bills, bills, bills...

[itsgunnabe_mei]

Sender: Meilin "Mei" Lee
To: All
Subject: $$$ For Warm Fuzzies

So, sending out a quick question to all my homies and newbies.

How much would you pay to hug a gigantic red panda? Use whatever currency you feel comfortable with, just tell me if it's high or low.

I may have a business opportunity in the works.

Comments

[itsgunnabe_mei]

How about the blankets thing? That might be fun! I'll start grabbing them!

[ She heads to the closet - inside are various dresses she's worn due to events here... mostly cosplay. For Some Reason. ]

So, my name's Meilin Lee. Everyone calls me Mei. What's your name?

[ibarahime]

[There's a bit of a pause, before she frowns.]

I had a name my parents called me, but... it's been so long, I barely remember what it was anymore.

[She yawns, rubbing one of her eyes sleepily.]

So everyone calls me Sleeping Beauty. Since that's the name my author gave me.

[itsgunnabe_mei]

[ She stops, and slowly turns around, arms full of blankets.

... WHERE DOES SHE EVEN BEGIN WITH ALL THAT. WHERE. ]

... Um. Hold on. Are you... like... the... the for real Sleeping Beauty?

[ibarahime]

Yes?

[Or at least she is pretty damn sure she is. Its what she remembers about herself, anyway, and thinking too hard about such things just seems too exhausting, and so she won't waste her time doing so right now.]

... Is that really so strange to hear?

[itsgunnabe_mei]

... Yes! Yes it is!

[ Maybe it shouldn't be, compared to all the odd types of people she's met here, but it's still surprising to hear anyway. ]

I... well... I've dressed up as a fairy-tale princess before, but never actually met one!

[ibarahime]

Oh? So I'm the first you've met here...?

[This does lead her to wonder if that means she's the only one from the Library to have ended up in this place.]

[itsgunnabe_mei]

I guess so...

[ She swallows, and then begins laying out all the blankets one by one. ]

That's just... wow... I don't even know what to say! You're the kind of person I wanted to be when I was little... after my mom, anyway.

[ibarahime]

You... wanted to be someone like me?

[That actually gets the tiniest smile out of her. She's never had someone tell her that she was anything like a role model to them before.]

[itsgunnabe_mei]

[ Unsure if the pillows are enough, she decides to grab all the pillows she has as well. ]

Well, sure! Beautiful, elegant, graceful, and getting a happily ever after with a handsome prince...

[ibarahime]

[Beauty was smiling at first, but then she goes momentarily quiet, tense, at the mention of princes. She can feel the urge to lash out, familiar thorns itching to twist forth, but she forces herself to try to remain calm instead of giving in to the urge. Try to respond as if she was talking to Lammy instead about the subject perhaps, since Mei seems to be young like Lammy too.]

You... don't always have to have a prince just to get a happily ever after. You can still get one, and all those other things, without depending on someone else like that... or at least, that's how I think it should be.

[itsgunnabe_mei]

[ Luckily Mei's back was turned for pillow-fetching, so she missed the expression change, for now... ]

Oh, sure! It's not for everyone, but it is for me! I wanna find true love and romance with a really cute guy... and maybe wind up like my mom and dad! And maybe have a daughter as cute as I am!

[ She giggles a little, half-joking, half-serious. ]

[ibarahime]

That's quite a dream to have.

[Well... if thats what Mei really wants, and its not some desired outcome being forced upon her... then perhaps its okay to let this slide for now.

Getting too emotional about all the ways endings involving love like that can potentially disappoint you is... exhausting, anyway.]

[itsgunnabe_mei]

[ With all the blankets and fluffy pillows set up, there's one more thing to do. ]

All right... now, here I go! Prepare yourself!

[ She claps her hands together, concentrates...

POOF!

There's a tiny explosion of red smoke and glitter... and there stands a giant red panda! ]

Ta-da!

[ibarahime]

Oh! So you're Panda-san!

[Beauty was not expecting that at all--she even lifts her hands to clap a little in impressed amazement at seeing Mei turn into a giant panda right before her eyes.]

That's amazing. I've never met someone who could become so soft and fluffy like that before.

[itsgunnabe_mei]

[ That clap makes her giggle a bit - the same voice is coming out of the Panda. ]

It's kind of a long story, but it's something passed down in my family, blessing from the gods, yadda yadda... but anyway, it IS super fluffy and super soft!

[ Now then, nap time! She moves to flop backwards onto the blanket pile, lightly patting her tum-tum. ]

[ibarahime]

[Beauty carefully approaches Mei where she's lying down now, before slowly reaching a hand out to touch the fur from her Panda form, to feel the soft fluffiness for herself.]

How do you want me to lie down with you for our nap?

[itsgunnabe_mei]

Hey, you're the "customer" - you do this however you like. I, uh... haven't really taken a nap since I was a little kid.

[ She is veryvery soft and soso fluffy. ]

[ibarahime]

[Beauty hums in thought, continuing to run a hand through the very soft and fluffy fur.]

Hmmm... would you say... you have a habit of moving in your sleep? Because if so, it might be best to make sure that you don't roll over onto me, depending on which spot I pick...

[itsgunnabe_mei]

I only do that when I have nightmares! And I haven't had any of those in a while!

[ ... And hopefully she didn't just summon one... but this should be fine! ]

[ibarahime]

Mm. Nightmares are the worst.

[So after a slow moment of thought, she seems to come to a decision: she sits down next to Mei in the blanket pile, turning so that her back is against Mei's panda side like a furry pillow to rest her upper body against.]

Is this okay?

[itsgunnabe_mei]

Looks good! Here we go...

[ She puts an arm around Beauty, a makeshift one-armed hug. Maybe New Friend can use it like a body pillow! ]

All comfy? You good?

[ibarahime]

Mmhmm. This is... nice...

[There's a yawn as she proceeds to snuggle closer to Mei, moving her hands to curl around the arm hugging her close like a pillow to get comfy.]

... Good night.

[And after she says those words, her breathing goes quiet and... sure enough, it seems Sleeping Beauty has already fallen asleep in this position.]

[itsgunnabe_mei]

Well, it's afternoon, but... yeah, good night.

[ Who is she to argue with a customer? And... y'know what? This is pretty dang comfy. A little nap might not hurt precious study time. She yawns, closing her eyes...

And in little time, both girls are off into dreamland. Well, the dreamland of this dreamland? You get the idea. ]