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There's a quiet little home in Goatshire, a quaint place not too far from Aristotle's home, but not really that close either. Billie and her mother have their little stead, a modest home of two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a dining area. Outside is a little garden filled with diverse little flowers, and it's a peaceful home for a humble family. The mother lounges outside in a patio chair; the soft autumn breeze and the light crackle of tumbling leaves create a blissful, musical ambiance. A mother goat with patchy white and brown fur, a meek creature with the voice of an angel, strums away at her acoustic guitar.
She brushes her long, pierced ear out of her pretty face, rustling her little pink nose. She slides her two hooved fingers across the fretboard, looking for a particular key as the guitar rests on her palm, cradled by her third hoof thumb. She doesn't use a plastic or wooden pick, but her fingers to pluck. She finds it to be a unique sound that brings chemistry and sincerity to her work. Belle has a little notebook on her side with lyrics. Some of them are scratched out, some of them are rewritten, and others have notes written off to the side in elegant cursive.
Belle has good penmanship, probably the best in the family. Billie had adopted a mix of her and her father's writing. Belle used to tease Arthur for writing like a doctor, but he insisted it was intentional. Sure, it was. That's what they all say. She mutters lyrics to herself, trying to come up with a theme. As the sun peers over her shoulder, casting a figure onto the ground, she smiles with inspiration.
♪"Me… and my shadow, we're bosom buddies 'til the very end… Me and my shadow… it shares my interests… and will always be my friend… Sometimes, when I'm all alone, my shadow will always be there to cheer me up."♪
She shakes her head. She's not satisfied with the lyrics.
"It needs something different."
She sighs before taking up her guitar, rising from her chair, stretching, and walking indoors, propping the guitar against the wall. Belle is thirsty. She walks indoors and over to her quaint little fridge she calls her "ice box". She draws a glass pitcher of iced tea from the fridge and pours it into a glass with a little lemon wedge squeezed into the cup and a few chunky balls of ice. The ice rattles around as she sips at it through a straw, letting out a satisfied "ah" as she quenches her thirst. The door swings open as she takes another sip; the little bell jingling and the spring-loaded shutter snapping the door closed, followed by the rustling of chicken wire framing gives away the presence of an intruder. Belle responds as she takes another sip.
"Hm?"
A squeaky voice calls from the other room.
"Hi, Mom!"
False alarm. It's just Billie, stumbling into the house and immediately bolting upstairs to her room.
"Bye, Mom!"
Quickly, Belle places the tea on the table, nearly knocking it over.
"Billie!"
She sets the glass, only losing a tiny bit before stumbling up the stairs after Billie. She swings open the door to find Billie lying on her bed. She looks up to her mom, none the wiser that anything is wrong.
"Hey, Mom. Long time, no see."
Belle catches her breath at the door. Billie continues, explaining her rare motive for being home.
"I came to fetch Oscar's spare collar. He snagged it on the fence at Aristotle's place, and now it's all torn up."
Belle shakes her head, noting that it's pretty typical for that fox to ruin his own things.
"He's so bad with collars."
Billie rolls her eyes as she claims the other collar from her side table drawer.
"I'll say."
Belle continues.
"How's the search for your father's gems going?"
Billie allows her head to fall back into the poofy comforter of her bed.
"Meh. We have four of them. There's mine, Aristotle's, Barnaby's, and Fantoccio's."
Belle walks over to the bed, curious.
"Barnaby? Fantoccio? Who are they?"
She sits, smiling with an enthusiastic interest in Billie's adventures. Billie elaborates.
"Well, Barnaby is a ghost owl. At first, we had a little, how should I put this?… Issue. It was a bit of a misunderstanding, but Barnaby is very sweet and kind, and we've been friends for a little bit."
Belle places her hand on Billie's shoulder with a smile.
"That's nice. I'm so glad you're making new friends, sweetie."
Billie nods, turning her head to her mother so they can face each other. Belle continues her interrogation.
"And who's Fantoccio?"
Billie leans in.
"He's a little wooden puppet man. He can walk and talk and everything. A spell brought him to life. I had a problem with him, too, at first, but I think we could wind up being good friends someday. Things are still fresh and new with my friends, but I hope that one day we'll all be as close as I am with Lewis and Lily."
Billie scoots over on her bed so her mom can sit next to her. Belle misses Billie a lot and just wants to spend some time with her.
"How are those two doing? It's been a while since we had them over for a game of Goats and Goblins. I did pretty well last time. Didn't I?"
Billie laughs.
"You sure did. It was really creative, making yourself a bard. Lewis told me bards are usually kinda useless in fantasy though, but thanks to you, we were able to strip the enemy's armor just enough to win."
Belle folds her arms proudly. Little does she realize Lewis was just being nice and making up rules so that Belle could be the hero, just to make her happy. Billie continues.
"Something amazing has happened between them. I think Lewis and Lily are… dating now. Ever since we went to that party at Barnaby's, they've been behaving like little lovebirds ever since."
Belle clasps her hooves together, finding that just too precious.
