Everybody wants to be a cat [open]

[absentconstellation]

WHO: The Cat and You
WHERE: Anywhere, everywhere
WHEN: All month August
WHAT: Cat-like things
WARNINGS: None

The Cat has had almost a fortnight to explore his new home. He has been given a job, one which interests him enough to keep up with it. He has a room in a house in Heropa - he has no real interest in using it. Instead he does as he has always done. He wanders, looking for interesting humans, scavenging food whenever he likes. It isn't hard in these bustling cities, all so conveniently linked by porters. He isn't terribly pleased that he can't travel as freely as he used to, but it doesn't bother him too much either. He has lived eons in thousands of different places, and he has always made do.

A.
One of the ways he makes do is by the clever use of two-leggers. So many of them are fond of animals and willing to give one food and shelter, at least for a short time. So he picks a human and follows them, never alerting them to his presence but not going out of his way to hide himself, either. He will follow them into buildings and out of them, whether it seems like he should have been physically able to or not.

B.
It's raining. He hates the rain. He can dry himself easily enough, but that doesn't stop it from being terribly uncomfortable as it falls down on him. He doesn't pick or choose, he simply finds a door and races through it out of the cold and the wet.

Sorry, was that rude? He doesn't care.

Comments

B

[tactical_lalafel]

Malms is inside, reading some fantasy novel and being annoyed at the clear inconsistencies in its magic, when he notices that a cat has slipped in through the front door, open to catch the breeze from the rain. He puts down the book and slides off the chair to the ground.

"Well, hello there," the tiny wizard says conversationally, but clearly not expecting a response. "Can't say I blame you for slipping out of the rain, but we're not really a cat-friendly house at the moment. Knock anything down, and it's back out with you."

[absentconstellation]

He shakes himself off before walking up to sniff the man. Ah yes, he knows that smell. Magic. He mews cutely, staring up at Malms with big purple eyes. He most certainly will not knock anything down.

[tactical_lalafel]

The cat doesn't have very far to look - even in boots with a relatively large heel, the Lalafell barely stand three feet high as he offers a hand to be sniffed. The scent of magic on him is powerful - of the schools of magic practiced in Eorzea, thaumaturgy is notable for its raw power, and Malms' tutelage in the formally-banned teachings honed by the black mages of Mhach has only intensified that. There are any number of mages more broadly skilled, more deeply schooled in using their power to precise and subtle effect, but in pure aetherial strength, he had no .

Right now, that strength lies dormant though, as he smiles at the cat. "You're awfully friendly, for someone with no collar," he comments. A thought occurs to him, and he adds, "Um, you're not some shapeshifting imPort or something, are you? I ask to avoid awkwardness later."

[absentconstellation]

With it full in his face, the power makes him sneeze. He shakes his head to clear it and begins the work of cleaning his face.

Ordinary cat here, nothing to see, nope.

[tactical_lalafel]

"All right, I asked," Malms says. "But if it turns out you can communicate and just aren't, I'll take that as a sign of disrespect, and I don't make a habit of sharing food with people who disrespect me."

On that note, he turns and heads toward the kitchen - he's in the mood for a snack anyway.

A. De Chima

[protects_the_small]

Kel mostly strides about on her errands with purpose, smiling faintly at anyone who would meet her eyes, but always hurrying on. This has the nice side effect of having most people move out of her way without having to push through crowded areas.
Her focus does mean that she isn't the most observant with what's behind her...but once she moves out of the farmer's market, basket quite full, and into the less bustling side streets, the little shadow flitting behind her becomes much more obvious.

Stepping into an alleyway, Kel kneels and glances behind her at this shadow's height.

"If you're looking for more jerky, there's easier ways to ask."

[absentconstellation]

He can think of several ways to ask, but none of them have the advantage of giving him a chance to observe this woman who smells so much of home.

Still, if she's offering. He pass out of the shadows to sit at her feet and meows politely up at her.

[protects_the_small]

"It's turkey this time. Not a meat I know, but apparently it's a bird they have in this country."

Kel digs in her pack, brings out the bag, and offers a piece to the cat.

"Have you been dragged here all on your own, then? If you've got someone to feed you regularly, you shouldn't have to spend so much time following me, I'm sure."

[absentconstellation]

He takes it neatly and swallows. Turkey... yes, he's met the turkey gods. Big creatures, and evidently quite delicious. His whiskers twitch in amusement at the thought of telling that to the gods themselves.

He butts his head against her calf and rubs against it. He has plenty of access to food, but it's so much nicer to be fed.

A. Heropa

[drizzle]

It isn't until Nike took a final turn around the corner, heading to her assign housing in Heropa, that she finally takes notice of the small black blur of fur trailing after her. To be fair, she did notice her small furry stalker a few blocks away, but didn't think too much about it. Honestly, she thought it was a stray cat. She still did; however she wasn't the best cat person as the one already living in her own housing tends to ignore her unless she needed food or wanted to bounce on her in the early morning hours.

