”Oh my gosh, Scylla!” Leeli stands up tentatively. “I knew it! I mean, I saw you post on the art thread a few times under the name Hudson, and it looked so much like your art I thought it had to be you, but I wasn’t sure because I didn’t remember you changing your name or anything…” she trails off. “I’m glad you decided to drop in, though. I was worried you weren’t coming.”

I have no heroic stories of the Wars to tell, but I am content to listen. I hope I don't interrupt anybody's storytelling when I come in…

Coconut had been frowning slightly at Cho's latest "rhetorical speech", but her gaze cleared as Scylla came in. "Scylla!" She grinned. "Why didn't you come earlier? Sit down! And of course it was a good idea to come! Everyone is welcome at the Hearth." She glares fiercely around the room, as though daring anybody to argue with her.

She eyes the chocolate Claaws is offering to Cho, then apparently thinks better of it and instead grins. "Since everyone is so dead set on having stories, why don't I re-tell what Cho just said?" She clears her throat and starts. 

"This is the story of the worst GM in the world. She did an awful job at her first roleplay – 'Warriors RP, hope you'll join', it was called. Her name was Coconut the dog – and she was the worst procrastinator ever. Lots of people joined, and she let them all. You need a lot of cats in a clan.
But she had no clear idea of a plot. And she wasn't very dedicated. But, it was probably the fact that she sucked so much that everyone else joined. It wasn't intimidating to join that roleplay. Because everyone could do a better job than the gamemaster. Most of the people just shrugged off her inactivity, and after a while it started to die. But not all – some people were annoyed, and rightly so, asking Coconut to come and take care of what she'd created. She told herself she would. And yes, Scylla sang the ducky song. And a lot of other stuff. It might have 'united a whole generation of CBers', but only because it was a good place to test out your sealegs. And then go everywhere else." She smiled. "It's probably on page 500 or something of the Inkwell, so go read how I was the worst. It was a bitter memory for a while – but now it's bittersweet. And don't argue, I'm having fun calling myself the worst ever. I'm at least at the top of the bottom!" Coconut winked, then subsided, casting a wicked glance at Cho to see how she liked the retelling. 

Scylla. The name thunders through Hudson's head, bringing every insecurity crashing down at once. This was a mistake. They never should have come. They step back, tugging their jacket closer around them – "I'm not Scylla," they say quietly. "Please don't call me that." They know this wasn't the place to bring their identity problems, but they want to be properly addressed. "I hadn't come before now for several reasons, none of which are worth explaining – it's nice to see you all again, though."

A slender silver cat weaved its way around the door and snuck in to sit on the floor near the fire, calmly licking its white paws. She watched all that was going on with wide, curious eyes. Her black-tipped tail flicked delicately behind her as her jaw opened and she yawned slightly.

Cho yelps as the cat comes in, as she just realized that Claaws was trying to offer her chocolate. She accepts it thankfully, feeling like an idiot that she had somehow missed that. She offers melon bread to the group. "See?" She says. "It's got a yummy melon sugar top, it's big and fluffy." She nods emphatically, and motions for Inktail to sit down next to her. "Sorry I didn't see that you were offering me chocolate, Claaws."

The cat slowly scooted closer to Cho, her tail flicking behind her. She glanced inquisitorially at the bread before shaking her head slightly. No, thanks.

Coconut's tried to supress a growl, somehow forcing it into a cough as a cat came in and sat down next to her. She relaxed, finally, and smiled. "Hello, Inktail!" She managed. It had been quite some time before the reunion, and even though Licorice existed, she hadn't got used to having cats around again.

She happily sniffed at the lemon bread, then grabbed one and passed the basket around. Swallowing the bite almost without chewing – have you ever seen a dog eat? – she passed the basket around to the next person. "They're really good!" She said, taking another bite. "They may sound strange, but we first found them when we visited Osaka. Well," she aknowledged, "Cho did. At the same time I found these! Not so strange to many of you, I think, but also yummy!" She pulled a basket out of thin air, it seemed, and grabbed a chocolate-filled pastry from inside. "I had these for breakfast for three days in a row," she said, mouth full with the last of her melon bun. "It was great!" She started eating her roll and passed that basket on, too, after grabbing a napkin and putting five more on it.

~~~ 

Man, I'm making myself hungry. And yes, the melon buns and chocolate-filled pastries were real. Are real, I guess. 😉

Inktail's tail flicked as she stared in amusement at the dog. "Hello, Coconut." She hid a smile behind her paw as the dog stuffed her face full of food.

a girl slips inside. the conversation has quieted, the reunion is over. the thread is dying down. she finds an open seat, then hesitantly begins to speak.

"I remember being here before. It was nice, I just never posted, so I left. I stayed around though, I looked at threads and stuff. But i missed actually being here. i had changed so much from the fresh-into-sixth-grade girl i was when i first joined. i wanted to come back, but i had just left. so i became peggy."

she paused, taking a deep breath.

"peggy doesn't feel right. It's not.. me. so, i've decided, on my birthday, (next month) i will reveal my identity. i'll try my best not to slip again."