caninecorundum

When we first encounter her, I couldn't understand her. Lady speaks fully and only Korean, and while in some strange way Akumu can speak to her whilst speaking only in Japanese, Lady somehow can converse back. Yajuu, meanwhile, having similar trouble but actually nonexistent in language ability, downright dislikes her. Their first conflict is forever etched in my memory.

Because I'm the main and often sole person in charge of my side of outer world business, I'm often not around. Added on to the fact me and Lady can only communicate one way since she understands English, I don't really get to connect with her.

I relied on my fellow dream dragons a lot in terms of dealing with the inner world happenings. I guess I sort of let the matter of taking care of and hosting Lady to the two. This was a problem when the two aren't here (for the time being). I was grieving, and I still couldn't understand Lady, we were never close to begin with as well, I suppose this is when Lady learned to entertain herself.

By the time there was a new void creature, when I have Crowley and Aziraphale showing up, and met the Doctor and TARDIS, Lady is already fully self sufficient. She still comes back to her nest to rest or take care of whatever private business she have in there. After the celestial duo did some miraculous auto-translation, I started greeting Lady daily, and interact with her semi-regularly.

One day, she got herself a tiny dinosaur. Lady went Beyond the Floating Island often, exploration and excursion. During the time when Doctor was around, him and Lady was a explorer team. I also figured out that Lady got fruits from the Beyond. Through the others, I know there are expanding jungles and wild dinosaurs out there, and I suspect a lot of what's out there would be Ark: Survive like, what with how much me and friends played it for a long time, I suppose it all trickle down to my subconscious and created a whole world out there.

The dinosaur Lady adopted was featherless, and very screechy. The most likely species is probably the compy. Lady proudly showed it to me. She said it's a friend. I told her to make sure it doesn't bother us, especially me and Crowley, as I can't promise that the tiny dinosaur won't get eaten. Lady doesn't really seem to show much emotion beyond cheerful and joy these days.

Although I remembered, when asked for heart's desire, "I want to go home".

She could not, her home is gone.

She affirmed me that she will take responsibility for the little critter. Really, that should have been a sign, or omen. Although not necessary a bad one. But definitely not a good one either, no matter the presence of Crowley and Aziraphale.

Later on, when I asked her about its name, my mind perceived something along the lines of "gaga" and "gazi" or some such. Either way, life goes on.


One night, she did not come back to her nest. I panicked as I wont to do, worriedly telling friends and communities of Lady being gone, and also asking the supernatural duo to help me look for Lady, and call for my help should they run into trouble.

Later on, I would think on my overbearingness. These two are powerful in their own right, all of my realm denizens are. The giga was a unprepared jump-scare and not indicative that they couldn't handle themselves.

Couple hours later, Aziraphale grabbed my attention.

"Um, Ryuu, we have found Lady. Though perhaps you should be here."

You can hear the trepidation clearly. I quickly rush into the inner world, honing in on where they are. When I got there, the scene in front of me reminded me that maybe, just maybe, I really should pay more attention to the foreshadowing of universes. In front of us is Lady, all fine and healthy and safe, and surrounded by a massive pack of compsognathus. The thought that "Lady is their queen" crossed my mind at that moment.

Lady noticed us and visibly brightened. She greeted us and told us about her new friends, then started introducing them one by one. Crowley checked out very early on, I only managed to catch a few, with only "Sparkles" left in my head after the whole ordeal. I just know Aziraphale memorized them all very carefully. He's kind like that. Lady's first compy also happen to just be Gaga-gazi.

With Lady seeming fine and happy, we leave her be. I can't remember if I offered her explicitly about connecting the compy nest to the Den, but I had the active thought in my mind.

Really, really, Ryuu, why do you do this to yourself. Sometimes I am oblivious in the most awkward way. Because really, what possible next step can there be? It isn't paranoia if thought-leak to the world do happen and things following suit do happen, monkey's paw without even the wishing part. Mostly. Since I avoid actively wishing for anything, the outcome are usually manageable. And also, just general sign pointing to things.

A day or two later, I just had this sudden sense of intensity, white noise, pressure, something hard to describe. But this time I was able to decipher it correctly, it was a "uh-oh." I was right. The moment I drop down into the inner world, there is a massive amount of compy inside the Den. I don't see Crowley or Aziraphale anywhere, so either they aren't around, or they decide to avoid this whole mess. I would too, but no, I gotta take care of this. I miss Akumu.

I found Lady, who seems to be showing the little nightmares around, I even recognized Sparkles and Gaga-gazi. Catching up to her, I asked what she's doing with all these compy. See, Lady and I, while she is auto-translated, I don't know if she really do just speak that much, or if it's the translator's capability, she always do short sentences that are rather simple. So imagine a complex situation like this and I'm trying to figure out while she gave me basically spark notes. It is to no fault of her own, just something for me to work around. Either way, near the end I put my foot down for this, she cannot have the whole pack here in the main Den. She can have her colony inside her own subden, I vaguely know there's likely a growing tunnel system within Lady's subden (just like there is a whole Garden worthy of Eden's name in Crowley's and spiraling bookshop that is really a library in Aziraphale's). She'd cleared them all out since I no longer sense anything while I'm in my outer world, I just know the pack is there in Lady's subden and it's likely connected back to the compy pack's original nest. Oh well.

We are trying out various personal terms for categorizations. Comet is for Travelers--those who are not Residents but may be given  ways to find the realm again should they leave, and Visitors--those who got here but were not given a means to return should they leave.


Near a week ago, the Doctor and the TARDIS are just gone one day. 

It took me that near week anxiously agonizing over it to came up with a theory. 

Maybe the Doctor knew or sensed something about me offering him a permanent residency, regardless if he can still leave or not. Or the TARDIS figured it out. They did leave right before I solidify that decision in my mind, and I occasionally am telepathically linked with at least the TARDIS. 

I can still hear the TARDIS sometimes, never anything long, just a short sound and impression or two. But she's out there with her Doctor. 

I also recall seeing the 11th Doctor. And I've always been a bit confused and largely given up with confusing events or time or if something actually happened or not within the Dream Realm. Some I have better grasp if it's something that did happened, some I can tell is more my imagination scenario. But that event of 11th Doctor showing up, I could never tell whichever way it was.

What if the Doctor I'd had stayed around for a bit did came back in his next generation once? That seem a Doctor thing to do, just like it's a Doctor thing to do to leave if someone's about to invite them to stay.

After seemingly endless time of nonstop Popular or Popular Song looping in the broadcast radio in the inner world, partner suggest a song, Rhythm of Love by Plain White T's. Playing it on discord's own Rhythm apparently came with its own shuffle and find music features. 

Songs that are soft and cozy pop continues to play. There is no longer Popular playing, easily pushed away, which no miracle nor sonic screwdriver or sheer will seem to be able to disappear the repeating song. 

A moment of peace. The music now playing provides a gentle sort of tranquility. 

Crowley, appearing on my right, gave my shoulder a pat, I gave him a nuzzle in turn. 
Aziraphel, appearing on my left, give me a gentle head rub, I press into his side softly too.
Lady came up, and we rub our snout against each other a little.
Doctor walks up, gave me a beaming smile, faintly our minds touch, threads and whisper of abstract thoughts and concepts flowing back and forth. 

Everyone settled down, one by one, as I lay myself down on my side and grew big, grew long. I allow a pair of front limbs, and will away the hind limbs. Aziraphale and Crowley cuddled together, laid back against my chest. Lady curled up right at my tail, while the Doctor settled between everyone, back against my belly. We feel, for a moment of peace.