2nd Floor Common Room, Sunday Afternoon

[bookbeltof_love]

"And then the Princess Ce'na encountered the Maze of Longing with her loyal and faithful knight, Sir Foomy, at her side…," Nina narrated for the sake of the video she was shooting. Of, yes, bird!Vette (now an amnesiac princess bird!Vette) and her loyal jelly demon and the maze that Nina had made out of the common room floor.

It had taken her a few hours of drawing to get how to summon that down pat, but given that the bird princess and the jelly knight slept more than she did, well, Nina had had the time.

And it was worth it to watch Princess Ce'na trepidatiously enter the maze of string-trees and origami leaves that shivered in winds unknown to find, perhaps, a way to regain her memories!

Nina was… still probably not the best one to leave people trapped by tropes with all weekend.

"Would the maze treat them kindly? Or would they never be heard from again???????????"

On cue, there was the cawing laughter of crows.

"And what of the evil Miss Dozy, waiting at the other end of the maze????????"

Miss Dozy yawned, so thoroughly over this game. Nina was undeterred.

[Open, of course! Mind the maze that's taken up most of the floor!]

Comments

[seriesofbaddecisions]

"Exactly," Sabine said. "You just have to put yourself out there."

...And went back to her poetry, because how did she have a conversation?

[bookbeltof_love]

Nina considered that.

"Do you have advice for girls??????????????" she wondered.

Because she could use some advice.

[seriesofbaddecisions]

There was a too long silence.

"If you're in a rut, try something new. Dye your hair. Try a different style!"

Basically, just look like Sabine?

[bookbeltof_love]

But Nina wouldn't look good like Sabine!

"I guess," she said, rather dubiously. "But, like, is it worth it when you don't know if someone even likes you??????????????"

[seriesofbaddecisions]

"How will you find out if you don't take some chances?" Sabine countered, wisely. Sort of.

[bookbeltof_love]

Nina squinted.

"Shouldn't they, like, like me for me???????????????"

[seriesofbaddecisions]

"You're still you! Just repackaged."

This was not great advice. Listen. It wasn't like Sabine could do much here except bounce in and out of guys' lives for their benefit.

[bookbeltof_love]

"Repackaged??????????????"

This... this was not the sort of advice Nina really appreciated either.

"I like my packaging!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[seriesofbaddecisions]

She'd apologize for this tomorrow.

"But it's what's on the inside that counts."

This is why she talked to guys. They ate this up.

[bookbeltof_love]

Guys were dumb that way. So dumb.

"Then why does the packaging matter?????????????"

[seriesofbaddecisions]

"Because!" Sabine said brightly.

Go look at what she did to Anakin.

[bookbeltof_love]

"Are you dating anyone???????????" she asked suspiciously.

[seriesofbaddecisions]

"Not at the moment. I like to keep my options open, not be too tied down," Sabine told her. "What if I want to open a shop in Marrakesh tomorrow?"

[bookbeltof_love]

"What does that have to do with having a boyfriend??????????????????" Nina wondered. "Or a girlfriend, if you're into that??????????????????"

[seriesofbaddecisions]

"I don't want to hurt their feelings by leaving them behind like that," Sabine said. "I like to keep things easy, so I don't have to worry about anybody else when a whim takes me somewhere!"

Oh wow would she be dodging any questions about this tomorrow!

[bookbeltof_love]

"What if someone ever wanted to come with you?????????????"

Because, well, really.

Nina loved to pry.

[seriesofbaddecisions]

"I don't understand the question."

She was like the wind. No man could keep up with her! And this trope catered solely to them!

[bookbeltof_love]

"You can't imagine someone loving you enough to give up everything for you??????????????????"

Oh, Sabine. That was sad.

[seriesofbaddecisions]

"I leave people behind who love me all the time," Sabine said. "That's life as a free spirit."

...She was still sixteen, but okay.

[bookbeltof_love]

"But isn't it lonely?????????????????

[seriesofbaddecisions]

"It's freeing!" Sabine said. Breezy!

[bookbeltof_love]

"I think, like, you can be just as true and free to yourself in love with the right person," Nina offered, not quite sure what to make of that statement. "Like, if you can't, then it's not the right person???????????????"