[TOY] Plaything

[skinstealer]

POLKA DOT: Well….I should probably plan my pitch to Roulette, right?
POLKA DOT: Like, what if there’s an argument?
DEVO: Eh…I don’t think there will be.
DEVO: I think it might be a bit spooked by the idea, but if it knows I’ve decided to go, I’m guessing it’ll be more inclined to go.
DEVO: Still…planning could be good.
POLKA DOT: Anything that’d be good for me to know, then?
POLKA DOT: I want this to go well, so…
DEVO: Roulette is…I think people think it’s grumpy, or something, but it’s really not that.
DEVO: I don’t really know how I’d describe it, but unless it outright tells you that it’s upset with you, try not to assume.
DEVO: …that said, it’s kind of bad at telling people when it needs something one way or the other, so…just…ask if you’re unsure, I guess?
DEVO: Uh…
DEVO: I don’t think it likes when things get too personal, but that could be just my experience.
DEVO: But…don’t treat it like a business meeting or anything, yknow?
DEVO: Just treat Roulette like a person.
POLKA DOT: So…be chill about it, ask questions if I can’t read what it’s thinking, don’t assume it’s mad at me?
DEVO: Yeah, that’s a start.
DEVO: Oh, uh…
DEVO: If it starts asking about my safety, tell it that Tim’s going to sew me up.
DEVO: …it’ll know what I mean.
DEVO: And! Possibly the most important thing, actually-
DEVO: You probably need to like. Initiate and drive the conversation.
DEVO: It’s been…reclusive, lately.

 

The bear sighs, his shoulders hanging.

DEVO: I don’t know why and it won’t tell me.
DEVO: Something like this adventure could be really good for it, but…
DEVO: It’s probably not going to small talk right now.
DEVO: Don’t talk over it or anything, but just know that it’s not all that chatty unless prompted.
POLKA DOT: I think I got that…
POLKA DOT: Anything else?
DEVO: Should be good, at least off the top of my head.
DEVO: …if it doesn’t want to go, even if you say I’m going, don’t press the issue. I’ll just back out of the trip.
DEVO: I just…don’t want it to be alone.
POLKA DOT: Well…hopefully it all works from here.
 

Tim makes a throat clearing sound, looking more than a little nervous.

TIMOTHY: Actually, uh…can I talk to you a bit, Devo?
TIMOTHY: Alone.
DEVO: Oh, uh, sure.
DEVO: You should go enjoy the party a bit, Ribbon.
DEVO: Plenty to do, right?
POLKA DOT: Yeah…
 

You get up slowly, stretching out.

TIMOTHY: I’ll text you when we’re all done, okay?
POLKA DOT: Works for me…
 

Well, you’ve got a whole party to look around now. There’s people talking, people dancing, people watching some kind of sports on the TV, people gathering in the kitchen…

What do you do?