Along with everyone else, Dallin rubbed some snow onto his face to wash away the fruit juice.
Now that he wasn't hungry anymore, he did feel a little better. But the same problem remained. Somehow, he had to convince these yetis that he wasn't Fleem, so they could help him find out how to get back to his body.
He glanced at each of them as they washed off their own faces. There had to be a way to prove he wasn't Fleem.
Hmm, maybe….
The group finished up and began walking away, Kolka gesturing for him to follow. Dallin jogged to walk beside her, trying to work up the courage to bring the subject back up.
He forced himself to take a deep breath. "I'm still not Fleem." He cursed his voice for sounding so timid.
Expressions dropped, and Kolka sighed in frustration. "Fleem…."
Dallin ran ahead to face the group, bringing them all to a halt. "Look at me! I am not messing around! I-I can prove it! Ask me something Fleem wouldn't know!"
This brought a pause to the yetis. They glanced at each other, then back at him. Meechee nodded. "All right, then. Who was the first Smallfoot I talked to when our villages first made contact?"
Dallin thought back, heart racing. He had been there. He remembered that day as if it had been yesterday. He had seen the first spoken connections made between yeti and human….
"Brenda!" He grinned triumphantly. Meechee blinked as if she hadn't expected an answer. "Brenda was the first hu...smallfoot you talked to. She's Percy's assistant and friend. When Percy vouched for you, she came out and stood with him. Remember?"
The baffled look on their faces gave him hope.
Gwangi narrowed his eyes, leaning closer. "How about me?"
Dallin paused to think. "I think his name's George. A pilot." At some confused looks, he continued, "He flies planes. The big metal flying things. He was still wearing his helmet when you came down the mountain."
Without waiting for another question, Dallin looked at Kolka. "And I think I saw you talking to Jen just yesterday. She has black hair, about this long. I didn't see if she was the first smallfoot you ever talked to though."
The entire group had frozen, all four pairs of eyes fixed solidly on Dallin. He had their attention, at least. Good good.
Slowly, as if in a trance, Meechee turned to face the others. "I think we'd better have another meeting." They nodded in agreement.
Dallin smiled. Now he was getting somewhere! But…
"Shouldn't we be talking to your leader? Cause this is huge, right?"
Meechee glanced at the big yeti leader, standing by the palace. "Meechee!" He called. "I need to talk to you!"
"One thing at a time. I don't think we're at that point yet." She turned her attention to the other yetis. "Okay, S.E.S. Scatter, and make your way to headquarters. I'll meet you there as soon as I can." She turned and made her way to the leader.
Gwangi, Migo and Kolka split up, leaving Dallin standing confused and alone. Kolka glanced back at him, and gestured for him to follow her.
"Do you remember the way to headquarters?" She hissed quietly to him.
Dallin shook his head.
"Come with me, then. Try to act natural."
How do I do that? I'm not exactly feeling natural at the moment.
But he nodded and followed Kolka, trying to mirror her actions. He smiled when she smiled. Waved when she waved. Tried with difficulty to imitate her confident stride, with legs shorter than hers.
The two made their way around the village, back through the archway and down the slope. Kolka dropped the act as soon as they were out of sight, speeding up determinedly. Dallin had to jog to keep up. The cliff walls came into sight, and then the end with it's secret entrance.
For the second time that day, Dallin passed through the tunnel into the cave of secret meetings. Looking up curiously, he clapped his hands twice as Gwangi had, and smiled when the snails glowed in response.
Migo was already there. Gwangi wasn't far behind them, and surprisingly, Meechee wasn't either.
All assembled, Dallin once again became the center of attention.
"All right, I have to admit, that was freaky." Migo spoke first.
Gwangi nodded. "Mmhmm."
"But it can't be possible for a smallfoot and a yeti to switch bodies." Kolka frowned. "Can it?"
Dallin inspected the fur on one of his arms. "I didn't think it was. But here I am anyway."
Kolka looked absolutely baffled. "Then answer some more questions. Tell us things we don't know about smallfeet."
Dallin tried to think. "Um..what do you want to know?"
Meechee and Kolka nodded to Gwangi, who nodded back and walked to a corner of the room. He came back with a handful of things, and put them on the stone table, gesturing for everyone to gather around.
"Tell us what all of these are." He looked right at Dallin.
