***Alastair***
The trio found a table. Cole soon returned with a box.
"That's a nice pie," Maggie said.
"Yeah." Cole smiled. "They're famous for their kezzlas."
But they were admiring a pizza...
"We got two kinds," Cyan said. "A veggie and a sausage."
Maggie grabbed a veggie as Alastair tried to grab a sausage. "You don't know what you're missing."
He stuck his tongue out. That pizza was for rabbits.
Cyan patted his back. "Let me help. I'm sure you don't want to get got cheese on your arm."
Meh. He'd been burned by En's fire before.
Alastair whined when Cyan brushed against his arm.
"Sorry. Did I hurt you?"
His stomach growled.
'Coco, you need to eat. Your tummy is mad.'
The boy furrowed his eyebrows when he bit into the kessla. It was like a sausage pizza with spaghetti meatball sauce. It was weird but tasted good.
"Is it good?" Cyan asked.
The boy nodded.
Cyan got herself a veggie slice.
Cole grabbed a sausage after he finished a veggie slice.
Alastair smiled as he finished his slice.
"Would you like another one?" Cyan asked.
Another nod.
"We should have bought a litter of soda or something," Maggie mumbled.
"We could grab something on our way out," Cyan said.
Alastair rubbed his stomach when he was done.
"I have to thank my friend for recommending this place. No wonder she praised it so highly," Cole said.
"Please do," Maggie replied.
Cole smiled at Alastair. "If you feel up to it, could you tell me what the bad guy looked like?"
"He had grey hair, a gold monocle, and white gloves."
Cole gasped as he finished his sketch.
"What?" Cyan asked.
Cole averted his gaze. "This man, he resembles my best friend's grandfather, Sir Rowan."
"Best friend?" Maggie asked.
Cole frowned. "Yeah, he got hurt by a Key Keeper. I don't think he's going to be able to go to the ball because of it."
Maggie shivered. "A key Keeper? There's one roaming around? Cy, we got to be careful."
Cyan nodded. "I hope they catch whoever hurt your friend."
"Yeah. It looked like he was going to finally ask our friend out, too..."
Alastair's face paled. So, these guys also hate Key Keepers. I better hurry and go back home, before they find out.
"Collin, do you feel sick?" Cyan asked. "Do you want to go home?"
That was when Alastair bolted off. He had to get away from the girls.
***
Ame came out from behind a tree with a giant dog.
The big dog said, 'Hello, little girl.'
Honey barked happily. 'Big dog!' she looked up at her human. 'Coco, will I be that big one day?'
Alastair patted her head. "Maybe, Goldens are big. At least in my world."
'Mama dog was big.'
The dog licked Honey after she jumped out of Alastair's coat. 'You are getting big, Honey.'
The two dogs ran off to play.
"Hey, Honey! Don't run!" Alastair shouted. "You might make your owie worse!"
Ame said, "Let's go sit down while our dogs play."
Alastair frowned. "But Honey might get hurt."
"I checked on her a few days ago. She's healing fine." Ame smiled as she watched her dog run. "That old dog still has it in him."
"Had no idea you had a dog," Alastair said.
"Sometimes, I really need to, but I don't like to bring him to work with me."
Alastair thought about his fight with Rowan. "Afraid he'll get hurt?"
"That, but I can also be too stubborn for my own good."
Alastair looked away. She reminded him of Del. How was his big brother right now? Hopefully En wasn't picking on him.
"Why did you run away from the girls?"
"They think KKs are bad..."
Ame frowned. "Yeah... That is definitely something crummy about this world." She squeezed his shoulders. "I need to tell the girls you're okay, but I can take you to the house after the pups get their energy out?"
"Okay..."
"Did you eat?"
"I just had a funny pizza."
Ame furrowed her eyebrows as she texted on her terminal. "Funny how?"
"It was square, and it had meatball sauce in it."
Ame giggled. "Oh yeah. They don't have that on Earth." She looked at his sling. "Have you had any pain?"
The boy shook his head.
"Let me or the girls know if you do, so we can try to make it better." She smiled. "Is it okay if I look at it? I want to make sure it's healing okay."
He nodded.
"It looks better. I'm sorry that I can't make this go faster though."
En had to recover the hard way.
After a while, the dogs returned to their humans.
Alastair patted Honey's head. "Did you have fun?"
'Wilfred is so fun!'
"Are you ready to go home?" Ame asked.
The boy nodded. "Will you take me to my room?"
Ame then snapped her fingers. "Did you want to rest?"
"Will you help me get my jacket off?"
"Of course. Did you need help with your shoes, too?"
Alastair kicked them off.
After Ame helped him with his jacket, she left the room with her dog.
Honey curled up next to Alastair when he laid down on his bed. 'I hope you feel better soon, Coco.'
Alastair smiled as he patted her back. "It's my job to take care of you, and I will."
Honey licked his face. 'Don't make your owie mad for me.'
Knock-knock!
"Collin, are you okay?" Cyan asked. "It looked like you weren't feeling well earlier."
"Ame said she just brought you home," Maggie added.
"I'm fine. Playing with Honey!"
Cyan said, "That's great to hear! Though, why not go outside and play?"
Electricity pooled in Alastair's cheeks. "I... I prefer staying indoors."
"Cyan got Honey some new toys. Would you like them now?" Maggie asked.
"Not right now."
Alastair pulled Honey to his side. He just wanted the cub at that moment.
At least Honey was warm and soft. He was glad he found her.