Mingle - Emergency Potluck

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WELCOME POTLUCK

Greetings, residents! Those more observant sorts among you may have noticed a large influx of very crowded ferries. In order to welcome our new residents en masse, Town Hall is holding a potluck in Town Square. Please bring a dish if you are able and make a new friend!

All of our newest arrivals need only bring themselves. We look forward to welcoming you all into our community, and may your lanterns always be lit.

This event is open to all! In light of our new influx of prospective players following the Great Sail Migration, we've decided to offer a small public event to tide everyone over until the TDM this weekend.

Comments

[hereticofthewilds]

Elsie's expression is of pure sunshine and delight. The toad already in her hand seems less sure of the situation, but he stays where he is, croaking softly in concern.

"Elsie!" she declares confidently (for once.)

[yournewsidekick]

"Elsie! Sweet name. I'm Nimona," she says, beaming almost as wide as Elsie herself. "Nice to meetcha."

She slaps a hand on the other toad's back. "What about you, buddy, you got a name too?"

[hereticofthewilds]

"Nimona! Sweet name!" She nods in agreement. This is nice. Meeting people hasn't been nearly as scary as she thought it would be.

The toad croaks in alarm and shifts itself beneath Nimona's hand with a distinct look of annoyance. His little toad eyes narrow at her.

"Name is [Insert Croaking noise Here]" Elsie supplies. "Is shy. Like me."

[yournewsidekick]

"Aww, buddy." Nimona imitates the croaking noise, pitch-perfect, and scoots a little closer. (Grumpy faces are clearly a sign that someone wants to be best friends forever and ever, right?) "It's cool! It's nice to meetcha, too, you gotta tell me all the good fly-catching spots around here."

[hereticofthewilds]

The toad eyes her with even more suspicion. Being able to croak isn't enough to break the ice with this little guy, apparently. He turns around on Elsie's arm and hops away onto her chest.

"Wants to go home," Elsie explains as she scoops him up and shoves him back into her bosom.

[yournewsidekick]

"Aw."

Nimona droops. It's not all feigned; for all she was teasing the toad a little, making another friend, especially a nonhuman one -- it would've been nice. That's all.

With another shimmer, she shifts back into a squirrel and looks up at Elsie. "Do you gotta go, too?"

[hereticofthewilds]

Elsie shakes her head. "Don't have to. But..." her gaze drifts out over all the people around her. "I Don't ...belong."

[yournewsidekick]

"...Oh."

Nimona follows Elsie's gaze as she takes in the crowd of happily chatting humans. She looks up at her, focused on the little streak of purple hair that used to be pink.

"Me neither," she says, quieter. She wraps her tail around the handle of the basket. "But -- I've got friends now. People who're just as weird as me. Some of 'em came here, too."

And, more hopeful: "You wanna be friends?"

[hereticofthewilds]

Elsie's eyes light up and her smile spreads wide as she vigorously nods. Yes, oh yes, she wants so much to be friends. To have friends. To be able to trust that it's real. She wants it so much she's forgotten she should use her words.

[yournewsidekick]

Eh, words are overrated sometimes.

Beaming almost as wide as Elsie, Nimona sticks out a tiny squirrel paw. "Shake on it?"

[hereticofthewilds]

Still beaming, Elsie takes Nimona's paw and shakes it with great force. She's seen people do this before but she still needs some practice being, well, gentle.

[yournewsidekick]

"Whoa-oa-oa-oa -- !"

Nimona's arm wobbles like an overcooked spaghetti noodle with each emphatic shake. Literally, by the second or third one: going with the flow, she shifts her paw and arm to make them extra-floppy so Elsie can shake them as hard as she wants.

And by the fourth or fifth one, she's completely dissolved into delighted giggling.

Good place to wrap?

[hereticofthewilds]

Now Elsie is overcome with giggles too, interspersed with bright laughter that seems to echo, just slightly, as if causing tiny ripples through the air. This feels like the beginning of a wonderful friendship.