(no subject)

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Bar presents Ryan with a collar on his next visit. It's an odd looking thing, with a dial, an odd knob, a light, and two empty pockets set in leather strap. He looks it over, then asks her quite plainly, "What am I to do with this?"

For Damocles.

Damocles? Well, the dog didn't have one, for Ryan had never seen the need, but perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea. Dam, sit.

Yes, sir. The Doberman sits, tail wagging, ears pricked curiously. What's that?

A collar. It's something to tell people you have a pack, so they won't think you're a stray, Ryan explains, kneeling to fasten the thing around Dam's neck. Since you can't tell them yourself.

"Yeah, I don't speak English."

Ryan and the dog both freeze, and despite the vastly different features, both wear near the same expression of shock.

...did you just talk?

"Yes?" Says the collar as Dam says it in canine, the light on the collar glowing red. "I did! This is great! Now everyone can understand me!"

Ryan's pretty sure this is a bad thing.

Comments

[makesthings]

Sameth is just grabbing dinner when he watches the collar being put on the dog and tries to figure out the best way to ask the rather imposing, dead man about it.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

...maybe I should take that off again. Ryan's looking dubious as he reaches towards the buckle, but Dam dances away again.

"But you just put it on! And you said people should know I'm not a stray!"

[makesthings]

"Do you know how it works?"

Its such a smart idea but doesn't seem to have any feel of magic about it.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

He's not going to try and pounce the dog while someone's talking at him.

"No," Ryan says, standing. "Bar gave it to me."

"And it lets me talk! Thanks, Bar!" THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER.

[makesthings]

Sameth looks between them and settled on Damocles since he's wearing the collar,

"Can you feel it doing anything to you to help you talk?"

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Dam cocks his head at him. "No? Should I feel something?"

"Dam, let me take it off so the nice man can look at it."

"That's okay! I don't have to know how it works!"

[makesthings]

That just makes Sam grin,

"The best way to figure out how it works is to look at it while its working. Hello, Captain Ryan."

His focus was a bit too much on the collar but he remembered that he'd seen Ryan in the forge before.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Sameth. You are not helping his case here.

"Evening."

"Hihi! How are you? I can ask!"

[makesthings]

"Yes, you can. I'm doing well. Do you feel anything from the collar when you talk?"

Sameth kneels down so he can be on Damocles' level and see if he can get a sense of how the collar works.

[basic_powers]

"..."

The collar is making the dog talk plain english.

"...I'm hearing things...right?"

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

If you are, so am I. Wait, that was canine. "Afraid not," Ryan says, reaching for the collar, but Dam away to greet Tyler.

"New person! Hi, new person! You can understand me now!" Look at that tail go.

[basic_powers]

Hi, Hi new dog! I'm still learning to speak dog! Tyler's going down on one knee and pushing his ears so they look perked forward in a happy greeting. How am I doing?

...Ryan gets three guesses who the boy's been learning canine from.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Ryan feels rather like this is backwards day in the bar. Dogs are speaking English, boys are speaking dog, what's next, his Door showing up?

"You speak it really well! Almost like the Captain does!"

[basic_powers]

He probably spearks it better, Tyler replies before looking up at Ryan. "It okay if I pet him?"

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

"Yes! Yes, it is!" Dam shoves into him. "Please?"

Ryan is torn between rolling his eyes and frowning, but he gives a slight nod.

It's going to be one of those nights.

[basic_powers]

Aaaaand Damocles is getting a very enthusiastic ear rubdown from the nine-year old. And giggling as the doberman starts sniffing Tyler all over.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

"Ohhh, you're good! He's good, sir!"

"Charming."

"You got all sorts of interesting smells!"

[hell_in_highheels]

River picks up their scent at the back door and follows it in. She's in her boots and jeans today, having just got back from taking measurements at the den.

"Hallo, you two. Love." She leans in to give Ryan a quick kiss on the cheek. "What's with the collar?"

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

"It lets me talk!" Dam bounces against her, happy to greet.

"It let's him speak," Ryan repeats much more dryly.

[hell_in_highheels]

"..."

Her hands pet Dam's face and she stares at Richard.

It interprets canine?

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Yes. See how pleased he is?

"Other people can understand me now!"

Let me take it off, Dam.

Dam shifts around so he's on River's other side. "Do I have to?"

[hell_in_highheels]

River keeps a hand on Dam, giving Richard a perplexed but amused look.

"That's brilliant, Dam." To Richard. "Is there a problem?"

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Richard's hands pause.

"Don't you think there is?"

"No."

"Wasn't asking you."

[hell_in_highheels]

"Why would there be a problem? Does my voice sound funny?"

"No, you sound just fine. A bit tinny, but otherwise, just fine," River reassures. "Doesn't he, love?"

River raises her eyebrows at Richard.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Richard frowns a little and stands. "He sounds like a Yank."

That's not why he disapproves.

"What's that?"