☼ 02

[collareddog]

[Rico is sat on the bottom bed of a bunk bed, carefully inspecting each part of a disassembled pistol, before putting it back in place. She continues this without looking up, until she's finally finished putting it back together. She looks at the gun with a pleased smile, quickly checking that everything is as it should be

Comments

[exserpens]

[A little green snake is coiled up a short distance away, just far enough to hopefully not startle the little death machine girl.]

Hallo again.

[collareddog]

[Eep. She jumps, staring for a moment while she places the voice.] Ah. Hello, Signore. Why are you a snake?

[exserpens]

That's, er...a bit of a long story. Currently it's something to do with an experiment.

[collareddog]

...experiment?

[exserpens]

No one'sss bothered explaining exsssperiments, eh?

Right. Well...the entire Plane is a sssort of experiment, really. Just...sometimes they like to hit us with a little sssomething extra. New personality, new ssspecies, etcetera.

[collareddog]

[Brightens slightly, as she grasps the concept.] You mean like when new parts are tested on Angelica?

[exserpens]

[He cringes a bit]

Er...yeah. Sssomething like that.

[collareddog]

Do they experiment on everyone, Signore?

[exserpens]

More or less, over time. Sssome get it more than others, I think.

Anyway, how's life on the Plane treating you?

[collareddog]

I haven't been here much yet, but it seems nice so far. I want to show Signore Jean, but he says it's just a side effect of my conditioning and that's why it doesn't work when I try.

[exserpens]

Conditioning, right.

Look, ah...it might be best not to mention the Plane much to the others, all right? There's a good chance none of them will ever be able to come here- [and something occurs to him]

-has Henrietta disappeared, in your reality?

[collareddog]

[And Rico is fail at lying.] ...uumm. N-no, Signore.

[exserpens]

[a little hissing sigh]

Just as poor a liar as she is, aren't you? One of these days we'll work on that.

And don't worry about it-ssspend a bit of time with her here, on the Plane, and she'll reappear in your reality sssoon.

[collareddog]

Signore Jean is better, but he said I was supposed to this time.

I haven't seen Henrietta here.

[exserpens]

Supposed to?

Oh, she's around. She's been having one of those experiments, actually, but I'm certain you'll see her before long.