PC CATCHALL WITH NERO

[greatdeduction]

Comments

[greatdeduction]

No, these creatures we have are not pets. And where I hail from, animals don't change into others in the blink of an eye.

These are something more. And its something that none of the previous residents of this village have ever had.

[perfectdistance]

I guess they could if they were wizards but...

[He moves on immediately.]

None of 'em at all? So why do we? Is it cause we ain't from here? Or somethin' else?

[greatdeduction]

...

[Wizards, huh.]

Mm, I do think it's tied directly to our strange appearance in this town. Whatever was the impetus behind getting us from "here" to "there"...may have played a role in the creation of these animals.

[perfectdistance]

[A normal, everyday part of every world, right?

If Nero was slightly more genre aware, he could say isekai, but alas.]

Somethin' weird happened to get us here in the first place. And we don't have a lot of options to figure out what it was right now.

[greatdeduction]

Now.

[He snaps at Nero.]

Tell me. What do you remember last, before coming here?

[perfectdistance]

It's got nothin' to do with you.

[greatdeduction]

And it may have everything to do with the situation. What, did a spell of yours go awry? Or a wizard cast something that should not have been cast?

[he's just going with this because he mentioned "wizards".]

[perfectdistance]

[Reflexively-]

I'm not a wizard. Besides, there's only the one who does portals, and it's doors to other places in the same world.

[greatdeduction]

Are you not?

[Portals, huh.]

So portals is out of the question, then. And there's no traces of what you expect of wizards in this place?

[perfectdistance]

[... He's skipping the first question.]

I don't know that much about 'em...

[greatdeduction]

[Shaking the bag of peanuts in his direction, again. Take more!]

Are there a lot of them, where you're from?

[perfectdistance]

Less wizards than humans, no matter what country you're in.

[He'll take... two more peanuts.]

[greatdeduction]

[He nods, and continues searching, eventually finding a box of pasta. Nice!]

You say it like they're distinct. They're a different species?

[perfectdistance]

Yeah.

[sort of.]

[greatdeduction]

Huh. Extra arms? Extra organs?

Why, do they even look like humans at all?

[perfectdistance]

They look like humans, but they can do magic. They can live for thousands of years too... That's enough for the distinction.

[greatdeduction]

[He's reading the box of pasta as he speaks.]

Ah, I see. Poor humanity. If wizards live so long, one would wonder what's the point to such a brief life at all, right?

[perfectdistance]

[Is this a thing people worry about...]

... I guess?

[greatdeduction]

Hm?

[He sideglances at Nero from his pasta box.]

You haven't wondered about it? The disparity between your meager life and the long full life of a wizard?

[perfectdistance]

I dunno, they start gettin' real weird.

I'm fine with my life.

[greatdeduction]

Ah, good for you, then. To be happy with one's life is to be truly satisfied.

[And now he's putting the box of pasta down.]

Mm. I daresay I need some water for this...

[perfectdistance]

[...

And now he's watching him like a very concerned parent.]

[greatdeduction]

Come now, have more faith! I've cooked many a thing for Iris at home. It isn't difficult.

[Reaching into a cupboard for a pot! Also shaking the bag at the other again. Peanuts?]

[perfectdistance]

Who's Iris?

[Also no, he's not taking more.]

[greatdeduction]

...

[He doesn't answer.]

[But he almost looks a bit...fond? As he turns away to put the peanuts on the counter and then takes the pot to the sink to wash.]