Best of Show (Part 1) by Wasamon

Friday, December 15th, 2016

Hhm, I wonder what this underground city-like location is? Deliverators, intriguing name. Cookie! That sounds fun, being pulled along by Cookie. 3 of them plus Cookie. Operational security, Nana is going to chew out Deliverator #1 about that when this is over. Wait, jogged alongside Cookie, then Deliverator #1 isn't Donut unless Cookie is going slow. Package pick-up, and do they have a rival team against them?*notes the date* Wait, is this a crash between two teams?

The other group has speedy and electrical, burny, and tough. Oh no, not that group! Two down and one marauder, the speedy one, left to deal with. Cookie at a gallop, even a speedster will have trouble catching him now. That poor tree never stood a chance. Two more, one icy, and why did Nana say sugar like it was a cuss word? A size warper who is becoming a giant, crud.

A large lemon cream pie right in the giant's face, priceless. This is weird, so many men with blue hats to throw them off, mentions potatoes, and Cookie sniffs out the right one. All this to deliver an apple pie; this has to be a combat final.

But then, with the idea of the sound of a 'pop!' somewhere in the space outside their heads, the illusion disappeared, and it was Lenape, most senior student of Twain Cottage, sitting there with a big grin below the potato-shaped nose on his face. Looking around, the other people-shaped things in blue hats resolved into other upperclassmen, and from the park, a selection of freshmen, sophomores, and juniors ambled in.

This is in the top 5 for strangest combat finals ever. Oh, Donut was Deliverator #1.

A loud crackle heralded the PA system announcement. "This ends our special non-combatant Combat Finals session. Many thanks to our student volunteers for their assistance, and to Glam for providing the disguises. Students Donut, Assay, Ladybird, and Cookie, please exit to the debriefing room for your grades."

Non-combatant combat final, great idea. And they consider Cookie a student, aww.

Sensei Tolman with the debriefing, and they only had two days to get ready for this, dang. They all passed, grades already decided. Caramel cream scones with cashew crumble on top, Tolman has a sweet tooth.

"Good. Your fitness regimen is showing. You'll be continuing with your sports club next term?"

I'll say, I'm shocked he kept up with Cookie even when the pup was going slow. No training team for Ladybird for now; the FSHA needs to learn to take no for an answer.

Assay's been kidnapped six times in the past year, so get her in Imp's special class already. A self-defense course, yes, plus Imp's course on escaping.

"Maybe I can join Donut's club, eh?"

"Er, there's a specific rule against girls participating in the sport," he had to tell her. "Like, historically."

"Eh? What? Why?"

"Dunno the full story behind it--yanno, historically--but in the right now it's to keep Ratel from forcing her way in."

"Oh... that makes sense. Okey-dokey, Sensei! I shall do my best, eh!"

Gah! If Ratel got into that club, everyone but her would be going to Doyle each day. Yes, Cookie is a very good pup.

Friday, December 22, 2016, 10:05 AM

Survival class finals, with all you have been through in that class, the finals aren't easier than the exams for other classes. *shudders* The more I learn about Reverend Barkus's community, the more it sounds like a nightmare cult that Donut was lucky to manifest as a mutant so he could leave. Ms. Barnes, yes, I wouldn't be surprised if some of the girls in that class got crushes on her as well. Movie nights, Bill and Ted is a classic now.

"Oh, if only life were all multiple choice," agreed the teacher. "But it's rather heavy on the interview questions, I'm afraid. Look, just remember what I said at the start of the semester. The point of the class is to be doing better by the end of it, and you are. You're doing well enough to realize how not well you're doing in some other areas, which is enough for me to put a P for passing on your report card."

Oh, good, a kind teacher; I've heard of some who teach remedial classes who punish mistakes and tear down their students. During Christmas vacation time, I wonder if Daniel will bring home Cookie with him.

Gingerbread cookie, yum. I think Daniel is the only one who could be Pete, aka Humorless, roommate. Too kind to ever tease someone about their appearance. I'm sure Pete got passing, if not better.

