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.

[boot2thehead]

[Point Man's bat squeaks in return. He's huge and wow does your person look funny! Where's his face?

Point Man, in the meantime, scoops the bat out of the air, holding it the way someone might hold a small glass unicorn. Stop your interrupting, tiny... squeaky... bat-thing.]

That's a little strange, yeah... If you mean the bear-thing, yeah. Said something about me being asleep and this being Traverse Town?

[Which is definitely not where he'd been headed.]

[voice]

[boot2thehead]

Awfully tiny ally.

[brodakota]

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

[unrecovered]

[Fang perches once again on Wash's shoulder and keeps squeaking. Oh, he's wearing armor! It's like a big shell. His face is under the helmet part!]

That's about right, yeah. Nobody's figured out how to wake up yet, but we're working on it. In the meantime, they should've given you enough munny for a night at the hotel, and you can always get more by killing Nightmares.

[There's a moment of fiddling with the device, and then Point Man should have a link to a Dream Eater guide.]

You might want to read that. A few of the people who've been here before put it together.

[boot2thehead]

... I've never had one before.

[Not to his knowledge, anyway.]

[statisticallyterrible]

[Boy, has she been there.]

ignore until convenient

[boot2thehead]

[Squeak squeak squeak 8D Oooh, that's really cool! Do they all get those or just special ones?]

... you kill things and they drop money?

[Well. That's almost better than killing things to get their gun and ammo.

He pauses and skims over the guide for a moment. Okay, this will be useful.]

I'll take a look at it later. Should help.

[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.

[boot2thehead]

We'll see. Haven't had it long enough to tell yet.

[Mostly it's just been flitting around and squeaking, which is... not helpful but at least it hasn't attacked him.]

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.]

[statisticallyterrible]

best to use on monsters

[Par for the course. Hers really hasn't stopped.]

[boot2thehead]

I'll keep it in mind. Seems a little small to fight, though.

[But hey, since he has limited ammunition, he'd rather save it for something worth shooting. Though at this point he's wondering if the bat plans on adorabling their enemies to death.]

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?

[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.)

[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.

[boot2thehead]

[He'd say this place is insane if he hadn't seen insane himself. As it is Point Man is starting to realize that weird is really status quo here. The bat flits back and forth, squeaking. That's cool! What's Rare? The bat is new at this. Just created an all.

Point Man tips his head a little more like he's trying to get a better look at whoever the other person is.]

This cat yours?