"Aww. I wish the best for them. I always wondered if either of them would wind up together, or with you."
Billie raises her brow.
"Me?"
Belle shrugs.
"Yeah. Why not?"
Billie shakes her head.
"Okay, Mom."
She chuckles. Billie then has a thought cross her mind… Dad. She wonders.
"Hey, Mom?"
Belle lies in bed with her head propped up on her shoulder. She smiles at Billie.
"Yes, honey?"
Billie wraps her arms around her pillow, squeezing it hard to her chest.
"I had this weird dream a while back. It was about Dad, and he was in this really bad place filled with fire and death, and I saw him, spoke with him. Something wasn't right about him. He didn't sound like Dad at all, and he told me he was being controlled by an evil monster. He told me not to pursue him."
Belle sits up in bed. She doesn't quite know what to make of it. She shakes her head.
"Well, what did I say about sneaking those late-night snacks? "
Billie interrupts, rolling her eyes and speaking in a deadpan manner. Her mother had become all too predictable in her responses.
"If I keep eating junk in the middle of the night, I'm gonna get nightmares. Yeah, I know, Mom. But it felt so real. I've been spooked about it ever since. I can't stop thinking about it. It won't go away, and no matter how many times I tell people it doesn't seem to ease my mind."
Belle takes Billie by the hoof.
"You know what I think? I think you miss your dad. And I get it, I miss him too. I'd give anything just to see him again."
Belle falls back on the bed, lying. Billie inquires of her.
"Why don't you go on dates? Try to find someone. I know I've been really busy trying to find those gems, but there's no reason you should just be here all by yourself all the time. How about hanging out with your old friends again? I bet Gabrielle misses you. There are hundreds of people out there, Mom. I just hate to see you so bummed out and lonely all the time."
Billie scoots over to the edge of the bed, sitting with her mom, laying her head on her shoulder.
"I guess I haven't really tried branching out and seeing new people. It's just, he's always felt so… irreplaceable to me, like no matter what, I'll never find someone as kind and funny and loving as your father."
She shakes her head.
"Maybe I am just a sad sack... Oh! I've written a new song."
Billie lifts her head.
"Really? Can I hear it?"
Belle rises to get her guitar. She comes back and, after tuning for a little bit and muttering to herself, she proceeds.
"Now, it's a little rough. I still don't have the lyrics all figured out yet, but I think I'm onto something. It's called 'Walking With My Shadow'."
She sings and plays a soft melody on her acoustic guitar.
♪"Me… and my shadow,
we're bosom buddies
'til the very end.
"Me… and my shadow,
It shares my interests
and will always be my friend.
"Sometimes when I'm all alone,
my shadow will be there to cheer me up.
As I have grown, so it has too,
my shadow is someone I will always trust.
"In the best of times and the worst of all,
my shadow will be there when I fall...
because
"me… and my shadow,
I know I can count on it
to always be there.
"Me… and my shadow,
it follows me always,
everywhere.
"Even in the dark, when I'm alone,
my shadow always holds me close,
for when I'm afraid, it comforts me.
"My shadow will never be...
away… from… me."♪
She finishes, rising from her chair and setting down her guitar. Billie smiles throughout the whole song, but she wonders… what is the symbolism behind the shadow? Is the shadow supposed to represent someone? Is it literal, or metaphorical? A projection of her loneliness? Billie rises from her bed and heads for the door. It was a nice song, but she is starting to feel like her mom is just bumming her out. She wants to escape, back to the world of magic and mysticism, gems and adventure. She yearns for escapism once again after going back to her mundane, normal world with her boring, normal mom.
"That was pretty. It's a nice song."
Belle grabs her by the hoof.
"You're not even gonna say goodbye before bolting out the door?"
Belle looks at her sadly, placing her hand on Billie's cheek.
"Look, Mom, it was nice to come back and see you for a little bit, but I oughta get going."
Belle snickers through her nostrils, slightly shaking her head in acceptance.
"Okay, but not before I give you a big fat kiss."
Belle plants a big kiss on Billie's cheek, and Billie laughs. She throws her arms around her mom. Belle speaks.
"Keep Aristotle outta trouble, okay? I don't wanna see that big silly-head on wanted posters again."
Billie laughs.
"I'll try, but he's a big responsibility."
Belle holds Billie close, reluctant to let go. She speaks softly in Billie's ear.
"I love you."
Billie smiles as she looks over her mother's shoulder.
"I love you, too, Mom."
They release with a smile. Billie waves as she walks out the door. Belle follows, maintaining a smile until she's gone from view. Belle's smile wanes. She's here one second, and then she's gone again. Belle talks to herself as she marches back upstairs to her room.
"My shadow… so stupid."
Belle flops back into her bed, looking down at the long-vacant spot beside her. She sighs.
"See other people, she says. There's never been another like Arthur… Well, maybe one…"
She opens her corner drawer and removes a picture, chuckling. She snorts through her nose as she holds the photo up. It's always made her smile, even when she's feeling bad.
"Nah. That would never work."