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 Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 4:30 pm
Yahya closed the door behind him with the heel of his foot. His hands were occupied with holding up the diminished stack of fliers and the carrying case he had stuffed a very large cat into. He had a cat leash, but he didn't trust the feline not to chew his way through it. The creature certainly seemed determined to cause all sorts of hell. Yahya still chalked it up to the cat being traumatized from getting stuck in a tree. Beyond that, the cat was in a now unfamiliar place, with baby squirrels and a baby cat and a baby deer. He was no female to suddenly develop a mothering instinct, so all the animals had to be a nuisance to him. While Zue was trapped in a carrying crate, Yahya still hoped the cat enjoyed getting some fresh air... and away from Columbus' injured mewling (he hadn't actually found any damage on the kitten, but Columbus had been crying still since yesterday - he'd have to really get him checked out).
He placed the crate on the kitchen counter (it was the highest and safest vantage point for the cat) and meandered into the living room. Yahya had just gotten back from putting out a few fliers (a few hundred, more like it), and his first duty was to make sure that his animals were okay. The baby deer was in his bedroom, the squirrels in the main room, and the kitten locked in the bathroom. His apartment had reached its full capacity.
It hadn't been even fifteen minutes since he got home that the phone rang for the first time. Yahya, eager to find Zue a home (lest the cat find some way to destroy more of his stuff - his bathroom was in a sorry state), managed to answer it on the second ring. "Hello?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 4:46 pm
"Sit..sit down... just... I'm on the... Ah! Hello! I was calling about... WOULD YOU...PUT THAT DOWN!!... I'm calling about the Po-OW-Poster....I think you might have my Friend's cat, Sometimes it sounds like he's 'talking'? Responds when ever he danes to to 'oreo'... the CAT... no... NO i'm trying to...
"I'm...sorry you can imagine, I think how he managed to 'loose' it... " the yet to be introduced voice on the other end of the phone sounded rather like it was at the end of it's rope for patience.
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Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 4:55 pm
He blinked. Once, then twice, and then one more time just in case. "Well, I do have a cat here who's missing an owner..." he tried to interject into the conversation. The person on the other line was definitely distracted by someone. They must not be very serious about getting their cat back if they couldn't give Yahya their full attention, right? "Oreo?" he glanced over his shoulder to Zue... who definitely did not look like an 'Oreo'. "Umm, well, are you there?" He had to make sure, after all! "I'm Yahya Grant, and if you can tell me some of the cat's particular markings, not shown on the fliers, I'll be happy to let you come pick him up!"
Oh snap guys.
Yeah, that's right.
You are all getting quizzed. Yahya was not giving the cat away to the wrong owner, after all! Though... even if they got it wrong, Yahya would probably still give them a second chance by inviting them over for a chat.
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Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 5:13 pm
"Hey... HEY... would you... DUDE this is YOUR CAT GIVE ME A..."
a frustrated sound and a long pause... "Could you hold on just a moment, he's in the pixi sticks."
it sounded almost like he expected that to explain -EVERYTHING-.
Moments later he picked up again... "I'm sorry...can I either call you back or -leash- him and bring him over once he stops talking about -sugar... I haven't -met- his cat and he's trying to suck sugar up his nose just at the moment."
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Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 5:18 pm
Well... he guessed a personal interview was the only route he could go with the pair on the other end of the phone. He wasn't getting much out of them. A name? Anything? It sounded like some frazzled call, but at least it was... okay, maybe not so normal. "Well, if you promise to keep him on a leash then I can let you guys come to my place?" It sounded like he was talking about a dog. The other person on the line might have appreciated the small amount of humor.
But, in reality, Yahya was all business about this. "I can't guarantee me giving him to you guys... if you have photos together or anything it'll really help. A name tag even? He doesn't have one, for some reason. But anyways, I live over on..." and he listed off his apartment number and location. Zue would probably be convulsing in his carrier. Yes, this was Yahya, inviting people (of whom he did not even have their names) over to his place.
All on good will.
He really was too trusting.
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Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 5:26 pm
"No no... I understand it might not even be the same cat, it could be a litter made for all I.. DON'T EAT MORE!!...."
A small distressed sound... "all I know..." He trailed off... "Ductape may be in order, Thank's -very- much." He said sounding -most- sincere. "... sigh...well at least he didn't name it 'glow stick' I suppose..." he muttered sounding like a conspiratorial and tired friend.
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Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 5:56 pm
"Umm... well..." This was awkward. Yahya didn't think that the boy on the other line was paying the least bit attention to him at all. "I'm sure Glow Stick might have been a better name than Oreo..." he interjected, and doubted still that the other boy heard him. "Well, just pop over any time before 9 pm, okay? I got another phone call ringing in." Well, that much was the truth. His phone beeped to indicate that there was another call trying to get in. "I'll see you sometime, okay? Bye!" Maybe the person on the end of his next phone call would be more... invested in the conversation.
"Hello?"
He hoped it wasn't the kid who was apparently on a sugar high. He wasn't very good at understanding people when they were hyperactive.
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Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 6:03 pm
"Hello," answered a scratchy alto voice, flatly, from the other line. She sounded impatient, but level and trained -- at least this one sounded like she wasn't dealing with any of the domestic ruckus the previous caller did. "I'm calling about the cat."
