The Beanies would observe the woodworkers' operations with genuine awe and wonder. There was nothing quite like seeing the hard work of others to keep the world going round, even if they could imagine seeing the processes automated by machinery or perhaps eschewed entirely depending on the world's technology level. Demony had feelings of deja vu as it observed the near-mechanical precision of the people performing their duties, as though it might have been in a position to oversee such operations some point in its past, or was it something else entirely? The fragmented sensations would yield no answers, only unattainable fantasies flitting just beyond the periphery that mocked at the shadowy creature's inability to comprehend their significance.

Back to the Beanies, they considered if they should ask someone, but were not sure if there would be anyone amicable enough to entertain them. The people all seemed mighty busy, and they might not even be legally allowed to sell the boards directly to them, so the Beanies opted to instead just sit in a location that stood out but not get in the way of their work and observe the ins and outs, hoping to catch someone's curiosity and/or attention.

One may wonder if the Beanies have the passive ability to quite simply manipulate events in their favour, as the bears would catch the attention of a muscular supervisor who didn't seem pleased to see random toys sitting on a storage crate, but at least she wasn't stomping over which was already a plus for the three teddy bears.

"Ugh. Did some kid accidentally wander in here and leave their toys lying around again?" The supervisor wondered aloud.
"Um, hi." Star squeaked awkwardly as they stood up.
"Oh great, did some ghost possess a plush toy this time?" The supervisor was unamused as she recalled recent news about bardic virtuoso wannabe ghosts haunting the city walls.
"We're not ghosts, we're Beanies!" Chili pounced up and placed their paws on the hips in annoyance.
"And what's a Beanie?" The supervisor simply countered.
"""Umm...""" The Beanies' perky energies were collectively halted as they wondered how they could even begin to explain their species. It just seemed so impossible given how far they were from 'normal', not helped by the fact that Chili was genuinely ignorant about their lore.
"A-ny-way!" Star shot back before this conversation could derail too far off the rails. "That doesn't matter right now! What matters is that we're here to ask where we could buy your wooden boards!"
"Wait wait wait, you're here for that?" The supervisor couldn't help but be intrigued now.
"Mm-hmm!" Goody readily nodded in response.
"We have a wagon to fix!" Star spread their arms wide.
"And you'll leave if I point you in the right direction?" The supervisor continued.
"""Yes!!!""" The three Beanies formed smiley eyes with their eyes flapped backwards.
"Sigh. Well, the nearest shop from here that won't be closing soon would be 'Elijah's Do-It-Yourself Supplies'. Take a left from there, head straight until you hit the fourth junction and turn left again, and you'll see it about 3 junctions down. Can be a bit on the pricey side, but they do a lot of customization."
"Okay!" Star gave a salute to signify they have received the directions loud and clear.
"""Thanks Ms. Supervisor!""" The Beanies showed their gratitude in unison by bowing politely, then waved and hopped down the crate to find Baird and let him know what's up.

    "Impeccable work yet again, my friends!" Baird oinked in celebration. He recounted the directions and boldly marched to them. It wasn't a big walk, considering all that they've done today, but it did have a decent lull of time between destinations. Not including the trip back to the wagon as well. They'd ultimately have just enough daylight to fix up the vehicle before supper.

    What matters is the deed will be done! Baird thought of what else he might wish to ask of the only other unusual beings he'd encountered since leaving home for the first time. His narrow gaze eventually concluded another search for questions.
    
    The beastman spoke as they made it passed the second block, "Do you think you guys will like living in this realm as much as where you came from, eventually? It is admirable to see you reach for your goals in spite of all the nuisance that has plagued you, and I want it to pay off for you." He tapped a whetter again in curiosity, hoping the question wasn't a sore subject.

    Indeed the people of Charon and beyond can't all be amazing, that is just life. The worst part is that the more different one is, the more difficult the rest are. The Beanies' answer to an earlier question pointed out as much. A good number that came to trade with his village back home were often similarly sleazy and rude as those he encountered here in the great capitol. Nevertheless, some were much better than that.

