text / anonymous (before the last day of the party)

[heartstopping]

[Rolo's not generally bothered by what anyone thinks, but somehow this feels like an extremely embarrassing thing to have to ask, so he sticks with posting anonymously like he has been so far.]

How does one go about "forming bonds" with people on purpose?

[ don't laugh please he has literally only ever stumbled into this by accident ]

Comments

audio forever

[fieldtrip]

[ Geez. What a hopeless question. ]

First try asking that with your name attached to it.

text forever, sorry toph

[heartstopping]

You already don't sound like someone I would want to talk to about this with my name attached.

Wow more rampant ableism

[fieldtrip]

[ She's not offended. Mostly she thinks this person is being incredibly dumb. ]

How are you supposed to make friends if no one knows who you are?

weeps

[heartstopping]

I'm only asking how right now. I didn't ask anyone to just be my friend.

[fieldtrip]

I'm not saying you should ask people to be your friend -- what is this, a children's story? -- but you generally start that process by talking to them.

You figure out if you like them based on what they say.

[heartstopping]

I can tell the difference between whether I like someone or not. That's not the issue.

[fieldtrip]

Okay... so what is? Getting them to like you back?

[ spoken with the blithe incomprehension of a natural extrovert ]

[heartstopping]

More or less.

[ toph he isn't exactly getting the sense that people generally find you super likable either... ]

[fieldtrip]

[ that's where he would be wrong ]

Talk about yourself. Talk about them. Talk about the weather. I don't know, you can't force it.

[ spoken like a true extrovert who has never had to think about socializing as a skill before in her life ]

[heartstopping]

That seems like a pretty careless way to go about it.

[fieldtrip]

If you set out like it's a job or whatever, nobody's gonna wanna talk to you. Trust me.

Nobody wants to feel like they're work.

[heartstopping]

[He makes a face at his tablet, probably because he feels a little called out here.]

I just don't like going into situations unprepared.

[fieldtrip]

[ people can't be jobs, rolo !! ]

Yeahhh.... [ Toph trails off in incredulity at that statement before she recovers. ]

Okay, well, you can't prepare for making friends with someone. Not real friends. It just kinda happens and then you're stuck helping pack up camp even though you definitely didn't sign up for that.

[heartstopping]

[Well. He can't really deny that given his own experience. But it doesn't really help him much.]

Then it seems like a pretty unfair task to give someone.

[fieldtrip]

Someone tasked you with making friends? Oh... is this for sentencing?

[ She's still new enough that she's not totally clear on how sentencing works, and hasn't been subjected to it herself. ]

[heartstopping]

Yes, unfortunately.

[fieldtrip]

What else'd they say? Just 'go make friends' and that's it?

[heartstopping]

There was a bit more to it. "Choosing to remain aloof to the suffering of others is a weakness", and that if I succeed I'll be a step closer to getting home.

[Which is pretty bullshit since he doesn't have anything to return to.]

[fieldtrip]

Huh. Interesting.

[ This is the first time she's heard actual sentencing language, and it's actually more pointed than she'd expected. Toph was wondering if it'd be something impossible or basically tantamount to trolling, but it doesn't sound like it. ]

Doesn't sound like you need to necessarily make friends, or not close friends, anyway. More like you need to show some empathy.

[heartstopping]

That wasn't the whole thing, just an example. They specifically said I had to "form bonds that do not rely on the people I have come to depend on".

[fieldtrip]

So... get out there, meet new people, be nice to them?

Gonna have to say again that being a nobody on the network isn't gonna cut it.

[heartstopping]

This wasn't supposed to be the actual attempt. It's just planning. But some people did ask me to spend time with them, so it worked well enough anyway, right?

[fieldtrip]

Huh. Anybody you're interested in being friends with?

[ Toph is rude and a bully but she's also genuinely a nice person who is very good at making friends, so she doesn't mind nudging this person along the task a little if she can. ]

[heartstopping]

I don't really have the time to be picky right now.

[fieldtrip]

[ omg he's so hopeless ]

Okay, I can't read the Council's mind in what they're intending you to do, but can I give you a suggestion?