RYSLIG IC INBOX

[sharpiewielder]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, CROSS. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 018.09.124.66 *** CROSS has joined 018.09.124.66 <CROSS>howdy howdy howdy <CROSS>ya boi is afk atm but ill be sure to hit you up when i get this!

Comments

[sharpiewielder]

Yeah, completely adorable. Which does makes it hella sad. Like I said, I get why he's sensitive about it.

Plus he's... super new. And had a dog butt for a little while. And then was suddenly a plant! Things have been rough for him, so I can see why his petals are a bit delicate at the mo', yanno?

[missleadingquestions]

Yeah... Maybe I should just be a little more gentle. Flowers are pretty delicate...

[. . .]

But come to think of it, you were snooping on his conversation with Trish, too, right?

[oh no, where is this going—]

Don't you think it sounded like he was a bit defensive about his name? Just like he was about his reputation when he showed up here!

[sharpiewielder]

Trish? You mean the Insanely Harsh One with the Spice Girls reference as a username?

[missleadingquestions]

[Blink. Blonk.]

The who?

[sharpiewielder]

No, the Spice Girls.

1/2

[missleadingquestions]

Oh! I guess I never realized it was a...

2/2

[missleadingquestions]

...It's a lyric, right?

[And not a word she doesn't know or a name of a band member...]

1/2

[sharpiewielder]

♫What I really, really, really want is zig-a-zig-ahhh~♫

[He does his best attempt at mimicking the way it's said, which is probably a little ridiculous without the context of the rest of the song.]

2/2

[sharpiewielder]

Which, like, I'm not really sure what it means? But it is from a song by a British girl group in the 90's, so it's probably another quirky nonsense phrase like "tally-whacker" or "kerfuffle" or "crumpet" or something.

But uh, can I ask... if you know what kind of monster Trish is?

[missleadingquestions]

[Ohhhh it's British. That seems to make sense to Maya, who nods, definitely operating on her own warped perception of British people from being in Fantasy London. She didn't realize Trish had anything to do with Britain, but that must be it.]

They do say funny words...

Oh, but Trish is a cute pink werebear!

[She mimes some little bear ears by posing her closed hands over her head.]

[sharpiewielder]

[This face.]

Yeah, that explains a lot.

But, you see what I mean, right? There's-- there's precedent for the classification! The fog knows a person's vibe!

[missleadingquestions]

I mean— okay, it's pretty accurate sometimes.

But it really isn't like that for everyone!

[Maya holds up her hands, but then puts one to her cheek in thought again.]

Mmm... but that's why a lot of folks end up picking their own monster, too.

[Right, right, this is getting off topic—]

I swear she's more intense than usual though!

She's always been pretty opinionated on the network, but that's pretty normal in this place. That's why I told you not to bother getting into it— once people get riled up about it, it's really hard getting them to calm down...

[She knows from experience. Unfortunate experience.]

Anyway, I'm pretty sure she's upset about some friends of hers disappearing. That bright orange harpy, Riley, who'd come in and sing sometimes? Trish was her instrumentalist, you know.

1/2

[sharpiewielder]

Well, nah, of course there's gotta be some outliers. Some people don't fit their monster type at all. But, y'know. Some do. Like you! And me. And Merlin. And--

Ohhh, yeah. [Wince.] That'll do it. I know I didn't feel too friendly after Ronnie disappeared. That's rough...

2/2

[sharpiewielder]

But-- [He crosses his arms with a strong frown.]

That's no reason to be a jerk on the network! Especially to someone who was just asking a dang question!

[He's definitely not still irritated on Merlin's behalf, no not at all.]

[missleadingquestions]

No.. but people do it a lot anyway. It is pretty easy to start fights with people when you can't see their face.

[Again: from experience.

...Maya smiles though, eyes flat like a pleased cat. It's really cute what fast friends Merlin and Hanna are, especially after losing a kelpie he was definitely crushing on got along with so well.]

..He did take it pretty hard, though.

[sharpiewielder]

...Did he come to you about that?

[They haven't really had a chance to talk about it, but he knows how guys can be with other guys. He doesn't want to force the issue, after all.]

She must have really gotten to him.

[missleadingquestions]

He was super pitiful! He had puppy dog eyes and everything!

Just like a sad cartoon character!

I guess he really thought he messed up, making so many people react like that.

[sharpiewielder]

Yeah, I'm guessing they don't have The Internet in fairy tale world. ...And I'ma be real, they're probably better off for it.

[Sighs. He doesn't want to think that maybe some of the folks in that post got under his skin a bit too, but he bit his tongue and closed his laptop and went on his way instead of trolling them back at the time.]

Wait-- [He quirks a brow, frowning.]

You said she didn't know she was being mean?

[missleadingquestions]

Well, yeah! She said she just gave an idle comment, and that if he was still being petty, she wasn't being mean enough.

...Which is kind of also mean, now that I think about it.

[sharpiewielder]

Did she mean "idle" in the way that it was an offhanded comment, or the way that bad guys twirl knives when they're bored, "idle"? Cos jeez. What a way to introduce a newbie to the network...

Lemme tell ya, if you think you're being like her, you got absolutely zilch to be worried about. you guys aren't even in the same hemisphere. Mean people don't really care if they're mean, and you obviously do! Plus, if you really were mean, Merlin wouldn't have come to you with all his stuff.

1/2

[missleadingquestions]

Yeah... I guess he is kind of a weenie.

[missleadingquestions]

[...She quickly drops her face into her hands, hiding a snort.]

I mean— I don't mean it——

[at least she's becoming more self-aware...]

[sharpiewielder]

Juuuust a little bit.

[He can't help but laugh. She's too cute to be mean.]

It's okay, he's gonna get thicker skin. You kinda gotta when you live here. Especially with somebody like you-- [He grins, nudging her with his hoof.] --as a roomie. Little Miss Giggles over here.

He'll be holding his own in no time.

[missleadingquestions]

[Ah, that's reassuring. Maya's grin doesn't fade, even after she pulls her face from her hands. She reaches after his hoof, curving her hand up so she can drag her claws up the tender under-side of it in the tickle-equivalent of a pinch. Or of, you know, the human impulse to touch a dog or cat's paw pads.]

We'll just have to make sure he can still count on us until then!

[sharpiewielder]

Oh yeah, for sure--

[Yipe! His feetsies are ticklish thank you very much. Not that he knew that until right then. He pulls his legs up with a pout, watching her over his knees.]

H-hey--!! Watch the hoof! These things are weapons, yanno!