouth.

"Shush. You're pretty."

She couldn't tell for sure what was going on inside of his head, but based on his expression, it was the emotional equivalent of a billion fireworks being set off all at once. He gulped.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Oh! . . . Well, I don't know if I've ever mentioned, but you're also very- AGH!"

Leonard was wedged in the bathroom window. Kayla grabbed him and locked him in her bedroom.

"Come on. We'd better head to your place before seeing Moonwatcher. How much have you packed?"

"Um, there's some clothes in a bag, and not much else."

"Oh, lord. Well, let's get going, then. And if you wanna borrow any of my clothes, all you have to do is ask. Not pushing. Only an offer."

Rainn laughed awkwardly.

"Well, I dunno if your stuff is really my style. I think that I'd be more of a skirt person- Uh, I mean, I-"

"You'd look good in a skirt."

He relaxed a bit.

". . . Really?"

"Yeah. Be more confident."

"Oh, okay . . . Yeah, okay! I'll be more confident! And I'm going to tell at least one more person that I'm nonbinary today."

"Who?"

"Most likely the first person I see"

"Yeah, that tracks . . . Maybe we'll see someone on the way to your house. It's a long walk."

"Eh, it's not that long. Come to think of it, it almost feels like the unimportant in-between moments take no time at all."

TSJWDFEW*

About ten minutes later, they arrived at Rainn's house.

"Well, this day took a turn," he muttered as he looked around.

Rainn's yard was surrounded by tents of various sizes and shapes. Dinosaurs of all species were scurrying between them, totally out of control. The larger animals were pacing in his yard. He walked up to his gate, then picked up a small note that was taped to the wood.

Dear Rainn,

I had to leave these guys here while I wait for the Titanosaur 2 to be built. We're gonna ship them over to Sorna where they can be wild and free. They'll be gone after our meeting, hopefully. Thank you for your patience.

Love you, bro.

Moonwatcher

Rainn pointed at the note, grinning.

"Awww, she says that she loves me. I can't remember the last time someone said that."

"Yeah. Me. Neither."

They ducked as a tree branch nearly hit them. A blind Therizinosaurus was tangled in the willow by Rainn's mailbox. It screeched.

"Foul string-tree! Where are the SOLID branches?!"

A Giganotosaurus across the yard barked angrily.

"Shut it, woman! I don't wanna hear one more word about how you broke a nail!"

"My claws are ACCESSIBILITY DEVICES!"

Kayla and Rainn hurried through the gate and ran up to the door.

"I'm never gonna get used to them talking," Rainn muttered.

"Just practice with yourself in the mirror," Kayla laughed.

"Nope. Can't stand looking at myself, dinosaur or otherwise."

"Not even with makeup?"

"Oh, right. I forgot about that. You know, I might keep it on all day. Do you think that people will notice? In a bad way, I mean."

"If they don't like it, I'll beat the shit out of them . . . If you want me to, of course. I won't fight your battles if it makes you uncomfortable."

"No, it's fine. I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to handle it alone. I gotta say, I didn't think that anything could be scarier than man-eating dinosaurs."

"Well, if they're man-eating dinosaurs, you're totally safe."

He smiled as he unlocked the door.

"Not sure they'd be able to tell. But either way, I'd rather stay away from them for now. I still haven't seen the one that got me, and I can't imagine anything more terrifying than- Eep."

Dodgson was standing in front of Rainn's fridge, wearing a pair of fluffy cat ears and a tail. A cookie fell from his mouth.

"Sorry. The dinosaurs were making me nervous, so I climbed down your chimney. Then I got tired of waiting, so I had a snack. You're out of milk, by the way."

Rainn stared at him.

"What's going on?"

He closed the fridge casually with his hip.

"Oh, after the Ramsay incident, I did some thinking. You were right, wise hillbilly. I shouldn't be afraid of expressing myself."

Kayla frowned.

"You somehow found his house, but you still don't know his name?"

Rainn cleared his throat, then spoke in a stilted manner.

"I'm Rainn, by the way. Mr. Dodgson, how would you like me to refer to you?"

"Lewis is fine."

"No, I mean, in terms of . . . Um, whether you're a boy or a girl or nonbinary."

"I'm a Catgirl."

"So . . . a girl?"

"No, a Catgirl."

Rainn looked to Kayla for help, but she just shrugged. Rainn tented his fingers.

"Um, it's just that I recently discovered that I'm nonbinary-"

"What's that?" Dodgson asked through a mouthful of cookie chunks.

"Oh, it means that I'm not really a man, but not really a girl either."

Dodgson blinked.

"Wow, you're a real weirdo. But that's okay. You helped me out, and I am eternally grateful for that."

"Oh. You're welcome. I didn't really think-"

"I don't have Santos' DNA, but I have the next best thing."

He held up a plaque.

"We used to hand these out at Biosyn."

Rainn took it and read it out loud.

"Award of Excellence . . . Wow!"

"Yeah, we usually gave them to scientists and stuff. But you're accomplished too, I guess."

"Cool."

Dodgson patted his shoulder.

"Always be yourself. If people don't like you for it, you'll just find better friends."

Rainn nodded loosely.

"That's . . . actually good advice. I really needed to hear it, especially today. I had a bad experience coming out. Ramsay's been kinda judgmental, lately."

"I know the feeling. Luckily, I've moved on from Ramsay and found myself a new meow-meow."

"In one day?!" Kayla gawked.

"Yes. He's a French accordionist."

Kayla sighed loudly.

"Of course it's Ramsé. Of course."

Dodgson pulled back his head, offended.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"He's literally identical to Ramsay."

Dodgson thought on it, then shook his head.

"Nah, I don't see it."

There was a crash outside. Kayla looked out the window.

"Oh, shit. It's a Baryonyx."

Rainn shrunk.

"Does it have a metal arm?"

"No. I'll go deal with it, though."

She hurried out the door. Rainn and Dodgson stared at each other awkwardly. Rainn twiddled his fingers, looking over his shoulder occasionally. Dodgson cleared his throat.

"So which one of you is the dom and which is the sub?"

Rainn shrugged.

"I don't know. I guess I'll wait for Kayla to tell me."

"Well, that answers the question."

"Oh, good. Cuz I have no idea what you're asking."

Dodgson grabbed another cookie.

"You two together-together, or is it just a fling?"

"Neither. I'm trying to work up the nerve to share my feelings."

"Ah. Well, you know, if things don't work out, there's always room at my place. Ramsé and I are starting a polycule. Nobody's interested so far, but-"

"Pawly-kewl? What's that word mean?"

"It means that we're gonna have multiple people in the same relationship."

"Oh! . . . Well, uh, thanks for the offer, but I'm good with Kayla. But hey, I'm trying to make new friends, so we can be buddies!"

Dodgson smiled.

"Fantastic! Would you like to hang out tomorrow?"

Rainn's face lit up.

"Yeah- Oh, wait, I can't. I'm going on a dangerous mission to find a magic rock."

"Oh. Are you just blowing me off?"

"No, I'm serious. I'd love to hang out when I get back, assuming I don't die."

"Great! Why don't you come over for snacks and board games when you return? We have Twister and Scrabble."

"Do I gotta do both?"

"No, I wouldn't recommend touching our Twister mat unless you're up to date on a lot of obscure vaccines. I have a list of-"

"Scrabble's fine."

Kayla reentered the room, hair full of leaves.

"Well, Rainn, you barely have a tree anymore."

"That's fine, it was on its way out anyway. Maybe I can replace it with a mighty oak, or a . . . I dunno, something with fruit? . . ."

Dodgson did finger-guns.

"You know, I'm something of a fruit myself . . . too risqué?"

Rainn jumped a little.

"Oh, right, I gotta catch Kayla up. While you were gone, I became friends with Dodgson."

Her eyelashes fluttered.

"Oh, you became friends with the CEO capitalist . . . that's great . . ." she said weakly.

Dodgson waved a cookie at her.

"Hey, I'm a FORMER capitalist. Ramsé is quite revolutionary. You know how the French are. And I've been deposed, by the way. I now walk a new path. My dream is to start a an Italian cat restaurant with Ramsé."

"Wait, are the cats Italian?" Kayla asked sarcastically.

"Are the cats the food?!" Rainn asked earnestly.

Dodgson waved his hand.

"No, no. The restaurant is Italian, and the cats are strays we pick up off the street. Isla Nublar has a large population of unhoused felines. Most of them are orange Persian mixes, for some reason. They're decimating the local bird population . . . not including the dinosaurs, which are decimating them. Ramsé and I are taking them in and finding them new homes . . . Er, that's the idea, at least. We still gotta find a venue."

Rainn cooed.

"Aw, now that's real sweet. Kayla, we gotta help him when we get back."

Her teeth were clenched.

"You can . . ."

"Oh, come on. It sounds like fun!"

Dodgson patted Rainn's back.

"I don't think she gets it. But that's okay. Not everyone understands me like my new best friend, Ray."

"His name is Rainn."

"Well, let's not get hung up on details."

Rainn bounced excitedly.

"Kayla, he said 'BEST' friend! I'm someone's best friend!"

"I mean, you're my best friend too . . ."

Dodgson wiggled his eyebrows.

"But not for much long-er . . ." he trilled.

Rainn laughed nervously.

"Haha. Ignore him. He's just joking . . . you know, like friends do. Oh! I almost forgot!"

He wrote down Dodgson's name on his arm.

"There. Now it's official."

Dodgson squealed and clapped his hands.

"Best friends! Best friends!"

"BEST FRIENDS!"

Kayla watched in horror, aghast at the abomination that had come to fruition under her otherwise watchful gaze. As they danced in circles, she yearned for this torment to cease, but since Rainn was happy, all she could think of to say was-

"Good for you."

TSJWDFEW*

The elevator that led to Moonwatcher's office was out of service, so Kayla and Rainn had to make their way up a spiral staircase. Their footsteps echoed as they climbed.

"Hey, Kayla?"

"Yeah?"

"How many people do you think are nonbinary without knowing it?"

"A lot."

"Wow. Do you s'pose that I should find other people like me? Maybe they could use a friend too."

"That's a great idea! I'll introduce you to some of my queer friends."

"Wait, is 'queer' okay to say?"

"Yes, but some people aren't comfortable with it. It's already been reclaimed, and it's been in circulation for decades, but some members of the LGBT community have a bad history with it, so they choose not to use it . . . Holy fuck, these stairs never end!"

Rainn stopped to catch his breath.

"I gotta say, it's kinda cool that we're in the same community. Before, we just worked for the same person. This feels more personal. I like having things in common with you."

"We can also both turn into prehistoric creatures."

"Yeah! And we're both criminals! . . . Oh, wait, that one's not good."

They reached a door and opened it. Apparently, the other side was hidden behind a bookcase. Moonwatcher's office looked the same as before, right down to the smashed window. Soyona was already waiting for them. There were glass shards in her lap, explaining her punctuality.

"Oh, there you are! I thought that you were about to skip town like a couple of cowards."

Rainn shook his head.

"When I make a promise, I keep it."

"You're welcome, by the way," Kayla added sourly.

Soyona scoffed.

"I could do without your sarcasm. It's unbecoming. Restrain yourself."

"Oh, because you're an expert in self-restraint?"

"Yes. I've already gone this long without mocking the greasy rat man."

"He's not greasy. Or a rat."

"Or a man," said Rainn, "I'm nonbinary."

Soyona narrowed her eyes.

"Is that so?"

Rainn lifted his head proudly.

"Yup. Me and Kayla are part of the BLT community."

"LGBT," Kayla corrected.

"Yeah, the LG-BLT community . . . Wait, where's the 'N'?"

Kayla blinked.

"Oh, for nonbinary? It falls under the trans umbrella, but the acronym isn't comprehensive, just shorthand. You can also just call it the queer community."

Rainn counted on his fingers.

"So I'm nonbinary, trans, and queer?"

"If you want to be. While those labels align, some people choose not to use all of them. Again, it's just how you feel."

"How many words am I allowed to have?"

"As many as you want, if it's in good faith."

"What are some other words, then?"

Kayla was caught off guard. She looked around uncertainly.

"Um, well, there are asexual people, who don't feel sexual attraction- I mean, sometimes they do, it's complicated, let's not get into it right now- and then there's allosexual people, who are the opposite."

"Allo as in Allosaurus?"

". . . No, Rainn."

Soyona's head was in her hands.

"I didn't think that you two could get any worse . . ."

Kayla snapped her fingers, frowning.

"Hey! We're here to help you."

Soyona stood up.

"You're doing a terrible job of explaining this to him! He's just collecting labels at this point!"

Rainn shrugged.

"I like words."

Soyona clawed her cheeks.

"Will this torture ever cease?"

Moonwatcher appeared beside her.

"Nope, it-"

Soyona slapped Moonwatcher across the face, startled. She swayed a bit, then shook her head.

"Nope, it pretty much stays this way forever," she finished.

Soyona stared at her icily.

"Fantastic."

Rainn waved.

"Hey, Moonwatcher. Kayla's just explaining all of this gay stuff to me."

"Maybe don't call it that? . . ." Kayla squeaked.

Rainn blinked.

"Is 'gay' not okay to say?"

"It's fine, but not really accurate, and also kinda glib, the way you used it. Gender and sexuality aren't the same thing, keep in mind."

"And nonbinary is the gender part, right?"

"Yes."

"So what's my sexuality? Still straight?"

His eyes went wide.

"Wait, if I'm nonbinary, does that make me gay?"

Soyona sat down heavily.

"Here we go . . ."

Kayla looked Rainn in the eyes.

"Let's do this quickly. Are you attracted to women?"

"Yes."

"Are you attracted to men?"

"Not currently."

"Are you- Wait, what?"

He shrugged.

"I'm not looking to date any guys right now, for obvious reasons."

"But generally? . . ."

Slowly, his face fell.

"Oh."

Soyona dropped her head on the table.

"He'll be everything under the sun by the time you're finished. Can we hurry this up?"

Kayla huffed.

"Okay, Rainn, do you think that you're bi or pan?"

"What's the difference?"

"Wh- Well, okay, there's a lot of overlap, but-"

"Can I have both?"

"Sure."

Soyona screamed into her arms. Rainn looked at her, then back to Kayla.

"Hey, is there a word for, like, half asexual? But still mostly sexual, to be clear."

"There are lots of terms, depending on the subtleties."

"Oh. Can I just use the umbrella label until I figure it out?"

"Of course."

