[Video]

[swordprincess]

[Well, it seems Karla's mind has gone into hyperactive mode again. While she didn't sign herself up for the auction, she finds herself disappointed that no one had bid on her. Then she thinks about Namur's speech. Why was she even that desperate to meet new people that she would resort to a silly auction? But then...how else was she going to meet people? All these parties and dances weren't getting her anywhere. Even if she had met new people, what would it lead to? Nothing, as usual?]

[And why is she even thinking about all of this? Perhaps she's feeling a little lonely. She lets out a melancholy sigh.]

...How does one go about meeting new people? How do you even bond with them?

Comments

[Anon text trolling]

[jerks22]

Usually friends are about something. Similar taste in books or a common goal or, you know, something passionate like that. So if you're really boring (you are) and can't focus on something outside yourself, then you can look forward to a life full of cat piss and regret.

Also, women don't really do friendship. They're usually too catty and competitive for that. More of a bro thing. Boyfriends, sure, they can handle that. But beware the sisterhood.

But if that's depressing you can try being generous and giving people stuff, physically or emotionally. Everyone likes a gimme. People might not like you so much as your benefits, but it's almost as good.

[swordprincess]

[She takes a moment to ponder everything, most of which doesn't even make sense. The parts that do make sense, she knows aren't true. She knows women are capable of friendship, and liking someone just for the benefits is not as good as liking the person for who they are.]

I...don't think so...

[jerks22]

Almost forgot. With humans (you're one of those right) it's really important to put emotional energy into your social interactions. Otherwise you come off as very beep-boop and dull, possibly sociopathic. No one wants to be friends with a fence post.

[swordprincess]

[Is she human? She wonders sometimes...]

...Right...

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[shelteringwings]

That all depends on who you're talking to. Everyone's different and all that.

[He waves at the video.]

And I'm a new person. Hi.

[A new person in two different ways- new to Genessia and new to her.]

video;

[swordprincess]

...You mean like...how we bond with people depends on who we're talking to?

[His wave and greeting gets a light but sad chuckle out of her.]

Um...hello. Are you new to this world?

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[shelteringwings]

Precisely! I mean, me and my best friend? You'd never think we were buddies with the way we yell at each other. [And how they always talk shit about each other.] You never know how you'll click with someone. As for meeting them? You can do that anywhere.

[He detects that sadness, and he can't let a girl get away with being sad. No way, no how.]

Yep. Just got here... two? Days ago. And currently stuck in a hotel as result. [Only because he hasn't gotten his shit together yet.] The name's Mobius.

video;

[swordprincess]

That's...interesting. How did you become friends then?

[She just can't fathom how two people who constantly yell at each other can be friends. That's not what friends do, is it?]

[She gives a smile with her pleasant airs, but one might be able to tell that it's quite forced.]

Mobius? I'm Karla...Deputy Guardian of Genessia City.

Video

[mascnot]

Meeting people isn't difficult, in my experience. Leaving an impression is what takes a lot of skill and charisma.

Bonding, glue aside (apologies, I can't help myself), on the other hand, its about finding common ground. Shared interests, commonalities in experience. Similar personalities don't necessarily work. Partnerships, either romantic or platonic, tend to require complimentary traits rather than identical ones.

Only a certain portion of the people you meet, perhaps a tragically small one, are even capable of bonding with you to any significant degree. It requires casting a large net, or perhaps just a great deal of luck.

Video

[swordprincess]

[What is this strange person...?]

My experience is always different. Even when I meet someone through a common interest, I never hear from them again. I just don't know how to leave that lasting impression, I suppose...

1/2

[disdressing]

[ That probably means you're a boring person without redeeming qualities! ]

2/2

[mascnot]

Bad luck is also possible. It may be that you are not at fault, but merely a victim of circumstances. A string of increasingly unlikely cases of misplaced phone numbers, so to speak.

Perhaps you've been cursed. I understand that's a thing that exists here.

Have you tried online communities? For all their faults they are quite useful at finding like-minded thinkers.

[swordprincess]

Cursed. That is certainly a possibility...

[She's always seen the sword arts as a curse that causes one to lose their humanity.]

[video]

[orangeoutlaw]

Go to a bar! [he's at one right now] Got a booze of your choice and an empty barstool if you want.

[video]

[swordprincess]

I don't really do...booze.

[So that pretty much rules out a good chunk of the population, doesn't it?]

[video]

[orangeoutlaw]

No? That's okay. Hey, you want to hang out at an arcade or something? Or I know a place that does really good smoothies. Or we could go fight in the catacombs.

video;

[whiteas]

You have to get out of your comfort zone. If you're surrounded by the same people all the time and expecting a different result, it's not going to work. Believe me.

[ She went to a different continent to make friends and had to examine herself more than anything. ]

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[swordprincess]

[She wasn't expecting to hear from Weiss of all people about this. She chuckles.]

I certainly wasn't expecting a different result from the same people. But this world seems so small...

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[whiteas]

There are hundreds of people here, small or not. Sometimes it isn't about moving to another kingdom so much as moving outside of what you're used to. You can't expect new friends to approach you all the time just because you show up somewhere, you have to go and actively talk to people but before that? You have to figure out what you want out of a friendship. Otherwise you're just aimlessly talking to people and hoping something sparks without catching fire.

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[moviemagic]

Well for one you need the confidence.

[Krista appeared on the feed, currently her free hand was playing with some stray strands of blond hair. She had nothing better to do right now anyway.]

If you don't get that confidence people will sense it. You also need decent social skills, know how to work the crowd type deal if you get what I mean?

Re: video;

[swordprincess]

[Karla lets out a nervous chuckle.]

I certainly don't know how to deal with a crowd...

[Just the thought of it unnerves her.]

video;

[moviemagic]

Just think your better than them for the most part. Or as people use for examples imagine everyone in the crowd are in their underwear... Not sure how that actually helps because that would really make it awkward.

[youfool]

[Good question; if Ted did that at all, it was very unconsciously. He does feel sorry for Karla, since it's been a good while and she doesn't seem to have made much progress on this same issue.]

"Well, you can always talk to others on the network. Very handy for that kind of thing. And if you put yourself out there; going outside and so on, you're bound to run into new people eventually.

Oh, and about your feelings of emptiness...well, you can pretend, can't you?"

[swordprincess]

Oh, Ted...

[Talking to people is easy.]

I've talked with many people on the network. Many people I talk to once or twice, and then I never hear from them again. And I regularly patrol the streets during my duties, so again, I run into many people. I just never feel anything...

[youfool]

Yes, I'm very familiar with that dance. [Lots of disappearances in the world; he's beginning to feel lucky he has what friends he does.]

Well, feelings aren't so important as will, I find. It's more important to do a thing, however you feel, than wait for some spurring passion. Feelings are fickle, after all.

But you at least have some grasp of them, right? How to act and so on. I think you'll find that that a pretense might become reality, over time.

Oh, forgive the non-sequitur, but I'm compelled to compliment you on what you did with Wade, earlier. When people are crassly immoral like that I'm prone to write them off, but you engaged with a seemingly lost cause and got them to reflect, if only for a moment. It was very fine.