Dallin looked at the human things scattered on the table. This would be easy. He picked up the nearest one. "This is a ski pole. When you're skiing, you'll have two of them, and two boards for your feet, and you slide down hills. I've been a couple of times. It's fun."
"What about this?" Gwangi pointed.
"That's a thermos. You put hot drinks in there, and it keeps them hot."
"Hot drinks?"
Dallin shrugged. "It helps with the cold. Climbers often have them." Gwangi and Kolka glanced at each other, bafflement growing.
"What about this?" Kolka picked it up and held it towards him. Dallin took it, and looked it over. "It's an oxygen can. Smallfeet use these when they climb up to really really high places, where the air is thinner. It's hard to breathe up here." He looked meaningfully at Migo, who probably knew a thing or two about that. Migo cleared his throat and looked away.
"And this?" Meechee picked up a boot. "Why do smallfeet always wear these on their feet?"
Dallin took it, marveling at how small it was in his bigger hands. It was easy to understand why yetis called humans 'smallfeet' by looking at it.
"It's a boot. This one in particular is useful for walking through snow."
"This one? There are other kinds?" Meechee's curiosity was piqued.
"Yeah, lots of different kinds. But here in the cold and snow, you'll see mostly boots."
"Must be hard not having fur." Meechee said, obviously trying to hide amusement. "You get cold feet?"
At the pun, he looked back up at Meechee with a flat look. "That, and it hurts! Our feet aren't anywhere near as tough as yours. Without fur, we feel everything."
Dallin looked back down at the items, spotting a coat. He grabbed it and held it up. "So we make do by bundling up."
Kolka was watching him in silence, shaking her head in disbelief. "Oh my, it really is true, isn't it?" She was obviously referring to his predicament. Dallin felt a surge of triumph.
"Holy wowness." Migo whispered. Gwangi was stunned into silence.
The group then grew worried. "So where's Fleem?" Meechee looked at Dallin, hoping for an answer.
"Probably in my body, at my house. Think he got as much of a shock as I did?"
The S.E.S muttered to each other, trying to make sense of what had just been confirmed.
Well, I did it. I convinced them. Now what?
Fleem:
Fleem was feeling more than a little grumpy, to say the least. He had been stuck working for hours, and he hadn't seen any sign of Migo's smallfoot.
The three smallfeet who had put him to work were insufferably bossy, they dumped more on him right in the middle of a job, and it was obvious they were just making him do the things they didn't want to do!
Even though they thought he was annoying, and maybe snapped at him at times, the S.E.S had never treated him like this.
He stood at a 'sink', washing dishes. He swabbed out a glass with a towel, still scowling. Hardly any smallfeet came in this back room, so Smallfoot probably wasn't going to.
This was ridiculous! He should have been finding out how to get back to being a yeti, not doing other peoples' work.
His mood became worse when one of the bossy smallfeet walked over, and carelessly dumped a huge handful of dishes into the sink again, splashing water all over him.
Fleem fought the urge to growl. "When do I get to run the counter?" He called after the smallfoot as he left. That job had to be an improvement.
The smallfoot looked back to grin at him. "When I say so. And I don't say so. Get back to work, boy. There's much to do."
After he was gone, Fleem did growl.
Just you wait until I'm a yeti again….
By now, he was sopping wet, his white and black fabrics clinging to his body and making him even more uncomfortable. But even if he knew how to get them off, it probably wouldn't be a good idea. He'd drawn enough attention to himself. So he bore it silently, and began to dry the glass, now wet again.
He set it aside, and reached for a plate, scrubbing at the crusty spots. Through all this boring work, he had to keep wondering, how did he get himself into this? Just yesterday, nothing had been out of the ordinary. He had gone up the mountain with his village. He had gone to bed.
The next thing he knew, this had happened. He was cold, lost, hungry and confused. He was experiencing things no yeti should have to.
What if he couldn't get back to his body? What if he was stuck like this, forever? The idea was horrifying.
No! Migo's smallfoot will help me! There has to be a way!
A string of curses sounded from the other room with the tables. The bossy smallfeet. Oh great, what now?
"Dallin!" A voice shouted a moment later. "Get out here!"
Fleem groaned and put down the plate and towel. Here we go again.
