Blue Birds

[Sonnie Wu]

Given what Sonnie had said about being condescending, it was a wise move on Titania's part not to pat her on the head. The shift in topic surprised the monkey girl, but she appreciated what the Bright One was trying to do. She smiled and shook her head.

"Not the glitter tea, but Sera did give me a pastry. Pure chocolate. Deeee-licious! Have you been there?"

During Sonnie's speech, the tunnel they strode down seemed endless. Like the rolling backgrounds in those old Hanna-Barbara cartoons, where two characters walk and talk down the street, the scenery just repeats forever. The large hallway felt like that when Sonnie was not focused on their adventure. Dream!Rhodes, too, had been totally silent that entire time.

[Titania]

"Oh, that's a bummer", she keeps on walking, the light of her wisps casts unsightly shadows on the walls of the now cave-like tunnels, and she wonders how unwieldy it would have been to move shelves and stocks of books through those narrow passages.
"No, I'm afraid. I've never been there. Even though I was told that the variety of teas they brew there is sans-pareil in the rest of the State. And she bakes a vast assortment of cream puffs too, from mint chocolate to rose cream servings", her face brightens even more if possible. Helpful, given the dark corners they were exploring. "Truly magnificent".
"Say!", she suddenly stops, turning back to face the taciturn dreamRhodes and the vivacious monkey, "doesn't it look like we've been walking in a circle?", she frowns slightly but then, just as quickly as she had stopped, she returns to her advance.
"Anyway, I wonder if a Minotaur lives nearby", she thinks aloud.

[Sonnie Wu]

"You should just stop by her cafe during business hours. I'm sure Sera would be delighted to have you as a customer. You two can talk about tea and Fairest things. Like proper hair care for locks made of gold or stars. I imagine it's some sort of special hedge shampoo." Sonnie nodded to her own thoughts, then noticed how the tunnel seemed to be repeating on a loop once Titania pointed it out. She paused and looked up and down the tunnel.

"Are we in a labee.. a labora... a maze? RHODES! How did you let this happen? You're supposed to be our guide!" She huffed, crossing her arms and stamping a foot on the floor. She looked quite cross at the figment.

"Oh dear!" the fake Rhodes became animated again, blustering a bit as he scrambled for an explanation. "I am so sorry, Lady Sonja! I'm afraid I was so bedazzled by your beauty that I failed to notice--"

Click.

Sonnie blinked. "What was that?"

The strange sound came from... Titania's foot? Or rather, the floor tile she had just stepped upon. The flagstone had sunk down about half an inch at the same time as the clicking sound. Sonnie's eyes widened and she thrust out her hands, giving a warning signal to stop.

"Tits! Don't. Move. That's a booby trap!" she gasped.

-----------------

What will happen next?

How will the adventurous duo get out of this fiendish trap?

Will Titania be reunited with her beloved triceratops?

Will Sonja ever have one of those yummy pastries again?

Tune in next time for more thrilling adventures with... LADY STARLIGHT AND MONKEY GIRL!

Good to wrap this up until next month!

[Titania]

Read the rest of the story next week. Good to wrap