PRINCESS ANARCHY | DSMP

06. Manburg Business

   COLD AND DARK.

   That is all Nia can see and feel. She stretches out her arms, groping for a wall. It takes her a few minutes, but eventually, she finds it along with a light switch. She uses it immediately.

   The room is bathed in light that slowly but surely turns on one by one, a clear sign of a very well made redstone system for the lighting.

   Nia looks around, blinking a few times to adjust her vision to the sudden brightness in the room, squinting at the many bookshelves in the enormous library, filled with books of many kinds, colors and sizes.

   There is one, however, at the end of the corridor that leads through the middle of the library. A book that whispers to Nia. She doesn't know what it's saying as it's in a language she doesn't know, but she knows it's speaking to her. As if it's telling her to approach it.

   Nia takes a step forward, half-expecting the floor to fall apart. It could've been a trap for all she knew. But it isn't, and she's free to take several more steps, approaching the book.

   The book is huge. It lays on a lectern, closed. Nia, once she's in its reach, can read its title.

   OVERWORLD.

   There is nothing more on the front page.

   Looking around, Nia opens the book on the first page.

   This book is a property of the Trix.

   Humming to herself, Nia decides to browse through the book, her eyes skimming over the pages briefly. Something catches her attention, however, making her stop turning pages.

   Library of the Trix, it says. There is a picture of a library that looks very much like the one Nia is currently in.

   Located in the Trix's base in the Overworld.

   Furrowing her eyebrows and cocking her head to the side, Nia starts turning pages again, trying to find information on the base of the Trix.

   Location: Overworld.

   Coordinates have been lost.

   Last known data points to the north.

   "Can you hear what she's saying?" Sara whispers to Stela, the two women looming over Nia's sleeping body as she keeps mumbling to herself.

   They've already made the observation that Nia is dreaming, but they cannot figure out what about, just like they can't figure out what she's talking about.

   "I have no idea." Stela shakes her head.

   "Ahh!" Nia wakes up, falling off the bed, scared by the two women staring at her.

   They recoil, jumping back from Nia.

   "What the fuck?" Nia exclaims, gaping at them. She's still a bit dizzy and confused from the dream, and the two women standing above her did not help it at all.

   "Sorry," Stela says bashfully, scratching the back of her head.

   "You were talking to yourself, we didn't know if we should wake you up or not," Sara tries to explain, but it doesn't make the whole situation any less weird.

   Nia narrows her eyes at the two women, standing up from the ground, dusting off her sleeping shorts and shirt. The dream she just had almost forgotten because of the near-heart attack Sara and Stela gave her.

   "Don't ever do that again," says Nia, giving a look to them both.

   They nod, pursing their lips. "Sorry," they chorus.

   "But, uh, I did have a dream," Nia admits, biting the inside of her cheek. "It was nothing special, so I guess it's kind of weird but also not? Like, I was just in a library and read from this book about the Overworld," she explains.

   Stela stares at Nia like she's gifting her diamonds, while Sara looks interested but not as fascinated as the dark-haired fox-enderwoman.

   "There is a base in the north, the exact coordinates have been lost, but I think we have a connection to the base," Nia continues. "It has this huge library in it, which could possibly contain more information about us. Like, who we are and why we're here in the first place."

   "Dude, that is the best thing I've heard in months," says Stela, her eyes wide with excitement. "We need to find this base!"

   "It's probably outside of the Dream SMP," Nia shares her thoughts aloud.

   "That doesn't matter," Stela replies.

   "We have to stay here, though," Sara interjects. "The Manburg festival will be happening in a few days," she says, shaking her head disapprovingly. "I need to know why Schlatt's organizing this whole event."

   "You have to stay here," Stela points out.

   "I'd prefer to stay, too," says Nia, shrugging. "Tubbo invited me personally, and I'd hate to not come," she lies.

   She doesn't want to admit that she wants to find more information about Manburg in order to destroy it in front of Sara. Especially now that she knows Sara would disagree with her. Strongly.

   "Seriously?" Stela raises an eyebrow at Nia.

   "Yes." The princess purses her lips, nodding.

   Stela sighs, shaking her head. Looking down at both Nia and Sara, she rolls her eyes. "You know what? I don't give a fuck. You two can do whatever you want now. I'm sure this Manburg business is gonna be over soon enough, anyway. And then you'll have nothing else to do."

   "What's that supposed to mean?" Sara questions.

   "That means I'm going to look for this base without the two of you, and you guys are free to do whatever you want," says Stela nonchalantly, avoiding the topic of obviously seeing that both Nia and Technoblade want to destroy Manburg.

   "Bruh," leaves Nia's lips without thinking, making both Sara and Stela look at her. "Can't you wait until this Manburg business, as you say, blows over, so we can look for the base together?"

   "Why? It's not like we need to be together for this. I've been fine alone before Sara and you appeared in the Overworld."

   "So, that's it? You just wanna leave in the middle of this all?" questions Sara.

   "Yes," Stela replies instantaneously. "I'll have to say a few goodbyes but that's fine with me. Manburg and Pogtopia have never been mine to deal with."

   "Well, then . . . good luck to you," says Nia.

   "What?" Sara gapes at her. "How can you be okay with this?"

   "It's none of my business, really. I have my goals, you have yours, Stela has hers. To her, finding the base is more important than the rebellion. I respect that decision. Besides, she's right. We don't need to be together to find more information about us. If anything, Stela can come back with it."

   "Thank you."

   "Of course."

   "You two are ridiculous. I can't believe this."

   "Not really. We're just transparent about what we want." Nia shrugs.