deernet | [VIDEO; UN: LittleGreenLiar]

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[VIDEO; UN: LittleGreenLiar]

[There are a number of indications that this is a misfire, even before it becomes clear what's going on. First, there's the fact of the username. Ariadne has never once set a username. Everyone who keeps promising to show her how to do it keeps disappearing or dying on her. So she's been "username not set" for years, at this point.

Then, there's the angle. It's tilted. And the feed isn't vibrating and shaking as Ariadne tries to hold it steady. Clearly, her Omni is sitting off to one side, forgotten, at the moment.

Ariadne is standing in her bedroom, sunlight filtering in through the gauzy curtains. She's in her underwear. Of course, it's pretty medieval underwear: a ribbed corset, tied in front, and knee-length bloomers. Bare feet. Green feet. She's in her natural form, her candy-floss blue hair loose and streaming down her back, practically to her knees. She wags her hand in front of her face, as if she's holding a fan. Daintily, she touches her fingertips to her collarbone.]

Me? You want to dance with me?

[There's non one else in the room. It appear, she's been caught in a game of make-believe. Adorable? Creepy? Hard to say.]

Why, sir, I would be delighted!

[She dips into a neat, perfect curtsy. And then rises, eyelashes fluttering.

At which point, she starts to dance a waltz, her arms around an invisible, imaginary partner. She moves smoothly, gliding across the room, looking very much like she's ready to fall in love in a ballroom.

One, two, three. One, two, three...]

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[Savage is confused by her make-believe, having not seen it present in adults for the most part unless there was some kind of mental affliction. On his planet, those with such afflictions died quickly, but Trench was different.

He also was confused why she was in her natural state. Normally he found he had to request for it to happen. This clearly wasn't a matter she would want seen.]

Why are you practicing dancing with no one?

[Ariadne lets out a less-than-dignified squawk of surprise.

She looks from side to side, rushing to the window, wrenching the curtains open. She knows Savage's voice, but she can't smell him. What is happening? Where is he?]

Savage?

[Her reactions were strange, and it was only the fact that he wasn't in her presence that he had no idea what was going on. His blood this month forced him to share things, not that he knew it yet.

He made a rumbling noise as if to summon her attention to his location.]

Airy. You're very odd and flighty today. Are you sick?

[This time, she follows the sound of his voice.

And her eyes widen in horror as she spots the Omni.

Quickly, she lunges for it, turning off the video feed.]

I...I didn't know my Omni was on!

[So she had no idea that was recording? That was interesting, and he looked at his own OMNI as if might suddenly come to life and do something unexpected. No, it was fine.]

That doesn't explain why you were dancing around in your natural form either.

And why did you suddenly set a user name?

[Everything about this was odd, and it made him wary.]

My user--

[She fiddles with the Omni a moment. Then gasps.]

I didn't do that!

Why would I ever...how do you change it?

Well it's done. Someone or something changed it.

[Maybe it had been her illusionary dance partner? She had seemed pretty convinced by whomever that male had been.]

You have to go into settings and set it in the form there. If you erase what's there, it should go back to how it used to be.

Um...settings.

[Ariadne is good at a lot of things.

Technology? Not one of them.]

What are settings? How do I go into them?

It's an icon that looks like a cog.

[Ugh, he was going to have to video or go over and show her, wasn't he? It might be easier, but maybe they can muddle this out together.]

Once you're in settings, it should be under profile.

Profile?

[She's so completely lost.

It doesn't help that the cruel user name is a nice jab to her ego.]

Who would do this?

That's where user names are set.

[He sighed heavily. Ruin needed a walk anyway.]

Where are you? I can show you how to set it back.

[For some reason, her helplessness made him uncomfortable and he wanted it to stop.]

In my apartment, over the shop.

[And in her undergarments. Fortunately, she's not quite that modest.

The user name is more horrifying.

But now she races to find her clothes.]

I don't mean for you to disrupt your life on my account, Savage. I don't know what happened!