I know Pete is an Exemplar, but I forgot if he is higher than a 4. Still pretty strong. Cookie is going home with Donut, by live freight. A bribe of a cinnamon roll to a sophomore to borrow the trolley he is using, and they get Cookie's stuff sorted.

Daniel was still working on the finer points of basic geometry, but he figgered pup's little apartment was twice as big as a standard room in Twain, and half of that was the bedding. The rest was play mat.

Cookie is living the good life. Oof, pit stop before they go, poor Cookie having to go by freight.

Pet Shop helped with the live freight requirements; I bet she knows them by heart. Noooo! No Pet Shop stowing away with Cookie.

"Yeah, but..." The sophomore girl shrugged. "Can't really do anything fun, yanno? Not with the research restraining order on him. But you get to go to Karedonia, of all places? I'm so jelly I could squish!" The grin turned to a pout that was potentially on the wrong side of manic. "But the Royal Biotechnology and Abominations World Kennel Club Association's got a minimum age requirement."

I bet Jobe or his father did that to prevent certain kinds of incidents on the island. Wait, I forgot, Daniel wasn't disowned by his family, was he? So why is he going to Karedonia?

"All relative, I suppose. And even the crazy ones are nice, most of the time."

The humorless young giant snorted. "To you, maybe. Some of us still can't get a date."

"What about that one girl in Dickinson? Physique?" he said.

"Yeah..." Pete's head sank between his shoulders. "Dunno, man. She's a little weird about it all."

Aww, Pete deserves someone he can be himself with. Pink icing eyes, ouch, I would hate to go out on a bright day without shades on with those.

Whirlibird swept in to give him a peck on the cheek before flying off again, while Avsel zoomed past with a quick ear-skritch for Cookie. Erica and Calliope stopped to give hugs to him and Cookie--and then Pete, too, much to the young giant's surprise.

Daniel is one of the, if not the, most popular boy on campus, or so it seems. That is one way to decorate Old Man Whateley.

There were several spots for pickup and delivery of students around campus, but most of the big stuff happened through Site C, around the back end of campus where the hauler trucks parked.

So that is how they get the big hauler trucks onto Whateley grounds. All that for Cookie and a drive to Berlin is only the beginning. How will Cookie do on a flight?

The Whateley air shuttle service from Berlin to New York, at least it sounds better than a full plane and not as crowded. Cookie is getting all the attention today. One more step of the trip, La Guardia Airport. A woman from Royal Karedonia Airlines comes to greet them. Cookie is too sweet to remain startled by him for long. Special live freight service.

"With Her Imperial Highness in charge most of the time, ah..." The woman's smile was stretched tight over her lips. "There is enough. I believe the airplane you're taking was originally used by the Qatari government to transfer racehorses. It's used for standard freight more often than not, but we've got the modules for bio-devises and living artifacts available. Ah..." She paused again. "You do have your passport ready, right? And your, um, dog's paperwork? I need to drop you off at Customs and Zoological Control for a pre-flight clearance check."

Oh boy, it sounds like Jobe has some of the staff stressed out by how she runs things.

Ack! Stuck in the waiting room, I hate that. Using Cookie like a sofa, and reading him fairy tales, aww. 15 minutes and three people show up. Two male agents and a drow with them.

"I am," confirmed the drow lady. Her voice was as silky as her hair. "Agent Martina Spengler, Karedonia Bureau of Customs and Zoology, NYC Branch. And with me are Agents Miller and Szelenski of US Customs. They are here today as observers. Isn't that right, gentlemen?" Muted grumbles answered her.

Hehehe, I can see why Jobe chose her as one of her agents. Agent Miller needs to get used to unusual eye colors; flinching like that from seeing eyes like Daniel's isn't a good sign for advancement in his career.

"Here we have a Class 3 Living Artifact, as per the Wilkins system of classification. The genetic composition is largely single-source and completely mundane, but implementation during the creation process was not."

