Chapter 66 • Tower 1 - Part 9

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Chapter 66-1-8	Book 6 • Chapter 66-1-9	Chapter 66-1-10

Tartarus - Emergency Stairs

Epel	Okay, yeah. I see now that thing didn't look like Grim at all...

Vil	Good grief. You must be better about reining in your impulses.

Rook	We've ben seeing more Phantoms out and about. It would appear the lower levels are thawing now.

Epel	I wonder where Grim is. I just hope he didn't get attacked by a Phantom...

Rook	Worry not. He's a clever, plucky boy, for all his faults. I'm sure he's hiding and staying out of trouble.

Vil	Though I imagine if I opened a can of tuna right now, the noise would bring him running.

Come on, he's not a cat.

Wish I'd brought a can of his favorite tuna with me...

Epel	Oh yeah, speaking of Grim... Vil, you said you never saw him when you were in Styx HQ, right?

Vil	That's correct. I had no idea he was even here until you all told me. I imagine they suspected he was under the influence of blot when he attacked. Though if he was supposed to depart with us tomorrow morning... Perhaps they couldn't identify any link between blot and his going berserk after SDC.

Rook

Grim is a direbeast. No matter how accustomed an animal becomes to humans, they can always revert back to their feral roots. It's not something they could control even if they wanted to. It's pure instinct. But the same could be said of humans, for reason is as fragile and unreliable as a sheet of thin ice. [MC], when Grim injured you... I think it's very likely that his violent—or should I say beastly—display wasn't a conscious choice on his part.

Oh yeah, I know.

He's getting a THOROUGH claw trimming when we get back.

Epel I agree with Rook. After all, you've spent more time with Grim than anyone else on campus, [MC]. You're a package deal as a student. I hope you two are reunited soon. Rook Actually, [MC], was Grim taking good care of his claws before all this? The average domestic cat is around 50 centimeters long and even they need their nails regularly clipped. If not, they can grow so long they can hurt people by accident. And Grim is a 70 centimeter long direbeast. His claws will need even more looking after if he's to live with humans. Vil Nail care is just as important for humans, you know. Letting your nails just grow without tending to them at all is unacceptable. It's not just unfashionable; it's unsanitary. Conversely, neat, clean nails give off a sense of refinement. You'd better make sure you tend to yours, [MC].

Epel Heh, Ace and Deuce have told me what an endeavor that is. Grim really hates getting his claws trimmed, huh? Vil It's one thing to have long nails as a fashion statement, but just letting them grow for no reason is tacky and unsanitary. Don't forget to file and polish them after. Simply cutting them isn't good enough. That applies to you too, [MC]. Here's a little fashion tip: nice nails can make all the difference in how refined and put together you look.

Rook	Heh heh heh. I remember that once Vil and I were better acquainted, the first thing he told me to do was take care of my nails.

Vil	Of course I did. Your hands were in an abysmal state. They were callused from gripping your bow string, not to mention completely dry and cracked.

Rook	I hardly paid attention to them, since I typically wear gloves. Then you told me that the spots not visible to others are the ones we must tend to most of all.

Epel	Oh, that reminds me, what happened when you two first met? You started to tell us about it at Ramshackle, but then the Charons busted in. I've been wondering about it ever since.

Vil	Oh, right... I did mention that, didn't I? It's nothing too terribly exciting.

I'm still curious.

It'd help pass the time going down these endless stairs.

Vil	Well, if you insist. Rook and I first spoke with one another a few months after we started school. I can't say he gave a very good first impression... Oh look. That next containment facility is coming up.

Epel	Aww, man! But you were just getting started!

Vil	Making it through the containment facilities and reaching the Underworld is more pressing than idle chitchat! ...And not to burst your bubble, but it's honestly nothing to write home about. If you still insist on hearing it, I'll tell you once we're through the next area.

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