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Chapter 4: DON'T TAKE CANDY FROM STRANGERS!

Connie turned towards the Jasmine-like person without another word. "Anyways, like I was trying to say earlier, you look like the princ-" Connie's statement ended quickly and sharply as she was sent careening from the harsh shove Rai had give to her in an effort to lunge at Atticus.

While neither Connie nor Rai were looking, a strange, hooded man approached Atticus with a devious smile. Interacting with the male while Rai and Connie's backs were turned, he placed a handful of strange candies into Atticus's palm, before gesturing for the male to follow him.

Connie, balanced suddenly lost, stumbled backwards and slammed into the Princess with about as much force as a car slamming into a cardboard box. 

"Dear lord-" Rai cried, chasing after and nearly tackling the male to the sandy ground. "ATTICUS, NO-!!" 

"WHATT? GET OFF'A ME!!" Atticus wailed, struggling to toss Rai off his back. Rai quite easily pinned the male to the ground, an utterly exhausted expression worming itself onto their face. 

"I didn't think I'd ever have to say this," Rai began, inhaling slowly, "but I guess we're all learning new things today. I'm learning that I really need to rethink my expectations of you two, and you're learning that..." 

Rai bent down with to the male's ear, before shouting, "WE DON'T TAKE STRANGE THINGS FROM STRANGERS IN AN UNFAMILIAR PLACE AND FOLLOW THEM WHEN THEY OFFER YOU MORE." 

Atticus howled, shoving Rai off and rolling to the side "JESUS, RAI!? DON'T YOU THINK THAT WAS UNNECESSARY?"

Rai managed a pleasant smile, folding their hand behind their backs "No, not at all. In fact, I think it was quite deserved."

"IS THAT THE PRINCESS??" Several gasps and awed noises were made as Connie picked herself up from the ground, untangling her limbs with the Princess's.

"Rai, you stupid potato! This outfit costed two months worth of paychecks!" Connie exclaimed, shaking in an effort to dust the sand off her black, pleated skirt.

"Oh, great..." The stranger's identity now confirmed, she stood up, hurriedly adjusting her shawl.

Despite her attempts to cover her face, everyone present in the surrounding area had seen the two girls fall. Everyone had seen the Princess's disguise come off, loosened by the tumble.

"I am SO sorry, Princess! Wow, it's just REALLY unfortunate that this whole fiasco happened, huh? Man, that must suck. Isn't it just how AWFUL how the careless, CARELESS actions of others can RUIN such a nice little escape-outing?" Connie asked, cooing and fretting as she laid the salt on thick. Really packing into the Princess's new wound, stuffing it in there.

"For once, it wasn't even my fault!" Connie laughed cockily, holding her head high 

"Well, excuse me for trying to stop those moron from being kidnapped." Rai muttered, shaking their head, annoyed.

"...Princess?" Jasmine asked, her gentle eyes widening. She knew that they knew that she knew that they knew who she really was.

Connie, Rai, and Atticus immediately ceased their bickering, silenced by the Princess's soft gasp.