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Description

Merchandise Paradise

The tent in the Hollow Forest was lively. The improvised convention hall now hosted tens of villagers mingling and enjoying the festivities. It seemed like the impromptu event had been a hit and most if not all of Lilypad were celebrating PogoCon in style.

Tricerafia wandered the convention space, feeling somewhat lost and out of her element. Social gatherings had never been her forte. Her parents had often dragged her to stuffy congresses and soirees where etiquette was essential and where even the smallest faux-pas was unacceptable. Needless to say, gatherings always came with the huge pressure to say the right things, act the right ways and impress the right people.

Nothing could be further from PogoCon, in this special occasion anonymity was the name of the game. As the triceratops wandered aimlessly she was constantly flanked by a kaleidoscope of colorful rabbit costumes. She wondered who hid under the hoods, what species truly lied beneath the heterogeneous rabbit figures, what kind of stories they had or what drove them to put on a ridiculous outfit and join the others. Fia could understand though, if the attendants were only there to enjoy being hidden in plain sight, she could relate to that feeling.

Although deep in her own thoughts the dinosaur soon came upon a crowded spot. She had a quick glance around the queue, as to not accidentally end up meeting the terrifying mascot again but this time the crowd was gathering for another reason: an artists’ market had sprung up in this corner of the tent.

Tricerafia was in awe at the merchandise on display, everything from fridge magnets to masks, including shirts, pin buttons and...body pillows? All these items and more were carefully and meticulously displayed for the enticement of passers-by. Another unique piece of merchandise caught her eye: a blue “rabbit” stuffed toy sat inside a secure glass display case. It was no doubt a depiction of the Pogo fellow the whole convention was in honor of, but it’s thorough protection seemed a bit excessive for the triceratops. Nevertheless, maybe it was common in places like these.

She took her time admiring the collection of tat on offer, it reminded her of bazaars she visited abroad. There was a bizarre charm to the merchandise, as if everything was somehow hand made with real care, from figures to mugs. Tricerafia knew she was going to require a curio of her own, a memento of the unreal situation she found herself in...but what would she get? Surely she would never wear any of the shirts on offer, or spend the ridiculous amount of bells on the plush toy. Her bags were much too serious to pin buttons on and she always took her coffee in the same mug, just how she liked it.

As she hummed and hawed it finally struck her: there, in between the elaborate standees and journal books sat an unassuming keychain at the end of which peeked the quirky blue rabbit face. She quickly bought the tiny trinket and examined it closely, Fia couldn’t help but smile to herself inside her rabbit hood. It was perfect, it was a private little reminder of the day she decided to go out of her comfort zone.

---

Pogo Pastries
Tricerafia was glad for a moment that her face was covered, so no one could see her grin like a child at her new purchase. The keychain had a soft texture to it too, so not only was it pleasant to the eye but to the touch as well. As she was thinking about which of her many pairs of keys would be best suited for the honor of her PogoCon treasure, a cry broke her concentration:

“WHO ATE ALL THE FOOD?”

Fia didn’t even have time to look up before she was knocked into by another, predictably, hooded figure rushing towards her. The impact landed the dinosaur squarely on the floor, her merch flying by. She didn’t even have time to be offended at the mysterious assailant, they were far away already. The triceratops grumbled as she began picking herself up only to notice something else on the ground beside her: it was a beautifully piped blue rabbit cupcake.

The triceratops collected her belongings as well as the treat and examined it. It was extremely impressive that it survived the impact as well as it did, with only a few of the blue sprinkles shifting atop the blue icing, giving the rabbit face an dumb struck expression. She realized then that the rushing figure must’ve been running away from the PogoCon Cafe, an area she had passed by during her earlier wanderings. She hadn’t bothered approaching since the menu didn’t look particularly appetizing, with all foodstuffs on offer being a different shade of blue, but now that she held one of the treats in her hand she was beginning to change her mind.

