#abatedanimus

Of course. So what, are you just making the rounds of checking 8ack to ensure this site is mostly terri8le, or...? 

Too many following/followers on the old one. So actually you should 8e glad that I 8othered to follow you 8ack. 

Need to find a multiplayer online strategy game thing, too, so I can kick his ass.

[20:38:55] CC: Chestplate wvith a fancy polymer something-or-other suit underneath. [20:39:29] CC: I used to be a couple feet taller, I'm not sure wvhy this fits. I think I'm going to be vwery upset as the inches accumulate. [20:39:46] AA: fANCY, [20:39:55] CC: Couple swveeps and this shit'll be useless. [20:39:57] AA: hOW TALL ARE YOU NOW, i THOUGHT YOU WERE A FUCKING GIANT, [20:40:29] CC: god. I finally found a measuring thing. 8'6", nowv. [20:40:40] AA: fUCKING HELL, [20:40:56] AA: sTOP BEING SO HUGE, [20:41:02] AA: i DEMAND THAT YOU SHRINK, [20:41:16] CC: If I but could. [20:41:36] CC: As it is the only solutions invwolvwe slouching or hacksawvs, and I'm not entirely dedicated to the either one. [20:41:53] CC: Maybe the slouching. [20:42:19] CC: Do I wvant to knowv howv tall you are? [20:42:38] AA: oVER NINE FEET, iF YOU COUNT HORNS, [20:42:51] AA: rEALLY FUCKING TALL, iF YOU COUNT FLYING, [20:43:40] CC: So wvhat, twvo feet [20:43:41] CC: three [20:44:12] AA: iM SIX FEET TALL, [20:44:20] AA: tHE HORNS STUNTED MY GROWTH, [20:44:24] AA: }:( [20:44:27] CC: WVhat, really? [20:44:42] AA: tHATS MY EXCUSE, aND iM STICKING TO IT, [20:44:49] CC: That's like, human size, or Meenah size [20:45:13] AA: tHE WINGS MAKE ME LOOK BIGGER, [20:45:24] CC: And a fine peacock you make [20:45:37] AA: iM SO FUCKING SHORT, [20:45:49] AA: sTOP BEING SO TALL, [20:46:05] CC: I'm afraid you'll find it is a fact of nature. [20:46:16] CC: The best I can do is sit dowvn. [20:46:35] AA: iLL SIT ON YOU, [20:46:45] AA: sIT ON YOUR SHOULDERS, tO FEEL TALLER, [20:53:45] CC: It's probably been done before. [20:54:10] CC: Seriously though, three fucking feet of horns, and that's just the vwertical bit? [20:54:49] CC: Howv are you alivwe? [20:55:58] AA: i DONT KNOW, bUT IT IS HELL, [20:58:27] CC: I cannot evwen imagine. [20:59:02] AA: tHEY LOOK GOOD THOUGH, [20:59:08] AA: i HAVE THE BEST RACK, [20:59:17] AA: nOT THE MOST PRACTICAL, bUT THE BEST, [20:59:24] CC: No denying it's eye-catching. [21:00:17] CC: Did they drawv a lot of enthusiasts ovwer the sweeps? [21:00:30] AA: yOU HAVE NO IDEA, [21:00:52] CC: WVell I'vwe some idea, I'm gorgeous [21:01:06] AA: jUST A BIT, yEAH, [21:01:20] AA: bEAUTY IS PAIN, [21:08:23] CC: And yet, also beautiful. [21:08:50] CC: WVhile a hassle I really can't say I mind it too much. [21:09:20] AA: yOURE LUCKY YOU NEVER GET OLD, [21:09:24] AA: iT GETS HARDER, [21:10:41] CC: WVell, not nevwer [21:10:47] CC: Just not in any sort of comprehensible timespan [21:10:52] CC: And [21:11:05] CC: Knowving me, probably not going to manage to livwe till I am [21:11:18] CC: It'd be a really long time, not easy [21:11:28] AA: dYING OF OLD AGE IS BORING, aNYWAYS, [21:11:38] AA: uNFORTUNATELY, iT LOOKS LIKE iM HEADING THAT WAY, [21:12:08] AA: tHEN AGAIN, i GET TO MAKE USE OF ALL MY TIME, aND THEN SOME, [21:12:10] CC: Depends if you manage to find any trouble to get into, I guess [21:12:12] AA: dYING KINDA SUCKED, [21:12:27] CC: I'll bet. [21:13:12] AA: dONT EVER DIE, [21:13:19] AA: nO DYING, [21:13:25] AA: dEATH CAN GO SUCK A BULGE, [21:13:27] CC: WVorking on it. [21:14:03] AA: nO GETTING OLD EITHER, [21:14:14] AA: yOULL NEED MORE AND MORE HAIR DYE, [21:14:18] CC: I think I had an eye on that, too [21:14:32] CC: Hey, there's nothing wvrong wvith hair dye. [21:14:50] AA: dAMN STRAIGHT, [21:14:56] CC: Pfff. [21:15:00] AA: iTS THE ONLY THING KEEPING ME FROM LOOKING LIKE A PILE OF SHIT, [21:19:21] AA: wHY DOES MY CAT HATE ME, iM COVERED IN CAT HAIR, [21:19:27] AA: wHY WOULD SHE RUB ON ME THIS MUCH, [21:19:30] AA: iTS IN MY NOSE, [21:19:34] AA: lORD HELP ME, pLEASE, [21:20:10] CC: Maybe it's because you call her a bitch [21:20:28] AA: sHE IS THOUGH, [21:20:32] AA: sHE IS A HUGE BITCH, [21:20:47] AA: hOLY SHIT YOURE RIGHT, [21:20:49] AA: sHE BIT ME, [21:20:51] AA: sHE KNOWS, [21:21:05] CC: Laughing [21:21:19] AA: dONT LAUGH AT MY PAIN, }:( [21:21:21] CC: Tell her I said she's lovwely [21:21:31] CC: The internet thinks she is a beautiful creature [21:21:34] AA: i THINK SHES BEEN ACTING UP, bECAUSE vRISKAS BEEN GONE A LOT LATELY, [21:21:41] CC: Invwites suffering on all those around her [21:21:54] CC: Possible, I suppose [21:22:54] AA: sHES SITTING ON MY LAP NOW, [21:22:59] AA: sHE LIKES THE COMPLIMENTS, [21:23:26] CC: Good girl [21:24:12] AA: sHES BEING ALL SWEET NOW, [21:24:19] CC: You're wvelcome [21:24:20] AA: i THINK SHE LIKES YOU BETTER THAN ME, [21:24:39] CC: Told you I wvas charming. [21:25:33] AA: oR MAYBE ITS BECAUSE YOU SMELL LIKE TUNA, [21:25:45] AA: (jOKES, jOKES, yOU PROBABLY SMELL LIKE RAINBOWS,) [21:26:35] CC: Do rainbos evwen havwe a smell? [21:27:16] AA: tHEYRE JUST WATER AND LIGHT, [21:27:17] AA: sO NO, [21:28:09] AA: bETTER THAN SMELLING LIKE TUNA, tHOUGH, [21:29:37] CC: Tuna's not a bad fish, as far as fish go [21:30:05] AA: tHEYRE KINDA DUMB, [21:30:25] CC: I probalby shouldn't be laughing [21:31:11] AA: jUST STATING THE FACTS, [21:31:35] AA: mOST FISH ARE REALLY DUMB, aND i MEAN THAT IN THE COMPLETELY NON HEMOIST SENSE OF THE WORD, [21:31:41] AA: pHRASE? [21:31:43] AA: yEAH, [21:32:17] CC: Lot of empty space and not many limbs to wvork wvith, fish [21:32:49] CC: No real reason to bother wvith a brain wvhen you can just run or fight and that'll about solvwe it [21:33:14] CC: It's really not vwery interesting dowvn ther.e [21:33:32] CC: Scenic, but not that complicated. [21:34:05] AA: iD LIKE TO SEE IT SOMETIME, [21:34:08] AA: bUT THEN AGAIN, [21:34:10] AA: i CANT SWIM, [21:34:31] CC: Easy enough to fix, if your wvings can manage it [21:34:46] AA: nAH, wINGS ARE THE PROBLEM, [21:34:54] AA: i USED TO BE ABLE TO SWIM FINE AS A WRIGGLER, [21:35:04] AA: bUT HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A MOTH FLOPPING AROUND IN THE WATER? [21:35:08] AA: bECAUSE THATS WHAT HAPPENS, [21:35:14] CC: I havwen't actually [21:36:15] AA: iTS NOT PRETTY, [21:36:19] AA: iTS REALLY AWKWARD, [21:36:24] AA: lOTS OF FLAILING, [21:38:03] CC: It seems like you ought to be able to wvork past that if you tried [21:38:40] AA: i MIGHT BE, i DONT KNOW, [21:39:06] CC: Then you'd get to hang out wvith pretty morons belowv the wvavwes [21:39:16] CC: I nevwer really do, I stick to land. [21:39:40] AA: i WONDER HOW WELL iD DO WITH THAT MUCH WATER PRESSURE, tHOUGH, [21:39:46] CC: All the wvater I need generally comes out of a tap, not that that's necessarily healthy [21:40:04] AA: iVE GOT NO PROBLEMS FLYING WHERE NORMAL TROLLS COULDNT BREATHE, [21:40:19] AA: i WONDER HOW THE OPPOSITE WOULD AFFECT ME, [21:41:04] CC: Any odd problems if a big critter sits on you? [21:41:30] AA: nOT USUALLY, nO, [21:42:00] CC: Might be fine then [21:42:23] AA: i MEAN, mY FAT ASS DOG SITS ON ME ALL THE TIME, [21:42:38] AA: bUT HES PRETTY SMALL, [21:42:53] AA: hE ONLY COMES UP TO MY WAIST, [21:51:40] CC: Seems like evwerybody has pets these days [21:52:12] AA: dO YOU WANT TO SHARE MY CAT, [21:53:11] CC: You're just saying that because you're a little sick of her [21:54:06] AA: mAYBE JUST A LITTLE, [21:55:02] AA: oR MAYBE iM JUST TRYING TO COERCE YOU INTO COMING TO VISIT ME, wITH THE PROMISE OF KITTIES, [21:57:08] CC: A surefire approach to luring the Orphaner [21:57:16] AA: pROMISE HIM PUSSY, [21:57:24] CC: ...I laughed. [21:57:36] CC: ...Still laughing. [21:57:38] CC: I need a moment [21:57:45] AA: tAKE YOUR TIME, [21:58:58] CC: I can't believwe I didn't see that one coming. [22:00:05] CC: VWisits, though [22:00:44] AA: iVE ACTUALLY BEEN FEELING REALLY GOOD LATELY, sO i PROBABLY WONT EVEN FREAK OUT, [22:03:39] CC: Could givwe it a shot if you wvere sure and serious [22:03:55] CC: Havwe some tea or wvhatevwer it is boring people drink, fuss ovwer a cat that hates you [22:04:02] AA: tOTALLY SURE, [22:04:07] AA: iLL JUST HIDE BEHIND MY DOG, [22:04:15] AA: nEEDS TO BE DONE SOMETIME, oR iM NEVER GONNA DO IT, [22:05:34] CC: I can sit on your transportalizer wvith like popcorn or something and try to lure you out [22:06:03] CC: Talk from neighboring rooms like a lowv-tech phonecall [22:07:29] AA: mAYBE IF YOURE LUCKY, yOU CAN GET ME TO EAT POPCORN RIGHT OUT OF YOUR HAND, [22:08:15] CC: Laughing, again. [22:08:32] CC: Should I actually bring popcorn? [22:08:51] AA: i HAVE POPCORN, iTS GOOD, [22:08:58] AA: nO NEED TO BRING YOUR OWN, [22:09:20] CC: Sounds like a party. [22:10:22] AA: bRING YOUR OWN BOOZE, tHOUGH, tHATS SOMETHING i DONT HAVE, [22:16:53] CC: I'd havwe offered, if I thought you wveren't avwoiding that sort of thing. -- abatedAnimus [AA] is now idle! -- [22:28:47] AA: i AM, [22:28:54] AA: iM JUST SAYING BRING IT FOR YOURSELF, iF YOU WANT IT, [22:29:48] CC: Nah. Only if I wvas sharing. [22:30:04] AA: mY MOIRAIL WOULD PUNCH ME IN THE THROAT, [22:30:23] CC: Somehowv I do not doubt this. [22:30:37] AA: aRENT MOIRAILS AWFUL, [22:32:26] CC: Mine doesn't like wvhiskey but doesn't mind beer. [22:32:29] CC: ...It's alright. [22:33:24] AA: mAYBE i CAN TALK MINE INTO WINE FOR THE WEDDING, [22:33:31] CC: He'll make me quit evwentually. [22:34:29] CC: Maybe. [22:35:07] CC: WVould you be able to hold it wvell, you think? [22:35:16] AA: mAYBE, [22:35:28] AA: iM KINDA SCARED TO TRY IT, hONESTLY, [22:36:06] CC: Easy to slip. [22:36:19] AA: yEAH, [22:36:27] AA: iD PROBABLY BE OKAY WITH BEER, [22:36:35] AA: jUST AVOID THE SPIRITS, [22:37:53] CC: I wvas a bit wveird wvhen Kanks started up on drinks, but it's... [22:37:57] CC: I think it's wvorking