[from the pages—or rather, springs of Ranma ½, we bring to you. . .]

[onlyhonournow]

 [today, there's a rather large dog sitting, looking very reserved while gazing at the sky above the Fussin' Overlook]

[the dog seems rather familiar: there's something in its expression—and I mean, there can't be that many white dogs with red accents who have two swords strapped to their backs.] 

Comments

[bythehorns]

[You shouldn't be surprised at the weird things that happen around here, but now it looks like somebody's lusus has shown up! Not anybody's that you know, you don't think. You've never met anybody with a barkbeast lusus. Well, not in your own universe. But this might not be your universe! You're confusing yourself.]

[Tavros: commune with barkbeast lusus.]

((THE VOICE IS COMING FROM INSIDE YOUR HEAD))

Um, hello, where did, you come from?

[onlyhonournow]

[!! the dog's ears perk up, and he looks cautiously around, sniffing at the air]

. . . Tavros? ... You can do that?

[and it speaks. in a very familiar voice.]

[bythehorns]

. . .

. . .

? ? ?

Uuhhh, this is, extremely, unexpected....

[onlyhonournow]

[he wags his tail, softly in happy recognition, but remains seated]

Tell me about it.

[bythehorns]

[You come closer. You are pretty sure that even as a completely different creature Drift is still not going to attack you.]

So, what happened, to make you, turn into a barkbeast? Or, I guess, maybe, turn back, I don't know...

[onlyhonournow]

[lowering his head and lying down to make himself less ... large, as he was about Tavros's height while seated.]

[since dogs can't laugh, he just exhales a little whine and props his muzzle up on his paws]

I think I ... sprang a little too far ahead of myself, so to speak.

[pincerattack]

[what is it with this place and weird fauna? who the hell gives a barkbeast one sword, let alone two, and why does this fact make you feel irrationally cranky? ...still, you had pretty good luck glaring at that alotbeast, who is now your minion and co-ruler of the plains. so you're going to glaaaare.]

[onlyhonournow]

[the dog gets a rather mischievous look on his fact for a split second, before... barking. Loudly.]

[pincerattack]

[fucking barkbeast, what does it think it's doing? and maybe you jump a little bit in surprise, because barking is not the correct response when you haven't even yelled at it yet. you think that's pretty justified when there's a barkbeast with swords.]

WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM, BARKBEAST?

[onlyhonournow]

[huffing, in amusement. Rolling over, submissively. AND IT SPEAKS, why oh why does it sound... so... robot-y?:]

Hello, Karkat.

[pincerattack]

[now you really are jumping back, because WHAT THE HELL BARKBEASTS CAN'T TALK THIS IS FUCKED UP. setting aside that the sword-carrying barkbeast is speaking, we all remember what happened the last time you ran into a suspiciously intelligent barkbeast monster with a sword, namely, it destroyed twelve planets and two dream planets and like everything fucking else. HAVE WE ESTABLISHED YET IN WHAT DIRECTION THIS SITUATION IS FUCKED? BECAUSE IT IS UP.]

I REALIZE MY INCOMPETENCE MUST BE LEGENDARY IN ALL THE WORLDS BY NOW, BUT THAT STILL DOESN'T EXPLAIN HOW YOU APPARENTLY KNOW ME BY SIGHT, WEIRD TALKING BARKBEAST.

[onlyhonournow]

[we are beginning to realise that Drift was dropped into cave for the sole purpose of making Karkat's life 20% more awkward and at least 5% more hard.]

[rolls back onto his belly, but remains flopped, with his ears tilted back a little out of apprehension]

Sorry.

[pause, as you remember nobody likes you :(]





... It's Drift. I'm Drift.

[ice_and_steel]

[A dog. That's new. It doesn't appear to be prone to attacking, though, unlike almost every dog she's ever met. Granted, most of the ones she's met were either monsters or trained to attack anything not their handlers.]

[How does one handle a non-attacking dog? Stabbing would not be appropriate given the lack of attacking.]

[She approaches cautiously.]

[onlyhonournow]

[it lowers its head, tail wagging happily, but stays where it is]

[it is also quite large, as she will notice as it leans a head out to sniff her, speaking softly?!]

Hello, Celes.

[ice_and_steel]

[Talking dogs are definitely new. She makes herself let go of the lightning she started to summon in sheer startlement, making her hair frizz out on end all around her in the static discharge]

[very puzzled] ....Drift?

[onlyhonournow]

[lowers his head all the way to the ground, ears flattened]

I'm sorry; I didn't mean to alarm you.

[ice_and_steel]

It's all right. You...are the first canine I've encountered that didn't want to kill me.

[She's...reasonably sure of that.]

How...did this occur?

[she touches her sword to discharge some of the static, then leans down to pet him cautiously. Oh, soft. Nice.]

[onlyhonournow]

[that is a happy, happy whine. tail thumpin'.]

Well, it's the first time I've been a canine. I went exploring earlier—perhaps a little too far.

[sei_what]

Ew, this is like the best place to look at sunsets and weep gently at their beauty and so on, which she was totally keen to get a bit of done tonight, and now there's a dog on it. Not a nice little sleeve dog with big solicitous eyes and soft hair, either. A work dog.

Sei is allergic to work.

Even if it's rather a pretty work dog, with metaphorically favorable coloration and altogether a noble and philosophical mien; nope, still too work-y for a lady. Ffffffffff.

She pulls her pile of clothes up to a properly picturesque spot on the precipice, mentally elevates the dog to the status of an audience, and settles down to get some properly picturesque weeping in. It doesn't count unless somebody sees you do it, so maybe it's best this way.

[onlyhonournow]

[the doggie is naturally sensitive to distress! Or maybe you're just that good of a weeper, Sei. Anyhow, it pads as quietly and as unobtrusively over as it can, for a dog three times her size.]

[it looks very, very worried, as it tilts its head and a low, inquisitive whine escapes from its muzzle.]

[wingedjustice]

...

Drift?

[onlyhonournow]

[the dog stands up and pads over with its tag wagging violently]

Wing.

[wingedjustice]

Is there a reason why you're an organic?

[onlyhonournow]

[sits right at Wing's feet, looking up reverently]

There is.

[wingedjustice]

This ought to be good.

Let's hear it.