[TOY] Plaything

[skinstealer]

POLKA DOT: Well…they almost knocked the crap out of me.
POLKA DOT: But overall, surprisingly good…they gave me some good pointers.
POLKA DOT: Punch to the face too, but I got a hit in.
POLKA DOT: I guess I need to pick up something a little more than my fists if I want to go out on my own, though…
VINE: That’s about right, yeah.
VINE: Glad to see you didn’t need my advice…guess Cindi’s shaping up a bit.
VINE: There’s an impromptu shopping trip tomorrow if you want to go out- it’s my day off, so maybe we could make it together.
VINE: I may not be too strong, but I carry a weapon on me, and we’ll be traveling in numbers.
VINE: How’s that sound? You comfortable with that?
VINE: Figure we can stop by the pawn shop and thrift store. I can cover you, as long as you keep it cheap and pay me back when you get your check at the end of the week.

[King-Clod]

Sounds good. I think I'll get a nice change of clothes or two, and maybe a weapon... anything else you think would be a necessity?

[skinstealer]

POLKA DOT: Yeah, sounds good!
POLKA DOT: Think I’ll get a nice change of clothes or two, maybe a weapon…
POLKA DOT: Anything else sound like it’d be good?
VINE: Hm…
VINE: Maybe we could swing by the library and pick you up something to read. Something educational.
VINE: We have a lot of books in our lending library, but there’s more reference stuff there that could be helpful for you adjusting.
VINE: How’s that?
POLKA DOT: Sounds good!
VINE: Alright…go get yourself to Laundry before bed.
VINE: You’ve got a few hours before it gets too late, so you should be able to get everything cleaned up.
POLKA DOT: You got it…
POLKA DOT: Thanks, Vine.
 

She gives you what feels like a trademark pat on the back, and the two of you walk out together, the bean bear pointing out the way downstairs. You give her a wave as you head down, walking down the maze of corridors until you find it- the laundry room.

Inside, there’s a few rows of washers and dryers, and from what you can tell, there’s no actual water inside them as they spin. You notice a few strangers waiting on their own clothes, but there’s two familiar faces- a black bean dog crouching by a lower machine, and…oh god, the narrative really has it out for you now. You feel your chest knot up as you see the purple virtual pet load up a top washer.

You could talk to Timothy or Willow, or…just start your laundry and say nothing.

[AceOfNothing]

Willow

[King-Clod]

We could talk to Willow, but we already agreed to meet up again at a lounge party at the end of this week. Let's talk with Timothy a bit, get more of a convo going than we were able to have earlier. Maybe give Willow a wave though.
We're both newbies, that could be pretty good common ground to start on?

[skinstealer]

You aren’t sure what to do here- you already agreed to meet Willow at the party at the end of the week, and you didn’t get the chance to talk to Timothy much earlier…

You decide to just start stripping down and loading up your clothes into a washer, relieved to see that there’s no coin slot- just a sticker with buttons on it. From the look of it, pressing those was all you needed to do to make it go…

You press the start button once everything’s in, and as you turn to go take a seat in the middle aisle chairs, you notice Willow staring directly at you…or more specifically, your tail. As soon as she notices your line of sight she snaps back to her clothes, and you can’t help but feel a bit of a rush. Was she…checking you out? Is that what that was? Does she like you? Your…body? What the hell?

You head over for a chair next to Timothy, who’s taken a seat in the meantime…the dog perks up as soon as you do, tail wagging.

TIMOTHY: Hey! You’re the duck from breakfast!
TIMOTHY: Silk Ribbon, right?
POLKA DOT: You got it…your name tag said Timothy, yeah?
TIMOTHY: Yes! You can call me Tim, though.
TIMOTHY: Sorry, I’m j-just, super excited to talk to another newbie…
 

You notice that he’s equally stripped down, though you definitely don’t get the same rush as the idea of Willow like this…

POLKA DOT: Guessing you don’t have too much clothes yet either, huh?
TIMOTHY: Nope…just a work outfit and a casual outfit.
TIMOTHY: I want to get some pajamas, though.
TIMOTHY: I’ll get the chance tomorrow, I think! Thrift trip!
 

As Tim talks, you just barely notice Willow taking the other seat next to you out of the corner of your eye. She doesn’t say anything, and is still averting her screen from looking at you.

[Lilium Mortem]

I think I'm gonna go on the shopping trip tomorrow too. it'd be nice to get some fresh air. I've only been outside to punch cindi since I got here.

[King-Clod]

Oh yeah, that's tomorrow, isn't it? I'm hoping to get an outfit or two myself, one for looking nice, maybe some pajamas...ugh, I'd love two or three more casual outfits but I just do not have the money yet. What sort of look do you like to go for with your clothes?
Also YES let's mention punching Cindi at some point in the convo, I wanna see how Willow reacts. Do mention that it was part of Cindi showing us how to fight though, don't want to lower her cred or anything for getting punched by a newbie.

[knux400]

Don't say anything to Willow, but... maybe take a mental note.

"I think a shopping trip would be good for both of us! If you're alright with having me tag along, of course."

[skinstealer]

POLKA DOT: I think I’m going out too, I wanna get some fresh air…
POLKA DOT: Only time I’ve been outside is to punch Cindi, heh.
 

That gets a startled beep out of Willow, and you can’t help but feel a bit of a nervous giggle choked back. On the one hand, you didn’t want to startle her or scare her off, but on the other…she did say not to soften up.

TIMOTHY: Wh-what?!
TIMOTHY: But they’re so huge!
POLKA DOT: Eh, they were showing me how to fight better. I got punched first.
WILLOW: Are you okay?!
 

