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 Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 7:56 pm
Where had this rain come from?
Tony was just locking up the library for the night when he stepped out into the cool evening air. The night was settling quickly, but not nearly as quick as the rain clouds had moved in, it seemed. When he arrived at work he couldn't remember if the sky had been cloudy, but then, it was early and dark out and he probably hadn't even looked up.
He never did, he realized dimly.
Tonight was the one night he took off from patrol. He was a very dutiful knight, as much so as he could train himself to be and maybe more, but he also knew he had limits and they would be far over taxed if he patrolled every single night. So, every now and again in his scheduled routine, he gave himself a night off from powering up, to get an early night's sleep.
Maybe a drink.
He leaned on his cane as he walked down the street, sighing and hefting a large book, sealed in a bag for protection though he had not been the one to put it there and now was very thankful for whoever had, under his arm. It wasn't for reading pleasure, but rather a restoration project he was taking on in his free time of an old manuscript. The cover was embellished with golden lattice work and familiar, strong knots. The content was medieval in nature, though maybe not directly tied to Tony's personal favorite legends.
At the moment, he had more than enough Camelot to keep him satisfied.
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 8:16 pm
His life was miserable, and the weather only reflected it. It did not help him in any way, and when he finally managed to have a breather from running away from dogs, not getting run over by traffic, not getting trampled by pedestrians, and TRYING to find something to eat, he noticed it was going to rain. It was getting dark, and while he circled his apartment building several times and even made some desperate attempts to jump to the ladder to the fire escape, it was impossible. That left him wandering the streets, trying to avoid the random, cruel teenager that didn't mind punting a cat around and looking for any place that was dry and, if lucky, warm.
As much as he had a sleek coat, though a bit muddy now, it didn't keep him as warm as he liked. If only he had been shrunk down with a miniature uniform included.
It was then that he worked on the main task of finding shelter. He had seen a few boxes that lead up to a dumpster that then lead up to the rim of a building that showed an open window to a closed shop. It had been far too inviting, and he had decided that he was finished with wander. The thunder was already rolling, and he felt the wind hit his side, tunneling through the streets and nearly sweeping him away.
It was as he was maneuvering up boxes to the glorious open window, that he slipped - and wound up in a empty recycling bin. The wind had opened it's top and now he was on his back, looking up at the dark clouds above, and feeling the first sprinkles of a heavy, long rain.
Panicking, he started to run around and then jumped up as much as he could, but as much as he clawed, there was no way out. He couldn't jump high enough! Then he thought about hitting the side of the recycling bin to topple it, but it's base was clipped into a frame that kept it from being blow away. Lucky him!
Desperation gripping him and the first inch of water collecting around his toes, he did what any self-respecting general of the Negaverse turned kitten would do. He started to mew. Long, hard, over and over and over as he jumped up and crawled along the sides. He always thought he was going to die gloriously in battle at least, but no. He was going to drown as a kitty in a recycling bin!
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 10:52 pm
Tony heard the meows and stopped.
Another cat in need of help? The last time he aided a kitten he had been stuck with it. In fact, it was still at the house, playing with Dogby, until he could find it a new and better home. It had been thin and weak, and he had learned in his efforts to find its owners that the young girl had only been playing with it when they were attacked by a youma.
The mother insisted it was not theirs, and did not want it, and asked for him not to bring it over to their house in case it brought more monsters with it. Tony, of course, knew that no normal cat like that attracted youma, but he didn't argue and now he had to foster the thing until it found a home.
But it was very cute. And Dogby seemed to like it...
Knowing, then, that helping cats in danger always led to more trouble than it was really worth, Tony moved toward the sound. Sometimes he thought he was hopeless; he would literally help anything that seemed to be in danger. Human? Definitely. Cat? Certainly. Sad looking doll? Probably. Tipped over plant? Yes.
Following the echos of the meows, he looked into the recycling bin and saw the bedraggled cat, which looked like it was in some desperate need of help. He reached down to it, thoughts like 'that's a strange looking cat' not occurring to him. He did not find much strange, though he always learned the hard way that things could always get weirder.
