[CG]

In the darkness, and preoccupied by trying to find the camera, Frankie didn't realise that she wasn't by herself anymore. Something massive, something horned, and something with glowing yellow eyes had suddenly began rising itself from the muddy creek bed directly behind her. She had landed not two feet from this form, and her shriek had startled whatever it was awake. The yellow eyes blinked cautiously before they glanced down. He could see the camera she was looking for. A mud covered arm-shaped object reached down and picked it up before holding it out to the small girl, nudging her with it's edge.

Frankie looked up and gratefully took it. "Oh, thanks, I would have ne--" She stopped herself, letting her eyes follow the arm upwards, until she could see the creature's horns, its massive, furry form, it's glowing eyes. She paled immediately and dropped the camera, taking a few steps backwards before she tripped and landed butt first into the creak. "M-m-m-m-mon...m-m-mo..."

The monsterous shape watched her drop the camera, and automatically picked it up again in it's muddy hands; before offering it to her again. But stopped, seeing the fear in her eyes as well as how white she'd gotten. It's massive teeth vanished slightly, it having bitten it's bottom lip over it's top; hiding only three teeth while the two canines almost as big as Frankie were remained glistening in what light they had. The mud beneath its feet squealched as it took a step back then it's mouth opened again. But this time it spoke. "P-perdon," he (obviously now, given how deep the voice was) said, voice shaking almost as much as Frankie was. "I, I no mean to..." he trailed off before he stepped forward again and held out her camera again.

Frankie lifted her hands from her face and stared at him, observing him for the first true time. Shakily, she reached for the camera. "Y... you're not ... bad," she stated, her voice still a little raw. She got to her feet, her legs feeling like jell-o. "You're... what... ARE you?"

The massive teeth pulled into a grin, happy to see the little girl wasn't going to run screaming like the other children had. He put a muddy hand to his chest, "I es imaginario amigo!" his deep rumbly voice declared proudly, but took another step back and tapped his hands together. An odd muffled 'clack' filled the air as he did, "Mi nombre es Eduardo." he mumbled, suddenly seeming self concious for being such a mess.

"Eduardo... huh," Frankie said, cocking her head, trying to get a good look at this creature in the dark. Her flashlight did little to help, seeing as how this beast was so large. "Im... imaginario... what?"

"Oh, perdon." Eduardo bowed his head a bit, "Imaginary. Imaginary friend." he clarified, smiling as shyly as someone with teeth who could bite through a bus with little effort could.

Frankie stifled a chuckle. "But I can see you."

He grinned boardly now, muffling his own laugh. "We is not always invisible. My little girl - she make me, she make me to be scary and chase away monster in closet. So I am is meant to be seen." Eduardo thought this made perfect sense. At least to him. How can you protect someone when you're invisible?

This only confused Frankie further. She, herself, had had an imaginary friend as a child ... but no one else ever SAW her creation. "But I ... well." She held out her hand -- which, admittdly, was now covered in mud and gunk. "My name's Frankie."

Eduardo paused, and shook his right hand free of the mud. Sure, her hand was covered but why would he make it worse? Instead of fingers wrapping around her hand, a hoof did instead. "Is pleasure to be making aqquaintance Frankie!"

~*~

So yeah, an interesting twist on just how Frankie came to hang out at Foster's. Seems her parents wouldn't acknowledge her own imaginary, thus making Frankie to believe they're just imaginary. Plus explains how she 'n Ed came to be at Foster's the same year.