#rivervale_lodge

"Mister FRAAAANKKK " a voice this time a childling "This your truck?"

Frank looks up from his reading. "Yes." he calls out to the unseen childling.

Outside, there's a redcap kid riding her Chimera. "It's me, Jodie"

Frank stands, goes to the door of the Lodge, opens it and steps outside. "Hello Jodi."

"Hi sir," Jodi replies 'i LOVE being a changling. SO thanks to you and Connor. I brought you a gift"

"No thanks needed." Frank rumbles "Mountain Vali will be in touch with you. There are things you need to know to survive. Is the hat working?

"It helps! " SHe says "Mountain Vali said they'd find me a mentor" She drops down and throws a brown paper bag at Frank "Catch"

He catches. "Thank you."

"Open it open it!" Enthused

He does, and looks inside.

A shirt:

"It's got a SKULL" She exudes happily

Frank chuffs, a soft puff of amusement. "Well thank you, Jodi. This is very kind of you. I know Brekke wishes to meet you."

"She does? She's like the heap big chief right?"

He nods. "Brekke is the leader of this area. Among trolls, my kith, we call her Chief. Others might call her Baroness. We all look to her for guidance and help."

"And she beats folks up who give you grief?" Eager

"When she must."

"Cooool" She beams

Frank nods. "She is a powerful warrior."

"Yeah, kind of wish I were a troll. I'm hungry all the time, but it's better than those pills"

"You have not had to have any since you woke to the Dreaming?"

"NOPE.. well, kind of? one time I had to pop one in my mouth, but I bit it instead of swallowing it... and it didn't work on me! Turns out we caps could drink toxic waste!"

"That is good to hear. As long as they don't try other medications on you, you should be safe and gradually they will let you wean off of them."

A nod "Yup. Look, you ever need someone small punched, you let me know. I hear you trolls don't pick on weak folks, so if you need a weak person bullied but can't do it yoruself, let me know" She slaps one fist into her open palm 'That can be MY niche"

"Have you met Dirk yet?"

"Nope! who's he?"

"Mmm." Frank steps inside, just to grab his stuff and put the book down. "Can you come with me for a bit? I will introduce you."

"Sure, I guess?"

Frank leads the way to a vehicle, perhaps the same one he and Connor used.

Not the Rig, though; too conspicuous.

And he takes them to the Lee's house.

And they arrive "Hey, this is Cleo's house"

"It is. Doctor Lee is not Fae, and we must stay hidden from him. Mrs Lee, Dirk, and Cleo are Fae."

"And they live together? Big family"

"There's Symon too. But he's away at college." Frank parks "Come on inside."

They park and she gets out with him

Frank walks with her up the path to the door, and knocks.

The door opens, and Dirk peeks out 'Yeah? Oh hey Frank. what's up?"

"Dirk, hello. This is Jodi." Frank shifts so they can see each other.

"Cool. you're a cap like me" She says "You ever kill anybody?"

"Yeah" Dirk says with a shrug "More than one, " Then a look at Frank seeing he is here "ALl of them very bad"

"I'm sure they were, Dirk."

"So you're new" Dirk says to Jodi

"YUp! just got my teeth!" She shows

"Sharp fangs huh? I got sharp choppers" He shows his

"huh" She nods

"Mountain Vali is going to get her a mentor. Until he does, I thought you might like to meet, and talk."

Dirk blinks "Uh.. oh wait a moment, I'm a Peacekeeper, not a baby sitter. I ain't mentoring no body"

"You ask your wife to mentor her. She's inside"