Last chapter before we go back to our regularly scheduled programming. I use existing Neopronouns in this chapter rather than making up my own because they already have set grammar rules that I can follow and intend to have other characters use them in the future.
It took them a better part of the day to get to Alejandro's home in Venezuela. They took the bus again and the nice dracanae was once again their driver. It was nice having a driver she could recognize to get them to each destination. This woman also knew how to properly drive a magic bus. Hermione never wanted to take the Knight Bus ever again if she could help it.
"Are we there yet?" asked Cássia.
"Almost," said Alejandro. "Good news is we can drive right up to the entrance."
Hermione crossed her arms over the back of Márcia's chair. "What are you drawing?"
She smiled and lifted up the drawing pad. It was all of them when they visited one of her favorite drawing spots. Márcia had sketched them while they were hanging out and was now detailing and coloring it.
"Your hair is so fun to draw, Nia," she said, carefully getting out her colored pencils.
Hermione smiled and ran her fingers through it to push it out of her face. "Yeah, it took some time but I'm actually starting to like my hair."
"You have great hair," said Alejandro.
"Are we there yet?" asked Bernice.
"No."
"Are we there yet?" asked Hermione, trying not to laugh.
"No!"
Quripuma signed and Alejandro tipped his head.
"What'd she say?"
"Are we there yet?" Cássia translated.
"Yes."
"Really?"
"No!"
"Guys, stop teasing, we'll get there when we get there," said Cássia.
"Yes. Exactly."
"Which will be in how long?"
"GAH!"
Hermione slung her arm over his neck and patted his cheek. "But seriously, mate, I've had to pee for like two hours now. How much longer?"
"We'll be there in five minutes," he sighed. "There should be toilets near our stop for the nearby tourist trap."
"Thank God."
Six minutes later, the bus stopped. Hermione thanked the driver and booked it to the toilets she saw down the road. They were old and disgusting, but she kept rolls of toilet paper and hand sanitizer with her for that exact purpose. She returned to her friends to find them standing around while Alejandro poked at the ground with a stick.
"All good?" asked Bernice.
"Yup. I'm ready."
"It always moves," Alejandro muttered. "It should be right… around… here."
"Too bad Cedric isn't here," said Hermione wistfully. "He's brilliant at finding things."
"I can find things!" Alejandro squawked.
The girls giggled and started helping him poke around. Hermione stepped onto a stone and felt a wave of magical energy.
"Found it!"
Alejandro hurried over and swept away some dirt to reveal a rune. He grinned and fished what looked like a piece of chalk out of his pocket. He drew a symbol around the rune, it flashed a bright yellow-yellow-green and everyone jumped back as the ground fell away into a staircase. Cássia tapped it with her cane.
"Neat," she said.
Alejandro led them down single-file and the temperature dropped severely. Once they were halfway down the steps, the entrance closed, shrouding them all in darkness.
"It's so dark down here, I can't see anything!" said Márcia.
"Oh, no! What a nightmare!" Cássia quipped.
"Sorry."
"Just give your eyes a moment," said Alejandro.
They stood still on the steps and then light began to appear. Crystals illuminated on the ceiling guiding their way down, deeper into the cavern. Alejandro continued walking and the others followed. Once they were off the stairs, Hermione got out a sweatshirt and handed her cloak to Márcia while Quripuma shared some of her warmer gear with Cássia and Bernice. Alejandro was completely unbothered by the change of climate and eagerly waved them along. The farther they walked, the brighter the crystals seemed to glow until, finally, they reached a wall.
"Give me a moment to get comfortable," he said.
He removed his boots, then fished a necklace out from under his collar. He unclasped it and grew and bulked until he was almost seven feet tall and seemed more stone than flesh. He stretched and a low growl rumbled in his throat.
"That's better," he said, his voice half an octave deeper than before.
"Wow," breathed Hermione. "I didn't realize how much they were making you change!"
"This suits you way better," said Quripuma.
"Can we go inside now?" asked Cássia.
Alejandro removed the piece of chalk from his pocket and drew a semi-circle into the wall. It fell away, opening up to a cavern as wide and deep as the inside of Kilokilo. Instead of opening up to the sky, the entire place was illuminated by a warm glow coming from a cluster of orange and yellow crystals in the center. Judging by how difficult it was to make out the gardens surrounding it as anything other than "green", she had to guess that the main crystal was about the size of the Eiffel Tower. Probably taller. Which really put the whole place into perspective. There wasn't much rhyme or reason to the rest of the place as it was a cavern. Even from where they stood, Hermione could see awnings for shops, umbrellas over food carts, tchotchke kiosks, and mailboxes for homes. Only shops looked to have some sort of construction around them, while the dwellings were carved into the cavern.
"Wow!" Hermione whispered, turning this way and that, trying to capture everything on film.
If the Hearthstone was impressive, the citizens were even more so. Trolls of different sizes and shapes wandered around, hardly paying any attention to the crowd of humans making their way through the city. The trolls had multiple eyes, multiple horns, some even had multiple heads. All looked to be made out of stone and some had human-like hair while others seemed to just be growing grass or moss or none at all. No matter what they looked like, they all seemed to be busy setting up for the festival whether that was hanging up glowing lights, setting up game stands, or carrying equipment and costumes for performances. Perhaps a few with eyes to spare cast glances at them, but nobody stopped them or even made a fuss that they were there.
"Do you get visitors often?" asked Bernice. "Nobody seems to really care that we're here."
"Sometimes, but everyone knows you're coming," said Alejandro. "I just wouldn't expect a welcome mat."
A mountain troll growled at them and Hermione inhaled sharply, moving to walk closer to Alejandro.
"What's wrong?"
"I'm a little scared of mountain trolls. One tried to kill me a few years back. Almost succeeded.
He frowned. "Well, shit, Nia. If you're scared of trolls then why did you agree to come?"
"Because my feelings don't matter and I'm not going to cherry-pick who I help," she countered and sighed. "I'm sorry my reaction hurt your feelings but I'll do better, okay? I care about you way more than I care about what happened a few years ago."
"You care about me?"
"Yes. I care about all of my friends." She motioned for him to lead the way. "Let's go meet your family."
He smiled and nodded, walking on. Hermione kept herself in check, not freaking out when they passed by mountain trolls. There really weren't that many of them around and they were a lot calmer than the one she was attacked by. Maybe Quirrell had done something to put it in a murder-mood. She knew that when she was in pain or thrown into a new environment without warning she wasn't exactly Little Miss Sunshine.
