poly_chromatic | one fallen star

[action]

MREAAAOW!

[Splash! That, my friends, is the sound of one unhappy cat landing in the fountain.

Mao claws his way out, looking drenched and miserable. He shakes himself off and looks around, the fur on his back sticking out like porcupine needles. It's clear that this is no ordinary cat, even before you see his purple eyes.]

Hei?

[His voice is soft. There are too many people around for him to risk speaking louder, but if the other Contractor is around, Mao is certain he will hear.

Nothing.]

Damn it.

[some time later]

[voice]

[Wherever he is, he's cut off from the Syndicate's network. Not a good sign. Even worse, he can't find a way into whatever network exists here, except through this extremely cat-unfriendly device. He's going to have to do reconnaissance the inefficient way…once he figures out how. Keyboards weren't designed for cat paws in mind. Sigh.

But eventually he figures out how to turn on the audio function.]

Where is this place?

[Not very smooth. He's spent so long pretending to be a cat, he's no longer sure how to pretend to be human. But it's a start.]

[ooc: Action for anyone near the fountain! Keep in mind that he will pretend to be an ordinary cat, except over the network where people can't see him.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

So the tuna was okay, huh?

[She gets up to throw the remnants of his meal away and pauses, studying Mao rather thoughtfully.]

You know, I've always wondered if animals can get cursed if they're not from the City. [A shrug and she goes about her business.] I hope not, anyway. That could be seriously awkward.

[Cursed? His eyes narrow. What is this about curses?]

Especially the curses where people turn into animals. I wonder if you'd get turned into a human or if you'd just get the day off. And the handcuff curse would be really weird...

[Perhaps this woman is a lunatic. But maybe not. He curls up nearby, looking relaxed and alert, wondering what she'll say next.]

[She turns her attention to the dishes but, since the cat still seems to be listening--she's aware of how pathetic this is--Penny keeps talking.]

But I guess that, on the weirdness scale, that wouldn't rate too high. It's a good thing you missed the desert. That was pretty awful even for people, cat... I don't know how well you would've done. That's okay, though. Someone will take care of you, even if your person isn't in the City.

[Mao has no desire to stick around as anybody's pet. He needs a way out of here.

He's pretty sure by this point that the woman isn't going to be very helpful in that regard.]

[Mao, darling... Penny isn't going to be the least bit helpful in the ways you'd like her to be.

She heads for the stairs that go up to the attic.

Be right back, cat.

[Now would be an opportune time to escape through an open window.]

[Mao does just that]

one fallen star

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