out. [22:38:00] CC: It's alright. [22:39:10] AA: vRISKA JUST STRAIGHT UP MADE ME QUIT, cOLD TURKEY, [22:39:17] AA: iT SUCKED A LOT, [22:39:22] CC: It's embarassing being wvorried about a damn liquid. [22:39:35] CC: gh. Don't envwy you that. [22:39:36] AA: wELL, [22:39:51] AA: a LOT OF PEOPLE ARE EMBARRASSED ABOUT LIQUIDS, [22:39:53] AA: pEE, [22:39:55] CC: I wvas...trying. For a wveek or twvo. Sort of. Then I gavwe up for a wvhile. [22:39:56] AA: gENETIC MATERIAL, [22:40:55] AA: yEAH, i SLIPPED UP A FEW TIMES, [22:41:04] AA: oKAY MORE THAN A FEW, [22:41:05] AA: a LOT, [22:42:15] CC: I didn't remember drinking, at first. [22:42:22] CC: So I didn't knowv...wvhy [22:42:54] CC: Smoking, either. [22:43:07] AA: sMOKING NEVER REALLY CAUGHT ON WITH ME, [22:43:58] CC: Settles the nervwes. [22:44:52] AA: iVE REPLACED ALL MY BAD HABITS WITH PUZZLES, [22:44:59] AA: wHICH ISNT NEARLY AS COOL AS DRINKING, [22:46:01] CC: Puzzles? [22:46:22] AA: pUZZLES, [22:46:27] AA: nUMBER PUZZLES, mOSTLY, [22:49:12] CC: I'll probably be another fewv perigees before I try to givwe it up. If I do. [22:50:42] AA: yOURE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF REMEMBERING THINGS, rIGHT? [22:50:48] AA: wAIT TIL THATS OUT OF THE WAY, [22:50:57] CC: yeah. [22:51:02] CC: Yeah, that's the hope. [22:52:17] CC: I'vwe got nearly a century back, nowv. [22:53:54] AA: jEEZ, [22:56:41] CC: I think Jeez about sums it up. [22:58:40] AA: hAVE YOU BEEN HANDLING IT ALL OKAY? [22:59:30] CC: Don't havwe much choice, really. [23:01:03] CC: I remember a lot about the military, nowv. [23:01:07] CC: A lot of bored soldiers. [23:01:19] AA: tHE WORST KIND OF SOLDIERS, [23:02:44] CC: One could argue that the other side is alwvays the wvorst kind of soldier. [23:02:57] CC: You're right, though. [23:03:28] AA: sOLDIERS LEFT TO THEIR OWN DEVICES, aRE NOT A GOOD THING, [23:04:18] CC: So most of it's just that. [23:04:36] CC: I don't think Kanks wvould really get it. Or if he did, he wvouldn't really wvant to. [23:05:24] AA: tHATS WHY YOU HAVE TO COME OVER, aND PLAY WITH MY PUSSY, aND TELL ME ABOUT THOSE THINGS, [23:05:28] AA: i HAD TROUBLE TYPING THAT, [23:05:33] AA: iM SORRY, [23:05:43] CC: laughing again [23:05:58] AA: iM NOT SORRY AT ALL, [23:06:23] CC: God, wvhy is it alwvays the really stupid jokes? [23:06:40] AA: bECAUSE ITS ALL i KNOW, [23:07:21] CC: It's all I seem to laugh at either [23:07:52] AA: aT LEAST WERE LAUGHING, [23:09:11] CC: fine, fuck, let's try the saying hi thing. All I'd need is some coordinates, and to knowv if you wvant to see the armor evweryone laughs at or if I should dress like a normal troll. [23:09:45] AA: dRESS NORMAL, yOU DONT HAVE TO MODEL THE ARMOR, [23:11:08] -- abatedAnimus [AA] sends file coordinates.txt -- [23:14:52] CC: Alright [23:14:59] CC: I'll be just a fewv minutes, then see you there, alright? [23:15:14] AA: oKAY, iLL BE HERE, [23:28:27] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] spends a good ten minutes psyching himself up, having a quick drink just to settle his nerves, and mentally running through his list of techniques to not scare the hell out of flighty tiny lowblood friends. -- [23:29:38] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] puts on his game face. He can do this. Worst case, Dandy never talks to him again. Or...maybe attacks him and then there's a long awkward painful association before finally giving up on the friendship. -- [23:29:44] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] ... He can do this! -- [23:29:55] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] ..makes that fifteen minutes. -- [23:32:18] -- abatedAnimus [AA] is waiting. And waiting and waiting and waiting. It's nice that Chives is giving him some time to psych himself up, but it's getting nerve racking. He sends his moirail a quick message to give himself a confidence boost, but there's really nothing for him to do other than wait by the transportalizer and desperately cling to his mastiff's collar. -- [23:32:41] -- abatedAnimus [AA] has so totally got this. He's got this. It's just a giant seadweller. No big deal. Totally managable. -- [23:32:55] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] eventually finishes steeling himself, and then making sure he looks relaxed and calm and cheerful, and heads down to the transportalizer. Blowing out a final breath, he transportalizes! -- [23:33:22] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] An 8'6" seadweller in a white shirt and black jeans appears on the pad, looking a little sheepish. -- [23:36:40] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] manages his best apologetic smile without teeth, and rubs the back of his neck. "Hey, maye, sorry I'm late," God damn nitram horns were huge. He was a /little/ used to them, but not completely. -- [23:36:57] -- abatedAnimus [AA] okay