A Dissonant Duo

Facility Event: Rhythmic Resolutions

Episode 2

A Dissonant Duo

Previous Quest

The Craven and the Socialite

Next Quest

A Sudden Attack

Summary

Catherine and Eugene have a falling-out over the creature called Sam—but after Catherine takes the creature to her home, he disappears. As the prince runs into the pair searching for Sam, word comes of an incoming fiend attack.

Dialogue

Suu! What in heaven's name IS this creature?! It's so...so... CUUUUUUTE! FLUFFYYYYYY! Get away from it, lady! Your stupidity is contagious. I resolutely refuse! Also, how very bold of you to call ME stupid when you are naught but a mewling little craven. You are SO annoying, gosh! Listen up: If you get all carried away with this, I'm not responsible for what happens. Grrrrr! Su! Su! Su su suuuu! Sam? Are you...dancing? SOOOOO CUUUUUUTE! *sigh* Ahem! Yes, well, as shocking as this will be to hear, I fear I may have let myself get a touch carried away there. Yeah, well...don't worry about it. So what IS this little thing, mmm? I've never seen a creature like it. Dunno. But it looked like a Sam, so that's what I named it. I picked it up by the riverside one day in the middle of a sunshower, and we've been living together ever since. Sam's real smart—it understands when I talk, and can even play board games! And it's never annoying—unlike people. Just being around it calms me down. Eugene, you... You hungry, Sam? Here, have some nougat. THAT'S what you're feeding it?! Yeah! We have nougat with nuts in the morning, milk in the afternoon, and chocolate at night. We rotate. You feed it three meals of NOUGAT a day?! How dare you push your terrible eating habits onto this poor creature! What do you know? I mean, dogs can't eat onions, so maybe Sam can't eat anything but nougat. That's so preposterously far-fetched it makes my head whirl! Take this pearl of wise advice, young man, and find this creature some actual food post-haste. Your attitude is god-tier annoying. Do you seriously believe you're right? 'Cause if so, you just rolled a natural twenty on being totally unhinged. I will not stand by and listen to YOU of all people spout such drivel. You sit about feeling bad for yourself, and on the rare occasions you speak, naught but gloom flows out! Little wonder you're so cut off from the world. Oh yeah, like people enjoy having some egocentric hag boss 'em around all the time! Yak yak yak, that's you! GRRR! Suu... Suu... I absolutely HATE you, young man! I absolutely HATE you, lady! HMPH! Suu! Suu! Sorry, Sam. I gotta lie down for a while.

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This festival is as ready as it'll ever be. Now we just have to wait for tomorrow. Visitors from the Halidom, let us ensure that tomorrow's festival is perfectly enthralling for all! Until then, ta-ta! Oho! Oho ho ho ho ho!

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Oho ho ho ho hooooo... *sigh* Sam? What are you doing here?! Suu! Suu! Running away from home, perchance? Suu?! Of course you are! Because who would ever choose to live with a stubborn blockhead with nougat for brains? Well then, let us be off to my manor. Oho! Oho ho ho ho ho! Suuuu!

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The meal is ready, milady. As you requested, we omitted the onions. Behold, a full-course meal prepared by my own skilled chef. Please do enjoy. Suu! Suuuuu! If you're picky, you won't grow up big and strong. Here, try this high-grade beef. Suu? *nibble* Suuuuu? *munch* Suu! *munch* *munch* *munch* Wonderful! Now when you're done eating, I'll give you a nice wash in the bath.

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Suu suu suu! Ah, but that water was so nice. Now let us make our way to bed. Suuu! Suu suu suuuu! What's this? Have you not played enough? Well, I fear the hour is much too late now. The festival is tomorrow; we must retire early and then make sure everything is absolutely perfect. And it simply MUST be perfect. For if not...I will... I wiiiill... Suu? Zzzzzz... Suu! Suuuu! SUUU! SUU! SUUUUUUGRAAA?! Nougat... Board games... Perfection... Summer festival... MAKE ME SOME SUMMER MEMORIES! KYAAAAA HA HA HA HA! Suu! Suuuu!

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This turned out to be a lovely day. The festival is sure to— H-hey! You! Ho there, Prince of the Halidom! Have you perchance seen Sam? Sam's gone! You gotta help me! Er, sorry. Sam who? Wait, why are YOU looking for Sam?! Because the beast stayed at my manor! But when I woke up, it was gone. Oh my gosh, you selfish KIDNAPPER! You contrarian craven! Sam ran away because it couldn't stand YOU and your sourpuss ways! Hey, let's all calm down here. Oh, but this is terrible! Terrible, I say! Fiends have appeared in the southern woods and are headed for the town! What?! Fiends in the southern wood? Impossible. We took care of that. But they ARE there, as well as some strange fluffy creature. If fiends are on the way to town, we'll head out there and stop them. I'm coming too! As am I!