Cheerily bouncing along the roads and ignoring the many eyes falling among the strange band, the Beanies would slow down upon hearing Baird's question, and then stop when they were complimented by their fluffy friend.
"""Aww, thanks!""" The Beanies' cheeks stained red in response before fading back to normal as though it were never dirtied in the first place. Star would quickly add an "Oh no, it's fine! We don't need to buy as much food as a normal humanoid anyway!" in regards to Baird's offer.
"Just helping us with the wagon is more than enough for us! We will never have the strength for that, after all." Goody started off cheery, then dipped into a realistically somber tone for the second sentence. They knew their physical limits.

As for the preceding question, Star and Goody's pace would slow as they ruminated on the hidden complexities underneath the surface. Chili, the foodie simpleton that they are, however, simply replied, "Where there is food, Chili love!" and continued on their merry way without a care in the world. Star recalled envy for the innocence Chili harboured, while Goody remembered wanting to keep their polar bear friend out of anything that could threaten their cheery outlook. This world was large, complex and filled with its own intricacies. And they were characters in a storybook, which meant it was unlikely they were intended to exist in the plush in the first place. Then there was the matter of Demony. That tenebrous creature was something else, even if none of them - not even Demony - could come close to remembering what it was. A danger of its own right, one they were forced to live with.
"Star-plush hopes so," the winged Beanie replied while keeping a close eye on the happy-go-lucky Chili-plush.
"Goody will do Goody best to enjoy Charon," the hatted Beanie placed a gentle paw over their partner's shoulder to signal that they weren't alone.
"We should grab Chili-plush before they get distracted by something," Star then replied and the two would hop away from Baird to rein in their fellow Beanie before they overshot from their destination.

When the supervisor said Elijah's Do-It-Yourself Supplies did a lot of customization, she wasn't kidding. Various samples in shapes ranging from the practical to the artistic lined the walls, while prefabs and other items in predefined shapes and sizes littered the shelves in order of sizes and usage. The Beanies unfurled their blueprint and wondered what they should get with all the options presented in front of them. Their wagon did not appear to be of a standard design, so none of the prefab boards would fit just right, necessitating a mix of prefabs and some custom pieces to work with. While they were at it, they decided that they should get some additional items such as iron brackets, shelves, and components for a pressure sensor that would fire stakes to the ground when triggered. They found themselves going a little overboard, and out of concern that perhaps it might be too difficult to Baird to carry everything on their lonesome, they would buy a cart to go with it too. It was a pretty big purchase, but they would have enough Solars to pay it in full and have a number of coins left to spare.

Shopping complete, the Beanies would begin their way back to their wagon, hoping everything was still alright and checking that they haven't troubled Baird too much with their goods.

    Leverage, the bane of all the strong people of the world. Had all that wood been in a ball, Baird could still sprint with the weight! The cart was a big save. He'd use it like a rickshaw to combat the lopsided brackets and overlong lumber. Though the use of his labor might be considered exploitative at this point, honestly. In the end, Baird was just glad to have the workout. Rarely was he keen on gibbous-and-lunaring people over compensation, as work was a fantastic reward on its own in the boar's eyes.

    The packed up wagon was just in need of one more good application of elbow grease and it'd be like a prebuilt home on wheels. It may have taken much longer than it should have, but the Beanies would at last be granted a fair shake. Baird hoped that his efforts would prove that Charon is not a place welcoming of cavorting with duplicitousness, even if it can happen under the noses of proper folk. A gladly productive and pleasant couple of days it had been.

    The party would reach the wagon in due time. Somehow surprising to the boar, who thought himself an incredible athlete, the pathways of bumpy dirt and alternating elevations left him winded. On top of that, the wagon itself was now being swarmed by a gaggle of bored teenagers. They prodded, jumped, and smacked beats like the vehicle were a playground. The teetering and creaking indicated dreadful risk, but all they heard were the sounds of maybe something exciting just waiting to happen.

    Baird put down the cart to call out to the suspicious rapscallions, "[huff] 'Ey! That is- [puff] -not a good idea! [gasp] You won't like what happens if you- [wheeze] -if you pretend that's a toy."

