Boone puts up his arms and yells out at Lester, exasperated. "The point? That IS the point!" He crosses his arms over his chest and gives him a slightly disgusted look. "Besides. I don't like the way you talk about her. It grosses me." Lester holds his paw in an "L" shape over his forehead. "Yeah, yeah. If that's the way yer gonna be about it, you can forget abouddit. No cuddles? No car." Boone strikes (what he thinks is) a sexy pose. "Huh. Is that all? Just cuddles? You could've asked ME." He grins, pointing to himself. "Unlike Echo, I don't really care about losing my dignity. And I'm a better cuddler, too." He flexes his giant biceps. "I mean, LOOK! I got huggin' arms!" Lester laughs out loud, finding Boone hysterical. "HAHAHA! Yer serious?! I'm lookin' for quality offers, Lunchmeat. Not a consolation prize!!!"

Book 2.38: Consolation Prize
- October 14th, 2024

#readslumbertown #labyrinth #webcomics

We see the top of the Lost and Found building overhead, outside, while the heads of the characters speak over it. Echo: "Anyway... we'll get it back for ya by nightfall. Just hang tight." Regina: "Oh, bless you all!" Boone: "Thanks, but - I didn't sneeze. HEY! Why is that a thing we say after sneezin' anyway?" Echo: "....." Boone: "Do you have any idea? Echo?" Boone and Echo see Regina off, who waves at them, while Romy steels up their courage to speak up. 'Whew. Alright. If that pearl really is the same as the one I saw in my room this morning, I gotta speak up and let them know! Here goes..." She speaks up, "Er. H-hey, you guys. I think I miiiight know -" Boone is busy clearing wax out of his ear and doesn't hear her, interrupting Romy without even realizing: "AWRIGHT! Let's go, TEAM! Ready for your first day of training, kid?" Romy, petrified: 'They didn't hear me. My voice... was it too quiet?' Echo leans over to Boone. "I CAN trust you with this one, right?" Boone laughs. "Oh, Echo! Surely, you jest! You know you can always count on your good pal Booooone..." Romy, still in thought, 'I NEED to try again! But... how do I get them to notice me?" Loud music suddenly sounds from Romy's pocket as their cellphone goes off again. The spotlight is then immediately put over them, and they shyly hunch over and dip their paws into their pockets as Boone and Echo direct their attention toward them.

Book 1.38: Too Quiet
- October 7th, 2019

#readslumbertown #thepearl #webcomics

There's another closeup of Lester's sharp teeth as he snickers deviously. "Heheheheheh..." He swings an arm drunkenly around Boone and nuzzles up to his ear. "K, farm boy. Lez talk business. Ya mind hookin' Les up with that cute lady friend of yours?" Boone grits his teeth and averts his eyes, bewildered. "Whuh - ... ROMY... ?!" Lester grips Boone's face with his claws and reins him in uncomfortably close to his own face. "Don't play dumb, dipshiz. You know who I'm talkin' about... that bat friend of ya's... *hic!* The suave detective girl..." Boone looks back at Lester and says very plainly, "But. Echo's GAY." Lester shoves a slightly miffed Boone away. "Heh? Yer point?"

Book 2.37: Echo's Gay
- October 7th, 2024

#readslumbertown #labyrinth #webcomics

Romy starts thinking to themselves, processing Echo's words. 'Huh? Bending reality? Er - of course! That was a joke. And you're... supposed to laugh at jokes. Oh, geez. Don't just stand there, Romy. LAUGH!' Romy then starts laughing loudly and in a very uncharacteristic way, confusing Echo. Boone's hoof then paps Romy's on the shoulder from off-screen. "Oh - by the way!" He directs Romy by the shoulders toward Regina, showing her off excitedly. "Regina, the is ROMY! She's new and she's workin' here with us now!" Regina puts her hand to her mouth and gives Romy a look of pity. "Oh my." She takes a closer look at Romy's red hoodie. "This worn, washed-out hoodie... it must be over seven or eight years old! Such an unfortunate state... you poor dear." Romy, embarrassed beyond belief, turns away, blushing and trembling in the foreground, as Boone apologies to Regina on her behalf. "Oh. Uh. You'll have to excuse Romy. She's a little shy! Anyway - about that, uhh... that thing we were talkin' about..."

