The day was bright and warm, the weather choosing to pretend that summer was right around the corner even though they were halfway to winter. It was a day for adventure, but Tomica was not ready. He had tried to go into the dungeons several times since he had woken up, but his feet had always stopped what felt like miles from any of the entrances. He could do it, he could do it today. He was fine, he was happy, he was strong, he was chill. He could do it alone.

Only... he couldn't. He'd frowned to himself, thoughts deep enough that he didn't notice where his feet had taken him until a voice broke through the haze. "Tomica?" It really wasn't all that surprised, but he couldn't help but feel its owner was a little bit disappointed to see him. 

“Oh,” he replied, voice soft and small. “Hello, Eirin.”

She smiled warmly, though he expected that was just to make him feel better about himself. “Did you come for Samica? I think she’s been missing you.”

He bloomed slightly, smile teasing at his teeth. “Really? I mean… I missed her, too.”

“Why don’t you just take her home with you? She’s already yours - I’m not sure why you keep her here.” The confusion was soft, though plain, and Tomica couldn’t even remember why Samica was with Eirin in the first place. She was sister’s to Eirin’s sister’s dog, but… Ah, another time, perhaps, when he wanted to dwell on the past.

He hummed, shifting uneasily. “But what if I step on her while I’m sleeping? Safer for her to stay here.”

“Do you sleep walk?”

“Not that I know of.”

“So how would you step on her?”

“Well… I don’t want to start. You know, just in case.” He had the presence to look sheepish, but any uncertainty in his expression vanished as he saw the dog - his dog, truly - bounding towards him. She was beautiful, and soft, and sweet, and always ready for new adventures. Everything he wasn’t without her. “Should we get going?”

Eirin waved him away, walking back to an oddly glowering Elayne. “Goodbye, Tomica.”

But he couldn’t hear her - he was already on his way to conquer the next dungeon, with the only thing (though she wasn’t a thing) he’d ever need to be brave - his little hound, Samica.