Demony could feel the myriad assaults on the wagon frame, but alas, with the Beanies absent for most of the day there was barely any sustenance it could work with and thus could do naught but grit its closest approximate to teeth and try to pretend it was not present lest whomever was damaging the wagon spotted it. The giggles, laughter and jeering suggested it was a gaggle of unruly adolescents. Very much not what the tenebrous creature wanted to be dealing with.

The teenagers would simply laugh at the beastman trying to threaten them, noting from his voice that he was largely running on fumes, and besides, they trusted in their privilege too much to give a damn. Which certainly did not bode well for the Beanies.
"Hah! Do you know who I am? Third son of House Apiatas! Now scram before I call the guards on you!" The most well-dressed teenager among the gang hollered in response.
"Um um, o' third son of House Apiatas, please don't damage our wagon any further!" Goody was already halfway towards the noble before Star and Chili could stop them, paws placed together in a pleading pose and eyes gleaming with multiple wavering highlights.
"Goody-plush!" Star would quickly give chase out of concern, and Chili soon after.
"Whoa whoa whoa, what do we have here? A teddy bear owning a wagon?" The Apiatas fellow would raise his hand and curl it forwards a number of times, prompting the other teenagers to halt their destructive actions for the moment and gather around the area, where those who were on the wagon would descend, and all of them would redirect their attention to the four. "Well... I might be inclined to leave this wagon be if you would do me a favour." A malicious grin formed on the noble's face.
"What is it? Goo-Goody will do anything!" The hatted Beanie, desperate to protect their wagon, said words they really should know not to say in situations like this.
"Goody-plush, no!" Star, ever the sensible Beanie, understood all too well that was a terrible idea.
A spark[1] appeared on the noble's finger and he'd bring it towards the pleading teddy bear, stopping a Beanie head's breadth away. "Burn for me."
"GOOOOOOOOOGAAAAAAAAAAA!?" Needless to say, Goody was utterly terrified and leaned backwards in fear, though one leg remained planted on the spot.
"Tch." The noble pulled his finger back and punted the understandably terrified Beanie, sending them flying towards their fellow Beanies and the three would end up on the floor a distance away, bunched together. "Well then, I'll just burn the wagon. Come on, you all, move away before you get caught." The teenager would then slowly move his finger towards the wagon, as though desiring to maximize the anguish and dread that would undoubtedly assail the hapless Beanies.

"""NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!""" The three Beanies broke into tears of despair in response, and it was at that moment that something truly magical happened. Too steeped were the Beanies in their emotions to notice, but an undeniably powerful wave of magic launched from them, washing over everyone in the vicinity[2]. Baird would find himself utterly unaffected by the perverse possession, for he was already a staunch ally in defending the Beanies' interests and therefore not a threat that needed neutralizing.

By the time the Beanies saw fit to open their eyes once more, they would find the group of teenagers beginning to duke it out with one another for some reason. The Beanies couldn't help but do successive blinks in sheer confusion.
"Hey! Don't fight near our wagon!" Chili shouted first, comically missing the main point. Mysteriously, the teenagers would all obediently step away before continuing their battle.
"Why the heck are all of you fighting anyway?" Star questioned.
"We- Are- Deciding- Who- Is- The- Best- Friend- Among- Us!" "Best friend among us gets to be your protector!" The individuals answered discordantly while continuing to fight one another using whatever talents and implements they had. The Beanies collectively tilted their heads. Uhhh....
"No fighting! Goody no wanna see any of you fight!" They were still entirely lost on what this situation even entailed, but the words were entirely genuine.
"But-but how will we decide who is the best friend among us?" The teenagers were now pleading for the teddy bears to provide the guidance they so sorely needed.
"Oh, Star-plush knows! You all can help fix our wagon! Best performer wins the title of best friend!" They had no idea what was going on and how long it would last, but the winged plushie was not about to let an opportunity go to waste. The adolescents froze for a moment, and Star began to wonder if they had perhaps pushed their luck too far. Immediately after, though, the teenagers would glare at each other with fiery competitiveness in their eyes and head towards the wagon, with Star quickly rushing over to make sure they'd do more good than harm, and Chili joining in on the fun too in coordinating the effort.