Book 1.37: Ha ha ha!
- September 30, 2019

#readslumbertown #thepearl #webcomics

Boone nervously bites his fingernails (hooves?) as Romy continues speaking, trying to dig into the act that she's already botched severely. "It... doesn't have to be a ride. We dogs don't even enjoy car rides all that mu - er... th-that's... a lie, actually. Sorry." Boone finally paps Romy (gently) on the mouth, grinning back at Lester. Lester chortles loudly, spit flying from his tongue, between serrated yellow teeth. "GAHAHA!! How stupid do ya think I am?! If it's my car yer after... the answer's noooooooooo." He tentatively bites the top of his bottle, in thought. "Unless." He starts swigging the booze down again, while Boone waits for him to complete that thought. "Unless... WHAT, Les?" Lester burps messily, wiping his tongue across the sleeve of his jacket. "There is... ONE thing you could do fer ole Les... a FAVOR, mayhapsh?" Boone, patiently, but cautiously: "Alright. I'm listening..."

Book 2.36: Unless...
- September 30, 2024

#readslumbertown #labyrinth #webcomics

The frog lady clasps her hands to her chest. "One of my pearls! It's missing! This family heirloom has been in my family for generations and -" Boone interrupts her casually. "Right, right. It's been missin' before. We'll find it again!" The frog lady's throat sac expands comedically in reaction. Romy meanwhile thinks back to when they were in their hotel room that morning. 'I'm... pretty sure I saw a pearl just like that in my hotel room this morning. Could it really belong to such an important heirloom?" Echo's voice interrupts, and Romy perks their ear attentively. "Y'know... she always loses that same pearl on her necklace. Just the one. Frequently, too." Romy: "... really?" "Mm-hm." Echo goes on, sipping her Diet O, while Romy listens with skepticism. "We've noticed the one pearl in particular is imbued with special properties. Namely, the ability to alter perceptions... by bending reality around it. The usual stuff." Two panels in the background show Boone presenting a cactus to Echo in the desert, which suddenly transforms into a tree in a forest. As Echo explains this to Romy, Boone is busy trying to calm Regina down. "Oh, heh - sorry, 'Gina! Do you really not remember though? You lost that thing, like, three days ago... it was in the trash can... the wormhole inside the trash can..."

Book 1.36: Family Heirloom
- September 23, 2019

#readslumbertown #thepearl #webcomics

Lester speaks to the two of them with his back turned. "What's a couple'a chumps like you doin' here anyway? Ain't NOBODY come visitin' ole Les in his dump. And why would ya?" He turns around, grinning a bit threateningly. "Nah. I'd say you got OTHER incentives. Yer here 'cuz you want somethin;. Am I right? Or am I correct? *hic*" Boone sweats and grins widely with his arms behind his head, trying to play it casual, while Romy averts their eyes guiltily. Boone then pumps his fist and puts on a friendly act. "Aw... c'mon, Les! WE'RE PALS! Just lookin' for a friendly hangout with our favorite friend-o!" He leans down and whispers to Romy, "... a little help, buddy?" Romy, caught off guard, and fully unable to lie convincingly, adds, "Y-yeah! A hangout. Like... a car ride?" Realizing she gave away the game accidentally by being too honest, she continues, "I MEAN - a bike? My bike? A bike... ride... without a car..." Boone waves his hands back and forth from behind, urging Romy to stop.

Book 2.35: Good Ole Bribery
- September 23, 2024

#readslumbertown #labyrinth #webcomics

A dinging sounds from outside the door. Boone pauses from over the table, grinning sheepishly at Echo, who stares at him, a bit irritated, while spikes from the cactus stick out of her fur. "..... err. Hold that thought." He leaps up suddenly, shocking Romy. "COMRADES! Our assistance is henceforth summoned! Let's roll!" He then rushes toward the dinging door. "Calm down, we're comin' WE'RE COMIN'! Yeesh!" Echo calls Romy to attention by softly saying their name. "Romy." She further instructs Romy as her superior, "That means you too. Go on." Romy, nervously, "O... okay..." Romy walks out with Echo following her from behind. Romy self-consciously hunches, feeling Echo's curious eyes on her. 'I can feel her eyes boring into me. Why? Why is she staring at me?' As they make their way out, Boone is leaned against the front desk, talking to a green spotted frog lady wearing a pearl necklace. He's yammering on about something. "Gee, those were good times, huh? Kinda reminds me of... oh! There was this joke I heard once, where this guy, he - .... uh, wait. What were we talkin' about again?" Romy directs their attention immediately to the pearl necklace the frog lady is wearing, which is very similar to the pearl she saw on her nightstand that morning... and there's a spot in the necklace where a pearl seems to be clearly missing. 'Wait a minute. Is that... that necklace..."

