Assertive Anemone About-Face

//Existing scene
<b>[say: Come on, get out of your little hole and help!]</b>

The sound of a voice being raised in frustration turns your head. Marble is standing in front of your occupied water barrel with several of your rambunctious children in tow, berating the anemone cornered inside. You advance a few feet and the blue girl turns toward you beseechingly, but Marble starts talking again before you're close enough to say anything.

[say: ...no idea why you're so shy and immature,] the cow-girl continues, no less insistent for her quieter tone. [say: You're almost two feet taller than any of these kids, so why don't you stop acting like one and behave like an adult? There's work to be done around here and not enough hands to do it!]

Marble takes a horse-stance, awaiting an answer; the anemone considers unhappily for several moments, then climbs out of the barrel. Satisfied, Marble turns and herds her children off.
//Remember "minutes" change

//Kid A xp (i.e., confidence) > 66
However, it's only a few steps before she realizes that Kid A isn't budging. The cow-girl turns back around with an icy glare, and the absolute silence that overtakes the scene is actually a bit unnerving. You're not quite sure what the little anemone is thinking, but there's not a shred of uncertainty in her expression. The two stare at each other.

[say:Do you even understand me? I said—]

A whirl of glowing tendrils whips around as Kid A vigorously shakes her head back and forth. Her arms cross over her petite chest, and she takes a stance to match Marble's as the cow-girl looks on incredulously. You take pride in how firmly her feet are planted in the earth, a clear-cut statement that she's not going to be a pushover today. She wouldn't always have been able to stand up for herself here, you know well, and that only makes you all the prouder.

[say:...Fine. Whatever. Another thing to handle myself.] Marble turns to her children and starts speaking in a much sweeter tone, though you can clearly hear the agitation underneath. [say:Mommy's going to teach you some sewing now—won't that be fun?]

Her children grumble in response. As the cow-girl reluctantly retreats, you head over to the barrel to praise your daughter for her courage. Kid A beams at you as you lavish her with compliments, and the tentacles on her head glow as bright as her smile. When you're finished, she lurches forward, almost stumbling over her own feet but recovering gracefully before pulling you into a hug.

The embrace is short-lived, but you take heart in the fact that the warm feeling in your chest won't be as you wave goodbye to the anemone-girl.