"So, what's this cavern made of?" she asked, training her camera on him.
"This whole place is made of quartzite," he said. "This is actually the largest crystal growing cave in the Western Hemisphere. This is just the first level and the tunnels go really deep underground almost to the mantle. Of course, we grow special crystals in addition to mining naturally occurring crystals. Like that main crystal we call the Sun Stone because it gives us life and warmth and is actually the prime energy source for this whole city. It's an anchor stone and it's on a ley line crossover, so it can actually power other anchor stones in smaller communities. It's the largest ley line crossover in the world. Castelobruxo only has four, but we have seven. What humans know as sunstone, one word, is from the Feldspar family like most stones, and while it has similar properties to our Sun Stone, it can only be amplified to a certain point with runes. We have lots of crystals that humans don't know about."
"Do all trolls have in-depth knowledge about crystals?"
"Nah. My family has just been heads of crystal production for centuries. It's the most important job in our society."
"Oh, so you're like royalty?" Bernice teased.
"The monarchy has been disabled for two hundred years," said Alejandro. "We're just… highly respected members of the community who also serve on the Troll Council."
"My liege!" said Bernice, bowing.
Alejandro rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't even qualify. I'm adopted."
"It's not about the semantics, it's about teasing you," said Cássia.
"My family kinda does that," said Hermione. "Not teasing, I mean, we do tease. No, we have a Larimar mine on our property and my grandma makes jewelry with the stones." She showed him her ring. "Like this! Or my turtle necklace." She held the pendant out for him to see. "Except, my pendant is moonstone."
"Huh! I've never seen that gem before," he said, taking her hand to study the Larimar.
"Well, it's only formed in the Dominican Republic."
"Mind if I study it?"
"I absolutely do mind," she said, pulling her hand back. "Without my ring, I won't be able to enjoy the festival. See, I tend to take in too much at once. Without it, I'd be able to feel, see, and hear every frequency of magic in this place. It is not pleasant. However, I'll write my grandmother and ask if she'd be willing to send a stone along for you."
"That'd be better, yeah," he conceded. "Sorry, I didn't know that about you."
"Mm, I'm used to people acting weird when I tell them about my autism, so I don't bring it up much."
"My feet are killing me," Quripuma said with a groan.
"What are you talking about, you don't have feet!" Hermione called back.
"Exactly!"
"Well, lucky for you we have arrived at my home! Best news? Everyone has their own room!"
"Hooray!" Cássia cheered. "I mean, I love you all, but I love my personal space even more."
"Same," said Bernice.
Alejandro held his crystal necklace to the door and it clicked open for him. The inside was huge, reminding Hermione of a palace, though she was sure the size was more to accommodate the residents rather than show off status.
Their troll friend made a noise that resembled the Sand People from Star Wars.
A crash came from the adjacent room. A massive troll with six eyes, purple hair and three arms, one left two right, pushed their way into the room. Their stoney skin looked tattooed, though instead of ink, it was glowing crystal and hanging on their chest were dozens of different crystals. They took one look at Alejandro, made a horrific screech and lifted the boy up into a bone crushing hug.
"Hi, Mamá," he wheezed.
"Oh, look at my sweet little baby sky!" she said and kissed his head and face.
"Must you be filming this?" he asked Hermione while his mother smothered him.
"Yes. Absolutely," she said, zooming in.
"Mamá!" he shouted. "These are my friends! The one I wrote to you about?"
"Oh, yes! Call me Azra, they/them," they said, going along and shaking their hands. They paused on Hermione and tipped her head. "Oh, I didn't know human hair and eyes came in these colors!"
"Yeah, humans are full of surprises," said Hermione.
"Will everyone else be joining us for dinner?" asked Alejandro.
"Not sure. Busy with preparations, but they'll be at breakfast. Dinner isn't ready yet, so why don't you go and give a tour of the home? Let these… girls? Get settled. I'm sorry, human gender constructs confuse me."
"They confuse me too," Hermione admitted.
"At this time, all of us identify as girls," said Bernice.
Alejandro nodded, looking relieved to move on from being mothered and waved everyone to follow him. The layout reminded Hermione a bit more of an ant mound. There were tunnels going up, down, and diagonally into the different rooms. Cássia was given the guest room that was easiest to get to, Quripuma was next door, Bernice took the long way back, Márcia went into the floor, while Hermione volunteered to take the one in the ceiling.
"You sure?" asked Alejandro.
"Yeah, it reminds me of the clubhouse Cedric and I played in when we were kids," she said. "My hands mostly have trouble with fine motor skills, but chin ups? No problem." She jumped and grabbed onto the highest rung she could, demonstrating a few chin ups, before hauling herself into her room. She sat down on the edge of the hole in the floor. "Good thing I don't sleep walk or this would be a problem."
"I'll give you a chance to get settled," he said. "I'll go see if Mamá needs any help and I'll come back for you. Oh and everything works. Plumbing, sinks, whatever."
The girls called their thanks and ducked into their rooms. Hermione looked around hers. It was carved like from a giant mole and was lit with pink crystals. There was a large bed that was really just a stone platform and the mattress seemed new, like they were expecting guests that were fragile and soft. Hermione went into the small water closet and found very modern plumbing. Where it went and how it worked, she didn't know and wasn't about to ask. She had her own bathroom and that was all she cared about. She changed into jean overalls and a pastel green and orange sweatshirt. Her cousins laughed at her when she packed her sweaters, but who was laughing now? She sent a message to Cedric that she was at the Hearthstone and would try calling him tomorrow morning.
While she waited to be called back for dinner, she switched her iolite crystal out with a fresh one. She'd gone through so many, she needed to find a way to edit them. She sent a note to Cedric asking if he had any ideas on how to do so.
Let me see what I can do, he replied right away.
He was reading their messages! Urgh! Hermione threw her IMN on her bed and crossed her arms. Well, if he didn't want to talk about anything outside his inventions then she wouldn't contact him about anything but.
"Oo-woo!"
Hermione jumped and turned around to see a squirmy creature make its way down from the ceiling. Though, instead of slimy and gross, it looked sort of like it was simultaneously made of crystal and gummies. It made the sweet noise again and crawled towards her.
"Oh, my gosh!" she whispered. "So cute! Wait, it might be poisonous."
She laid on the floor and stuck her head out of the hole.
"YO 'JANDRO!"
There was a resounding crash and Alejandro ran in, brandishing a wooden spoon.