Book 1.35: Something Familiar
- September 16, 2019

#readslumbertown #thepearl #webcomics

Boone and Romy look up at Les in a panel framed between his legs. Romy waves in a friendly way, but Boone grimaces slightly, "Ah. Hey, Les." Lester points to them accusingly. "Didn't ya see the sign? It says 'No Trespassin'. *hic*." Boone looks over at a sign behind him that says "Yield" with a walking pedestrian on it. He looks back at Les. "It says 'Yield to Pedestrians'." Lester looks genuinely shocked. "HEH?!" He walks off drunkenly. ".... so it seems. Guess yer off the hook then. But only for today."

Book 2.34: No Trespassin'
- September 16, 2024

#readslumbertown #labyrinth #webcomics

Echo cracks open a soda that says Diet O: Bloody Good! She, Romy and Boone are then seen sitting at a round table, playing a card game. Romy is sitting next to a silly looking cactus with a face on it. Echo, boredly: "Okay... your turn, Boone." Romy looks down at the cards in their paws and starts sweating. 'Oh, geez. I'm still not sure I understand the rules of this game. But it's kinda too late to ask for clarification. Right?" The cards include characters such as Dark Blacktus, King Cactus, Protractus and Cutetus. 'L-let's see... these numbers have gotta mean something..." Boone concentrates on the cards in his hooves. "Hmmm..." He slams down a card that says 'Smacktus' featuring a cactus with boxing gloves. "Ah-HA! An old friend appears!" Echo: "Really... ? How is it that you always end up-" Boone smacks Echo in the face with the googly-eyed cactus, while Romy dodges out of the way. "HAH! Talk backtus, get SMACKTUS!!!"

Book 1.34: Smacktus!
- September 9, 2019

#readslumbertown #thepearl #webcomics

Romy sits up on top of a pile of rubble. "Where are we? A pile of trash?" They put on their hat and make a sneaky self-deprecating comment, while Boone points at them angrily from a distance. "... I guess that's where I belong. Hah." He jabs a pointed finger at their nose. "HEY! What did I say about self-deprecating?" Romy, paws up, tail frazzled: "No deprecating? Sorry." Boone squints his eyes and bends down to their level. "And what did I say about apologizing?!" Romy, grinning widely and sheepishly and sweating a whole lot: "Uh." A voice interrupts them, and Lester's foot is seen standing above them on a taller pile of trash. "'EY! What's all that yappin'?"

Book 2.33: Trash Talk
- September 9, 2024

#readslumbertown #labyrinth #webcomics

Boone makes a goofy calculated face, like he wants to make a retort, but doesn't. He slumps down on a beanbag chair. "So ANYWAY... what do you guys wanna do now? Besides sleep?" Romy looks around nervously. "Oh, um... should we be... I dunno... working?" Echo approaches her. "When there's work to do, sure." She tilts her glasses downward and makes an unintentional cool/dramatic pose. "Until then, we wait. Some days, we'll get a job do to. Other days, we won't. You'll have to get used to having a lot of downtime." Boone's eyes light up. "Oh! I KNOW! Let's play Attacktus!" Echo waves her hand, amused. "Ooooooor we could play a game that's ACTUALLY fun. Less frivolous, like -" Boone smooshes his snout against hers. "Oh, we're playing it. And this 34 time champion is gonna kick your tail at it, too!"

Book 1.33: Downtime
- September 2, 2019

#readslumbertown #thepearl #webcomics

Boone and Romy soar into the air with twisty tornado funnels extending from their lower halves. Boone: YAAAH HOO HOO HOOEEEEEEY!!!" They fly straight down into the junkyard, where they land unceremoniously across a heap of garbage and salvage. Boone: "ow."

