"Parrots are very frightening," says Sylvi sagely.

"Especially when attacking people."

"It wasn't really very - attack-y. They land, they cling, they tug."

"But it's a much better story to say that 'I was attacked by a horde of parrots' instead of a 'horde of parrots landed on me, clung to me, and tugged in a direction I wasn't expecting to go.'"

"That's true. Do you optimize all the summaries of your life for what makes the best story?"

"No, I'm basically just being contrary."

"Oddly enough, I haven't run across any warnings about you being contrary, just prudish and prone to self-neglect."

"Well, being contrary simply to be contrary is something of a rare occurrence for me. So."

"Are you being contrary to yourself?"

"Yes," he laughs. "That is exactly it. I will go do things just to be different from my predecessors. I am in my rebellious teenage phase."

"Counting by lifetimes, you are three, not thirteen."

"Fine. I'm a spoiled toddler. Happy?"

"Quite," Sylvi giggles.

"Good. Hold onto that, because toddlers are annoying."

"I haven't spent much time with them. In, as far as I am presently aware, any incarnation."

"I haven't, either, but my master informed me - toddlers, definitely annoying."

"... No," he says, after some thought. "It was annoying and painful."

"I'd bet. But I mean - are you going to get a hotel?"

"Doesn't seem worth the trouble." He pauses, and then adds tentatively, "... Plus you might have a bad dream again."

"I might. But it - usually it's not bad ones."

"I know. But still."

"You might have a bad dream too - wake you up and hug you likewise?"

"Yes, please."

"Will do. I'm gonna turn in now."