Pickles: special thinking noise
A little head pops out among the waving passengers.
Pickles: special thinking noise <Oh, is this sea breeze?>
The sea breeze ruffles his long black-and-white hair. A gleam of indigo glow slowly fades out from the tip of his hair.
He narrows his eyes.
Pickles: Woo … <Phew ...>
Pickles: special thinking noise
Pickles: special thinking noise <Sadly I don't have the time to enjoy it.>
Pickles: special thinking noise <Is Charlton still around?>
Pickles: special thinking noise <I hope he didn't leave ...>
He looks down from the edge of the deck.
Pickles: ...?!
Pickles: Woo? <An anchor boat?>
Tourist B: Hm? Here is a puppy!
Tourist C: It's like the one on the soda can!
Pickles: special thinking noise
Pickles: Woof, woof … <Oh, too late ...>
???: PIIIIIICKLEEEEEEEEES!
Pickles' ears move.
Pickles: Woof? <Charlton?>
The dog looks over at the shore.
Charlton pushes through the crowd, striving to get closer to the cruise.
Staff: Hey mister! We're retracting the gangway!
Charlton: I have the ticket!
The man, holding his luggage bag in one hand, tries to push through the ticket barrier.
Staff: Sir, it's too dangerous!
Pickles: Woof! <Charlton!>
Pickles: Woof. Woof, woo? <He saw me. Unbelievable, do humans even have such good eyesight?>
Charlton: Pickle! Do NOT move this time!
Charlton looks anxious and panicky.
The gangway creaks.
Staff: Sir, please calm down, it's too dangerous near the edge ...
Wendy: Woof woof!
The man wrenches himself free from the staff's constraint. He looks up at the dog who tries hard to stick out his head, and looks down at the dark water.
One end of the gangway is drawing a horizontal semi-circle in low air as it moves away from the dock. It is coming their way.
Charlton: deep breath No time to think about that!
He makes up his mind, clenches his fingers around the old leather bag and takes a deep breath.
Charlton: Wendy, jump!
As a bulldog, she's outstandingly bouncy.
Wendy: Woof woof!
Her hind paws firmly land on the deck. Behind her, Charlton kicks hard against the fender pile.
Pickles: Woof, woof! <Watch out, Charlton!>
Charlton: WHOAAAA!
His legs are shaking. The gangway under his feet is making a shrill, piercing noise.
Charlton: It's shaking!!
Staff: No sir—The gangway! Stop retracting!
Wendy: Woof woof!
The bulldog also perches shakily by his feet.
Charlton: Ok, ok! I'm on my feet now.
Charlton: Wendy, ready ...
Charlton throws a red bouncey ball to the ship.
Charlton: Run!
Charlton: Pickles!! My pickles!!
The man rushes onto the ship. The dog has run to the gangway to welcome him. He throws his arms around the dog.
Wendy: Woof woof!
Pickles: Woof, woof. <Wendy, you found the ball.>
The bulldog drops the bouncey ball and pushes the breathless man with her nose.
Charlton: It's my fault only paid attention to the stupid luggage ...
Pickles: Woof, woo? Woof, woof. <Charlton, are you alright? Your heart is pounding. Take a deep breath.>
Pickles: Woof … <This is not a good time to talk ...>
Pickles: Woof … <You should rest ...>
Charlton: I shouldn't have forced you to join the event, but I thought you would enjoy it ...
Pickles: ...
Pickles: Woof, woof. <Indeed I'm not a fan of clamorous crowds and meeting with strange people.>
Pickles: Woof.
"Doggie": The puppy doesn't like the crowd.
Charlton: Oh ...
He seems lost and sad.
Pickles: Woof, woof. <But you have also turned down many other endorsements offers for my sake, though you always fail to understand the exact reason I dislike them.>
Pickles: Woo … <Oh, maybe ...>
An apple comes into the dog's mind.
Pickles: ...
Pickles: Woof, woo … <Maybe Mr. APPLe was right. We don't have to get to the bottom of what exactly the other person is saying ...>
"Doggie": The puppy %^&* ...
Charlton: Hm? Is the translator broken?
Pickles: Woof. <Charlton, though you aren't very good at analyzing and reflecting on the problems ...>
Pickles: Woof. <... I have to admit you have a good instinct on how to be a wonderful friend. >
Pickles: Woof.
"Doggie": The puppy wants a hug.
Pickles: Woof?! Woof, woof … <A hug?! No, I didn't say ...>
Charlton: Oh no, it IS broken.
Pickles: ...
Pickles: Woof, woof. <Despite your reaction, I don't think I'm a very indifferent and distant dog.>
Charlton: But you might be freaked out, little guy ...
He pulls the dog into a hug and rubs his neck hard.
Charlton: It's ok buddy, we're together again!
Pickles: ...
Pickles: Woof … <Em ...>
Pickles: Woof. Woof, woo? <We can respect each other even if we can't fully understand each other. This is good, isn't it?>
*honking* ...
Pickles: Woof, woof. <Oh, shoot. A cruise has set sail.>
Pickles: Woof ... Woof? <Maybe ... It is the one to Greece?>
Charlton: Luckily, we made it!
Pickles: ... Woof, woo. <... Oh, well, fine. >
Charlton: I owe you an apology. I didn't expect that you dislike the event so much that you would leave us.
Pickles: ...
Charlton: But I promise you ...
Charlton: I will try to make it up to you! Cancel the panel ... I assume the host won't ...
Staff: That is not possible, Mr. Charlton.
Charlton: Oh ...
Charlton: Um ... That's not what I expected ... Haha ...
Pickles: special thinking noise <I'm not surprised by this outcome.>
Staff: I hope you understand that it is very irresponsible to cancel an event in the last minute.
Pickles: Woof, woo, woof … <It's okay, Charlton. If it is just one panel ...>
Staff: We've made great effort on this panel and even prepared a warm-up on the cruise today.
Pickles: ...
Charlton: Today?!
Staff: Yes ... we tried to contacted you earlier but my colleague couldn't get in touch with you.
Charlton: Well, um, there was an accident today ...
Charlton: ...
He awkwardly scratches his head.
Charlton: Is there any chance we can ... ?
Staff: Absolutely not.
Staff: If you insist, then I'm afraid you need to pay liquidated damages of ten times of the cost of the event.
Charlton: Ten times?!
Charlton: That's ...
Pickles: special thinking noise
Pickles: special thinking noise <First the dreamlike meeting with the philosophers, then the strange gentleman who is passionate about bubbles ...>
Pickles: ... Woo. <... Hold on.>
The dog gets up.
Pickles: Woof, woof.
"Doggie": The puppy has a new idea.
Charlton: Pickles?
The Border Collie dashes out of the door without looking back.
Charlton: Pickles!!
