Snowdrop

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Snowdrop is the mendacious opossum-girl boon companion that accompanied Avery on the Forest Ribbon Trail.

Personality

The key to understanding Snowdrop is that she's effectively a compulsive liar; everything she says will be the opposite of what she intends to say.<ref name=":0">“She’s not ‘glaikit’, as you would put it, Alpeana.  She’s contrary by nature.”

“You couldn’t have told us this before?” Lucy asked.

“I didn’t know the opossum’s rule until I saw her here, as this spirit of the Path.  But even if I knew there was no way to tell how the rule or tendency would manifest.  Another opossum could have had a different approach than expressing the opposite of what she means.”
[...]
“The gimmick.  The opossum.  It plays dead even when it doesn’t mean to, fainting.  Deceives when it doesn’t mean to.  It says the opposite of what it means to, but it can deceive well enough to bring a token item into the Wolf’s negotiation.” - excerpt from Out on a Limb 3.1</ref> This is considered a special Rule of Discourse, shared by Others in some Realms and by some Oni. This can be frustrating for Snowdrop, as from her perspective she speaks plainly while others have trouble parsing what she's saying. A partial exception exists for questions.<ref>"People got so weird, sometimes.  She couldn’t always predict how they’d react to stuff she said.  Questions were usually safe, though.  Questions didn’t get flipped around.  Other stuff did, though.  Even the ‘huhs’ and ‘ughs’.  It didn’t matter if she tried to reword it or fib, because it was based on what she meant, not what she said." - Excerpt from Leaving a Mark 4.x:</ref> This is not limited to verbal speech, and extends into body language,<ref>“I did charm you a bit, didn’t I?”

“I’m super gay, Jude. So not like that. But you were nice enough.”

“I’ll take it. I could take that last bit and say it to my dad, but I dunno…”

“She really likes you in that romantic way,” Snowdrop said.

“Tell your dad my boon companion said that, maybe,” Avery said.

Snowdrop gave him a thumbs up.

“Okay, that works,” Jude said. - Excerpt from Leaving a Mark 4.1</ref><ref>“This is tough,” Lucy said. “But we can do this. Eyes open, okay?”

Avery and Verona nodded, giving a thumbs up. Snowdrop joined them.

Verona reached down, putting Snowdrop’s middle finger down with the rest of the fingers, and adjusted her thumb. “There.” - Excerpt from interlude 4.x</ref> and writing.<ref>Writing wouldn’t work, and it wasn’t because she was an opossum. It was because things got flipped around. Even in writing. - Excerpt from Leaving a Mark 4.x</ref>

Other aspects of her personality come from her origins. She has an instinctive awareness of everything Avery knew and thought at the time the girl performed the ritual.<ref>“This wee bairn went to tha meeting place I was to meet tha lassie at.”

“I didn’t know anything about what that Avery twit was planning, where she came from, or any of that,” the little girl said. - Excerpt from Out on a Limb 3.1</ref> Which informs much of her personality and actions, while giving her skills and similar to draw on.

The other comes from her species translating many opossum-like behavioral traits to human form. She's been seen crouching on all fours, <ref>A kid, eight or nine or so, flipped down from the branch, dangling by her knees so she was upside down.  She wore cargo shorts and a tee that said ‘Trash Face’, her hair was greasy, and she had dark circles around her eyes.
[...]
“Our opossum,” Miss said.  “Hello, dear.”

The kid dropped from the branch, landing on all fours, as Miss approached.  She backed away a half step, then stopped retreating. - Excerpt from Out on a Limb 3.1</ref> not liking loud noises,<ref>“Want something to help with the distraction?” Lucy asked. “Firecrackers or a stinkbomb?”

“Firecrackers. I like weird, loud noises.” - Excerpt from Out on a Limb 3.8</ref> or birds.<ref>“It’s raining,” Avery said, raising an eyebrow.

Verona gave her a look. “You’re going to get wet anyway. It’s still warm out, and there’s probably less kids out.”