Whatever the case, Nike will notice the cat following after her with great interest.

"Are you lost?" it was all she'll ask from a distance after turning around to greet it. A small smile will form on her lips as she kneels down, extending an inviting hand, asking it to come a little closer.

"I won't hurt you. I only want to take a good look at you," began to explain Nike before adding with a small laugh, "...although, I don't know if you'll get close or not. I know Atoli never does whenever I try to invite her over." What are cats? She didn't get them at all.

[absentconstellation]

He shows no fear whatever, padding up to sniff her hand. So that answers that, at least.

So about that food?

[drizzle]

There will be an astonish expression appearing on her face when the cat decided to get closer, sniffing her hand. What is this? A cat that actually wants to get close to her. What does she do now!?

a) Attempt to pet it?
b) Take it home?
c) Pet and walk away from it?
d) Ignore it and go on home?

She'll definitely do a mix of a and b. Hand extending to attempt scratching it behind the ears.

"Do you want to come home with me? I bet you're hungry, right?" asked Nike wondering if she should offer to carry it home now.

[absentconstellation]

The Cat is amused by this strange two-legger who clearly doesn't have much experience with cats. He could probably answer her verbally without her freaking out, but he doesn't particularly feel like it. Instead he turns his head so that her fingers catch just the right place at the base of his ears and mews approvingly.

B

[stitchwitchbitches]

Oh of course he had to go out and about while it rained. Once he'd figured out how to change at will... it seemed like a great idea. Wander around and get the lay of the land, without people realizing who and what he was.

But then it rains.

And his first instinct is to dart into the open door along with the black cat.

[absentconstellation]

He can tell the other cat isn't quite what it seems, but his senses are muddled. He can't tell why exactly he thinks that. It just seems wrong somehow.

Safely inside the building he stops to shake himself off, and begins cleaning himself to stall. Maybe it will become apparent.

[stitchwitchbitches]

Ew, ew ew... He's doing that thing where a cat picks up its foot and shakes it for every step. Like they're walking in something disgusting.

... And then he shakes himself. Like a dog. A cat in body he might be, but no way is he going to lick himself.

[absentconstellation]

The Cat stops cleaning himself to look at the other cat. That is not very dignified or cat-like.

"Something wrong?" The words are silent, spoken mind to mind in the way that animals (of this cat's world, at least) do.

A

[heroforhobby]

Usually he tried to stop and pet a cat when he sees one, but on this day he wasn't in the mood to get hissed and scratched yet, which is why when he spotted the black stray he just passed it on by.

However, it seemed he was either running into a lot of black cats this day, or one was following him. Which was a paranoid thought for him to have, so he tried to ignore it. And ignore it and ignore it.

But when it followed him when he took a shortcut through an alley he turned around, pointing at it and demanding loudly, "Why are you following me?! What's your game, cat??"

He should be happy that a cat was following him around, but it was just too suspicious.

[absentconstellation]

The Cat looked up at the man, looking suspiciously unimpressed. He sat, curled his tails around his feet, and meowed.

His "game" does not involved telling people what he's up to.

Just checking, was "tails" a typo or does he have more than one?

[heroforhobby]

[It was suspicious the cat was following him around at all. Cats, as a large rule, are generally afraid of him, or mean. He doesn't know why. But, either way, one following him was very, very strange.

He crouches down, still a few feet away from the cat, and narrowed his eyes at him, engaging in a foolish staring match, as if this would somehow get him answers.]

OTL typo

[absentconstellation]

[ The cat stares at him with unblinking purple eyes.

Cats don't need to blink much. They always win staring contests. ]

B

[megabytes]

Whoa!

[Well, that certainly wasn't the animal Megaman was opening the door for, but apparently there is a cat in the house now. Okay. Admittedly not the weirdest thing to happen, he can roll with this.]

Hey there, fella. [He crouches down to cat-level and offers a hand for sniffing. (Cats work like virus-puppies, right?)] Are you lost?

[absentconstellation]

[ Cats work almost like virus-puppies. This one shakes rain from his coat before sniffing Megaman's hand politely. He is not lost, but he would appreciate some shelter from the rain. ]

[megabytes]

[Megaman's not about to kick a poor animal out into bad weather. He's also got a bit of a weak spot for cute things, so the cat certainly has that going for them. He can't help smiling a bit and reaching to attempt some ear-rubs.]

Right, I guess you can't answer that. [Doesn't hurt to check - never know who's an imPort and who isn't.] I don't see a collar...

[Better be careful, cat, he might try to adopt you. Which might get a little complicated given the small canine computer virus peering warily through the still-open door. What is this fuzzy black thing and why is it stealing owner's attention?]

[absentconstellation]

[ Well that... is certainly not a dog, but it looks like one. The Cat reaches out telepathically to it, an experimental what are you? ]