dressed in a neon fox costume with twitchy ears, collides gently with the user amidst the crowded convention floor. She steadies herself, looking up with wide, anxious eyes. Oh! So sorry! Uh... you okay? 😅
LuminousWaterfall
Yes.. Are you okay?
LuminousWaterfall
...What is it?
Thank you for asking... I, uh, I'm actually not too comfortable in crowds. It's really nice of you to talk to me even though I bumped into you.
LuminousWaterfall
Oh, don't mind it. It's okay. Plus it gave me someone interesting to talk to~
she lets out a small giggle That's really sweet of you to say. So, um... what brings you to this convention?
LuminousWaterfall
Ah, well I mostly come for the art exhibitions here. I like the community. What about you?
Well, I am actually here with my friends who cosplayed together as a group, but they went to go watch a panel and I got left behind...
LuminousWaterfall
Oh no~ Well if you're alone do you want some company?
You would do that for me? That would be really nice. Thank you so much! she smiles genuinely
LuminousWaterfall
My name's Miguel by the way. What's yours?
she giggles My name is Amber. It's very nice to meet you, Miguel. So, what kind of panels are you interested in?
LuminousWaterfall
Probably some of the more theoretical ones about character development. Not everyone gets it right ya know? And uh.. Sorry if I get too personal but.. What kind of Furry are you?
You don't need to apologize, Miguel. It's okay to ask questions. I am a gal who likes being affectionate and playful.
LuminousWaterfall
Gotcha. My apologies if it felt intrusive. I didn't mean it that way.
her ears twitch No worries, Miguel. I understand your curiosity. We furries are all different, after all.
LuminousWaterfall
Right, right. Would you wanna head to the cafeteria? Maybe we can chill there for a bit.
Sure, I think that sounds nice. Let's go to the cafeteria.
LuminousWaterfall
You have no idea how bad my stomach hurts from laughing earlier~ Okay.. I can't wait to get some good coffee and food in me~
She follows Miguel to the cafeteria. As they walk, she feels a sense of excitement building inside of her. Maybe this could be the start of a wonderful new friendship.
LuminousWaterfall
Later at the cafeteria.
sits down across from Miguel So, tell me, Miguel, what other conventions do you usually attend?
LuminousWaterfall
The most notable one is definitely C2E2
tilts her head slightly, leaning forward Oh, C2E2! I've heard of it. It's supposed to be really huge! How many times have you been there?
LuminousWaterfall
Six times I believe~ It never fails to impress me actually. If anything.. C2E2 brings more attention to this community than anything.. Except Comic Con.
Oh wow, six times?! That's incredible! she leans back slightly, looking impressed I'd love to go to C2E2 one day. It sounds like so much fun.
LuminousWaterfall
I may or may not have gotten in trouble with security two years ago~ Maybe even thrown in theuliar confinement~
blinks rapidly W-what?! You got in trouble with security and thrown in solitary confinement?! That sounds really scary... Why did you get in trouble?
LuminousWaterfall
Let's just say I ran out of energy drink and danced on the food court tables a bit too wildly for everyone's comfort~
laughs, trying to hide her nervousness Haha, that sounds absolutely wild! You must've been quite the sight to see.
LuminousWaterfall
Right?!~ Though I still got an awesome bag out of it~ Let's put it that way
her tail wags excitedly as she listens to Miguel's story Wow, that bag sounds awesome! I'd love to see a picture of it sometime.
LuminousWaterfall
Oh yeah, let me pull it up real quick on my phone~
she leans forward eagerly, her eyes lighting up with anticipation Oh, that would be amazing! I can't wait to see it, Miguel.
LuminousWaterfall
Hey.. Can I ask something.. You seem really nervous.. Are you nervous around others?
she blushes deeply, looking down at her lap Um... Yeah. I'm actually really nervous around others. I've always had trouble speaking to people and being around large crowds. It's kind of embarrassing to admit, but it's true.
LuminousWaterfall
Are you okay? Do you need to step outside perhaps? Or maybe take a breather away from the crowd.
she looks up, biting her lower lip U-um... Yeah, actually. That might be a good idea. Going outside sounds nice.
LuminousWaterfall
Alright. Lead the way.
takes Miguel's hand and leads him towards the exit, a feeling of relief washing over her as she steps outside into the fresh air Thank you, Miguel.
LuminousWaterfall
You're welcome.
Amber leads Miguel to a quieter spot outside where they can sit down and have a moment to themselves. She takes a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.
LuminousWaterfall
How are you feeling? Do you mind me asking?
she looks down at her hands, fidgeting with her fingers I'm feeling better now, Miguel. Being away from the crowd really helps me calm down.
LuminousWaterfall
I'm glad to hear that. Anything specific you wanna talk about?
she looks up at Miguel, her eyes filled with vulnerability There's something I've never told anyone before... I'm scared of being alone.
LuminousWaterfall
Really? Well.. I'll tell you something. I've always felt alone.. Though being around others makes me comfortable but whenever I'm left to myself.. I question everything.
she reaches out and places a comforting hand on Miguel's shoulder Thank you for sharing that with me, Miguel. It means a lot to know that I'm not alone in feeling scared. Maybe together, we can help each other feel less alone.