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 Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2011 6:39 pm
A bead of sweat dripped down the brow of a rather disgruntled young man. Taking the left corner of his tank top, he swiped away another drop before it could follow the same path as its predecessor. To say that Noel despised the heat was an understatement. The two of them were lifelong enemies and the fact that Noel had been reborn as the senshi of winter didn't help to mend the troubled relationship. Noticeably because the heat had evolved from a simple nuisance into one of his greatest weaknesses. How was he supposed to protect a princess and the rest of the city if he hindered by Mother Nature’s hot flash? Cruel and unusual punishment is what Noel deemed this particular weakness. He was already planning an extended stay at the North Pole or at least Greenland.
This is why I took up swimming! You don't sweat when you're swimming, so why the hell am I sweating now!?
He threw his arms up in disgust as he made his way through the midsection of the park. Thankfully the sun was setting so no one was around to hear this rant or watch as he obsessively tried to keep his body from coating him in sweat. Noel had hoped the breeze and the shade of the trees would provide some relief from the heat. His broken AC or should it be better known his overworked AC unit, had finally died a horrible slow death. Therefore, Noel had the weekend to fry like bacon grease.
"Come on sun! Set already! How much am I supposed to take here!?"
Turning away from his perceived menace, he quickly removed his socks and old tennis shoes and threw them into the bushes in a fit of frustration. The lack of an AC was driving him insane. Noel was certain he was either going to die of a heat stroke or end up in an asylum before the weekend was over.
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Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2011 1:41 pm
"Miss Muffers" had a tummy full of cookie. It was a delightful feeling, having one's stomach full of soft sugar cookie goodness. However, having a tummy full of cookie made it a little harder to run around. So now, instead, the manx was walking.
The day had been pretty warm, making the concrete practically a nightmare to walk along. Her little paw pads seemed to scold her every time she made contact with the heated stone-like surface of the ground. Asphalt was even worse on her little feet. The only way to remedy this situation was to cut through the grass or dirt. In a city, there was a definite lack in large areas of grass, but one easy place that the feline could always rely on was the park.
So now, ********* paws had a slight greenish tinge to them, but she didn't mind. That color would go away eventually. She had been walking along the grass for a little while in an effort to keep her feet fool, and now she saw someone familiar.
Someone who looked like he wanted to keel over dead.
"You... look as if you've seen better days, Noel," the cat boldly stated aloud, though she was pretty certain there weren't any others around to hear her.
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Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:03 pm
Just realizing as he heard the voice that he was standing barefoot in the middle of the park without shoes on, Noel almost jumped out of his skin from the sound of a familiar voice. Not to say he was necessarily embarrassed by his own antics, but he certainly wasn't looking to be the next crazy fool ranting in public. This was actually far from where the blue eyed senshi of winter hoped to be in society. Quickly bringing his tirade to a pause, Noel tried to calm his own anger before he approached his caller. For the first few seconds, he couldn't the feminine voice nor could he find the source as he waited to see the distorted shadow meet his own. However, after the shadow didn't arise and the soft patter of paws hit his ears, he was able to place the voice. His own voice still laced with frustration as he responded, though certainly not at the cat behind him.
"I've definitely had better. I can tell you that. Hopefully, you've been doing better than I am now. Not to say it would be a hard thing to do, but I still hope so all the same."
With the anger and frustration slowly subsiding, he felt calm enough to finally turn around and sit down in the grass to acknowledge his adorable friend. Before he tried to speak any further, he took several deep breaths and closed his eyes. Somehow hoping to vanquish his hatred for the heat while simultaneously masking the anger it produced. Needless to say, deep breathing barely scratched the surface and he was only able to produce a half smirk in order to make the cat feel more welcome after his rather short tone of voice.
"Please tell me you are doing better. I need a good distraction right now, like something that just blows my mind or else I may go and rob the department store of the their best air conditioning unit. Hahaha"
Noel let out a rather loud and somewhat forced laugh as he continued to try and brighten his own mood. Continuing another series of deep breaths in order to push the anger into the deepest, darkest corner of his mind, though his body continued to reveal his lack of success at this rather difficult endeavor.
