#anywhere

"Yeah? But I heard she has a boyfriend. Least, that's what Clem said."

Skip a stone

"Well, she does now. But yeah...I guess it doesn't get any less confusing that way, either."

"Well, we're strong independent trollgirls that don't need no man..." A skip, "But ...it's kind of nice when they make a fuss. "

A secret-shared smile. "It really is, isn't it?" Skip. "I'm glad Bertrand asked you out. He's really nice."

"yeah, I didn't know if we'd have anything in common, still not sure. He's so smart, and I'm more into athletics and a tom boy I..." she groans

apparently an idea has hit her

"What? What's wrong?"

"It's stupid..and I wish I could unthink it, you sure you want to know?"

"N-nooo? But...tell me anyway." She braces herself.

"well, You're smart, and a bit sneaky.... I'm strong, and I like to think loyal... Bert is smart, and a bit sneaky... Colton is strong and loyal... are we... like, somehow dating each other?"

Sylvi's eyes get really, really wide. "Oh. Oh, that's..." A pause. "Wow."

"No, you know what? It's...okay, you're like my best friend, and part of that's because we like those things about each other. So we're going to be dating guys who might end up being like best friends...plus."

"I warned you"

It sounds good to her, anyway.

Then, "Well, maybe"

"Yeah, it's..." Then she blinks. "Wait...Kels...are you, like...trying to tell me...something?"

"tell you something?" A pause, then she breaks out laughing!

After a moment, Sylvi laughs, too. "Well, the way you were saying it...!"

"I know, I know,no I'm saving that for college before I decide if I want to be that way or not" She nods "First, figure out boys"

Another laugh, then she nods. "Yup, 'cuz boys have GOT to be easier to figure out than girls! Save the higher-level stuff for later."

A laugh then "Also, well, it's not really approved of much."

A sigh "Not because we mind same sex relationships, but ...well," A shrug "Need a fellow to make more DeBukes one day when I'm older, MUCH MUCH older"

"Well, yeah...I mean, I want kids someday, too, maybe...but...huh. Kelby, do folks who choose not to have kids get grief around here? Like...like they're not fulfilling their duty?"

"Well, for married couples, yeah. Yeah. Sometimes. It's not that heavy.. mostly the Kinian seem to feel that pressure. Because theyre' not trolls themselves."

Sylvi makes a face. "That's not fair."

"That's what Clem says. She and Sally Mae talked bout it. Most of the trolls don't even realize we were doing it. "

"So...sort of like an expectation that everybody had? Like, that was the only way to be 'normal'?"

Kelby says a little defensive, "Yeah, but... you know no place is perfect."

"Not saying that, Kelby. You know I love this place. But it's just interesting getting to know a place better, and seeing the parts that you hadn't noticed before."

"Well," A sigh "Yeah, I guess it was..taken for granted? Lately we've been learning we're not as great as we thought we were. Some are actually mad at Clem for 'opening us up too much' even to other lodges. I think it's because it's making us question ourselves."

Sylvi nods. "It's hard, I guess. I mean...when things seem great, it's hard to see that they weren't great for everybody."

"Yeah, that ever happen at Rivervale?"

"Not...really? I mean...I guess it must have, sometime, but I think a bunch of that was before I was born." She thinks a long moment. "Which maybe means we're probably due."

She tilts her head "So you believe in cycles and the like? Sounds a bit mountainy"

She looks at Kelby. "Mountainy? I don't know. Sometimes I think...maybe I should just do like Jessica did, and take off somewhere. Or maybe be a Rover like my dad."

"Sounds like you just want out. Are you..." A worried look, "Does someone mistreat you there? I mean, like TV special bad? You can tell me"

"What? No! No, nothing like that. I'm just..." She frowns, thinking it through. "I'm the oldest kid in the lodge, right now. And a wilder. And now...everybody seems to want me to start thinking about what I'm going to be. Am I Mountain? Storm? Hearth? And...I just don't know if I'm any of them."

"I see." She nods, "Come on. We're going to solve this."

She starts to lead her deeper into the farm

((And I'm going to have to pause))

(Paused..but feel free to use room for anything else)