"Yeah, cuz like, I think that I could be intimate more often, but I don't always have the opportunity."

Soyona snorted.

"That just means you're ugly."

"Fuck off!" Kayla barked.

Soyona slammed her hand on the table.

"Why? You're the one fucking with his head. Rainn, you can't just call yourself everything after one day of self-reflection!"

Rainn shrugged.

"Why not? It's true."

"You don't even know what half of these words mean!"

"Yes, I do. Kayla explained them."

Soyona stood up.

"Kayla doesn't know everything, and she can't speak for every experience. She's just bisexual."

"Just?!" Kayla spat.

"You know what I mean."

Kayla pointed at Soyona's chest.

"Stop shutting Rainn down. Who cares if he's taking on new labels? He's figuring shit out."

Soyona was shaking.

"It's not proper. You're supposed to reflect on these things for longer than five seconds."

"No, you're supposed to do whatever's best for you. The only reason people take so long is because of societal pressures."

"Oh, like it's so easy to figure yourself out otherwise!"

Moonwatcher's face was distant.

"Remember when this fic was about Jurassic World?"

Kayla was practically about to knock Soyona over.

"You're not my boss anymore! Show some humility!"

"I'm extremely humble! That's what makes me so GREAT!"

Rainn lifted a finger.

"Hey Soyona, if it bothers you, you don't have to call me anything new."

She turned to him with an icy gaze.

"Flaunt it all you want. I don't care that you're nonbinary. You're still disgusting."

Unexpectedly, Rainn's face broke into a grin. He turned to Kayla.

"She said it! She said that I'm nonbinary!"

Soyona's mouth was agape.

"Did you not hear the second pa-AH!"

He had pulled her into a brief hug. She gnashed her teeth as he let her go.

"Never again," she growled.

Rainn nodded quickly.

"Sorry. I should have asked first. But this is phenomenal! I'm going to put you on my list of friends."

He pulled the pen out of his coat and scribbled out the question mark next to Soyona's name. She roared with fury.

"No! Stop it! We are NOT friends!"

"I don't gotta be your friend, but you're my friend for sure!"

"Never! Kayla, stop him!"

Kayla pretended to be distracted by staring at her nails.

"Hm? Oh, you want me to make him take it back? Let me think on that . . . Nope."

Soyona grabbed her hair.

"Kayla, if you don't tell your little parasite to fix this, you'll regret it forever!"

"What's the problem, even?"

Soyona's face was red.

"IT'S THE PRINCIPLE OF THE THING!"

Kayla threw her head back and laughed.

"I'm enjoying this so much."

"Yeah, I'll bet you are, you little-"

Suddenly, Ramsay burst into the room, gesturing firmly as he spoke.

"There you are! Rainn, I'm sorry. I didn't know that you were being serious. I totally accept you for who you are, and-"

He looked around, noticing the entire group.

"Shit, you were serious about me coming."

Rainn gulped.

"Naw, Ramsay, you don't gotta come with us on our trip. I think that I was just desperate to have a friend. But if I was being a good friend in return, I wouldn't ask you to do something that you were uncomfortable with. Thanks for apologizing. You're free to leave."

Ramsay grimaced slowly, then sighed.

"Look, I kind of owe you one. Maybe I can consider going. When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"TOMORROW M- Okay, short notice, but that's fine. What do I need to know about this place?"

He leaned back as Moonwatcher thrust a book in his face.

"Mostly the things that are likely to kill you."

Ramsay flipped through the pages, eyes widening.

"Oh, this is a LOT scarier than I imagined. I don't know if I can do this."

Moonwatcher shrugged.

"It's not impossible. The other group survived Asterpara, and they were on a really dangerous path. Unfortunately, I'm not coming with you four, so you'll just have to remember my advice . . ."

If you would like to brave this scary, fright'ning wonderland

You're gonna need someone to lend you all a helping hand

There's lots of dangers

And strangers

And they are super-pow'rd

So listen close-ely

Unless you wanna be devoured

She started dancing.

There are lots of things that you are gonna want to know

Before starting on this journey, so I'll take it slow

Because Asterpara's not safe on the land nor sea nor sky

Aye-aye-aye!

You'll be fine if you remember every word I say

Put aside your pride and do things the Moonwatcher way

And I promise that it's simple so come on, give it a try

But you will maybe die

Ramsay's jaw dropped.

"What?"

Moonwatcher nodded.

Yes, you will maybe die

Ramsay put his hands up.

"Nope. No way. I'm not gonna put myself at risk."

I'm not the kinda guy who goes out camping, or outside

And yes I messed up, I fessed up, so you can't hurt my pride

This little guilt trip is pathetic, it's not swaying me

So don't keep pushing, I am resolute, as you can see

Kayla stepped in front of him.

I appreciate that this is lots to ask of you

And you have the right to leave us here, that much is true

But have some faith, and it'll all be worth it in the end

Seeing that she was losing Ramsay, she started dancing in front of him. Rainn's jaw dropped.

You are cool and you are suave, but that don't count for much

When you're all alone at home and you stay out of touch

So please rethink your decision, you could really use a friend

Moonwatcher lifted her finger.

But yeah, his life might end

Ramsay frowned.

Don't want my life to end

Moonwatcher started up a PowerPoint on her computer.

"If you follow my instructions, the whole mortal peril thing won't be an issue. For example . . ."

Don't step in a puddle of goo

Lava fields are dangerous too

You can trust accordion-cats

Don't disturb the sleeping Moonbats

"Oh, hang on, this book isn't up to date. Anyway-"

Tigers change the length of their tails

Not much can pierce dragon-grade scales

Boars don't like the sound of a knoll

Grebnedus will capture your soul

Kayla grabbed the book from Moonwatcher.

"I wanna hear more about dragons. They seem pretty nasty."

She cleared her throat and started reading.

Sooooooooo

If you're ever part of a dragon attack

You must- Huh? This book is vandalized, it's scribbled out black

Hey, but after that part, there's some tiger-based stuff

Holy shit, these guys are dangerous, we gotta be tough

This isn't simple or easy

It's really quite far from breezy

I know it sounds kinda cheesy

But this shit makes me feel queasy

So let's all do this together and we will be fine

We'll be there in any weather, come rain or come shine!

Soyona, who had slipped away from the group, sang to herself.

This is bad, but let them have their little yuks

Cuz I have no choice but to appease these chucklefucks

Rainn jumped in front of her.

Hey Soyona, were you singing?

She shook her head.

No, this isn't a church choir

Moonwatcher conked their heads together in her enthusiasm.

And you may both expire

She did the splits, then winced.

"Ow."

Ramsay sighed.

"Guys, this is ridiculous. I'm not meant to be an adventurer."

Rainn's face fell. As Ramsay turned to leave, he cut him off, hunching over timidly.

"Ramsay, please stay. I know that you're scared, but so was I, once. I never thought that I'd leave my hotel room, nevermind travel to a magical world. But here I am, surrounded by friends-"

"And me," said Soyona.

"-surrounded by friends and Soyona, ready to take a huge step. If I can do it, why can't you?"

Ramsay looked down.

"I gotta be honest with you. This has been hard on me. Every day, I wake up, and there's some new weird thing going on. And now everybody knows about . . . Look, I'm not cut out for this. I'm just a regular guy. I'm not ready to do something this un-normal."

Moonwatcher smiled softly.

"You know, at times like these, I like to remember an important piece of advice."

There are many wisdoms

This one still holds true

If you never try something silly

You'll never do something new

Rainn stared ahead vacantly, as though in a trance. He looked at Moonwatcher.

"What's that from?"

"It's not from anything. It's a lullaby."

"Yeah, but I've heard it before."

"Well, you've probably heard a lot of lullabies. They're not exactly uncommon."

He shook his head.

"Naw, my dad was more the type to say, 'Shut your mouth and go to sleep, or I'll knock you out myself.' It was kind of his catchphrase."

Ramsay's eyes darted back and forth.

"Everything I learn about your life is just . . . so sad."

Rainn shrugged.

"It wasn't all bad. I used to play piano at the ice cream shop. People would come over and sing with me. Rooster would howl along too. It was a mess, but . . . it was fun. I think about that a lot."

Kayla smiled warmly.

"That sounds wonderful."

He nodded.

"Still kinda sad, in a way, because I'll never be able to recreate that feeling. It's easy to get along with people when you're a kid, but when you grow up, they realize that you don't have any prospects, that you're just regular old trash. And then you come to understand that when people told you that you could be anything, they were just being nice. Some people aren't meant for greater things. Some people are what they are, and then they die."

After a long silence, Ramsay put his hand on Rainn's shoulder.

"Hey. That's not true. I was wrong about you. You're not the monster I thought you were when we first met."

Rainn swallowed.

"Maybe. But I feel like no matter how hard I try, it's all an act, so it doesn't matter."

Ramsay shook his head.

"I may not know you very well, but I know that you have a good heart. You may have a rough exterior, but that's only skin-deep. Beneath it all, I think you're a great person."

Rainn smiled a little.

"Thanks, but I'm not sure if I like being myself. I'd rather be in anyone else's skin, to be honest."

Kayla shrugged.

"Then shed your skin and become something new."

Rainn winced.

"I see what you did there, but the mental image is kinda gross."

Ramsay cleared his throat.

"Rainn, I'm not thrilled about this adventure, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do- Not that you'd know, of course, being nonbinary and all. Look, the point is, I'm in."

Rainn wrapped his arms around Ramsay, who patted his back uncertainly.

"Thank you," Rainn said softly, "I promise, I won't let you die."

"You can't promise that."

"Then I promise that the monsters will have to kill me first to get to you."

"Which is demonstrably within the realm of possibility, but thanks for the words of comfort."

The door opened again, and a bleach blonde woman with a bun entered the room.

"Hi! Sorry I'm late. I'm Moonwatcher's new assistant, Bonnie."

Kayla sighed loudly.

"Hi, Moonwatcher's New Assistant Bonnie."

She frowned.

"You trying to be funny?"

"No, why?"

"My name is Bonnie."

Kayla waited, then her eyes went wide.

"Oh, just Bonnie?"

"Yeah," she replied testily.

Bonnie crossed the room and elbowed Moonwatcher.

"What's wrong with her?"

Moonwatcher whispered before breaking into a louder tone.

"I dunno, but she eats frogs- ANYWAY, it's time to prepare you for your journey. I've only been to Asterpara a handful of times, but I know all about it."

Rainn snapped his fingers.

"Right, because you come from that dragon . . . Wait, are you an exact copy, or something else?"

Moonwatcher shrugged.

"I have most of Elkay's knowledge, but no literal memories, per se. Ship of Theseus, I guess. But in my opinion, we're different people."

Rainn nodded.

"Yeah, I thought that you were different. You're a lot nicer, and you kinda act like your own person."

Moonwatcher swallowed.

"Thanks. It's hard sometimes, playing second fiddle to a literal god."

Seeing their confusion, her eyes went wide.

"Oh, did I forget to mention that Elkay is the omnipotent creator of the Overworld, and thereby rules over the Fiction Multiverse as well?"

"No!" they all shouted at once.

"You sure? I thought it was mentioned once or twice."

Kayla huffed.

"Moonwatcher, you say a lot of things that require more context than you're willing to give."

She shrugged sheepishly.

"It's hard to keep track of what you all know. In any case, you won't have to face any dragons, here or in Asterpara. You're not exactly seeking to rescue a maiden fair, are you?"

Kayla winced.

"Why are they always fair?"

"Maybe it's 'fair' in the sense of being just and equitable," Ramsay muttered.

Rainn perked up.

"Kayla, if you ever need saving, I'll be there for you."

She laughed.

"Thanks, Rainn, but I can save myself, for the most part. And if I ever needed saving from a dragon . . . Well, I'd probably already be dead."

"Which is why I've decided to arm you," Moonwatcher asserted, "You'll each be given one item with limited uses, plus a personalized weapon that I'll explain later. As for the first set of gifts- Oh, Christ. I don't know which one of you to trust with a gun. Kayla, maybe?"

She handed her a pistol, then turned to Ramsay.

"Have you ever fired a weapon?"

He shook his head.

"Then I'll give you this healing potion. One drop can erase any damage within an hour. But don't bother using it if one of you is bitten by a dragon's fangs. The venom has no antidote."

"How long do we have, if we get bit?" Kayla asked.

"Depends on the dragon. They choose how long it takes, based on the density. If you encounter someone particularly nasty, they'll give you just enough time to fully understand that there's no hope."

There was a long pause. Moonwatcher clapped her hands.

"On a lighter note, I'll be giving Soyona a crossbow, and Rainn will be getting a regular bow and arrows."

She tied a multicolor ribbon around the wood as she handed it to him.

"There. Now Rainn's bow has a rainbow bow. I like to do puns."

Soyona stepped in front of him, grabbing the crossbow from Moonwatcher.

"Where's my second weapon?"

Moonwatcher shrunk away timidly.

"I need to craft it out of a personal item that means a lot to you."

Soyona pulled a laser pointer out of the band on her wrist. Moonwatcher grabbed the taped-up magic wand from Bonnie, then tapped the item thrice. It spun around, glowing bright, then became a white dagger with a ruby lodged in the base of the hilt. Soyona flipped it over, making practice jabs at Moonwatcher, then nodded.

"This will do."

Kayla unclipped her favourite earring, handing it to Moonwatcher.

"Hope it doesn't come out ugly."

When tapped with the wand, it became a double-edged axe with a swirly embossment on the hilt. Moonwatcher handed Kayla a leather strap, and as she fastened it to her back, Ramsay stepped forward with a solemn face.

"Nobody say a word."

He handed Moonwatcher his shoes, which became a leather shield with laces running down the sides. Moonwatcher moved on to Rainn.

"You have something special in mind?"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out Kayla's red tail feather.

"Will this work?"

"Oh, absolutely."

She tapped the feather with her wand. It glowed brighter than the rest as it transformed, then became a sword with a red blade. Tiny etchings ran down the metal, harkening back to its previous shape. Rainn held out his hands as the sword lowered itself onto his fingers. He grabbed the hilt, then turned it over in awe.

"Wow, it's lighter than I expected."

Moonwatcher nodded.

"Probably because it came from a feather. Still durable, though."

"You look about ready to slay a dragon," Kayla joked.

Ramsay rolled his eyes.

"Right, because a scruffy man who dresses in dark colors and has a snake tattoo really screams 'noble knight'."

Rainn's face fell a bit.