I wonder what the full Wilkins system for classification is. Cookie's full name, thank you for not putting it in the story. Szelenski, you and Miller at the sort that would fit in with the bad apples of the MCO.

"Them," Daniel corrected. "Or it, depending. Pup works, too. The powers testing guys think pup's got, erm, basic empathy--to coordinate the heads, something like that?--and it let them imprint on me. Bonded, guess you could say. Not my dog so much as I'm its boy."

So that is how it happened, I forget if it was detailed in a previous story or not. Joseph Miller, why do I get the feeling he will be trouble in the future? Neo-tribble incident, I want to know what idiot thought creating any version of tribbles was a good idea.

"Yes. And I'm sorry for the wait. My esteemed colleagues here need the live animal experience, and Cookie's safer than most of what we get to deal with. The US side of the office is woefully unprepared."

Just what the heck do they deal with that Cookie is safer than most of it? Oh, one of the male agents is transphobic with how he said Martina's name.

Daniel could name a few examples, and to the amusement of the drow lady, he beat her to it. "Um, predatory jackalopes, hoop snakes, inflatable porcupines, kamikaze squirrels, and a cat that breaks trees with its head?"

The two American agents stared at him while the Karedonian appeared to be suppressing a chuckle. "Oh, is that all?" said Szelenski, in a tone that hoped it was.

"Well, never saw the invisible exploding rabbits, but..."

Okay, Cookie is a lot safer than any of those creatures. It gets weirder, good grief.

Another flight attendant and Cookie get more ear skritches. 4 and four-and-a-half-hour flight, please give Cookie strength to endure it. Oh, good, no in-flight services, but a fridge with meals and drinks, and a way to reheat them. Miz Sloakum, that is a last name you don't see that often. A setup so Daniel can do his homework during the flight, I hope it will be a peaceful one. Hehe, Daniel has to use meat pies to get Cookie to take his airsickness pills.

Daniel had five hours of pup's favorite shows on file, alternating between Clifford and Friends, Curious George, and a new show called Nook and Cranny about an albino raccoon and a blonde tanuki dog from Japan.

Aww, Cookie is just so adorable.

Eighth Wonder Intercontinental Ballistic Aerodrome, Imperial Demesne of Karedonia
December 22nd, 2016, 8:52 PM

Dang, so distracted and no windows outside, so doesn't know they are about to arrive until an alert pings. Shoot, sounds like it was a smooth flight even for only having been on a plane a few times before. Dang, their security line is fast and efficient. Hhm, who is this drow lady with no hair on top of her head? Tourist visa, that last detail about them, the fact that they need that is more than a little concerning.

Dang, they let Cookie in with just a simple question. Karedonian sure loves creatures of all types. Hhm, why does that poem sound familiar? *eyes bug out* This place is awesome. Wyverns, Jobe made her own version of wyverns. Mr. Carlyle is there. I forgot the Doc moved to Karedonia.

"It's a rental." The old man grinned like he'd just made a funny, only nothing could be as funny as the thing in the parking space. It looked like an old station wagon'd had a baby with a pickup truck, only there'd been unfortunate complications and emergency surgery. The truck bed was basically one circle, and the cab another circle, joined up like a flattened figure 8, and the cab had a bubble top instead of a roof or windshield, like out of an old Jetsons cartoon. The headlights were triangular, the wheels were something not exactly like the usual rubber, and the entire thing was painted in what the Doc described euphemistically as 'decent green.'

Good lord, did Jobe's dang try to create his own version of the Jetsons' vehicle?

A Gizmobile.

"Tough little things," Mr. Carlyle said. "The Emperor Emeritus tried to create an automotive industry for the country decades ago, but it never took off. Figuratively, at least. Pretty sure they had a flight-capable model at the rental shop..." They were getting seated just then, and Daniel made double-sure to buckle up. "Incredibly fuel-efficient as well, seeing as they don't run on any. Of course, no other country wanted to install the proprietary energy grid technology necessary to keep them powered."