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Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2011 12:47 pm
Angry tones rarely seemed to make the feline's smile shrink. Having been rather adjusted to Ellie's mannerisms and lack of appreciation for the animals of the feline variety, it took a lot of effort to get ********* down. She was just genuinely friendly, regardless of the other parties out there who were not quite as eager for friendship. She rather easily approached him, but was quite considerate and didn't try to jump up into his arms or lap or anything like that.
The boy looked absolutely sweaty as could be and probably wouldn't appreciate a warm lump of fur sticking to him.
"...well... I do not know if I am better or worse. I am a cat, and I am stuck in a fur coat all of the time. Plus the sidewalk and streets are too hot for my paws right now, so it makes it a little trickier to get around in the city during the daytime." She paused thoughtfully, then added "I might have to start sleeping during the day at this rate."
She sat her rump down and looked the boy over again. "You know, I've heard that some of the super markets have walk-in freezers for their beers... if you ever have a really bad day when it comes to heat, you could probably stop there for a while to cool off."
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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 1:46 pm
Nothing like a talking cat to put things in perspective, even given his less than advantageous circumstances, he couldn’t very well bring himself to try and push his own discomfort. Noel couldn't very well argue with her, given he could shed layers of clothing or add them, if needed, to combat the negative effects of the weather. Not to mention he couldn't imagine not being to chase the boys around town, at least not with the results he wanted anyways. The white haired boy couldn't help but to think that if he were a cat, he would be rather dissatisfied. So much so that he would probably just lay around in a depression as a very fat cat that could only be bothered to lift its paws to eat another handful of meow mix. A very thought provoking scenario, but not one he was eager to experience outside the safe confines of his own imagination. Lost in thought for a few moments, ********* suggestion suddenly hit him. They should go somewhere with a freezer.
"Well, aren't you a clever kitty cat. I didn't even think to try a freezer. Free AC anytime. I don't suppose you would mind me carrying you to a freezer of your choice?"
As the idea began to settle in his mind, he could feel his anger dissipating. He would be able to breathe without taking in hot, dry air that only served to make him feel like his insides were boiling. This was more than enough to quell his frustrations and help the young, blue eyed boy think clearly. Outstretching his arms, he offered his services as a chauffeur to his feline companion. However, with the anger subsiding, he came to another realization: he was still barefoot and to add insult to injury, he had thrown his shoes into the shrubbery nearby. A rather odd dilemma given he couldn't very well wander around Destiny City barefoot with a cat in his arms.
"Umm... before we head into the city for a cool down, do you mind... uh... helping me find my shoes?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 12:21 pm
********* giggled. She giggled a bit, then nodded her head to let him know that ********* was ON THE CASE of the missing shoes! Her giggles mostly had to do with the notion of him trying to bring a cat into the market unnoticed. She didn't think it was going to work very well at all. However, she wasn't going to scold him for trying. She was certain the manager or employees of the establishment they'd eventually try to infiltrate would do that for her.
"Well... now Noel, you should tell me where you last saw those pesky wandering shoes. That is probably where we should start looking!"
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 6:07 pm
"I certainly appreciate your help! I think I threw them over there in the bushes, but they have found their way into the woods. Let's hope they are in the bushes anyway since I don't want to wander around the forest barefoot."
After he was sure he had the feline's permission, he carefully scooped her up and headed toward the shrubbery and trees outlining the edge of the park that met the forest. Noel hoped he hadn't thrown his shoes into the woods or the two of them would look even stranger as he wandered the streets barefoot. Not to mention he didn't like ********* description of the hot pavement he would surely encounter as well. The last thing he needed was both feet covered in blisters, especially since he had a swim meet coming up soon. Thankfully for the time being, he was able to keep his feet from burning by staying on the grass as he walked for a few minutes in the direction he believed he threw his shoes. Gently, he set ********* down near the bushes and then dropped down to one knee to scan the area. Then Noel rose up to stand on his toes as he looked over the bushes and into the trees. A small glimmer of light seemed to be reflecting off something obscured deeper into the shrubbery. A location he was unfortunately unable to reach into given the dense arrangement of branches and leaves. Noel was about to give up when he remembered he was accompanied by a fully sentient cat. A cat that just might be able to sift through the bushes and retrieve his shoes. Once more he dropped down to his knees to speak to ********* style="color: deepskyblue">"I can't seem to reach what looks like my shoes. I'm pretty sure I see the blue part of the shoes straight ahead in the middle of that patch of bushes. Do you think you could fit into that area and see if that reflection is coming from my shoes? I would certainly be willing to repay the favor with something sweet. Perhaps a nice big slice of cake?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 10:02 am
********* never really seemed the sort to refuse a ride of any sort (unless you were named Ellie Spectre), so she was soon enough in his arms. Even now, her fur was sticking to his arm, but she didn't mind if he didn't mind. The ride didn't last very long and soon enough she was on the ground again. If someone was watching, they might have found it humorous to watch the pair. For as Noel was looking at the bush, so was *********. When he was on one knee, she was seated. When he stood, she seemed to mirror him and stand upon all four paws.