She turns to face you now, immediately looking away again as she remembers your nudity.

POLKA DOT: Oh, it fuckin’ hurt.
POLKA DOT: But like I said, I got one back in.
POLKA DOT: They’re gonna give me lessons.
WILLOW: Oh…well, I guess that’s good.
WILLOW: Just…be careful…
 

She looks back at her lap.

TIMOTHY: You really punched them, though?
TIMOTHY: You must be really brave!

[King-Clod]

(...Huh. Not sure how to feel about getting complimented. Are we brave? Or just angry? Is there a difference?)

"...I guess, yeah. I get the feeling she was going easy on me though. She didn't seem to hold back her punch at all, but after she punched me and I punched her, that was about it. Not sure if the next lesson will be as simple as this one."

[Lilium Mortem]

hah, I'm just too angry to feel fear(unless it's social anxiety). Oh, Tim, have you met willow? she's a really cool model.

[skinstealer]

You aren’t sure how to feel about getting complimented…sure, you might be brave, but you might also just…

POLKA DOT: Nah, I’m just too angry to feel fear.
TIMOTHY: I think…
 

The dog looks at his paws, thinking things over.

TIMOTHY: It’s okay to tap into that, sometimes.
TIMOTHY: I end up getting really angry sometimes…pissed, even.
TIMOTHY: But I smother it back down, because I don’t really get where it comes from.
TIMOTHY: But I don’t like it…
POLKA DOT: I feel you there, bud.
POLKA DOT: I just…channeled my anger into that punch. 
POLKA DOT: She definitely went easy on me, but it still fucking hurt.
POLKA DOT: One punch each was pretty much it, though. Next lesson’s probably not gonna be so simple.
TIMOTHY: Well…best of luck, then.
 

There’s quiet between the three of you, the only sound the rumbling of the machines around you.

POLKA DOT: …Tim, have you met Willow yet?
POLKA DOT: She’s a really cool model.
TIMOTHY: Oh!
 

The dog leans over and waves, to which Willow waves shyly back.

WILLOW: I’m not that cool…

[Pichi2214]

yes you are! i know cool is technically subjective, but i can objectively say you are cool. which only proves how cool you are

[Lilium Mortem]

you are extremely cool. come on you're a goth ghost, that's badass! c'mon Tim, tell her she's badass!

[King-Clod]

Oh, don't be so modest. She was in a fashion show here a few days ago, really rocked it.

[skinstealer]

POLKA DOT: Yes you are!
POLKA DOT: You don’t gotta be modest- Willow here was in a fashion show yesterday, and really rocked it.
POLKA DOT: Plus, you’re like…a goth ghost! That’s badass!
WILLOW: I mean…
POLKA DOT: Cmon Tim, tell her she’s badass!
 

Willow’s doing that pixel blush at this point, but Timothy can’t help but giggle along.

TIMOTHY: I mean…that does sound pretty badass.
WILLOW: Being a model, maybe, but I just do that for silly reasons…
WILLOW: And…being a ghost doesn’t really- it’s not-
WILLOW: It’s not as cool as it sounds…
WILLOW: Like…do you know anything about...“seasonal” toys yet?

[King-Clod]

I think someone mentioned that more toys spawn around certain seasons, but I don't think I've heard of seasonal toys yet, no. Are they toys that only spawn in certain seasons?

[Lilium Mortem]

no? no. have not. please go ahead and exposit.

[skinstealer]

POLKA DOT: No, just…heard something about more toys spawning around certain seasons, but not anything about seasonal toys themselves.
TIMOTHY: About the same here…though something about what I heard seemed to resonate with my head.
TIMOTHY: Something about being lonely and upset this time of year…
 

Timothy shakes his head. 

TIMOTHY: B-but! I’ve always dismissed it as nothing.
WILLOW: I wouldn’t dismiss feelings that easily…
WILLOW: This is mainly thought to be, well, legend, but…I believe it.
POLKA DOT: Like the Store?
WILLOW: Even more disbelieved than that. Apparently other settlements listen to these weird, abstract feelings we get more, but there’s not a lot of “researchers” out here that operate aboveground.
WILLOW: People in charge don’t seem to like them much…
 

She gathers her thoughts, the character on her screen raising one of its hands to its cheek.

WILLOW: Basically…their work says that all toys come from another world, sort of.
WILLOW: Or…we’re based on feelings and experience from somewhere else, is more accurate.
WILLOW: People play with toys and go through life with them, and those feelings come here…or, well, the Store.
WILLOW: They’re not always from a single toy’s experience, and are more just…mushed together from lots, common threads…
WILLOW: Researchers say that the form a toy takes reflects what those experiences were, as well as having some impact on their memories and personality.
WILLOW: And, well…
WILLOW: For me, that comes in the sense of being a “special model”.
WILLOW: I showed up here in December of last year, but I’m a model corresponding with a holiday in October. 
WILLOW: Something about candy, and monsters, spooky things…I know some settlements celebrate it.
WILLOW: So…
WILLOW: I’ve figured out from a lot of self analysis that part of my deal is…being outdated. Out of season.
WILLOW: Some kind of gift found in a discount bin months after when I would be desirable…
TIMOTHY: But that doesn’t define you, does it?
TIMOTHY: You’re still you!
TIMOTHY: I don’t know if it’s a good idea to say you’re not desirable or anything!
TIMOTHY: Everyone has worth, at least to me…
WILLOW: I’m not sure.
WILLOW: People seem to think the ghost thing is cool, and I do play into it, just…
WILLOW: It does serve as a reminder that I’m out of place.
WILLOW: Born out of being unwanted.