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Toasty Sweet Fluff sat in her house of pale pinks and blues. She had been alone ever since she was sewn from marshmallows. Well, I say alone but she had her marshmallow bunny with her. Still, it wasn't quite the same as having another doll around. A few days ago, the Silly Fun House had set up just on the other side of the star river. Toasty could see them from her front window and she desperately wanted to go and meet the other dolls. She watched them having fun and doing tricks day after day. Unfortunately, Toasty had no way to cross the river and so she couldn't go to the fun house. She was also unbearably shy, so even if she could cross the river she didn't know if she would even have the courage to go introduce herself. So Toasty sat in her room and watched the two dolls all the while wondering about what they were like. She went to bed every night feeling sad that she had no friends but she didn't know what she could do about it.
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Charlotte Charades was excited to be moving the Fun House again. She loved meeting new dolls. Blossom Flowerpot was her constant companion and best friend but Charlotte was a very outgoing doll who liked to meet a lot of dolls and make a lot of friends. For this reason she was ecstatic when she found out there was a doll house just across the river from where she and Blossom set up their tent. She eagerly awaited meeting the doll who lived there, but after 5 days she had only caught glimpses of the stranger through the window. She was immensely curious about the doll that had looked soft and delicate and so very white. After a while she had grown tired of waiting for the doll to come and meet them and decided to take the initiative and introduce herself to the strange doll first. So Charlotte asked Blossom to fly her across the river using her butterfly wings so that she might meet this new friend.
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Six days after the Fun House had set up, Toasty looked out her window to see the two strange dolls flying over the river. Wait...flying? She didn't know that dolls could fly! Oh! Maybe it was a special talent. Toasty was pretty sure she had read about those somewhere. She briefly wondered if she had a special talent before remembering that two strange dolls were headed to her house. She didn't know if she was ready to meet them yet! She hadn't had time to prepare! So Toasty did the only sensible thing and hid in her bedroom with her bunny Marsh and her favourite fluffy white pillow. She hoped that the other dolls would think that she wasn't at home and leave her alone. As much as Toasty yearned for friends, she was terribly afraid that the other dolls wouldn't like her. After all, she had no idea what to do with other dolls as she had never met any before.
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Charlotte was extremely excited to introduce herself to this new doll: she was practically bursting with it. She had seen a flash in one of the windows as Blossom was carrying her over the river, but when she rang the doorbell, nobody answered. She tried again, and a third time, thinking that maybe the doll hadn't heard. By the fourth time she rang, she was starting to get worried. The doll was home, wasn't she? Charlotte hadn't seen anyone leave the house.... But still, maybe the doll had somehow slipped out. But Charlotte was nothing if not persistent, so she continued to ring the bell and even went to peek in the window. Then, feeling bold and only a little bit bad about the invasion of privacy, Charlotte went to check if the door had been locked. She was in luck! She was able to open the door easily and she stepped into the house. Immediately she was amazed by all the soft colours and plush surfaces that surrounded her. This doll sure knew how to live in comfort. Now, if only Charlotte could find out where she was hiding.....
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Toasty listened as the doorbell rang shrilly: once, twice, three times, four, and then silence. She sat curled up on her bed hoping that the dolls had given up and gone back to their tent. Then she heard a sound that was quite different from the doorbell, more of a creaking than a ringing. With a start she realized what it was: her front door was opening! Toasty was terrified, but there was also a hint of curiosity: was she finally going to meet the dolls she had daydreamed about for the past six days? She didn't have long to ponder before she heard footsteps thumping on the stairs and stopping outside her bedroom. She held her breath in anticipation as she watched her bedroom door slowly and quietly open.
~ - ~ - ~ - ~
Charlotte and Blossom had searched the entire main floor, but there was no sign of the porcelain-skinned doll. So Charlotte left Blossom downstairs to continue the futile search while she crept up the stairs. Once at the top, she encountered a door, and curiously she pushed it open. There was a startled gasp and Charlotte glanced up to see the delicate doll curled up tightly on a large white bed that looked like a giant marshmallow. The doll was clutching a pillow and shivering slightly. Charlotte smiled and stepped forward, but paused when she noticed that the doll's shivering had increased. Suddenly she came to the realization that perhaps this doll was...scared of her. What a funny thought. But Charlotte, although very outgoing, was a kind doll and sensitive to the feelings of others. So she stopped her approach and in a quiet voice introduced herself, "Hello. My name is Charlotte Charades and I apologize for bursting in on you but I desperately wanted to meet you. Will you forgive me?"
Toasty had been startled by the appearance of Charlotte, but then the other doll spoke to her. Her soothing voice calmed Toasty down and she wasn't nearly as frightened has she had been a few minutes ago. So Toasty gathered up her courage and smiled at Charlotte while tentatively saying, "Hi. I-I'm Toasty. Toasty Sweet Fluff. Actually, I wanted to go and meet you earlier, but I was afraid."
"Afraid?" Charlotte questioned, "but we're not scary. You have nothing to be afraid of."
Toasty giggled nervously, "I can see that now, but I've never met another doll before and I wasn't sure if you would like me."
Charlotte was flabbergasted. Never met another doll? That was unheard of! So Charlotte, caring about the other doll, held out her hand and asked, "Would you like to come and see the fun house? I could introduce you to some more dolls there. You'll see, there's nothing to be afraid of."
Toasty was amazed at Charlottes kindness, but she was still apprehensive about the thought of other dolls. Surely meeting one was enough for today. But then Toasty looked up at Charlotte and thought, "maybe it won't be so hard to meet other doll if she's with me." So Toasty lightly took hold of Charlotte's hand and told her, "I suppose I could go meet other dolls, as long as you promise to stay with me."
Charlotte looked down into Toasty'e wide, fearful eyes and easily agreed, "Of course I'll stay with you." What Charlotte didn't say was that she hoped she would always be able to stay with Toasty and protect her every time she got scared.