"Thanks Mr. Baird!" Star would chime in as they hopped forward.
"Yeah, thanks!" Chili seconded.

"Goody and Star and Chili will take it from here. Mr. Baird should rest. Thanks again, Mr. Baird!" Goody would give their friend a little hug before diving into the labourious project that is reconstructing the wagon to the Beanies' specifications.

---

[1]Snobbish noble teenager: Create Spark

SPOILER: Click to show

By snapping your fingers you can summon forth a small flame that dances on the ends of your finger tips. This flame can be used to ignite flammable material like straw or hay, can be used to heat food or ignite objects like camp fires or torches. While this does burn, it does not create enough fire to deal large amounts of damage.

[2]Bardic Virtuoso - Perfect Charm

SPOILER: Click to show

Your smile and demeanor are so enthralling that those around you now view you as their best friend, wanting nothing more than to protect you. Anyone who can hear your voice will ignore all fear or charm effects and will do everything in their power to protect and defend you. Once per topic, you can force anyone who hears you, regardless of friend or foe, to commit their life to protect you for three posts, preventing them from being charmed by other effects as well.

    Baird wasn't sure what to do when they happened upon the uncooperative kids. He knew they wouldn't listen to whatever he has to say, but he wasn't going to hurt them for being young and stupid. Just as he was building up the energy to do something to ensure that all the Beanies and his hard work wouldn't go to waste, a pulse of emotion swept through everyone.

    The Beanies had tapped into something within themselves. It merely frazzled Baird's mind for a moment, it was like having his first glass of eggnog over again. He felt totally immersed in his concern for the Beanies. Then, just as quickly as it arrived, all went back to normal. The wave drifted and passed back into the ether. What followed would bewilder the boar.
    
    Each of the ruffians stood stock still in place, any not standing shot upright. Their eyes were blanking, but quickly they refocused. They all looked right at the Beanies huddled before them, then to each other, then back, then they just started swinging. Baird was just lost, none of it made sense to him in the moment. As the Beanies quickly took control of the situation, all started to go well.

    The work was handled with brevity and care. Baird hardly had to lift a finger before two more boys would rush over and take the wood out of his hands and get to hammering the nails. Goody would relieve the friend of his duty to the repair with a hug. Baird could only wrap a plump hand over their shoulders in return. With that, he did take the chance to have a seat and watch all the handicraft go on for a little while.

    Baird said to Star while they were formulating the next step in the repair and renovation, "Honestly seems like you have it all under control. I must say that I have had a magnificent couple of days goin' through all this with you three. In the end, I was only really needed to nudge you guys along to strive for better living, and you seized your place here with vigor. I'm glad to have been around to see it!" He gave a solid thumbs-up, something that ought to have been a signature of his with how gregarious it may appear. "But I don't feel right just being the backup. My place is either in the Marsh or making a difference, and I have done my small part for the time being. Thank you for the shelter and kindness, it means a lot that you've given it without hesitation. Hold on to your confidence and don't let anyone push you around and you all will be okay! I think it's time I prepared for wherever next needs the Baird. I look forward to when we may meet again, friends." He'd offer his hand down to the little one, as well as seeking a chance to offer his farewell to Chili and Goody.

    "Let Demony know I said 'take care'!" Then he may simply head off to catch whatever ships would be beginning their journey out at the afternoon hour.

    

Oh no! Star-plush can't just let Baird leave like that! What if they're stuck with these teenagers like this forever!? They can't call any of these jerks 'best friend' when they were just moving to ruin, even attempting to burn the Travelling Beanbag minutes ago!