Dang, this would solve the fuel crisis for cars and remove the cost of fuel from being a burden of ownership. Cordelia and Debbie are there, but tired from the long trip. Wait, Doc has only been staying at his place in Karedonia for a week, so he hasn't moved here.

"I'll have you know that the fine folk at the Royal Karedonian Para-Zoological and Botanical Gardens have been good about making sure I eat while I'm working with them," said Mr. Carlyle. "It's part of their visiting biodevisor service package. It's like they think we can't take care of ourselves properly."

They know you can't, from Jobe's own history alone. Register Cookie for the show, and see some of the other entrants, hhm, why do I feel this will end in chaos with so many exotic creatures in one location? *facepalm* That old joke about needing boxing gloves on Boxing Day.

It might've been a cop car, except it was flying, then landing, then running on four metallic legs down a rocky retaining slope to the beachfront below. There was a crackle of light, a shout, and then they were past the scene.

So they don't use the Dalek drones for security as much now, I'm guessing.

"Remember, Daniel. Karedonia is a beautiful place, but it is also a land where supervillains and their henchmen walk openly. There are incidents, arguments, and if those get out of hand, the Gizmapolitan Police have their special units. I want us all to enjoy this vacation--and we will--but don't forget to play things safe at all times."

And if that isn't foreshadowing, I will end liver and onions.

A small mansion, less big than Twain Cottage, nice beach view, and access.

"Lapsed time-share foreclosure, turned into a rental by the Royal Bureau of Tourism for use by visiting colleagues of Her Imperial Highness. Between the kennel show and the menagerie donation, I count, so we can reap the benefits for a few weeks. Cody!" he called up from the driveway. "Debbie! We're here!"

Boy, he knows how to use the rules and donations to make great deals. Debbie Browning in a dress like that with an apron on the front, boy, I wonder what she cooked up for them. Quikie stew with pre-made roux, yum. Cordelia Carlyle, told to sit down by her husband and Debbie.

Aww, already made a space for Cookie to bed down inside the house.

Basic meat, carrots, and potatoes was hard to mess up, though he'd seen a few classmates in the Whateley culinary workshops manage the impossible in all the worst ways.

It's Whateley, I would be surprised if at least a few kids didn't have the anime trope "Lethal Chef". 2k mile trip in total, yikes.

Saturday, Dec. 23rd, 2016

5:20 am and the sun is out, yet Karedonia is in the same time zone as Whateley, ahhhhh. Waffles, sausages, and sunny-side-up eggs, you are making me hungry. Cordelia and John are out enjoying the morning.

"Me? I'll just be tidying up so Cordelia's comfortable, then maybe take a walk. There's a cabana a ways down the beach with a killer daiquiri." She chuckled at him. "Daniel, you and John are here on business. Cordelia and I are here to relax, and to each her own."

A vacation on a tropical island with all Karedonia has, just avoid any troubles while there, and it sounds perfect. Snozzberry syrup, Jobe made Snozzberries real, I should have known.

Aww, so cute to see Daniel playing with Cookie. Shouldn't have gotten Cookie used to the ocean waves, Daniel. Drow ladies, ani-men, but horse-guys, hhm. Just how many people are bio-engineered to be able to do their job more efficiently in Karedonia? Aww, fun time is over.

Nice outfit, Daniel.

"In Xanadu did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure dome decree..." Mr. Carlyle murmured to himself.

"Where Alph, the sacred river, ran through caverns measureless to man," Daniel continued. "Down to a sunless sea... um, it almost fits?"

Wouldn't be surprised if Jobe's father read that same poem when he was younger. Grand Wilkinsville sure is a sight. A mono-wheel, what madperson tries to drive one of those in the real world? Okay, with the way he is driving and all those other things on the road, I could never visit Karedonia. I would be too scared to be on the roads even as a passenger. Monorail, yes, much safer than the roads.

