[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/gCmXisO.png[/img][/center]

[center] [@BrokenPromise] [@twave] [@FamishedPants] [/center]

Gaia continued to glare at the Lord of Change as the strange being gave its response, before turning her back to the creature and rejoining Connie and Shane. 

[color=SpringGreen]“I do not believe we should entertain the twisted whims of this abominable creature,”[/color] she declared. [color=SpringGreen]“It clearly wishes to toy with our emotions, and I, for one, shall have no part of it,”[/color] the verdant girl added, stating that last bit in a louder tone, so that the Lord of Change would be sure to hear.

[color=DarkOrchid]“B-But, Mia…!”[/color] Connie pleaded, her eyes filled with worry. [color=DarkOrchid]“W-What if i-it’s the o-only way F-Faith can c-come? I r-really w-wanted to s-see her, a-and g-give her the p-present we m-made…”[/color]

[color=SpringGreen]“Connie…”[/color] Gaia sighed. [color=SpringGreen]“We don’t even know if we can trust what it says,”[/color] she added, placing a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. [color=SpringGreen]“Even if we win its stupid game, it might just create a fake version of Faith, rather than reunite us with the real one.”[/color]

[color=DarkOrchid]“I-I know…”[/color] Connie replied softy. [color=DarkOrchid]“B-But, w-we can at l-least try, r-right? I-I mean, I w-want to b-believe that F-Faith’s still g-gonna m-make it, b-but, w-what if she d-doesn’t? W-What if t-this is the only w-way?”[/color]

Gaia frowned, before retrieving her phone and typing Faith’s name. [color=SpringGreen]“Okay, little sister,”[/color] she added, giving Connie a resigned smile. [color=SpringGreen]“I suppose we can give it a shot.”[/color]

[color=DarkOrchid]“Oh, thank you, Mia!”[/color] Connie cheered, before quickly typing Faith’s name on her own phone as well.

[color=SpringGreen]“Well, I guess all we can do now is hope for the best,”[/color] Gaia observed after they had both sent in their votes.

A short while later, and it became clear that the best hadn’t happened. Although Gaia was somewhat glad that they would not have face the potential of dealing with some twisted facsimile of Faith, the verdant girl’s heart still ached for Connie.

[color=DarkOrchid]“F-Faith wasn’t picked…”[/color] the timid girl sighed, her once-cheerful countenance taking on a significantly more sullen expression. [color=DarkOrchid]“I g-guess we could just m-mail her present, b-but it w-won’t arrive until a-after N-New Years, a-and we d-don’t h-have her a-address…”[/color] at this point, Connie began to sob softly.

Seeing her best friend like this was enough to make Gaia want to punch the cause of Connie’s sorrow in the face. Repeatedly. And although she couldn’t actually harm the Lord of Change (in Dan’s dimension or anywhere else), she was determined to tell it some very choice words. Unfortunately, the moment she turned around, the twisted being winked out of existence. 

[color=SpringGreen][i]Yeah, you [b]better[/b] run, you fucking pile of shit.[/i][/color]

Gaia’s withering glare became even more intense when she noticed that the creature hadn’t even bothered to take the plushy Mariette had given it.

[color=SpringGreen][i]What a [b]dick[/b]…[/i][/color] 

Gaia’s seething fury was interrupted a moment later when Connie gave an excited cry.

[color=DarkOrchid]“Mia!”[/color] the gentle girl called, while pointing to the far side of the room. [color=DarkOrchid]“I-It’s Oros! M-Maybe [i]she[/i] can give our present to Faith!”[/color]

[color=SpringGreen][i]Oros…[/i][/color] Gaia hissed, her anger having flared back to blazing life. The verdant girl’s mouth twisted into a snarl most unbefitting of the normally serene Daughter of Mother Earth as she followed Connie’s finger to where the pink-haired girl was sitting with two friends. 

Gaia’s mind drifted back to the last time they had seen the obnoxious beast girl, when she had spent some time recovering in their room after suffering some kind of ambush. The ‘visit’ had gone well enough, but Oros’s departure had made such a racket, it had attracted the attention of a member of the orphanage’s staff, Ms. Bronson. When Ms. Bronson came up to their room to question them, Gaia had been forced to transform, sedate the woman, bring her outside, and place her under the same tree they had found Oros. Reassuming their mundane forms, she and Connie had then woken the woman up and told her a story about how they’d seen her pass out from their window. Although Ms. Bronson, having had her memory wiped by the same pollen used to sedate her, had thankfully accepted this story, dealing with her was still a major hassle for the two friends, and one that could have easily been averted if only Oros wasn’t such a monumental jackass.

At least as far as Gaia was concerned.