"Um, Mr. Baird? Could Mr. Baird at least stay around until the wagon is completed?" Star's ears were flapped forward with wobbly, glistening highlights on their eyes and their paws put together in a pleading pose. Goody would then hop over from around the wagon corner to check on the blueprints, and upon seeing a visibly sad-looking Star, Goody would squeak with a concerned voice, "Did something happen, Star?"
"Mr. Baird says Mr. Baird leaving," Star replied with a sad voice, and Goody immediately turned teary in response.
"Already? But but, we haven't even eaten the milk-cream strudel yet!" The Beanies had been saving that for dinner, thinking that they would get another night with their gargantuan (by their standards) friend.
"Did Chili hear the word leaving?" Chili popped out of the other corner of the wagon and trod over post-haste. "Oh, but Chili wanted to show off Chili cooking skills to Baird!" Chili was absolutely not about to let a fellow foodie leave without at least having them try their cooking.
"If it's not too much trouble, could Mr. Baird stay with us one more night?" Goody asked meekly, their eyes teary and visibly reluctant to saw goodbye.
"We haven't gotten to repay Mr. Baird yet for everything today!" Star seconded.
"""Pleaseeeeeeee!""" The three Beanies were now on whatever constituted their knees and looking up at Baird with the cutest pleading expressions ever.

    The beastman felt embarrassed at the faux pa he apparently evoked. With both hands held up, "Of course, sure! One more night, I'll stick around. Hard to decline an offer of food and shelter." He'd rub at his crest, reptilian spines flicking out from the mohawk-like hump between his shoulders. "You don't gotta do all that though! I'm just glad to have met you guys and help someone who had been so kind to me. Still, I will appreciate anything you feel ya ought to do. I'll go set up the campfire while the rest of the fixin' gets done." 
    
    Strolling back over to the pit they had used prior, Baird began collecting the charcoal and preparing the next fire. Already he felt good about sticking around. The act of preparing fire was a sign of winding down from a long day. Setting up the kindling fills the boar's mind with images of stews and roasts. The city proper not too far in the distance still bustled with merchants and messengers, the patches of nature rustled with squirrels and seagulls. Here, in the middle between, was a beastman who hustled. Maybe it was better he slowed down a little, at least for now.

    The chilled ingredient pouches, frosted over with his one and only spell,^[1] shall outlast a little more delay. The elders would need to see him within the month, though. They must hear of the manifestation of their latest efforts.^[2] The creaking away of the wagon-work settled Baird's thirst for progress. All will be handled in due time.

---

^[1] Ice Over
^[2] Bull's Strength

"""Yay~!!!""" The Beanies sung cheerily in exultation as they heard their first friend in Charon agreeing to stay with them for one more night, and approached Baird to give him a triple Beanie hug before hopping back to get the wagon operating once more, alternating between coordinating logistics, putting things together and correcting mistakes from overeager teenagers with no real professional skillsets.

Anyhow, thanks to the power of the collective (numbers), the Travelling Beanbag has been fully rebuilt, now with the dollhouses built into one of the walls, a makeshift kitchen on one side with a stone kiln (thanks to one of the children with Earth magic), the myriad chairs and tables refurbished into foldable ones to allow for maximum space and easy storage when not in use, and more shelves. Optimization of vertical space was always important. Oh, and now there were pressure sensors that would launch stakes to the ground if any meanie tried to board the wagon without permission. With that, it was now time to name the best performer for this arduous endeavour.

"And the title of best friend goes to..." Star spoke with a clear, confident tone, at a pitch one might expect from an announcer. The atmopshere was tense, audible gulps were visible among some teenagers while the others shot glares at one another.

"Mr. Baird Sickleclaw, for not being a meanie to us in the first place!" Perhaps Star's vindictiveness might come as a surprise to their hearty friend. Perhaps another instance of a calculated social action would have him reconsider how genuine the winged plushie's emotions were. But yes, the winner was already decided the moment Star-plush had made that very suggestion.

Now, if this were any ordinary occasion, the likely sane-minded teenagers would have well realized that the entire competition was a farce, rigged from the start so that they could never win in the first place. However, the magical compulsion driving them to protect ran deep, and instead they would weep at the declaration that they were unworthy of the Beanies' grace - even though they had literally only learned of their names during the very construction of the trios' new abode and would obviously be reasonably far from a measure of proper friendship.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"

Anguished cries filled the air as uttered whispers, self-blame and misdirected anger threatened to turn the surroundings into a battlefield once more, though the pure exhaustion washing over them would see to it that none of their hostility materialized. Though now the Beanies felt really bad about the whole inadvertent exploitation thing. The teenagers' tears were entirely genuine as far as they were concerned.

