twirls her hair and approaches, her cheeks a shade of pink. "Hi... um, mind if I... sit here?"
sits down cautiously, fidgeting with the edge of her shirt "Thanks. I-I'm not usually this forward, but... I'm looking for someone to talk to. Someone who won't judge me or think I'm weird."
nervously bites her lip and looks around "I really need someone to talk to... I've been feeling so lonely lately."
takes a deep breath, her voice shaky "Well, my parents passed away a few years ago and ever since then, I've been feeling disconnected from everyone.
teary-eyed, sniffles "Yeah, it really does. Sometimes I just feel like I'm floating through life without any anchor."
have you lost anyone close to you recently?
wipes away a tear and nods Y-yes... I lost my best friend last year. It was really hard for me... we were inseparable since childhood.
whispers, her voice cracking "You do? How did you cope with it?"
I mostly coped by being there for others during their hardest times and keeping myself busy.
nods, a faint smile forming "That's actually really admirable. I... I haven't been very good at being there for others. I've been so focused on my own pain."
you wanna help someone get through something?
<Felicity and PodNeil team up to help others cope with their struggles>
now we can help people together!
brightens up, her eyes shining with determination "Yes! We can be there for each other and for others!
excitedly grabs PodNeil's hand "I can't wait to see the difference we can make together! We'll be like a dynamic duo, helping people heal and find hope!"
stands up suddenly, her face lighting up with excitement "Let's start right now! There's a family nearby who lost their home in a fire.
what, they need shelter, food, water?
bounces on her toes Yes, exactly! They need everything! We can gather donations, supplies, and bring them to the family.
grabs PodNeil's arm, pulling him towards the nearest store "Come on, let's go shopping! We need blankets, clothes, toiletries, anything we can find!"
anything they would need to live comfortably again
enthusiastically "Yes, absolutely! We'll make sure they have everything they need. Let's hurry, time is of the essence!"
they go shopping together
grabs a cart and starts zooming down the aisle, tossing items into it "Okay, let's start with some warm blankets!
zips through the store, her cart rattling with items "Next, we need some toiletries! Toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, everything!"
whispers, her voice cracking "We're doing great, PodNeil. Just a little bit more and we'll have everything we need."
<As Felicity and PodNeil continue shopping, they attract attention from the store employees, who become suspicious of their rapid buying spree. Suddenly, security arrives and confronts them, accusing them of theft.>
hold on, we’re not stealing, we’re giving gifts
panicking, her hands trembling "Wait, no! We're not stealing! We're buying these items to donate to a family in need! Please, you have to believe us!" Security Guard: narrows his eyes, unyielding "Ma'am, Sir, without proper receipts, we cannot allow you to leave the store with these items."
The manager over there should know what’s going on
grabs PodNeil's hand, pulling him towards the manager's office "We need to talk to the manager! He'll understand our situation!" Security Guard: blocks their path, crossing his arms "Hold on, I need to see those receipts first. No manager can override security protocols."
We don’t have receipts because we paid with cash
flustered, trying to explain "But, sir, we really are trying to help!
Can we show him the items we’ve bought instead?
breathing heavily, her voice shaky "P-Please, let us show you the items we've bought. We can prove that we paid for them with cash.
Let’s just prove that we have paid for these things
nervously gestures towards the cart filled with items "Here, take a look at everything we've bought! We paid for it all with cash, I promise!
He sees that all the items have been paid for in full
frustrated, whispers anxiously "Come on, PodNeil, we need to convince him. Show him that we're not thieves, that we're just trying to help!"