"I guess I'm not the hero type. But I can still try to do the right thing."

Kayla gave him a quick smile. Moonwatcher nodded, then pulled a bag out of her desk drawer.

"I have one more surprise for you. Don't lose these. They were super hard to find."

She showed them three crystal orbs, each about the size of a tennis ball. One was red, one was yellow, and one was blue.

"These are elemental stones. While you hold them, you'll be able to do magic on your own. Divvy them up amongst yourselves. You can choose from fire, electricity, or ice."

Soyona grabbed the ice stone. Ramsay, who had been reaching for it, frowned and turned to the yellow one. Moonwatcher swatted his hand away.

"Hey, we are NOT doing that trope. Take the fire orb."

"Matches my Pyroraptor persona nicely."

"Sure, 'PER-sona'. Anyway, that leaves the electricity orb."

Kayla crossed her arms.

"Did you save that one for me because of the pun?"

"Maybe. 'Watts' wrong with puns?" Moonwatcher giggled.

Kayla hid her lips, then handed the orb to Rainn without saying a word. He looked at it with guilt.

"But Kayla, now you have nothing!"

Moonwatcher tossed her a purple orb carelessly.

"Here. This one was supposed to control metal, but it's not working. Maybe it can be your emotional support orb."

Kayla rolled her eyes.

"Gee, thanks."

As she turned it over in her hands, there was a strange flurry of activity in the office. Loose papers started fluttering about. One hit Ramsay in the face. He plucked it from his nose and read the text.

"Celebrity Weakness List?"

Moonwatcher nodded.

"You'd be surprised how many figureheads of the franchise try to sneak in here. It's best to be prepared."

Ramsay read the list out loud.

"Bryce can be subdued temporarily with a cactus. She is afraid of tigers, hyenadogs, and fetish art."

He frowned, holding the paper closer.

"Colin Trevorrow can be defeated by throwing a thin piece of cheese at his face. Do not attempt Swiss. He can see through the holes."

Kayla snapped her fingers.

"Is this the Colin you keep talking about, Moonwatcher?"

"Let's hope you never find out."

"A 'yes' or 'no' would have been fine."

Moonwatcher grabbed the paper from Ramsay.

"Well, now you're more or less caught up on the dangers you'll be facing. But I wouldn't worry too much; your guide will protect you. Class dismissed!"

The group exchanged looks, then gathered their things. Kayla placed the book on Moonwatcher's desk, and Rainn promptly picked it up to leaf through it. He snapped it shut, then nodded at Moonwatcher.

"Can I borrow this? Seems like it might come in handy."

"I don't usually lend out important books, but for you, I'll make an exception."

He grinned.

"Thanks. I promise to return it in good condition."

"Sure thing. Killer eyeshadow, by the way."

"Aw, thank you. Kayla did it for me."

"I can tell. And by the way, I'd bring four of your best horses on the trip. Lots of walking, otherwise."

"I'll get them ready tonight."

Moonwatcher smiled, then gave a nod as he walked out the door. Soyona and Ramsay had already gained some distance down the stairs, but Kayla was waiting for him. They exchanged a smile.

"You ready for our trip?" Kayla asked.

Rainn nodded.

"It's a lot less scary, now that we're a team. I'm lucky to have friends like Ramsay and Soyona."

"Soyona? Didn't she state multiple times that she doesn't want to be your friend?"

He shrugged.

"Maybe. But did you notice something unusual about her?"

"No, she was her normal, aggravated self."

"Exactly. She was normal. She wasn't doing the hybrid thing."

". . . Oh! You're right!"

Rainn smiled.

"Sometimes, people push others away because they're afraid that they won't be accepted in return. I used to be like that."

"Yeah . . . me too."

"But it's nice when people reach out, right? Even if you gotta be vulnerable, it's worth it. There's nothing better than having someone appreciate you for who you are."

She smiled.

"Yeah. I agree."

TSJWDFEW*

Parting ways with Kayla was always the hardest part of Rainn's day, and navigating an island full of dinosaurs was never a fun time, but he needed to pack, and she needed some time alone to unwind before their trip, so when it came time for them to say goodbye, he didn't make a fuss. He did, however, look over his shoulder as he left, only to see her doing the same, and they both waved at each other, a little embarrassed.

The packing itself didn't take long. Rainn was used to making do with what he had, and he'd never had this much before. In the back of his mind, he wondered if he should go out and find himself a skirt after all, but decided against it. It had already been a big day, and besides- Well, he didn't have time to finish the thought, because he was already out the door and on his way to the store.

Along the way, he passed by Blue and her new family. Red the Atrociraptor had apparently joined the pack permanently. He was standing in line at a spinning egg ride while Beta and Blue ate popcorn on a bench. Rainn waved, and Beta stuck out her tongue. He shrugged it off and made his way to a busy street in the fashion district. To speed up the process, he ran by the windows as an Atrociraptor. One particular display made him skid to a stop. A simple, grey-blue skirt was hanging from a mannequin. He glanced over his shoulder, checking to see if anyone was watching, then raised himself higher on his legs. He decided that he did in fact like it very much, and it wasn't too expensive either, not that he needed to worry about money. The only trouble was that he was too nervous to go inside the store.

He changed into a human and thought the problem through. On one hand, it would be much easier to find a clothing donation center and dig through the bins out back in secret, but he would feel guilty doing so when he had so much money now. On the other hand, he could "accidentally" stuff the skirt into his coat, but if he got caught, things would turn out even worse.

He pretended to be checking his reflection as a group of dinosaurs walked by, then continued staring.

Maybe he could pretend that it was a gift. But then he couldn't try it on. If only Kayla were around, he wouldn't be so scared . . . but he'd bothered her enough, he decided. What to do, what to do . . .

"Hey!"

He nearly jumped out of his skin as Ellie appeared beside him. She covered her mouth.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

He fluffed his coat.

"I wasn't scared, just startled. I'm- I'm very brave."

"I'm sure you are," Ellie said, "But you look a bit nervous. What's up?"

He gulped.

"Um . . . Say, are we friends?"

"Yeah!"

"Would we still be friends if- You know what, nevermind."

Ellie cocked her head.

"You okay?"

He shrunk a bit.

"Yes. No. I don't know."

"Why don't you tell me what's on your mind?"

He tensed up, feeling guilty.

"I'd like to. It's just . . . I'm not a lot of people's friends, so I can't afford to lose even one."

Ellie shrugged.

"If someone stops being your friend when you open up, maybe they never were."

"Oh. But you don't know what I'm about to say. What if you're weirded out by it?"

"Is it about the makeup?"

His eyes went wide.

"UM, IT WAS KAYLA'S IDEA AND I WENT ALONG WITH IT BECAUSE I RESPECT HER."

Ellie laughed.

"Relax, you look happy. I'm not gonna shun you for that."

He sighed with relief.

"Thanks. Would you shun me if I were nonbinary, theoretically? . . ."

She smiled.

"No, of course not."

He wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Oh good, because I'm nonbinary."

He froze up a bit as she gave him a quick hug.

"Congratulations!"

He was so surprised that he forgot the words "thank you" and instead fumbled over a series of nonsense sounds. Ellie ruffled his hair.

"So, you wanna go shopping?"

Rainn shrunk a bit.

"Um . . ."

"Don't worry. I have a plan."

She held him by the hand and pulled him forward gently. He shuffled along, looking from side to side nervously.

The store was rather large, and had at least two floors. There was an escalator in the middle that led upstairs to a sportswear section. Ellie nodded to Rainn.

"Hey, why don't you pick out a few things for me to try on," she said with a wink.

Rainn, who was shaking, laced his fingers together.

"How do I know what size you are?"

"Just grab a few, and we'll see."

He gulped, then whispered softly.

"Hey, we're actually talking about me, right?"

She nodded.

"Okay. Just wanted to make sure."

Rainn shuffled toward a rack of skirts.

"I think these might be good."

"Let's try them!"

She grabbed an armful, then waved for him to follow. Rainn tailed her stiffly.

"Let's see how busy the changing rooms are," she said.

They headed to the back of the store. Rainn started to relax until he saw Claire and two other people nearby. He made a sound and turned away.

"Nope, can't do it."

"Relax, they don't know why we're here. As far as they're concerned, you're just helping me out."

Claire caught sight of Rainn, then whispered to one of her friends, who glared at him.

"Who's that?" he asked Ellie.

"Zia. And the one carrying all the bags is Franklin."

"Oh."

"Don't worry, we'll sneak past them."

She led him to the escalator. Claire watched them as they rose, and Rainn pretended not to notice, though he did a very bad job of it. He suspected that she could squish him with one foot, if she wanted to.

When they reached the top floor, Ellie led him to a display where four mannequins in flannel were sitting in front of a segmented tent. She looked around, then crawled between the front flaps. Her hand emerged after a beat, beckoning him to follow. He did.

Inside the tent, there was enough room to stand. Half of it was sectioned off behind a flap of fabric. Ellie handed Rainn a skirt.

"Pop into the other section to try it on."

"Is this allowed?"

"If we get in trouble, I'll take the blame."

He gulped.

"You sure you're okay with that?"

"At my age, I don't really care what people think."

He nodded, then picked up the skirt. He entered the small section, then emerged wearing it.

"Do I look silly? I feel silly."

She smiled.

"You look great! That one's a must-have for sure. Throw it on the pile and try this one."

She handed him a black skirt. He took it shyly, then changed again. When he emerged, Ellie cocked her head.

"Hm, it's not as nice as the first one, but it might look good with a shorter jacket."

"It's a little itchy at the back," he said, "I think the tag is rubbing me weird."

"Okay, try the next one."

He did, and she put her finger under her nose, humming.

"Hm, I'm not sure what to think. Can I get a second opinion from Alan?"

"Does that require taking a picture? I don't want a record of this, just in case."

"I can ask him to come over."

"Sure."

She texted him, then put the phone in her pocket.

"So. How are you holding up?"

"Alright, I guess. It's been hard, making friends. I think I really screwed up with the whole kidnapping thing. Feels like I'll never live that down."

"The best thing you can do now is apologize to the people you hurt and try to be better going forward. Do you know how to apologize?"

"Is there a secret way that only some people are told?"

"Kind of? You acknowledge the harm you caused, explain why your actions were wrong, and promise to do better in the future. Avoid minimizing the hurt, don't justify your actions, and follow through on your growth."

"That's pretty simple, actually."

"You'd be surprised how many people don't clear that bar."

They jumped a bit as Alan and Ian poked their heads into the tent. Ellie groaned.

"Alan, you weren't supposed to tell Ian."

Ian shrugged.

"He didn't. I saw him texting and decided that you needed a fashion expert. Word to the wise, Rainn. You can't go wrong with black."

Ellie snorted.

"Nice try, Ian, but we're gonna do this the proper way."

We're gonna

Put on a fashion show

In this tent for you

We'll try on skirts in red, green, yellow, and blue

And when the fashion sho-ow i-is done and through

We'll have a

Wonderful ski-irt or two

Wonderful ski-irt or two

Zia poked her head into the tent.

"Hey, I heard singing. What's going on?"

Ellie pulled her close.

This is a

Mini-skirt fashion show

And don't you dare blab

We need a skirt that will make Rainn feel so fab

Because his wardrobe is a little bit drab

So pick up

Ev-er-y skirt you can grab

Ev-er-y skirt you can grab

Franklin entered.

"Guys, you've gotta get me away from Claire. She-"

Ellie picked him up and started dancing. He looked alarmed.

Let's find some clothing

That doesn't cost much

And I will prove to you I'm not out of touch

We're gonna make him feel like he's a catch

So let's be helpful and we'll judge this little batch

A salesman crawled in. Rainn blushed, now surrounded by strangers. The salesman dusted himself off.

"Hey, I saw you guys screwing around on the security camera. Is this an orgy? Because I could really use an orgy right now."

He noticed the most recent skirt hanging off Rainn.

"Oh, honey, don't go with plaid. Yuck."

Ellie tossed Rainn pair after pair of skirts. He tried them on in sequence.

Yes we will

Put on a fashion show

And while we're all here

You're gonna look so great that you'll shed a tear

We all accept you, it's okay to be queer

But maybe

Make sure the others don't hear

Make sure the others don't hear

A yellow Allosaurus poked her face into the tent. It was getting rather crowded. Ellie cocked her head.

"Who are you?"

"Robin. Good to see you again, Ellie."

"I don't think I know you? . . . Um, anyway."

I hope you're having fun, Rainn

Wa-ait and see-ee

And we'll discover

Just how chic you can be

And if anyone here puts you down

I'm gonna kick those shitty losers out of town

She handed him a final skirt, and his face glowed. She sang more softly.

We're gonna

Put on a fashion show

To make you feel great

We're gonna stay here

Even if it gets late

Don't listen to the people

Feeding on hate

You're gonna

Prove them all wrong, just you wait

Prove them all wrong, just you wait

They all fell silent as Claire entered. She huffed, noticing Rainn.

"Seriously?! Zia, Franklin, I thought that I could trust you!"

Zia shrugged.

"We were watching the fashion show. It's cute."

Claire frowned.

"Why is he wearing a skirt?"

Rainn gulped.

"I'm- I'm nonbinary."

"No, you're not."

Zia held out her hands, aghast.

"We've been over this, Claire! You can't misgender people just because you don't like them!"

"He doesn't deserve-"

"Gendering someone correctly isn't a reward. It's basic decency."

Rainn shrunk.

"I understand why she's mad. It's okay. You don't gotta-"

Zia put her hand over his face.

"Stop being a pussy. Claire is in the wrong."

Claire snorted.

"So what?! Am I not allowed to be upset that the child kidnapper is getting so much sympathy?! You treat him like he's this sweet, naïve man who got caught up in all of this by accident, but I can't go one night without Maisie waking up screaming because of what HE did! Is that acceptable to you, just because he wants to wear a skirt?! What about ME?! Where's MY goddamn skirt?! Do you know how hard it is to clothe yourself when you're huge and covered in plates?! They don't make skirts for UGLY PEOPLE!"

Claire burst into tears. She collapsed, sobbing helplessly. Everyone stared at her awkwardly. Rainn felt his heart sink. Slowly, he changed into an Atrociraptor and made his way to the tent wall. He tore out a circle with his claws, then traced a larger, lopsided circle around it. The cloth fell away. He lifted the doughnut-shaped fabric in his mouth and cleared his throat to get Claire's attention, then dropped it at her feet as she looked up from her arms. After a pause, he turned his head and backed away slowly.