"Oh, but you all did really well with the wagon so all of you deserve some nice, fuzzy Beanie hugs!"^[1] Star added, clearly flustered by the visible negativity even as they too remain equally confused as to whatever the heck was actually going on. It resulted in even more tears, now that of gratitude. (The scars they bore from their labour would fade away too, but that went entirely unnoticed by the trio.) Still, though, the guilt-ridden plushies would soldier on even as they feared the salty waterfalls.
"""Beanie hugs!""" The Beanies then went on and hugged all the teenagers one by one. Once they were done, Goody would add the following, "All of you should go home before your parents worry. Please stay safe!" "Do we have to?" "Yes!" "Okay..." The adolescents all left surprisingly obediently, and they would all be deep within Sol City before the magical hold over them faded away.

Now that the entire ordeal was over, the Beanies would finally make their way to the campfire Baird set up... and immediately fall flat to the floor in unison once they were close enough. Oh dear.

"Can't... move..." Was all Star managed to squeeze out of their being as the teddy bears found themselves wholly immobile.

---

^[1]Rejuvenating Speech

SPOILER: Click to show

Your voice comes across as very relaxing and calming, filling the air with positive and enthralling vibes that are very sweet to your allies. However, your enemies hear a very different speech, and they begin to feel a sense of foreboding dread that removes their willpower to keep going. An ally who hears you will be healed of all surface-level wounds and will feel inspired, pushing forward and continuing to fight. Enemies who hear you will be unable to cast healing spells or abilities, and can not be healed for the duration of your speech. This effect will last for two posts and can be used two times per topic.

    Something in Baird said that it shouldn't have been a surprise to hear Star engineer a social situation, this being the third(?) time they've done it in one day. Though the bare honesty at his award as 'best friend' did immediately fill him with warmth. The teenagers were certainly acting bizarre, but Baird only knew of the throwing-rocks-at-the-mutant or speed-walking-away variety, so he wasn't much of a judge. Everything did end well, though. He even felt pretty refreshed and healthier at Star's offer of Beanie Hugs.
    
    The realization struck of what had happened. Not of the teenagers and the (perhaps, maybe) mind-control, but of the kind of connection the Beanies have with Baird. He always was the one being accosted, cherishing those that go out of their way to be kind. He hadn't considered how important it may be to the Beanies that he may be that person for them as a couple thoughtful folk have been for him just recently.

    Then the spook of their collapse brought Baird out of his seat in worry. Though concerning, yes, the pratfall-esque nature of their uniform splat did bring a chuckle out of the boar's chest. "Heh, you three okay? Need some sweets or anything that I can do?" As he asked, he already had been scooping up each Beanie into his arms in a sort of cradling hug. Perhaps appropriately, he remembered way back to the nights he held a stuffed avianbear his father got in a trade in Lilicors. He'd resist the urge to squeeze the little Beanies, not knowing if it hurts them to do so. Following suit, he'd help in whatever capacity he could to keep the plushies comfortable.

The Beanies absolutely couldn't remember the last time they felt so drained of energy to the point their bodies outright refused to move - they would far sooner be struck with fuzzy sleepiness and made to recover through momentary hibernation before getting anywhere close to how they were feeling now. So tired they were, in fact, that even the words they wished to put out to the world refused to echo (for the curious, the Beanies' voices do not actually come from within them; rather, their voices are generated in front of them through some convoluted science fiction-esque interaction that was likely forcibly translated into a method that just works in Charon - to put it simply, they have some way of making the air in front of them vibrate in frequencies that result in clear voices, and this narration is just going to leave it at that here).

Anyway, back to the reality the Beanies were experiencing. Being helped up and cuddled by Baird certainly made the trio of teddy bears feel just that much happier, even if they didn't have the energy to express any of their joy through their expressions, voices or movements at the moment, resulting in them just flopping towards their (current) best friend's chest and seeming as though they just needed some hugs. Hugs are always good, though they had to be careful to keep themselves from accidentally falling asleep in the process. That milk-cream strudel would go bad by tomorrow!