“Aw, but there’s less birds,” Snowdrop commented. “Gotta love the birds, especially the big ones, they do that cool stuff with sudden movements and flying off in a way that totally makes sense. I love it.”

“Less birds,” Verona said, seriously, to Avery. “I guess it makes hunting harder.”

“And it keeps the bugs underground,” Snowdrop said. “Yucky bugs.” - Excerpt from Cutting Class 6.6</ref>

It also extends to her choices in partner.<ref>“We were just talking about opossum boys,” Verona said.
[Read the chapter]
“Nah,” Snowdrop mumbled, shifting position so she sat beside Avery. Avery put an arm around Snowdrop’s shoulders. - Excerpt from Leaving a Mark 4.4</ref>

Then there are her own personal traits. Like contributing to the welfare of her species, especially liking the idea of Avery helping opossums in her name somehow.<ref name=":1">“I was going to lead a nice long life.  I had the rest of the time with my mother to get drunk on her milk, cozy and safe.  Then a good life awaited me, eating trash, eating bugs, eating plants, and eating carrion.  I would have found a mate, I would have had babies, and I’ve heard that Nature rewards good animals who have babies with a weeks-long hit of happy, like we’ve been given heroin.  Doesn’t help keep some moms from eating their babies. [...] I’m going to die a meaningless death, when I had a real chance of contributing to my species,” Snowdrop said.”

“Can you please chill out, Snowdrop?  Please?  This is nerve wracking as it is.  If that is what happens, I’ll try to do something to keep your end here from being meaningless, and… I don’t know, I’ll see about doing something nice for your species.  I don’t know what that would be, but if it would make you feel better…”

“It wouldn’t, you sad, lonely failure.” - Excerpt from Stolen Away 2.9</ref> Then of course there's her excessive gluttony.<ref>“I thought you seemed heavier, Snowdrop.”

- Excerpt from Cutting Class 6.2</ref>

Relationships

Avery Kelly

Snowdrop deeply admires and likes Avery.<ref>“How was Avery when you saw her?”

“Great.  But she’s a real wimp when it counts.” - Excerpt from [[|Out on a Limb 3.1]]</ref><ref>Mask- she tore it off, shook it violently, and shucked off the glamour she’d used.  She donned the mask.

Hat.  Same deal.

“That’s so lame,” the sopossum girl said.  “You look so uncool.”
[...]
“Odelia?”

“You have awful taste in names,” the girl said, walking backwards, expression getting worse and worse.
[...]
“I hope the wolf gets you like the other opossum said, lonely freak.” - Excerpt from Stolen Away 2.9</ref> She had no problem being sacrificed to help her,<ref>“Happy you’re not getting sacrificed?”

“Yes.”

“Cool,” Nicolette said.  “I don’t suppose you’d stick around, help?”

“Can do, if it screws with her.”
[...]
“I’m going to get some things to clean up.  Do you need anything?” she asked the Other.

“Nah.  Pretty happy right now.” - Excerpt from Stolen Away 2.z</ref><ref>The person beside her let go of Avery’s hand.  They didn’t move. 

“You’re going to have me take your place at the end, guaranteed.  Murderer.  Idiot.  And you want to look me in the eye?”
[...]
“I- I’m doing this to help people.”

“Right, and you aren’t doing it to help yourself any.  No magical boons, no opening of doors.  Sure, I believe you.  Disgusting.  Loser.
[...]
“Take longer to get your sentences out, murdering a-hole.  Hesitate more.  Let’s drag this out.  We’ll postpone my horrible fate, okay?” - Excerpt from Stolen Away 2.9</ref> and saw it as a meaningful death.<ref name=":1" />

Months after her initial creation she retains an instinctual understanding of Avery.<ref>Avery subtly gave Snowdrop a firm two taps behind the neck where the boys couldn’t see her fingers move. Again, Snowdrop looked up at her, slight smile on her face.

Avery pressed her lips slightly together, knowing Snowdrop was paying the most attention to her.

“Avery?” Snowdrop asked. She adjusted her grip on stuff she was still holding. “Can I ask you about something we talked about before?”

