The Watcher and his two new companions were on their way to Anslög's Compass when Edér apparently couldn't hold the one important question in anymore. To be fair, he had held it off for much longer than Jarudiel had initially thought he would, considering how often he had caught the man staring. He was impressed, actually.

"So, uh, where'd you get a piggy like that from? Never seen one like it", was the question. It was always the question sooner or later, and it always got the same answer.

Jarudiel glanced at Aloth and gave him a wicked grin. Mischief was written all over his face, and it took Aloth a good couple of seconds to give a wary smile back at him. With any luck that meant he would play along as soon as he caught up to what the game was.

Jarudiel schooled his face into an expression of mild confusion before turning to look at Edér.

"What piggy?" he asked and tilted his head. He made a show of glancing around half-heartedly before looking at Edér again with a raised eyebrow. He completely ignored the small pig scurrying around near his feet.

Edér frowned at him, a look of disbelief on his face. He took his pipe out of his mouth and used the thin end to point at the pig.

"That one? Blue, weirdly translucent, kinda looks like the night sky? Ring any bells?" he asked.

Jarudiel gave him a weirded out look, then inspected the spot where the man was pointing. His eyes slid right over the pig like it wasn't there and scanned its immediate surroundings too, like he was searching for something and not finding it. The pig looked up at him and rubbed itself against his leg, but he gave no indication that he saw or felt it. Instead he looked at Edér again with a worried frown.

"... blue, translucent pig? Um... are you quite alright?" he asked slowly.

Edér started to look distressed and turned to Aloth.

"It's right there, right? You can see it too, can't you?"

Aloth had apparently caught on at some point, as he too gave Edér a worried look and glanced in the general direction of Jarudiel's feet searchingly.

"I can't say that I do. Say, what do you fill your pipe with? Ah, just a question."

Jarudiel was all the more happy that they had happened to meet; this guy was a keeper.

Edér looked really anxious now. He glanced from Aloth to Jarudiel and back, then down at the pig, and then back at them again.

"For real? I'm really imagining it?" he asked, running a hand through his hair in an agitated manner. He looked ready to start tearing it out next, so Jarudiel finally chuckled and picked up his little piggy.

"Nah. I'm just messing with your head", he said and scratched his strange pet affectionately.

Thankfully Edér had a good sense of humor, so it didn't take him too long to go from utter betrayal to massively relieved to laughing with them.

ooooo

Kana sat down next to the Watcher by Caed Nua's main keep's door. They had just finished clearing the yard from the spirit infestation and were taking a break before they'd enter; they had no idea what would await them inside and didn't want to be caught tired. He wiped his sweaty forehead with a handkerchief. It had been a while since he had last fought against so many enemies. He was clearly a little rusty.

"Now that's what I'd call a workout", he joked, then settled down to breathe for a moment. His wandering eye caught a glimpse of something blue and starry, and reminded him of what he had been burning to ask ever since he had first noticed the strange being, right before they got busy. No time like present, since they were currently idle...

"Hey Jarudiel? What species is your pig?"

"What pig?"


A/N: Aloth didn't get around to asking before Edér beat him to it. Durance never asked because he doesn't care. Kana fell for it. Sagani didn't, because Itumaak confirmed the pig's existence for her. Pallegina fell for it after a bit more convincing. Hiravias asked right away and fell for it instantly. Grieving Mother never asked. Zahua assumed right away that he was seeing things and was baffled when he eventually realized the others saw it too. Maneha fell for it. Devil of Caroc didn't fall for it because there was no logical explanation for how she would be able to see something that isn't there in her condition.