I thought as much.

[He can hear her moving around, but he too was up and moving about. He was hissing and there was a hissy growl in reply from Ruin. Time to go for a walk.]

You aren't disrupting it. I need to walk Ruin. I'll be there soon, alright?

Yes. I'll meet you downstairs.

[A small pause. And in an even smaller voice:]

Thank you, Savage.

Very well.

[He was heading out and the rathtar was leading the way. It didn't take him long, and while he hadn't been to Airy's place before, he had been by her shop on more than one occasion.

He arrived and well... a tentacle ball with teeth was rubbing on the door. Savage shooed the rathtar away.]

You can't come in, but stay close.

[By the time he's arrived, Ariadne is dressed, her hair pulled back into a braid. It's all been quite embarrassing, and she's not used to feeling flustered.

Perhaps that's her mistake. Getting a little too comfortable.

At any rate, she opens the door in time to see Savage's...pet?]

Uh...is that Ruin, then?

[He nudged at Ruin with a foot, but the door was opening and that meant the rathtar was offering hissing squeaks and tentacles were reaching out to 'feel' and 'taste' her.]

Yes, that's Ruin. [His tone had a rare fondness generally only reserved for his brother.]

Probably best it doesn't come in. It will make a mess of things and probably chew on you.

[He nudged Ruin, who was the size of a giant dog.]

Well, I would rather not be chewed on.

[Nevertheless, she steps out of the door and immediately squats down to Ruin's eye level.

Not exactly what she would call 'cute.' But Ariadne is the last person to judge on appearances.

Besides, she assumes that the creature is either from Savage's world, or a close approximation of something from his world. Which is important context about her new friend.]

Hello, Ruin?

It's not that bad.

[No, yes, it was bad but that was fine for Savage who was huge and had a different tolerance for being chewed on. He thought it was adorable in his own way, but few seemed to have the same fondness.

He moved a bit closer as she moved to be on Ruin's level and the rathtar didn't have eyes but boy was that mouth big and full of teeth. He reached out to take one questing tentacle but let Ruin hiss and chew on the edge of her clothing to learn the taste of her.]

Careful, whatever fits in its mouth goes in its mouth.

[She curls her fingers into fists, pulling them slightly behind her back. More for Ruin's protection than her own.

But she really doesn't want to be chewed.]

What...what is Ruin, exactly?

[Ruin rolled back and forth, chewing on cloth before releasing it with Savage's foot nudge and bouncing off to the street. The rathtar wheeled around there, tentacles questing for living matter that could be stuffed into that maw. An unfortunate rodent made a quick snack.

Savage looked between Airy and Ruin swallowing the rodent whole.] Ruin is a rathtar, a vicious beast of a jungle planet. Normally they grow much much larger, but Ruin appears stunted. I also doubt they bond with a potential meal, but it only chews on me so far.

[He looked down at Airy.] You dressed and returned to your illusionary life. Shall we fix your user name inside then?

[What an unusual pet. Of course, she's terrified of horses, and plenty of people keep them. At least a rathtar won't trample someone under enormous hooves. It's all a matter of perspective.

With a little nod, she stands up, stepping back into the shop.]

I've had Windy occasionally broadcast without my knowledge. But never had the Omni do it before.

[She seemed at least curious of Ruin, which wasn't a normal reaction now that the rathtar was getting bigger compared to when they had crawled out of the sea some months ago.

Still, he followed her inside and left Ruin to scavenge in the streets of rodents.]

Brute has never done that so far. [Maybe too obedient. Or too enslaved.] Odd that it was your username that changed. I expect you took some offense to the name.

It was hard not to take personally...

[She frowns thoughtfully.]

Of course, it would be more personal if I knew who did it.

Why? You don't like such commentary on who you are, I expect.

[He was looking around the shop, sniffing with little bobs of his chin.]

Are you going to investigate who did it? Though, wasn't it the ghost you were dancing with?

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