#bergen_county

"Will.. hang strong, Amazon" ANd she heads off leaving sluagh and troll to themselves

"So what are you thinking? You liked Lemmon's offer. I could tell."

"Well, Bergen is here..."

"And it's the cheapest school."

"And I wouldn't have to leave home..." A little frown.

"What's the problem?"

"No problem?"

But the frown lingers.

"Yeah, I know better. Something is still stuck in your craw about it. Tell me." As they walk.

"I dunno. I... I love my family, right?"

"And I love Rivervale..."

"But?"

"Sometimes.. like, sometimes I feel like I'm behind?"

"Sylvi and Siv and even Gerd are growing up and changing.. and I'm just..." Shrug.

"Why can't you grow and change here? I mean, Sylvi left, but she came back. Not just because of Goldfinch, either. I've heard talk around Dark Gate. She was good there, she did her duty, but she wasn't happy."

"Siv left too. She went to Earthrunes, became a knight, yadda yadda. But you see where she is now? Smack dab right back where she came from."

"Gerd... well, only Gerd knows what Gerd wants. But I suspect she won't land too far from the tree either."

"Yeah... just..."

"They DID go."

"And one thrived, and one hated it. That's even odds. So why sweat it? Think of it this way. Do you think any less of Sylvi for taking on something new then giving it up?"

"No."

"But.. like.. I.. maybe I do want something new?"

"So try it. Like you said, no one blames Sylvi for leaving, trying something new, and deciding it wasn't for her. If you want to go to some other school.... go. No one says you have to stay there. No one says you can't change your mind and come back."

He sticks his hands in his pockets as he walks, breath forming frosty clouds. "Besides, it's not like you'd be alone."

"Sure doesn't feel that way. It'd be easier, going with someone else."

"Yeah. That's why I haven't picked a school yet."

"You said you don't want to go at all..."

He gives her a side eye glance. "You really think I'd let you leave me behind? Dumbass."

She stops in her stride, looking over at him.

He looks up at her, a bit of a defensive look. "What? It's like you said, with my grades I can get in anywhere I want. So I'll just go where you go."

"We're a team. And you never split the party."

Dag cracks a surprisingly vulnerable smile.

"I could hug you. I won't, cause.. y'know. I know."

"Good. I'd probably crack a rib and have to eat some of Kerri's vile cooking." A pause, and he explains, "I mean, she just needs a way to make the healing stick. It fades when stuff goes stale. But the fresh things, they just... ugh."

"Maybe a sort of statis cantrip wound around the Heatherbalm...." He considers. If Chronos was added... "But you'd have to make sure it only held the spell and not the food from spoiling... hmmph."

"Yeah, tricky. Kim-chi, maybe?"

"It took mom years to learn how to make it right. Maybe she could learn to Heatherbalm. Might be easier..." He grins at Sam/Dagmar, and walks companionably by her side.

A laugh. "Might be."

"Maybe I should work on that. I have a little Primal..."

"More healers are never a bad idea. And then you'll be able to do that Holly Strike thing, too."

"True!"

"So just let me know when you pick a place." He grimaces slightly. "Even California. Alright?"

"Well, pretty sure not California."

He gives her a toothless grin. "Good. Piper would complain, and she gets so damn.... squeaky."

Snort!

"But, I mean, I bet Yale has a track team..."

"Even my Appa couldn't complain about Yale. And it's what... two hours away?"

"Something like that!"

"Cool. I bet there's still options rolling in. Lemme know when you have them all, and I'll ask Anne Marie to compare them. Sometimes the financials are a bit tricky and it's not always apples to oranges... like, they might include a dorm stipend but the cost of living hasn't updated in years to match the current standards..."

"Right.."