he's totally not freaking out. He was totally ready for a troll twice his size popping out of nowhere. He knew it was going to happen. He totally doesn't jump a bit. -- [23:37:02] -- abatedAnimus [AA] collects himself and puts on a smile, although a rather nervous one. His wings press flat against his back and, with the hand that isn't holding onto the dumb slobbering dog's collar, he offers up a handshake. That's a thing that can be done, right? Touching hands? -- [23:37:45] -- abatedAnimus [AA] has to force himself to sqeak out a reply now. "No, it's all good. You're not as big as I was expecting." -- [23:40:01] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] oh, sure, hands, yeah, those can totally thing maybe. He broadcasts his movements pretty clearly if not gracefully, and carefully accepts the hand for a firm shake. He doesn't wear rings like most Amporas, and he's a caste colder than clowns. ..little bit of webbing to the fingers too, not quite up to the first knuckle. -- [23:41:22] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] releases the hand just as carefully afterwards, makes the sort of embarassed little grin again, and decides to very slowly settle to sit on the edge of the transportalizer. Sitting was good, it was a lot easier to disguise his size from down there. -- [23:42:10] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] Wait, shit, right, don't keep looking directly at Dandy, eye contact's a thing. Oh hey dog, hi dog! The webbed hand is offered to the mutt next, palm out. -- [23:43:37] CC: "At least there's that. WVho's this?" He wvas actually pretty good at sounding chillaxed and social, regardless wvhat else wvas going on. [23:47:53] -- abatedAnimus [AA] is trying to relax a little bit. While a little alarming at first, he can definitely tell Chives is trying to make him comfortable. He focuses on making himself seem more at ease, his wings becoming less of a tight shell and more of a cape. He lets go of the Neopalitan mastiff's collar so he can go sniff the newcomer. -- [23:48:35] AA: "tHATS JUST oBERON," he says. "hE LOOKS SCARIER THAN HE ACTUALLY IS," Which isn't saying much, considering the dog is mostly wrinkles and drool. [23:48:51] AA: "hE THINKS YOU SMELL FUNNY," [23:50:15] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] smells like saltwater and vanilla-licorice smoke and seadweller, and maybe a little faint trace of whiskey on the breath. Also probably his dinner, which contained a cinnamon roll. Definitely funny. -- [23:51:03] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] tries to carefully scratch at the comparatively small dog's ears, and doesn't risk a glance up yet. -- [23:51:37] CC: "Not the first time I'vwe heard that. Evwerything probably smells funny to a dog, though." [23:55:13] AA: "yEAH, hE THINKS i FUNNY IF i JUST LEAVE FOR A FEW HOURS," [23:55:14] -- abatedAnimus [AA] really appreciates that Chives is taking it slow. It's not nearly as hard to talk to him as he was expecting it to be, and the strong sense of "like" that he's picking up from Oberon is making things easier. If the dog doesn't see a threat, then there's no threat. Everything's going to be great. -- [23:55:34] AA: "yOU WANNA SIT ON SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE COMFORTABLE? wE CAN MOVE TO THE LIVING BLOCK," [23:57:44] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] is just a considerate troll with kind of a lot of practice in acclimatizing people to himself as quickly as possible. He usually has more ulterior motives for it than he does today. Gentle ear scritch-scritch-scritch. -- [23:58:02] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] 's never been able to decide if animal ears look more like landdweller or seadweller ones. -- [23:59:08] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] finally glances up, and gives a slightly more confident, glad little smile. That's usually disarming after the initial tension fades. "Sure, if you'vwe anything big enough -- not like I'vwe nevwer sat on the floor before, though." -- [00:04:52] -- abatedAnimus [AA] gestures for Chives to stand up and follow him. The dog gets a quick little mental command to stop hamming it up and leave the guest alone. He'd probably look pretty disappointed if his eyes were actually visible under all the wrinkles. "yOU CAN TAKE THE ENTIRE COUCH UP, iF YOU WANT," he says, "iTS EASIER FOR ME TO SIT IN THE FLOOR, aNYWAYS, wHAT WITH THE WINGS," -- [00:04:54] -- abatedAnimus [AA] then takes a deep breath, steels himself, and turns his back on the giant hulking seadweller so he can lead him into the living block. No big deal. Not going to be any wing grabbing or back-knifing. It's all cool. There's no time for him to do that when he has to watch you awkward crouch-step-shuffle through the