Blinking once, I wake from what had to be the shortest and most boring nap ever. If I didn’t know better, which I don’t, I would think I slept without dreaming in order to heal from what happened to me. But I don’t know better, so I’m just pouty that my nap didn’t feel comfy and soft. Which is weird because I’m very comfy and nestled in a lot of soft.
Gwab, noticing I’m awake, bounces her foods a little, and me between them.
Oh, Gwab has me. Yeah, I’m good here. I let out a tiny burp.
Vawweb steps into the middle of the room. All the other pretties are sitting on couches and pillows in a circle around my blankie and stuffies.
“Now that the little one is awake, I think it's time we did as we were bade and name him. Show of hands for those who have an idea for a name? Thirteen of you, plus myself. Then I will say mine first and we’ll go around the room. I put forth Mateo, as the little one is a gift from The Fist to all of us.”
Violet gestures to Tatiana - thin, tall, mid back straight golden blond hair, long delicate fingers, pointed ears, and playful eyes. “Lucien. Light. He has brought us all a sense of light and joy and I feel this is a strong name that would carry him far in his life. My hope is that he becomes a beacon of Light for all our Communal Species.” I’ve always wondered if she yips or yelps when stubbing her toes.
Vawweb points next to Struuwb. Strawberry has beautiful bright red skin, emerald green hair, and dark brown eyes. She’s a dryad? Fey? Part tree? A berry? I dunno but her food is drool sweet and her voice sounds like fresh air. “Leif is a beautiful name and means ‘heir’ and ‘descendent’. My hope is that he becomes the heir for each of us, to carry our hopes into the future.”
I notice all the pretties eyes get wet, except Awwice. “Leaf?” She scoffs. “We can do better than that. He’s a human, not a tree.” Alice is a loud and bright person with a poofy mop of curly brown hair, light skin, freckles, and piercing blue eyes. I really like playing with her hair and looking at her eyes - they sparkle.
“I say we name him Andreas on account of how strong and manly he’s going to be when he grows up.” She smiles at everyone, leans back into the couch, and crosses her arms and legs.
I think she’s very happy with her sound.
Vawweb turns to me and I notice all the pretties are looking at me so I give them my biggest smile. “Do you wanna be called Andreas little one?”
I look at her, then at the other pretties, then crane my head waaaaay back to look up at Gwab.
I stick my tongue out and ask Gwab what Vawweb wants, “Blehm?”
The pretties giggle and Vawweb turns back to the other pretty her size. “We’ll put it on the list. Sakura?” She points.
Sa’gaga is human, I think. She has long straight black hair that is always up in a thingy on her head with sticks in it. I like to pull the sticks. Her face is soft and pale, with smiling eyes, slightly round cheeks, a big big smile, and a tiny nose that crinkles like her eyes. Her and Leshy look a lot a like. “Koda. It means friend.”
Vawweb nods, scribbles on the thing she’s holding, and points to the next pretty - Hilda.
Heeda is almost as thick as Gwab and half as tall, with lots of muscle and covered in short soft gray fuzz with marbled streaks all through it. Her hair is half as wide as her head, a bit longer than my arm, and runs all the way down her back.
Heeda’s voice makes a crystal tinkling sound, “Aurelio. He’s all of our golden child and I believe he will one day rival the sun itself. Golden one fits him well.”
I notice a few pretties nod at Heeda. I nod with her. I’m not really sure what is going on, but it feels important, and about me. I am important. So I do what all important babies do when they’re being talked about - I stay awake and make sure to look at the person talking and give them my unfiltered opinion so that we may better understand each other.
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I am wisest little one in all of Happy Place.
Aaliyah stands up to speak next. She has dark olive skin that glistens when she moves, very smooth curves, and curly dark hair - but the way she moves. Awweewa flows. From her hair to her toes and fingers, she flows with a charm and grace that is hypnotic and magical. She starts to speak, her low smooth voice rolling across the room, “We all know he will be strong. Our little one is amazing! Yet, I am concerned that he will not reach his true potential. Therefore I would like him to be known as Idris. It means ‘studious’. My hope is that this name will push him to be more than a good man, and more than just a learned man. I wish to see the little one become a man who continues to study.”