"I, uh . . . I made you a skirt. I don't agree with everything you said, but I understand why you're mad at me. I also say things that I don't mean when I'm upset. It may not be right, but . . . everyone deserves to have a skirt."

Claire looked at the torn fabric, then shut her eyes tight.

"I can't wear a skirt. Everyone will laugh at me."

Rainn changed back into a human, fluffing his own skirt.

"Naw, they'll be too busy laughing at me. Come on."

He stepped out of the hole he'd created, holding his head high. He shrunk a little as customers stared at him, but suddenly, he felt someone tap his arm lightly, and saw Claire standing beside him with the fabric hanging from her waist. She gave a short nod, then marched forward.

Followed by a procession of tent-dwellers, the two of them made their way to the front of the store. Claire nodded to Zia, who pulled a credit card out of her pocket, handing it over.

"I'd like to buy one skirt and one tent, please," Claire said firmly.

The clerk blinked.

"The tent is for display purposes only."

"Then I'll pay whatever it costs to replace it, plus the skirt."

Rainn held up a wad of cash.

"You don't gotta pay. I'll-"

She put her front foot over his mouth. It covered half of his face.

"I'm paying."

He nodded quickly, not wanting to argue. She grabbed the card in her beak and tapped the machine. As she stepped back, Ellie threw a pile of skirts on the counter and paid for them herself. She handed the bag to Rainn, smiling. He gave her a hug.

They all scattered as they left the store, Ellie giving Rainn a final wink before she left. Only Claire stayed behind. She cleared her throat, still not making eye contact with him.

"I think that I should apologize."

He shrugged.

"You don't have to. I've put you through a lot. You have every right to hate me."

"No . . . I'm still upset about what you did, but I don't hate you. I know that you're trying your best to be a better . . . whatever you are . . . and I respect that. I shouldn't have invalidated your identity."

Rainn gave a half-smile.

"Thanks. If it helps, I don't think of you as the kind of person who does that as a habit."

She nodded, then looked to the horizon.

"Thanks for the skirt. I'm gonna have it hemmed. It's nice, wearing clothes again. I felt really exposed without them."

"That's funny; I feel a bit more exposed wearin'em, but I guess that's cuz I'm used to pants."

She gave a hum that was almost a laugh, then took a deep breath.

"You know . . . it might be fun to go out shopping again. It's not easy, doing this alone."

"Yeah, I know the feeling. It's really hard for me too."

Seeing that he wasn't picking up on the hint, Claire elaborated.

"I could really use some emotional support while shopping."

"You and me both."

She waited, then made a strained face.

"I'd like someone to join me on these shopping trips."

"Yeah. It's too bad that we don't have anybody who supports us."

He sulked, then after a beat, looked at Claire.

"Hey, you don't suppose- Ah, nevermind."

"No, say the thing."

He sighed.

"I was just gonna say that if you're okay with it, we can maybe go shopping together sometime . . . Once I get back from my trip, that is."

She smiled very faintly.

"You know, that's a great idea that you came up with, all on your own."

He cocked his head.

"You sure? Cuz it kinda felt like you were hinting at it."

Her eyes went wide.

"Wh- WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING?!"

"I was afraid of being wrong. I don't take rejection too well."

Claire rolled her eyes.

"M'kay. Well, we'll set something up when you get back. How long are you gone for?"

"Moonwatcher's email said three to five days, but she also mentioned several times that I might die."

"Oh. That would be unfortunate."

"Yeah. But if I survive, we can go out and get skirts. Ideally, I'd like to have more of 'em before I die. Seems like a good reason to keep going."

"Yeah . . ."

After a pause, he gave a little salute.

"Well, I'd better pack these up for my trip. See you later, skirt-buddy!"

He winced, having not thought the last part through, but Claire gave an awkward smile and returned the salute.

"Until next time, skirt-buddy."

Rainn grinned, then cantered away with his bag of skirts. He lifted his arm and crossed Claire off of his enemies list. He hummed.

"I guess that buddy is a synonym for friend, so . . ."

He added her to his list of friends.

TSJWDFEW*

After dropping off the skirts at his house, Rainn realized that despite all of his going back and forth, there was still quite a lot of time left in the day. Seeing the ever-growing list of friends on his arm, he came to the conclusion that if he were indeed to die again, he'd rather leave behind something positive in the world, and making amends with people was a good place to start. He noticed someone neighing at the horses behind his house and decided that fate was on his side.

Rainn gulped as he inched toward Shep, who was grazing in a field. He lifted his head when he heard him coming, ears flattening.

"You again!"

Rainn nodded quickly.

"I know that I'm not your favourite person, but there's something I need to tell you. I'm sorry for stealing that dinosaur off you and Owen. It doesn't make it any better, but it wasn't personal."

"I know. You were grinding dinosaur bones to make your bread."

"That's funny."

"I'm naturally witty. The joke wasn't for your benefit."

"Oh. Well, in any case, I'm sorry. I realize now that I was being pretty shitty, threatening you and all."

"I don't care about that."

Rainn frowned with confusion.

". . . You don't?"

"No. I'm pissed off because you made fun of me for being a horse."

"I did? When- Oh, right."

He gulped.

"Shep, I truly am sorry for being rude. I may not understand why you wanna be a horse, but I support you."

". . . Is this because you're nonbinary?"

Rainn's jaw dropped.

"How'd you know?!"

"I have a way with people . . . Also, you shouted it really loud a few hours ago."

"Oh. Did anyone else hear?"

"I don't know, but you don't have to worry about me. I won't tell anyone."

"Thank you. I owe you one."

"Two, counting the dinosaur."

"Right . . . Um, could we make it three? Some of the horses need taking care of while I risk my life on a dangerous mission, and I could use your help. I know that I have no right to ask you for a favor, but you're the only person I trust to take care of my babies."

"Hm, I don't know . . ."

"You can stay in my house. I'll have unlimited apples delivered from the grocery store while you're there."

"Deal. And if you send me lifelong apples, I'll forgive the other stuff too."

"Really?"

"Yes. Apples are my favourite, neigh, neigh."

"I see. Well, I'll do it, but that feels too easy on its own, so let me know if there's anything else you need. Like, if you maybe want me to do an act of penance, think about what I did and become a better person, etcetera."

Shep thought on it.

"I want carrots too."

"Okay, I'll send you carrots."

Shep put his hoof over Rainn's heart.

"You have made a powerful ally today."

"Wait, is an ally kind of like a friend? Like, functionally similar?"

"Sure."

"Great!"

He lowered his sleeve and added Shep's name to his list of friends.

"This went well. Thank you for helping me with the horses."

"No problem, neigh, neigh."

"See you later! . . . Neigh, neigh."

"Dude, you can't just say that if you're not a horse."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"I'm kidding."

Rainn laughed, relieved.

"Oh! You really had me going."

"But don't say it again. I'm the only one who can pull it off."

"Understood."

Rainn gave a salute, then marched across the field. He gazed at his house from atop a large hill and saw the two dinosaurs bickering.

"Well, I could use a walk, I guess."

He wandered down a path that he had never taken before. Along the way, he spotted a Suchomimus and decided to hide in a public restroom. When he was sure that it was gone, he continued down the path.

Feeling a bit nervous around the dinosaurs, Rainn decided to turn into an Atrociraptor, and his walk suddenly became a lot shorter. He breezed down the path until he picked up a sweet scent. Unable to place it, he wandered off the trail and sniffed the ground. When the scent got stronger, he pushed through a fern and saw Owen picking flowers from a tree in a small clearing. He jumped when he saw Rainn and instinctively held up his hand. After a pause, he frowned, dropping his arm.

"You!"

Rainn gulped.

"People ain't usually happy to see me, I've noticed."

"Yeah, no shit. What's going on?"

"Nothing. I just smelled these flowers and-"

"Forget it. I'm taking them to Claire, and I don't want you copying my idea."

"Fair enough. I won't step on your thing."

Owen continued to pick flowers. Rainn buried his face in a blossom that smelled like candy. Owen frowned at him.

"Quit breathing on my flowers!"

"Sorry. It just smells a lot like-"

"Don't say Kayla."

"Wasn't gonna. She has a totally different smell . . . Yeah, I just heard myself say it. Don't tell her that I memorized her scent, please."

"I don't care."

"Oh. That works too, I guess."

There was a short pause. Owen tensed up, irritated.

"You gonna leave?"

Rainn looked over his shoulder.

"Uh . . . Yeah, I guess . . . I was just wondering, you know, where we stand."

Owen went back to picking flowers.

"Well, I'm not gonna go after you, as long as you don't pose a threat, but I'm always gonna see you as the man who kidnapped my child."

Rainn lowered his head.

"Um, well, uh, actually . . . I realized this morning that I'm not a man."

Owen frowned.

"What the hell does that mean?"

Rainn's tail curled between his legs.

"I'm, uh . . . I'm nonbinary. Kayla helped me figure it out."

Owen tossed his flowers aside.

"Look, I'm not gonna hate you less just because you're calling yourself something different now."

"Th-that's not why-"

"I don't befriend men who fuck with my family, okay?"

"I'm not-"

"Don't count on me forgiving you. You're a shitty guy, and I'm not afraid to say it."

"Shitty person. I'm . . . I'm a shitty person."

"Yeah."

Rainn looked around uncertainly as Owen went back to picking flowers. He cleared his throat.

"Um, I don't have many friends-"

"Shocker."

"-and I know that there's a good reason for that. In fact, a lot of people really hate me right now, and I can't say that I blame them. But I don't want it to be that way. I know that it's a lot to ask, but please, give me a chance. I promise, I'll do right by you."

Owen stood up, glaring at Rainn with his full attention.

"No. Never."

Rainn sighed.

"Okay, that's fine. It's your decision. But this island ain't too big, so I think we gotta find a way to coexist."

"Or you can leave."

"I . . . I don't want to."

"Maybe you should think about what other people want."

Rainn didn't reply. Owen turned to leave.

"You may think that you've changed, but I know that you're still selfish and cowardly."

"Is that why you didn't save me?"

Owen stopped walking and turned around.

"Don't try to pin this on me. You wanna be saved? Be a person worth saving."

Rainn swallowed the lump in his throat.

"It's wrong to let people die. Even I know that."

Owen snorted.

"And what would you have done? Run away like a coward?"

"Yes. And I hate myself for it. But if you're so brave and selfless, why did you let me die?"

"Because you deserved it. You took Maisie, you tried to kill me-"

Rainn growled.

"Hey, if I wanted you dead, you'd be dead!"

Noticing his scales turning red, Rainn took a deep breath. He went back to normal.

"It was never personal. At least not on my end."

"Not that you'd understand, but when you love someone, you can't just forgive the people who hurt them."

Rainn's face softened.

"I do understand. I'm not asking for forgiveness. I just want us to be able to exist in the same space."

"And I want you gone. Do you really think that it's fair to stay here after everything you put my family through? Be honest: there's no reason for you to stay, anyway."

"I belong here, just as much as you."

"No, you don't. You're just here because you wanna fuck Kayla."

Rainn felt a shiver run across his scales.

"That's an evil thing to say. How dare you."

"Well, why else would you stay here? Kayla's the only one who likes you."

"That's not true. I'm working on making friends."

"Right, and then it's gonna be all sunshine and rainbows. Come on. You're not the kind of man who-"

"I'M NOT A MAN!"

Rainn snapped at Owen, then dove into the jungle, scales bright red. He broke out into the fields and ran aimlessly, heart racing. When he finally slowed to a stop, his scales turned light blue. He swallowed the lump in his throat and turned around, finding another road to follow. He took a moment to compose himself, then walked along the path with his head hung low.

"Who does he think he is. He ain't so great."

He snapped at a rat by the side of the road, but missed. He changed back into a human and kicked rocks angrily.

"I didn't deserve to die. Kayla saved me, and she didn't even know me. Owen's just shitty, that's all."

He walked past an old box.

"He ain't so noble."

Rainn kicked the cardboard idly, then flinched when a tiny kitten was revealed.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't know that you were in there!"

"Mew," said the kitten.

He crouched down. The cat sniffed his hand, then rubbed its face against his fingers.

"What's your name, little fella?"

He lifted the box. A sheet of paper fell out.

Free to a good home.

"Huh. That's really irresponsible. I thought that people only did that in cartoons."

The cat nibbled on his hand gently. He picked it up and held it against his chest.

"Boy, you sure are small. We gotta get you to an animal shelter or something."

The cat put its paws on his chest and craned its neck. Rainn held it in front of his face. It placed its paws on his nose.

"Well, ain't you cute."

"Mew."

"Thanks for not clawing me. I get anxious when people touch my face. Well, except when Kayla does it. She's very gentle. I guess I got used to people hurting me, but when Kayla holds me . . . I feel so loved."

He scratched the kitten's chin. It purred.

"I guess you like it too, huh? Maybe I should show you to Kayla. You'd like her a lot. It's kinda impossible not to."

The kitten meowed through the purr. He held it against his chest, stroking it gently.

"Aw, well, I'm glad that you're so friendly. It's funny, this whole time, I never thought that anyone could love me, but I guess I just needed to become worthy of love . . . Er, I guess that's a bit harsh. Kayla saw something in me, even when I was rotten. She helped me to believe in myself. I wasted so much time pushing people away, and I regret every second of it. If I had chosen to be better from the start, maybe I wouldn't-a been-"

He rubbed his neck.

"Anyway, if that hadn't happened, I would have never met Kayla . . . and you. You're nice too."

The kitten cupped its paws in the air. Rainn smiled.

"You know, I'd take you home, but I have bad luck with pets. I guess you'd know all about bad luck, since you're a black cat and all. Except your muzzle. It kinda looks like you snorted something. Let's hope it was icing sugar."

"Mew."

He tickled the kitten's ear.

"Aw, you're great."

The cat closed its eyes.

"Now, don't you get too comfy. I still gotta send you to the shelter."

The cat looked up at him with big eyes.

"Don't do that. You know that I can't take it."

The cat batted at his chin. Rainn held it away from his face.

"Stop it! If I fall in love with you, something bad is gonna happen!"

"Mew."

Rainn's face hardened.

"You wouldn't be doing this if you knew what happened to Rooster. He used to belong to Mr. Hooper at the ice cream shop. Before he died, he told me to take good care of him. And then he got run over by a Corvette truck. If you stay with me, it's only a matter of time before something bad happens."

