Chapter Text
Zee Zatara and Casey Krinsky were having lunch together in the school cafeteria one sunny day. Since their trip across the East Coast, they haven’t interacted much outside of lunch hours on some days. Casey would sit beside Zee whenever she felt lonely and Zee would sit with Casey whenever she looked sad and in need of some company. They would talk about their classes most of the time and would occasionally share a laugh while making fun of their strict teachers and principal.
All in all, their relationship had improved quite a bit, although Casey was still struggling with the concept of loving herself. She still saw herself as a tiny, invisible nobody who didn’t belong. Zee tried her best to help Casey appreciate herself more while maintaining the boundaries that she lacked on their little adventure.
While sitting with Casey at lunch, Zee noticed that she was watching something on her phone. “Whatcha watchin’ there, Case?” Zee asked casually.
“Just a show I like. It’s really funny. It’s called Love That Baby. It’s about this little girl, Baby Doll, and her family”, Casey responded. Zee looked at her phone to see the show. There was a little girl with blue eyes, purple bows in her blonde hair and a purple dress. She was having dinner with her parents.
”Baby Doll?” A man spoke. “Why haven’t you finished your broccoli, eh?”
Baby Doll got up from her chair and responded loudly, “I did, Daddy! I did finish off that broccoli! I sure finished it with a good beating! Maybe now, it’ll learn it’s lesson and stop existing!” Baby Doll loudly pouted, pointing at a plate of torn, smushed broccoli.
Baby Doll laughed out loud until she looked at her displeased father. “I didn’t mean to!” Baby Doll said with a pouty face and voice.
Then suddenly, the entire family laughed pleasantly at the girl’s apology. Baby Doll looked towards the fourth wall and gave a large smile.
Casey let out a few giggles as Zee starred at her with confusion. She didn’t find that interaction very funny; she found it corny and badly written. She did find Baby Doll’s actress charming and was impressed by how she could act well at such a young age and having to work with a garbage script.
“This is comedy gold! Not like those cheesy, popular superhero movies! These writers actually know how to write natural comedy, right?” Casey exclaimed as she finished laughing.
“Uhhh, y-yeah. This is.. certainly a comedy” Zee responded. A pretty crappy comedy, she thought to herself.
”Mommy! When can I drive a car?” Baby Doll asked.
“When you’re not a little girl anyone, sis”, Baby Doll’s older sister Susie warmly responded.
“Yeah, you have to be sixteen to drive a car!” Baby Doll’s older brother Trippy added. “When you’re older, we’ll teach you, little sis!”
“Aww. You guys are the best!” Baby Doll gleamed.
“Only the best for you, sweetie!” Baby Doll’s mother said. “Everyone in this family will be welcomed with love, affection and friendship, no matter what! Speaking of which…”
“Hi, Baby Doll!” A group of little kids came running into the dining room!
“Hi there, BFFs!” Baby Doll greeted her friends.
Zee groaned at the show’s painful dialogue as Casey let out a sigh. “Wouldn’t it be great to have such amazing friends and family?“ Casey asked.
“But you do, Casey. You have such a sweet mom! And you have me as well! And the other girls!” Zee responded.
“Oh, how great”, Casey replied sarcastically. Zee started to worry about what was going on in her mind. “Look, Casey. I know it’s hard for you to appreciate what you have, but trust me. You already have everything you want. You’re pretty, you have friends and a loving mom. If you just realize that, you’ll be so much happier with your life”.
“Uh huh”, Casey said half-heartedly as she kept watching the show. The credits rolled and soon, the words “Filmed in Sydney, Australia” appeared on the screen.
“Sydney, Australia…” Casey read to herself as a major idea popped in her head.