✿ Chapter 004. [Audio/Video](Day 65)

[burntviolet]

[When the audio feed opens, you can hear the high pitched sound of some yapping, and then a hushing noise.]

Shhh... please be quiet for a moment...

[Hanako speaks softly, before returning her attention to the bracelet.]

Um... g-greetings again, everyone.

I suppose Laurent is... gone. [There's a gloomy tone to it.] I wish him the b-best and that he'll return s-safe and sound to his world.

...

[A pause.] There's... another particular matter I n-need to press. Laurent left me s-something. I guess he w-wanted me to take it, but he disappeared b-before he could tell me anything...

[And there you hear more yapping.] Ah- please not now! Um... well... hold on.

[Hanako switches the feed off. Some fiddling later, the feed opens again, this time set on video. You won't see Hanako's face, instead, the bracelet's camera is set towards the floor of her room, so you can only see her shoes, and...

And then there's an adorable corgi puppy dog sitting there, with its tongue out, tail wagging happily, and big curious eyes staring at you. It yaps a few more times before Hanako hushes it up again.]

I already checked... i-it's a female. I couldn't ask Laurent how o-old she is. Uhm... [Her feet shift awkwardly. The puppy still stares up as she speaks in the background] All I k-know about domestic pets I only have read in a b-book, but- I don't remember much and I have no experience whatsoever w-with animals. So I wondered if those o-of you who have a p-pet or know something about k-keeping a dog could... give me some advice.

Also... I w-wondered if you could... suggest me a name for her. I- I'm not good at these s-sort of things...

[Another pause. Hanako's growing anxious with keeping this a video.] I hope I wasn't a b-bother to you. Good... good day.

[Click! And the video ends.]

Comments

[burntviolet]

[There's a click as the door unlocks, and Hanako opens the door quickly.]

Hello, Hisao.

[The puppy sees him and approaches him quietly, tail wagging.]

[seventeenpills]

Hey, Hanako. This looks a little funny, but I think it will work.

[He'd found a belt in his closet that he'd cut down a lot smaller so that it could be fastened around the neck like a real collar. The only remotely leash like thing he had was his school tie.]

[burntviolet]

[Hanako blinks rapidly, recognizing the fabrics.] ... Did you use your tie and belt?

[seventeenpills]

Well, the belt is the spare one I had in my closet, so, it really isn't such a big deal. I'm going to want the tie back once we figure out a better solution - so long as it's not chewed up or anything. If it gets wrecked... well. I suppose I can live without a tie.

[burntviolet]

Ah... I'm sorry you had to do this- um...

[She takes the "leash" and "collar" politely, feeling a little bad. If only they had money...]

[seventeenpills]

It's fine. A belt and a tie are replaceable. If your little friend there runs off and gets herself hurt, that's not so easily fixed. Right?

[burntviolet]

You're right...

[Not to worry, Hibiki's gonna get a leash for them eventually! /see below]

[seventeenpills]

Speaking of your little friend -

[He walked into her room and ducked down onto one knee so he could see the puppy better. Reaching out, he ruffled her little ears.]

-Wow. She's so soft - like a living plush toy.

[burntviolet]

[Nashi would sniff his hand first, and then lick it a few times as he pets her.]

It's true. She's cute and not aggressive at all.

[Sigh] Except when she tries to nibble at the furniture...

[seventeenpills]

Hmm. We should also get her some chewing toys then, or some sticks or something. Maybe she's still teething and needs to chew on things?

[Still petting the puppy awww puppy]

[burntviolet]

Yes, that's what I want to get her, so she won't ruin the furniture...

[Himari suggestion!]

[seventeenpills]

Yeah - she's only small so she doesn't know any better, yet.

So, how are you? I'm sorry your friend left - was he the guy with the purple hair?

[burntviolet]

Yes... did you talk to him?

[seventeenpills]

Yeah, remember I mentioned I'd tried out my healing power once before using it on you? He'd put out a call over the bracelet for healers to help a friend of his, so, I'd met him. He seemed nice.

[burntviolet]

I see... yeah, he was very kind to me.

[seventeenpills]

Well, hopefully wherever he went back to was where he wanted to be. I don't know anything about his world, but I can only hope he's happy to be home.

[burntviolet]

... He t-told me that he's g-got duties over there, s-so I wish he g-gets to protect his friends now.

[seventeenpills]

From what little I saw of him, that did seem to be his goal. I'm sure that's what he's working towards right now.

[Either that or cooking more hamburgers.]

Anyway, did you figure out a name yet?

oh god she wasn't suppost to stutter there lmao

[burntviolet]

[LOL]

Well, I thought of calling her Nashi. She seems to like that name for some reason.

[And she'll yap once at that!]

[seventeenpills]

Nashi - that's very cute. And she seems to like it, don't you?

[He's still petting the puppy. He looks like he's in no danger of stopping anytime soon. If it wasn't necesary to keep up his Manly Image pffft he'd probably have hugged it by now.]

[burntviolet]

Yes, that's my impression too. Anyway I'm glad I found her some name...

[Nashi licks his hand and jumps up and down all excited, awww]

[seventeenpills]

Well, I'm glad too. I think it's going to be a lot of fun having a new little friend to spend time with. If you ever need me to look after her for a while so you can take a break, just let me know.

[burntviolet]

Um... thank you. I'll entrust her to you whenever I need it. You're the only one I could ask this to...

[seventeenpills]

I'll take that as a compliment, Hanako. Thank you. But there are probably other who would love tp spend time with a cute little dog like this.

[He was still petting her.]

I'm happy she isn't larger though - a big dog could be more dangerous.

[Like jumping up on his chest or something. Ow.]

[burntviolet]

[Ow indeed. Nashi then rolls with her back on the floor so he might rub her belly!]

Yes... Laurent must have known that I am more suitable to take care of smaller dogs.