He was greeted with the biggest mess yet. A pitcher's worth of red liquid created a huge puddle on the floor. Plates sat face down, covering their own messes.
One of the bossy smallfeet looked up as he appeared. "Here. Take care of this." She pushed the red stained 'mop' cart towards him, making him sigh.
At least she left afterwards, leading away the culprits, so he had a few less people to stare at him.
The mop made a splat sound as he slapped it onto the floor, adding water to the spill.
He worked in silence for a bit, wishing people would stop looking at him. For some reason, he seemed to be a magnet for attention, wherever he went.
"What's going on, Dallin?" asked the bossy smallfoot running the counter. "You seem a little upset today."
Really? I hadn't noticed. Out loud, Fleem just responded with a "hmph."
"Is it related to the fact that you came to work dressed like that? Why did you come to work dressed like that?"
Fleem shoved the mop roughly back in the cart to soak. "Hmph."
The smallfoot smiled, and came around the counter, walking over to him. "Aww, c'mon, don't be like that."
Fleem turned away, continuing his work.
"You're probably tired, then. Is that it? That's a pretty big mess you're stuck with."
Fleem grunted.
The bossy smallfoot put a hand on his shoulder, making him tense. "Eh, don't worry, kid. Just two more hours, and you'll be free to do whatever you do after work. Hang in there." He gave Fleem's shoulder a pat and returned to the counter.
Two hours? How could he last another two hours in this prison? He wanted his body back now! He was supposed to be looking for help!
Fleem brushed off his shoulder and grumbled under his breath as he mopped more aggressively.
The bossy smallfoot laughed. "Gotta hate those wine spills, right? I've cleaned a fair number of them myself. Not that great."
Fleem wished he would stop talking.
He, and the crowd heading for the door from outside. Great. More people to make more messes for him to clean up. He glanced idly up as the door opened, making way for at least eight smallfeet.
Then he saw him. Migo's smallfoot came in the door, talking to the green coated one he was always seen with. Fleem froze in his work.
By a sheer stroke of luck, he was here!
"See something interesting, boy?" The bossy smallfoot at the counter stopped him from bolting straight towards him right then.
Fleem quietly growled in frustration. That would be a problem. He continued mopping, watching the red coated smallfoot through the corner of his eye as he sat down with his friend at a table.
How could he get over there without the bossy smallfeet getting on his case? That smallfoot could be the key to getting out of this mess!
He kept an eye out for an opportunity. A small crowd stood for a moment in between him and the bossy smallfoot. He almost went for it, but another of the bossy smallfeet walked past on the other side, stopping to talk to Migo's smallfoot.
Fleem huffed and bent down to pick up another plate, pretending that he wasn't distracted from his work.
No opportunities came. Fleem silently willed him or his friend to make a mess, so he could have an excuse to get his attention. But neither of them did.
His heart began to race when they stood up, and began to walk back towards the door.
No no no! There was no telling when Fleem would find him again if he got away!
"Hey, did you hear that?" He said loudly, thinking quickly. The smallfoot at the counter looked at him. "Hmm?"
"Did you hear that? I think something happened in the other room."
He anxiously glanced at the door, pretending to be busy. Migo's smallfoot was outside now.
To his blessed relief, the smallfoot who had called him to this mess started cursing again, in the other room. "Maybe she needs some help." He offered.
Hurry!
The smallfoot frowned at the door, then walked over, peeking into the other room.
It was all Fleem needed.
Abandoning the mop in the cart, he took off, straight for the door. He cringed at the idea of going back into the cold, but if Migo's smallfoot got away, who knows how long he would be stuck here!
He bumped into a smallfoot, getting an 'oomph' from both of them. It was Smallfoot's friend! Maybe he was still there!
"Sorry." She muttered and went back through the door into the Yak Shack.
Fleem ran outside, looking around wildly. Again, the cold hit him like a blast, made even worse by his wet fabrics, and the snow burned his feet like fire. His eyes went right to a red coat, just over there. But he was walking away!
There was no more time to wait or think. Fleem ran straight towards him, urgency lending him speed. "Wait!" He shouted. In his mad dash, he didn't even register Smallfoot's surprised glance over his shoulder.
Fleem barreled into him, practically tackling him, and the two went down in a panicked mass of struggling limbs.
Migo's smallfoot shouted in alarm and struggled to push him off.