However there came a new challenge to overcome, how was she meant to eat the darn thing? Clearly the hood had to remain on, for no other guest had taken theirs off. Tricerafia had a quick glance around, to see if anyone else had found a solution to this problem. Her survey yielded confusing results, some of the guests had food in their hands which they consumed in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace. Some of the others directly squished what they had onto their hoods, as if hoping a crumb might make it through the seams of their costume. A few others were holding on to their snacks, impatiently pacing, clearly in the same spot as her. And then there was one hood Tricerafia could’ve sworn opened its mouth and ate.

Back to square one again, what to do now? The dinosaur thought long and hard until she figured out the solution. There was a little bit of leeway between the head and neck seams which was hidden under the costume’s bandana. All she’d have to do was to slide the cupcake through there! Genius! It was also the dumbest plan she’d ever devised. She glanced around nervously before attempting the awkward maneuver. Sliding the cupcake under the bandana into the headspace and contorting her neck she managed to take a bite. It tasted overly sweet, artificial and completely devoid of any nutritional value. So in short, it was delicious.
---

Recognition
The triceratops stood amongst the crowd enjoying her little cupcake break. Sure her acrobatics in order to consume the thing weren’t especially comfortable and she was leaving blue smears of icing over her hood but it didn’t bother her. She was having fun. As Fia licked her lips she paused to think and rewind the whole situation leading to the cupcake being in her possession.

“What an odd stranger” She thought, thinking back at the mysterious figure that bumped into her. “They must’ve been responsible for eating all the food at the cafe and were running away from the scene of the crime. I wonder who they were, they felt...familiar, somehow...” As she mused she pictured the stranger again, clearly in her mind this time: a pastel blue striped hood was covering the face of an avian, poorly as a matter of fact since their beak was poking out. Furthermore, the body of the enigmatic stranger was covered in dark, white and teal feathers, as well as sporting a big pair of blotched webbed feet.

“Wait a minute” Tricerafia racked her brain, trying to recall something. “I think I’ve seen those feathers before, and that beak too. And I’ve seen that waddle as the stranger ran off somewhere before as well!” She mulled it hard in her mind until it finally clicked. “That must’ve been Lulu !” Yes of course! The black swedish duck had introduced herself a few days after Fia had moved in, also a newcomer to Lilypad like her. She had been so lovely and welcoming, even gifting her a salad! Additionally, the dinosaur remembered that Lulu had inquired about her plans for PogoCon so she should’ve expected to run into her at the gathering.

Suddenly, Tricerafia stopped dead in her tracks. When Lulu asked about her plans for the convention she had emphatically denied any interest, yet here she was, all dressed up and everything. The triceratops’ heart rate began to increase, a cold sweat running down her back. If she had spotted and identified the duck among the crowd...could Lulu have recognized her in turn as well?

“Oh no no, this is bad news. I can’t let her run into me again! She cannot know I was here! That I bought a silly keychain or ate one of her cupcakes. No one can know I’ve been a part of this. What will they think of me? How am I going to become the museum’s curator with this track record? Academics don’t cavort around in bunny costumes! There goes my reputation in this town...and I JUST got here too!” Tricerafia cursed herself under her breath. She looked round quickly, panicking, for an exit plan or a swift escape. But there was no easy way out among the horde of rabbit figures. She decided then she would attempt to hide in plain sight, blending in with the eccentric crew. Her heart was pounding and she couldn’t stop fidgeting about nervously, hoping that no other villager was as observant as her so that she might remain hidden for a little while longer.

The truth was despite everything, Tricerafia didn’t really want to leave just yet.
-----------

Tricerafia's adventures in PogoCon continue! It seems like she was having fun but uh oh - here comes the self consciousness! 3 PogoCon prompts that I realize I didn't follow drawn requirements so I added the most text I've ever written since I got out of college hahaha!

