[It’s December, the holiday shopping season. Gilda is at the Grunvale Mall with her grandma Sharon]
Gilda: [looks into tote bag] “You think Wendy’ll like this acorn-scented candle? Or should I have gotten the lemon-scented?”
Sharon: “You’re buying for her, Gil. Not for you. Besides, she’s a sciurine. You know that. It’s in her blood to love any woodsy scent.”
Gilda: [beat] “I don’t know, I guess I just feel like I could do better. I mean, look what I got for Nicole and Dolly. A fruit bat plushie and a vintage-style Strawberry Shortcake figurine. Wendy’s the one I’m closest to, and yet the best I can think up is a candle.”
Sharon: “You ever hear the phrase ‘it’s the thought that counts’?”
Gilda: “Yeah, but…”
Sharon: “If she truly values you as a friend, and I know she does, she’ll appreciate the fact you got her anything at all. You’re lucky to be eleven years old and have an income, let alone enough to spend on Christmas presents.”
Gilda: “Hanukkah. The Wylers celebrate Hanukkah.”
Sharon: “Oh. Right.”
Gilda: “Although I do need to do shopping for the Hynde triplets and Lowry twins, too, thanks for reminding me.”
[Gilda sees Margo from a distance, holding a giant cotton candy. Margo notices her]
Margo: “What the hey? Oh, hey, Gil!” [walks up]
Gilda: “Speaking of.” [backs away as Margo gets closer, eyes on the cotton candy]
Margo: “Hey, Gil. Whatcha doin’?”
Gilda: “Uh, nothing. Isabella.” [glances the cotton candy] “That’s a… that’s a big cotton candy you got there, Mar.”
Margo: “Yeah, I know, right? Got it at Zucker’s kiosk. I, uh… hey, would you mind taking it off my hands? I had two subs earlier and overestimated how much room I’d have in my belly after.”
Gilda: [beat. Her eyes dart around nervously] “Uh… you… want me to take it?”
Margo: “Yes, please. It’s the season of giving, after all. And I know you’ve got a thing for sweets.”
Gilda: “Uh, more the sour kind. But sure.” [takes the cotton candy as she fake-smiles] “Thanks, Margo.”
Margo: “See ya ’round, Gil!” [notices Sharon] “And Grandma!”
Sharon: “Not your grandma.”
Margo: “Just testing it!”
[Margo laughs lightly as she runs off. Gilda stands silently for a while, staring at the cotton candy, before hesitantly taking a bite out of it. She lets it dissolve in her mouth, before another long silence]
Sharon: “That was nice of your little friend there, wasn’t it?”
Gilda: [takes a deep breath] “It was.”
It’s December 7th, and you know what that means!
…well, the start of Hanukkah. More importantly in the grand scheme of things. But in terms of the fulfillment for my 2023 resolution (the final one!), National Cotton Candy Day! And I came prepared with this artwork of Gilda, looking… less than enthused about it.
Here’s an element of Gilda’s personality that only a few people probably remember, but I’ve actually had canon for a while. Gilda despises cotton candy. And the reason for it, is rooted in her being a procyonine/raccoon. You see, much like smell is for dogs and hearing is for rabbits, a raccoon’s dominant sense, is their sense of touch. Their highly sensitive paws, help them identify their surroundings and what lies in them, including, most notably, and relevant to this description, food. Raccoons are known to often dip their food in water, to help them better identify what it is they’re about to eat. Of course, cotton candy dissolves in water. So any raccoon that tries this natural habit on cotton candy, is in for a confusing and upsetting surprise.
Of course, Gilda’s an anthropomorphic raccoon. A procyonine, with a human-level understanding of the world. So she has reasons for hating cotton candy, that go beyond it just dissolving in water. Quite a lot, actually. How unsatisfying it feels to bite into. The feel of its stickiness feels on her whiskers. The lack of a sour taste that she craves from candy. Flies and such always getting into it. And how it becomes small and hard when exposed to the air too long. She may have a bubbly personality, she may have a sweet tooth. But Gilda does still have standards. And cotton candy fails to reach them.
Now to the ficlet…
Since today is the start of Hanukkah, and the Wyler family is Jewish, I felt it appropriate to acknowledge the holiday here, by having Gilda shopping for Hanukkah gifts for the Wylers. Representation matters, after all, and inclusivity is always appreciated. So for all my Jewish readers, and to the Jewish side of my extended family if they happen to be reading this, Happy Hanukkah!
As for myself… holy shit, I actually stuck to my resolution all year round. And… I still want to make an effort to acknowledge National [thing] Days even after this. So I think I will. But at least I can say I stuck to my resolution, unlike the vast majority of people. Wooooo! I’m… getting to have bragging rights about something that doesn’t mean much except to me and maybe some others who’ve been following me as I go about this resolution!
…ahem.
Stay tuned for more National [thing] Day artworks and ficlets to come… whenever I feel like it in 2024 and beyond. And now… it is time for the Phoenix to fly off. Until next time, take care, stay safe, be good to each other, support an Asimovian amendment for AI, and have a good one.
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Grunvale/OTOG is owned by me. You’re free to draw fanart or write fanfics of it, as long as you credit me as the creator of the series.
This artwork was made at a resolution of 3996×2160 (aspect ratio 1.85:1).
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