video;

[extramural]

[ There are two brown puppies eating a Christmas pudding off the floor when the camera activates, little tails wagging as they trip over paws that they have yet to grow into. Their muzzles are oddly long even now, but they're not quite as bulky as they will be -- not yet.

A quiet chuckle from behind the locket reveals, to those who may have heard it, the surprising owner of the pups -- the Outsider. The smaller of the pups looks up from the pudding at the sound and scampers over, whining and pawing at his legs until the Outsider bends down to scoop the little one up. The locket, which is floating in midair via magic, is pushed back -- just in time for any viewers to watch as the pup attempts to burrow into the Outsider's shirt. ]

You are unlike others of your kind, little one, [ the god murmurs, smoothing a hand over floppy brown ears. The other pup is still eating the pudding, though at this point it looks more like she's getting in a fight with it. ]

In my world, Wolfhounds are kept and trained by Overseers of the Abbey to hunt heretics. That I should now have a pair myself is rather ironic and more than a little amusing. But then, they are terribly intelligent creatures.

[ The small pup licks at his chin and he starts, blinking. The locket turns off just as his mouth twists up until a slight smile. ]

Comments

video

[digophelia]

[ Alice is practically leaping up, clapping her hands together in excitement. ]

You're back!

[ ALSO PUPPIES fluffy animals will always be her greatest weakness ]

They're darling!

video

[extramural]

Yes.

[ To the first. Though. Well. The pups are pretty cute. ]

This one seems to be quite content to live inside my shirt, [ he says instead, looking baffled- and a little bit pleased by the attention. ]

video

[digophelia]

For now at least. Puppies don't exactly have long attention spans.

[ She knew he was going to come back unscathed but she's still very happy to see him, regardless. ]

I've missed you.

video

[extramural]

Perhaps they will nap. I did find them eating that pudding, after all.

[ And it was a big pudding. ]

I've missed you as well, my dear.

[ No one else is quite as interesting. ]

video

[wipedclean]

[It's not that he doesn't keep track of the network. He does. He just doesn't feel the need to respond to most of them.

But he's interested in those puppies because... hell. They're cute. And honestly he does like animals quite a bit.

There's a cat on his shoulders when he responds, and it's leaning forward, watching the video unblinkingly.]

You have cute dogs.

video

[extramural]

[ And that man has a metal arm. Very interesting -- not that he can talk, considering his eyes are all black, but he knows he's interesting. ]

They will grow up to be- less so, or so people tend to think.

[wipedclean]

[His eyebrows raise, and he shrugs with his one working shoulder. The cat doesn't seem to mind, shifting with the weight and settling back down when he's stilled.]

Things change.

video

[digophelia]

[ Of course they wouldn't be and of course he would come back the way he is. He is the Outsider, after all. But Alice is practically beaming with excitement. She hasn't looked this lively in days. ]

I think it would take more than just pudding to wear them out. If you really want them to sleep well, you'll have to play with them.

[extramural]

They do, [ he agrees, even as he reaches to stroke the pup in his shirt again. ] I did not, for instance, have dogs an hour ago.

[ Outsider you're the least helpful. ]

The cat on your shoulder seems rather interested in them.

video

[extramural]

Ah.

[ ... he hadn't considered that before, and there's a slightly confused expression on his face as he looks between the two puppies. ]

I- suppose so, yes.

video

[digophelia]

I think you may need help.

[ Please let her come over and play with the puppies, Outsider. ]

video

[extramural]

If you are offering, I will not say no.

video

[digophelia]

Of course I am offering.

video.

[duodecimal]

Do they just want to overrun everyone with dogs?

[ Sorry, Outsider, his friend has a dog and at this point he's surprised he didn't get one himself. ]

At least yours are from your own world.

video

[extramural]

Then- when you have a moment.

[wipedclean]

[Oh, he feels like he should provide something too.]

I didn't always have a metal arm.

[He looks at the cat, who looks back at him and meows.]

I guess he is.

video.

[extramural]

There was a time where shadows walked the realm, sought out people to eat. Dogs were the only thing that would drive them away. Perhaps they are more useful than they first appear.

[ Especially since his are puppies and one has stuck its head down his collar. ]

[extramural]

It looks well built.

[ You know. For a science thing. ]

Does it work here?

[wipedclean]

[He scowls.]

No. It's useless. Dead weight.

video

[digophelia]

I've had a moment for a while. Where are you now?

[ Horray for her bestie and cute, cute puppies. ]

[extramural]

Unfortunate. Perhaps someone can enchant it for you.

Is it prosthetic only, or does it have additional functions?

video

[extramural]

My rooms.

[ The rats are gone, luckily, or else he would have had two very dead puppies. ]

[wipedclean]

Perhaps.

[He echoes it with a bit of a sigh. He should get on top of that.]

Mostly prosthetic. But it's stronger, more powerful. Bulletproof.

video

[digophelia]

In Caer Scima, yes?

[video]

[chaoticwhimsy]

Man they sure do like giving us pets, don't they?

[Lumina is curled up in her room with a pile of fancy leather books when she waves at him through her locket.]