Book 2.32: Wasted
- September 2, 2024

#readslumbertown #labyrinth #webcomics

There's a pause as Boone and Romy enter the room, to a sleepy Echo hanging upside down from a pipe. She squints her eyes open. "Y'know, there are better ways of interrupting a bat nap." She grins a bit sardonically. "My personal favorite: Don't." She then yawns, as Romy waves up at her, and Boone looks between the two of them in shock. "But hey. Fancy seeing you here, New Girl. I forgot to introduce myself last night. Just call me Echo. Guess I'll be seeing you around more often." Boone gets dramatically teary-eyed. "Hold up! HOLD UP! You mean you guys've already met? And you didn't even TELL ME?!" He gives Romy a rough noogie on the head while Echo smirks from across the room. "Uh! Well... ! Guess what? Me 'n Romy are super close too! Best buddies, in fact! Isn't that right, kiddo?" Echo: "Mm-hm. Not sure I believe that, but okay."

Book 1.32: Hey, New Girl
- August 26, 2019

#readslumbertown #thepearl #webcomics

Boone and Romy rush in a looney tunes-esque flurry. You can see their Boone/Romy-shaped holes in the side of the building behind them as their feet rush in super speed. Romy: 'W-we're going too fast!' Boone points behind himself. "Oop - I think we just passed it." His pupils turn to arrows as he looks behind himsef. "Whuh?! There it is again!" He grins back at Romy, who is struggling with the hyperspeed, arms flailing like noodles behind them. Boone: "Ready to jump, Romy?" Romy: "Huh?"

Book 2.31: Caffeine Rush
- August 26, 2024

#readslumbertown #labyrinth #webcomics

Boone slamming the door down with extreme force while Romy cowers in his shadow. *WHAM!!!* Boone, in a singsong voice, "Echooooooooooo Echooooooo! Time to wake up-oh!"

Book 1.31: Call to Arms
- August 19, 2019

#readslumbertown #thepearl #webcomics

Boone: "ehehehe YEAH!" Romy and Boone's legs start cycling so fast that they turn into big toony speed circles. Romy's eyes pop out of their sockets in shock! Boone starts rushing quickly, Romy behind him in a much more panicked state. Romy, with tears pouring from their eye. "OH - OH NO." The scene transitions to Echo outside of the gas station, still staring at the dispenser in a perplexed state. Boone and Romy then crash out the side of the building behind her, Boone yelling "WAHOOOOOOOO!". Echo's ears fly back from the wind but she is otherwise too focused to notice them.

Book 2.30: Wahooooo!
- August 19, 2024

#readslumbertown #labyrinth #webcomics

Romy fantasizes about being friends with Boone, while he stands there smiling, arm slung around their shoulder. 'Friends, huh...?' In the fantasies, they're watching tv together, hiking, eating at a restaurant, and Boone's throwing a frisbee for Romy in the park. Back to the present, Boone shows Romy to a door labelled "staff only". Boone: "Movin' on! This is the break room. It's... where we spend most of our time. Many precious memories were made behind this very door!" He strides off down the hall, leaving Romy in front of the door. "Oh... ! Check this out, city dog. I'm gonna demonstrate how we do things back home in the country. Stand back 'n clear the way!" Romy looks over in surprise. Boone is posed at the other end of the hall, like he's about to charge at Romy full-force. "Hey, ROMY! You ready for this?" Romy, scared, "W-wait... ! What -" Boone rushes toward them, and Romy puts their paws up to protect themselves from a collision.

Book 1.30: A Demonstration
- August 19, 2019

#readslumbertown #thepearl #webcomics

Blue lightning bolts form in Romy's large pupils as they are handed the magical energy drink. Boone: "CHEERS!" He clinks his energy drink against Romy's. Romy takes a humble sip, then suddenly transforms into a rounder, more rubberhose-style toony style of themselves. They look at their gloved hands in awe. "What - what's happening?" Boone looks at them from afar, equally toony, but far giddier. Boone rubs his gloved hands together deviously, his pupils looking a tad maniacal. "Ohohoho Eeeeeeeverything's happening..." Boone puts their hands to their face dramatically, their hat popping off their head in a toon style fashion. "W-whadoo we do NOW?" Boone leaps up into the air, steam coming out of his nostrils and his underwear sporting a more toonish red polka dot pattern. "We run." Romy tugs at their collar. "Run? Ulp."

