Ruby City Mailbox/Inbox

[oathshackledbird]

You have found the Mailbox/Inbox of Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, owner and teacher of the training school, Spiral. If you have business with him or the school, please feel free to leave a message and he will get back to you as soon as possible. Considering his abilities, that might be quicker than you think...

Comments

Text - 3/26

[airshipcaptain]

Is it okay if I bring a dog back to the school?

[Because he certainly has one following him home, but with the ducklings and cats it's probably safe to ask.]

Text - 3/26

[oathshackledbird]

A dog? Well, as long as he doesn't like to chase ducks or cats, I am sure it will be fine. When did you get a dog?

[airshipcaptain]

An hour or so ago... I was walking by the Emporium and he was just sitting there. I don't think he'll chase them.

[Actually he has no idea.]

[oathshackledbird]

He was at the Emporium?

[That's interesting.]

Does that mean he is yours? What did you have to trade for him?

[airshipcaptain]

Yes. The price tag said only his real master could take him. I tried to see if anyone recognized him but no one did. When I tried to leave though he just followed me.

So I guess he's mine? I've never seen him before though, but maybe the price tag was more he'll leave with whoever he wants to leave with.

[oathshackledbird]

Well, this place seems to defy both space and time. Could it be he will be yours in the future?

[It hurts Diarmuid's brain to think about it, but...]

I mean, did you want a dog back home?

[airshipcaptain]

I did, but I could never have one.

I don't think I want to consider that possibility though.

[It made his head hurt.]

[oathshackledbird]

Perhaps it is best to just enjoy the new friend you have now? Why don't you tell me some about him?

[Diarmuid loves dogs, so of course he is curious.]

1/2

[airshipcaptain]

Does that mean I can bring him to the school?

[You can almost here his excitement in the text.]

2/2

[airshipcaptain]

[Almost a second later, as if realizing he didn't actually tell Diarmuid anything, Afonso sends another text.]

He's excitable, and likes fetch. He also really seems to enjoy knocking me over and licking my face, that and nudging his nose against my right leg for some reason.

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid can't help but laugh when he gets the message. He can just see the excitement that he is sure is on Afonso's face.]

Of course you can. Did you really think I would say no?

He sounds like a warm and energetic friend. Is he big, then? Since you mentioned him knocking you over?

[airshipcaptain]

[He's really excited.]

I wasn't sure with the ducks and the cats to be honest...

He is, he comes up to about my hip when I'm standing.

[oathshackledbird]

Hmm...smaller than what I grew up with, but most dogs are now a day. I will gather up out other 'kiddos' and that way we can introduce them slowly. That is usually the key to getting animals to like each other.

[Except with Shizuo. Who knows what it will take to make him like another...]

[airshipcaptain]

How big were your dogs?

That would be a good idea. Having them all meet one by one that is. I hope they get along...

[Shizuo was probably going to be a lost cause but Afonso hopes everyone else will get along. He's not actually sure what to do if Rocky can't get along with them.]

[oathshackledbird]

Don't worry. I know a few tricks if anyone has issues. Well...besides Shizuo. We will figure out something with him later.

[Diarmuid pauses to think back to just how big the dogs he knew were. It's tempting to get lost in his memories, but he manages to stop himself.]

The head of the biggest one I ever had actually came up to my shoulder...when he was standing on all four legs. Like I said, we bred them big back then.

[airshipcaptain]

[He appreciates that reassurance.]

I've never had a dog before so any tricks or tips would be appreciated... Shizuo might be tricky though.

That's huge! Rosa could probably ride a horse that big.

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid can't help but laugh.]

Yes, several of my children actually did use them as horses. Until they got too big to anyway or until my wife caught them at it.

[She never really liked the dogs that much for some reason.]

Don't worry about Shizuo. We will figure something out when the time comes. Maybe we will find he has a secret fondness for dogs?

[Yeah, right...]

[airshipcaptain]

Somehow I doubt that, with Shizuo. It would be nice though.

[So doubtful though.]

How many children did you have?

[oathshackledbird]

Five. Four boys and a girl. The two youngest were twins. Maybe if I can't get the tricks I know to get animals to behaving to work on Shizuo, I can move onto trying the tricks I used on my children to get them to behave...

[airshipcaptain]

Four brothers? God, if I remember this and the next time Rosa complains about me being annoying I'm telling her she's lucky there are three more of me... Actually. If it weren't for the fact I probably wouldn't remember, I'd ask you for some of those tricks.

[oathshackledbird]

Don't give up hope. One of the things we are working on is trying to find a way for us to remember this place when we leave. There has to be a way...

If you would like, I don't mind telling you some of those tricks. You know, for when we are successful in finding a way to preserve our memories.

[airshipcaptain]

Really? That would be great if we could, though probably a little jarring.

[He debates for a moment, biting his bottom lip before typing.]

Vegetables. Did your children give you a hard time eating them because Rosa refuses to eat her vegetables for me. She used too for Nana, but Nana never told me her secret and I KNOW Rosa isn't eating any vegetables while I'm at school.

[Granted, there are more reasons then his sisters stubbornness.]

[oathshackledbird]

Jarring yes, but I would rather that than losing my memories and all of the growth I have made here.

[Diarmuid laughs and then shakes his head, before typing up a reply.]

I am afraid when it comes to that, I really don't have any tricks. Back when I was with my children, food was not so easy to come by as it is now. We ate what we had whether we liked it or not because there was always a chance tomorrow there would be no food.

I guess perhaps you could mention that there are others who would be glad to have what she has? Who go without anything at all for days sometimes?

[airshipcaptain]

[He has to agree with that, though Afonso's not sure he's made too much growth yet.]

Funnily enough I've told her that before and she said something along the lines of "give them to those people then".

She's a bit of a brat...

[oathshackledbird]

Not really a brat. Just a child, but...did you ever actually do that? Did you ever take the food away and make her do without?

[It might sound a little cruel, but doing that a time or two to his kids had quieted them very quickly.]