“Yes, of course,” Avery said. She glanced back, “Excuse me.”
[...]
“Did I do that wrong?” Snowdrop asked, quiet, as Avery dropped down to a crouch by her, setting the bags of stuff on the floor.

“That was great. Thank you.”

“I don’t know how your head works or anything like that,” Snowdrop said, biting her lip for a second. “But I understand this. What’s happening?” - Excerpt from Cutting Class 6.9</ref>

Louise Bayer

Occasionally Snowdrop will visit Louise, seemingly acting as someone Louise can exercise her maternal instincts on while also being reminded to look after her own health.<ref>““I’m there pretty often, y’know. But she’s awful. Tells me I’m not anything like family, I’m horrible. We have a deal, where I don’t nag her about the smoking and stuff, and she doesn’t make me drink my milk or eat her cooking.”

“Sounds like a good arrangement.”

“It’s awful ’cause I’m there or I’m with Cherry or I’m with you. It’s so boring and stuff.”

Avery smiled. - Excerpt from Leaving a Mark 4.1</ref>

Appearance

In her human form, she appears to be a young girl, originally aged 8 or so,<ref name=":2"> It was a kid, no older than eight, possibly younger, with messy blond hair, a jacket, a top, and bare feet.

Avery measured her steps carefully, getting a feel for the ground, before catching up.

The opossum girl hung from a branch over the path with both hands gripping the leafless wood, her face at Avery’s eye level. Her hair was bleached and messy, her skin pale and smudged in places, her feet dirty, and she had dark circles under her eyes like someone had punched her. She wore a white jacket with a hood, and big black buttons had been sewn onto the hood to be eyes, cloth for ears, and actual teeth from various animals sewn in around the edge of the hood. She didn’t have any shorts or skirt on that Avery could see, but she wore an adult-sized t-shirt that came to her knees, black. It was printed with ‘I have class, I have sass, I scream at own ass’

“Murderer. A-hole. You prepared for this crap,” the opossum girl said, accusatory. She was missing teeth. - Excerpt from Stolen Away 2.9</ref><ref name=":3">A kid, eight or nine or so, flipped down from the branch, dangling by her knees so she was upside down.  She wore cargo shorts and a tee that said ‘Trash Face’, her hair was greasy, and she had dark circles around her eyes. - Excerpt from Out on a Limb 3.1</ref> but ages quickly,<ref>"Tell me, Snowdrop looks older, but you don’t,” Miss noted.  “Has it been weeks?” “Yeah.  Weeks,” Lucy said. - excerpt from Back Away 5.d</ref> later appearing to be around 11.<ref name=":4">Snowdrop looked eleven or so. Her hair was in a high ponytail, she had jeans with massive holes in the knees, and a black tee that was knotted at the side, to expose her stomach. It hid part of the message, leaving only the ‘Pretty as’ and the illustration of an opossum with tire tracks through it and bright pink lipstick and blue eyeshadow. Avery guessed it was ‘Pretty as Roadkill’. - Excerpt from Leaving a Mark 4.1</ref> Her hair is bleached blonde,<ref name=":2" /> greasy, and she has dark circles under her eyes.<ref name=":3" /> Her skin is pale and she has some teeth missing.<ref name=":2" />

Her clothing changes. On the Trail she wore an adult-sized t-shirt labelled ‘I have class, I have sass, I scream at own ass’.<ref name=":2" /> On reaching reality she wore a t-shirt that said "Trash Face" and cargo shorts,<ref name=":3" /> with untied shoes.<ref>Wide eyed, with dark circles under those same eyes, the rodent looked at her, at Alexander, and at the box.  At the blood.  It looked like a kid, wearing a t-shirt printed with ‘Trash Face’, and oversized cargo shorts that extended down to the tops of her mid-calf socks.  Her shoes were untied. - Excerpt from Stolen Away 2.z</ref> Later outfits have included t-shirts with messages like "Pretty as Roadkill".<ref name=":4" /> See List of Snowdrop's Outfits for more examples.

In opossum form she looks like a normal young opossum, and can't speak, only making opossum noises (sneeze-like noises and screams mostly.)