Finally bursting apart, Fleem and Smallfoot stared at each other in a stunned silence before scrambling to their feet.
Smallfoot took a step back, preparing to run.
"No!" Fleem leaped forward and grabbed his shoulders. "No, don't leave. I've been looking for you…."
Smallfoot pushed back on Fleem's shoulders, still looking alarmed. "Let me go! What do you think you're doing?"
"I need your help!" Fleem tightened his grip, looking at him pleadingly.
Smallfoot paused. "What?"
"I really need your help, and I think you're the only one who can." Fleem winced at the cold and began dancing from foot to foot again.
Smallfoot stared at him, alarm being replaced with curiosity.
"Hey! What are you doing? Get off him!" Fleem let go and turned in alarm. Smallfoot's friend was back, glaring furiously at him.
"Brenda, it's okay." reassured Smallfoot.
Brenda didn't let up her suspicion. "What is he doing?"
"He says he needs my help." Smallfoot looked back at Fleem expectantly.
Fleem nodded vigorously. "Yes. I…" He realized then that he'd thought very little about how he was going to explain his predicament.
"Uhh….I'm a yeti." His words came out all wrong. "But I've been turned into a smallfoot, and I don't know how. I woke up like this."
The two smallfeet looked at him like he was crazy.
He hugged himself as a chill blew over them. His feet burned with cold, making him shift from one to the other, back and forth faster, and robbing him of all his dignity.
This is torture!
"Ah, ah, ah, I know it sounds crazy. But it's true! You know me. You were the one Migo brought up the mountain to our village."
Smallfoot watched him dance, obviously not buying it. "Wait. You're telling me, that you're one of the yetis from that mountain, but you've magically turned into a….human?"
'Brenda' shook her head. "C'mon Percy. Let's go. We're wasting our time."
'Percy' hesitated, then nodded and the two began to walk away, towards two of their weird loud transportation things. Fleem's heart raced faster. How could he prove it? He thought frantically for something.
"You almost died when Migo betrayed you." He blurted out, unsure what made him think of it. Percy froze in his tracks. "What?"
"You were dying on top of the mountain. You couldn't breathe. Then Migo lied, and he gave you to the Stonekeeper."
Percy turned to face him looking shocked. "I didn't tell anyone about that. I always left it out of the story."
"Percy?" Brenda looked surprised.
Percy glanced at her. "It's true. I was put in an ice box, and I was sure I was going to die. But I've never told anyone that my yeti friend had any part in it. I wanted to believe that he had a good reason for it."
Fleem quit dancing from foot to foot, and instead hopped on one. "You didn't need to tell anyone. I was there. I saw it all. My name is Fleem. In fact, you know me already. I was one of the first yetis you met on the mountain."
Percy took a step closer, narrowing his eyes. "Which one?"
Fleem hesitated. Don't make me say it.
"I was next to Migo. Uh, he's your friend. Don't you remember?"
Percy raised an eyebrow. "Uhh…"
"Tan fur, hair this long?"
Percy slowly shook his head.
Fleem rolled his eyes. "The short one! There, I said it!"
Percy blinked, and remembrance flickered in his eyes.
"Remember now?"
Percy nodded, and an uncomfortable look flashed across his face. He took a step back. "Yeah. I remember you."
Brenda frowned. "You believe him?"
Percy glanced at her warily. "No one could have known that detail I left out unless they were there. I was the only human there, and I've told no one."
Hope filled Fleem. Everything would soon go back to normal. "Please, help me."
Percy looked back at Fleem, still hopping. "I think you'd better get on."
Fleem frowned. "Get on what?"
Percy pointed towards his sliding bike thing.
Oh.
The thought made him uncomfortable. But what else could he do? He couldn't stay here. Slowly walking across the snow, he stepped up and eased himself onto the back.
He had yet to determine if it felt secure or not.
Percy climbed on in front of him, feeling just as nervous. The thing roared to life suddenly, making Fleem jump.
He grabbed Percy around his middle, for lack of anything else to hold on to. If it made Percy uncomfortable, he didn't show it.
Brenda got on the other one, and Fleem flinched again as it turned on.
Then they were moving along the street.
Fleem squeezed his eyes shut as they sped up.
This was going to take some getting used to. But at least now, he wasn't alone.