strange things | text

[rootinest]

[It's taken some time for him to sit down and actually try this because every instinct he has is screaming at him that it's not allowed. The rules toys follow aren't just something they choose to follow, they're instinct. Instinct they can fight, certainly - like when he and Sid's toys had scared Sid - but instinct nevertheless.]

[But this is a special circumstance and maybe Buzz has the right idea. One of the big people had been nice to him, sabotaging his back switch so it didn't actually change anything when switched to demo mode.]

[This situation is so much bigger than them, bigger than any other chaotic situation they've ever faced, bigger even than their little prison break at Sunnyside. What's an escape from a daycare compared to an otherdimensional...whatever? A place where magical shock devices have been put inside them and now they're being expected to, what, go on missions? His only job is being huggable and good for playing pretend. How that's supposed to translate to "missions" is beyond him.]

[In any case, it's so big that maybe he and Buzz need a little help from the big people. Or at least for them to know the two toys hanging around are actually alive.]

[But that doesn't mean it's easy to talk to them. He decides to do it first over text. And decides to maybe test the waters a little instead of launching right into "Hi I'm woody, I'm a talking rag doll."]

[The comm is almost as big as he is, so he has to rely on the voice-to-text to type anything because it's so much work hitting all the buttons.]

Hi. Hello. So.

How nonhuman would someone have to be for you all to think they were too weird for you to want to deal with? Asking for a friend.

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video

[gempathizing]

[ Woody has wisely spared himself a long emotional soapbox text about friendship and trust and whatnot. For now.

In its place is the purest, most wholesome joy Steven Quartz Cutie-Pie DeMayo Diamond Universe has experienced since some nebulous point before he got to this world. The best day of his Rig life? Maybe. ]

Are you kidding? I wouldn't take it back if you asked me to! [ IT DOESN'T HAVE TO MAKE SENSE LOOK AT THAT LITTLE VEST. ] I'm Steven! What's your name?

Re: video

[rootinest]

[He is delighted by the obvious delight, but also worried about someone so young being here. Steven's not a little kid but teenagers are still kids in his eyes.]

[But he lets himself be bowled over by that enthusiasm because sometimes it's as good for kids to feel and express it as it is for you to be on the receiving end.]

My name's Woody. It's a pleasure to meet you, Steven.

[Woody smiles, clearly relieved.]

I'm going to interpret whatever's going on over there as you being delighted, which I'll gladly take over you thinking I crawled out of a horror movie.

That's the wrong genre for me, but it's hard to tell because they took my cowboy hat.

[gempathizing]

[ He is going to protect this living toy with his life. Get in the shield bubble, Woody, you're too important to put at risk. ]

Lucky for both of us, horror movies have never really been my thing. [ Who has time for watching a fictional man's leg get eaten on the small screen?

Well. Steven used to have that kind of time, but none of the emotional constitution. ] And delighted is a good word! I never would've thought about putting "meet a living cowboy toy" on my official wishlist growing up, but it turns out life really can still have pleasant surprises around every corner.

[rootinest]

I gotta tell you, this is such a relief! You would not believe how much I was dreading this, but Buzz had a good point that we need to talk to people to cooperate with everyone.

[He adds:]

Buzz is my best friend who's here, too. He's a space hero action figure.

[Guess what, Steven, it's not just a tiny cowboy. It's a tiny cowboy and a tiny astronaut superhero and they're best friends.]

[gempathizing]

[ A little cowboy and space hero are best friends... they're really bridging the divide. In his heart, 13-14 year old Steven is realizing the dreams he never knew he had. ]

This is cool and cute! [ It's sad that these little guys have to be here, though. Jorgmund isn't what Steven could call a good time by even his own stretch of the imagination. ] Oh, or is it rude to say it's cute? Because I can find another way to put it if you guys don't like that.

[ His face will say "this is adorable" as loudly as he ever could with his voice, anyway. ]

[rootinest]

[Woody smiles widely.]

"Cute" is fine. In fact, it's what us toys aim for.

[He likes the idea that just existing is making this kid delighted. If he thinks they're adorable, good.]

Now I'll admit I'm curious about the people back home you said were a little like me. What are they, if you don't mind my asking?

[gempathizing]

[ He likes to think that maybe, somewhere in DJ Bear-Bear's fluffy heart back home, the cuteness sentiment is the same. ]

Oh, yeah! I was talking about the Gems. They're, uh. [ Hm. ] "Alive in a way that's hard to explain" is a good way to explain it. Non-organic. Kinda mass-produced. Their bodies are hard light projections.

[ Or. Something. For all the "Era 3 and Me" pamphlet info he has down, the exact stuff Pearl always said about how physical forms work had a way of going over his head growing up. Partly because he's always rolled pretty organically, partly because back in the old days, he'd get distracted and stop paying attention. ]

[rootinest]

Are they made by humans or are they some kind of aliens?

[He is very curious. There are beings out there like but unlike toys. It's interesting.]

[gempathizing]

Aliens! Some of them were made on Earth, but not by humans. Humans were just kind of. You know, around.

[ Steven gets "only Gem made with the human assist" status, but it's a process he tries not to think about. ]