"For all intents and purposes," the old man admitted. "Ahem. Daniel? Cookie? May I present our hostess for this event, Lady Bova Price-Lecroix, Marchioness Zoologica and Secretary of the Menagerie. She oversees the Royal Karedonian Para-Zoological and Botanical Gardens and Royal Biotechnology and Abominations World Kennel Club Association."

Boy, Jobe kept the drow girls from Whateley around and gave them great jobs; she must care for them a lot.

"Yeah, I just love me some critters, even before I almost turned into a cow. But come on!" she said. "Let's go see yours, yeah?"

Cow...? He was kind of glad the quick pace set by the drow kept himself from asking anything more. That had Whateley Drama written all over it.

Daniel, if they haven't taught you about Chimerical Trait Acquisition yet, it is potential nightmare fuel.

Yup, this seems like a place Bova and Jobe would design together to house critters. Hhm, I wonder which of Doc's critters won't be ready in time for the show. Conkerdinks, aka overgrown flying squirrels, rubberados, aka beachball-sized porcupine critters, the jackalopes, those have to be the ones that won't be ready in time for the show.

"Her Highness is interested in adapting them to serve as pest control for the upland regions of the island," Bova informed them. "Some truly misbegotten experiments have gone feral over there, and it's not like they can muck up the ecosystem any more than it already is."

Good luck, Jobe, you'll need it.

What kind of creature is in that crate?

The Doc's saner incarnation was looking embarrassed. "Ahem, we recovered one last gestation tub from the old lab, last September," he admitted. "It must've been the final project he... er, I began before the dementia treatments kicked in. We decanted it in late November, here at the menagerie. It's..."

This is going to be a weird one. A baby splintercat, crap!

A half-built mini-mountain in the center of the convention zone, they don't do things small in Karedonia.

The Royal Biotechnology and Abominations World Kennel Club Association's convention was really more of a show and tell than a competition, as Miz Bova was explaining. Not that there wasn't a combat event--and a bloody one it tended to be--but most of the attendees cared too much for their precious creations and/or abominations to use them in pointless bloodsports.

Good, I wouldn't like them if they used them for pointless bloodsports. There are 3 other exhibits in the same weight class as Cookie. Please, no chaos. A racing snail sounds like someone watched The Neverending Story and wanted to make them real.

Okay, Roxie made an unusual creature. And her instructions almost sound like it has some snake DNA in the mix. Specimen OB-17, I can see why the poor creature was overwhelmed. Roxanne Sharpe, aka Roxie for short, Jobe's owlbear wrangler. Aww, shy girl. An owlbear, it figures, Jobe does love stuff from D&D, considering the drow. Crumpette, but not officially.

"P-pretty much anything," said the girl. "I mean, she's got a hefty protein requirement, and several essential vitamins need to be supplemented, but Her Highness kept the ursine alimentary system largely intact. So she can eat pretty much anything we can--but not at the dinner table, Crumpette!" she warned as the owlish ear-horns perked. "Um, why do you ask?"

Aww, Crumpette is smart and wants to eat dinner at the table with everyone else.

Meat pies for Cookie and Crumpette. Cranberry apple fried pie, darn it, now I'm hungry. Revani, I've heard tales of that dessert. I want to try it! Raspberry tart, stories with Daniel always leave me hungry and wanting to try so many things. A show of where everything is, I wouldn't be surprised if Roxie has a crush on Daniel by the end of this story.

Imperial Palace of Karedonia, Office of the Secretary of Intelligence

Despite the title printed boldly on her office door, Belphoebe Blackaddar-Wilkins, Duchess Sec-Intel, sometimes doubted her own.

Aww, you are one of the smartest girls around, Belphoebe. Victim of victory, trapped by her own success. Don't tell me, stuck in an office, when she wants to be working on devises.

