isawallflower | RYSLIG; ic inbox

Mm. I used to be mad at her for what happened, but in the end, it was alright. It means I was ready to be more careful when talking to her again, too.

I haven't thought of one yet. I have a harder time finding the perfect name the more something feels like mine.

[ ... ]

I have a cat. I named him after one I wanted when I was a little kid.
After a tree, really. It was a weird and kind of special day for me even though it ended really, really horribly.
He's not the same cat, I know that. But it's like I have a chance to do it right this time.

What I'm saying is, if a name means something special to you, then it can be perfect. No one's ever going to have the same attachment you do to your pet, especially not this one, this snail puppy.
So, whatever you choose, I think it'll be perfect. You choosing it makes it perfect.

Thank you, Miss Riley. I think that's a really nice way to think.

Would you tell me about your cat?

[ This girl's "father" is a man she's killed, a man who's depraved and egotistical. Their first meeting involved a dead bird in a cage. She's keeping the fact that they've shared a therapist from her.

And yet, still, she's just that. A girl. A sweet girl who likes animals and calls her Miss Riley and messaged someone she barely knows just to tell her about her new weird pet. ]

His name is Maple. I got him when I just got here, when he was a kitten.
These bugs who kidnapped myself and many new other new arrivals gave him to me as a party favor and I never gave him back. He used to be incredibly shy and scared of everything, but now he's energetic and playful.
I was never allowed to have pets before, so I try to take very good care of him.

A friend of mine has rabbit ears and he keeps trying to bite them, whenever he's over.
He's a little brat. I love him.

[Riley is...complicated. Maybe if Ray thought about these things a little more, she'd use the excuse of "keep your enemies closer" -- Riley was a threat in more than one way, whether she actually wanted to be or not. But the truth of the matter is that the thing that should make her hostile to the other girl is what puts them on the same side. It's better for both of them if Aunamee lets go of his insistent interest.

Besides, Riley knew about the difficulty she had with pets. She wasn't as likely as Dr. Danny to twist it for fun or to upset her, either. Maybe she'd understand what an exciting opportunity this was.]

Maple...that's a cute name. I wasn't allowed to have pets, either. I had to keep my puppy a secret, since they never let me ask them for permission to keep it. It sounds like keeping your kitty was the right thing to do, too. You sound happy.

Do you mean the pooka or the cat?

I am. Some days here have been difficult enough that I've needed the responsibility of taking care of him to keep myself active.

[ ...Huh. Does she mean the— ]

Both.

I think I can understand that feeling... It's easier to live for something or someone else.

Oh. I like pookas a lot, too. They're cute. Maybe I'll ask Miss Mana about being one, someday... Ah, but if you love him, then you shouldn't let his ears be bitten. Bunnies have sensitive ears.

I know. It's okay, he's a bit of an expert at keeping pets away from his ears. He works with them, after all. He's got a way with animals.

A pooka that works with animals... I know someone like that. I don't remember Mr. Rabbit's name.

You do? Wow... Well he's the only guy I know with rabbit ears, and the only one who works with animals.
Is it at Poundmates? Then that's Steve.

Oh! Yes! That's him. That's Mr. Rabbit.

He's kind. When I don't know something people are supposed to, he explains it to me in a way I understand. He doesn't even seem impatient.

He's really considerate like that, isn't he? That's a really cute nickname. I might have to use it.

If I could ask, though... Why did you message me with all this? I don't mind, really, I just wouldn't have thought I'd be someone you'd want to tell about your new pet.

Oh... Well, it's hard to talk about my pets with anyone besides Dr. Danny. I don't think Dad would understand what there is to like about it...and when I told you about my birdie, you asked if I wanted something that was living.

[ Dr. Danny... Riley's can feel her skin tingle at the mention of him. Should...she tell Rachel she was the person who talked to her that day? That they share the same therapist?

No, the thought of it terrifies her. ]

But you've been here awhile, right? Don't you have friends to talk to about this kind of thing?

Again, not that I mind!! I guess I can't imagine why you would share this with someone you aren't close to.

Not really. I was gone for over a year, and I have a hard time getting along with people my age.

There's Reira. She's still here... I don't know. No one's going to be anything like the person most precious to me, so maybe it doesn't matter so much. And they might have talked about something else, when I wanted to talk about my new pet.

[ Oh.

Oh, that's... ]

So since we'd talked about it before, you thought I was a good candidate.

Tell me whatever you want then, okay? I'll listen.

[She leans to rest herself against the odd creature for a moment, and maybe if she was someone else, then Riley's offer might make her smile. But she's Ray, and her face remains impassive.]

Snails aren't boys or girls. Some snails you don't even need two of them to reproduce, they'll just do it on their own. That might limit the names a bit... Or maybe it doesn't matter?

They don't have a sex at all? Wow, okay, didn't know that! In that case, though, it actually opens up your names. You don't have to find one that would sound good or bad for a boy or a girl. You can just go with whatever it feels like.

The opposite. They have reproductive organs of both sexes. I haven't read a lot about snails, but I like science. It was in a biology book. I wish I'd read more about them now, even if slimes aren't really the same...

Mm... Both of the pets I was given by others here were named after flowers. I might do something else this time, since it's mine alone.

See, I really didn't know that. I should've looked more through those books about the fauna of the Ryslig peninsula.

Okay, no flowers. Would you want to name it after a person?

That was back home, when I was still going to school. I don't know how helpful the science books here will be, but it's worth looking. Things aren't as advanced here, but monsters can help with their own research.

There's a book on liches I read once. I don't remember the title or author, but I remember it's on the third shelf of one of the stacks against the back wall of the second floor in Bavan's public library.

...I thought about naming it after someone, but if Zack comes back he'd be mad about it, I think. Everyone else has their names already used here.

[ It occurs to Riley... Between their in-person conversation and whatever she's seen of Rachel talking on the network, this is by far the most she's ever seen her say. ]

There ARE books that cover a lot. I got one for my friend's birthday and he seems to have new things to say every time I see him. Maybe not as much as actual books on monsters, though. How do you remember something that specific but not the title of the book?

No people, then. Maybe naming it after something is a bad idea, then. Is there any name it specifically looks like to you?

I don't remember things as easily as I did before I became a slime, so I have to focus on what's important to me. The title wasn't as important as the words inside. Still, I had to remember where to find the book in the first place, and I stayed there for a while to read it.

...Snail words aren't cute. "Gastropod", "mollusk". But that's what comes to mind.

[ ...Ah. And she won't ask why lich information is important to Rachel. That's something she can take a stab in the dark at. (Something she has taken a stab in the dark at.) ]

You could break one of those words down into something cute? No one would have to know where you got it from.

[More important to her than sharing her interests this time was letting Riley know where to find such information, if she wasn't already aware. She doesn't want the dad she'd chosen to be killed, but...it feels right to level the playing field. Give Riley more ground to stand on, when Aunamee was otherwise superior and thriving off it. If she's careful about the way she fights back against his interest, then maybe... It was possible. Rachel would like to believe that.]

That's true. I bet I could even find something that's close to a normal name. I'll make a list and we'll look at it together later.

...I mean my pet, not you. In case you were worried. I think you probably wouldn't like talking to me too often.

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, CHEERYCHERRY. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 019.46.820.17 * CHEERYCHERRY has joined 019.46.820.17 <CHEERYCHERRY> It's Riley! <CHEERYCHERRY> Please leave a message! <CHEERYCHERRY>** Please be someone with their priorities sorted out properly!

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