"Is everything okay?" he asked.
"Is this gummy worm in my room venomous and/or poisonous?" she asked. "Answer quick. It's crawling up my back."
"Oo-woo!" it cooed, peering over her shoulder.
"Snorm!" he said. "I thought you disappeared months ago! You're fine, Nia, that's just my pet crystal slug."
Márcia popped out of the ground. "Crystal slug? I wanna see!"
Hermione picked the slug up and passed him down to Alejandro's outstretched arms. She crossed her arms and smiled as her friends fawned and gushed over Snorm. It struck her that she wasn't alone anymore. These guys wouldn't ditch her over a broom and they didn't stick around because she helped them with homework or even because she was helping them through S.A.M.B. They genuinely enjoyed her company and she enjoyed theirs.
"Are you okay, Nia?" asked Márcia, looking up at her.
She realized she was crying and swiped the tears away. "I'm fine. I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have you guys as friends."
"Aww, we're lucky to have you as a friend, too!"
Hermione scaled down the ladder and they fell into a group hug.
"Good news is dinner is ready," said Alejandro. "Follow me."
They practically stampeded into the dining area. This was set up with a low stone table. Or rather, low for trolls. Azra was able to sit down cross-legged, Alejandro needed a short stool, and everyone else had to use regular-sized chairs.
"Oh, you found Snorm!" said Azra. "Where was he?"
"In Nia's room."
"Alejito! What were you doing in her room?"
"No, I found it in my room," said Hermione. "And passed him along." She looked down at the food on the table. It was the strangest looking food she had ever seen in her life, but she shouldn't have been surprised. After all, Trolls lived underground and this cavern seemed to be its own ecosystem, so it stood to reason that they had completely different creatures and eating habits. "Mind if I take some photos?"
"Go ahead."
Hermione took out her camera and posed each dish, snapping pictures of them. "I don't want to know what each thing is yet, because I prefer to try things before I know what they are."
Azra smiled. "Then all I will say is almost everything on this table you can't find anywhere else. I like to order in my spices though. Salt is fine, but it can only take you so far."
"I do have a question," said Cássia. "Is anything cooked in pork fat or alcohol?"
"Is pork like boar?" they said.
"Yes. Do you have boars?"
"No? I mean, we have something that looks similar, but they're not related and they don't have much fat to cook with. And alcohol is for drinking, not cooking. Do you have an allergy?"
"No. Pork and alcohol are haram, forbidden."
Quripuma narrowed her eyes and spoke privately to her.
"We agreed gummy worms don't count," Cássia replied out loud and in sign. "I think it'll be fine."
Hermione put her camera away and settled down in her seat between Alejandro and Márcia. There wasn't much variety on the table. An entrée and four side-dishes. Normal meal for a normal evening. Alejandro mentioned that there would be feasting later in the week, which would be a great opportunity to try some new fare. She just made sure to take some of everything. Alejandro dove right in, hungrily scarfing down his food in a way that reminded her of Ron. Márcia poked at the large meaty slab on her plate, shrugged and "yawned" so she could start unhinging her jaw.
"Your friends are so interesting, Alejito," said Azra, watching as Márcia swallowed her food whole.
"Yeah, they're cool," he mumbled around… whatever the pasta looking thing was.
It wasn't actually pasta. Instead it seemed to be made of a type like bamboo shoots that had been softened and mixed into a chunky sauce and also had little things that looked like capers, but tasted nothing like them.
They didn't actually seem to have any grain on the table, which made sense considering the type of plant life that grew in this cavern. Even in its vastness, why would they give up land for a finicky crop, especially when they have so much other naturally growing vegetation. Hermione was just slightly disappointed as she loved bread, but she wouldn't insult their guests by requesting or even wishing for something they didn't have.
There were little fried pancakes that seemed a lot like yucca and tasted a lot like yucca, but were also decidedly not yucca. The texture was a bit weird, so Hermione just ate what she had and only got seconds of the other dishes which she had decided were pretty good.
"Okay," she said when everyone had finished eating the main dinner and Azra brought them dessert (some fruit looking dish that glistened with something like honey). "What did we eat?"
Azra looked over at the pictures and notebook. She pointed to the meat. "That is the pancreas of the… well, they're similar to boar except with more legs, fewer eyes. The literal translation is 'wall shaker'. I think the culinary term is sweetbread?"
Huh… all this time avoiding pancreas and it turned out she actually liked it. Or maybe she just liked 'wall shaker' pancreas.
"And this?" Hermione pointed to the not-pasta.
"Shoots and legumes."
"And these?"
"Crystal Potato pancakes."
"How is a crystal potato different from a regular potato?"
"It only grows in crystal beds."
"And this?" she pointed to the soup.
"Mushroom soup. I made sure they weren't the ones that are poisonous to non-trolls."
"And the dessert?"
"Crystal fruit and honey."
"Where does the honey come from?" asked Bernice.
"Bees," said Alejandro.
"Oh, I could've guessed that."
"Sounds good to me," said Hermione, sliding her plate over for a spoonful. "I liked everything else. It was an interesting experience."
"You hardly touched your potato pancakes," Azra pointed out.
"The flavor was good, but I have a weird thing about texture. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, enchiladas. I just didn't say anything because it's considered rude."
"In Trolldom it's rude to not say anything at all," they explained. "It shows that you don't trust your host to provide proper hospitality, so if you don't like something let me know. Like Cássia and, what was that word, haram foods. My feelings won't be hurt."
"Trolls aren't known for keeping things in," said Alejandro. "They're very blunt, but you know, you can be blunt without being hurtful."
"Sounds like my sort of people," said Quripuma happily.
"Sign is very direct," said Cássia.
"Ah, I was going to ask about the language you were sharing," said Azra.
"I'm her ears and she's my eyes," she said. "That's why we work so well together."
Quripuma smiled and kissed her hand.
~o0o~
The cavern was a wonderful place to sleep. It was so quiet and peaceful. The crystals seemed to breathe like a candle on the verge of going out. They stayed quiet until sunrise and then they slowly grew brighter and brighter. When she woke up and noticed this change, she wondered if their reaction was based on the main crystal and made a note to ask Alejandro about it.
After getting dressed for the day and doing her hair, she called Cedric on the mirror. No answer. She sighed and put it away. Fine. She didn't have time to talk to him anyway. Or maybe he was busy in class. Easter break for Hogwarts was one week after all, opposed to the two for Castelobruxo. She checked her I.M.N. and saw instructions on editing the crystals, she made a copy and tossed the book on her bed before climbing down the ladder.