door. -- [00:15:10] CC: "Custom furniture is a hell of a business. You'd think evwentually wve'd have figured out something elegant, but no, no..." He was just barely below usual conversational volume, to not startle the troll walking away. He also rather deliberately and audibly did not move, until Dandy was several arms' lengths away. Dog-pampering was a lovely excuse. [00:15:45] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] does finally stand up, slowly easing to one knee, then booted feet, and carefully following. His fins do flick and he tries not to smile when he sees the crouch-step-shuffle. -- [00:20:58] -- abatedAnimus [AA] takes Chives into a comfortably furnished living block. There's a good sized sofa against one wall, a decently sized but slightly out of date flat screen television against the other in its entertainment center, a low wooden coffee table in the middle of the area rug, and a recliner that's occupied by a small white terrier. -- [00:21:29] -- abatedAnimus [AA] gestures to the dog and grins. "tHAT ONES wOOFBEAST, cREATIVE NAME, i KNOW," -- [00:23:09] -- abatedAnimus [AA] would normally let Woofbeast do whatever he wants, but he's been given strict orders to stay put, lest he wind up underfoot of a big seadweller. -- [00:26:40] CC: "Can't say I'd do much better. Howv many critters are floating around out here, anywvays?" Stepping on peoples' pets is almost certainly rude. Cronus decides to ease around, and try to get to the couch. If he can lay prone, he can immediately stop having to worry about being threatening again. Things are not threatening on their backs, for some reason. [00:27:17] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] is...careful... about testing his weight on one end of the couch first though. Just in case. -- [00:34:31] AA: "gOT A HORSE, tWO DOGS, sOME HAMSTERS, a RABBIT, aND THE CAT," He's certainly not an animal hoarder. Definitely not. He just gets lonely and needs to fill his headspace with inane animal chatter, is all. He finds a place to settle himself down in the floor and spreads his wings out to get comfortable. This isn't that bad at all. He's not quite sure what he was so worried about, now. [00:34:56] -- abatedAnimus [AA] would summon the pussy for him, but the pussy needs time to come out on her own to warm up to strangers, otherwise she's a monster. -- [00:40:38] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] settles down to lay back on the couch like Dandy basically never could, and lets his feet dangle over one end. There, perfect! Minimal threat level has been achieved, again. -- [00:41:02] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] folds his hands over his stomach, just for a little added insurance, and glances back at Dandy again. The fins perk and wave a little, and he thinks. -- [00:41:31] CC: "..I'vwe heard that list before, I'm sure. You don't talk about the herbivwores much." [00:47:02] AA: "tHE HAMSTERS ARE GETTING UP THERE IN YEARS, aND iM PRETTY SURE THEYRE GONNA KICK THE BUCKET SOON, uNFORTUNATELY," Sad but true. Their tiny little minds have provided you with many an hour of useless information about cedar chips and wheels. "mURPHYS THE RABBITS NAME, vRISKAS CONVINCED HES THE DEVIL BECAUSE HE BIT HER ONCE, aND i WOULDNT LET HER EAT HIM," She's threatened to eat most of your pets [00:47:02] AA: at some point, now that you think about it. [00:47:05] -- abatedAnimus [AA] is definitely appreciating how non-threatening Chives has been making himself. His forewings twitch in response to the waving fins. That's something he never got used to. Ever. They just look so out of place. -- [00:50:35] CC: "Some people just nevwer really get past the wvhole edible concept wvith animals. Just because you can doesn't mean you automatically havwe to." [00:51:52] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] watches the wing-twitch, the fins gently shifting and flexing a bit. They seem to adjust automatically a lot, tiny little expressive motions. Distracting grey fans just kind of /existing/, being things on the side of his head. -- [00:54:31] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] ... Instead of ears. -- [00:54:57] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] ... The top part maybe sort of looks a little like an ear, but then the fan part starts and it just really isn't. -- [00:55:11] AA: "sHE WAS A HUNTER IN HER SOCIETY, tOO, sO EVERY ANIMAL WAS BASICALLY FOOD," God his face fins are really distracting. Why are they even doing that? You tip your head to one side and study them, completely forgetting it's rude to stare. "iT TOOK A WHILE TO CONVINCE HER THAT SOME BEASTS ARE MEANT TO BE PETS, yEAH? aFTER THAT, sHE GOT REALLY ATTACHED TO DOGS," [00:58:29] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] They eventually seem to settle, with only