three fallen stars

[maoser]

[ action ]

[Something went wrong during Mao's update last night. It had started with just a headache. Progressed to tremors. Dizziness. Confusion.

He wanders the streets, looking for some place to hide, to feel safe. Something is wrong but he doesn't know what to do about it. He can't think straight.

Eventually, at some point, he's going to start body hopping, thinking that maybe the problem is with the host body.


If you're out and about, you might run into any of the following animals:

♚ Black cat (Mao's original host body)

♛ Baby tiger

♜ Black & white dog

♞ Surprise!


He's sick and deranged. Handle with care.]

Comments

Black cat?

[oceantrauma]

[Ken's searching around, still not sure about this chasing mice thing. He does it, half-heartedly, when they run from him, but then he just stops and walks away.]

[That's about the time he notices another cat. ...this one looks a little familiar, but most black cats do, don't they?]

Are you an actual cat? Or cursed like I am. Well, I suppose if you don't answer I'll know.

♚

[maoser]

[Mao practically jumps out of his skin when the other cat talks to him. WHAT THE HELL IT'S A TALKING CAT.

He hisses and swipes out, by instinct. Everything new is a threat.]

♚

[oceantrauma]

I-I'm sorry. [Ken backs away a little.] Other cats don't always like each other, huh?

♚

[maoser]

[It's nothing personal, kid. Mao is ill. His jaw hangs open just slightly (he's losing control of his jaw muscles) and he's panting.]

♚

[oceantrauma]

[It's obvious something's wrong at that point, not that he was taking it personally to begin with.]

I don't want to get sick.... [But Ken gets a little closer, sniffing the air. He isn't too sure what sick smells like, but since it's instinct, he figures he'll knows when he smells it.]

Black cat

[othersdie]

[Justin isn't that surprised when he sees a black cat stumbling across his path like a drunkard. It's one of those weekends, after all.

On the off chance that it's actually a cat experiencing some kind of issue, however, he decides to follow the animal.]

♚

[maoser]

[The world is spinning. Mao stumbles, trips, falls flat on the ground.

He tries to stand, but he can't move. His body is seizing.]

♚

[othersdie]

[That's... not good. After making sure no one's around to bear witness to any acts of kindness, Justin takes off his coat and moves to wrap the cat in it. It's for his own good as much as the animal's; an injured cat can be a dangerous one.]

♚

[maoser]

[Mao doesn't even have the strength to struggle.]

No...

[The word is weak, rasping. It's possible Justin just imagined it.]

♛ Baby tiger

[beyourarmy]

Huh? [When Setsuna notices the little guy, he frowns, and approaches carefully.]

Hey. What's a little guy like you doing outside of the zoo? I really hope people aren't trying to keep tigers for pets.

♛ Baby tiger

[maoser]

[Mao doesn't remember hopping into the baby tiger's body, doesn't know where he found it or why it's not in a zoo. He feels nauseous. He's curled up on the ground, whimpering in pain.]

♛ Baby tiger

[beyourarmy]

[Hearing the whimper, Setsuna's a bit quicker to approach, kneeling down. He even reaches out to touch it's ribs, trying to feel for the body's heat. When he does speak, again, his voice is gentle and soft.]

You okay? That didn't sound good.

♛ Baby tiger

[maoser]

[Mao growls, tries to swipe a paw at Setsuna, but he's too weak. The virus he downloaded from his network is eating away at his brain.]

♜

[fiveagainstradley]

[ Black & white dog, meet large brown and black dog trailing a leash who's come sniffing all up in your business, followed shortly by British teenager and little grey dog, no leash. ]

Chew, stop that! Come back here!

♜

[maoser]

[Between the virus in his mind and the unfamiliar body, Mao is a stumbling mess. When the two dogs come forward, he snarls and growls and bites at them.]

[fiveagainstradley]

Whoa now!

[ Chew may be a big dumb stupid dog, but he's protective so he growls back until David stops him. Cara, the little one, edges as close as she dares to the strange dog and sniffs at him. She's no ordinary dog, you see. ]

David, there's something wrong with this dog. It's sick or something.

Sick? [ He pushes back Chew, who lies down in the snow, eyeing the suspicious dog, and kneels down, stretching a hand out. ]

[maoser]

[Mao nips, pants, whines. He doesn't want this stranger touching him. It's not safe. It's not safe. Something's not right.]

♚

[mortemscintilla]

[ A pair of sneakers appear in Mao's line of vision. The owner wears an expression that isn't concerned, but questioning. After a cursory glance at his surroundings, he chirps, in 'Li's sweet tenor, ]

...You don't look so good, kitty.

[ Re: What's going on? ]

♚

[maoser]

[At this point, Mao has a headache and is feeling dizzy, but is otherwise put together. His gaze is blank -- he's trying desperately to cut the virus off before it can make things even worse.

He manages to choke out in answer to Hei's question.]

Virus.

♚

[mortemscintilla]

[ He'll assume it's not a physical virus, but one related to Mao's server. He leans back against the wall, hands in the pockets of his parka, toeing a pebble on the ground. The picture of casual loitering. ]

Is it under control?

[ A compromised server is a can of worms for all parties involved. ]

♚

[maoser]

[Hei. He can't hack and talk to you at the same time. He's fighting for his mind here.]

[brothertragedy]

[Nobori also happens to be wandering the streets, when he spies movement in the shadows to his left. He stops, glancing curiously down at the strange, but familiar black feline.]

[maoser]

[Mao is curled up in a small ball, panting heavily as he rests. If he could just think straight, he could fix this virus problem. But he can't...think...straight.]

[brothertragedy]

[Mao did not look comfortable, even to Nobori; his breathing was more laboured than it was when they had last crossed paths. Rather than looking comfortable, that position only looked vulnerable and pained.

He knelt down beside him.]

[maoser]

[Mao sensed Nobori's presence and cracked an eye open. He doesn't have it in him to deal with people right now. He hisses.]