A Troll bigger than Alejandro and made of marbled brown stone shoved past her and turned to glare at her with four eyes.
"Watch it, twerp!" he snarled. "Alejandro! Keep your pets out of my way!"
Hermione gasped and jumped up, grabbing onto his horn to bring him down to her level. She stared him in what she hoped were his dominant eyes.
"Like beef?" she snarled.
"Got a problem, little human?" he sneered.
"And what if I do?"
"Biggs!" Alejandro ran into the room. "Leave her alone!"
"Oh yeah?" he squared up with Hermione, pressing his lumpy forehead against hers, forcing her to let go of his horn. "What are you gonna do about it, runt?"
"Geez, who farted in your flint flakes?"
Not in a good mood, Hermione widened her stance and pushed back. "You'd better apologize!"
"Who's gonna make me?"
"Listen here, pebble! I'm not gonna let some snaggle-toothed, four-eyed plonker get away with being rude! Someone oughta teach you some manners!"
Biggs pressed harder, forcing her feet to slide back. Pain set into her forehead. Hermione dodged out of the way and he stumbled forward, slamming into the wall. He fell onto his butt and rubbed his head. There was a crack where he'd made contact and the ruckus had sent everyone running out to see what was going on.
Hermione looked at Alejandro. "Who's this chump?"
"My brother," he said, looking stunned. "Biggs."
"Mm. I'd better get something to eat before I pick a fight with someone important." She turned on her heel and made her way to the kitchen.
"Nia, I'm surprised at you," said Márcia, following her.
"He called me Alejandro's pet, what was I gonna do? Let him or wait until he insulted one of you guys?"
"Oh…" she nodded. "That's understandable then."
"Yeah, I don't know what's got into him," said Alejandro. "He can be a jerk, but not usually this bad. I mean, he was the one who said we didn't have to be related to be family."
"RAGHHH!"
Hermione widened her stance as Biggs came running in and flipped him across her back and onto the floor. She gasped and pointed.
"Oh-ho-ho! Did you see that?!" she cackled and quickly played it cool. "I mean… yeah, I do that stuff all the time. Flip somebody over my shoulder every day. Nobody can get the drop on me!"
Except for Millicent, Brenton, Gabriel, Barty Crouch Jr., Bianca—
Alejandro laughed and gave her a side-hug. "You are officially my favorite person!"
"Is Biggs trying to cause trouble again?" a new troll asked, entering the room. This one reminded Hermione of when she merged with Hogwarts. Skin like ash and smoke except her eyes were almost human with glassy irises but no pupils.
"Yeah, he was being rude to my friends," Alejandro said, gesturing to them.
"Hi," said Hermione, stepping forward. "Nia, she/hers."
"Sid, thon."
"Thon?"
"Yeah," thon said. "You were told that Trolls have five genders, right? Our original pronouns don't really translate to human languages, so we chose existing ones. We have he/him, she/her, they/them, xe/xem, and thon. I'm a tertiary gender like Alejandro, so we go by thon. If you're not sure just use they/them."
"Sid, I told you my pronouns are he/him," Alejandro corrected, looking tired as if he'd had this conversation a million times before.
"Right, right." Sid waved thon hand dismissively. "Anyway, we don't get many outside visitors. What brings you to the Hearthstone?"
Hermione glanced at Alejandro and he nodded, so she told thon about S.A.M.B. while the others got together some breakfast. Intermittently, she met the rest of Alejandro's family: his adopted father Draal (he/him); his siblings: Nephrite (they/them); Bix (xe/xem and Biggs' twin), and Albite (they/them). Alejandro was the youngest by a couple decades, but as Trolls lived for a very long time, his siblings only acted a couple years older.
After eating, Hermione got out her video camera and trained it on Draal. "So, I've been meaning to ask, what is this festival about anyway?"
"This is the Hearthstone Autumn Festival," said Draal. "It is usually when Trolls compete to earn their crystals. Biggs and Bix have been training for many cycles for this one."
"There's also music, dancing, and good food," said Alejandro.
"Will you be competing at all?" asked Bernice.
"I don't know," he said.
"Everyone is open to compete," said Draal. "You need to try new things, Sardonyx—" Azra punched his arm "—Alejandro."
"I'll delete that," Hermione whispered to Alejandro.
"Thanks," he muttered and spoke up. "I'm happy just watching, Papá. I wouldn't be surprised if Nia won a few crystals though. She already took out Biggs twice."
Bix scoffed and waved xyr fork around. "I'm glad somebody did, I'm only sorry it wasn't me."
Biggs looked down at his food in embarrassment while Azra spoke to him in Trollish, probably chewing him out for being rude to guests. Hermione wasn't sorry for fighting, but she would have to make sure she didn't let her temper get the better of her. She was trying to build friendships not make enemies. She had enough of those.
"Draal, you said anyone is allowed to participate in the challenges, right?" she asked.
"Yes, except for the Arena," he said. "There only the mightiest of warriors fight for honor and for the finest crystals made here in the Hearthstone. Biggs and Bix will be fighting today and we will all attend to support them."
"Is it dangerous?" asked Quripuma.
"Most definitely."
"Cool," said Bernice.
"But for the rest of the festival there will be smaller contests," Draal continued. "Even non-Trolls may participate, though it is unlikely you will win any crystals."
"What is the purpose of the crystals?" asked Márcia.
"The crystals are imbued with magical properties. They are awarded as badges of honor, to aid those in the journey of life, and to prove to potential mates that you are worthy to protect them and your younglings." Draal gestured to his chest that was gleaming with hundreds of crystals, which seemed tiny in comparison to him, but Hermione was sure she'd need two hands to hold.
"Neat," she said, taking a picture. "If it's alright, I'd also like to learn and record more about your way of living. Crystal production, other exports, culture, things like that. Assuming they're not secret of course."
"A non-Troll could spend their entire lives learning the ways of crystal production and yet would not be able to grow more than a simple clear quartz."
"What about lab-grown crystals?" asked Bernice. "You can grow crystals in a chemistry set."
Draal nodded. "Yes, chemistry is one of the many ways of crystal production, but without Troll magic its properties would be small, perhaps enhanced slightly with runic magic. A human surely can grow opals and sapphires and even small human children can take magnesium sulfate, borax, or even alum and make crystals in a dish with the right environment, but these will never be able to grant special powers to the wearer. All natural stones are inherently magical, but when a Troll grows them and cuts them in just the right way, they are infinitely more powerful."
