Rosette stood out like wildfire in a field of dry grass. Her short red hair was fixed in place and her clear black eyes were sharp with youthful defiance. Her Pre-Scouts uniform was scuffed at the elbows, like she'd been moving non-stop all day.
She was the kind of kid who always acted like she had something to prove—loud, confident and a little too quick to speak—but right now, there was a slight tremble at the corners of her mouth, likely realising that she'd hurt someone.
"Magia?" Her voice cracked a little.
The girl in the glasses shook, her small hands trembling.
"R-Rosette, you never hear the full story! You always come to conclusions too quickly!" She hesitated, then pushed the words out in a breathless rush. "That's why... that's why.... you never..."
Never what?
I turned to Rosette, who looked just as confused as I was. Then I glanced around the room. Everyone else wore the same wide-eyed expression.
"Magia, just what are you talking about?" Rosette said, furrowing her brows. "I never what?"
Magia looked around her expression taking a turn for the worse.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
The quiet sound of her tears flooded the room. My stomach dropped, and my heart clenched. For a moment the world smudged, like a water painting left in the rain.
"I-I-I..."
Slam!
The door we'd just come through slammed shut behind her as she fled the scene.
"Haaaah..." I sighed. What made her act out like that? What sort of unknown history had we just walked into? Is she okay?
"What's her deal?" cried someone unapologetically. Read the room, Bill.
"I... don't know." Rosette's normally bossy and cheerful face seemed despondent, clearly having never been blown up on like that before.
"I don't know either, but I'm going after her." A voice said loudly, filled with resolve. I hadn't realised it, but that voice, was mine. I'd spoken out for her. When she started crying, I felt like the world had been covered by a murky haze.
Just what happened in the past between these two? I thought as I ran past the stunned pre-scouts leader.
"Leave her, kid," an ancient voice said, like a calamitous dragon that had arisen from its slumber. "And get the hell out of my store!"
"Eeek!"
"Run for it! It's the sleepless shopkeeper!"
One after another, they all ran out. Bill and Phill lead the charge, Jamie following shortly after. I hesitated looking at the door she'd ran into, the same room we'd been relaxing in before they arrived. I wasn't the only one who was hesitating though. A certain conflicted redhead was doing the same.
"Didn't y'all hear me?"
We shuddered, both making a break for the door after that wake-up call. The usual view of the plaza greeted me, though something was off. By the fountain, a cluster of pre-scout girls stood talking.
"Ack!" Phill, Jamie and Bill cried in unison. "Why did it have to be her group..." They cringed. It was the group from earlier that Jamie and I had managed to avoid thanks to my clutch magic performance. If I'm remembering correctly, her name was...
"Zyra." Rosette said, forcing a smile. "Any luck?"
"Sorry Big Sis Rosette, I didn't manage to find him. That Finn is too sneaky." She flicked her black hair.
"Well it's fine, don't worry... I've managed to... catch most of them."
"Hm? What's wrong Rosette? What happened?"
"It's... Magia. She got mad at me for, something. Do any of you know what that was about?" She turned, now facing all of us. Her eyes shifted between us one at a time.
"Not a clue." A shrug.
"Y-you're asking me?" A question.
"I just met her." And a belly scratch.
"What about you?" She turned to the newest member of the Little Dreamers. "Do you have any idea what that was about?"
"Well," I stuttered. Magia said 'you never...' and then stopped talking. Was she going to say 'you never listen'? 'You never take me serious'? It was almost impossible to tell. Surely Rosette, if anyone, would know better than me about what was really going on.
"Not really, no."
"Hmmm." She scratched her hair repeatedly. "Ahhh, I don't get it!"
At least it seemed like she was trying, her showing sympathy despite an apparent lack of self-awareness. It's easy to see why someone like her was chosen as class representative.
Slam.
The door to the bookstore flung open, and a rusted hand appeared, holding a child who was deep in meditation.
"When I said get out, I meant all of ya!"
Fling! Swish! Swish!
The meditating child opened his eyes as he was suddenly flung airborne.
"Ah?" Zyra cried out.
His body twisted midair, slicing through the wind. He landed in front of us in a ninja pose.
"S-so cool!"
"No way."
"When did he... "
This kid. It's Finn's world and we're all just living in it.
"Float like a butterfly, land like a cat."
"Have you been in there the whole time?"
"From the start."
"Where were you hiding?"
"Hiding? They can't catch me when I'm out in the open, and you want me to hide?"
Good point.
"Now that the culprits are all here."
"We're innocent—"
"Shut it, fatty."
Bill flinched but instead of his usual 'sorry Big Sis' apology, he furrowed his brows. He rolled his sleeves up.
"That's n-not nice Zyra..." His brother said, but it wasn't effective in getting Bill to stand down. Jamie put a hand in front of Bill, stopping him from going forward.
"Zyra, this is why nobody likes you."
Jamie said that instantly, as if he was waiting for her to say something out of line. Woah, kids can really cut deep sometimes.
"Whatever are you talking about? Everyone likes me, right girls?" She turned to her very forgettable friends.
