61 Phase 51: Red Valley Comrades

Colin had a surprise when they reached Red Valley Comrade Home. The Chief Breeder there was a guy. Not just a 'guy' Breeder, but a bald guy breeder.

"Satrox. Here to collect the Crimson Condors?" he smiled over his glasses. He stroked his long, narrow moustache.

"Of course." Satrox said. "Pan, this is Colin. Do you have any good deals for him?"

Pan observed Colin through his glasses and said, "Don't have much Home Points to spend, do you… hmm… and not much Clira either."

Colin frowned. He had been doing a good many jobs and collected over a hundred Home Points so far, and almost twenty thousand Clira in total. Pan, though, didn't seem to think that was much.

"Come in, come in." Pan said, gesturing them on. "Colin, the Comrades you're looking for are in the inner rings."

Comrade Homes kept their Tames in a zoo-like circle with the weakest in the center and the strongest in the outer rings. Colin felt a bit miffed that he was being told to look at the small fry…

"Huh?!" He stared.

Staring back at him at the very innermost circle was a pair of Growly Bears. Next door were a trio of Red Panthers.

{THIS is their weakest?! They're both 7-Stage types!}

"What's your theme?" Pan called, as he and Satrox headed farther and farther up the outer rings.

"A theme?" Colin blinked.

"Something your Comrades have in common." Satrox explained. "Mine used to be Lynxmice. Now, it's 'feathered flight'. What's yours?"

Colin looked over them. A wolfcat, a wolf, a cat, and a bird.

Shiro, Raiki, Kirin and Sonia exchanged glances.

"They all eat fish!" Colin called back, remembering. All the Comrades he'd ever bonded had that in common.

"Not good enough! That's just a matter of diet! Colin, you're going to have to leave the odd one out and find Comrades similar to Shiro. Find canines or felines – dogs, wolves, and cats. The more similar to him, the better!"

Kirin shook her head. The other three exchanged glances again.

Colin let out a quick breath. "Well, do you have wolfcats here?!"

"Yip!" Shiro jumped up, eyes shining.

Pan stopped altogether. He turned to Colin. "We have a few Mountain Wolfcats, but they're not for a Yellow Badge carrying less than fifty thousand Clira!"

Colin winced. "Not even a cub?"

"I {was} talking about the cubs."

"You might be able to find some cheaper elsewhere." Satrox told him. "Pan's prices are notoriously expensive!"

"And our services are top notch!" Pan added at once.

"That's true." Satrox had to admit. "Look, if you want Mountain Wolfcats, try Granath!"

Pan let out a scornful sound.

"So… why am I here again?" Colin asked.

"You're here because you wanted new Comrades and this is the only stop I'm going to make before we go to battle." Satrox told him. "And I'm not letting you out of my sight until the Frenzieds are cleared up!"

"Oh." Colin subsided. {In other words, it's here or nothing.}

"Here you go." Pan was saying to Satrox, so far away, Colin could barely make it out. "One male, one female, both a bit past level 40. Almost to their 4th Stage, so you're getting a really good deal here."

"I've already paid for them, Pan. I know what they're worth. You don't need to use the sales pitch on me."

"I like to keep in practice."

Colin examined the Red Panthers to his right. They reminded him of Fireheart, whom he gave to Katrin last night. Then he studied the Growly Bear in front of him again, remembering Gera and Rall, both bears also given to Katrin.

{Any other options…?}

There were two plant-types to the left, and a white-and-brown weasel after. {No way. Katrin's going to remember Streak every time she sees another Woodstreak Weasel. I don't want to put her through that.}

To the right, there was a blue alligator with a flat back, followed by a big turtle with a transparent shell and a zebra-striped seal. Water creatures… none would suit.

Behind him were Mousebirds, according to the label. Next to it on one side were four Fisherbirds, and on the other side, a single Red Heron.

All their labels said 7-S. Colin hadn't noticed that before, but now he realized what they meant. These Tames were all capable of reaching 7th Stage.

All were priced between ten to twelve thousand Clira.

{I can afford better.} Colin went to the next ring.