He placed the kitten on the ground.

"So go on. Get!"

The kitten wandered away. After a pause, Rainn jumped.

"Oh, shoot! I gotta take you to the shelter. Would it ruin my point if I carried you there?"

The kitten hadn't turned back. Rainn walked after it.

"Hey, come on, now. I'm not angry at you. It's my own fault. I have really bad luck-"

He yowled as the car-dinosaur sped by, narrowly missing the kitten, who ran away at full speed. Rainn scrambled after it.

"Here, kitty, kitty!"

The cat hopped a fence. Rainn read the sign hanging from the door.

"Off-leash dog park?!"

He read a note pinned beneath it.

Do not enter. Rabies outbreak. Bonnie's fault. -MW

Rainn clambered up the fence.

"Kitty, WAIT!"

He fell on the other side, then tensed up as he heard growling. He dodged a Rottweiler with a foaming mouth, then tripped over another one. He scrambled to his feet, changing into an Atrociraptor and running after the kitten as dogs made a leap for him from all angles.

"AAAAAAAAAH!"

He climbed up the other side of the fence, becoming human again. He felt a dog rip his pant leg, then landed painfully on the other side.

"CAT!"

The kitten was chasing a butterfly. Rainn knelt down.

"Pspsps!"

The cat ignored him and ran onto a paved road. Rainn limped after it.

"Well, at least this isn't a busy street."

Nearby, a loudspeaker on a pole rang out with an enthusiastic voice.

"Ladies and gentlemen, etcetera, welcome to the fifth annual high-speed steamroller parade!"

Rainn tugged at his hair with both hands as dozens of steamrollers came barreling down the road. He made a leap for the kitten, barely catching it in time. He panted in the grass, holding the cat above his face.

"Don't go running off ag-"

The cat squirmed out of his hands and jumped over his head.

"NO!"

He followed the cat as it tumbled through a forest of giant iguanas, who snapped at it hungrily. Rainn grabbed them and flung them aside one by one. They then entered a rocky terrain, where geysers erupted all around them. Rainn gasped as he saw another sign.

"DEADLY LAVA PIT?!"

He read the note below it.

Lava pit extra deadly today. Full of superheated Biosyn Slime. Bonnie's fault. -MW

He ran toward the kitten as it teetered on the edge of the pit, preparing to jump over it. He caught it by the scruff. It mewed sadly.

"There. Hopefully, that'll teach you to-"

The bubbling pit erupted. Rainn darted to the side. He tripped, and the kitten leapt out of his arms.

"Oh, come on!"

The kitten darted into a small village. Rainn gulped as he read the sign.

"Baryonyx Plaza . . ."

For a moment, he stood frozen in place. He shrunk a little, creeping forward slowly.

"This isn't going to end well . . ."

As he walked along, the grass merged with flat stones. The buildings in the plaza were crude and rounded at the top, and there was a fountain in the middle of the square. The kitten was batting at the water jets. Rainn sighed as he picked up the cat.

"Finally! You're lucky something bad didn't happen. Let's get you someplace s-"

As he turned, he came face to face with a Baryonyx. He screamed, and it roared in return. Rainn fell backwards into the fountain, then scrambled away. The cat clung to his head, soaking wet. By the time Rainn was finally out of the fountain, he was surrounded by a crowd of Baryonyx. He screamed, shielding the cat with his entire body as he shrunk into a ball. He could feel the hot breath of the beasts on his neck. It smelled like french fries.

"Hey. Back off."

Hearing the voice, the creatures withdrew their heads. Rainn saw someone standing over him.

"Maisie?"

She frowned.

"Don't you know anything? Baryonyxes are very sensitive to sound. They hate it when people scream."

One of the dinosaurs nodded before speaking strangely.

"Verytabluhmon, wee."

"Say tehreebluh," added another.

Rainn gulped.

"What are they saying?"

"That you're a coward," Maisie laughed.

One of the Baryonyxes lifted a claw.

"Nawn, may say ohwsi vreh."

Maisie snorted, and Rainn stood up shakily. He checked on the kitten, then placed it at his feet. Maisie tickled its chin.

"Cute cat. He yours?"

"Nope. I'm bringing him to the shelter."

"Ah. I'd take him in, but my dad developed an allergy recently."

"I didn't know that Owen was allergic to cats."

"Wait, how do you know who my dad is? . . . Oh! You're thinking of the new Maisie. I'm the original. Well, kind of. But Maisie Two is here as well. Come on, I'll show you where she is."

She whistled, and a strange vehicle-dinosaur sped over to her. She climbed on his back as he started rolling slowly. Rainn walked beside her. The cat followed him.

"So how do you know the other Maisie?" she asked.

He gulped.

"Uh . . . We met through work."

"Sounds fake, but whatever. Tell me, are you one of the new people?"

"I think so?"

"Right. You seem to not know what's going on. Don't worry, you'll get used to the mortal peril Moonwatcher puts you through every week or so."

"Oh."

"It's fine, you'll survive. We've arrived, by the way."

She pointed ahead. The other Maisie was sitting on a staircase, petting the white Microceratus she'd adopted. A crowd of Baryonyx surrounded her, deeply invested in a story that she was telling.

"And then a billion locusts flew up into the sky, and- Oh hey, that's the guy I was telling you about."

They all turned to glare at Rainn. He hid behind a lamppost.

"Don't worry. They're not dangerous," she called out.

The Maisie nearest to Rainn laughed.

"He's a real chicken, isn't he?"

"Bawk bawk bawk!"

Rainn frowned.

"Hey, I'm brave. A lot braver than a kid like you, that's for sure!"

She rolled her eyes.

"Low bar to clear, and I'm fourteen."

The other Maisie, meanwhile, had wandered away with her companion, and they were speaking to the car dinosaur from before. Whatever they were discussing seemed to be important, and they all sped away in a hurry. Rainn watched them with concern, remembering the sinister song he'd been privy to, but he soon forgot about it, because the Baryonyx had started circling him. He hunched over, preparing for something awful to happen. One of the dinosaurs punched his shoulder gently.

"Relax. You're safe here," he said.

"I am?" he squeaked.

"Yeah, you're far too mushy for us. You're practically baby food."

Rainn bit his lip.

"Well, you're not wrong . . ."

Maisie stood up.

"Clear out. He's about to piss himself."

"Am not! And watch your language!"

"I can say whatever I want. My parents aren't here."

"Do they know that you're on your own again?"

She huffed.

"Yeah. Of course."

He narrowed his eyes, sensing her lie.

"You sure?"

She scoffed.

"What are you gonna do? You can't snitch on me after what you did. I'll just say that you took me again."

Rainn's jaw dropped.

"That's devious. But I don't think they'd believe you."

"Owen would. He's looking for any excuse to beat you up, after you accidentally started that fight between him and Claire."

"What fight?"

"He made a joke about her skirt."

Rainn grabbed his head.

"Oh, no! She was so happy about that! I really messed up!"

"No, it was his fault. But I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that Claire defended you."

He shook his head.

"I'm not. I just want things to be okay between them. I don't want to tear your family apart."

"Great idea to kidnap me, then."

Rainn winced.

"Yeah, I walked right into that one. I'm sorry, by the way. It was wrong of me. I won't do it again."

Maisie narrowed her eyes.

"I certainly hope not, though I'm sure you'll be arrested in a heartbeat if you try."

"I dunno, I'm pretty slippery. Besides, the CIA thinks that I'm dead."

"Barry's been following you ever since you got here, dipshit."

A nearby bush stood up and walked away. Rainn's jaw dropped.

"Well, how about that . . ."

Maisie sighed.

"It's almost embarrassing that you managed to capture me. You couldn't catch a cold."

"Hey, I could have-"

"Before you get defensive, let me remind you that you're bragging about kidnapping a child."

"Withdrawn."

She snorted.

"You're a real weirdo, you know that?"

"I'm not that weird."

She turned to the dinosaurs.

"You all agree that he's weird, right?"

They all nodded. Rainn tensed up.

"I'm not weird. I'm just traumatized, that's all. If you were in my place, you'd understand."

Maisie frowned.

"Boo-hoo. You're an adult. Grow a pair."

Life can be scary

Trust me, I know

Look what I've been through

I may have trauma And it's something That I can't undo

Anyway Don't be afraid of these guys You're safe and secure Cuz the dinosaurs talk Just look them right in the eyes And say, "No, I'm not afraid," It's as easy as that

Cuz bad memories fade With every dinosaur scare You'll find soon enough, they're not so bad There are much worse things out there

Maisie started shaking. She wiped her eyes. Rainn covered his mouth.

"Oh, no . . ."

Maisie picked up her dinosaur and held it close to her chest, crying.

"I don't know what to do . . ." she whimpered.

Rainn gulped.

"Uh, do I need to sing a song about regret?"

"No!"

"Oh. Well, you don't have to be afraid of me. I'll never, ever do anything like that again. I promise. And I'm sorry that I did it in the first place. If there's anything I can do to make it up to you, you let me know, and in the meantime, if you're feeling nervous, I can wear a funny hat or something."

She blinked.

"That's your solution? You take someone from their family, and you want to make it right by wearing a FUNNY HAT?!"

He flinched.

"Well, not necessarily. I'm open to ideas."

Maisie put down the dinosaur, rolling up her sleeves.

"I want to punch you in the face."

Rainn's eyes went wide.

"What?!"

"I need to face my fears."

Rainn side-eyed her.

"And if I let you punch me, you'll be okay, right?"

"I dunno, but it's worth a shot."

He clenched his teeth.

"Okay. Punch me."

She held up her fist, and he braced himself. She took a swing, but he dodged it.

"Sorry, force of habit."

"Stand still."

He dodged a second blow.

"It doesn't work if you see it coming!" she protested.

"Then do it when I let my guard down."

He wouldn't stop tensing up. Maisie sighed loudly.

"Will you just let me hit you?!" she spat.

"I'm trying!"

She crossed her arms, then looked over his shoulder.

"Hey, Kayla's coming!"

He turned around.

"Kayla! Wait, I don't see-"

As he turned back, she punched him square in the nose. He stumbled backward, clutching his face.

"AH! GEEZ! OW! Holy . . ."

He turned away and squeaked a bit. Maisie leaned over to look at him.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just-"

As he pulled his hands away, blood poured down his lips and chin.

"It's broken. My nose is broken."

Maisie covered her mouth.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!"

"Don't be sorry," he said, clutching his face, "The important thing is that you're working through your problems and-"

He squealed, shaking his hands.

"I think I gotta go to the hospital. Did this help at all?"

She winced.

"A little . . . No, not really."

He ran his fingers through his hair.

"Shoot. Well, at least you know that I have a major weakness."

"Being punched in the face isn't exactly a weakness."

"Sure, it is. Just because a lot of people have it, that doesn't mean it isn't a weakness."

"So by that logic, you also have a bullet weakness."

"Technically, yeah," he said, flicking blood off his fingers.

"Hm. But is there anything unique to you? Something exploitable?"

"What about my fear of Baryonyxes?"

"Well, I already sang a song about that. Is there something else? Something that scares you more?"

"Well . . . Not that it helps you, but I'm afraid of rejection. Specifically in Kayla-centric situations . . ."

Maisie rolled her eyes.

"Just ask her out, already. She likes you, and everyone knows it."

Rainn frowned.

"Hey, I'm not taking relationship advice from a fourteen year-old girl, and furthermore- Wait, did she say something to you?"

"Maybe."

His eyes went wide.

"Tell me."

She tapped her chin slowly.

"No, I don't think I will."

"Oh, come on! I need to know!"

She shrugged.

"Let me think on it . . ."

He stared at her intently as she blew air through her cheeks.

". . . Nah."

He grabbed his hair.

"This is torture."

"I think it's funny."

"Toying with people's emotions isn't right!"

"You know what else isn't right? . . ."

He sighed.

"Fine. You win. You don't have to tell me."

Maisie stroked her dinosaur like a cat, putting on an evil voice.

"I won't. Muhahahaha."

Rainn rolled his eyes.

"Alright, well, if you think of something else that will make you feel better, just let me know . . . Or maybe nothing will fix what I did. I guess that's possible too. But I'd never live it down, if that were the case."

Maisie squeezed the dinosaur.

"I don't know if I'll ever recover, honestly. With dinosaurs, you can see that they're just animals. They don't know any better. But when people hurt you, it's different. People understand that what they're doing is wrong, but they do it anyway because they're selfish, hateful, or unkind. I think about the people who hurt me, more than I think about the dinosaurs. I don't understand how a person can bring themselves to do something so awful."

Rainn looked away, ashamed.

"Well . . . I don't know about everyone else, but I did it for the money."

"So you decided that it was worth it, ruining someone's life for a bit of cash."

"I didn't think about it too hard," Rainn said quietly.

"How much was it?"

Rainn swallowed, then shook his head.

"You can't put a price on a person. No amount of money should have ever convinced me. But the worst part is that I would have done it for less. And it makes me sick."

He was doing his best to hold back the tears, but once the first one slipped through, the dam broke. He wiped his face, smudging the almost-dry blood beneath his nose. He shook with sobs. Maisie looked at her dinosaur, which looked right back at her. Rainn got himself under control, picking up the cat for comfort.

"Ignore that. It happens sometimes. I'd better go. But I just want to say that what I did wasn't right, and I'm sorry. If there was a way to fix it, I'd do it in a heartbeat."

He gave a nod, then walked past her. Maisie sighed loudly.

"Wait."

Rainn turned.

"What?"

She frowned sardonically.

"I'm still not comfortable with what happened, but there may be hope for you. The other Maisie told me something unusual. She and her parents know a man who did something worse than you, and they get along fine. I remember him too, and I don't understand why she'd ever forgive him. I guess it's because the . . . the thing he did got undone."

"What did he do?"

Her eyes were distant.

"He killed . . . someone."

"Who?!"

"I don't want to talk about it. My point is, if he got better, maybe you can too. Maybe. But I doubt it. Other Maisie has been here longer, so maybe she's just out of touch. I don't think that I'll ever forgive you."

Rainn winced.

"That's okay. I don't think that I even want to be forgiven. I'd rather undo the damage I caused . . . if I can . . . Can I?"

"The other Maisie seems to think that there's hope for anyone who puts in the work. But you don't seem like a hard worker to me."

"Hey, I work plenty hard!"

"Do a hundred push-ups right now."

"Why would I do THAT?!"

"To make it up to me."

