[TOY] Plaything

[skinstealer]

POLKA DOT: People keep saying that- that it’s rough out there.
POLKA DOT: That the world is some…terrible place, and that this is a sanctuary.
POLKA DOT: What’s it like out there?
 

Marlowe thinks to himself for a moment, seemingly looking for the best way to word things.

MARLOWE: Well…it varies from settlement to settlement.
MARLOWE: There are some places that are far more welcoming and kind than the city you’ve found yourself dropped into, that have resources to spare for anyone who needs them.
MARLOWE: For whatever reason, though…
MARLOWE: The narrative seems to favor the people in power in this one, and from my experience, they are for the most part cruel and upsettingly greedy.
MARLOWE: This city in particular is dangerous because of many, many reasons, but one of them is medical.
POLKA DOT: …medical?
MARLOWE: Mm…
 

He takes another sip.

MARLOWE: If you find yourself in need of repair or other medical aid, you’ll either need to pay a premium or go underground.
MARLOWE: The above board services…they’ll work, and get you what you need, but you may end up in crushing debt.
MARLOWE: Underground services, on the other hand…
MARLOWE: You pay less, and you can potentially get services and procedures done that others above board may not be willing to do…
MARLOWE: But the quality varies, and you can’t guarantee ethical sourcing of parts.
POLKA DOT: Wait…what do you mean by…sourcing?
MARLOWE: Exactly what it sounds like.
 

He sets his coffee down, sighing and looking you in the eye.

MARLOWE: Extraction and collection of toy body parts, in order to recycle them for medical purposes.
 

You feel chills.

MARLOWE: Fabric and fillings like stuffing and beads are very common, though the latter is often donated by plushes to make some side cash, if they can spare it. That’s legal.
MARLOWE: However…things like electronics are far harder to just…give up, and electronic and robotic toys need them to survive.
MARLOWE: Those kind of repair skills as well…they’re hard to come by. People need a lot more training for that, compared to sewing, anyhow.
 

Willow comes to mind immediately, and how she said that she can’t be near the pool…were electronic toys really that fragile?

MARLOWE: People will do anything for those parts, and while it’s technically against the law to kill or maim another toy…
MARLOWE: No one really enforces it unless you do it to someone deemed important. 
MARLOWE: People get desperate enough to pay bills, to afford food and housing…
MARLOWE: And they’ll do anything. Anything at all.
MARLOWE: That’s part of why this place exists. Somewhere where you can get a hot meal and somewhere to stay in exchange for helping keep it all running.
MARLOWE: Sanctuary…it’s not perfect, but that’s a good word for it.
MARLOWE: A home for those who can’t afford to traverse into the wilds and find somewhere safer, for whatever reasons they may be.
MARLOWE: Am I making sense?