"Wow," Hermione breathed. "That process sounds so interesting!"
"Well, what if I take you there after the fight today?" Alejandro suggested. "Anyone is welcome to come, or if gem production doesn't appeal to you then there will be a stage performance. I just don't see there being much time to show you everything."
"Oh, both sound so interesting!" Hermione tapped her cheek with her fingers trying to decide.
"I'd rather see a show," said Quripuma.
"Why don't we record it for you on that camera of yours?" Cássia suggested. "Gem production might be better recorded through notes and photographs and you can go through another time for footage."
"I like that idea," said Bernice.
"I'll stick with Nia and Alejandro," said Márcia. "Gem production sounds really cool."
"I'll give you the tour," said Azra. "Everyone finish up. Biggs, Bix go on and get to the Arena for your armor check."
"Make your ancestors proud younglings," said Draal. "When I was your age I already had twenty champion crystals to my name! The name Draal the Destroyer struck fear into the hearts of Trollkind everywhere!"
All the young trolls at the table were silently mouthing along to the speech.
"Many said that I was the greatest warrior in history! When the Great War struck, I ended it in twenty cycles bringing glory to the family name. Peace reigned and I could focus on the Hearthstone Championship. I was a beast in the Arena. A beast! When trolls heard of my entry, they would quit knowing that they would never be able to compete!"
"Until I came in from the Deep Caverns of the East and stole your title," said Azra with a smug grin.
"Along with my hearts," he replied, taking their hand and kissing them.
"Okay, going to the Arena," said Bix, getting up and rushing out, Biggs not far behind.
"Nia, you seem to be trained in fighting," said Azra. "Not many, troll or otherwise, can take Biggs by surprise."
"I've been taking Taekwondo since I was five," said Hermione. "I have a third-degree black belt, which probably doesn't mean much to you, but it's the highest rank someone my age can get. You have to maintain the third-degree rank for three years before you can test into fourth degree and I quit after I found my family. Now, I just train by myself and I take Capoeira at Castelobruxo."
"I take Kick-Boxing for my Phys-Ed requirement," said Bernice.
"Kick-Boxing is cool," said Hermione. "Do you do tournaments?"
"Nah, it's just for cardio."
"I get enough working out just climbing the stairs," said Cássia. "Besides, I hate physical education. Everyone's like 'oh, no! A blind girl with a cane, clearly she needs my help!' If I need help, I'll ask for it, you know? I did get a mean right hook for the number of times people have tried to take my bag from me claiming it's to help, but I wish I didn't have to."
"Some trolls are born with no eyes," said Nephrite. "They meet in the singing caverns sometimes."
"You have interesting friends, Alejandro," said Albite. "If I might, could I interview them for my Upper Crust anthropology class?"
"Sure, if I can interview you about Hearthstone Troll lifestyle and culture," said Hermione, glad that she wasn't the only one.
Albite looked thrilled and nodded eagerly. "Can I ask mine first? My report is due after the Festival."
"Ask your questions on the way to the Arena," said Azra.
Hermione set up her camera over her shoulder and fastened her purse around her waist like a bum bag.
Everyone seemed to be making their way to the Arena to watch the fight.
"Tell me," said Hermione, looking at Nephrite. "Do trolls die in these battles?"
"Rarely," they replied. "It's ceremonial. The Colosseum in Rome is similar. Except instead of paid fighters, it's trolls seeking honor. Though a lot use the Arena to train year-round, they rarely compete."
"So it's like martial arts tournaments," said Hermione. "You fight to show off the skills you've acquired and practiced."
"Yes! Exactly. Some get hurt, but you can get hurt doing just about anything and it takes a lot to injure a troll. The challenges are tough, which makes it so exciting."
"Is it one-on-one or a battle royale type thing?" asked Bernice.
"Round one is battle royale," said Alejandro. "Then the top sixteen fight for number one. Papá was number one for about two hundred years before Mamá took his place."
"I was champion for about a hundred and fifty festivals at the Hearthstone," said Azra. "I retired to focus on my younglings and learn to manage crystal production."
"So trolls live a long time," Hermione noted. "How old are you Alejandro?"
"Sixteen." He shrugged. "I age at the same rate as a human, but we don't know if I have troll longevity."
"Yes, trolls can live between eight hundred and fifteen hundred years depending on the stone they are born from," said Azra. "That is also assuming they do not travel often to the surface where there is the risk of exposure to sunlight. And a long time ago, it was common to be hunted by humans for our tough skin. Not so much anymore, but there is still the stereotype that we are nothing but savages. There's also the occasional monster hunter."
"I think many will quickly change their minds when they see the documentary we're making," said Hermione. "But it shouldn't matter how advanced a society is in order for them to receive equal respect and treatment."
"I feel the same way!" said Nephrite. "I've campaigned for the introduction of other beings into our society. I think we have a lot we can learn from each other."
"Oh, look Nia," said Bernice. "You made another friend and it took, what, ten minutes? Eleven tops."
"I know you're teasing, but I really am unpopular back at Hogwarts," said Hermione. "I can acquit a guy for murder and capture the real one in the same breath and it only marginally raised my status." She took a deep breath. "Not that I care about such things or am bitter."
"Tell me," said Nephrite. "Can all humans get an eye like yours?"
"Nah, this is actually from an assassination attempt," she said. "I touched a cursed necklace and now I can see magic."
"Can you see magic Cássia?"
"I'm light sensitive but I can't see magic. The ability to see magic is a rare skill."
"And the hair? White, brown, and blue?"
"Overuse of a time turner and hair dye, but my sister has vitiligo so her hair is black and white. Vitiligo makes you lose pigment and is sometimes an indicator of an autoimmune disease. She's diabetic and she takes potions for it, but she still might need an insulin pump. Potions aren't a cure-all, you know?"
"Yes. When trolls get sick we use crystal healing. It can actually be used on other beings, but due to low-contact there's not a lot of trials on it."
"Back to my questions," Albite cut in.
Hermione answered them as well as she could and offered to let Albite look through the books she packed for further information. Some things she didn't know because they were Venezuela-centric and this was the first time she'd ever visited the country. So Albite asked her about her countries in hopes to get extra credit.
"Here we are," said Azra. "Welcome to the Arena."