Janice really wasn't entirely confident about this lead, it was just a scrap of flier with a short description on it, no picture, no nothing. But the double star marking seemed kind of telling; it sounded as if the advertiser meant literal star shapes and not the vague dots and diamonds sometimes seen on horses and other animals. So she deemed it at least worth a try. Worst case scenario, she'd have wasted a bit of time, but best case scenario meant she would get a promotion.
And Janice had been after a promotion since the very moment she'd been recruited.
"I believe that according to your flyer, said cat is one I'm responsible for."
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Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 6:10 pm
"Oh, hello!" there sounded like there was a smile on the other end of the line from Janice. He was trying to be hopeful... because at least this voice sounded serious. But then again, this voice did not sound like a panicked pet owner. Maybe the voice was a butler from some rich family, and the cat was so highly prized and valued that said butler did not want the rich family knowing it was gone... and so had to handle the matter itself? It sounded a little bit far fetched... okay, more than a little far fetched.
Yahya was beginning to grow worried with getting another call for the cat. Now he knew someone definitely was lying... but he couldn't tell which, or even if either of them owned the cat. "Well, the problem is that someone just called in for him. But... if you've got proof the cat is your's, I'll be happy to give him to you!" Obviously he was going to have to invite Butler over as well.
"I'm having the other person meet me at my place... so I guess it wouldn't be that much of a problem if you want to come over too? Just bring some photos of him with you... or proof, anything really."
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Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 6:15 pm
Inside the carrier, Zue seemed to be trying to uncover a method by which he could hang himself with the tail of the toy mouse Yahya had given him for entertainment.
Just sayin'.
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Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 6:24 pm
"Whoever called you before me was probably only interested in the cat for the novelty value of the markings on its forehead," Janice replied. "I imagine some people would find it to be quite a conversation piece.
"But if you want proof," and there was a shuffling sound, the girl having shifted the phone to her other ear while contemplating what she should say. "Probably the most unique thing about it would be its behavior, it is very... unlike a cat in that regard sometimes. Very intelligent, observes things you wouldn't expect a cat to notice, and not always interested in the things you'd expect to cat to be interested in. Almost humanlike in the way it carries itself."
Well, that was a bit of a stab in the dark, but she couldn't come up with anything better.
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Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 6:29 pm
"I guess that's true... but then couldn't you also be in it for the novelty of his forehead markings?" He scritched the back of his neck, and glanced over to 'Oreo' (he'd go with that name for now... actually, just for the moment, because that really was a horrible name). "You have proof!?" He sounded eager. Maybe this was the Butler who's rich family owned the cat! Oh, he could only hope. He'd have one less mouth to feed, and the cat would be in his home where he belonged and would hopefully be happiest.
...Then again, her proof wasn't what he was looking for. "Umm... well, I guess that's true. He is a very smart cat. But I'm kind of looking for like... a family photo? Or even just a photo of him - not the one on the fliers, either. If you could do that, then I'd happily hand him over! I live on..." And there he went again, giving away his address without a seeming care in the world. "So if you have time today, stop on over with some proof and you can take him home with you!"
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Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 6:44 pm
Dan had seen the flyer. Dan had seen the flyer, and she just knew that maybe, that cat with the strange mark on its forehead might be just like Ophelia! That meant it was a senshi cat, and not very happy to be stuck and unable to fight the evils of Destiny City, and that meant she had a job to do.
Impatiently jabbing the numbers in her home phone, Dan hardly waited for a 'hello?' on the other end before she launched straight into her speech. She'd rehearsed this, after all!
"My kitty! My precious little boy! You found him! My dear, darling Darius!" Dan gripped the phone as if it was her lifeline, squeezing her eyes shut. "How is he?! Is he okay?! Is he on a brand of food without grain?!"
Of course, how was she to know two people had already called before her?
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Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 6:52 pm
Another call!?
Yahya wondered how many he was going to get, and how long he'd be kept on the phone. He had a life, and a baby deer that had a bottle feeding due. But at least the person who called seemed to be the best one yet! 'Darius' even sounded like the cat's name. Yahya again glanced to Zue. Oh yes, he definitely looked like a Darius. The cat had an air about him that screamed the name... But, Yahya couldn't let himself be convinced so soon. He needed concrete evidence. He was making the other callers present it... so it was only fair that he'd make this one do so too. "He's okay! He's just fine, and yes, he's on food without any grain...
But, umm, you see, we have a problem. Two people have already called before you. I am... umm, making them stop over my place with evidence that Darius is their's." He was even calling the cat the name Dan had given him. "So, if you want... you can come over too and bring any photos or stuff you have of him? I can't give him away to the wrong owner, so, I can only give him to you if you have good proof..."
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Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 7:00 pm
"Oh good." The girl sighed empathetically into the phone, slumping in her seat and pressing the back of her hand against her brow. "I've been so worried about him!" And then, whoever he was, dropped a surprise that Dan had not been suspecting at all. People had already called? What kind of people would call to claim a cat that wasn't theirs?! ...She was sort of doing that too, wasn't she? Well, it was different!
...What if one of them was that blue-haired girl with the staff? Was she planning on hurting Mister Kitty?!
"WHAT?!" Dan thundered, bolting to her feet and clenching her tiny hands into fists. "That's absurd! That's ridiculous! Who would be calling to claim my Darius?! Oh, I'll get you proof all right, you can count on it! When do you want me to come over?"
She didn't have any proof, she realized that. It was called improvisation.
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