Abilities

She can transform into a regular opossum pop and back into a girl at will, both forms will be of roughly equivalent age.

As a companion on the Trail, her gift was that she could deceive the Wolf and bring a second item (along with the single item Avery was allowed to bring.)<ref name=":0" /> Further as a companion of the path she has keen senses that synergize those naturally granted to her as an opossum.<ref>Having keen senses was essential to be a good guide of the Forest Ribbon Trail, and it wasn’t possible to survive in the wild if you couldn’t be alert and ready when something happened. - Excerpt from Leaving a Mark 4.x</ref> Thus she's the only being yet shown who can behold Miss directly,<ref>Miss bent down, until her face and head were at a level with the kid’s She reached up to wipe at a smudge of dirt and fix the kid’s hair.

Everything hidden from those present, except for the kid. - Excerpt from Out on a Limb 3.1</ref> tjough that may be due to their similar natures.

She's learned from goblins the secret of travel through the Warrens.<ref name="OL3.8">“I can keep running, I’m tough, I’m made for this-” Snowdrop huffed.

Verona reached down and took the girl’s hand.

Snowdrop became a possum pup, clinging to Verona’s wrist.
[...]
Gashwad kept skipping ahead.  He was lying in wait now.

“How’s he moving like that!?” Lucy called out.

“There’s little paths and tunnels, if you’re tuned into the Warrens,” Avery said.  “The place goblins come from.  Snowdrop showed me some.  Gash- gash seems to know most of them!” - Excerpt from Out on a Limb 3.8</ref>

Weaknesses

Although her lies can catch enemies off guard, they're involuntary, even when trying to communicate with allies.<ref name=":0" />

Like most Others, she can seemingly be blocked by ritual circles.<ref>She glanced back at the kid, who was staring at the scene, then drew a diagram around the model, warding it off so the kid couldn’t mess with it.  To be safe.  The kid poked a few times at the barrier. - Excerpt from Stolen Away 2.z</ref>

While capable of taking human form, she seemingly lacks a human's intrinsic stamina.<ref name="OL3.8"/>

Seal of Solomon

It is currently unclear whether Snowdrop is bound to the Seal of Solomon.

According to Miss's notes, Lost freed from the paths should be bound to the seal as a precautionary measure, though it's unclear whether all Lost are unbound to the Seal by definition, and unclear whether Snowdrop was ever Lost to begin with.

Zed states at one point that Snowdrop's lying is a use of the Rule of Discourse, implying that she is bound to the Seal. However, given the limited information Zed has about Snowdrop this may simply be an assumption on his part.

We see from Snowdrop's interlude that her lies aren't lies from her perspective, and that they are based on what she means to say. This seems to imply that if Snowdrop were to speak with the intention of lying, she would end up telling the truth, breaking her rule of discourse. Time will tell.

Chronology

Before

Started out as a normal baby opossum with a mother and siblings. Her mother eventually stopped giving milk however and the to young opossum was forced to fend for herself.<ref>TaintedKage:Didn't she say something about getting drunk on her mom's milk?
With her gimmick, it means her mom had stopped producing or died. She was probably abandoned and starving when Verona found her.

Wildbow: Yep. I said as much in the Parahumans Discord. - Exchange on Reddit</ref> Verona, Glamoured in the form of a cat, sniffed her out and took her home for use in the ritual. <ref>🟂

Every movement was careful. Each foot had to be set down with care, to avoid tipping over.

She’d eaten and she was hungry. When she’d eaten, her stomach had hurt, and she’d squirted out the contents. After, she’d been tired, hungry, thirsty, and felt mixed-together emptiness with feeling stopped up, in her middle.

Now, even though it wasn’t that cold out, she was trembling.

She nosed at some grass, then chewed on it, prying at it with sharp teeth, tugging it free. She couldn’t taste anything rich in it, there wasn’t a lot to it, but it was right there for the taking and it felt like an answer to the gnawing emptiness in her middle.

