Live with Arella

The soft chime of a notification pinged as the stream went live, the screen fading in to reveal a cozy nursery-style setup. Plush pastel pillows lined the background, a mobile with tiny teddy bears and stars spinning gently above her. Arella, dressed in a light pink onesie with frilly sleeves, beamed at the camera as she wiggled excitedly in her seat.

"Hiii, little beans!" she cooed, waving with both hands before clapping them together. "Welcome, welcome! It’s playdate time! Grab your stuffies, your bottles, and get super duper comfy, ‘cause today we’re gonna chat, play, and just be little together!"

Hearts and cutesy emojis flooded the chat.

“You look SO CUTE!”

“Eeeek, I’ve been waiting all day for this!!”

“Arella! Arella! Did you bring your favorite stuffie today?”

"Duhhh! Silly question—of course I did!" Arella giggled, grabbing a soft, well-loved bunny from her lap. "Say hi to Mr. Hopsalot! He’s been my bestie since forever." She booped its little pink nose before holding it close.

She glanced at the chat as more questions poured in.

“What’s your fave part of being little?”

"Oooh! Easy! The snuggles, the care, the freedom to just BE!" She wiggled again, shifting slightly in her seat, a crinkle barely audible. "I love waking up in my cozy footies, drinking from my favorite baba, and not worrying ‘bout boring big stuff. Just fun, love, and play!"

She reached off-screen, grabbing a pastel sippy cup filled with juice, taking a slow sip before sighing happily.

“Umm… Arella, did you forget something? ”

Arella blinked, tilting her head before giggling. "Ohhh, you mean this?" She shifted again, letting out a tiny whimper as she patted her lap. A soft squish met her touch. "Oopsie… somebody mighta gotten a little too comfy and… well…" She blushed dramatically, sticking her tongue out.

Chat exploded.

“OMG SHE WENT PUDDLES LIVE AHHH!!”

“Soggy bean detected!!”

“Quick, get a Big! You need a change, missy!”

Arella pouted playfully. "Maaaaybe I do, but that’s for later! Right now, I got a few more questions to answer first!" She giggled, her diapered bottom squishing as she bounced lightly on her knees.

Suddenly, a chime rang in her headphones. A message notification appeared at the corner of her screen.

Her eyes widened slightly.

"Oh! Hold on, little beans, I just got a super interesting message…" Her finger hovered over the screen, reading silently before her expression shifted into a mix of curiosity and excitement.

She looked back at the camera, lips curving into a mischievous smile.

"Okay, okay, so… I might have just gotten an invitation to something REALLY special. Like, super-duper exclusive. And if it’s what I think it is, this could be HUGE for all us littles."

Chat went wild.

“TELL US!!”

“Omg Arella, SPILL!!”

“What kinda invite?!?”

She giggled, wiggling again, causing another faint crinkle.

"Hehe, you’ll just hafta wait ‘n see! But trust me, if this is real… oh boy, we’re in for an adventure!"

With a dramatic wink, she clicked back to the chat, the excitement bubbling inside her.

Somewhere, across the ocean, Little Island was waiting.