"Of course, milady!" "Obviously!"
"See?"
All of the Little Dreamers collectively cringed—Finn included. I can see why Jamie wanted to avoid her at all costs. Her snarky, condescending attitude likely originated from a wealthy background.
"Zyra," Rosette said, her tone demeaning. Her next words were simple and straight to the point. "Apologise."
"What? That's—" She looked around, incensed. Then she noticed Rosette's glare. "S-sorry, Bill."
"Huh? When did you learn the word 'sorry', Zyra?"
"Woah. Maybe plants will start flying tomorrow."
"Hm?"
Everyone's expression turned to shock.
"T-take that back!"
"Our young miss is the most humble person in the world!"
Bill cleared his throat.
"It's good that you know what's good for you!" Bill smirked, his stomach twirling. "Now you know that you should never mess with the great Bill, ever again! Hahaha!"
Zyra's face darkened, her head tilting downwards. Her shoulders trembled. She mumbled to herself, her words incomprehensible to anyone except Rosette who was right next to her. I could just about read her lips though, with 'Fatty' seeming to be a large part of her whispers.
"Anyways." Rosette said turning away from Zyra and choosing to ignore her mumbling. "Now that even the trickster is here, we can discuss your punishment."
"P-punishment?"
"Hm?"
"Our? It was all Reno!"
"No," she said softly. "It wasn't."
"Huh?"
She facepalmed. "I don't know why I even believed you in the first place, Bill. That sort of damage... it wasn't caused by just one person. And plus, Reno looks harmless."
"Thank you—wait, harmless?" I choked.
"You can still see the guilt on his face from when Magia got upset earlier, even though it wasn't his fault. I don't think someone like him would want to make a mess like that."
The guilt on my face was still visible? I guess I'm not so good at hiding my emotions. Maybe I'll ask Finn for some advice on that in the near future.
"And besides..." she paused. "Magia would never get that worked up over someone evil."
"Ah, guess the secrets out." Bill scratched his belly.
"I told you it was a bad idea!" Phill cried.
He shrugged. "Well the leader let me so..."
"Hahahaha!" Jamie curled over. "Well it was fun seeing Reno's face earlier."
"Do you all take me for a joke?" Rosette said. Slowly. Her voice was cold and threatening.
"S-sorry!" "I'm sorry!" "We won't do it again!"
"Three days of community service." The verdict was both heavy and unavoidable.
"What?"
"It's only fair."
"Serves you all right!" "Exactly!" "That'll teach you guys!"
I was starting to dislike Zyra and her group of parrots. Finding them annoying must be a Little Dreamers thing, or just an everyone thing.
"Three days!? How is that fair at all? We only destroyed stuff for one day, but we need to help out for three!?" Jamie shouted, incensed at the unjust nature of Butter Town's criminal justice system.
"Fair?" Rosette scoffed, clearly about to make a point. "Was it fair when you all destroyed the poor merchant's stalls, trashed their crates and stole their merchandise?"
"Ugh." A synchronous groan.
"A stolen scarf? Robbed—and eaten— fruits? Thieved coins from the Far East and High North?" She went off, listing bar for bar all the stolen objects.
Wait, when did someone steal money? I looked around.
The culprit scratched his head. "Ahh..."
I get that you wanted to be the greatest merchant ever, Jamie, but stealing money wasn't a good start. He'd end up the most notorious merchant ever with that attitude.
"It's still not fair! In a fair competition the Little Dreamers would never lose to the pre-scouts."
"What!? We'd never lose to your little gang!" "Yeah, exactly!"
Rosette's brows twitched. "Just what are you trying to say, Jamie?"
"It's simple really." He smirked. "I suggest a friendly and fair competition between the pre-scout and the Little Dreamers."
Rosette's expression remained neutral. "Why?"
Jamie's hands spread out in a grand gesture. "If we win, we do no community service. And if you win, instead, we'll do community service for a week!"
"Woah, that's genius boss!"
"Hm?"
"That's a brilliant idea boss!"
"Declined."
"..."
Well that was short lived brilliance, wasn't it, Phill?
"Aww, c'mon Rosette. It sounds fun doesn't it?"
"You all have to do community service. It's only right."
Jamie's face twitched. "But it sounds fun though, right?"
Rosette's face stayed neutral. "A little."
"See?" Jamie grinned. "One day of community service if we lose?"
Rosette shook her head. "No."
"One and a half?"
"No."
"Two?"
Rosette sighed, "Fine."
Jamie's eyes lit up. "Always stingy, Rosette. Then one and a half days it is!"
Rosette's eyes twitched. "I said two."
"Mhm, one and a half it is! The competition's tomorrow at noon!" Jamie called, already running off.
"W-wait up, boss!"
"Hm?"
"Ah, don't leave me behind, boss!"
"Ahh whatever." I ran after him.
"You thieves! Get back here!"
"Haaah. Just leave them."
"But Rosette—"
"They've got a week of community service waiting for them after all, let them have their fun now."