Avi stepped onto Floor 17, fists clenched and heart pounding. He watched his feet as the party took a few steps into knee-high grass.

"Boss floor, let's go," Kimi said, touching the hilts of her daggers. "Stegosaurus herd first, or the brontosaurus pair?"

"No," Avi hissed.

There was a pause, then Nikki put a hand on his shoulder. "Avi-"

"No!" he snapped, swatting her away. "I'm not fighting here! You made me fight the wolves, but I'm not fighting dinosaurs! I don't care what happens, I refuse to hurt my velociraptors!" Avi turned his back on them, arms crossed.

Another pause.

"Ok," Y said casually.

Avi didn't buy it. He looked over his shoulder, glaring at Y. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt them."

Before he could reply, Nikki took a step forward and wrapped Avi in a hug.

"I won't, either," she whispered.

Avi huffed. "Why not?"

"They're our velociraptors," she said. "I can't watch my pets get hurt."

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"So why are you ok with me killing wolves?"

Nikki sighed. "I'd rather you kill wolves than get left behind. But there are limits. If you kill Lex and Tim, then you aren't Avi any more."

He watched the spinosaurus, remembering the Admin's threat. He wondered how much he could change and still be him. He wondered if the Admin would change him anyway, and if Nikki would notice. If Nikki would still love him.

"This sucks," he muttered.

Nikki's arms tightened around him. "Yeah."

* * * * *

Dear Diary,

It's been a week since I wrote last. Things are… better. Avi isn't mad any more. Things aren't completely, totally ok though. I don't think they will be for a while.

We haven't been to Floor 93.5, but the others have. They say there's no specific theme this cycle, it's just a basic summer-y amusement park. Apparently Emmy thinks that if exciting things happen every cycle, the average dungeon dweller will lose appreciation for it. So occasionally she's going to specifically do nothing interesting.

I get that. Plus it gives people time to do their own stuff, on their own floors.

Next cycle Emmy's going to make everything spooky, with fog and creepy music. She's borrowing a couple giant spiders and eyebats from various floors. The hedge maze is going to be turned black, and the mosquitoes are practicing eerie music. So that's going to be fun.

I hope we actually get to see it. This cycle we're doing quests and fighting, but I don't want to spend all next cycle doing that, too.

Plus Cycle 60 is a fair cycle, and I want to make cookies for that. I… I have stuff to do, dang it! I know being with Avi and helping him prove he can fight is important, but I want to do my stuff, too!

…It's just for a little while more. I don't mind putting my stuff on pause for two cycles, it's only two cycles. I really shouldn't complain. Looking at the bigger picture, it's really nothing at all.

Really.

I can do this.

Goodnight, Dungeon…