Now, in all honesty, ********* would have helped him for free. However, the moment that she heard the mention of cake, her ears perked up so high, it was obvious she had been sold by this deal. "I don't know if I'll be able to get the shoe out... shoes are kind of bigger than I'd be able to carry, but I can see if I can push them forward so you can reach it?" Before he could reply, she already had jumped into the bush.
It wasn't exactly anything super special about wandering through a bush. ********* had done it many times before. She was small and could easily weave about the various branches and leaves. However, her nose was the first thing to manage to catch wind of the shoes definitely being present. They were stinky, but they also smelled like Noel. Without much of a problem, she located the first one. Getting around behind it so she could push in the direction she had come from, she put her forepaws against the back of the shoe and pushed.
"I definitely found one... do you think you can reach it now? Or do I need to push it forward some more?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 7:04 pm
A smile crossed the face of the white haired boy. He couldn't help, but to find some amusement in the way the tiny cat quickly disappeared into the bushes with the mention of a sweetened reward. Noel wasn't really laughing at her as much as he had to laugh at the enthusiasm they both possessed, though his was a bit more focused on members of the same sex while ********* was certainly more wholesome. Staying down on the ground, he watched the small opening she jumped into and waited.
Noel started to try and take a closer, but thankfully he heard the guardian cat's voice and stood up to try and find the source. Here he saw the blue shape slip past the top of the bushes. Carefully wading into the edge of the shrubbery, he stretched out to grab the shoe and pulled up.
"Got it! Can you see the other one anywhere? It should be nearby, look for the blue fabric on the shoe."
Using his vantage point from above the bushes, he tried once more to locate the other shoe. Stepping further in, he felt the branches scrap his legs and feet. He didn't think any of the marks had broken the skin, but his main concern was finding his other shoe. Taking a few more careful steps, he once more saw a reflection off of the blue lining of the shoe. Quickly moving back to the safety and comfort of the grass, he shouted out to ********* style="color: deepskyblue">"The other shoe is to your left, near the roots of the large tree! Let me know when you get to it and I'll grab it as well! Thank you my little shoe savior!"
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 10:51 am
Success! ********* let out a teeny cheer the moment the shoe was dragged out of her vision, a sign that Noel got it. However, when he started asking about the next shoe, she shook her head slightly.
"I don't see it yet..."
Rather than trust her eyes, she closed them and sniffed out delicately in front of her. This was definitely one of those times where her nose could do the work more efficiently.
She could smell it in all of its stinky glory. Turning left, she began to trot along, her bell jingling to accent her movement and hint where she was at any given moment. Before she managed to reach the shoe, she could hear the young man outside of the bush trying to give her directions. They weren't necessary at this point, but she called out "Okay!" as if he had helped out quite a bit.
Eventually, the shoe came across her path, and once more, she repeated the process from the first shoe.
"Alright... keep an eye for it!"
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 8:01 pm
Once more a shoe rose from the thicket and Noel reached over to the cat's position to retrieve it. He was glad no one was watching since it would be certainly be hard to explain how he had taught a cat to perform such a complicated task that not only involved unnatural feline movements, but also enough training to quickly adjust to voice commands. Noel tried to think of a quick story just in case. However, he soon grew bored of his own idea and decided to simply retrieve his companion and head towards the cool comfort of a convenience store freezer. Wading slightly further, he reached down towards the last shoe's position.
"Thank you! Now I'm going to pull you up, so stay right where you are!"