"And that would work?"

"Maybe."

He stared at her for a long while, then blinked.

"So a hundred push-ups is enough to undo one kidnapping?"

"Maybe two hundred."

He nodded.

"Okay, I'll do it. Hold my cat."

He handed her the kitten and got down on the ground. He started doing push-ups.

"One . . . Two . . . Three . . ."

"That last one didn't count. It was barely half."

"Okay. Thr-"

"You have to start over."

He looked up at her with wide eyes, then shook his head in disbelief before nodding resolutely.

"Alright. One . . . Two . . . Three . . ."

His arms shook as they straightened. He paused. Maisie made a buzzer sound.

"EH! Start again."

"WHY?!"

"You waited too long."

"How long am I allowed to rest?"

"I'll decide as we go along."

". . . Okay," he squeaked, "One, two, three, f-"

TSJWDFEW*

Kayla was very uncomfortable. She couldn't pin down a reason, exactly, but when she was alone with her thoughts, she found that she couldn't maintain her tough demeanour as easily anymore. Back home, she'd stare down hardened criminals, but here, she felt feeble and small.

Most of the time, anyway.

She stepped out of her doorway, puffing out her chest, but soon felt her breath catch as a feathered raptor prowled down the road, bobbing its head. It made eye contact with her, then gave her a questioning look as she froze up. After a beat, it moved on, and she exhaled, stepping back inside to compose herself.

"I can do this. It's just a big bird, that's all."

She opened the door again, then slowly strutted out of the house. As she walked down the road, she noticed a Giganotosaurus coming her way. It lowered its head, and she tensed up.

"Is this the right way to the East Dock?"

Kayla opened her mouth, but choked a bit. She stumbled backward as the dinosaur turned its head to look at her.

"Well?"

She gulped.

"I don't know."

"Oh. Thanks anyway."

"No problem," she coughed.

The dinosaur lifted its head a little, smirking.

"You're not still scared of me, are you?"

She frowned.

"Oh. You're the same one."

"Yeah, but don't worry, I won't eat you. I hear that humans taste like ass."

"Then why do dinosaurs hunt them?"

"They're easy prey."

She clenched her fists.

"Just try it!"

He bared his teeth at her, and she turned away, eyes shut tight. He laughed cruelly, and his rancid breath puffed her hair.

"Wow, you sure can run that mouth of yours. It's gonna get you into trouble, one of these days."

"Leave me alone."

He shrugged.

"You can try to hide it all you want, but without your little friend, you're scared shitless."

She frowned.

"Well, one of us has to be the brave one!"

"Does he know that you're secretly a coward?"

"Hey! Being afraid of dinosaurs doesn't make me cowardly!"

"Yeah. You're only human, I suppose."

She changed into a Quetzalcoatlus.

"Bet."

He snickered.

"You'd best not be picking fights. Besides, I can already smell how afraid you are, so this little threat display isn't doing much."

She changed back.

"Forget this. I'm going for a drink."

She shook with anger as the dinosaur chuckled. Her face softened a bit as she walked away, and she rubbed her arm nervously. As she approached a nearby bar, she wondered if she should call Rainn, but decided that he probably needed a break. He was always ready to show up when she needed him, but she sometimes wondered if it was to his detriment. He deserved a chance to make new friends, in any case. She couldn't take up all of his time like she'd been doing.

At the end of the bar, Kayla finally saw a familiar face. Ellie was sitting alone, drinking what appeared to be a glass of milk. Curious, Kayla approached her.

"Hey. Is that milk?"

"Yeah. I was thirsty."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

A pause.

"Wait, why would you drink milk, of all things?"

"I like it."

". . . I see."

Ellie smiled.

"You look nervous without him."

Kayla was taken aback. Ellie shrugged.

"That's normal. When you go through so much with someone, you tend to stay strong for them, or rely on them being strong for you. Depends on the day. You give what you can and take what you need. I guess trauma must be pretty common around here, huh?"

Kayla sat down beside her.

"I'm just a little surprised, because I'm so used to being the strong one. I guess I didn't realize how much he was doing for me in return."

"Yeah. But just as often, he'll need your help, and after a bit of back and forth, you'll realize just how much you depend on each other. It's not fun, being haunted by the past, but at least we're not alone."

Kayla smiled.

"Yeah. I'm lucky to have met Rainn. It's not often that you come across someone who understands you completely."

Ellie smiled.

"I think he's lucky to have met you too. Not many people would have given him a second chance."

"Well, that part wasn't hard at all. I'd already seen how wonderful he could be. But I always knew that there was more to him. It reminds me of the first time I flew . . ."

When I was a girl

Just turned fifteen

My mother decided to let me come fly

I wasn't excited

How could I have been?

I wasn't impressive, though I'd always try

Then wheels untouched the ground

I felt so free

'Til I remembered the pressure she put on me

How do you like what you like

When everybody's eyes are on you

Doubt always waiting to strike

You somehow forget what's real and what's true

But then I looked down below

At the mountain that I'd come to know

From an angle that few ever see

And the trees made a smiley face, smiling at me

Just me

How many people saw that smile?

How many took it for granted?

It must have been there for quite a while

But that day, the seed was planted

That smile was all mine, it made me feel special

Like I mattered, like I was important

And that's how I feel

When he smiles at me

That's how I know

That we were meant to be

I saw something in him that no one else knew

Because they don't see him the way that I do

And he saw so much more inside me too

He was hurting, he was all alone

Just like me

And I wondered why nobody else could see

That he's special, he matters

He's important to me

There's so much more

That he can be

I didn't expect to change too

Yet with him, I grew

When it was just us two

Never though I'd be the one who sings

But when he held me

He gave me my wings

And now I know

Yes, I know

That his smile is for me

Just me

Ellie nodded, staring into her drink.

"He told me about how you helped him with the makeup. We picked out some skirts together. And Claire seems to be getting along with him too, now."

Kayla sighed happily.

"Everyday, he becomes more like himself, and people love him for it. I don't know why he's so self-negative. He's my favourite person. I hope that he realizes his own worth, someday."

"I'm sure you'll be there to help him do that."

"Of course."

Ellie smiled coyly.

". . . So, are you two together yet?"

Kayla shook her head.

"I know that he's trying, though. We just keep getting interrupted. It's not his fault, and I'm willing to wait."

"Good for you. And you're sure that he'll say what he needs to say?"

"I'm starting to think that there's nothing he can't do."

TSJWDFEW*

Rainn wheezed as he lowered himself to the ground, carrying a bag of sand on his back. Maisie sprayed him with a water gun sporadically. He had forgotten all about his nose.

"Four h-hundred and ninety s-seven . . ."

He whined, then became resolute.

"Four hundred and ninety eight . . ."

Maisie raised her eyebrows, leaning forward a bit.

"F-four h-hundred and n-ninety n-nine . . ."

The kitten, who had taken to playing with Maisie's dinosaur out of boredom, jumped on his head, and he collapsed. He sat there, totally stunned, then rolled over and covered his face.

"NO!"

The kitten hopped on his chest and batted his cheek. He sighed and put it on the ground, rolling over again. He took a deep breath.

"One . . . Two . . ."

Maisie jumped as her phone started ringing. She tapped the screen and held it up to her ear.

"Hi, Kayla."

A garbled voice came from the other end. Maisie looked down at Rainn.

"Yes, actually. He's here with me . . . Yeah, about four hours . . . He's doing push-ups . . . I asked him to . . . No, I've been messing with him this whole time . . . I don't think so. He's still trying, so I doubt he's realized . . . Yes, Kayla . . . I know . . . Because it was funny, and besides, he should probably work out more . . . Well, isn't that what people do before dating each other? Or are you just into greasy blobs?"

Rainn heard Kayla hiss Maisie's name testily on the other end. She rolled her eyes.

"Fine, but at least stop him from eating so much candy. I'm surprised that he hasn't had a heart attack . . . Yeah, okay . . . Alright, bye."

She locked her phone and turned to Rainn.

"Kayla wants to meet you by the dump."

He nodded solemnly. Maisie cocked her head.

"I thought that you'd be happier. You're always excited to see Kayla."

He stood up slowly.

"I'm just upset that it was all a joke. I mean, I THOUGHT that it was too good to be true, but I still hoped . . ."

He picked up the kitten.

"Not that it matters anyway, since I didn't make it to five hundred."

Maisie hummed.

"Well, you'll be happy to know that you passed the test."

He blinked.

"What test?"

"The push-ups WERE just to mess with you, but I didn't expect you to try at all. You did, like, a billion push-ups without complaining."

"Not in a row, though."

"I think you're missing the point."

". . . Can you explain it to me?"

"I know that you wanna make it better. So we're fine."

"Fine?"

"Yeah. I'm never going to be one hundred percent okay, but I'm fine for now."

Rainn paused, placing his chin on his fist, then snapped his fingers.

"And you'll be one hundred percent okay if I make it to five hundred?"

Maisie's eyes went wide as she held out her hands with disbelief.

"You- Okay, do a thousand push-ups, and I'll be one hundred percent fine. But not now. You have a broken nose. That probably needs fixing."

"I'll bet that Moonwatcher can do something about it. I'll tell Kayla to meet me by the hospital instead."

Maisie hummed.

"I wouldn't trust Moonwatcher. The other Maisie has told me some scary things . . ."

He frowned.

"I thought you said that she was friends with a murderer."

"That's my point. What does that say about how she sees Moonwatcher?"

Rainn rubbed his chin.

"Well, she's real nice to me, but if she's doing shady stuff to other people, that's not okay. And now I'm hearing it from more sources, which ain't good. When I get back from my trip, I'll talk to her about it."

"Where are you going?"

"A magical world called Astra- Um, Astro . . . It's a magical world with dragons."

"Cool. Can you bring me back a souvenir?"

"I don't think they have a gift shop."

She laughed.

"Then find a cool leaf or something."

"Will do . . . Wait, what constitutes as 'cool'? What leaves do kids like nowadays?"

Maisie twisted her mouth.

". . . Maple. Kids are really into maple trees."

"And you're sure that you're not just joking again?"

"If I was, I wouldn't tell you."

He shrugged.

"Fair enough. I'm going to head off now. I'll let you know when I've done the push-ups, and I'll have Kayla verify."

Maisie blinked.

"Sure thing."

Rainn gave a little salute, then picked up the kitten and marched toward the hospital. Along the way, he pulled out his list of friends, then added a new column.

Non Enemies

Maisie (after push-ups)

He gave a nod, then paused. After a beat, he looked over his shoulder.

"Hey, Maisie?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm nonbinary."

"Yeah, not surprised. Good luck."

"Thank you!"

He tickled the kitten's chin.

"That wasn't so bad."

TSJWDFEW*

As Rainn entered the hospital, the receptionist slapped her forehead.

"Good god, what now?"

"Broken nose."

She sighed and pressed a buzzer.

"Moonwatcher, it's Rainn again- AGH!"

Moonwatcher had appeared beside her.

"No problem. I don't think that my Moon Juice will fix this one, but I learned a new spell that might help."

She flicked her wand at his face, and suddenly, a toucan beak replaced his nose. He froze up.

"Uh, was it supposed to do that?" he asked in a nasal voice.

". . . No, but your nose isn't broken anymore, is it?"

"I guess not? . . ."

The beak shrunk back into a nose. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's better. Thanks, Moonwatcher."

"Sorry my spells aren't up to snuff yet. I managed to defeat an all-powerful genocidal tiger, but I think that it must have been a fluke."

"When did you do that?!"

"A couple days before your birthday."

"That recently?! Why didn't I hear about it?!"

"I was with the other group."

"The ones who say that you're not nice?"

". . . Yeah."

He cocked his head.

"Are they lying?"

Moonwatcher let out a long breath.

"No. They're right. I haven't been very nice to them. But they're a lot harder to get along with. They don't like me very much."

Rainn nodded.

"I know the feeling. But it's never too late to change. Maybe if you're nicer to them, they'll like you more."

"I think that ship has sailed . . . Rather, that ship has sailed, hit a frozen tit, and sunk to the bottom of the sea, as the expression goes."

"I've never heard that expression."

"It's pretty common around here."

"Oh. Well, in any case, I think that you should make things right. You seem to have upset them quite a bit. Kayla's not happy, and I gotta say, I'm not thrilled either."

Moonwatcher bit her lip.

"I'm pretty sure that they're never gonna forgive me."

"Yeah, but you gotta apologize anyway. Figure out where you went wrong, then change your actions going forward."

"Hm, but wouldn't that be boring, in terms of narrative and whatnot? Half of these people's adventures are manufactured by my antics. If I lose my quirky habit of putting them in mortal peril, where does that even leave me?"

Rainn shrugged.

"Maybe you can't force adventures. Maybe they've just gotta happen on their own. And hey, if you improve, that's character development, right? I'm sure people would be interested in that."

She shrugged.

"Nah, nobody reads this stuff to see what the OC's are up to. I'm a plot-causer, not a person."

"You seem like a person to me. Maybe you're just looking at this problem the wrong way."

"Maybe . . ."

"So what's the current issue with these other folks?"

"Well, I kinda forced them to live in slums guarded by killer robots."

". . . Oh. That's not great."

"I know. I just wish that they were more open to the narrative. All I've ever wanted is to write stories forever and ever, but they got tired of me manipulating them for drama."

Rainn put his finger under his chin.

"How about this? If you leave those people alone, I'll go on all the adventures you want. We can climb mountains, go to the zoo, and maybe even do small adventures, like going out to buy milk at the grocery store. If you ever feel bored or lonely, just give me a call, and we can hang out."

Her eyes were filling with tears.

"Really?"

"Yeah, of course."

She rushed forward and hugged him. Because she was so short, she nearly disappeared in his coat.

"Thank you."

He patted her head awkwardly.

"Just promise that you won't keep harassing those other characters. They deserve a rest, right?"

She nodded.

"I think it's time to wrap their story up."

"Yeah, give them a good send-off."

She nodded slowly, knitting her brows.

"A send-off, huh? . . . Yeah, that could work . . . Actually, that would be great! Then I'd only have one story to write, and I wouldn't have to feel bad about leaving them on their own! One last arc to resolve their interpersonal conflict, then they'll go out with a bang!"

"Yeah!"

"Yeah!"

Rainn wasn't sure what she meant, exactly, but she sounded happy, so it must be good, he figured. She snapped her fingers, full of energy.

"Thanks, Rainn! You've been a big help!"

