[not again] catchall for percy

[fishingforcompliments]

Comments

[hydrogenetic]

You think so? [Idly. He doesn't quite agree, but it's sort of funny to hear.] I want to think we'll all be fine but we're still in a trial period right now, aren't we?

[fishingforcompliments]

Well, yes... but dogs are wonderfully loyal. Mrs. O'Leary will not let anything happen to you.

[another scratch behind the ears!]

Will you, girl?

[hydrogenetic]

[There's another bark. Nope! She'll be just fine as a protector.]

True enough. She's helped us out plenty of times before during battles, and we went through our last game together and made it out okay. Maybe she really is used to this by now.

[fishingforcompliments]

She is trained for battle?

[IMPRESSIVE. Flayn has never had a dog on the battlefield before.

(She doesn't count the wolflike demonic beasts.)]

[hydrogenetic]

Oh yeah, big time. Normally she's at least a hundred times this size. I'm used to flying with Blackjack but she's great for ground coverage.

[Being in a murder game previously means he's not as cagey about saying things like this, apparently.]

[fishingforcompliments]

[A hundred times bigger... Flayn's eyes widen as she tries to imagine it, and she gives Mrs. O'Leary another pat.]

She must be a most reliable comrade!

[hydrogenetic]

She is. She knows better than to let our enemies win and she's one of the most faithful friends I've got.

[fishingforcompliments]

Then you are both very lucky to have each other.

[hydrogenetic]

I think so, too. [He loves a good girl.] What about you, Flayn? Got anybody here that you can count on?

[fishingforcompliments]

Yes. There are people I was with in the place I was before this that I know I can trust with my life.

[hydrogenetic]

That's good to know. I was sort of hoping that'd be the answer anyway considering...well, everything.

[Weird camp, weird NPCs, all that.]

[fishingforcompliments]

All of this is a little disconcerting... I do hope that our hosts are telling the truth. I cannot blame anyone who disbelieves them, and to be honest I am... having a little trouble believing them, myself. But I would like to.

[hydrogenetic]

You and me both. Our last host wasn't exactly the most helpful guy around...and these ones seem almost too nice. I don't blame anybody who's suspicious of them.

[fishingforcompliments]

We had no host, so I am afraid those of us from the island have nothing to compare it to. ...I am sure many of us will be relying on your experience.

[hydrogenetic]

Our host was a robot, so I wouldn't rely too heavily on us. [...] If you didn't have hosts though, how did you guys handle your trials and stuff?

[fishingforcompliments]

A voice told us when to begin and when it was over, but we had to figure everything else out for ourselves.

[hydrogenetic]

Did you ever find the source of the voice?

[fishingforcompliments]

No... we never did see who was speaking.

[hydrogenetic]

Somehow that makes it even worse. Were they always telling the truth, you think?

[fishingforcompliments]

Well... none of what they told us proved false, except perhaps when they threw a tantrum about the curse having been broken. Being here instead of home, it does not feel as though we have truly escaped it.

[hydrogenetic]

It's like it was just a preview of what was coming...you guys were only on the island for a short time, weren't you?

[fishingforcompliments]

Yes, only for two weeks.

[A preview... that gives her pause, and her expression becomes a little distressed.]

⁠—do you think what happened on the island and what may be happening here share the same cause?

[hydrogenetic]

There's a few too many coincidences for me to think it's not possible. But we don't have any proof yet either, so...it's hard to say. I really, really hope not though.

[fishingforcompliments]

...with a little luck, we shall not find out the hard way.

[They have no luck. They're going to find out the hard way.]

[hydrogenetic]

I hope you're right. [There's a slight grin.] But let's keep an eye out for anything that seems off, okay? The sooner we know, the better we can plan for whatever happens.

[fishingforcompliments]

Yes.

[she smiles back at him]

This is not new to any of us. We know what we need to do.

[hydrogenetic]

Let me know if you hear of anything unusual, alright? And I'll do the same for you.

[fishingforcompliments]

Certainly.

[teamwork makes the dream work, etc]