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'You are welcome. But you did not answer my first question. This atmosphere is helpful to you, no?'

What a strange thing to ask. "Why are you so curious about that? Are you not human?"

'Yes, I'm human, but I wasn't sure that YOU were. And I didn't want to assume. Some traversers of these realms actually quite dislike atmosphere. And if that were the case, I wanted you to know that it was not an act of hostility on my part but an attempt to provide aid.'

What the hell? He was gaining new questions to ask by the second. "How did you make this atmosphere, by the way?"

'Oh, I have my tricks. I'm afraid that's all I'm comfortable saying on that particular subject.'

Uh-huh. "Okay, then who's the last person or... entity that you've met here?"

'You're being quite pushy, now. I have questions of my own that I would have you answer, first.'

Maybe that was a fair point. Hector felt like he should relax a little. "Sorry. I wasn't trying to be mean. I'm just... kinda confused about what's happening, right now."

'So it really IS your first time here, then.'

He supposed he could admit that much, at least. "Yeah." He paused, rethinking. "Well, actually. Maybe not. But probably."

'Now I am the confused one.'

"I guess what I'm saying is... I've had similar experiences to this before. But not the same, I think."

'Interesting. Might I ask how you came to find yourself here?'

Hector had to think about that for a moment. The answer that came to mind was going to sound stupid, but. Eh. Whatever. "...I got eaten by a dinosaur."

'P-pardon me?'

"Well, technically, I guess it was only half-dinosaur."

'That doesn't make your explanation any more sensible to me.'

Hector bobbed his head. "I'm just telling you what happened. If I had a more sensible explanation, I would've given it."

'Are dinosaurs... or half-dinosaurs common where you come from?'

"Not at all," said Hector. "They're supposed to be extinct."

'Ah. A shame. I would've liked to learn of a new realm in which dinosaurs still existed.'

"Well, the one I met was a real asshole. But like I said, he was only half-dinosaur."

'And so, after being eaten by this creature, you found yourself here?'

"That's right."

'...Now that I am thinking about it, I find that quite believable. And very worrying.'

"Oh? You know something about the dinosaur men?"

'Perhaps. I've not heard them described with such... curt terminology before, nor have I encountered them myself yet, but yes, I think I might know something of them.'