The day had marched on and many garments had been worn or set aside. The girls had shopped at several interesting stores and managed to acquire quite a few lovely outfits for Sonja. Shara had even procured a few for herself. Among those outfits, however, were the intermixed bits and pieces of housewares of interest. Many people had stared at them as the two girls wandered the city, each carrying an oversized sack of goods

Currently, they sat at a booth in the Funky Chicken. Scott was still running errands, as they chose to call it to avoid depression. They had decided to eat dinner then take some back for him, just in case he had returned home. At this point, anything was possible.

Sonja laughed a little then covered her mouth. “No way. You did not!”

She stopped laughing and acquired a slightly serious expression. “Is that how you say it? No way?”

Shara grinned at her. “Yes, that’s the way. Also, I sure did.”

“That’s so cruel. How are you still friends?” asked Sonja. She dipped her French fry into a pool of ketchup and wiggled it around a little, as was the custom.

Shara smiled. “Well, we were apart for a few years.”

The Valkyrie shook her head. “I can’t imagine him as a small boy, much less naked and crying.”

She stopped short then acquired a thoughtful expression. “Well… maybe the last part.”

The mild-mannered shop girl nodded to her new friend. “Yes, he certainly was. He was really sweet and innocent back then.”

Sonja stared at Shara like she had grown a second head. “Sweet I can believe, but innocent?”

“Yes, he turned bright red when I stole his clothes that day. He even promised to do my homework for a month if I gave them back,” said Shara.

“That’s simply adorable,” said Sonja.

“He was, and still is I suppose,” said Shara.

Sonja nodded, and a soft smile formed on her lips. The smile faded slowly, however. “He seems to be full of life a lot of the time, but every now and then he becomes really quiet. He’s changed a lot since we first met, but it’s obvious that he’s living in his own world that no one else can enter…”

Shara took a breath then sighed softly. “He had a hard life after his father died, as you know. Things happened... I only know a little about it, but he suffered a bit.”

“I see,” said Sonja. She looked down at her dinner for a moment. None of this was a startling revelation. Scott had indeed told her the truth about his childhood. Yet, hearing it again from someone who was there for part of it was a different story. Such a creature as his step-father should be slain without hesitation.

Shara glanced over at the quiet girl and noticed how she had taken that bit of news. Though, it was not exactly news. A soft smile arose upon her lips. “You care about him, don’t you?”

Sonja’s cheeks darkened a little then she nodded once, slightly. “I’ve never met a human like him before…”

She blinked gently then looked down at the ketchup in her plate. “Dragon…. Whatever.”

Shara’s smile widened. “You really do think a lot of him, huh?”

Sonja nodded once more. “Yes. I do.”

She bit into her French fry then started to chew. It was a slow and laborious motion, and it was obvious that she was not truly focused on the food that she had placed into her mouth.

“Good,” said Shara.

Sonja blinked then repositioned the rest of her French fry so that she could eat it in a moment. “Good? I... Thought that perhaps you had interest in him.”

Shara smiled softly at Sonja and the girl looked away. She then leaned in and casually plucked the remaining half of the fry from Sonja’s hand using her teeth.

The Valkyrie blinked then looked over to the fry thief only to see her smiling while she chewed on her ill-gotten potato slice. “Hey...”

Shara reached over and clasped Sonja’s hand before she slid her basket of fries toward the surprised girl. Sonja’s expression became curious and confused, but it changed to bewilderment and a hint of interest when Shara spoke again. “I like to share.”

Sonja’s face reddened and she looked away. Had she really said what she had thought that she had said? Such a thing was far from unheard of in her village. Quite normal really. In fact, she had openly called Ashton her sister with a similar implication. Yet, Shara had been quite brazen about it in a way that Sonja was unprepared to hear.

“Do you now?” Sonja said, before she wrapped her lips around the straw of her milkshake. She took a deep drink of her cool beverage, but her face continued to burn.

“Yes, I do,” said Shara softly.

“Your fries... are you sure you would not prefer to have them all to yourself?” asked Sonja.

Shara smiled gently. “No, I am happy to share my fries with someone who can appreciate them.”

Sonja’s face reddened even further, and her nostrils flared. “I see.”

What Shara had said was tantamount to an invitation. Sharing in this sense meant a certain activity. Despite Sonja’s past hearing such a thing had caught her off-guard.

They were silent for a moment, though Shara continued to hold Sonja’s hand. The first one to speak was Sonja. “You’ve known about French fries for a long time... Would, would you be willing to help me know more about them?”

“Sure, though I have not had them in a while... There are many things for me to rediscover as well.”

“Then, I will be in your care,” said Sonja. She looked toward Shara with a slight glimmer in her eyes.

Shara squeezed Sonja’s hand gently. “Would you like to call me, big sister?”

Sonja’s face began to burn once more. “Would that be alright?”

“Oh yes, I would love to be your big sister,” said Shara without a hint of mockery in her tone. If anything she seemed quite happy.

Sonja laughed nervously then took a sip of her milkshake before a thought occurred to her. “Well, if you’re my big sister... What do I call... Fries?” She began to take another drink while she waited for Shara to say something,

“I don’t know, master? Daddy? Fries?” asked Shara with a grin.

Sonja started to choke a little as she laughed mid-drink. Milkshake went down her air way and she gagged a little. When she managed to take care of the situation she gasped out with a laugh, “Why should I call him my father?”

Shara laughed brightly. “Well, have you been a bad girl who needs to be punished?”

Sonja snorted incredulously then laughed loudly enough to garner a little too much attention. “Maybe, if he asks me nicely.”

Shara squeezed Sonja’s hand once more then laughed as well. “Let me show you the way.”

Sonja nodded then smiled. “Oh, please do show me the way big sister.”

Shara’s eyes lit up with pure joy. For the first time, she got to be the big sister. This could be fun!