A talkin' cat, huh? That's still pretty cool. Koromaru couldn't talk, exactly, but he understood us, at least somewhat. We had this robot in our group, Aigis--she could translate his barks and stuff.

[It's how he got busted to the team that he could cook, whooooops.]

But he definitely wasn't just any dog. Used to belong to the priest at this one shrine, and after his owner died, he just kept on protectin' it, right up until it got attacked by a Shadow. He ended up with us, after that. Turned out he had the Potential.

[Without realizing it, his hand's sunk back down onto Cocoa's head, and he's started petting again out of old habit while he indulges this moment of nostalgia. In the end, Akechi's not quite wrong about Shinjiro, but it's different, too. He didn't grow up as affection-starved as Akechi, having always had Aki in his life in some form or another as far back as he can remember, but....well. Animals are uncomplicated. He doesn't feel that same need to protect them from himself, that urge to flee when things are getting too close, too emotional. They give him an escape from the crushing burden of guilt in his heart, because even if Koromaru could understand the words he'd say, could even understand concepts like loyalty and protection--he was still a dog, in the end. Even someone like Shinjiro could give him the kind of things he needed to be happy....if only for a short time.]

Ah, shit. I'm ramblin', ain't I. [Just like that, the petting stops. Looks like he's just. Self-conscious about it.]

...For what it's worth, I hope you get to keep her.