#rutgers

"Remind me again why I can't solve this by punching?"

"Because if we don't punch at the right time, we'll lose Symon's friendship forever. We have to get that pendant off of him first."

HUFF.

"That's my theory, anyway."

She drops back into her seat. "I think maybe Spring arts, at a high enough level, might clear him of whatever she did to him, but I"m not sure."

Flopsy looks up "Many female animals like shiny things, but at least they tend to hold onto it respectfully"

"Oh, damn...." She lowers her voice. "He's not here, right?"

"I thought he was there."

"Right, you said that. You're probably right. Good. Don't want him overhearing."

Flopsy finishes his juice "Right. Ears and nose, eyes and tremors... I'll play watch rabbit" And he moves about to make sure Symon isn't listening in

"Once again, my hero, Flopsy."

"If you want a job done right, send a rabbit" He agrees and soon reports that all is Sluagh clear

"I bet I could smash it. Rip it right off, break the chain, and FWAH." She mimes the act.

"Yeah. And he might forgive you. Someday."

She looks sullenly over at Symon's door. "We've got to do it before we leave the apartment for the summer." She avoids pointing out that she won't be coming back at the end of the summer.

"We were s'posedta Oath."

"There's one for best friends, you know that?"

A grin. "Yeah. It's a good one. And I want to see it happen."

A faint shrug. "Ain't happening now."

"Not yet. Not until we fix this."

"When we do...give him a chance after that."

She twirls a wing, watching it with a frown.

"Maybe."

A nod. "He's gotta win you back, after this, I think. But we have to rescue him, first."

"I dunno. I think I screwed up, somewhere."

"Well, me too. I think there was a window to block this, early on. Maybe at that lake party? But I missed it."

"I think I screwed up earlier than that."

"But yeah."

"Screwed up how?"

A chimerical rabbit keeps up his patrols but definitely keeps an ear in on this. The fussy rabbit is not above interjecting his viewpoints , as both trolls well know

A silent, fluid shrug.

"C'mon," she urges.

"Spill the tea."

"I dunno. Things were fine, and then they weren't."

"Yeah, but how does that make it your fault?"

A helpless look.

"Dagmar, don't do that to yourself. Things went wrong. Doesn't mean it's your fault."

"I mean, we know for a fact that some of it is HER fault."

"If I might add" The rabbit points out "Everythings been a bit of a blur since the twins were born too. Hard to keep track of EVERYTHING."

Sylvi points to the chimera while nodding to Dagmar. "What he said."

"It's been since senior year. Before her."

Flopsy takes this moment to leap onto Dagmar's lap, and he settles down, "Feel free to stroke me gently. It's soothing. At least for one of us"

"Flopsy. Ask permission before jumping on people. Consent, y'know?"

"But he's right. He soothes well."

Then a frown. "I thought you guys were still okay during senior year."

"Oh" chastised, the rabbit apologizes "I SHOULD have asked. I'll go if you wish, Dagmar. I just know you admire the fuzzy and cute"

She harrumphs. But scratches his ears.

"There was this... cupid incident."

Flopsy enjoys the skritches.. and it IS kind of nice to pet him.

"Oh, yeahhhhh. I remember that, I think."