This is two thirds through roleplaying, and we're back with more Becky Joy and SnowCatCuties- but this one has a bit of Mary Kate as well!

 
The wind blew in, causing a bit of dust to pick up. The setting of the distant sun created a nice orange glow. Some birds chirped in a nearby tree. A sign swinging slightly making a rustic rattle over the entrance to the quiet old inn on the edge of South Degrassi.

In the distance, the roar of SnowCatCuties' bike could be heard from the cloud of dust as everyone on board approached. This included Becky Joy as well as her crew.

"What'd you say?!" Becky asked loudly over the roar of the engine. "I can't hear you!"

"Am I going the right way?" shouted SnowCat.

"I dunno!" Becky answered back. "Why are you yelling?!"

"We're going the right way," Goblina chimed in, just loud enough to be heard.

"Because you said you couldn't hear me and thanks Goblina. Are we nearly there?" Snow replied.

"If you don't slow down," Darson pointed out, "we'll fly right by it at this speed!"

Snow quickly applied the brakes. She then drove more slowly into town looking for somewhere to park. "Wasn't that fast, just maybe faster than you are used to." Snow laughed. "Where do I have to go from here?"

"To an inn!" Green yelled. "So I can get off of this crazy thing, Jane!"

Cruising around town, Snow looked out for an Inn hoping one of them would give direction or point out somewhere along the way. She spotted one that looked a bit run down and stopped the bike.

"You guy's sure about this? I'd rather camp out," Snow commented.

"That.." Becky paused. "Is the most awesome idea ever!"

"Awesome!" Snow started up the engine and continued to look around.

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That night, they found a place local that she could set up camp. Snow got out the poles for her tent and started to set it up. "It doesn't matter how many times I set this up, it never gets easier," she said, talking to herself. After a moment, she went back to her bike and trailer to find something to make it easier. Just then, a brilliant idea came to her. "Why don't I just sleep in the trailer, it's big enough," Snow thought. With that in mind, she packed up her stuff and went looking for a shop.

Once she found the shop, Snow walked in and started to look around for some materials to create a roof to her trailer. As she turned down an aisle, she nearly walked into a guy standing there.

"Oops sorry, hi." Snow greeted.

The random guy looked startled. "Oh hey how are you?"

"I'm good thanks, you?"

"Yah I'm good thanks, you ok?" he continued.

"Yes I'm fine." Snow was now puzzled by the man. "How are you?"

"I'm fantastic and you?"

"Yeh I'm good, I'm sorry - can I help you?" Snow asked.

"No I'm fine thanks," he replied.

She slowly moved on from the guy, trying to not carry on the repetitive conversation. Snow looked around the shop for the various things she needed.

"What do you need?" the same guy asked.

Snow, thinking 'Oh God,' replied with, "Just some wood or some plastic."

"Oh yes good choices. What you looking for?"

"Any type really," Snow responded.

"Brilliant, what are you after?"

Snow wanted to scream but calmly said, "Just some things. I'm sorry; do you work here?"

"No, I'm just shopping. What about you?"

"I'm. Just shopping," Snow replied, trying to edge away.

"Awesome, what you doing?"

"I'm shopping," Snow started to get more annoyed.

"Ok, well I'll leave you to it."

Relieved, Snow continued to shop. She found some plastic sheets and some rope but thought she would look for some wood.

"Here you go." Presenting a rake was the same random guy.

"Ummm… that's not what I'm looking for," Snow explained.

"Oh ok." He walked off with the rake. Snow found her wood as well as some straw and headed to the shop counter.

"I got this this for you." He tried to pass over a pitchfork.

"Again, I don't need that." Snow said. He walked off again.

Suddenly, there was a loud thud followed by a crash and a slosh noise.

"Oh Roger, what have you done now!" the shop assistant shouted.

The random guy, Roger, returned covered in paint holding a cardboard box. "I found a box. Is it free?"

"Oh Roger, you're covered in paint what happened?"

"I don't know, I just found a box."

"I'll clean it up in a minute," She turned to Snow and started to tally up the cost of her items as Roger walked off with his box. "Sorry about him. He's a bit ditsy sometimes."

"It's ok, he's a bit weird though, isn't he."

"You'd be surprised by half the stuff he comes out with. He has a memory problem but some days he's just fine."

"Oh ok, Must just be one of his off days."

"Yes, It seems so. Is there anything else?"

"Actually, I think I'll get some paint." Snow laughed.

Just then, Roger came back with a tin of paint. "Julie, you wanted paint?"

"No not me. I said that you are covered in paint."

"Oh how did that happen?" He started to walk off muttering to himself.

"Wait what colour, do you have there?" Snow asked approaching him.