She gave him one last squeeze, then skipped away. Rain cocked his head.

"Oh, I guess our conversation is over."

He felt something stirring in his pocket, then looked down as the kitten poked its head out. Rainn hummed.

"Right, I guess I still gotta get you to a shelter."

The kitten jumped out of his coat and ran toward a stack of bins with biohazard labels on them. Rainn snatched up the kitten and walked away hastily. He shoved the cat in his pocket, poking the head down with one finger as the cat tried to escape.

"Stop it! Do you have a death wish?! I'm bringing you to the shelter before anything else goes wrong."

The cat reached out of the pocket, but Rainn forced its paw back in.

"Stay there! You almost died today!"

"Mew."

"Dead is dead. There's no coming back from that . . . usually . . . But with animals, it sticks, so watch out!"

He swallowed as the kitten looked up at him with flattened ears.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell. It's just . . ."

He sat down on a bench, placing the cat in his lap.

"Ever since I came back, I've been feeling weird about it. I mean, there are so many other people who deserve a second chance more than me. I'm a nobody. And I'm not even a particularly good nobody. I feel like this was a mistake, like it's gonna be taken away from me at any moment. In a way, it's like I'm still dead."

The kitten blinked.

"Yeah, I guess this is too complicated for a house-cat to grasp. I don't really understand it myself. But I feel like I gotta do something big to prove that I deserve to be here."

The cat mewed curiously.

"I don't know yet. But maybe I can save the world or something. Maisie saved the world, and she's only fourteen. But then again, I don't have any of those special genes in me. I'm just run of the mill trash . . . Oh! Maybe they can do scientific tests on me. I've had a lot of diseases. If I'm immune now, they can make my blood into a vaccine or something."

The cat licked its paw and ran it over its face.

"Eh, maybe not. But I'll think of something . . . I hope. It's just, everyone else seems to have a place in this world, but I always get left behind. I'm just waiting to find that one thing that's special about me, you know? Like, maybe there's something that I'm really good at, that only I can do. Something that gives me a reason to be here. A purpose. Cuz right now, I feel like I'm totally worthless. If I disappeared, no one would care . . . Well, maybe Kayla would care. She treats me like a human being, even though I'm useless. She's the kind of person I want to be. She's good at a lot of things, and she's fun to be around. She ain't perfect, but man, she's close. It's hard to believe that I might have a shot with her . . . But I'm probably gonna blow it. And come to think of it, I haven't even figured out what comes next. I've been so fixated on trying to woo her, I don't know what a relationship between us two would even look like. Probably similar to what we have going on now, just more of it. That sounds nice, actually. Still, it's real hard to picture her ending up with someone like me. She could do better, easily. For all I know, I'm keeping her from her one true love . . ."

He gulped, then squeezed the kitten nervously.

"Shit, what if I'm ruining her life, and she doesn't even know it? God, I couldn't live with myself if that were the case. If she'd be happier with me out of her life, I couldn't possibly stay. She deserves the world. I only wish that I could give it to her."

He gulped and rocked back and forth with the kitten in his arms.

"Fuck, I wish that I was someone else. I'm trying to be better, but she shouldn't have to wait for me to improve. If I had a chance to go back, I'd be a good person right from the start. That way, when we met, I'd say, 'Hi, Kayla. I'm Rainn, the rich, handsome genius who wrote five bestselling books and cured cancer. My hobbies are being nice and whatever the opposite of kidnapping people is,' and she'd say- Actually, she'd probably leave after the first bit. Successful-Me sounds a bit cocky. Maybe I'm really arrogant, and it just doesn't show cuz I have nothing to be arrogant about. If I were put together, I'd be just like Soyona, I bet. Or maybe I'd be even worse. I guess if I was a person worth loving, I'd still be useless to Kayla. She deserves someone less full of himself. I just wish that I was a humble person, instead of an average joe with no prospects or skills."

The cat yawned.

"You bored? Maybe I'm not making sense. I dunno, sometimes I just get on these trains of thought, and it keeps snowballing until I start thinking that I'm totally worthless. It's real easy, thinking that way. But Kayla says that I gotta be kind to myself."

The cat looked up at him, purring. Rainn smiled as he crooked the kitten in his arm.

". . . And she was right. Of course."

"Hey, Rainn!"

He grinned as he saw Ellie galloping his way, followed by Kayla, who hung back a little. Ellie wrapped him in a hug.

"We heard that you broke your nose. Is it bad?"

He shook his head.

"All fixed now. But thanks for caring about me."

"Oh, honey, of course."

The cat reached out and batted at her necklace. She noticed it for the first time.

"Oh, is this yours?"

After a pause, Rainn nodded.

"Yeah. Can you take care of him while I'm gone?"

"Of course! What's his name?"

"Frog."

"Cute! Do you want me to take him now, or in the morning?"

"Now. We'll be up too early for you."

Ellie giggled.

"Not likely. I'm a morning person. But I'll take him now, if you think that's best."

Rainn handed him over, then crouched down to look the cat in the eyes.

"Don't you worry, I'll be back. I promise."

The cat licked his nose. Rainn smiled.

"And don't you be getting into trouble while I'm gone. You're gonna live a long, happy life, understand?"

The cat did not, in fact, understand him, but nevertheless, Rainn gave it a wink as Ellie left. He turned to Kayla, who was smiling at him. It was one of her special smiles, where she'd smile halfway, doing her best not to show her hand. But Rainn knew that she was moments away from bursting into her full smile, and he fully intended to make that happen.

"Hey! You're looking lovely tonight," he cooed.

That was all it took. But she turned her head away just a bit, embarrassed to be showing her emotions so blatantly. When she turned back, she was still smiling, but had it under control.

"Thank you. You're not so bad yourself. Especially for someone who just left the hospital."

"Eh, my face can't get much w-"

"Don't say something negative about yourself."

"In my defense, it was gonna be funny."

"How funny?"

"I was gonna say, I've been punched so many times that this is just what I look like now."

She rolled her eyes. Rainn grinned.

"Naw, seriously, you should have seen me before we met. I looked exactly like a movie star."

"Which one?"

"Sam Eagle from the Muppets."

She burst into laughter, then buried her head in his chest.

"You weirdo."

He smiled, placing his hand on the small of her back.

"You sure that you can put up with this on the trip? Cuz we're gonna be seeing a lot more of each other, you know."

"God, I sure hope so," she mumbled suggestively.

Rainn's face went red, then he coughed awkwardly.

"Yeah, it's gonna be a long trip. Oh! Remind me to get Maisie a present while we're there. Apparently maple leaves are all the rage right now."

Kayla laughed.

"Funny you should mention that, because I have a gift for you."

She held up a large rainbow lollipop, which she had skilfully concealed in her jacket. Rainn grinned.

"Wow, it's huge! Thank you, Kayla!"

She handed Rainn the lollipop. He clamped his mouth around the top, biting off chunks feverishly. She smiled.

"Thank you for being my friend."

Rainn lowered the lollipop, licking his lips.

"That reminds me. There's something I gotta tell you."

She froze up, then leaned closer.

"Yes? . . ."

He looked down at her, smiling softly.

"Kayla, I love . . ."

He paused. Kayla was almost shaking.

". . . candy."

Her jaw dropped. She backhanded his chest playfully.

"You ass!"

He grinned.

"I got you good!"

She nodded, smiling.

"Yeah, you got me."

After a pause, Rainn took a deep breath.

"You know, I was waiting for a special moment, cuz this feels like one of those things that people remember forever and ever, but it seems like every time I try, something gets in the way. So before we're interrupted . . . again . . . let me take a second to say- AWGH!"

He yelped as water shot from the ground, splashing his face. He coughed.

"Oh, COME ON!"

Kayla yelped as a second jet caught her arm. She looked down.

"Oh, fuck! We're standing on a fountain!"

All around them, small jets were coming to life. Rainn stumbled backwards.

"RUN!"

They darted between columns of water as they began to rise. Rainn hooted in distress as one caught him in the bottom, and Kayla sputtered as she was sprayed directly in the face. Seeing this, Rainn dove to the side and draped his coat over her.

"Hurry, I see an exit!"

They scrambled across the wet pavement, moving frantically toward the area with no spouts. Along the way, Rainn was hit with another jet that caused him to slip. Kayla shuffled to a stop. Rainn rolled onto his back, arms splayed to the side.

"Leave me! I'm done for!"

She grabbed his wrists and pulled him out. Along the way, water drenched her from head to toe. By the time she was out of the fountain, her hair was limp and dripping. Rainn stood up shakily.

"Kayla, you saved me!"

"From a little water, yes."

"But you hate getting wet!"

She shrugged.

"I'll live. Do you want your coat back?"

"Not until you're home."

He wrapped it around her tighter as she shivered. She looked him over, and he cocked his head.

"What?"

"Nothing. It's just, you look different without your coat. You're always wearing it."

"Well, I have a weird thing with temperature. I don't do well in the cold."

"It's pretty cold now. You sure you don't want your coat back while we walk?"

"Nah, it's not far. Besides, you rescued me from the fountain. It's the least I can do."

"Well, I'm not about to let a fountain get in our way."

He sighed.

"Kinda spoiled the mood, though. We're both drenched."

She smiled and leaned against him.

"One of these days, we'll get the timing right."

"Can it still be special, or do I gotta say it fast?"

She laughed.

"You can make it special, if you want."

He shrugged.

"I'd like to, but I'm scared that we'll get interrupted again."

She waved her hand.

"We have time to figure it out. Don't worry about it."

He smiled as she put her fingers on his chest. He hoped that she couldn't feel his heart racing. Her hand slipped up to his shoulder, brushing his neck and sending a chill down his spine. She smiled, and he realized that she knew exactly what she was doing. She winked.

"I gotta get going. I'll return your coat in the morning."

"Sure thing."

She gave him a look that made his knees weak.

"See you tomorrow, Rainn."

Still feeling the ghost of her touch, he nodded absentmindedly. She gave a teasing smile, then walked away, looking once over her shoulder. Rainn felt about ready to explode, and hoped that it wasn't showing. When she was gone, he sighed.

"God, I have GOT to tell her."

Rainn froze when he heard raspy breathing. A dark figure emerged from a nearby alley. Rainn felt a chill. He shuffled backward. The stranger stepped into the light, wheezing. Rainn blinked.

"Denise?"

She coughed.

"I was in the middle of a jog. Give me a second to catch my breath."

She hacked noisily for several seconds.

"Okay, that's better. I've come to warn you about Kayla."

"Oh, that's right, you dated Kayla. Out of curiosity, how did you tell her that you liked her? Wait, don't answer that. That's probably personal."

Denise frowned with confusion.

"She said it to me and I said it back. Easy."

"Wait, SHE said it first?!"

"Yeah, why?"

Rainn gulped.

"No reason."

Denise scoffed.

"Is she playing games with you?"

"No. I don't think so. Why?"

"She's pushy and impatient when it comes to relationships."

"That hasn't been my experience at all . . ."

"You poor boy. She's gonna eat you alive."

". . . You're being figurative, right?"

Denise leaned closer, hissing every word.

"She's gonna make you feel like the most special person in the world, but if you make one mistake, you're done."

"Wh-what kind of mistake do you mean?"

"Nevermind that."

Rainn tapped his fingers together nervously.

"Kayla said that she'd warn me if I was fucking up."

"Can you really believe anything she says?"

Rainn looked down.

"I- I want to, but she says such nice things about me, and I really don't see it in myself. But I trust her. I do."

Denise sneered.

"Don't say I didn't warn you . . ."

She slunk back into the darkness. Rainn heard a crash, then saw a garbage can lid roll past him.

"You okay?"

"Shut up. I'm vanishing."

". . . Okay . . ."

He gulped.

"Kayla would never lie to me . . . Would she?"

He remembered her smile, and the way she had been so gentle with his face. He lifted his head, a bit more sure of himself.

"No, she wouldn't. She cares about me. Forget Denise. She doesn't know what she's talking about."

He strode away confidently, but accidentally kicked a recycling bin. It swore. Rainn frowned.

"Stop following me, Barry. I'm not going to commit a crime."

His voice was muffled.

"I just wanted to know if you were finally gonna confess your feelings."

"Oh. Well, I am. Soon. I just gotta wait for the right moment."

"Don't wait too long, or she might get impatient."

"I can't rush it either, or I'll do it wrong. She deserves something spectacular. I just hope that I can deliver."

"You've got this."

"Thanks. I'm adding you to my list of friends, by the way."

"Why?"

"Why not. We've technically spent a lot of time together, if you've been following me this whole time. Maybe you can surveil me some more when I get back from my trip, over lunch or something."

"Sounds good. I know a place with magnificent sandwiches."

"I look forward to it. See you later!"

"Au revoir!"

The recycling bin stood up and walked away. Rainn put his hands on his hips.

"Man, I'm great at making friends. Kayla's gonna be so proud of me."

TSJWDFEW*

The next morning, Rainn woke up to a the alarm he'd set the night prior. It was about five in the morning. Moonwatcher had told the group that they'd be leaving at seven, and he knew that he was prone to distraction, so he wasn't taking any chances.

Rainn hated getting up early, but on the other hand, this would be his first full day of being nonbinary, so the more of it, the better. And he'd also be spending most of it on a trip with Kayla. Also, also, it would be their first time having a proper breakfast together, and for reasons he couldn't quite articulate, this excited him greatly.

He was almost out the door after getting dressed, but he quickly ran to the bathroom to comb his hair. He was initially proud of himself for remembering, but then felt a bit silly for being overjoyed by something so banal. Well, as long as he looked nice for Kayla, that was good enough for him. He smiled at his reflection, then bounded out the door.

Kayla was already waiting for him at the twenty-four-hour fast food restaurant they'd decided on. It wasn't very fancy, but not much else was open.

She smiled when she saw him coming, and he felt his heart flutter. When she was nearby, everything felt a little bit brighter. He joined her at the counter, and they ordered waffles. When they were seated, Rainn immediately started pouring syrup all over his plate.

"You sleep well?" he asked.

"Yeah. I'm getting used to the ambient dinosaur noises. You?"

"I thought that I was too excited to sleep, but I was out like a light after a few minutes. I had a dream that everything was made of chocolate. It was really great until I ate the mayor's daughter, and then everyone in town got mad at me."

"What happened after that?"

"I ate them too. I kinda figured that it was a dream, so no harm done."

He hadn't stopped pouring syrup in all that time, but he saved a bit for Kayla. She smiled.

