...Learn To...

16

Peter rested his arms on his curled up knees while he watched Lincon dropping the rats and giggling gleefully at the snake eating the rodent.

"Why do you guys want me here...?" he asked quietly.

"If we can get yourself into a grown country, then I'll be a country myself. Can't say that I want to be, but hey--it means that I can be free from Oliver's rules."

"So you just want me to be a country?"

Lincon nodded, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Yeah. At least, that's what Oliver's told me."

"So... Why is he so... creepy...?"

Lincon shorted. "That's who he is. Really creepy. And his food is messed up, but it is good. Just don't have a cupcake. If he offers you a cupcake, bad things will happen. You can make it better by not eating one."

"My, my~ Spilling my secrets, are we?"

The boy's turned their frightened heads to see Oliver leaning against the doorjamb.

"I-I was just warning him that not everyone here can be trusted... Like your cupcakes," he added with a scowl.

Oliver laughed. "Oh, don't worry. It's good that you're teaching him how to survive~" He winked and wiggled his fingers before turning to leave. "Oh," he suddenly said. "Dougal will be here this evening, so be here by supper or you get none."

Lincon made a face but nodded, grabbing Peter's arm. "Fine. Come on, Peter, let's go bug Mary."

Peter didn't know who "Mary" was, but he followed his counterpart out the door to his land. They drove the boat through the rivers and streams and lakes until they reached Australia. Peter was quick to figure out that Mary was Wy, and eagerly ran after Lincon to greet the girl.

"Hey, Mary!" Lincon called, slowing to a halt by the girl playing in the mud.

The girl looked up to see the boys and went back to her mud. "Hey. Why are you guys here."

"Dougal is coming over for dinner," Lincon told her with a sigh. "Can we eat here?"

She nodded. "Sure. I know how Dougal can be."

Peter was frowning, highly confused.

Mary stood and wiped her hands on her green dress. "Who're you?"

"P-Peter," he stammered.

"My first," Lincon clarified.

"He does look like you," Wy noted, adjusting her green headband and successfully smearing mud in her hair. "Come on, let's get inside before Hutt River decides to pounce."

The three kids went into the house. Mary pulled out food for the hungry boys and set it on the table, Peter frowning slightly at her still-dirty hands. But, there was no mud on his food, so he ate quietly.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

Peter blinked, his fork still in his mouth. He quickly ate to answer. "Um... I don't really know why... I just know that Oliver took me here..."

Mary shrugged, hugging her knees. "Cool. Lincon gets pretty lonely."

"I do not!" he burst, his cheeks puffing out.

A smile graced her lips.

"M... Mary, was it...?" Peter started.

The dark-haired girl turned to look at him.

"You're... Really different from Polly."

"I'm her opposite," she told him. "She's loud and snappy, I'm quiet and reserved."