Cue experienced a white-hot pressure behind her eyes as her mind, unable to process this sheer insanity, imploded. It took a good while - she'd actually had to stop in her tracks - before she could gather up enough disbelief (seasoned with consternation, and, more importantly, contempt) to embody her feelings with a single, heartfelt, "WHAT?"

In her mind, that one adorably embarrassed and angry "WHAT" meant that dear Auntie Fade had hit the sweet spot of a young girl's heart.

"How romantic!!" she enthused in the face of Cue's bewilderment. "How flustered you are now, aw!"

She inched a little closer and winked. "So now tell me, tell me what do you like about him?" 

"But I don't like anything about him!" she said, and mixed in with her exasperation was real bewilderment, "didn't you hear me complaining the entire way?!" 

"Oh come on now, you know you don't have to deny anything with Auntie Fade," she almost crooned, now thoroughly convinced that her hoof was clearly in the mouth of the cave and she had shoved her way unceremoneously but completely into the Right Place, "much less your...feeeeeeelings for a Kiokote..."

The dam burst.

"I'M NOT DENYING ANYTHI -" 

"Hang on," Fade said, head whipping to the right and the left as she put Cue's horror on hold.

"Where's Soup?"

Indeed, the turtle had disappeared. Shoving her ANGRY VOICE back into her simmering annoyance, Cue followed Fade's lead in rustling around in the dense brush that surrounded them for some sign of the pet. In the very least, he couldn't have gone far. 

"But seriously now sweetie," she said, ducking her head into a bunch of nearby weeds, "tell me what you like about him, ay?"

The ANGRY VOICE came halfway back.

"SERIOUSLY?! I can't stand him and he can't stand me, okay? OKAY?! There is NOTHING. NOTHING between us."

"Awww don't worry," her head emerged just to give Cue a chipper, reassuring (or so she thought) grin. "I'm sure he likes you." 

"I'm sure he doesn't," she said, in disbelief that this conversation was still even continuing, "and I don't care whether or not he does!" 

Her neck stayed upright, and the grin remained.

"Well why are you so upset then?" she asked, her eyes swivelling to track her sulky movements.

"I'm not upset! And even if I were, it wouldn't be about something as ridiculous as that."

"Okay," Fade blinked and raised her scaled eyebrow, wandering into another patch. "Then why are you so upset?"

"I'm not," she said sulkily as she kicked through the grass in search of that stupid animal - and abruptly changed the subject, "Swampmother, I'm never keeping a pet, or a child, or anything that you have to run after anytime, ever. I can't believe we're doing this."