"I did tell you I needed advice, didn't I?" Basco nuzzles against Joe, then reaches past Joe's shoulder with one hand, claws extending from his humanlike fingers, to grip a fistful of Marvelous's hair, yanking hard enough to rip.

"I think I messed up, Joe-chan. I caught Marvey-chan, but it didn't turn out how I wanted. He's not Marvey-chan anymore. I broke his wings.

"Now I don't know what to do with him anymore. He's not my Marvey anymore...he's just a shell." Basco nips at Joe's ear, fierce at first. Then something falls out of him, some measure of tension, and Basco lays his head on Joe's shoulder, draping his full body's weight against his wobbling pet.

"Like Sally. Like you. Like me."