It was huge, like the Dragon Arena from the Triwizard Tournament, though everything was carved from stone. The seats seemed to be staggered and created in a way so that the little trolls could sit up front and the big trolls had to sit in the back. The Troll council and their families had their own special section. Hermione set her camera up on the tripod and worked the dial to account for the excess magic.
"Those statues are cool," said Márcia.
All along the top of the arena were stone statues of trolls in various fighting stances, though some looked terrified or even cowered.
"Those are the trolls long since passed," said Draal. "They have died honorably in ceremonial and defensive combat."
"So you decorated your Arena in dead bodies?" asked Bernice.
"Yes."
"That is so metal," said Hermione, panning over them.
"All other troll corpses are recycled into gem production and troll growth," said Alejandro. "Reincarnation is a major part of our religion."
"Cool."
The arena roared as warriors ran out onto the empty field. Many of them jumped into the audience, offering gemstones to other trolls.
"What are they doing?" Hermione asked.
"Offering stones," said Azra. "Before Draal and I were formed it used to be an act of proposal, but nowadays if you like another troll you give them a stone and if they return your affections then you give one back. Those who receive a lot of stones usually wear them to show how desirable they are. I received quite a few in my time. In this ceremony it is asking them to support you. Draal and I fought each other, but exchanged stones after I won the title of Champion."
"That's so sweet."
Bix exchanged stones with someone, triumphantly holding up the new one xe had received. With a roar, Biggs took a running start and leapt off the walls until he was hanging off the top box. He produced a stone and offered it to Hermione.
She stared at it then looked at him.
"Dude…"
"Just like your father," Azra sighed, shaking her head fondly. "Won't look twice at a creature unless they beat you in combat."
"I have a boyfriend," she said.
"Then don't give him a stone back," said Draal.
Biggs wiggled the square stone that was almost as big as her head. It was pretty. A violent shade of purple that seemed to glow from within. Sighing, she took it and waved him off. He looked happy regardless and jumped back down into the Arena.
"That's a good stone," said Alejandro, looking both impressed and unhappy at the same time. "Then again, Biggs has never given anyone a stone before."
"Is he gonna keep asking?" she asked.
"I'll make sure he leaves you alone," said Azra. "He made his feelings known, now he has to accept what yours are."
"The stones have been given," said Draal to the crowds. "It's time for round one."
He roared. Hermione covered her ears, tearing up from the noise. The competitors raced to pedestals around the arena, readying weapons or doing a last second armor check. There were thirty-two competitors of all shapes and sizes, some bigger than Biggs and Bix and one so small Hermione could hardly see them. A scoreboard listing the names of the trolls stood on one side and beside the names were two crystals. So far only the red ones were glowing.
"WELCOME ONE AND ALL TO THE AUTUMN FESTIVAL!" Draal announced. "This warrior's battle marks the beginning of the festival. For the next four days, we will eat, drink, and celebrate the good things in life… WHILE TRYING TO CRUSH EACH OTHER IN COMPETITION!"
"YEAH!" a random troll roared.
"The champion will be deemed the king of the festival and take the seat of honor at the feast!" Draal continued. "May the best troll win!"
He pulled the lever above his head and the Arena shook. Hermione grabbed onto her camera to steady it, gaping as the "battle ground" shifted and changed. Some sections raised, others lowered, the gears glimmered in the light of lava down below. There were also obstacles: giant axes, spikes, shifting platforms, falling boulders, and even a hammer. The middle platform floated above it all with something that looked almost like a Tiki head to Hermione.
"BEGIN!" Azra bellowed and a horn resounded along with the major light sources flashing three times to signal deaf or hard of hearing trolls of the start.
The warriors jumped into action, swinging off the obstacles and dodging the others. They attacked and fought each other and Hermione realized they were trying to throw each other into the lava below while also trying to be the first to reach the pedestal.
Biggs and Bix seemed to be the only ones working together, for the time being at least. When a troll tried to attack Bix while xyr back was turned, Biggs swooped down and knocked them into the lava below. Hermione and her friends screamed before seeing the fallen troll swim to the edge and start the climb to the pedestal all over.
It was exciting to say the least. More exciting than any Quidditch match!
Biggs and Bix seemed to use each others' momentum to get closer to the pedestal. Hermione was so invested, she almost forgot to move the camera to capture it all. Despite her previous issues, she cheered wildly for the both of them.
They were the first to reach the top and both stuck their hands inside of the Not-Tiki's mouth. Half the trolls in the crowd groaned while the other half roared joyously. The green crystals next to their names lit up and the two jumped down to the sidelines.
"My younglings Bix and Biggs are the first to move on!" said Draal approvingly. "Remember, only the top sixteen may proceed to round two."
A really tall troll wrote out Bix and Biggs' names on opposite sides of a blank bracket.
As warriors made it to the pedestal, their names were added, one by one. The last spot was really close between two trolls but Opal L. won in the end. The others took places in the crowd while the arena shifted to a new form. It was similar, but with three distinct tiers. The first tier had eight platforms that raised and lowered unexpectedly, the second tier's eight platforms spun at varying speeds, and the top tier was a single platform. For the one-on-one to end, a troll had to either submit or be knocked into the lava below. Maintaining the high ground was not always the best move as those more familiar with the workings of the Arena were allowed to mess with the gears and staying on the third tier when the right mechanism was triggered earned you a straight shot into the lava as was seen with Biggs and Amet.
"Will Biggs and Bix fight each other for the title of Champion?" Hermione asked Alejandro as rubble was cleared from a stray boulder.
He groaned. "I hope not. We'd be here for hours."
In the end, Bix was taken out by the surprise hammer and it was between Biggs and Garnet. Garnet didn't seem that impressive, but she had proven a mighty foe and had come in third during the Battle Royale.
"If she wins will Biggs lose interest in me and pursue her instead?" Hermione muttered.
"Unlikely. Garnet is already in a committed relationship and she, Biggs, and Bix all hate each other's guts."
"Pity."
"This has gone on too long," Draal muttered and reached up to the levers over his head. He pulled one and the platforms all dropped about twenty feet.
Biggs and Garnet yelled in surprise. Garnet slipped off and caught onto the first tier while Biggs fell onto his back on the second. The whole Arena grew louder in excitement. Biggs recovered and roared, leaping over the side and landing on Garnet before she could pull herself up. She dropped into the lava and he held on tight.
"YES!"
Alejandro jumped to his feet and cheered, so the girls followed suit, standing up and clapping.