Book 2.29: A Toon of Trouble
- August 12, 2024

#readslumbertown #labyrinth #webcomics

Boone guides Romy down a hallway. "Aaaaaaand that's about it! That's what we do here?" He then mentions, "What about you, kid?" Romy points to themselves, caught off guard a bit. "M-me... ?" Boone leans against the wall, looking a bit large and imposing on the shy and thoughtful Romy. "YEAH! Dallas said you were some kind of therapist?" Romy: "Oh, um... kind of... ?" "That's cool! I don't think we've ever had a therapy dog in Slumber." Romy retreats to their mind space again, feeling confused. 'I mean... I was studying to BECOME a therapist... wasn't I? Did I actually graduate though? Funny... I don't recall... Shouldn't I KNOW something like that? It seems... kind of important... but -" Boone places a hoof on their shoulder, breaking their thoughts. "Anyway. Romy." A distance shot shows Romy smiling up at Boone as he smiles down at them. "I'm glad you're here. I think we'll end up being great friends! I talk a lot. You... don't talk much at all. We're, like, the PERFECT pair!"

Book 1.29: The Perfect Pair
- August 12, 2019

#readslumbertown #thepearl #webcomics

Boone opens the energy drink and a magic-looking blue steam rises from it. Romy, nervously, "Energy drinks? Aren't those... kinda bad for you?" Boone grins while pulling another one off the shelf. "Ah. Not in moderation, my compadre." Romy covers their nose slightly, while Boone huffs it in. Romy: "It, uh. Mostly smells like toxic chemicals." Boone: "Lovely, isn't it?" Romy, sheepishly, "My mom never let me try one." Boone: "Really?" "She said they'd make me sprout extra limbs." Boone imagines Romy on a stage, with an extra pair of arms and legs, playing a guitar with a top hat and singing "New Bork New Bork". Boone. "That's cooler than what my ma used to say. Imagine what you could do with an extra arm... or a leg!" Romy blushes, curiosity getting to them. "... I guess I am a bit curious." Boone shouting and smiling, "That's the spirit! PEER PRESSURE!" He hands the first drink over to Romy, apologetically. "Heh. Gee. No actual pressure, though." Romy wipes their nose absentmindedly. "... thanks..." Boone cracks the second drink open. "Of course! What kinda big brother would I be if I wasn't a bad influence once 'n a while?"

Book 2.28: Peer Pressure
- August 5, 2024

#readslumbertown #labyrinth #webcomics

An overhead shot of the Lost and Found building displays it being much more rundown than it is currently, with an arrow pointing to it saying 'EMPTY'. Boone narrates: "This place didn't exist, once upon a time. Well, the building existed. It was just old and abandoned. Presumably." He's seen shaking hooves with Dallas. "Like you, I was originally hired on by Dallas! I was his right hoof goat!" A transitionary "KA-BLAH!" reveals the two of them hanging around, bored, with nothing to do. "Thing is... we found out pretty quickly that there wasn't a whole lot of crime in Slumber." Boone shifts his eyes dramatically. "You know what there WAS, though?" A wall full of papers with requests on them is shown, with Boone staring at them from the shadows. The requests as follows: "Lost watch. Return ASAP. Do not tamper with it. -Ed" "I lost my ski goggles. They look like this: *doodle* (sorry, not an artist) - blanche" "Lost my camera, I don't have a picture of it. Please return it to Piper! THANK YOU!" Boone: "Missing reports - TONS of 'em! Not for folks, necessarily. Most of the reports were for missing OBJECTS. These townies are just really good at losin' stuff, I guess!" He slings an axe over his shoulder and looks back at the building. "So Dallas resumed work at the station. I, meanwhile, took occupancy here... AND? Turned this place into the Lost 'n Found!" He crosses his arms with a grin, while a silhouetted bat character (Echo) stands across from him. "Ever since that fateful day, my partner 'n I made it our MISSION to serve civilians in need! They lose it - we FIND it! It's a very efficient system."