Across her desk, and behind it as well, the tools of her trade were collected: state of the art computers, a communications grid connecting to her to her many operatives, a port-a-pentacle with all the somatic ingredients for divination, conjuration, or abjuration--just add lamb's blood.

Ooo, she has learned magic.

Oh, the paperwork... in stacks and piles and reams so immense, she'd needed to renovate the filing cabinet with fifth-dimensial architecture to allow for true cross-filing. More than anything, she'd just love to torch it all the ground level. All she would need was a bigger flamethrower, and if she couldn't design one, then...

That much paperwork, Jobe, how could you be so cruel to Belphoebe?

An automated announcement whenever Jobe arrives, that sounds like a security risk that could be exploited, no wonder Jobe hates it.

"His Highness won't stop rabbiting on about his robots at the state luncheon, is that it?" A low growl confirmed it for her. "Well, touch grass and all that. Take a seat--oops, you already have--well, let's have a quiet one here. It is practically tea time after all. I shall even make it coffee time, just for you."

Jobe has to deal with her father regularly now, ouch. I like Mrs. Alvarez; she doesn't mind voicing her opinion.

A daily security briefing from Belphoebe, nice use of magic for the display. That is how they deal with hit squads, yeesh. At least Freight Train has a job she probably likes.

The group Humans Against the Ethical Treatment of Monsters, or HAET'M, was mostly loud and obnoxious in a blustery manner. Not the worst, as far as these groups went. The security detail set to observe them were for all intents and purpose's the group's bodyguards as well, since a particular fraction of the local population resembled their remarks, as it were.

Okay, that group ticks me off. Did any so-called 'monsters' ask for their help or representation?

"Uncle Ralph has advised me not to take any action for which the United Nations would sanction us, yet again," Jobe said dryly. "And, as the rest of the UN delegates like him far more than myself, I am inclined to trust his judgment on this matter. We've still a ways to go before we may export our newest cash crop."

Jobe, this is you we are talking about. I would be wary of the things you make. Jobe still has some issues about overreacting before learning all the facts, I see. Doesn't like Daniel being there, Jobe, you have changed a lot. Great, don't tell me Jobe is jealous of Roxie liking Daniel.

"I want to know everything there is to know about him," Her Highness decreed. "Full dossier, no stops, tomorrow morning."

Jobe, you need to learn not to be so jealous when one of your drow girls gets attention.

Ok - Combat final before Kardonia. I'm assuming Daniel is Deliverator #1. Not certain who 2 and 3 are (yet).
From the readings being provided, I'm going to call #2 Assay. Whirlybird for #3? Probably not, as she's an upperclassman.
I'm not certain if this is a team final or a crash - I could see that going either way.
Black polkadots - Ladybird for #3.
Ah - noncombat crash. I suppose that makes sense. I guess I can also see why ANTs wouldn't work for Assay's final, at least in the physical. And I managed to remember the code names without hitting the wiki. I had to grin at Cookie being named explicitly for the scoring. Cookie's always a good pup.
Donut's choice in bribes is well known it seems. But Tolman's a good cookie and deserves the treat.
Fliers are always in high demand, so I can see why people would be trying to recruit Ladybird.
Another nudge for Assay to take something outside survival. Do I sense some foreshadowing?
And another grin at Cookie's scoring.

Finals for ELL. I suppose it makes sense that it'd be an interview, even if it also shows how much of a disservice Daniel's family did him. The fact that Daniel recognizes that the gaps are there shows he has a yern to learn.

