Third Step (Video, public + private messages)

[dogwalksyou]

[Private, separately, to William Bush and Jesse Pinkman.]

I'm sorry for...startling you. I'm normally a bit more circumspect.


[Private to Morgana]

You know, we got so caught up in talking, we never did get to play. Not that it wasn't a lovely talk.

[It's not in the Puppy's overbearing eager tones; this is measured, and more knowing. It's an offer, not a plea.]


[Public]

[The Dog looks a bit abashed.]

If anyone finds any, ah. Floating sticks that seem intent on throwing themselves. Let me know, please.

Comments

Private

[shakenandlimp]

It's quite all right. [Talking dog? All right. Why not; she was damned pleasant company of an afternoon.]

What shall I call you now? Pup don't quite answer-- and I've forgot your name. It was something-- sounded a bit like Quiberon.

Private

[dogwalksyou]

Just Dog, if you don't mind? It was Kibeth, but I'm not really...I'm a very small, leftover, hand-me-down sort of piece of Kibeth, and the name doesn't quite fit any longer.

[There's no sadness in any of this; she's pleased with most of her choices. At most, a bit of weariness - she is very old, now, but still happily trucking along.]

Private

[shakenandlimp]

'Dog?'

[It sounds a bit disrespectful.]

If you like, then. You were the sweetest little pup, if you'll pardon me saying.

Private

[dogwalksyou]

It's what I am, nowadays. And it's easy to remember.

[At her age, this is a concern.]

Oh, I had quite a bit of fun with you, too.

Private

[shakenandlimp]

Wasn't that the damnedest thing, that room?

Private

[dogwalksyou]

It was marvelous. We should go back, sometime.

Re: Private

[shakenandlimp]

I should like that main well! It was good to hear the sea-- there are no noises here like you'd expect on a ship. It makes me a little low.

Private

[dogwalksyou]

It was no sea from the Kingdom or Ancelstierre.

[She says this with some authority.]

Perhaps it was pinched off your world. Quite a lovely place, if it's true.

Private

[shakenandlimp]

...Stolen? [He sounds alarmed.]

I hope there's no harm done, if that's the case. There wasn't anyone living on it, at least.

Private

[dogwalksyou]

I think maybe it's more like...a clipping from a tree. The old stock is still there just fine, but you've got a little piece just like it.

Private

[shakenandlimp]

[Bush digests this analogy, still a little worried.]

Do you think it will be the same when we go in again? There's a small complement on this barge, but more than enough that they ought to have left tracks all over.

Private

[dogwalksyou]

I'm sure it varies quite a lot. I could smell dozens of different landscapes just before the door.

Private

[shakenandlimp]

[If he keeps saying things are strange, he'll soon get tired of the words. Instead:]

Wonderful! I wonder what we'll see next.

[Private]

[youwillgotohell]

I'm afraid I'm not much for play anymore. [Or she's just terrible about taking offers. Being around people. Being good company. That sort of thing.]

[Private]

[dogwalksyou]

What are you for, then?

[Lightly, but not so lightly that she doesn't know the question has its depths.]

[Private]

[youwillgotohell]

[The real answer is that she doesn't know anymore; but she doesn't want to admit that.]

I'm sure there are others who'd be happy to indulge you.

[Private]

[dogwalksyou]

I get by wherever I go.

[Yes. But she wants to talk to Morgana anyway. So.]

Perhaps a bit of play would be good for you, instead.

[She doesn't expect Morgana to agree; it's mild and easy. But she thinks it's true.]

[Private]

[youwillgotohell]

I wouldn't know where to begin. [It's not a request for help; it's dry, bordering on ironic. She's not interested in playing at who she was. The Barge does that for her enough, anyway.]

[yeahscience]

Ah, it's cool. I've seen weirder, trust me. [Not a lot weirder, but.]

So you're... still a dog, though.

[dogwalksyou]

Yes. I wasn't one, when I was that young the first time. But I'm quite used to it now.

[yeahscience]

So... what were you then? Just... all of that?

[dogwalksyou]

I was all of quite a lot, back then.

[She looks sheepish again.]

I was the Walker. The...power of motion, you could say.

[yeahscience]

Like... all of it. [Okay, then.] Like what's it called. Ki... Kinetic energy.

[dogwalksyou]

More like. All of it with intent. Animals, people, Free Magic spirits. Their power to move themselves.

[Or others.]

[yeahscience]

Geez. Big responsibility.

[dogwalksyou]

Yes. I got rid of most of it.

[yeahscience]

To be dog-shaped?

[dogwalksyou]

The world we made was...damaged, by someone else. Badly. We used the substance of ourselves to repair it.

[yeahscience]

Oh. [He goes quiet at that, but it's sort of a novel idea. Using yourself to fix something...] Did it work?

[dogwalksyou]

It worked.

[She is - a little bit sad, but also proud, mostly content. She just misses her family.]

[Private]

[unknownsoldier]

[Zack is holding up a stick, and he just looks a mixture of bemused and extremely irritated.]

This yours, huh?

[Private]

[dogwalksyou]

[Most sheepish doggy face ever.]

Yes. Probably.

[Private]

[unknownsoldier]

[A soft sigh.]

Okay, where do you live?

[Private]

[dogwalksyou]

Four-seventeen. But I can come find you.

[Private]

[unknownsoldier]

Do you want to play... with the stick?

[This is legitimately the first time he's asking something like this, so it's hella awkward and halting when it comes out.]

[Private]

[dogwalksyou]

Well, I wouldn't be opposed.

Mostly I want to make it stop floating, though.

[Private]

[unknownsoldier]

Deck. One hour.

[Private]

[dogwalksyou]

Okay.

[And she's there.]

[Spam]

[unknownsoldier]

[Zack would have left the stick floating where it is, but he was too curious. When the Dog arrives, he is tossing it in the air.]

How is it floating?

[Spam]

[dogwalksyou]

It's got some of my magic on it. In it. I wasn't being very careful, as a puppy.

[Spam]

[unknownsoldier]

[He eyes the stick, now extremely wary, before he hands it back to her.]