He puts an affectionate arm around his shoulder, giving him a gentle squeeze.

"I promised you I would let your shoes get dirty, didn't I?"

Now that the death toll's resolved itself, he's lighter. A little happier than he had been before.

He opens the door that he's already programmed into a mountanous landscape, the snow light on the ground and a chill in the air. There are big clouds distant in the sky, but it's otherwise a beautiful, sunny day, crisp air with a touch of early morning frost.

He slides on a coat he'd already programmed in. "How's this?"