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--this button, and then it should start broadcasting? [ The next sentences fade in and out as G'raha flips his tell phone back and forth to look it over. ] Did it work? I can't tell, but I did follow the instructions to the letter, so I must presume it's working and proceed accordingly.

Ahem!

Hello! I am G'raha Tia, and I am but recently arrived to this world. I am given to understand that this device will put me in contact with others in the same situation. I understand that not much is asked of us, but given that we are all in this together, I would very much like to get to know you all. If you would rather meet face-to-face, you can currently find me near the apartments we have been so kindly provided. It should prove quite easy to spot me, as my feline features seem to be vanishingly rare among the populace here.

And now, let's see, it should be this button that--

[action]

[ Sure enough, G'raha can be found near the apartments, sitting under a tree and dutifully reading the user manual for the tell phone. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[And that’s a very good question that Mono really didn’t want to answer. Kids without ‘people to look after them’ tended to end up in bad places where he came from. So he focused on one part of the question instead of the other.]

I’m good at running and hiding if things get dangerous.

That is a good skill to have. [ He doesn't like the confidence Mono says it with, but he knows from unfortunate personal experience that monsters don't generally refrain from attacking children just because they're children. ] But would you not feel safer with an adult you could turn to for protection? I have experience fighting things much more frightening than a crab person.

It is, it helped a lot at home. Guess it will here too. [He responded in a tone closer to discussing the weather than running from monsters.]

I dunno... I’m used to running away from scarier things than crab people too. [It’s not that what G’raha was saying didn’t sound appealing to the child. To most what the guy was saying would make sense! It’s more that Mono was used to looking after himself because the adults were the monsters in his world. He couldn’t remember a time when they were normal.] And if I run, then no one has to fight them for protection, right?

[And if he got cornered... He was known to be resourceful.]

[ What a sad world Mono must come from, that he has such an attitude at such a young age. ]

I suppose it must be different where you're from, but where I'm from, it is the responsibility of adults like me to protect children like you, and it is a responsibility I carry gladly. Hopefully, my worries will amount to naught, but know that if you find yourself in need of aid, you are always welcome to turn to me.

Yeah, where I’m from isn’t like this place at all... Or anywhere else, I think.

[At least based on how G’raha and other adults seemed to talk or react to him. It really made him wonder about what it would have been like to grow up in other worlds. It honestly made him feel like he might be a weird one, not everyone else.]

I’ll remember that though?

[Doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll call, but it was the best he could promise.]

I can ask no more of you than that, my young friend. The offer extends to more than just monsters, as well. My assistance is freely available to you, as well as anyone else in our community.

[Hmmm... He could definitely let other people know, he supposed. Even if it was a little hard to believe that everyone really wanted to help one another. He’d add G’raha to his list of adults to keep an eye on, just to see if the guy was as he said he would before he committed to more.]

Okay.

[He felt weird leaving it at that and supposed he should at least offer something in return.]

... And if you need anyone to be sneaky, I can help.

I'll keep that in mind.

[ He has absolutely no intention of sending a child into a situation where sneaking will be necessary, but he doesn't want Mono to feel disregarded. ]

Do take care of yourself, Mono.

[That was good enough, then. Another little rustle, as if nodding his head in agreement.]

Okay, you too.

[Fussing with the bag a bit, he finally added.]

Goodbye, G’raha.

[A bit abrupt, perhaps, but he was still awkward with this whole having conversations with people thing.

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