She was looking at the card, confused. To her, it looked like any other card her friend had. She couldn't tell them apart, in all honesty, but she knew there were a lot of other cards she could find in a few places. She believed they were called gift cards, but that should be okay, right?
"But Honey Drop is already learning, every day. Honey Drop learned to write, and read words."
She picked out an interesting word from what Angelo said, that she didn't know the meaning of. So she turned to him and asked, "What is life?"
This was, mercifully, something Angelo had actual training for. Running into confused (and often dangerous) people who had no concept of what normal life was like. Having to explain to them.
"Life is this. What you're living right now. From the time you're born--or created--until the time you pass away, that's life. You could say all the things you experience are a part of your life. Going to school is, for most people, part of life. At school, you'll find people who are trained to help you learn. So that you can know all the things you need to know."
Things like reading, or learning. But also other, more important things.
"You'll meet new people there," Jude chimed in, glancing between the pair.
The slime shifted a little, trying her best to make sense of what Angelo was saying. Life is... from when she was born until she passed away? Those two words, Honey Drop could understand. She learned that on TV, but Angelo's words didn't link up for her. So she stood there, confused, even when the other Angelo told her that she could meet new people in school.
But she already meets new people every day. Well, almost every day. But sometimes whenever her friend came home, she'd have someone with her. They usually did strange things, while Honey Drop just watched the TV. She wondered if it was like that in school.
"So... School is part of life? And Honey Drop will meet new people there? Will Honey Drop have to leave home? Honey Drop does not want to leave friend."
So there was a friend? Someone Honey Drop was staying with. That absolutely complicated things, didn't it?
"I can't say anything for sure," Angelo said. "I don't know what your situation is. But, if you're staying with someone, they should have already contacted the school. Those who don't have an education, or who are young, are supposed to be in class."
There was a moment's pause, and then Angelo gave Jude a pointed look.
"Like him," he added. "Jude- Angelo goes to school."
There was no way the slime was going to abandon her friend, on that she had decided. After all, she was the one who took her in, let her have a safe place to make her home, and also kept fed while she was little. And if there was one thing she learned from accidentally turning on the TV, it was that friends shouldn't be left behind.
From what little she knew about the concepts of debt, she was sure that she had to stick around her friend until they were even. And from was provided to her, Honey Drop could safely guess that she had a big debt to repay, which contributed to her apprehension at going to school. Angelo's uncertainty was adding to that.
"Honey Drop will think about it."
Well that was a mess, wasn't it? But it was Jude who saw the obvious solution, clearing his throat.
"The person who took you in should have talked to you about all this," Jude said. "They probably didn't because they didn't know. But now that you do know, they might get in trouble if you don't end up getting registered with the island. It's like you're hiding in someone's house, not telling them that you're there." He nodded, and Angelo... well, Angelo didn't look so certain about the direction Jude was taking the conversation.
Honey Drop tilted her head sidewards at the 2nd Angelo. "But friend knows Honey Drop lives with her. Friend brought and fed Honey Drop when she was small. But Honey Drop will tell so friend will not be in trouble." She smiled happily.
She was beginning to doubt how special school was. People in the TV always say to be careful of things that are too good to be true, but they also say things giving people the benefit of the doubt. She didn't know what that meant, but people say it just before trusting someone.
"I guess..." Jude said after a moment, "I guess they probably thought you were, uhm, non-sapient. Like an animal, or a pet. But now you've grown up, so the rules are different. Like, when humans are babies, they don't have to go to school because it wouldn't help, but when they're more grown up, they go to school to learn."
It made sense to Jude, but when he looked to Angelo, the old man only gave a shrug.
"We should get going. I'll take you over to the station and get things cleared up," Angelo said. "You still technically have a warrant out, so clearing that up will make sure you're not having any other trouble with the police."
Honey Drop nodded to show acceptance of second Angelo's explanation, but she would have to figure out what he meant later because it didn't seem too important. More likely, it was just fluff to get her more into this school they kept talking about.
Then the first Angelo spoke up saying that he was going to take Honey Drop to the station, which she knew meant the police station, and at first she got a little defensive. She had done nothing wrong tonight, so why was she being taken to where bad people are sent to? But with the assurance that it was just to clear something up, she was a little relieved. Of course then. She didn't want another police officer to chase her around with the noisy tube.
"Honey Drop will come, only if Angelo promises there are no noisy tubes and that Honey Drop will not be... per... perse... jailed."
Angelo did not look terribly convinced, and made a small noise in his throat that was something like a mmmmhhhh.
"I can't promise anything," Angelo said. "There won't be any noisy tubes at least, but you did break the law, and we need to get that sorted out before anything else. Then you can go back to being a normal citizen."
Jude shifted a bit, slightly uncomfortable considering this was so far out of what he was used to. He wasn't a cop. He'd never been a cop. Even in his days of heroing, things were... well, different.