After a short while of continued cradling, the trio would finally regain enough energy to speak, and they would ask Baird to help them cut up the strudel so that they could all dine in and hopefully convert all that fuel to enough energy to have another bustling campfire session.

    This was quickly turning into a pretend party for Baird, just as the ones he had when he was little. He set up the table from the wagon and gingerly placed the Beanies with their own plates. The knife sent crackles into the air from the flaky pastry gently pillowing the boar's measured cuts. Dividing it into three, he'd present the dessert to the sugar-fueled wonderlings in hopes that they'd recuperate. Creamy filling oozed slowly from the pastry.

    To ensure they stayed awake, and to just pass the time, Baird stoked conversation, "Ah, this takes me back. Gretchin was the best, she was my stuffed animal as a kid. We'd cook together, get into trouble, I learned how to sew and clean fabrics a bit to keep her fixed up. Just a toy, though, I don't mean to equate you three to something simple like that." He'd clear his throat and ask, "Judging by your reactions, you aren't quite sure about that power you emanated, are ya? Felt like just some bliss washed through me, but whatever hit those boys must've been the brunt of it." 
    
    Intriguing creatures, all at this camp were. Little restaurant hopefuls and the giant of papa's cooking. All the answers to Baird's questions thus far only brought more curiosity forth. However his perspective on the plushies was starting to complicate from their actions on top of that. Really it comes down to to the future to show how genuine their intentions are or how far they are willing to go to change hearts and minds.

The Beanies would nibble away at their milk-cream strudel happily, savouring their hard-earned(?) reward for the day's work. Been a long while since they undertook such a large-scale endeavour. The last time they built something this grand was... when was it again? Chili never seemed to be around all that much for their labourious constructions, Star and Goody thought, which was weird since their book literally revolved around The Wholesome Trio. No Chili meant no trio. Demony? Oh no, that shadowy creature was the antithesis of wholesomeness, both inside and outside of their literary tales. The polar bear plushie would remain blissfully unaware of their fellow lovebears' thoughts, greedily gorging away at the flaky dessert without a second glance.

"Oh, it's fine. We're used to being seen as toys. It's usually easier than trying to explain what we actually are." The lore was too far out of this world for the Beanies to even attempt, honestly, and they knew well enough that they really should not be sharing that despite their general open-mindedness otherwise.
"...We did?" Goody couldn't help but tilt their head in confusion, Star and Chili following right after. Sure, it made perfect sense considering what did actually happen, and would probably explain their sudden languidness following the passing of an emergency, but the trio couldn't get past their fundamental logic dictating that they should not be able to even use magic in the first place. After all, they were artificially created plush toys, imbued with a synthetic soul that allowed them to be animated, and their bodies were miracles of their own wrought about by over-engineered science! Yeah, they couldn't possibly explain this to anyone.
"Goody hopes the teenagers aren't mad at us." The hatted plushie looked down apologetically. Whatever happened couldn't have been pleasant, given how they went from a bunch of asshole adolescents to abhorrent admirers in a short span of time willing to fight one another over imagined affection. "Maybe we should apologize if we see them again."
"Did Goody already forget those teenagers tried to burn our wagon? Chili not apologizing! Ever!" Chili crossed their arms and shot an angry glare at Goody-plush. "They deserved it!"
"But but-" Goody, ever the kind-hearted Beanie, could not abide the stripping of the teenagers' free wills even if they were genuine meanies who were going to bring harm to them if whatever transpired did not happen.
"We can apologize if they apologize first. Otherwise, Star-plush says it is self-defense!" Star would come up with a compromise between the two polarizing thoughts expressed by their fellow Beanies.

Amidst one of the shelves within the Travelling Beanbag laid Demony, its emotions a mix of misery over its pain, bewilderment over whatever means allowed the Beanies to end their day none the worse for fear, and anger over the fact that the Beanies were rejoicing outside while it had to suffer the indignity of spending the entire time just lying flat and doing literally nothing. Pure, unadulterated hatred exuded from its being and it swore that one day, it will get the better of those accursed teddy bears.