With a smooth half bow to the room she returns to her seat.
Pepb, who at this point has tossed off her robes and is lounging in nothing, golden fuzz and food on display, grunts, shrugs, and spits out, “Alessio. Defender. It would be nice to be able to rely on a man again.”
Peaches’ fuzz tickles when she holds me and smells good. I approve of her actions for I too like to feel air on me.
After Peaches finishes, Patricia speaks up. Patwisa is big like Gawb but more brown than gray with bright blue hair that she wears in a thick braid over her shoulder. Her and Peaches both don’t like clothes.
Patwisa’s deep voice belly laughs out, “Orlando! He shall be famous throughout the land!” She’s swinging a large mug of something in one hand while squishing Leshy to her chest.
Awwice’s voice aggressively cuts in, “If he’s going to be famous he should have a name that is worth remembering. Not a name that just says ‘Look at me, I’m famous’ ya lout.”
“I will eat you like a snack.” Patwisa growls back.
Ooooo! They’re playing again. It’s always fun to watch the pretties play.
“Please?” Alice smirks back. Patricia's eyes go kinda violent and hungry and something I don’t recognize.
“Ladies.” Meywibode cuts in so coldly I shiver. Patwisa and Awwice and Leshy (for some reason) all turn a little red and look down.
Coughing a couple times Meywibode continues, “However, I also agree that Orlando is not a good name for the little one. Show of hands to veto Orlando?” A smattering of hands go up along with a bunch of noises.
“That’s enough no’s. Vetoed. Violet.” Meywibode waves her hand from the little chair she’s sitting in while Patwisa grumbles into her flagon.
Vawweb shrugs and points at the next pretty.
Ruth (Wooff), perched on the back of the couch Leshy and Patwisa are laying on, is swaying back and forth humming a small tune. She has wavy deep red and purple hair, light green skin with dark cream brindling, wide ears, sharp nose, tiny smile with pointy teeth, and oversized ruby eyes.
“Howza’bouts Ori? It means ‘my light’ and I have yet to see a time anyone has looked at the little one and not lighted up.” Singsonging while swaying, she pops a black fruit between her teeth.
Vawweb chuckles a bit, “It feels like we have a theme. Alright, how about you Linshee?”
“Rai~den!” Leshy hi-yahs loudly from her nest against Patricia.
Linshee continues in a less loud, but kinda cheeky tone, “Raiden means ‘thunder and lightning’. I thought about this long and hard after what happened earlier today. Since the little one has arrived there has been more excitement and noise than I’ve ever experienced here. Why not just lean into it and let everyone know the storm is coming? I was gonna pick something from a different old culture, but that one seems to fit.”
She nods across my blankie to Sakura.
“Way to break the theme Linshee.” Vawweb points her nose at the ceiling and sticks her tongue out at Leshy while the other pretties giggle.
The giggles and sounds give me a good feeling so I giggle and squee too. Watching the pretties play makes me happy.
Abweee humphs loudly from where she’s sitting, “I thought I would be original with Arjun. It means ‘bright’, ‘shining’, ‘white’ … but given that that’s the theme it doesn’t feel original enough for our little one anymore.” Her shiny blue tunic looks good against her skin. Approval.
Sprawled along the couch with her legs over Abweee’s lap is Nia. Nia is tall (not Gwab and Patwisa tall) with a really small middle, pitch black skin, pointy ears, and white on white eyes. She smells like night time. “Misha. He’s so cute and tiny!”
Naa is met with a chorus of noises.
“Booo~”/ “Nope” / “He’s gonna be bigger than you!” / “Vetoed”
Naa sits up a bit and starts gesturing around the room to amused giggles. I lift my arms to make the same gesture - the giggles turn into roaring laughter. Smiling proudly at myself I nod at my wit.
Vawweb looks at me and gives me a viscous smirk and a wink. I feel Gwab’s skin shudder around me. “Alright, so our options for names are Mateo, Lucien, Leif, Andreas, Koda, Aurelio, Idris, Alessio, Ori, and Raiden.”
Her smirk turns absolutely malicious, “Let the debate begin!”