Book 1.28: History Lesson
- August 5, 2019

#readslumbertown #thepearl #webcomics

Romy's phone buzzes again and they shove it back into their pockets. Boone's ear perks. "Whuh? What was that?" Romy, sweating nervously, "Oh! Th-that was me. I... uh... farted?" Boone, while bending over a row of energy drinks, looks back at Romy, shocked by their reply, then bursts out laughing. "HAHAHA!" He waves a hoof in front of his face, digging into Romy humorously as they stand there embarrassed. "Phew! You gotta warn someone before you let it rip like that!" Romy: "Sorry. It happened so fast..." Boone, still gleeful, "Aww, I totally get ya, bud! They sneak up on me aaaaaall the time. Especially after I've had my 10 pounds've morning corn." He cracks open an energy drink, a Blue Bison, while an amused tear trickles from his eye. "Haaa... speakin' of fast. Ready to find out how we fast-travel around Slumber?"

Book 2.27: It's a Gas!
- July 29, 2024

#readslumbertown #labyrinth #webcomics

Boone waves enthusiastically to Dallas in the distance. Dallas tips his hat. "Mornin', Boone. Rosemary." Boone calls after him as he walks away in a serious detective-like way. "Heeeyyyy, let's catch up later, okay?! We can go to the sand dunes and uh... I don't know, pretend we're catchin' outlaws in the old wild west... just you 'n me? Yeah, okay!" He wipes away a tear in good humor, while Romy waves shyly at Dallas from afar. "Love that guy. He 'n I are... how does the phrase go? Tighter than corn on a cob?" He stops in mid-thought. "Uhhh. Where were we? Right!" He gestures to the signs on the building above their heads. "WELCOME TO THE LOST 'N FOUND! Your new home away from home." He rambles on, bored with his own explanations. "I s'ppose this is the part where I gotta tell you all about what we do here and baa baa blaaaaaah." He gently pats Romy on the back. "So listen up, my esteemed pupil. Your pal Boone is gonna give you a little history lesson. It all started in ancient times... two years ago? Three? No one really knows..." There are signs near the door that say "Come on in!" and "Or post here" with an arrow pointing to something off screen.

Book 1.27: Lost and Found
- July 29, 2019

#readslumbertown #thepearl #webcomics

Romy enters the gas station convenience store, where Boone is preoccupied pulling items off shelves, including a bag of "Cheesy Paws". "Hrm, let's see... Oh! Cheesy Paws. We might need those." Boone continues rambling to himself, and Romy sneakily pulls out their phone and checks it while he's too busy to notice. "Hol' up! Is that I think it is? Yes! Tin Lidz! Haven't seen those since I was a kid! To that..." His voice fades off as Romy checks their phone in shock. "... discontinued... safety hazard..." Romy begins sweating. 'No way. It couldn't be...' Their phone screen displays a mystery number with a couple of texts: "Hello? Are you still there?" Romy: 'It... might be the same person from before. The one who spoke to me in that dream..." They look around, unsure of what to do. 'Should I... try responding? Here? And right now?'

Book 2.26: Hello Again
- July 22, 2024

#readslumbertown #labyrinth #webcomics

An excitable broad-shouldered goat in a pink shirt and bell collar waves over at Romy. Romy approaches him with their bike, still blushing from embarrassment. The goat: "You're Rosemary, right? Here for your sweet new job in the middle of NowhereTown?" Romy puts a hand to their forehead awkwardly and averts their eyes. "W-well... yes. But I prefer Romy. If that's okay." The goat, apologetically, "Sure thing! Romy it is!" He points both thumbs toward his chest. "You can call me BOONE!" He slings an axe over his shoulder. "Axe-wielding legend!" He poses in a leather jacket with a mic. "Theatre aficionado!" He munches on a piece of straw. "And boone-a-fied small town goat!" He gestures to the building they're standing in front of, which is right next to the detective agency Romy interviewed at the night before. This building is much taller and has a large sign on it that says "Lost and Found". Boone: "Now, you may be thinkin'... 'GOLLY, Boone. This sure doesn't LOOK like the place I was interviewed. Just looks like some other rundown building." He continues explaining. "... and you'd be correct! You see, it may LOOK abandoned, but it's actually -" He's interrupts himself, pointing fingers somewhere off-screen. "Oh, HOLD UP! It's Dallas, my main 'dilly-o! HEY, DAL'!"

