eachdraidh | video; both courts

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video; both courts

This wolf is enormous.

[ Katsa can be heard before she's seen, her locket instead in the face of a fully-grown direwolf that's shoving his nose in front of it in her hands. She pushes him out of the way, backs up so that she can be seen in scale with the direwolf: her blue and green eyes are overbright, red-rimmed as though she's been crying, but her voice when she speaks is loud and demanding. ]

What potions or tonics would turn dark hair blue?

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Sure. Ryan and I are Wildcats--our whole school. That's what we're called! Like--West High Knights, East High Wildcats, Central High Warriors--that sort of thing. Wanna see?

[ This is good. The double-take is confusing but it's not anger and it's not tears, so Kelsi'll take it. Maybe it actually worked and Katsa's a little calmer. ]

I—what? [ this is bewildering!!!! ] I don't understand. See what? Is everybody a wildcat, with your pet names? Or what? Where did you get that name?

[ She makes a small claw motion, laughing at herself as she does it. Katsa's face doesn't help. ] Everyone in our Kingdom counts as a Wildcat. Everyone at East High! And we have this thing--once a wildcat, always a wildcat.

Chad? The guy Ryan's totally over the moon for, he does this thing--he shouts 'what team?' and everyone responds with 'Wildcats!' to get us pumped up for tournaments and stuff. It's really neat, belonging to a larger group like that where it's okay to be different in our own way, but with a huge support network--and it's just plain fun.

Like, one summer? A bunch of the Wildcats all wound up working at the same spa--and because we're all Wildcats we worked really well together. Most of us, I mean--it turns out Ryan and Sharpay actually owned the resort, and that was sorta the reason, but still. Wildcats!

[ and then katsa's face is in her hands, and her shoulders are shaking, and it's very unclear what emotion she's hiding but there's definitely some sort of laughter mixed in there. ]

Unbelievable. It's positively unbelievable. Only that's something someone calls me, wildcat—and that I learn this now, of all times—but I'm the only one, no one else in all seven kingdoms called the same.

[ Kelsi laughs, too, but it's a little unsure. Is it really that funny? ]

That's good, then, isn't it? You're unique! I guess it's just here, you have to share the nickname. But that's okay, because you're one of us anyway.

[ it's very funny. katsa's still half-laughing, but she lifts her face again to smile. ]

The shows of affection in your home must be very odd to witness. I'm glad to share it.

Like you don't have nicknames and hugs where you're from. [ It's sarcsam, but still said as light as ever, and Kelsi's tempted to stick her tongue out, teasing. ]

Nor do we greet each other when we walk into a room or learn each others' names until the fourth or fifth meeting. It's archaic, I imagine.

[ said in the same tone, sarcastic but through her laughing smile. ]

Hey, I really don't know what happens. For all I know you could be telling the truth.

And you and Ryan could be positively inventing everything I hear of your home. I think people are the same, though, wherever they are. Not that I'd really know.

[ a pause. ]

Though you. You might be stranger.

[ still smiling. ]

Wha--I'm not strange?! Am I? I don't think I am.... Why am I strange?

You don't react to anything how I would expect you to, how anyone else would react. Cheerful when I would be angry. Not afraid or unnerved by... things that would make most people.

That's because I have friends like you, silly.

[ OBVIOUSLY. ]

I don't think it's because of that. You're strange in this way all on your own.

Oh--that's like our first musical, once all of the cliques started getting along. 'We're all the same, we're different in our own way.' like that. It's okay to be unique...right? I mean--oh, gosh, am I somehow offending you? Ohhh no, I didn't mean to!

Kelsi. I don't think you could offend me even if you tried.

But that... sounds all right, what you're saying.

'All right.' [ Kelsi laughs at that. ] Maybe you're the strange one, Katsa.

Hm. [ she actually looks satisfied. ] That one I've certainly heard before. I seem to find myself surrounded by the oddest of people at any given time.

The more the merrier! You're a little strange, too, so maybe we all just attract each other.

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