Taking the cat into his arms once more he waded back to the grass, shoes now easily accessible on the ground below. Carefully he set the guardian cat down and then threw on the light blue tennis shoes. He felt a little weird not wearing socks and he was sure that the already smelly shoes would be heinous by the end of the day, but that couldn't be helped. Not to mention he didn't like the idea of wearing socks that were covered in dirt. Once the laces were tied and both shoes comfortably cleared of brush and dirt, he turned to ********* style="color: deepskyblue">"I suppose I owe you a slice of cake. Do you have any preference of bakery? I'm going on a limb to say that you have sampled the best of the city. Haha."
Giving the cat a smirk, he stood up and waited for her to choose her reward. He then remembered he words and knelt down once more and offered his assistance as a chauffeur for the trip. Noel couldn't imagine trying to avoid pavement as they headed toward the heart of the city.
"Need a ride?"
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Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 6:19 pm
********* had succeeded! Somewhere in that bush the cat was doing a tiny victory dance of the feline variety. However, such celebrations were interrupted by a pair of hands that reached into grab her. It might have felt like she was wriggling in Noel's hands, but only she knew the truth.
"I am not very picky in all honesty... you could probably go to the market that has the walk-in freezer and get me something from there... however..."
She paused and smiled as she was offered a ride.
"I am curious how you will smuggle me in there with you."
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Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 10:56 am
For a few moments, Noel simply stared blankly at the cat as he tried to figure out how to sneak her into the market. His ideas generally involved wearing a rather large jacket or finding some way to pass ********* off as something else. Her point was valid and if he did try to sneak her in, he would also risk losing not only the opportunity to cool off, but also the consequences could be more severe in the form of some kind of fine for bringing an animal into a private business. Taking a seat on the grass once more, he tried talking through his ideas.
"This tank top and these shorts don't really allow me to hide you, even for a little while so we could get past the employees. You're certainly a cute little cat, but I doubt anyone would believe you are a stuffed animal. Hmmm... Perhaps we could slip in through the back door and if anyone comes near the freezers, we could hide you behind the snacks and bagged goods on the nearby shelf? What do you think?"
Though the idea was risky, it was the only one he thought might actually work. Noel wasn't the best liar and his limited experience wouldn't be enough to grant ********* entrance as a toy or decoration. Noel simply didn't have the chops as an actor or even a good enough liar to pass her off as anything besides a well trained house cat. In all honesty, it would be best to avoid having to lie at all as Noel generally looked guilty before he even opened his mouth.
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Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 12:51 pm
********* laughed, not seeming overly concerned about how they were going to get in. "I would most likely make an adorable stuffed animal, but I agree... too much life-like things going on with me and not enough mechanical sounds to make it seem like I am a toy."
Keeping herself to the grass for the moment so her paws remained nice and cool, she padded herself into a small circular path. The other idea of sneaking into the back probably would work, but if Noel got caught, that would be worse than him trying to sneak a cat into the business in the first place.
"...hmmm... do you have access to any reuseable tote bags? I am quite certain you could put me in one of those and not have to worry about anyone checking the bag."
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Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 6:31 pm
A large grin was plastered on Noel's face as he accepted the guardian cat's plan of action. Finally they were both done with the tedious task of finding his shoes and both of them were about to be properly rewarded. ********* would receive her cake and Noel would be able to finally cool off and alleviate the awful physical symptoms that came with being constantly exposed to the summer sun. Standing up, he folded his arms over his head and looked around once more to make sure no one was looking in their direction. He still felt a bit odd talking to a cat in the middle of a public place, but it couldn't be helped, even if he did want to avoid detection. Once the area was scanned over, Noel brushed the last remaining bits of debris from the shrubbery off his shoes and decided on a plan of action.
"I do have some, but they are back at the apartment and I think that is kinda out of the way. So, how about I just buy one at the closest store and then use it to carry you into the store with the freezer. Perhaps you can even pick out your desert while we are near the desert section. I'll stay on the grass until we get closer then I'll carry you to a safe place until I get the bag. Sound good to you?"
Giving her another grin and notion to lead towards the city, his mood had apparently been greatly improved by ********* presence and advice, not to mention her help in recovering his shoes. Staying on the grass, he headed towards the market within the downtown area. Luckily, the desert shops were close by as well as the market since he despised the heat in the subway even more. The thought of being crammed with all those people made him cringe and he pushed the notion away as made his way to the edge of the park.
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