FEATURING:

[Fia APP]

[Lulu]

[Akiko]

[Double Dutch]

[Kate]

[Cyrus]

[Goldie]

[Makeshift]

[Vivian]

Description

Merchandise Paradise

The tent in the Hollow Forest was lively. The improvised convention hall now hosted tens of villagers mingling and enjoying the festivities. It seemed like the impromptu event had been a hit and most if not all of Lilypad were celebrating PogoCon in style.

Tricerafia wandered the convention space, feeling somewhat lost and out of her element. Social gatherings had never been her forte. Her parents had often dragged her to stuffy congresses and soirees where etiquette was essential and where even the smallest faux-pas was unacceptable. Needless to say, gatherings always came with the huge pressure to say the right things, act the right ways and impress the right people.

Nothing could be further from PogoCon, in this special occasion anonymity was the name of the game. As the triceratops wandered aimlessly she was constantly flanked by a kaleidoscope of colorful rabbit costumes. She wondered who hid under the hoods, what species truly lied beneath the heterogeneous rabbit figures, what kind of stories they had or what drove them to put on a ridiculous outfit and join the others. Fia could understand though, if the attendants were only there to enjoy being hidden in plain sight, she could relate to that feeling.

Although deep in her own thoughts the dinosaur soon came upon a crowded spot. She had a quick glance around the queue, as to not accidentally end up meeting the terrifying mascot again but this time the crowd was gathering for another reason: an artists’ market had sprung up in this corner of the tent.

Tricerafia was in awe at the merchandise on display, everything from fridge magnets to masks, including shirts, pin buttons and...body pillows? All these items and more were carefully and meticulously displayed for the enticement of passers-by. Another unique piece of merchandise caught her eye: a blue “rabbit” stuffed toy sat inside a secure glass display case. It was no doubt a depiction of the Pogo fellow the whole convention was in honor of, but it’s thorough protection seemed a bit excessive for the triceratops. Nevertheless, maybe it was common in places like these.

She took her time admiring the collection of tat on offer, it reminded her of bazaars she visited abroad. There was a bizarre charm to the merchandise, as if everything was somehow hand made with real care, from figures to mugs. Tricerafia knew she was going to require a curio of her own, a memento of the unreal situation she found herself in...but what would she get? Surely she would never wear any of the shirts on offer, or spend the ridiculous amount of bells on the plush toy. Her bags were much too serious to pin buttons on and she always took her coffee in the same mug, just how she liked it.

As she hummed and hawed it finally struck her: there, in between the elaborate standees and journal books sat an unassuming keychain at the end of which peeked the quirky blue rabbit face. She quickly bought the tiny trinket and examined it closely, Fia couldn’t help but smile to herself inside her rabbit hood. It was perfect, it was a private little reminder of the day she decided to go out of her comfort zone.

---

Pogo Pastries
Tricerafia was glad for a moment that her face was covered, so no one could see her grin like a child at her new purchase. The keychain had a soft texture to it too, so not only was it pleasant to the eye but to the touch as well. As she was thinking about which of her many pairs of keys would be best suited for the honor of her PogoCon treasure, a cry broke her concentration:

“WHO ATE ALL THE FOOD?”

Fia didn’t even have time to look up before she was knocked into by another, predictably, hooded figure rushing towards her. The impact landed the dinosaur squarely on the floor, her merch flying by. She didn’t even have time to be offended at the mysterious assailant, they were far away already. The triceratops grumbled as she began picking herself up only to notice something else on the ground beside her: it was a beautifully piped blue rabbit cupcake.

The triceratops collected her belongings as well as the treat and examined it. It was extremely impressive that it survived the impact as well as it did, with only a few of the blue sprinkles shifting atop the blue icing, giving the rabbit face an dumb struck expression. She realized then that the rushing figure must’ve been running away from the PogoCon Cafe, an area she had passed by during her earlier wanderings. She hadn’t bothered approaching since the menu didn’t look particularly appetizing, with all foodstuffs on offer being a different shade of blue, but now that she held one of the treats in her hand she was beginning to change her mind.