And now Connie was heading over to where that stupid bitch was sitting. Gaia wanted to stop her, or perhaps be with her for emotional support, but she ultimately decided against going over. Connie needed to start doing these things by herself, after all, and in her current mood, the verdant girl’s presence would probably do more harm than good. Not only that, but there was someone else who was far more deserving of her attention, someone she had been regretfully neglecting, up until now. 

[color=SpringGreen]“So, Shane,”[/color] she said, turning to face her date. [color=SpringGreen]“How about we get some refreshments?”[/color]

…

…

…

[color=DarkOrchid]“H-Hi Oros!”[/color] Connie greeted once she’d made her way over. [color=DarkOrchid]“M-Merry Christmas! Oh! A-And is t-that you, Emily?!”[/color] she added, her eyes brightening at the sight of her other friend. [color=DarkOrchid]“Y-You look s-so c-cute in that outfit, I a-almost d-didn’t recognize you! Umm,”[/color] she mumbled, as she retrieved a wrapped present from her sack. [color=DarkOrchid]“I w-wanted to g-give this t-to Faith, b-but, I d-don’t t-think she’s c-coming, s-so, uh, c-could you g-give it t-to her w-when you s-see her n-next?”[/color] she asked Oros, handing the pink-haired girl the present. [color=DarkOrchid]“I-It’s a s-special banana t-tree that M-Mia made,”[/color] she explained in a whisper, as if Faith herself might somehow overhear. [color=DarkOrchid]“I-It’s k-kinda s-small, b-but it’ll g-grow a n-new banana as s-soon as you b-break o-one off. I k-know F-Faith really l-likes bananas, s-so, y-yeah…”[/color] Concluding her ramblings, she gave Oros a shy smile, her cheeks reddening from embarrassment. 


[hr]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/37FouJv.png[/img][/center]

[center] [@Shifter_Master] [@Majoras End] [@twave] [@PlatinumSkink] [@FamishedPants] [/center]

[color=DeepPink]“Wowie zowie~! Magical Dream Princess found Penny Wenney~! (giggle!)”[/color] MDP exclaimed upon being greeted by the mechanical monarch (although she didn’t look quite so mechanical at the moment). [color=DeepPink]“Yaaay~! Like, Magical Dream Princess would totally wotally [i]wuv[/i] to team up with you~! (giggle!)”[/color] she added, clapping her hands together excitedly. 

The next moment, Amanda, who had apparently (and quite impressively) managed to hold on to her drink while being dragged outside, got a text from someone named Cerise. Upon asking who that was, MDP was told that she was one of Amanda’s friends who had since passed away. Subsequently, the whimsical girl learned of the game some crazy looking creature called the Lord of Change was playing, wherein one could be reunited with a friend or loved one, even if they had died. MDP herself had received a text from Karen, but although the tentacle girl gave great hugs, MDP felt it would be better for her best friend in the world to be reunited with someone she’d never get to see again otherwise. And so, despite Amanda’s initial objections, MDP had voted for Cerise, while Melisa had been kind enough to vote for the dream magician’s other friend, Cereza. (it should be noted that it was only thanks to Penny’s efforts that their small, unmoving, group wasn’t hit by any snowballs during this time)

When the winners were finally revealed, MDP gave Amanda a big hug. [color=DeepPink]“Like, we did it, Pastel-chan~! (giggle!) Well, sorta…”[/color] she added, in a more sullen tone. [color=DeepPink]“Like, Magical Dream Princess is super duper sorry that Cereza Weza couldn’t come too, but, like, at least Cerisey Wisey is heresie, so, like, you should go see her~! (giggle!) We’ll be okie dokie out heresie~!”[/color] she added, as she pushed Amanda in the direction of the lodge. [color=DeepPink]“Just promise womise to have lots of fun together wether, okie dokie~?”[/color] 

No sooner had Amanda departed, then Melisa noted that she wasn’t a big fan of snowball fights and instead would try and collect some snowbuns.

[color=DeepPink]“Awww…”[/color] MDP pouted, somewhat sad to see the doll girl leave so soon. Quickly brightening, she added, [color=DeepPink]“Like, that’s okie dokie~! This way, Magical Dream Princess can have Penny Wenny all to herselfy welfy~! (giggle!) Like, good luck, Melisa Wisa~!”[/color] the whimsical girl called as her diminutive friend rode off. [color=DeepPink]“Magical Dream Princess hopes you find lots and lots~! (giggle!) Bye bye for nowie~!”[/color]

Twirling around, the whimsical girl cheerfully skipped over to where Penny was building her snow fort. Upon reaching the imposing edifice, she struck a coy pose, clasping her hands behind her back and swaying from side to side. [color=DeepPink]“Like, can Magical Dream Princess pretty pretty please come insidey widey~?”[/color] she asked, smiling up at Penny as a blush colored her cheeks.

(And at some point after this, Hilaria and Other Justine apparently show up)