"My youngling Biggs has won the title of champion!" Draal announced, looking thrilled.
"Good, maybe that will fix his attitude," said Albite.
After a ceremony in which Biggs was given a crystal as well as the champion's crystal to add to the line on his chest, the crowds filed out to enjoy the rest of the festival. The first day seemed to have performances.
"That was fun," said Quripuma. "Nia, want to give us your camera?"
"Yeah, sure. Meet you guys after?"
"Definitely," said Bernice.
They split up, Alejandro, Márcia, and Hermione went with Azra while Quripuma, Cássia, and Bernice went with Draal to see the show. Albite seemed to think Hermione was the coolest thing ever and vowed to stick with her.
"Just so you know," said Azra. "The festival is non-stop, so if you're tired or just need a break then you're welcome to go back to your rooms to lay down whenever you'd like."
"Sounds like to get the most I would need to make several visits," said Hermione.
Before they could get to their tour, Biggs approached her. "Miss Nia, I hope you will forgive me for my behavior this morning. It was…" He waved his hands trying to find the right word.
"Uncouth?"
"Yes."
"Alright," she said. "You're forgiven. And I'm sorry for calling you a snaggle-toothed, four-eyed plonker. I won't apologize for flipping you though."
"Yeah, that was most excellent," said Alejandro.
"Good. I promise I'm not 100% a jerk," Biggs chuckled. "Do you have an escort for the festival?"
"No, but that's because he's in England right now," she said, untwisting her locket and holding up Cedric's picture. "He gave me this locket. He's really cute, huh?"
"Ah, you have already exchanged stones with someone," said Biggs. "He must be a mighty warrior indeed to have earned your affections."
"Yeah, he's a Champion back home."
"Then I won't keep you," he said and left to join the festivities.
"Wow, I've never seen him so heartbroken," said Alejandro. "He didn't even snort or spit."
"He'll live," said Azra. "I received hundreds of stones before settling with Draal. Maybe Biggs has idealized the thought of finding that one being, but he needs to learn that in order to build something you must first cast stones."
"Speaking of stones," said Alejandro.
A cart much like the one the goblins had for Gringotts was set up on a track. Though this one was much bigger.
"Your chariot, my ladies," said Alejandro, bowing.
Márcia and Hermione giggled and climbed into the smaller seats up front. There was a row for even smaller trolls about the size of her hand in front of that.
"How big can trolls get?" she asked.
"Not as big as they used to," said Azra. "Mountain Trolls are the giants these days, but your magical center Kilokilo is the skull of a fire troll."
"Whoa, seriously?"
"Mmhm. But that was millennia ago. Trolls were gone from that area by the time the humans moved in. Hold on tight. I don't want you falling out."
Azra pushed the cart along with their foot and quickly sat down. The cart rolled then almost seemed to free fall. Hermione and Márcia screamed and held onto each other. There was no time or light for taking photos as they zoomed through the caverns. There were amazing rock formations and crystalline structures.
"Alejandro, hold them down!"
Alejandro wrapped his arms around the two of them and braced his feet against the dashboard, keeping them in their seats as the cart banked. The momentum sent them up a steep incline, which turned into an even steeper drop. As the track evened out, Azra and Albite stuck their feet out and brought them to a stop.
"I think I'll just walk back," said Márcia, dragging herself out of the cart. She wobbled and fell into a spiral. "My bones are jelly."
"Recover fast please," said Hermione, climbing out of the cart. "I need you to take notes."
~o0o~
"So what challenge is this?" Hermione asked.
"Fire-breathing," said Alejandro. "The trolls competing eat fire salt and belch as far as they can. You earn points for heat, color, and distance."
"Can I try?"
"You can breathe fire?" asked Bernice.
"Sure. How do you think that Wyvern mistook me for a baby?"
"Go for it!" said Alejandro. "Just walk right up and tell them you want to participate."
"Okay, I'm gonna do it!" Hermione gave him her camera and ran up to the stage. "I'd like to participate!"
The trolls looked at her and laughed but they didn't turn her away. Instead, they pointed her to the end of the line up. There were only about twenty others participating. They had big flames, long flames, tiny flames, a couple were pathetic attempts really, and others were so hot Hermione thought they were gonna burn the hair off the front row.
"And last up: a wix," said the troll hosting the contest.
Hermione took the fire salt shaker, shook some out on her hand, and licked it. It burned the back of her throat and made her eyes water. She coughed and went to the X marked on the platform. Despite the burn, she took deep, short breaths building up the spell in her throat. She screamed, stomped her feet, and belched out a jet of blue flame. It was quickly measured and it died down when Hermione ran out of breath. She coughed, waved the smoke out of her face, and bowed. Her friends cheered wildly for her while the others looked dumbstruck.
The judges deliberated and Hermione went to where the other trolls stood drinking down water. Her friends pushed their way over.
"When you said you could breathe fire I thought you meant a little puff!" said Márcia.
"That was hot!" said Alejandro. The girls giggled and he realized how it sounded. "I just meant that we could feel it from where we stood."
"Yeah, I think you singed my eyebrows," said Cássia. "It was really bright, too! Way brighter than anyone else's."
Someone tapped on Hermione's shoulder. She turned to look at one of the trolls she competed against.
"Sup?"
He exhaled some smoke and handed her a crystal. This one was the size of her hand, smooth, pink and almost fluttered like a heartbeat.
"Thanks," she said, pocketed it, and looked back at her friends. "I'm glad it was fire salt and not fire beans."
They fell into a fit of giggles at that mental image.
"They should be announcing the winner soon," said Alejandro. "Oh, yeah, there xe is."
The troll stepped up and waved for the crowd to hush. Xe cleared xyr throat.
"The judges deliberated," xe said. "For the first time since the Autumn Festival has been established, a non-troll has won a competition. We present this Fire Crystal to the little wix with the blue hair and like all trolls before… what are your pronouns and what's your name?"
"Nia, she/her."
"Like all trolls before her who have earned their fire crystals she may go by Nia the Dragon!"
Hermione grinned and held out her hands for the crystal. It was beautiful, like a cut of sunset. It was warm to the touch, too.
"Thank you," she said. "I'm honored!"
He brought out two smaller crystals. "And now for the honorable mentions."
She ran back to her friends and showed them the crystal. The entire day was spent watching Alejandro's family take part in competitions or competing in them for themselves. Some tasks seemed to have a use in combat while others were utterly ridiculous and would be at home at a county fair. Like the eating contest Márcia won. The crystals were significantly different, but were no less dazzling.