More 7-Stage Comrades, just a bit higher in price. Two-tailed squirrels, yellow foxes…

{Nope. Katrin will remember she once had a Two-Tailed Squirrel as well. And if I took a fox, it might get mixed up with Foxtrot's Comrades. Everything else here doesn't come close to wolfcats.}

Colin did stop by a curious Tame, though. It looked like a book with a helicopter's propellers on it. The Helibook was priced at fifteen thousand, also a 7-Stage type.

{Nothing suitable here. Next ring.}

And here, Colin had to wince. The third ring had more 7-Stage Comrades, but these were priced high enough to clear out most of his Clira. {That Desert Wolf cub looks suitable… but I can barely afford it. If I buy that one, I won't be able to afford food for my Comrades, and who knows when I'll be free to do missions again?}

"What are you looking at?" Satrox was suddenly right behind him. "Ah. That one looks suitable."

"Too expensive." Colin said, gloomily.

"Hey, Pan! Can you give him a discount?" Satrox called.

Pan came over and took a look. He frowned, and stroked his moustache, and said, "Hmm."

"Well?" Satrox prodded him. "I did just spend a lot on those two Condors."

"I'll lower the price to seventeen thousand." Pan offered.

Colin looked at Satrox.

"You can get it for cheaper at Hot Springs Comrade Home." Satrox told him. "Less than fifteen thousand. But you won't be able to get it tonight."

"Sixteen thousand, then." Pan cut in. "And that's as good as it gets. Take it or leave it."

Colin scanned the cub.

.

Tame

Abilities:

HP: 96/96

MP: 62/62

Str: 36

Sta: 30

Spd: 33

Int: 10

Wis: 26

Wit: 15

Total: 150

.

Traits:

Canine Loyalty

Earth Essence

Pack Instinct

Efficient

.

"Front line defender." Satrox said, surprised. "He's got staying power against earth-type attacks, and he uses less MP in his techniques."

"What's this about Pack Instinct?" Colin asked.

"They work better in canine squads." Satrox explained. "I think your Sonic Wolf there shares the same trait. You should team them together."

"Well? Are you taking him?" Pan asked.

"Yeah." Colin said after a moment of consideration. He turned to his new Comrade. "What's your name?"

The Desert Wolf sat there and gave Colin a flat look.

"He doesn't have a name until his Dreamer gives him one." Pan pointed out.

"But usually they're able to make some sound, right? That's how I'd figure out a name." Colin said.

Satrox shook his head. "That's not good, Colin. Imagine what would happen if everyone does that in the real world. All the humans would be named 'waa'."

Colin shivered. "Good point. Well, what shall we name him?"

"What do you {want} to name him? He seems to be the strong-and-silent type, so far. You can try to name him based on what he does, or what he seems like to you, or you can name him based on what you want him to be."

Colin remembered. He'd named his first Red Panther 'Fireheart' because of the fiery spirit she showed him. Sonia too, was named for her Sonic abilities. Kirin did make a 'kirr' sound, but her name meant either 'giraffe' or 'poet', depending on which language you looked at. Larissa said that 'poet' was a nice name for a swan.

Shiro and Raiki were named by Michi before he ever met them. Colin wondered what they meant.

"He's fast, for a defense type. Name him Fai Ti." Pan suggested.

"Huh? What does that mean?" Colin blinked.

"One word names, please." Satrox poked Pan. "Comrades' surnames take after their Dreamer's first names."

"What?!" Colin jumped. "Then Shiro would be…"

"Shiro Colins." Satrox answered. "And so on."

Colin gulped. "Doesn't 'Kirin Colins' sound a bit funny?"

"It does." Satrox agreed. "But people don't usually use Comrade Surnames, so it shouldn't matter. It's the Comrade Homes that use them to keep track of whose Comrade is whose. Just focus on the Comrade's name for now."

Colin sat down in front of the Desert Wolf and sighed. "I'm going to send you to find one of the hardest things to find on Nakama World. You're tough, and you won't be alone, but you're likely to spend a lot of time searching. Your name is Pilgrim."

"Junrei." Satrox whispered, as if remembering something.

"What?" Colin blinked.

"Nothing… it's just… the word for 'Pilgrim' in a different language. The same language that Shiro is named in."

"Junrei?" Colin turned to the Desert Wolf.

The Desert Wolf shrugged.

"Junrei, then. Nice to meet you."