"Do you hear that?" You ask Grim, ears straining to catch the sound.

"Woof! Woof!"

"Yippee!" Grim pumps the air with his fist. "That must be that stupid dog, so the princess can't be far behind!"

"I think it's getting closer!" You celebrate. "Which means they must not be far!"

"Woof!" You can now see a furry white dog bumbling across the sand in your direction and a pretty girl with jet black hair running after it.

"Max, wait!"

Grim stiffens. "Oh no."

"Woof!"

"Myah!"

"Huh?' You watch blankly as the dog tackles Grim and starts to lick him affectionately with his long tongue.

"Bleh!" Grim yells as he tries to wiggle away. "Get offa me!"

"I'm so sorry!" The princess cries and goes to drag the dog off. "Max! Max!"

"Woof." Max hops off of Grim and taps his front paws against the ground in place as his tail swings from side to side.

"Grim." You plaster a fake smile on your face, rage simmering inside you. "Have you met this dog before, by any chance?"

"Uhh..."

"You!" The Princess gasps and points right at you. "You're the girl who saved me!"

"Uh... yeah!" You jump at the chance to make a connection with one of the story's leads. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thanks to you." She nods in appreciation. "Last night the ship I was on got caught in a terrible storm- the waves must have washed me ashore. If you hadn't helped me, I don't know if I would have survived."

"Oh, well, you know." You're not used to being thanked by people, and fumble for a response. "All in a day's work?"

She giggles. "Still, thank you. My name is Erica, by the way."

"Y/n." You give a small curtsey. "It's an honour to meet you."

"The honour is all mine. I've been meaning to ask, if I ever found you." She hesitates. "This may be strange to ask... but I heard a voice before I woke up."

"Really?" You question, relief washing over you. It's a good thing that she heard the merman's singing- otherwise the story would be really messed up. Still, you play dumb. "What did you hear?"

"Were you... barking?"

Grim looks at you for the answer himself.

"...no! Of course not!" You force a laugh. "Is that all you heard?"

"Yes." She nods. "But that is ridiculous, so it was likely just my head playing tricks on me."

"Ohhh..." Y̸o̷u̵r̵ ̸v̸o̶i̴c̵e̴ drops as you consider the plot. "That's not good."

"Don't worry, I'm alright now!"

You force out a yay.

"Woof! Woof!"

"Max, wait!" Erica calls as the dog takes off running down the beach. "Slow down! What has gotten into you today?"

You glance down at Grim. "You're so dead."

Then you take off running after her. You run down the beach until Max finds a stranger wearing what looks like an old sail, parading on the shore like he's doing a fashion show. Once he sees the dog charging at him whilst barking he dives behind a rock, even climbing on top of it after Max chases him around it twice.

"Max!" Erica calls, and her and the stranger lock eyes, "Oh. Oh, I see."

You come to a stop beside where Grim had, and look back and forth between the two leads. You feel a bit like a third wheel whilst harbouring the dread that comes with knowing that something is horribly, horribly wrong.

Grim can't take his wide eyes off the scene when he questions you. "Why-"

"I don't know." You swallow. Erica wanders toward the handsome stranger, though you feel an instinctual need to pull her back and away from him. Max hops around the man, excited to make a new friend. He doesn't seem as concerned about the dog as before, and even cautiously pets the dog's head. Max's tail whips around excitedly, entire body wiggling from the force.

"Are you okay, sir?" Erica asks, never breaking her stare. She pulls Max into her arms and rubs him on the head. "I'm sorry if this knucklehead scared you. He's harmless really, uh..."

They lock eyes again, forming a deeper pit in your stomach. You feel nauseous.

"I thought you said-"

"I did!" You splutter quietly. "It was! I mean, it-"

"What's your name?" Erica asks.

The man smiles and pushes his blonde hair out of his gray eyes. "Rielle. And you are?"

Grim: I am the Great Grim!
Y/n: Cat!
Grim: No.
Y/n: Sparky!
Grim: No.