Book 1.26: First Day
- July 22, 2019

#readslumbertown #thepearl #webcomics

As Echo's eyes (and mind) are still scrambled with binary code, Boone chuckles from behind, no idea of the stress Echo is under. "The 'smart person stuff'? Yeeeeeah. I'll leave you to that." He clasps Romy on both shoulders. "Welp, you heard the boss, Romy. To the junkyard we go." He suddenly booms loudly and excitedly, causing Romy to hold their ears from the volume. "HEY! Speaking of - I just got one of my OWN bright ideas!" He heads away to the gas station convenience store, kicking out his leg. "... and it's a GOOD one this time! Follow me, kid!!" Romy starts following with a smile on their face, when their phone buzzes, and they stiffen upright in a panic. 'W-was that... a text message?' Echo takes note of Romy from afar, and silently observes. Boone, off-screen: "Romy?" Romy: "Y-yeah! Coming..."

Book 2.25: A Little Buzz
- July 15, 2024

#readslumbertown #labyrinth #webcomics

Romy's anxious thoughts are seen on an overhead shot of the motel. 'Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay.' They get on their bike and start racing back down the same path they biked to last night. Determined, 'This is it. First day on the job. I should... try to practice before I get there.' Romy holds up a paw and starts mimicking a fancy/posh greeting. "A... AHEM. Salutations, f-fellow colleagues. I have arrived from the land of New Bork to -" They stop themselves. "N-no. Too formal. Um." They put on a cool/suave voice. "What's barkin', homedogs? Oh, you know me, I'm always... k-keepin' it real. Real fuzzy. Hah..." They start sweating with deeper apprehension. 'Urgh. That's not right either! Okay, one more try. Third time's the charm, right?" They smile, a bit friendlier. "Hi, I'm R-Romy! I'm a dog. Oh. Er. Is it that obvious? I'm sorry. Uh..." A voice cuts in, alerting Romy and causing them to blush self-consciously. "HEY! You! Over here!!"

Book 1.25: Practice
- July 15, 2019

#readslumbertown #thepearl #webcomics

Boone gives Echo a sheepish side eye, while she stands there holding up the power drill. "Okay, Yeah. Sure." He throws up his arms. "But the car is one thing." He pauses theatrically. "Lester is... kinda another." Echo blows an amused raspberry. "Ptth. Nonsense." We pan to a view of Romy and Boone standing next to each other - Romy with ear turned awkwardly inside-out, grinning and trembling and sweating with nervousness, and Boone looking away distractedly while absentmindedly scratching underneath his shirt, still in his underwear. Echo: "With your wildly irresistible charm, and Romy's people pleasing tendencies, convincing him should be a piece of cake for you two." Boone, unconvinced: "But Lester is so..." He grimaces. "LESTER." Echo looks back at them from a computer screen presenting rows of binary code. "Yeah. And? Just get a head start, then." The numbers reflect in her glasses' lenses, and she's lacking her usual confidence. "I'll catch up when I'm done... figuring this out..."

Book 2.24: More or Les
- July 8, 2024

#readslumbertown #labyrinth #webcomics

Romy holds up the pearl between their fingers and cautiously observes it. 'Oh, uh. I don't think I remember seeing this here last night...' They sniff at it tentatively. 'What even is it? Smells kind of expensive. Did somebody leave it behind without me noticing? But... that would mean...' They paralyze themselves into self-doubt, anxious thoughts shooting down at them like arrows. 'Oh no, NOT AGAIN. I'm still thinking about that job interview. I made such a FOOL of myself... why...' (You probably sounded so STUPID! They made a huge MISTAKE hiring you...) They squint their eyes open as a realization suddenly dawns on them. '... wait a minute. Job interview.' Their eyes widen with anxiety and they drop the pearl in a panic. They grab their phone off the nightstand and book it out of the hotel room, leaving the pearl behind on the floor. 'That's RIGHT! I gotta get down to my new job, like... right now!' They scurry down the stairs and past the broken elevator from the night before. 'Oh dog... please don't let me be late!'

Book 1.24: Late!
- July 8, 2019

#readslumbertown #thepearl #webcomics