Episode 9: Festival Food

***Alastair***

Alastair felt groggy when he woke up. He looked around. When did he get outside? Where had his bed gone?

A sharp pain. Why did his arm ache?

His sling was on the ground next to him. 'Guess I should put it back on...' He moved Honey from his chest to his lap before doing so.

Honey yawned.

Alastair stroked the top of her head. "Morning, girl."

Honey crawled into his red coat.

"Can you breathe?" he rubbed her chin with his good hand. "I could take my sling off."

Honey barked. 'It's warm in here. Your owie needs to get better. I'm fine.'

"I want you to be comfy."

'I am. I just wanna cuddle with my human.' Honey's stomach growled. 'Could we look for something to eat?'

Alastair laughed. "Of course, we can."

He wasn't hungry himself. Wilhelmina had pestered him to eat more than once cuz of it. Still, it wouldn't be fair of him to keep food from a growing puppy.

Slowly, as he was worried Honey could fall out of his jacket, he scooted out of the tree before getting up.

Alastair blinked a few times. People were setting up folding tables around them. Was there going to be a festival or something?

Out of the corner of his eye, Alastair noticed a box on a nearby table. When he squinted, he saw it was full of white masks. Ooh... I want one. Alastair ruffled his hair. Why couldn't Hannah have given him a little pocket money?

If he had some pocket money, he could've bought a candy bar or something. If he could've done that, those mean people never would've bothered him. Then he wouldn't have gotten hurt or met Wilhelmina, meaning Alastair wouldn't have met her friend, either.

No one else could see his face ever again. People would just get hurt. Nor would he let them do that to him.

Who cared if he didn't have any money? He needed that mask.

When the big man turned his back, Alastair grabbed a mask out of the box and ran behind a tree.

Alastair used his metal powers to hold up his glasses. It was hard to hold his lenses with his achy arm, but Alastair had to push through. Mean people would use it against him if he couldn't see.

'I'm not walking on my owie." Honey tenderly licked Alastair's arm. 'You shouldn't do that, either.'

"I'm okay."

Alastair popped his lenses into the mask before he put it on. Then he put the empty frames in his backpack.

Honey's ears folded back. 'Why did you put that on?'

"It makes me feel better." He held his hand up to her for her to smell. "I promise I'll take care of you."

Her stomach growled again.

"Let's find you something to eat."

Honey licked his good arm.

Alastair laughed. Her little tongue tickled. "It's no big deal. I'm happy to feed a cute puppy."

He looked around. What could he get for her without money? He didn't want to steal again. He'd already screwed up enough. He couldn't fight with his arm broken like it was, either.

There were trash cans scattered around the park... Puppies on TV didn't mind. Honey might not either.

Honey's nose twitched. 'That smells good.'

Alastair raised his eyebrows. "What does?"

Honey looked at an old lady who was walking with her grandson. They were walking with red paper cups.

The red-haired boy went pale. "You can't have hot chocolate!"

The puppy tilted her head. 'Why not?'

"You'll feel yucky!"

'Why?'

Sweat beaded the boy's brow. "It's bad for you!"

The puppy whimpered.

"I promise to find you something to eat, alright?"

Honey yipped.

A boy with auburn hair approached Alastair with a smile. "The puppy in your jacket is really cute." He held a hand out for her to smell. "What's its name?"

Alastair glared at the boy. "She's not an it!"

"Sorry about that." The boy pushed his glasses up. The frames were so thin they were barely visible. "She is very cute. What's her name?"

"Honey."

He stroked the puppy's chin. "A sweet name for a sweet puppy."

Alastair stepped back. He tried to hug his puppy with his free arm, but his sling got in his way. "Don't touch!"

"Alright. I won't touch her again."

Alastair looked at the boy out of the corner of his eye.

"What happened to your arm?"

"I got hurt."

The boy frowned. "Did you break it?"

Alastair nodded.

"That's not fun. Does it hurt?"

He shook his head.

Alastair's stomach growled.

"Are you hungry?" the auburn-haired boy asked.

Alastair shook his head repeatedly.

The boy motioned to a nearby bench. "Will you wait for me over there?"

'Please?'

Alastair followed the boy. He wanted to see what the boy is going to do.

"Is the puppy heavy?" he asked.

Alastair shook his head. "She's warm and fuzzy."

"Her fur is very soft."

The pair walked up to a woman in a green apron who had a kind smile.

"Hey, Jamie. I'd like to buy something."

"Of course. What would you like?"

Alastair furrowed his eyebrows. Where was her cash register?

The auburn-haired boy put a hand on Alastair's shoulder. "Go ahead, bud. Pick something."

Alastair went stiff. What did he want? He didn't expect this.

Jamie set a paper-thin tablet on the counter. "These are the things I'm selling today."

Alastair pointed to an image of a hamburger.

She flicked to another screen. "Would you like something to drink?"

Hot chocolate.

"Alright. I'll get right on that." Jamie met Alastair's gaze. "What's your name, sweetie?"

Sweat beaded the boy's brow. "I should've introduced myself before I brought you over here. I'm Matt."

"I'm Collin," Alastair replied.

"Do you have anything safe to give a puppy?" Dietrich asked.

Jamie pulled a banana and a knife out of Alastair didn't know where. She winked at Dietrich. "Don't worry about it."

She peeled the banana before setting it on a paper plate and cutting it in half. She then cut the half not in the peel into slices.

Alastair then furrowed his eyebrows.

"Puppies should only have half a banana," Jamie said. "You can have the other half."

Was that really true? Alastair should ask Chan when he got home.

Jamie finished the burger and hot chocolate. "Have a nice day, sweetie."

"Let me carry this for you." Dietrich grabbed the food. "It'll be tricky for you with your bum arm and Honey in your jacket."

'Let the nice human help,' Honey said.

Just for the cute puppy...

The puppy and the boys then sat on a nearby bench.

"Is it okay if I feed the puppy, so you can eat?" Dietrich asked.

Alastair stroked the top of her head. "I'll feed her before I eat."

Honey gave Alastair a look. 'No. You should eat. You suck at it.'

Alastair's cheeks reddened. "I do not!"

D tilted his head. "Who are you talking to?"

"My puppy..."

'That other human had to make you eat,' the puppy said. 'You suck at doing it by yourself.'

Honey crawled into Dietrich's lap when he sat down beside Alastair.

That was when he saw her splint. "She got hurt, too?" The auburn-haired boy from. "Poor girl."

Honey licked his nose. "I'm okay now."

He laughed. "That tickles."

Honey ate pieces of banana out of the boy's hand.

Alastair couldn't help but smile as he ate his burger. Honey looked so relaxed and happy as she ate.

"How old is she?" Dietrich asked. "She's so sweet and gentle."

That was a good question... Why hadn't Alastair asked anyone?

'The humans that fixed my owie said they think I'm six months.'

"I'm not sure." Sweat beaded his brow. "Six months?"

"Well, she's grown into a very cute puppy." Dietrich glanced at something Alastair couldn't see. "I'm sorry to run off like this, but I need to go? Let me put Honey back inside your coat."

Honey gave him one last lick. 'Thank you for feeding me the yummy food.'

He laughed and waved before he ran off.