001 [audio]

[boot2thehead]

[The audio crackles on… and then there’s nothing for a while but the sound of someone’s breathing. There are a couple thuds shortly after, like the person transmitting it tapping the communicator. That done, the person on the other end finally pipes up.]

There’s a pink and yellow bat here. It seems to like me. [For someone else, this might be normal. For Point Man, he can’t recall a single animal that’s ever liked him.]

What am I supposed to do with it?

Comments

[unrecovered]

[Oh wow, does this ever look familiar. It's pretty much the same way Wash reacted to Fang all those months ago. Speaking of which, Fang the Komory Bat has landed on Wash's shoulder and is peering into the camera, looking for the other bat. Hi, new Spirit! Hi!]

It's your new best friend. It may possibly think you're its mother.

Feed it. They like chocolate.

[boot2thehead]

[Point Man cautiously fiddles on the video function and boy does someone here look in need of a bath, peering at the other guy while his own Komory Bat becomes quite interested in Wash's bat. Hello!]

Chocolate. Is that safe?

[He hasn't dealt much with animals but what he does know is generally, chocolate is bad for them.]

... hope it doesn't think that. I'm not parent material.

[unrecovered]

[Hey, he's new here. Nobody's judging. Yet. Fang squeaks excitedly, pushing his face up close to the camera. Hi! Is that your person! Wow, he's big!]

[Wash very calmly hauls the bat out of the way. Yep, this is something he's done pretty often.]

For Dream Eaters? Yeah, they live on it. Chocolate and cookies and ice cream, and yes, I know just how ridiculous that sounds.

Did you get the welcome packet from the Moogles? [If he's got a Dream Eater, he probably has, but it's still worth checking.]

[voice]

[earthshatter]

It would likely be best to consider it an ally.

[voice]

[boot2thehead]

Awfully tiny ally.

[voice]

[earthshatter]

Many of its kin are similarly so. However, they are still useful despite it.

[brodakota]

Treat it like a pet? That's kind of what they are.

[boot2thehead]

... I've never had one before.

[Not to his knowledge, anyway.]

[brodakota]

Same here, to be honest. Unless you count goldfish.

[Most of which met a terrible fate.]

But they're pretty easy to look after. Feeding them isn't difficult and they get lots of exercise fighting nightmares. Although some of them can be a handful.

[statisticallyterrible]

[Boy, has she been there.]

ignore until convenient

[boot2thehead]

So like my squadmates.

[Except for Jin, Jin was cool. But this gives him a fantastic idea for what to call this thing.]

[statisticallyterrible]

probably better

[She has yet to know of any people as stupidly loyal as this damn bat.]

Video

[sailorgenerous]

[Yes, this is a purple and white talking unicorn. Good luck wrapping your brain around that one.]

Why, you feed it, of course! That's a Komory Bat, and it will be your partner while you're here. They're very loyal.

Video

[boot2thehead]

[He fiddles with the communicator until the video comes on... just so he can look properly confused.]

... You're a unicorn.

A talking unicorn.

[He would ask if his family has been messing with his head, but this would be too strange even for them.]

Partner, huh? What do they do?

[Besides being weirdly cute and squeaking.]

[sailorgenerous]

[Rarity's become so accustomed to interacting with humans that it's always a surprise to remember that humans find talking unicorns abnormal. Still, she takes it in very polite stride.]

Yes, I am. I assure you it's completely normal where I come from.

[A Pricklemane bounds into view behind her, listening to the bat squeak. Hello!]

They accompany you, and they help you. Spirits are very good in a fight. Isn't that right, Spike?

[The question is addressed to the Pricklemane, who squeaks an affirmative - darn skippy he's good in a fight! - and purrs as Rarity rubs his head affectionately.]

[She pauses for a moment, looking for a way to word this politely, because he is filthy and she cannot understand how anypony could stand to be that dirty.]

Do you need a place to...freshen up? You're more than welcome at the boutique if you do.

audio;

[spaceracist]

[Emile snickers a little. He'd been doubtful about his little Hebby Repp right up until it showed it was competent in battle, and then he hadn't worried overmuch about the little guys.]

Defense. They ain't half bad against the things that pop up here.

audio;

[boot2thehead]

Really? This thing?

[Point Man just kind of stares at it for a few moments, considering. Well. If ATC never expected that he'd take out mech suits... maybe he's underestimating the little thing.]

Guess I'll just have to see. What are we dealing with, anyway?

[spaceracist]

Pretty much the same shit, only color-flipped. May not look like much, but most of 'em have special attacks, like fire or ice or whatever. In town we got big bears and a bunch of the smaller ones. [But really, if one could deal with a Kooma Panda, one could deal with just about everything.]

Can be annoying or bring a little variety to things, dependin' on how you look at it. Used to fighting?

[Not everyone he'd met here was (cough Rarity and Pinkie Pie cough), but it seemed like most people could at least handle themselves.]

[guerriera]

Mreeeewf?

[ A frootz cat has turned on her Person's radio again - only possible if Carolina were occupied with some other work. Her head tilts from one side to another, before kitty smile widens and she mews again, welcoming. A fuzzy Person! ]

[boot2thehead]

[Pink cat? Pink cat. Point Man hesitates before turning on the video and waving briefly, head titled. His Komory Bat squeaks in greeting. Hello hello! He hasn't seen one of you before, where is your Person?

Point Man pauses for another moment. Today is more than he's spoken in years, and normally he wouldn't bother, but. He needed answers.
Which a cat with fruit on it couldn't give, but hey. Maybe these things respond to speech too.]

Hi.

[guerriera]

[ Extremely pink cat. One that switchs her cherry tail (yes, a large cherry and its stalk) in greeting. There's a very happy purr at being addressed, by both bat and Person. I'm Rare, she chirped in happy explaination. She doesn't seem to understand why that is the case, though, if the tilt of her head is anything to go by. (One also rather gets the impression she's not quite bright enough to brag about that fact. ]

[ Anything else the frootz cat might do or say is interrupted by the sound of movement behind her, and she turns her head away, ears pricked up. A muffled voice is just about audible. ]

(...What are you doing now.)

[visual]

[raisethemoon]

Feed it? Whatever thou wouldst do with an animal companion? Perhaps give it a name.

[visual]

[boot2thehead]

[Another one. Wait! This one has wings too. Hrm.]

I've never had an animal before. Name's not a bad idea, though.

Also. You're a talking horse.

[Just. What.]

[colorbymemory]

Most Spirits like people..

[Namine is cut off by the squeaking of her own (very green) Komory Bat as he greets the newcomer. Batty chitters happily at his fellow Bat. Hello!]

[boot2thehead]

[Spence squeaks and chitters back. Hi hi hi! Point Man simply eyeballs the Bat for a few moments. Well. At least the Bat knows how to make friends?]

Animals usually don't like me.

... That a normal color for these?