Third floor common room [Tuesday evening]

[giveherahand]

Mara had a completely moddable pile of shiny things -- from buttons to electronics -- that her racoon-y self had stolen last week on the table in front of the television with a neatly printed "sorry, please take your stuff back" sign in front of it.

She'd also flipped channels until she'd found one of those competitive eating shows that Travis had told her about and was watching in morbid fascination as some guy tried to eat 30 hotdogs in three minutes.

Come on in, get your stuff back, lose your appetite!

Comments

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

"Ew," Rapunzel said, though it was to the TV, not to Mara. "What are you watching?"

She'd notice in a second that one of those shiny objects was a paintbrush she'd be missing, just as soon as she was sure the guy on the television wasn't going to be sick.

[giveherahand]

"People trying to make themselves sick," Mara said, making a face. "It's some kind of competition."

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

"Why would they -- hey, that's where my brush went!" And cue Rapunzel scampering in, hair dragging behind her, and scooping up the brush with a curious little glance at Mara.

She wasn't going to outright accuse anyone here, but...um.

[giveherahand]

Mara blushed. "I found them in my room," she said. "I was a raccoon last week."

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

"Ohhhhh." And just like that, all was forgiven.

"Are you normally a raccoon-person or was that just a last-week thing?" Rapunzel asked, much in the way one might casually ask if someone was a coffee or tea drinker.

[giveherahand]

"Just last week," Mara said. "I started the week as a boy and ended it a raccoon. I think I'm just not going to try to vacation again."

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

"Oh, you got stuck with the boy thing?" Rapunzel winced sympathetically. "I got skipped. Maybe you'll get skipped on the next couple...weird things? To make up for it?"

[giveherahand]

"That would be nice," Mara said. "My guardian at home gets...irritated...when I can't report in regularly."

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

"Aww, I know how that goes," Rapunzel sighed, dragging her hair over so she could sit on a couch. Because why not continue to watch this horrifying food thing on TV with her new friend, here? "I mean, my mother's really overprotective, too, even if I don't check in with her...ever."

So maybe it wasn't really the same.

"I'm Rapunzel, by the way."

[giveherahand]

"Mara," Mara replied. "That's a lot of hair," she added, "and I've heard about the Alderaanian princess's."

Shh, it was funny to her.

"Do you always wear it down?"

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

"I fall over if I try to wear it on my head," Rapunzel admitted, "but my friend Barry made me a hat that I can wear that transports it to another dimension, so I can like, go out in public without people thinking something's wrong with me."

At least, they wouldn't think so because of her hair, anyway.

[giveherahand]

Mara blinked. "That sounds...useful. Back home there are a few systems that have extremely elaborate hair."

She patted her ponytail. "I prefer something simple."

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

"And it's such a pretty color," Rapunzel sighed, leaning her chin in her hands as she eyed Mara's hair enviously. "I'd cut mine but it's magic and doesn't grow back if I do."

You know, that old problem that so many people have.

[giveherahand]

"It won't grow back ever?" Mara frowned. "That seems horrible."

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

Rapunzel lifted her hair off her neck to show Mara the lone lock of hair there. "And it turns brown," she said, nodding. "I know. As far as magic gifts go, mine's kinda dumb. Is your hair magic?"

Because it was really really red. Rapunzel didn't know a lot of people with hair that vivid.

[giveherahand]

Mara laughed. "No, just red."

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

"I only know one other person with red hair," she said thoughtfully, "but it's only red sometimes. She's a shapeshifter."

That was a helpful explanation, Rapunzel, good job.

"But yours is really pretty!"

[giveherahand]

"Thank you," Mara said. "So's yours, but I'm sure you're tired of hearing it."

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

"Meh," Rapunzel said, shrugging. "It's always nice to hear, even if I get it a lot!" She didn't want to seem conceited, seriously. "So like, are you new this semester? I've been here since summer and I'm trying to decide if I'm just a ditz who didn't notice you or if you're new."

[giveherahand]

"No, I'm new," Mara said, "and in really weird classes."

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

"That's just kind of classes, here," Rapunzel admitted sympathetically, nodding. "Which ones?"

[giveherahand]

"One on spying, one on being a mercenary, and two about my destiny," Mara said. "I don't get it."

[likes-ducklings.livejournal.com]

"Those sound...intense," Rapunzel said carefully. "Mine are all cooking and story-telling stuff."

Significantly less intense, yes.

"But they're still weird classes."

[giveherahand]

"I'm a dancer," Mara said. "I have no idea what I'm doing in a mercenary class!"

Liar, liar pants on fire, Mara.

[not-called-icky.livejournal.com]

Stopping by the common room for a cup of tea, Ichabod found a treasured possession in the pile on the table.

"My pen knife!" he exclaimed, quite pleased. He then frowned at the television.

"But what on Earth is that?"

[giveherahand]

"Terrible, terrible things," Mara said. "It's called a hot dog eating contest."

[not-called-icky.livejournal.com]

"That is quite disgusting," Ichabod agreed, then added: "Have we met, by the way? My name is Ichabod Crane."

[giveherahand]

"Mara Jade," she replied, smiling. "I think we've missed each other. It's nice to meet you."

[not-called-icky.livejournal.com]

"A pleasure, miss Mara," he replied, adding cheerfully: "May I ask what compels you to watch such horrifying displays of gluttony on the television?"

[giveherahand]

"I didn't really believe it existed," she admitted. "A friend told me about it and I needed to confirm for myself. I might never eat a sausage again."