As jumping into the fast current of the river was about all I could think of to solve the poison problem, I quickly found myself floundering in the river. Swimming has never been an issue for me, whether it’s the ocean or a pool or whatever, but an angry river is quite another beast. The random currents keep twisting me around, dragging my bottom half up while my top is forced down, end over end and spinning too much to really get my bearings. Plus the water is COLD.

It takes a monumental effort to guide myself towards the shore, and I’m thoroughly exhausted as I dragged myself onto shore. All I can manage is to flop down, a wet mass of sadness, my breathing coming in ragged gulps as I attempt to recover any sort of composure.

I had only managed a few gasping breaths before my revery for life was interrupted by a “What the fuck is that thing?! Quick, get it off him!” and the sound of steps running in my direction. Thing? What would they be talking abo-

Cathid.

I quickly spring up and stumble through words trying to explain and coughing too much. A group of about 10 people had been running over to me with weapons ranging from a full on battle axe to a shitty looking club. It didn’t help that they were yelling things like “Hold still! We’ll get it off you!” and “Holy fuck that thing is terrifying” over my attempts at explaining.

“LOOK!” I finally had enough. “IT’S A PET. IT’S HARML-*HACK*” collapsing into a coughing fit, all I can manage is an attempt at trying to wave them back.

Someone else speaks up. “Woah there everyone! Give the guy some space! I’m sure he’ll explain everything and more when we give him the chance.”

Fortunately, they’re all too confused to approach me and my scary pet while I finish coughing my lungs out.

Ah, man, I swallowed enough water during that shitty flume ride that I definitely have whatever shit is in the water. Hopefully it doesn’t suck too much.

When I can finally control my heaving enough to look up again, one person has stepped forward to stand between me and the rest of the group. He’s tall and skinny, with black hair that somehow looks styled, despite the apparent end of the world.

“Hey there, I’m Nate.” I recognize his voice as that of the one who called the crowd off me. He extends a hand, either to help me up or to shake, I don’t know.

Nodding in thanks, I grab his hand and haul myself up. He sways a bit under the sudden force, but does a good job of hiding any surprise if he felt it. “Anthony,” I respond, “thanks for the assist. This thing on my back is called a Cathid, they look freaky but that’s… because it usually lives in a cave, and everything in caves is creepy.” I look to the cathid “no offense.”

*Clack* (confused). The cathid communicating makes some of the crowd jump, and Nate (accidentally?) lets a wary look cross his face, but he’s right back to the confident smile so fast it makes me question whether I actually saw it.

“No need to worry, that’s how it… talks? I guess?” I flounder a bit, trying to weigh how much I should share, and also acutely aware that I’m talking to loudly and that I’m the center of attention of way too many people.

Nate seems to sense my discomfort and grabs the reigns of the conversation again. “We saw you wandering around, figured you’d come this way when you were ready.” He chuckles lightly, shaking his head. “I didn’t think you’d arrive in quite so spectacular a fashion.”

Ah. They saw. Lovely. I must have looked quite ‘spectacular’ suddenly freaking out and falling into the river. Good thing it’s not night soon and my clothes will have a bit of time to dry, I’d hate to… well actually, cold resistance would just get some training. I wonder what the ratio of misery to experience gain for that skill is…

Nate continues: “Anyway, everyone, please be good to our new friend Anthony while he gets his bearings.” he waits a moment before beginning again in a more conversational voice “Anthony, feel free to introduce yourself more personally to the group. Make yourself at home, or as ‘at home’ as you can here. Just, before you go, I’d like to chat with you. See what you think. Sound good?” Nate reminds me of a salesman. He’s just a bit too confident, and his voice is so smooth I feel like he must have practiced conversations in the mirror, once upon a time. It seems like he’s the current spokesperson for the group judging by how everyone went about their business the moment he stopped addressing them… That and he’s really charismatic.

Ugh. I think I hit my head while I was tossing and turning in the water. My health hasn’t dropped but… oof. I don’t really understand the relationship between pain and hit points, so it could be possible that I would bruise or get contusions without it lowering. Something to research, anyway.

“Sounds good, Nate. Thanks.” I reply. He nods and walks back over to the fire.

As he walks away I whisper to my pet “Sorry about the bath, are you alright?”

*Click* (safe).

I nod. I’ve got to be better about doing stupid shit. It would be really sad if I hurt my pet…

Which in itself is a rather strange thing. The progression from ‘I’m terrified of this’ to ‘I’d be sad if it got hurt’ happened over the course of a day. Not even a whole one, either. I think the Domination effect has a lot more nuance than the game’s explanation gave. I’ll need to be careful.

My pockets were tight enough that the harder Ku fruit and nuts survived the trip, along with the flowers, and my stick is still in the back of my shirt.

Everything accounted for, I survey the people around me. I’ve gotta say, I’m not thrilled about having to go talk to total strangers. I’ll do it, but I’m going to complain the whole time internally.

Sigh.

I pick randomly, the least threatening person I can see.

“Hi there-”

“Get the hell away from me.”

...Oh. Turning to walk away, I realize I only thought she was non-threatening because she was small. Couldn’t be more than a few inches over five feet. But, idiot, she was armed to the teeth with knives and covered in leather armor. How the FUCK was that supposed to be a “approach me, I’m friendly!” sign?! I’m so dumb sometimes it actually astounds me. Wasn’t there an Intelligence stat? Didn’t I *just* get much smarter? Good lord. I guess all the intelligence in the world doesn’t fix idiocy.

I’m a little extra bummed about the stark rejection because what she was doing was working with a basic looking alchemy set, and I would *really* like to know how to make potions. Energy healing is work, and not terribly combat effective. ‘Oh, hold on for a minute, evil monster, I just need to meditate a bit so I can fight you better.’

“Don’t mind Lauren” one of the guys, who definitely saw that horrible interaction judging by the light smile on his face “she’s that way with everyone. Likes to be left alone.” Sensing a social rescue, I wholeheartedly smile back.

“Ah, I should have noticed. Honestly, I wish I had *a* knife and she must have twenty at least..” I reply.

“Twenty that you can see. Don’t bother trying to figure it out. I’m Dean, by the way.”

“Dean, nice to meet you” we briefly shake hands “I guess I’ve already been introduced.”

Dean smiles more genuinely “Yeah, Nate is a real go-getter when it comes to people knowing everyone else. Trouble is, people are feeling scared, alone, and a little bad after yesterday. Sleeping on the ground didn’t help. There’s not much happiness to go around here.”

He honestly couldn’t have done a better job describing the mood. People seemed either listless or entirely enthralled in whatever task. Lauren with her potion making, another woman had cleared the grass from a small section of ground and seemed to be planting something, many others were caring for their weapons. Very focussed, or entirely vacant… can’t say I blame them.

Wincing, I remember what happens in my own mind when it’s allowed to wander too much. I need to deal with that part of me… the part that hates me and what I did and didn’t do… but not now. If I ever end up safe again, I can take the time to break down. If I do that now, I’ll probably just die faster.

In a really humiliating, stupid way.

Best to keep moving.