He let the lunch declaration pass without comment - Horace wonderedif the aquarium sold mozzerella sticks. Then Hattie's hand hit him. Her eyes were not on Horace but on some distant tank and he tried to snatch her hand. And then it hit him in the face.
"Hey!" He tried to lick it. Eventually though, Harley grabbed him by the wrist and they were off.
It was kind of fun, he thought, being in the people-ish world again, doing normal, people-ish things. If she didn't have a minipet by her birthday, Horace resolved to find Hattie the cutest, fishiest little thing for her. If Life Division made aquactic minipet tanks... hmm. His thoughts broke as he excited words reached his ears. Grinning, he smooshed his face up right against hers and, for once, didn't grouse about being called 'smutbot'.
"That one is really, really fat." He poked his finger out at one. It swam by lazily, unconcerned with one boy's weighty opinion.
"Also, they have a real man o' war here too!" Hattie's bouncing enthusiasm was utterly infectious. He pressed his face closer and the snakebites clinked faintly. The temptation to clink his tongue piercing against the glass was almost overwhelming.... and any germs on the glass would be neutralized by the weapon bond. Horace shot Hattie a look from the corner of his eye.