"How are you feeling, in terms of gender?"

"Very nonbinary, very great. It's like everything makes sense now. But it's also a lot to figure out. Does that make sense?"

She smiled.

"Yeah."

"I think that this is gonna be a forever thing. I hope so, anyway. I'm a lot happier."

"I'm glad. Your eyes are sparkling extra bright today"

He laughed.

"Thanks, Kayla. By the way, I trust you more than anyone I've ever known. Have I told you that before?"

"Not explicitly, I don't think."

He nodded.

"Well, it's true. I grew up thinking that everyone was gonna lie to me or hurt me in some way, so it's hard to open up to people, but I think I'm getting better at it."

"Yeah, I heard that you and Claire are skirt-buddies now."

He gasped.

"Did she use that phrase exactly?"

"Uh-huh."

He grinned, lifting his shoulders excitedly.

"Yes! It's catching on!"

"I'm happy for you. Truly, I am."

She reached across the table and put her hand on his.

"Hey, while we're alone-"

Ramsay entered the restaurant. Kayla sighed.

"Didn't even make it through the sentence."

"Don't worry. It's coming, I promise," Rainn said with a wink.

He scooted over on the bench to let Ramsay sit beside him.

"Did Soyona turn down our breakfast offer?"

Ramsay shivered.

"I don't know what's wrong with that woman, but she mentioned in passing that she's aroused by footage of 9/11. Totally unprompted, by the way. Whatever's going on in her mind, it's too much for any of us to handle. Let's be glad that it's just us."

Kayla rolled her eyes.

"It's gonna be a difficult trip, especially at night. The tents hold two people each. I'm telling you right now, I'm not sleeping with Soyona."

Rainn put his finger on his nose.

"Not it."

Ramsay huffed.

"Shouldn't we do this based on gender?"

"We'd need three tents," Rainn said, "Unless you're implying that I'm a dude."

Ramsay groaned.

"Fuck, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way."

Rainn patted his back.

"Don't worry. Sometimes, I forget too."

"Maybe we can base our sleeping arrangements around who has similar bottom parts, then?"

Kayla quirked a brow.

"How do you know what's in my pants?"

"I mean, I assume-"

Rainn backhanded his chest.

"Ramsay!"

"Ugh, you're just trying to get into the same tent as Kayla."

"Untrue. I just don't want either of us two to end up with Soyona."

"But you'd force ME to?"

"You seem very well put together, comparatively-speaking. I'm too emotionally vulnerable to deal with the constant put-downs, and Kayla's personality is at odds with Soyona's. They're a bit much for each other."

Ramsay huffed.

"Can we at least alternate?"

Rainn nodded.

"That's only fair."

He took a bite of his waffle, which was absolutely soggy.

"But if I'm with Soyona, we'd better split the watch that night."

"The what?"

"The watch. You know. One of us stays up to look out for danger. That sort of thing."

Ramsay grumbled.

"I doubt there's anything in that world more dangerous than Soyona."

Rainn opened the book of monsters.

"What about the crabbypuss?"

Ramsay rubbed the space between his eyes.

"This trip is gonna suck, isn't it?"

TSJWDFEW*

It was still misty when they headed to the stables. Rainn shivered and pulled his coat in, then looked over to Kayla to make sure that she was doing alright. She smiled at him, and he smiled back. Ramsay rolled his eyes.

"I hope that Soyona didn't abandon us completely. This whole thing was for her."

They saw a figure moving toward them, and they all perked up a bit, but as it drew near, it became apparent that it was Owen. Rainn froze up.

"Uh-oh."

"He mad at you?" Kayla asked.

"Always. But he has good reason. I snapped at him yesterday."

"Like, you got really mad?"

"No, I snapped my teeth at him."

"Oh . . ."

Owen approached them, then pointed at Rainn.

"Not cool, man. You have no right to spread rumours about me."

"Rumours?"

"Everyone's saying that I'm transphobic now. You had no right to tell them what I said to you."

Rainn lifted his hands.

"I didn't, I swear!"

"Yeah, right."

"No, I promise you, this has to be a misunderstanding!"

"We were the only two people there!" How else would they have found out?!"

He jumped as Moonwatcher popped out of the mist at his feet.

"They read about it, of course."

"What? Where?!"

"The story. You know, the one I've been writing this whole time."

Kayla's jaw dropped.

"I thought that the dragon was doing that, and she's gone."

"I told you, I took over from her. Don't you remember our discussion after you fought the giant swan?"

"A lot happened that day! You were very unclear about our situation! And it wasn't in that weird contract thing either!"

"I assumed that it was a given."

Kayla glared at her.

"How many people are reading this story of yours? What do they know?"

"I think we'd best save this discussion for when you get back."

Kayla pointed in Moonwatcher's face.

"You'd better believe that we're gonna be talking about it, and don't think that I've forgotten about those people you hurt."

"Of course not. It'll all be taken care of."

Owen clenched his jaw.

"You have no right to publicize my private moments."

"You're just saying that because people are seeing the real you now. That's no one's fault but your own. Leave Rainn out of this."

"Moonwatcher, don't provoke him . . ." Rainn said quietly.

Owen pointed.

"You're monsters. All of you. I thought I that I could trust you, Kayla, but look whose side you've chosen. Is this the kind of company you keep?"

Kayla lifted her chin.

"Yes. These are my friends."

Moonwatcher lifted her fist.

"Yeah!"

"Not you."

"Oh."

Owen, unsure of who to be maddest at, turned to Rainn.

"Don't bother coming back from this trip of yours. It's only a matter of time before everyone realizes who you really are."

You shouldn't be here

Soyona was bad, but look at you

Regardless of what you say or do

You'll never be redeemed

Owen turned away and marched into the mist. Rainn, eyes stinging, found that he had nothing to say. Moonwatcher tugged at his sleeve.

"Hey. Don't listen to Owen. You belong here as much as he does. If anyone's getting kicked off this island-"

Rainn shut his eyes tight, turning away.

"No, I can't do this. Everyone here hates me. He's right. I'll never be worth having around."

On either side of him, Kayla and Ramsay took his hands.

"Hey. I like having you as a friend," Ramsay assured him.

"He's just upset about Claire," Kayla added, "He took it out on me too, and I'm not about to leave."

Rainn wiped his eyes.

"I need some time to think about this."

Kayla crooked his elbow with hers.

"Then we'll work through it on the trip. But don't let one person ruin your life. We're here for you. All of us."

"Until I fuck up."

"You won't fuck up."

He looked at her with red eyes, solemn and reserved. Then, he turned back to the road.

"Let's get the horses."

TSJWDFEW*

Soyona was already at the stables, and the horses seemed unnerved by her very presence. She frowned as Sugar balked nervously.

"Rainn, control your animals!"

"I can't help it if you give off ominous vibes, Soyona."

She huffed.

"I don't know how I'm to ride one of these things if they all keep shouting at me. Is the white one taken?"

"That's Rainn's, and she's gray," Kayla explained.

"Then how about THAT one?"

Rainn bounded over to the horse she was pointing at.

"What the hell? This isn't mine. And it has wings. Who here rides a white Pegasus?"

They all jumped as a masked man appeared between them.

"It's mine."

"Why are you dressed like the Phantom of the Opera?" Kayla asked.

"Because I am the Phantom of the Opera."

"What?! You're real?!" she squawked.

"No, but neither are you."

"Oh."

He snapped his fingers.

"Hey. Is my grandmother back yet?"

"Who?"

"Big dragon, yellow. Kinda hard to miss."

"No, she's not here, thank god."

"Then where is she? I wanted to talk to her about-"

He looked Kayla over.

"Wait! You're from the NEW movie! Oh, that's juuuuuuuuust great. I've been snubbed AGAIN!"

Kayla frowned.

"Dude, we have no beef with you. We just showed up here, and now everyone's arguing and singing songs-"

His eyes went wide.

"It's a MUSICAL?! She did a musical for Jurassic Park before ME?!"

Moonwatcher nodded.

"We're just cooler than you, that's all."

"Well, what if I built my OWN theme park?"

"That's literally the plot of Love Never Dies."

"Fuck you, Moonwatcher! And as for YOU PEOPLE, you'd better hope that Elkay doesn't come back, or you'll never be happy again! Oh, but if she returns, phone me right away."

Rainn lifted his cellphone.

"Can I have your number?"

The Phantom looked him over.

"Eugh. You dress weird."

Soyona snickered.

"You hear that, Rainn? The Phantom of the Opera thinks that you dress weird."

Rainn frowned.

"Hey, wait a minute. If you're the grandkid of the dragon, that means that you and Ellie are related. Do you want her number too?"

"Well, she's probably not gonna be doing much texting, considering she's dead."

"Dead like your show on Broadway," Moonwatcher muttered.

"UP YOURS! WE'LL SEE WHO CANCELS WHO!"

"Ellie's not dead," Rainn said, "Unless you're talking about a different one."

"Oh look, you're finally catching on," the Phantom snorted.

"No need to be condescending. I just thought that you might like to reconnect with your family, that's all."

Soyona, meanwhile, was examining the horses one by one. Rainn took the opportunity to lean closer to the Phantom.

"Hey, just so you know, one of us is probably related to you too."

"So? I don't care."

Rainn shrugged.

"Ain't it nice to have family, though?"

He scoffed.

"I barely even see my grandmother. She left me in charge of all of Fiction, then fucked off to play with her new toys. But I was here first! I demand proper respect!"

Kayla frowned.

"If this dragon treats you like shit, why are you still keeping in contact?"

"You have no idea what she's like. She came to me when I had no one. She made me feel like I was special, like I mattered, like I was important. Then she left me. I have nothing left now. Just her."

Rainn looked at him sadly.

"You know, I had to leave my dad when I was fifteen. Maybe you should do the same."

He shook his head.

"It's too late for me. I've wasted hundreds of years on her. I thought that we were close. She got her nickname from me, you know that?"

"What's her nickname?"

"Elkay."

"Oh. I thought-"

"Everyone thinks that it's her real name, of course. It's been long enough. But I don't think that a single one of us knows what Elkay is really like, or what she's capable of. Stay away from her. Don't make the same mistake I did. I thought that I was clever enough to avoid it, but I was wrong. She'll make you feel like you're the only one who understands her, like she's the piece of you that's missing. That's how she gets you."

He walked away brusquely. Moonwatcher turned her head to watch him leave.

"What a weirdo. Y'all ready to go?"

Soyona pointed to a palomino horse.

"This one is fearless. I'm taking it."

Rainn nodded.

"His name is Citation. Ramsay, you can take Socks."

He pointed to a dark horse with white markings on his face and legs. Ramsay crept up to it.

"Seems like a nice animal."

"Yeah, just don't approach him from behind, or-"

Ramsay narrowly avoided a kick to the balls.

"Yeah, that."

TSJWDFEW*

Moonwatcher led the group to the top of a hill, where a magical portal was shimmering against the grey sky. The other side was obscured by what looked like rainbow oil. Moonwatcher gestured to the opening as the group walked their horses up the hill.

"Asterpara awaits."

They approached the barrier, but suddenly, Kayla saw someone barreling toward them. It was the other Claire. She tore across the field, looking absolutely terrified. She was focused on the group. When Moonwatcher spotted her, she quickly turned around and spoke loudly.

"Stop."

Claire skidded to a halt.

"Go back," Moonwatcher commanded.

Claire turned around and marched away. Kayla called out to her.

"Hey, you okay?"

She paid her no heed and instead disappeared into the distant forest. Kayla turned to Moonwatcher, who was smirking.

"What's going on?"

"She's finally listening to me."

Moonwatcher dusted herself off.

"Anyway, once you're on the other side, wait in the clearing until your guide arrives. With my feline friend to guide you, you're gonna be well taken care of."

Kayla nodded, then glanced at Rainn.

"You ready?"

He gave a firm nod.

"Let's go."

Kayla took a step into the portal, squinting as light filled her vision. The air felt thicker and warmer on the other side, and strange noises came from all around. When Kayla's eyes adjusted, she saw feathered, iridescent snakes twisting through the sky. The trees were strange colors, and they bent in uncanny ways. It was unlike anything she'd ever seen.

Beside her, Rainn's jaw was hanging slack, and Ramsay's eyes were wide. Soyona hadn't changed her expression much, but she seemed distrustful of this world. She led her horse past the others, looking around.

"Where's our guide?"

Deep in the woods, they could hear the sound of an accordion. It drew nearer, and from the trees emerged a strange creature. It had a red, vulpine face with glassy, unfocused eyes. It was wearing a top hat, but was otherwise naked. The body was blue and feline with six legs and springs dangling from its shoulders. Its neck was a purple accordion, and the weight of the head made it wheeze as it lolled around. The tail, strangest of all, was a syrupy substance with large eyes and a gaping mouth. It seemed to be looking at them more so than the actual face.

"Greetings, I am Jackpot, and my faithful tail is named Honeybucket," said the cat/fox/accordion.

The group exchanged concerned looks. Kayla knelt down.

"Are you the feline friend Moonwatcher told us about?"

"Why, of course!" he bubbled, "Follow me, for I am your guide."

As he trotted away, they paused, then followed in his tracks, more nervous than before.

TSJWDFEW*

About a half-hour later, a giant, purple tiger with several piercings dangling from her ears burst into Moonwatcher's office. She looked up in surprise.

"Feng?! You were supposed to meet the group!"

"They weren't there!" the tiger roared, "I was only a few minutes late, and by the time I got there, they were all gone! I tried tracking them through the woods, but the rotting leaves disguised their scent and covered their tracks. They're lost."

Moonwatcher grabbed her hair.

"They'll be killed! I was supposed to keep them safe! Oh, no! Feng, use your Tiger's Intuition! Make sure that they're okay!"

"It only works on dragons, you know. But I did bring my crystal ball . . ."

She untied a shimmering sphere from her tail and placed her paws over it.

"Hm, interesting. I see that two of your characters will soon confess their love for each other . . . And one character will die."

"Oh, no! One of the two?!"

The tiger shrugged.

"It's not that clear. This isn't my good crystal."

Moonwatcher waved her hands, panicked.

"Please, tell me more!"

There was a knock at her door. She sighed.

"Oh, right, I'm wrapping up the other story. Feng, try to track down my characters. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to them."

"Will do."

"Bring them home safely while I handle the Fallen Kingdom situation. When my brave quartet return, the others won't be a problem anymore . . . But first, a brief interlude!"