The logistics of taking a bio-divisor special on a flight anywhere. The red tape has to be insane.
Just because you have a bit of a rep Humorless doesn't mean you need to be a bully (particularly to the tech track).
The size of Cookie's dog house certainly puts things in prospective. And any dog toy marketed as 'indestructible' has never met a real dog.
I suppose Petshop would be in a good place to build facilities for Cookie. The fact Donut knows the difference in her looks says something about how much time they've spent together.
Petshop wanting to stow away with Cookie on the trip to Kardonia. Why does it feel like she'd either leave with a scholarship or end up in trouble for her curiosity. That feels like a situation with no middle ground.
Petshop's dad has a reasearch restraining order on him - She is definitely a chip of the old block.
I think I see why the Kennel Club has an age requirement, even if Jobe would have gotten in by royal decree.
There's something just 'normal' about the school preparing to let out for winter vacation.
I can see why the administration would turn down Petshop's offer to provide nativity animals. Who knows who else she threatened with the offer.
Even moving Cookie requires a horse trailer. The introductory story failed to convey just how big the pup is.
Whately has their own special plane for trips to/from the main air traffic system. Makes sense. Why do I suspect the half that isn't grandfathered is pure devisor tech, replenished every year by the workshop?
Sounds like it is Queen Jobe now. The origin of the long-haul plane makes sense, even if Cookie seems like one of the larger specimen being transported in it.

The mental image of the Cookieloaf is a fun one.
And the red tape returns. It's looking like this is just another day at the office for Spengler. I'm half-wondering if Miller might actually be MCO, but it's probably more likely he just isn't used to GSD (and probably is somewhat new to the job).
Love the Chekov's gun of Cookie's full name.
Both Szelenski and Miller are new if Cookie's being used as a training session. Szelenski seems like he'll probably pass. Not so certain about Miller.
Asking what's the weirdest that could happen - well, you did ask for it. And Daniel had first hand knowledge of all of them.
Not a bad cabin to travel in for Cookie and Daniel, and it sounds like Daniel is trying to make the most of the time.

Interesting tidbit about how they got Cookie to Whateley.
Thanks Wasamon for giving the readers a vivid walkthrough of what arriving in Kardonia is like, although shaded by the companion we're accompanying.
And we meet up with Doc Carlyle. Sounds like he's living down to the devisor normal. It's a good thing that the gardens know how to handle people like him (I suspect there may even be a college course on the subject).
The time-share villa looks like a wonderful place to spend the winter break. And that stew sounds like just the thing after a long day of travel.
(I had the random thought of Daniel and Cookie coming back to Whatelely with Kardonia MMIDs and completely confounding the MCO)

I can see how Cookie would need an industiral can of dog kibble.
And Jobe would make Snozzberry. Does the Imp know about them?

Morning walk on the beach is the best slice of life. I can see why the Animen would go the other way when Cookie's around, but they're missing out on the best pup.

Seems like traffic in big cities never changes, and Giz (or Jobe) amped it up to 11.
Hello, Bova. Nice to see you survived Gen 1. Makes sense that Jobe would recruit you to help out, as you had experience as a pseudo-handler for her back at Whateley.
Jackalopes as a pest control tool? I don't think I want to know what escaped the labs.
And Doc Taltale made a new splintercat before he slipped into the background. Nice to see that they aren't extinct? Hopefully this one won't get lose.
The emergence into the convention center sets off a mental image of walking onto the concourse at MIB headquarters for the first time.
Once again, Cookie proves it's a good dog. Staring down the creature doesn't feel like a simple feat. Hopefully they'll play well with each other.
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that Jobe decided the world needed owlbears.
Something tells me that Roxie would get along swimmingly with Petshop. And Daniel's social skills seem up to the task. Summoned pastries for the win.

Interesting look into inner workings of the Kardoenian bureaucracy. Belphoebe certainly has an interesting job description. The government attitude towards certain things is quite interesting, but it makes sense where they are.
And Jobe has an interest in Donut. Depending on where this goes, my thought about Daniel having a Kardonia MMID after the trip might not be so off the mark.

I wonder if Petshop is the reason the Kennel Club has a minimum age requirement, much to Roxie's dismay.
Speaking of Roxie, I kinda suspect (Queen) Jobe sees her as a figurative daughter, if not a literal one. Hence the reaction to Daniel being around her. I wonder what Jobe's version of cleaning a shotgun would be, but I kinda suspect it would involve a highly tailored biopathogen.