Roger looked down at the tin that said 'White' on the side and read, "It's grey."

Snow saw that it said 'White' and asked "May I have it?" Roger passed it over and Snow headed back to the counter. "Julie is it?"

"Yes it is," she replied.

"I don't suppose you have black paint as well?"

"Oooo, I'll have a look but I highly doubt it." She walked off and after a few moments returned with a smile on her face and a tin in her hand. "You're in luck, It's the last one."

"Perfect, I'll take it." With that Snow paid and headed to the trailer and created her shelter. Once, it was created, Snow then used the black and white paint to decorate her new build.

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Some indeterminable number of hours or days later, Becky again set out on the town, hopping and skipping as she went. Becky loves to skip ya know??

Degrassi was always a great place to skip, too, with just the right mix of flat lands and hilly areas. Becky spent a good time enjoying her skipping when she suddenly got an even better idea.

"I'm gonna hop!" Becky said to herself, before making a face. "I shouldn't tell me what to do! Ohwells, I'm gonna do it, just to be nice to myself, heehee!"

So she jumped up, came down hard, landing on both feet, and started hopping and skipping. Ohh boy, was that fun!

Fun, fun, fun!

**---**

Mary felt like she and Wildfall had been wandering around this town of Degrassi for hours and not getting anywhere in their search for their friends when she saw this girl skipping and hopping all over the place.

Mary walked up to the girl and asked, “Excuse me but are you from around here? My friend and I are looking for his friends, Todd Blackpaws and his companion, Fahari. Would you happen to know them or their whereabouts?”

Becky suddenly stopped in her tracks. "Eep! Did you say Todd Cutiepaws?! Hehe.. I don't think he likes it when I call him that, cause I teased him about that in the other world, and did you know that's where Sassy Snake's from and she has a lot of 's's' in her name, but she's stuck here now? And she travels with Linger and he's this big troll, and did you say something about Todd and Fahari? I was busy hoppin along!"

“Well I don’t know what you call Todd and don’t know what other world you are talking about but I think it is the same Todd we are trying to find. Do you know where he is?” Mary asked, obviously confused by the girl’s behaviour and rambling.

Becky started to answer, but got distracted. "Ohh.. I wonder if I can hop in place on one foot?!"

Mary started to feel her temper flaring and said, “Look, miss, all I want to know is if you have seen Todd or Fahari and then you can go back to hopping or skipping all you want."

Becky eep'ed and stopped, standing perfectly still. "Okay, I am sorry I hopped and that I want to hop on one foot, and I don't wanna get in trouble. Yeah, I have seen Todd a lot but I haven't seen him in a long time. I wish I did cause I like Todd and the girls like him and. . . "

Becky paused and frowned as she saw Mary's glare. Becky shook her head, saying, "Nope, haven't seen Todd or Fahari in quite a bit, sorry. I'm not from around here, but I come here a lot. I'm like a deputy kinda here, sort of. Oh, and I don't like to carve my initials into trees. What's your name? Do you want me to help you find Todd and Fahari? Are you like, a serious person that'll keep Todd out of trouble and stuff?"

Frustrated by this girl’s behavior, Mary tried to keep her temper in check as she answered, “My name is Mary Katherine O’Toole, but just call me Mary, tho close friends call my MK. I don’t know Todd well enough but really don’t think I could keep him out of trouble. That is Fahari’s job if anyone can do it. I just try to keep Wildfall out of trouble and that is a full time job in itself. Hehe. What is your name and what are you a deputy of and why would you carve your initials into a tree? That hurts the tree.”

"Oh hi!" the girl said as Wildfall walked up. "I'm Becky Joy! MK, that is a coolies name, I like that. Hi, Mary's friend Wildfall! Hehe, your initials are MFW, I think."

Wildfall just shook his head. "Hi there, just here go collect Mary. You're a friend of Todd's huh? He's talked quite a bit about you. And anyway, we gotta get going. Do stuff, ya know how it is."

Becky giggled. "Ohh, okay. Bye, Mary! Bye, Mary's friend! Kay, bye!"

“Nice to meet you Becky Joy.. Maybe someday we will meet again. Hope you have lots of fun hopping and skipping. Just watch out and don’t fall or run into anyone,” Mary said as she and Wildfall walked away.

"Okay!" Becky said as she bounced in the other direction. "I will be careful not to get hurt so I don't get in trouble again! See yas!"

Wildfall chuckled as they walked off. "Yeah, Mary, I'll tell you all about her later if ya want. Like I said, Todd talks about her a lot."

Mary shook her head as she watched Becky Joy bouncing away and said, “That girl and her conversation made me dizzy trying to follow all she was rambling on about. How do you know what she was talking about? Is she always like that? I’ve gotten a headache just from this encounter.”

