Star

-- she happily sailed past @WillYou_JoinUs, feeling more like herself than she had in a long time.} @MachineHunter_

-- fifth square. Cramming her hat down over her hair, she hopped forward, skipping from foot to foot as -- @WillYou_JoinUs @MachineHunter_

-- Nodding to @WillYou_JoinUs, wild curls bouncing, she gave her stone an underhand toss, beaming as it landed on the -- @MachineHunter_

-- said. @WillYou_JoinUs was more. Even she could see it. Maybe... Maybe it was okay to play with John Henry? -- @MachineHunter_

-- Ordinary metal didn't know how to make friends. Nothing but toaster ovens, that's what @TheyNeverRest -- @WillYou_JoinUs @MachineHunter_

-- those... No triple eight would have let her live this long, much less have played with her. -- @WillYou_JoinUs @MachineHunter_

-- The last time she'd been this close to tin cans, she'd lost her family. But @WillYou_JoinUs didn't seem like one of -- @MachineHunter_

-- liked to play, she grinned furtively @WillYou_JoinUs, scurrying up to the bottom square of the hopscotch grid. --@MachineHunter_

{A silent giggle slipping from her @WillYou_JoinUs studious expression; blinking in surprise as the metal boasted he -- @VirtueOfColtan

-- dusting off her hands as she rose to stand, pressing the stone to @WillYou_JoinUs's palm as she signed "Want to play?"}

-- along the side of the mess tent, numbering the squares one through ten. Stuffing the pink chalk away, she reached for a pebble, --

-- knew her game. Pulling a piece of pink chalk from her pocket, she dropped into a crouch, quickly drawing out a hopscotch grid --

-- determinedly over the pavement to @WillYou_JoinUs, smiling hopefully up at John Henry as she tapped him on the hand, wondering if he --

-- if @WillYou_JoinUs was planning on killing her, he probably would have done it by now. Drawing a deep breath, she marched --

-- like @TheyNeverRest's pancakes, that had made her feel at home. Maybe @WillYou_JoinUs was worth taking a chance on... After all, --

-- Drawing back a step, she pulled a face, little fingers closing around the toy @WillYou_JoinUs had made for her. A kindness, --

-- The metal was so /tall/. Big enough to crush her. One push, one stomp and she'd be gone. Maybe... Maybe this was a bad idea. --

{Wild hair springing out in all directions, she ran into the camp's open space and stopped; staring hesitantly @WillYou_JoinUs. --

-- tapping her duckling in a slow waddle across the table. Did metal know how to play?} @WillYou_JoinUs

-- Maybe it would be okay to have metal in her corner. Looking up @WillYou_JoinUs, she met #JohnHenry's gaze and nodded, hopefully --