+1 Puppy!

[brave_heart_verity]

Verity's back in the Nexus, with the stripes and the crazy braids as usual, but this time she's not alone. With her, or more accurately, in her general vicinity there is a small and adorable puppy. White fur with brown ears and striped tail and stockings. There could not be a more appropriate dog for Verity in all the multiverse. (And you all thought she was a cat person.) The pup is bright-eyed and curious, sniffing and examining everything within the range of its leash, then going back to make sure nothing's moved or changed. It's on to you, stray leaf, you and your blowing hither-and-yon ways.

Ver's got a loose hold on the puppy's leash but is general content to let the little rascal romp and play and explore while she looks on with bemusement. What even is her life. There are so many questions she could ask: how did she end up with a dog, what is she even going to do with a dog, when did she become such a softy... but those aren't questions for the general populace.

"So... I've got a dog now. Anyone got ideas for names?" She doesn't have to take the bad suggestions, she figures, so that should be a safe question. "And, um. Tips? For training her and... so on? Or a limit they'd like to helpfully try to impose on how many toys I buy for her?"

Anyone who doesn't want to deal with baby animals can blame Clint for not answering his phone. He is, after all, great with dogs.

Comments

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Could be worse; Puppy could be a cat instead. Then Verity would be doomed.

"That sounds about right," Clark says, and reaches out to briefly ruffle the soft fur on the puppy's head, now that she's within more reasonable reach. "She's lucky to have you."

[brave_heart_verity]

It is a lucky break for her, true. And the tuna.

Puppy's thrilled to get the pets. She'd be happy for them to keep coming. "Thank you. I'm pretty sure I'm the lucky one."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"We could ask her what she thinks, but I'm pretty sure the answer will be 'woof.'" He says that only with affection, of course. Dogs are fantastic.

[brave_heart_verity]

"Ha! Yeah. I don't know anyone here who talks to animals. But you know, actions speak louder than barks."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"You know, come to think of it, I don't think I do either," Clark says after thinking about it for a minute. "Except the animals that talk to other people, anyway."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Huh." Now she's going to think about it for a minute while she's cuddling Puppy. "You'd think that, somewhere in two worlds full of superheroes, there'd be someone who talks to animals."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"I bet if you look hard enough, Doctor Doolittle is here somewhere. Infinite universes in infinite places... odds are pretty good. Although 'needle in a haystack' doesn't even begin to cover it."

[brave_heart_verity]

There's a momentary blank look because she doesn't really get that reference. She doesn't really get most references. Pop culture has never been a big part of her life. "Oh. Yeah. It's a pity there isn't some kind of multiversal business directory."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

He's got a decent amount of experience dealing with people who missed out on pop culture, but he figures it's clear enough from context that he doesn't need to explain in detail or anything. "Can't argue with that. Besides word-of-mouth, I'm not sure how you'd even start up a business here and get enough customers to turn a profit."

[brave_heart_verity]

Trying to explain probably wouldn't help. At best, she'd get a headache. Curses aren't fun, that's why they're curses. "Oh, there's advertising, mostly posters and things around the commercial district. I meant more, a directory to help people find businesses that are in other dimensions. 'Go down this road and take the third blue door on the right, make sure you're dressed for the time period, ask for Mabel' or something like that."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"Oh, I see what you mean now. That would be really useful. I can't even count the number of times I've had help from outside sources with problems back home."

[brave_heart_verity]

She gives a thin smile, but her gaze shifts away. "It's good that people were able to help."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Hmm. He may have just hit a nerve of some kind. Either way, he's not the type to pry, not unless he has a better reason than simple curiosity. So he changes the topic. "So what kind of dog does your brother have?"

[brave_heart_verity]

A very big nerve that's best left alone. He'll hear about it eventually, one way or another.

"A golden retriever and a very good boy. His name's Lucky the Pizza Dog. And your family thought 'Krypto' was a bit much."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"Does he have to use the full name every time?"

[brave_heart_verity]

"No, usually we call him Lucky. Otherwise, we'd just be getting him excited for no good reason."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"That's fair enough. Same principle with young kids, pretty much," Clark agrees with a nod. "Full names are for when they're either really good or really bad, and hopefully it's more of the first one."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Full names get used for good things?" This is news to her. To say examples of good parenting were in short supply in her life would be an understatement, but not an unusual one.