"Oof, I think I might sleep for a month," she groaned, dragging herself along the ground.
"So like, can you really unhinge your jaw or is your mouth just really stretchy?" asked Cássia.
"I can really unhinge my jaw. Feel."
She guided Cássia's hand to her jaw joint and yawned, unhinging it.
"Ewww! That's so cool!"
"Here you are," said the troll running the contest.
Márcia accepted her sparkly crystal that looked like a sea urchin and admired it in the light.
"I don't think I'll need dinner for a while," she said. "Just roll me to the next contest."
"If you want you can go back to the house," said Alejandro. "I was actually gonna take a nap myself after this next challenge."
"That's right," said Hermione. "Azra told us that everything goes on non-stop. I'm kinda feeling everything myself."
"Hey, Nia!" Nephrite ran over. "You should totally check out this swimming competition! Everyone is given a list and whoever finds the most items before time is up wins."
"That sounds like fun!" Hermione did a double take and screamed louder than she intended. "TOTORO-OH!"
A huge, round troll with grey fur, pointy ears, and long whiskers lowered the big treat he held in his passive paws to look at her.
"He's so cute!" she squealed. "I thought Hayao Miyazaki made him up!"
"I don't know who that is," said Nephrite. "But it's actually common for humans to see a troll and use them as inspiration for characters or toys even if their memory has been wiped. The Moomins in Sweden are so flattered about the comics based off of them."
"Moomins are real, too?!"
Alejandro chuckled. "This particular tororo came with a group from Japan. Their home was paved over for a housing development and they kept butting heads with other packs, so they came here to help us with our gardens. He's kinda their leader. His name is Branch. Do you want to meet him?"
"Yes!" she squeaked and got out her camera. "Oh, Amalea is gonna shit when she sees this!"
Alejandro waved down Branch the Tororo and spoke to him in the troll language. Branch swelled with importance and got a toothy grin before picking Hermione up and hugging her.
"He's so fluffy I'm gonna die!" she said, handing her camera to Alejandro.
He snapped one of Branch carrying her and then she got out an umbrella and a parasol to recreate the bus stop scene in the movie. Branch seemed to like the parasol and when the photos were done, he tucked it under his arm.
"He's a nature spirit, isn't he," said Quripuma.
"Yes, that's right," said Nephrite. "How did you know?"
"I can sense these things." She shrugged her basket off her shoulders and opened it to show Branch her plant cutting.
The troll peered inside and his grin grew wide again. He clasped his paws together almost like a prayer and sniffed the single trumpet shaped flower. The plant shivered and then several more sprouts grew from it, unfurling and blooming. Quripuma laughed, picked it back up, and took Cássia's hand.
"He gave me a blessing."
"That's kind of him," said Alejandro, turning back to translate her thanks.
Branch growled amiably, opened the parasol, and hopped away towards the gardens.
"That was so cool!" said Hermione. She turned to Nephrite. "So what was this about a scavenger hunt?"
~o0o~
After the huge feast, Alejandro took them all to one of the dance halls. Tiny trolls that looked very much like the popular toy except 20% less creepy were in charge of the music. They had five different genres in five different halls. Apparently, they had been performing this whole time, which explained the cacophonous music that had constantly been in the air for the whole festival.
They ended up going with the one playing Reggaeton since it had a heavy beat that Quripuma could enjoy. They did have to dance near the edge of the crowd though because Márcia's tail kept getting stepped on. That was fine by Hermione. She wanted to dance and not get trapped in a mosh pit. She saw the one in the Hard Rock Trolls dance hall and felt that it was much too intense for her liking.
"So like, do you guys have traditional dances?" she yelled over the music.
"Definitely!" Alejandro replied. "But that's for the Spring Festival and union ceremonies!"
A fluffy pink Troll ran up to Alejandro and shoved a crystal into his hand before running off into the crowd.
"Ooh… I think somebody likes the way you shake that!" Hermione teased.
Alejandro grinned and stashed the crystal away in his pocket.
Sid pushed thon way into their dance circle.
"Mamá says it's time for lunch!" thon shouted over the music.
"Already?"
"Didn't we just have dinner?" asked Márcia.
"I dunno, but you guys have been in here for hours."
"Oh no!" Cássia gasped. "What time is it? Did I miss midday prayers?"
"According to the Sun Stone the sun isn't even at its peak."
"Oh good," she sighed.
"I could dance forever!" said Hermione, spinning in a circle.
"After lunch," said Sid.
"After lunch, then."
It wasn't until they were in air that wasn't thick with music and glitter that they all realized how exhausted and out of breath they were. Hermione felt a headache set in and suddenly had no desire to be surrounded by people.
"Will your mamá mind if I take my lunch to my room?" she asked.
"She won't mind," said Alejandro. "Everything okay?"
Hermione nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just need to recharge. Get peace and quiet. Otherwise I'll be a nightmare on the bus ride home tomorrow."
"Wait, we're going back to Castelobruxo tomorrow?" Bernice gasped. "Where did the time go?"
"How'd you keep track?" asked Cássia.
"It might have to do with my obsession of seeing Cedric again," she admitted. "It's April 18th and the last day of school is June 28th, which means seventy-one days until my wonderful boyfriend comes to pick me up from school with my mom and papá and Tía Manola."
"Wow…" said Bernice. "You are obsessed."
She scoffed. "Shut up."
Azra was completely understanding about Hermione needing to unwind and gave her a tray for her food along with a tea that would give her energy. She took her tray to her room and levitated it up the ladder. The food was simple, but satisfying and she enjoyed the different tea.
After twenty minutes of listening to Cedric's mixtape while lying down with her feet in the air, she felt better and more energized.
She chanced a look at her IMN and found that she had a new message. She flipped it open eagerly and read the message.
Hermione, do you think Noa would be willing to walk me through fixing my arm? There was an accident.
She sighed through her nose. Yeah, it was "accidentally" broken. Probably under somebody's foot. She found a pen and responded.
Sure.
She wanted to press him to tell her what was going on, but that hadn't been working. She didn't want to guilt him into telling her either, though that was tempting. Before she could toss the notebook away and return to the festival, she noticed dots appear. He always tapped his pen against the paper when he was figuring out what to write.
Farm Boy. Are you okay?
She chewed on the end of her pen and waited for a response. His writing grew shaky and frantic. In a few moments he scrawled out in big letters:
SAVE ME