Wildfall shrugged. "Eh, you get used to it with her. She's a sweet kid, just. . . odd. Unique? Next time she does that, try counting slowly. Maybe she'll think she's about to get in trouble and behave herself."

Mary chuckled. ”I’m not sure that is a possibility with that girl.”

**---**

The sun rose as quickly as it set. Days flew by as everyone did their own thing. Most of it was hilarious, I'm sure. Snow could often be found in the evenings watching the sunset at her campsite with the fire pit going. One day she went hunting and she got herself a nice catch that she would share with the others if they joined her in time. The week was drawing to a close yet it felt like only days that they had been in Degrassi.

This particular dreary afternoon they sat under oppressive gray skies, just on the outskirts of town near SnowCat's "campsite."

Snow headed in her trailer and pulled out some meat she had recently hunted and got it ready to cook. She pulled out a black pot that looked a bit like cauldron and placed some water in it before setting it on the fire. Next, Snow started to peel some potatoes before cutting them into pieces and placing them in the pot. After that she added her small chunks of meat, stirring it round and round but not mixing the layers. She added some herbs she found and stirred again.

Snow sniffed her cooking. “Hmmm doesn't that start to smell lovely? I do love a good potjie don't you?” she asked the others.

"Yes we do!" Becky and all four Goblins answered at exactly the same time.

“Brilliant!” Snow replied excited. “My dad would enter contests yearly for them and he always won. Eventually they gave up the contest. I try to follow in his footsteps. Want to try some? It is hot!” Snow lifted the spoon out with some in, the steam coming off showing the heat radiating from the food offering a small taste to everyone.

Red pushed past the others. "Oh, you want me to go first, everyone? Okay-doke!"

Snow went to give Red a mouth full. "Careful it's hot, give it a blow quickly."

Red shoved it into his mouth, yelped, and ran away breathing fire, which was weird.

"Whoa," Goblina said. "That is hot. Does it usually do that?"

"Not really, it's a first." Snow laughed. "I'll go check on him and see if it needs anything." Snow started to head to Red with a bottle of water.

"Okay!" Becky said excitedly. "I'll stay here and be mission control! Becky out!"

"What?" Snow quizzed.

"Too late," Becky replied in a serious voice. "I already said 'Becky out.' Try again later please!"

Snow had a puzzled looked and stared at her for a minute before shaking her head and running over the Red. She handed over the water. "I told you it was hot. What do you think? Does it need anything?"

Red gulped it down. "Yah, a hazard sign!"

There's random stage laughter again.

"Oops, sorry," Red said. "We're too close to the forest. Let me step over here."

More random stage laughter, but it stopped as soon as Red walked back towards camp.

"Hey, woods, here's a joke for you," Snow announced. "My boyfriend told me to take a spider out instead of killing it. We went and had some drinks. Cool guy. Wants to be a lawyer."

After a long pause, Snow heard a single laugh, although maybe it was an owl hooting. Satisfied, she walked back to camp with a smile on her face, where Becky held out a single gift to her.

"Oh!" Snow looked shocked. "Is that for me?" She took it and read the note. After a few minutes, Snow sighed. "This is really confusing. Where did you find these, Becky?"

Becky quietly pointed to the trailer over by Snow's bike. Snow looked at the trailer and back at the note. "This might take a moment, is this not from you?"

Becky just shook her head. "Head shake means 'no'ums.' Or sometimes, just 'no.'"

"Hmmm OK." Snow read the note again, to try to make sense of it.

After a few minutes, Red finally broke the silence with a soft chuckle. "'Wants to be a lawyer,' haha.. I get it now."

I got a kick out of Snow meeting a strange guy- and then Becky being the strange girl that Mary Kate met, hehe.

I've grown fond recently of co-writes like this where part of it is by one author or another and then the rest of it is a co-write. This piece, by the way, won runner-up for best co-write, giving a point each to Mary Kate, SnowCat and Becky. (The voter didn't mention Wildfall, so no point for him.) The voter talked about how he "actually like how time sorta become this amorphous concept. Neat way to put things in perspective of how Becky sees the world," which is something (as Becky's writer) I hadn't even thought of until I read the comments but it fits. He called this piece "a ton of fun," and I think that's a fitting way to put it! Plus, the last bit of the story finally propels Snow and Becky on their first step towards the town too!

Plus I'm really fond of the laugh bit from the forest, which is a bit of a rip of a Futurama skit parodying Scooby Doo. Makes sense, with Red and Green being Super Mario / Luigi homages.. I guess? We only got a little Mary and a tiny bit of Wildfall- but the two are up next along with Koumori!