Nia asks, looking around the decorated part of Manburg. She, Niki and Sara arrived at the festival together, making their way to an attraction where all of the festival guests were.

It's the one Sara worked on with Ponk. The one where you shoot a target with an arrow from either a bow or crossbow and possibly drop a person into a pool of water. They call it Drop the Man.

"He's a cabinet member. He probably has to run circles around Schlatt with Quackity."

"But Fundy's here," Nia points out with a raised brow.

"His position is clearly not high enough to be with the President even now." Sara shrugs, her voice slightly bitter.

"Nia! Sara! Niki!" Fundy exclaims happily, spotting all three women together.

They approach the group slowly. Sara in her colorful dress and Niki in a simple denim overall with a flower and a beige sweater while Nia still wears about the same thing.

After Stela left for the north, she told Nia that she can borrow any of the clothes Stela's leaving behind. Which was a bunch of black and purple corsets and black leather pants or black jeans.

So, Nia ended up wearing the corsets and black jeans with its pant legs rolled up because Stela is way too tall. She has at least eight inches on Nia, being slightly taller than Wilbur.

Currently, Nia is wearing a black corset with black jeans. It fits with the shining purple of the enchanted netherite armor she has as well, along with her axe, swords and dagger.

Sara and Niki both frown slightly as Fundy makes his way towards them with a smile. Nia smiles back at him, for she has no past grudges unlike her two companions.

Nia notices he's not wearing his suit for the occasion, but instead it's a uniform of some sort, with an upside-down smiley face on the back of his jacket. It looks like a reversed version of Dream's smiley face on his mask.

"Hi, Fundy," says Nia, while Sara and Niki choose to ignore the fox.

He grins at her, glad that she's not following their example. It's painfully obvious that he's trying to hide his disappointment over Niki and Sara not wanting to talk to him with those bright smiles of his. Though his tail says a lot, having dropped by his side. He understands why it is - Sara and Niki refusing to speak to him - however, that doesn't mean he's not hurt by the fact that he might've lost his friends. But most importantly, his father. Who wasn't even invited to the festival, because his citizenship was revoked alongside Tommy's.

When even was the last time Fundy and Wilbur have seen each other?

"Do you- do you- how are you doing today, Nia?" he asks, struggling to speak with the woman, which makes Nia giggle, thinking how adorable he is. Fundy averts his gaze away from Nia, scratching the back of his neck, a flustered smile on his lips.

"I'm doing good," Nia replies. "I . . . uh . . ."

She looks at Niki and Sara, both purposely ignoring Fundy at the moment, standing with their arms folded over their chests. It makes the princess roll her eyes. She understands that they're currently on different sides of the story, but . . . Fundy is their friend. And he's Wilbur's son. It has to mean something.

"You know what?" Nia looks at the people who are slowly coming to the Drop the Man attraction, remembering that she barely knows anybody in Manburg. "You've been here way longer than me, you probably know everybody in the SMP by now-"

"Oh! Do you want me to introduce you to the people here?" he questions, not even letting Nia finish her sentence.

But she chuckles, not taking it personally as she would've got to the point of asking exactly that. Nia nods at Fundy, who mindlessly extends his arm out to her, so she can take it.

Nia doesn't react immediately, inspecting his hand for a while. She can see the doubtful look across Fundy's face once he realizes she might not actually take his hand, and she purses her lips.

It's been way too long. She hasn't gotten used to the human touch yet.

Nia does take Fundy's hand, though. Eventually. Fundy releases a breath of relief as she does so, slowly leading the princess toward a group of people. One of them, Nia recognizes.

BadBoyHalo looks about the same as he did when she first met him in the SMP. He's still wearing the black hood over his head, though his face is slightly visible; especially his horns.

"Bad," the princess smiles.

"Queenie," he says back.

"It's Nia now," she corrects him, though her smile stays plastered on her face.

"Oh, that's amazing. I didn't know you were back here!" Bad exclaims, throwing his hands in the air.

"A lot of people didn't know." Nia shrugs. "But, actually, I think all of you guys know now. Like, Dream, Sapnap, George and you, I mean."

"Oh, cool!" Bad smiles. "I see you were invited to the festival as well," he says.

"Yeah! I met Tubbo and he just immediately invited me. Tubbo's nice."

"Totally."

"I didn't know you knew some people here," Fundy comments, reminding Nia of his presence. She purses her lips, turning her head toward him with an embarrassed smile.

"The count is, like, five," says Nia. "I've been here when this SMP was mostly woods - just trees and shit - and Dream was starting a community here. . . it's changed so much, it's crazy."

"Why'd you leave the SMP?"

"Because of the forces above."

"God?"

"For all I know, maybe . . ." Nia shrugs.

"Oh, Sam, Ant, hi!" Bad suddenly greets two people with a grin.

Nia's head turns in the direction Bad is looking, spotting the two people she had seen before. The creeper-like and cat-like people from that day Tommy was caught sneaking through Manburg.

"Hello, Bad," greets the creeper in yellow clothes. "Fundy," he nods at the fox, and stops when his gaze lands on Nia. "And I don't know you." He narrows his eyes at the woman, especially because of the armor and weapons she has on herself.

"I could say the same thing," says Nia.

"I'm Sam," the creeper introduces himself. "And this is Antfrost," he points at the siamese cat.

"Hi," says Antfrost.

"I'm Nia," the woman nods at the two. "You guys are- you're not Manburg citizens, are you?" she questions.

"They're not," Fundy jumps in to answer the question for either Sam or Antfrost. "A lot of people were invited simply because," he says with a shrug.

"Even Dream?"

"He won't show up," says Bad. "I doubt he cares enough." He shakes his head.

Nia looks at the man, pursing her lips. She nods along as if that's exactly why Dream or Sapnap or even George won't come to the festival.

More people arrive at Drop the Man. Nia already knows Ponk, but she gets to interact with him more. She also meets a blonde boy named Purpled. Apparently, according to Fundy, he's a mercenary and one of the best fighters in the entire SMP. And the last person Nia meets is Callahan. He doesn't speak, but he still manages to get some words in, writing them down for everyone.

Knowing almost nothing about these people, Nia keeps on a content facade. She wouldn't want to give away Wilbur's plan to anyone by being worried for herself or gleeful for the destruction of Manburg.

Technoblade is the last person to arrive at the attraction. He, like Nia, is in full enchanted netherite armor. His sword hangs on his belt, a crossbow on his back with several fireworks - as ammunition? - and a trident. She wouldn't be surprised if he also carried potions.

"Seriously, are the two of you preparing for war or what? This is a festival," says Sara, her eyebrows furrow, gazing at the anarchist duo.

"As if nothing has ever gone wrong at a festival," Nia mutters under her breath.

"Considering Schlatt is involved, I wouldn't even trust the nose between his eyes," Technoblade agrees with the princess.

The two look at each other. "Nice armor," they chorus.

Nia laughs lightly, while Technoblade keeps quiet after, averting his gaze to the side.

"You have the Blade," he comments. He doesn't look at Nia again, avoiding eye contact. But he clearly noticed the dagger on Nia's person.

"Yeah, I do," she smiles, considering it still is a fond memory of hers.

One she will always remember and cherish. It's rare that one gets to witness a flustered Technoblade as he worries whether you'll like his gift or not. Forgetting something like this would be a crime.

"Nice."

"Yeah . . ."

"You two are weird," Fundy remarks, eyeing Nia and Technoblade. "Can we just- why don't we play some games?" he asks.

"Sure! Let's play Drop the Man!"