What she really wanted, though, the balm to all things, was her mama. Her mama was warm. Her mama provided food that didn’t hurt her stomach, rich and filling, quenching hunger and thirst both. Her mama would make the world feel less open and empty. Her mama would protect her.

She shivered, huddling into a crevice, and her mouth opened and closed as she chewed at grass.

The shadow slipped close with barely a sound. When eyes focused on her, they were close together.

She knew from her very limited experience that eyes being close together meant predator. It meant hunter. She’d run into a few things, things that moved and smelled different than mama or than her brothers and sisters. Some took to the air, others moved along the ground. Others scampered up trees.

The scary ones had always had eyes like this.

She hissed as it drew closer, her heart pounding enough she thought she could faint.

The shadow nuzzled at her, found the back of her neck, and picked her up by the scruff. She didn’t fight it. She was too tired.

The shadow moved her to a shoulder, and she held on, feeling the warmth of her.

She was so grateful for that warmth, even as the rest of her was tired and very close to being done.

She nuzzled in close and accepted whatever was to follow.

🟂 - Excerpt from Leaving a Mark 4.10</ref>

Stolen Away

She had never bled or tasted blood before the ritual,<ref>“Are you virginal?” Avery asked. The girl’s eyes opened wide.

“In the practitioner and Other sense, not the ordinary sense.  You’ve never bled or tasted blood?”

“I have.  Both,” the girl said. - Excerpt from Stolen Away 2.9</ref> so she didn't have a negative effect on the path. Abandoned by her mother at such a young age she wasn't destined for a long or pleasant life, as she later stated.<ref name=":1" />

While still an animal she was uncommonly cooperative during the opening phases of the Forest Ribbon Trail ritual.<ref>They rearranged a bit of furniture, then broke out the ribbon Avery had brought.

Avery and Lucy worked together to reel it out and wind it around, passing it to one another to get it around table legs and bring it around to Verona, who was lifting the critter out of the box.

It wasn’t a baby, but it remained small. Lucy tried to be gentle as she wrapped its limbs, then continued holding it as Verona and Avery handled more of the ribbon, bringing it to the curtain rod, down to the side of the bookshelf then back around to the possum baby. Lucy held it cupped in two hands, two limbs bound, and it seemed strangely okay with the treatment. - Excerpt from Stolen Away 2.8</ref> When the Ritual commenced she took a human form and conversed with Avery on the trail, though it took a while to figure out the newly named Snowdrop's way of speaking.<ref>Stolen Away 2.9</ref> Pulled out of the Trail by the Belangers to stymie Avery, she set their place on fire, robbed Nicolette, and escaped.<ref>Stolen Away 2.z</ref>

Out on a Limb

Having hitchhiked to the location Avery was set to travel to using the Trail in order to meet Alpeana, Alpy conveyed them both back to Kennet.

Snowdrop attends the meeting with the Belanger Family over Avery, where Alexander calls her out for being able to lie.

Snowdrop later reappears at Lucy and Verona's school, where she runs into class to inform them Avery has returned. She then comforts the returned Avery, and chases off after her as she heads off using her new movement trick.<ref>“She’s gone!”

The words were screamed by a messy possum girl, who stood in the doorway of Ms. Hardy’s classroom.- Out on a Limb 3.2</ref>

Snowdrop took up being the spy for the trio on the Kennet others.

She ended up returning to the Blue Heron Institute when the Trio attended for the summer.

Trivia

• Many of Snowdrop's behavioral quirks are in fact drawn from the North American opossom.

Fanart Gallery

• Error creating thumbnail: File missing
  Illustration by andersdidnothingwrong (referring to Anders from Dragon Age, not Max Anders from Worm) on Reddit
• Error creating thumbnail: File missing
  By Pseudopod1 on Twitter.
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  By DunnyCT on DeviantArt.
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  “And you’ll be good?” “Absolutely.” by asphodil on Reddit.
• Error creating thumbnail: File missing
  By ughzubat's friend Hannah.
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  By mrcatfishing on Tumblr.
• Error creating thumbnail: File missing
  By mrcatfishing on Tumblr.
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  By Gamander-Ehrenpreis on Reddit.

References

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