4: FISH

[fetchthestick]

[Excited, frenetic barking]

There's a thing! THERE'S A THING DOWN THERE!!

I think - I think it's a fish!

There's a THING!!!

[BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK --]

{Thom has detected the giant fish in the caves of Deck 15. Feel free to drag him out of there before he gets eaten or something.}

Comments

[talkback_stein]

Thom.

[fetchthestick]

[BARK BARK BA----

Wuh-oh.]

Yeah.

[talkback_stein]

What'cha doin'.

[Seemingly casual, but with malevolent undertones - uh-oh, Thom.]

[fetchthestick]

S... stuff.

[Oleg said not to talk to him. But he's just on the comm. And he's not telling Thom to do anything or... anything, yet. As long as Thom doesn't say anything solid, it's okay, right?

His voice echoes in the cave.]

[talkback_stein]

Hungry, boy?

[That's innocent enough, right...?]

[fetchthestick]

Mmmm....

Kevas sez if he catches the fish he'll cook it for me.

[Thom IS very food-motivated though....]

[talkback_stein]

I've been thinking about what I said before, about you being a bad dog.

[He lets this sit for a moment - he does not, however, retract his statement.]

I've got a treat for you.

[fetchthestick]

M'not a bad dog Master Tallsin an'Mister Xana always said I was good an' they're my owners.

...

[He drools a little though.]

Yeah?

[talkback_stein]

Yeah.

[Griiiin. There's the sound of a wrapper crinkling a little over the comm - ooooh, how enticing~!]

You like people food, Thom...?

askdfhaksjdfh that icon

[fetchthestick]

I... I...

Yeah...

[Thom mostly eats people food actually, but there's something Really Special about being given what a master's eating. It always meant he was being treated real nice and it was usually different from what he was fed. Zenrenthi had different foods after all.]

Iiiii gotta help Kevas with th'fish first he's right here but um but m-maybe after...?

you just know that he's up to no good

[talkback_stein]

Whenever you want it, Thom; the park on deck three.

[Click.]

GEE HOW DID I GUESS

[fetchthestick]

[After the fishing adventure, Thom races up to 3. He slows, suddenly cautious, as he hits the target zone of the park.

Oleg said Chase was bad. Chase had called him bad and had seemed mean. But Chase had a treat. Maybe he wasn't mad anymore?

He would just... be careful. He could always run away like Firs'Mate Kage said.]

... H'llo?

idk

[talkback_stein]

Heeeey, boy.

[Chase was just wandering around, hands stuffed in his pockets - wondering if the little guy would show up, actually. He was getting a little peckish and impatient, but he could hear that adorable little puppy scamper coming a mile away.]

[He smiled a hollow little smile and crouched, beckoning the little dog over.]

>.>

[fetchthestick]

[Thom licks his muzzle nervously. Or maybe that's just the drool.

He approaches very, very carefully, hovering just out of grabbing range. That smile sets off all his warning bells. It reminded him of the scary lady from Carnival.

But it's a TREAT..... Treats are never bad.]

You... don' think I'm bad anymore?

|D

[talkback_stein]

[Smiiile.]

C'mon--

[Carefully avoiding that subject of Bad Dog, Chase reaches into his hoodie pocket and pulls out that noisy wrapper. He assumes that - because the little guy is a dog - Thom cannot read, just as he assumes that Thom is colour blind or can't look up. He snaps off a piece of the "treat" and holds it out for Thom.]

I'm not gonna' hurt you.

[If Thom can read, however, he'd see that the wrapper clearly says HERSHEY'S...]

;A;

[fetchthestick]

[Thom can read. He's not got the faintest idea what Hershey's or chocolate is, though.

Oh, Chase isn't going to hurt him? That's okay then. He's still a little cautious as he comes up closer, nose twitching, but not QUITE so paranoid. He'll still bolt if Chase grabs for him.

... what IS that smell? He blinks at the wrapper.]

What's... "Her-shey?"