However there came a new challenge to overcome, how was she meant to eat the darn thing? Clearly the hood had to remain on, for no other guest had taken theirs off. Tricerafia had a quick glance around, to see if anyone else had found a solution to this problem. Her survey yielded confusing results, some of the guests had food in their hands which they consumed in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace. Some of the others directly squished what they had onto their hoods, as if hoping a crumb might make it through the seams of their costume. A few others were holding on to their snacks, impatiently pacing, clearly in the same spot as her. And then there was one hood Tricerafia could’ve sworn opened its mouth and ate.

Back to square one again, what to do now? The dinosaur thought long and hard until she figured out the solution. There was a little bit of leeway between the head and neck seams which was hidden under the costume’s bandana. All she’d have to do was to slide the cupcake through there! Genius! It was also the dumbest plan she’d ever devised. She glanced around nervously before attempting the awkward maneuver. Sliding the cupcake under the bandana into the headspace and contorting her neck she managed to take a bite. It tasted overly sweet, artificial and completely devoid of any nutritional value. So in short, it was delicious.
---

Recognition
The triceratops stood amongst the crowd enjoying her little cupcake break. Sure her acrobatics in order to consume the thing weren’t especially comfortable and she was leaving blue smears of icing over her hood but it didn’t bother her. She was having fun. As Fia licked her lips she paused to think and rewind the whole situation leading to the cupcake being in her possession.

“What an odd stranger” She thought, thinking back at the mysterious figure that bumped into her. “They must’ve been responsible for eating all the food at the cafe and were running away from the scene of the crime. I wonder who they were, they felt...familiar, somehow...” As she mused she pictured the stranger again, clearly in her mind this time: a pastel blue striped hood was covering the face of an avian, poorly as a matter of fact since their beak was poking out. Furthermore, the body of the enigmatic stranger was covered in dark, white and teal feathers, as well as sporting a big pair of blotched webbed feet.

“Wait a minute” Tricerafia racked her brain, trying to recall something. “I think I’ve seen those feathers before, and that beak too. And I’ve seen that waddle as the stranger ran off somewhere before as well!” She mulled it hard in her mind until it finally clicked. “That must’ve been Lulu !” Yes of course! The black swedish duck had introduced herself a few days after Fia had moved in, also a newcomer to Lilypad like her. She had been so lovely and welcoming, even gifting her a salad! Additionally, the dinosaur remembered that Lulu had inquired about her plans for PogoCon so she should’ve expected to run into her at the gathering.

Suddenly, Tricerafia stopped dead in her tracks. When Lulu asked about her plans for the convention she had emphatically denied any interest, yet here she was, all dressed up and everything. The triceratops’ heart rate began to increase, a cold sweat running down her back. If she had spotted and identified the duck among the crowd...could Lulu have recognized her in turn as well?

“Oh no no, this is bad news. I can’t let her run into me again! She cannot know I was here! That I bought a silly keychain or ate one of her cupcakes. No one can know I’ve been a part of this. What will they think of me? How am I going to become the museum’s curator with this track record? Academics don’t cavort around in bunny costumes! There goes my reputation in this town...and I JUST got here too!” Tricerafia cursed herself under her breath. She looked round quickly, panicking, for an exit plan or a swift escape. But there was no easy way out among the horde of rabbit figures. She decided then she would attempt to hide in plain sight, blending in with the eccentric crew. Her heart was pounding and she couldn’t stop fidgeting about nervously, hoping that no other villager was as observant as her so that she might remain hidden for a little while longer.

The truth was despite everything, Tricerafia didn’t really want to leave just yet.
-----------

Tricerafia's adventures in PogoCon continue! It seems like she was having fun but uh oh - here comes the self consciousness! 3 PogoCon prompts that I realize I didn't follow drawn requirements so I added the most text I've ever written since I got out of college hahaha!

FEATURING:

[Fia APP]

[Lulu]

[Akiko]

[Double Dutch]

[Kate]

[Cyrus]

[Goldie]

[Makeshift]

[Vivian]