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[Souji's sitting in the grass somewhere on the grounds. A fat gray dragon about the size of a schnauzer with very useless little wings is wandering around behind him. He's looking back at her before turning to the camera with a pensive expression.]

If this war turns out to be an actual war, what should we do about our pets?

[He figures they'll just have to be kept out of the way, but it worries him. He's had that dragon for over five years now, and she was a gift from someone important. He's sure everyone else with a pet feels the same way.]

Should we...I don't know, designate someone to look after them?

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Yeah. Inconvenient sounds about right.

[Jay's bitter and worried about his cat, so sue him.]

Out by the gardens, there's that...like, stables. For horses or some kind of livestock. Not sure how secure it'd be in the middle of a warzone, but...might be a start.

Yeah. There are also the caves, which could work, too.

[A beat.]

Either way, I'd hope they wouldn't go out of their way to hurt animals.

[But you never know.]

[Jay's eyes light up with recognition.]

The caves--yeah, the caves'd be good. As long as we can keep the animals from, like, wandering out too far, they might be our best bet. Might--I mean, depending on how much the Queen of Hearts knows about the layout on this side.

[Jay jolts, before grabbing the communicator and rushing out the nearest balcony, away from any mirrors. (Souji may hear the yelp of a cat being displaced, followed by galloping footsteps as Archie scrambles under Jay's bed.) Jay keeps rambling as he walks.]

Or--or how much she's listening right now. Not sure about her stance on animals, but I'm even less not sure about some of the Mirrors.

[Would he want Mirror Tim anywhere near Archie? Not a chance in hell.]

[The moving device is a little jarring, but Souji thinks it was a good idea for him to move. Outside, luckily, there are no mirrors to spy on him through.]

Mine dissected a parakeet I used to have. So I agree, some of the Mirrors should be kept away from animals.

[He's quiet for a second.]

We might all need to consider talking about the war stuff either outside or through text from now on.

[Fuck.]

[His mirror dissected his pet.]

Yeah. [Jay glances back over his shoulder.] Yeah, that's...

[He looks around a second time, still wary.]

We can't let that happen again.

I agree.

[His own Mirror has at least calmed the hell down over the years, but he's still an asshole, and Souji knows others also have terrible Mirrors. He understands needing to keep important possessions/people/animals away from those Mirrors.]

I don't like the idea of overgeneralizing and saying all Mirrors are bad. But it might be a good idea for us to identify the ones who are.

Yeah. [He's still looking around, as if this time maybe he'll catch sight of a threat rather than a lovely fourth-floor view of the garden.] George--Georgia says the same thing.

[Wait, that makes him sound like he's lumping all the Mirrors together.]

I mean, I mean, not that I'm against that or anything. [His voice is higher now, more rushed.] Like, I bet some Mirrors are fine. Maybe a lot of 'em are; I don't know.

But I've met...I think the couple I've met're the kind you're talking about.

I think it only takes a couple bad experiences to make you want to lump them all together in the "bad" category.

[He's been there for sure.]

But if we can figure out who the good ones are, we may have some allies.

[Jay wrinkles his nose.]

Good luck with that.

[He looks away from the camera, deflating.]

Honestly, though...good luck with that. Lemme know if you find out anything.

And, I guess, in the meantime, we can do what we can to, to keep the cats and dogs and...birds and all that safe.

If you ever need help with your cat--keeping it safe--I'm pretty good with them.

[And he has magic to keep it safe with.]

[Oh.]

[Huh.]

Yeah, actually.

[Jay's not used to people offering help. It's become more common in Wonderland than back home, but it's always a surprise.]

Th--thanks. I'll...let you know.

And, uh, he's a he. Archie. Short for Archimedes. Not my name, like, previous owner gave it to him..

[Shut up, Jay.]

You inherited him from someone who left?

[That's typically how that happens. He's never heard of anyone just handing a pet over to someone else.]

[Jay nods.]

Didn't even really...know him while he was here. Saw his network posts and all, but...

[It's weird, how it all worked out. Not like he'd know the owner if he adopted a cat back home, but when there are so few people, it still feels off.]

His brother was trying to rehome his pets, and I, uh. I got my name in first, I guess.

[The cat doesn't seem familiar, so Souji thinks he probably didn't know the original owner.]

It was good you took him in. I think if pets aren't..."claimed" they just disappear.

[Jay hisses under his breath.]

Really? God...

[Just disappear? Like they're not worth keeping around if their first owner's gone?]

Good thing I did, yeah.

I guess in one way it's a little irresponsible for any of us to have pets.

[Says the guy with a dragon, a rabbit, and two fish. But they're living things, after all, and they might just cease to exist on any given day because their owner is gone.

...And also because Mirrors are sometimes terrible.]

But I get why people want to have them.

Irresponsible?

[It's a knee-jerk reaction, before the logic of Souji's statement really sinks in.]

I mean...yeah, I guess.

[He deflates.]

But that's assuming the pets aren't just...going home. Maybe somebody had Archie before Stanford Pines got him, just somewhere else.

I mean, can we know for sure?

I like that idea. That the pets are like us in that way.

[He hadn't thought of that before, but it makes him feel a little better about having amassed as many creatures as he has.]

Anyway, if you ever need help, let me know. My healing powers work on people, I'm sure they'd work on cats.

You've got--?

[That would've come in handy during the Reaper event. Or every event, honestly. His left wrist's been trashed so many times (two, but two's enough) he's expecting it to just stop healing after a while.]

...Cool. And--and thanks. I mean, I hope he doesn't need it, but thanks.

[Jay's still not used to people offering help. Still feels weird.]

If there's anything I can do to, uh. To keep your whole...pet...thing safe, let me know, too.

I'll heal you too, if you need it.

[Just to make clear that the offer doesn't just extend to the cat.]

I appreciate it. If I think of anything, I'll let you know.

[Huh. He didn't want to assume, but...well. Now he knows.]

[There's a long pause while Jay just stares at the communicator.]

Thanks.

[That's not enough.]

And, uh, same for you. For like, helping. You. If there's anything I can...yeah.

Thanks.

[He doesn't really know Jay, but he certainly appreciates the offer. Everyone's got to stick together, right?]

I'll see you around.

[Everyone's got to stick together.]

[A new concept, but not one Jay's completely opposed to.]

S...See you around.

[Jay cuts the feed.]

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