the occasional tiny adjustment. He'd known Rufioh before, of course, and some people had godtiered, but he still hadn't gotten many chances to just look at peoples' wings before. Eventually one of them would probably catch the other, but not yet. -- [00:59:31] CC: "Kind of the pack thing?" [00:59:52] CC: "Howv did her place evwen wvork?" [01:02:59] AA: "bASICALLY, bACK IN THE TIMES ALTERNATE YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN LIVING, pACKS WERE JUST GROUPINGS OF LIKE-BLOODED INDIVIDUALS, wHO STUCK TOGETHER AND TOOK CARE OF EACH OTHER," You pick idly at a loose thread in the area rug while you explain. It's kind of a long one. [01:03:01] AA: "wHEN MY ALTERNATE CAME ON THE SCENE, aND ALL ADULTS GOT KICKED OFF THE PLANET, sHIT GOT A LOT LESS ORGANIZED, aND PACKS KIND OF TURNED INTO GROUPS OF WRIGGLERHOOD FRIENDS, sAME BASIC CONCEPT, tAKING CARE OF EACH OTHER, bUT RANK WAS USUALLY ASIGNED BASED ON BLOOD, aND LOWER RANKS USUALLY GOT THEIR NEEDS MET LAST," [01:03:29] AA: "vRISKA WAS ONE OF TWO HUNTERS, iN A PACK LED BY A tYRIAN, sO THEY WERE TYPICALLY PRETTY WELL OFF," [01:10:46] CC: "Hnnh." He had to take a minute to think about that, some aspect of the social structure bothering him but he couldn't quite put his finger on what exactly. [01:11:12] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] glances up at the ceiling, and thinks, fin waving again. -- [01:18:07] AA: "oKAY, iM SORRY, bUT THE FINS ARE REALLY WEIRD," He says, chuckling a little bit. He can't help it. He never came into contact with seadwellers long enough to appreciate earfins, and never really got exposed to mainstream Alternian media enough to get used to them. [01:18:23] AA: "tHEYRE JUST, lITTLE FACE SAILS OR SOMETHING," [01:27:30] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] snorts rudely, glancing back at Dandy, but at least he's grinning. Still without the teeth. -- [01:27:51] CC: "I'm sure I hadn't noticed." [01:31:23] AA: "sORRY, i JUST NEVER HAD MUCH OF A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THEM BEFORE," Is it rude to talk about basic structural differences? He hopes Chives isn't offended. He's honestly just curious. [01:31:40] AA: "dO YOU ACTUALLY CONTROL WHAT THEY DO, oR DO THEY KINDA JUST DO THEIR THING?" [01:37:39] CC: "A lot of people don't get the chance, it's sort of like being a unicorn." They flicked a little when he thought. "...Sort of a little of each, like the rest of my face I guess. I mean, you can smile or stop yourself from smiling or wvhatevwer, but they still sneak out sometimes too, right?" [01:38:29] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] 's fingers finally un-knit, long enough for one hand to come up and gently rub at the base of a fin before dropping again with a shrug. -- [01:46:39] AA: "wEIRD, nOT SURE IF THEYRE CUTE OR NOT," They could be cute. They could definitely be cute. He's just associated them with horrible gross trolls for so long it's hard to think of them as cute. [01:47:23] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] arches his eyebrows and snorts again, shaking his head. -- [01:47:33] -- abatedAnimus [AA] tilts his head again to get a better angle on them and finally gives in and lets Woofbeast down off the chair. The terrier promptly trots over to the couch and shoves his nose up towards the massive stranger taking up his favorite sitting spot. -- [01:47:57] CC: "God, not you too. I'll growv my hair out just to covwer them up someday." [01:48:39] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] oh, doggie. Conveniently, flopping back and sighing exaggeratedly makes it easy to flop a hand down over the edge to where it can acquire dog-cooties. Chin scritches? -- [01:51:13] CC: "I am a former navwal officer, I am eight feet tall, and I could bench press a four-wvheeler if one happened by. They're not cute, I promise, I swvear, really." [01:51:29] AA: "dO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH BEING CUTE, dADDY ONION?" Yes. The dog is wonderful with chin scritchies. You are also wonderful with chin scritchies because you get secondady chin scritch happiness. This guy is great. [01:51:40] AA: "yOU COULD TOTALLY BE CUTE IF YOU TRIED," [01:54:15] CC: Mournful noises! "I don't wvant to," Scritch-scritch-scritch, see if woofbeast is game to led a hand sneak under the ribcage and gently lift him up. There's plenty of torso here, dogs can sit on the couch too if they don't mind something a bit chilly between them and the soft stuff. [01:57:05] CC: "And that's the wvorst name, seriously." [01:58:55] AA: Woofbeast is definitely okay with being picked up. The big dude gets one tiny terrier sitting on his torso. [01:58:59] -- abatedAnimus [AA] can't help but laugh at how obstinate this guy is against being cute. "sOMETIMES, iTS NOT A MATTER OF WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, bUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO," Everyone has to be cute at some point in their life. -- [01:59:18] AA: "wOULD YOU RATHER BE JUST DADDY?" [01:59:30] CC: Oops, there's another hand up here, more scritches for the terrier. [01:59:59] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] produces a fascinating choking noise, and gives Dandy a stricken expression that doesn't interrupt the dog-pampering. -- [02:02:17] AA: "oKAY, oKAY, yOU DONT HAVE TO BE DADDY, bUT i STILL THINK ITS A GREAT NAME," The shit eating grin just does not quit. You're comfortable, the dog is comfortable and licking seadweller fingers, it's all good. Everything is going great. A lot better than you expected. [02:03:59] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] rolls his eyes and makes more dramatic mournful noises, still overcome with the sheer terribleness of anyone calling him daddy. ...apparently he's a little clownish, in the non-subjuggulator sense, at times. -- [02:04:55] CC: "Maybe for somebody else, mate, but I am not daddy material.." The fingers probably taste like cinnamon rolls, tainted a bit with cigarette smoke and alcohol. [02:08:26] AA: "yOU COULD BE, iF YOU WERE A BIT OLDER, bUT YEAH, yOURE WAY TOO YOUNG TO BE A DADDY RIGHT NOW," Poor Marty is going to be without a father for the rest of his life, the poor thing. Woofbeast informs him that Chives tastes equal parts tasty and weird. The dog moves up to chest level and starts snuffling around his face instead. Why's he gotta be making all those funny noises, huh? [02:11:11] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] is going to have to blow lightly at woofbeast's nose if he comes close enough to risk face licking, and if that isn't enough detterent will casually cover his gills with his hands and flatten his fins back but otherwise let him at it. -- [02:12:46] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] blows out a soft sigh. "WVell, I'll age up evwentually. Remembering more may help some wvhether I wvant it to or not, apparently one of the other generation had their eye on me as potential fake-ancestor or lusus or something." -- [02:15:43] AA: The Woofbeast is offended. Stinky breath blown right at the nose is not fun. He rubs his snout and half his face on the seadweller's shirt, then bails off the couch and trots back over to his chair. [02:16:13] -- abatedAnimus [AA] snorts a bit at the dog. "i THINK YOU JUST LOST A FRIEND THERE, hE SAYS YOUR BREATH STINKS," -- [02:19:09] CC: Soft huff. "WVell I'm vwery sorry, but he doesn't get to play wvith my face either." He tries to sound smoothe and cheerful and not at all self-conscious that someone might recognize the scent on his breath. "If he wvants apology scritches that's about all I can offer." [02:19:28] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] lets his arm drape off the side of the couch again, but doesn't follow. -- [02:21:10] AA: "hED THINK YOUR BREATH SMELLED BAD IF IT SMELLED LIKE ROSES, dONT TAKE IT TOO PERSONALLY," [02:22:01] CC: "Of course breath smells bad, wvho knowvs wvhere it's been?" [02:22:32] -- abatedAnimus [AA] pats on his legs until the dog comes and curls up in his lap. He gets a vigorous rubbing for being such a VERY GOOD BOY YES. Good dog, not bothering the guest. Very good dog. -- [02:22:37] CC: "Really, the entire mouth area's a bit dubious depending." [02:22:52] AA: "iTS JUST THE SENSITIVE NOSE THING, aNY SCENT GETTING BLOWN DIRECTLY IN THERE IS GROSS," [02:24:05] CC: "Yeah. Makes em stop wvhat they're up to, though." [02:28:29] AA: "bUT YOU HURT HIS FEEEEEELINGS," Jus tlook at that sad puppy face. [02:28:32] -- abatedAnimus [AA] smooshes up the puppy's face and rubs all over the earsies. -- [02:28:39] AA: "yOU EVER HAVE ANY DOGS?" [02:35:35] CC: "Ohhhhh poor grubling." He's not actually the most sympathetic troll in the universe. "I...don't think so, particularly. Trying to remember nowv..." [02:37:17] CC: "..No, not that I can much think of yet. Not before the navwy, and the navwy wvasn't particularly fond of spare mouths aboard. I mean, they wvould'vwe let me, but they wvouldn't havwe let most of the rank and file sort of people and anything that stops people from wvhining at me is good, yeah?" [02:41:21] AA: "yEAH, nOT A WHOLE LOT OF ROOM FOR PETS IN THE MILITARY, uNLESS YOU GO CAVALREAPER AND GET A HORSE," Those horses weren't so much pets as weapons, though. Those horses could have killed a man with just a look. [02:41:36] AA: "i USUALLY JUST WOUND UP FEEDING EVERY STRAY i COULD," [02:42:26] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] snorts softly. "Just sort of being followved about by a clowvd of them, then?" -- [02:43:26] AA: "i NEVER DID ANYTHING WITH THE MEET i GOT RATIONED, sO IT HAD TO GO SOMEWHERE," [02:43:26] -- abatedAnimus [AA] shrugs. Vegetarians don't need meat and stray doggies do. -- [02:43:56] CC: "Fair enough, that." [02:44:31] CC: "Pretty sure the guy running the castle I livwe at doesn't do much wvith meat either." [02:44:37] CC: "Kind of the wveirdest thing." [02:45:39] AA: "i GET SICK IF i EAT IT, i HAVENT EATEN IT IN SO LONG," [02:45:53] AA: "kINDA FEEL GUILTY EATING SOMETHING, aFTER iVE BEEN IN ITS HEAD, yEAH?" [02:48:26] CC: "Mmn. I guess so." He doesn't really think he'd have that trouble personally, but he knows most people probably would. "I'll just be glad for all the tasty things nature has provwided for me to chase dowvn, personally." [02:49:35] AA: "mORE POWER TO YOU, i JUST CANT TAKE IT MYSELF," [02:49:59] AA: "lAST TIME IT HAPPENED, i SPENT ALL NIGHT ON THE LOAD GAPER," It was awful. Fucking stealthy chicken chunks. [02:56:38] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] clucks his tongue softly, brushing the back of his knuckles against the side of his neck and then folding his hands in his lap again. -- [02:56:51] CC: "WVe all havwe our burdens to bear I guess." [02:57:37] CC: "I'll just havwe to livwe wvith this terrible, /awvful/ guilt ovwer all of the things I'vwe eaten." [02:57:55] CC: "And you get to be sad about the ones you didn't get to." [02:59:44] -- abatedAnimus [AA] snorts, gives the doggie one last ear rub, and scoots him on out of his lap. It's promptly occupied by a much bigger, more slobbery dog. Obbie was just biding his time. -- [03:00:26] AA: "yOU PROBABLY STUCK MOSTLY TO SEAFOOD, yEAH?" He's somewhere behind that mound of wrinkles, speaking. "i DONT THINK i EVER TRIED BUT TWO BITES OF FISH IN MY LIFE," [03:13:07] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] snorts again. "No more than anybody else near the coast, really. Dark meat off a large land predator's tasty stuff, as long as somebody that knewv wvhat they wvere doing had their wvay wvith it. Gamy if it's bad, but wvith a good marinade and some tenderizing.." -- [03:13:22] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] clucks his tngue softly, trailing off and shaking his head. Vegetarian, right. -- [03:13:35] CC: "Mostly though, I just eat wvhatevwer's around." [03:14:55] CC: "I think my descendant likes fish, though. That and cakes." [03:16:37] -- abatedAnimus [AA] idly pushes on Obbie's wrinkles and completely misses the black cat sneaking out of the hallway to see what's up. God, this dog is just drooling all over. So gross. So very gross. -- [03:16:58] AA: "wE WERE ALWAYS TOLD SEADWELLERS WERE ALL HEDONISTS, eATING NOTHING BUT SUSHI THEIR ENTIRE LIVES," [03:17:19] AA: "tHAT AND GRUB," [03:22:03] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] cracks a smile, fin fanning slightly but otherwise not paying the cat any mind. He almost seems embarassed. -- [03:22:37] CC: "I can't deny the hedonist part." [03:23:39] CC: "..Or the sushi thing for like, a perigee, once, but I wvent back to not being that picky after." [03:23:44] CC: "And it wvas only the one perigee." [03:25:22] AA: "wELL, eVERYONE ENJOYS LIFES PLEASURES AT SOME POINTS," [03:25:23] AA: "uS LOWBLOODS JUST HAD TO MAKE DUE WITH PAILING LIKE RABBITS, wHILE YOU GUYS GOT TO DO THAT /AND/ STUFF OUR FACES," [03:26:46] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] covers a smile witha hand. -- [03:27:07] CC: "True enough, I guess." [03:31:18] -- abatedAnimus [AA] looks up and sees him hiding that smile. Everyone's smiling and hey! There's the cat. She's kinda hunched up watching the stranger warily, but she came out of hiding. -- [03:31:54] AA: "lOOK AT THAT, aN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANOTHER PUSSY JOKE," [03:32:17] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] knows how to acquire trust, and the same rules apply as before. No eye contact for kitty! Just laying there and being huge yet inoffensive all over /her/ couch, and -- oops, no, now he's choking down a laugh. -- [03:33:12] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] flops his head back, laughs into his hands, and asks "Is that the entire fucking reason you'vwe got a cat?" -- [03:35:18] -- abatedAnimus [AA] watches with a grin as Maya slowly approaches the big fishy guy and places her paws on the couch to get a better look at him. His shitty humor knows no bounds. Terrible sexual jokes are his specialty. -- [03:35:26] AA: "lOOK AT THAT, sHE LIKES YOU," [03:35:31] AA: "gUESS THAT MAKES YOU,,," [03:35:36] AA: "a PUSSY MAGNET," [03:41:00] -- caepaeCaesurae [CC] groans, casually flattening the fin nearer the cat against his head, but otherwise not reacting much yet. --

Thanks mate, either wvay.

Dandy's quadrant mates probably not as cool with the casual thing, not that that's actually CC's problem directly but you know you don't stir up trouble for other people