What's her offer?

Confusing.... But with merit

Natalie takes a deep breath, a thoughtful look on her face. "You stole Rick's companion ability, didn't you?"

You incline your head to the woman, "Yes, I did."

She looks at you curiously for a moment. "Why the squirrel?"

You tilt you head a bit in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Why did you pick a squirrel? You could have summoned anything. A bear, a wolf, a large cat. Why did you choose the squirrel of all things?"

You nod your understanding. "It was the only one that made sense for my situation." You raise a finger ticking off reasons.

"A bears greatest asset is it's size, which is completely useless inside the halls of the castle. If I summoned it, the only place it could fight would be in here with me.... Which might get me killed."

A second finger gets raised. "Wolves are most powerful in a pack. No pack, no power."

You hold a third finger up. "Large cats need room to hunt, and places to hide.... Not quite so easy in an empty castle."

"And lastly," you wave your arm bringing her attention to the room about you. "This room is my prison, I can not leave it. Ever."

You walk to the desk, still piled with crafting materials. "I can improve upon it, and the castle itself - if I can get enough materials."

You spread you hands as if presenting the solution to the heroine. "That mission meant either a bird of some kind, which can't really maneuver inside the cramped conditions of the halls. Or a squirrel."

Natalie walks over and looks at all the crafting supplies scattered around. "So you worked your problem out intelligently.... And decided the best option was a helper to gather what you needed."

She eyes you cautiously. "What are you?"

Again you look at her questioningly. "What do you mean?"

The rogue starts circling you, as if the answer to her question were written on the back of your robes.

"I mean that you're just a monster, programmed to monster. You're not supposed to be able to think."

You swallow as some of what the moderator said finally makes sense.

"A.... A moderator said I was a new type of life, or something."

The woman finally faces you again, a smile lighting her face. "You're perfect."

You shake your head at that. "Excuse me?"

She laughs lightly, still looking you over. "You are exactly what I've needed." her hand reaches up, an extended finger pressing into your chest. "And I'm just what you need, honey."

You raise an eyebrow at her statement. "What is it you need, and why do I need you?" This conversation is doing a hell of job confusing you, so far.

"First, I need a partner I can trust. Second, I need a place I can hide the more..... Sought after items I've liberated."

You put a hand up to stop her from continuing. "So you want me to play guard for the stuff you've stolen, in case the owners track it down?"

She smiles at your summation. "Exactly, I knew you'd get it. I'd planned to ask one of those imbeciles to do it....." she rolled a shoulder, her hand still pressed to your chest. "But you proved how easy they were to get rid of."

You nod at her logic, "So why would I do this?"

"Simple," Your would be partner in crime smiles up at you happily. "You said yourself that you're stuck inside this room. You have no control over when, or if, heroes come through here."

She leans a bit more of herself against your chest. "And if they do, it's just for combat. Which means you'll need a friend."

You shake your head at her proposal. "So I keep hold of the items you're being hunted for stealing, while letting you get to them when you feel like..... And in return you stop in once in a while so I'm less lonely?"

Natalie pulls back from you a bit, frowning at you a little. She goes back to looking at your desk, biting her lip in thought. "When you spell it out, it is rather one sided."

She opens her mouth only to close it again as you both hear a faint chittering echoing through the halls. "That's it." She turns to you, practically giggling in glee. "That's what I can do for you, I'll be your squirrel."

You look at the rogue wondering if she'd been driven insane. "You'll be my squirrel?"

"Yes!" She seems awfully happy about the thought for some reason. "I'll go out, form up dungeon parties, and bring them back here for you to off!"

You're actually impressed with her thought process. "You gather up a group of chumps, bring them in for the party to get wiped out... Possibly even 'liberating' a few choice items from unworthy owners, then 'escape' the dungeon and start all over again."

You look back at your potential partner to find her bent over looking at something on the floor. Her very shapely ass presented for your viewing. Whether through luck or design you're not sure.

"I level up, you get more loot.... Two birds, one stone, five quick little fingers.... and one amazing ass."

Natalie smirks over her shoulder at you.... Apparently you said that last part out loud as well. Dammit.

The squirrel finally makes it back in, chittering madly.

"You are interested after all...." She wiggles her hips a bit, causing her rear end to become even more interesting to look at.

Blushing, you quickly turn to your little companion. Hopefully you can salvage something of the situation.

"What's up buddy?" You kneel down as the little fluff ball makes it to you.

The animals continued and frantic noises make you wish you spoke squirrel. "Hold on, little guy. Calm down a bit."

Your squirrelly companion stops yelling, looking at you impatiently.

"You're upset.... Is something wrong?"

The squirrel runs in small circles chittering again, before standing still and casting glances between you and the doorway.

You stand as realization sets in. "Players. There are players in the castle?"

Again the fluffy little chatter box runs in circles before stopping.