"Don't worry, little thing," he said softly, and with honest warmth, "I'll get you out of here." He got a hold of the cat's sides and picked him up gently, holding him a little awkwardly and hesitating like he thought he was either going to get scratched or catch some sort of disease.
He liked and pitied animals, but he wasn't good with all of them. He only had a small corgi and a hamster as experience, after all.
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 11:10 pm
While Tony had little experience with cats, Wolframite had just as little experience BEING one. When he saw a face arrive, he was just glad it was speaking the magic words of rescue and not sneering at him and telling him he was going to be fed to some guy's pitbulls. He gave a delighted mew in response, trying to restrain himself from saying GET ME THE HELL OUT OF HERE and waited. Hands curls around his body and soon he was lifted out of the death pit that was the recycling bin and held out at arm's reach.
The rain was starting to come down now, and in the rain, the little black kitty looked up with it's large green eye, tail dripping and paws curled in, wet, and gave a very weak 'mew' of thanks. Then he started to shiver.
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Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 12:07 pm
The cat was shivering. Not good. It was cold and wet and looked like it was going to shiver right out of its fur. It also only had one eye, and its voice was soft and miserable. He knew Dogby could make her barks and whines sound sad or happy, but somehow a cat, this cat, was far better at it than Tony had imagined possible.
He felt so bad for the poor thing.
"It's okay, I've got you. I'll get you some place warm, okay? Just hold on," he had the idea that this was no normal cat, another guardian one like the few he had met, but he still didn't know too much about them and had no idea that now there was something even more strange going on. All he knew was a cat was sad and shaking and needed some help.
Taking off his jacket, he wrapped Wolframite up as warmly as he could, carrying the bundle against his chest with one arm and hurrying toward his home as fast as his cane would let him. He had left Dogby at home today because it had simply gotten cold, but now he was very glad for that decision.
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Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 8:00 pm
It was actually a ingenious plan to look all around pathetic - if it had been an act. Wolframite was not a good actor, and knew that the he was indeed cold, wet (something that was just downright wrong in his new form), and that he didn't want to be out in the rain. The man holding him was his savior from drowning and now he was offering a warm place.
Stars danced in his eye as he beamed at the stranger, hearing even more lovely words. His rescuer was the best man in the world!
Wrapped up tight, Wolframite snuggled deep in the coat and clung to the fabric, trying to muster and harness as much warmth as he could while the man moved through the streets. He whispered his thank you's over and over into the fabric but the weather drowned out his voice.
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Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 1:24 pm
Tony didn't hear the one eyed cat, which he assumed was a Guardian Cat, though he wasn't powered up and couldn't feel any auras, speaking. He was too focused on getting the poor thing out of the rain and into a warm house, anyway. At length he reached his house and, holding the cat in one arm as carefully as he could, he fumbled with his keys and then unlocked his door.
Nathan didn't look to be home, as per usual. He might have been locked away in his bedroom for all Tony knew, but that was just as good as him not being there at all. Either way, he wouldn't be coming out as long as Tony was in the main room.
He put Wolframite down on his sofa, moving the coat a bit so he could poke his head out if he wanted to.
"Don't worry, you're safe here. Are you hungry? Do you need a drink?" Sure, he had been out in the rain but that wasn't exactly drinking water. "Let me find you a blanket." He wandered off to do that, and Dogby decided to come over and investigate this new friend.
The corgi had very short legs and floppy ears, a long, hot dog like body and a light pelt. She had bright eyes and her tongue flopped out of her mouth as she hopped up on the side of the sofa. She was too short to climb up all the way, though she bounced impotently up and down on her back feet as best she could. Her stump of a tail wagged furiously as she yipped at the cat to say hello.
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Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 1:51 pm
Even though he was under the coat, he could feel the warmth wash over him once they entered the house. Soft lights were turned on, and he snuggled in his coat, now HIS coat (yes, he claimed it. It was his now), and was happy to be settled down on the couch. Head slowly coming out, he started to sniff around. It smelled nice here, but there was something in the air. Something.....that was telling him bad things.
He crawled out further from the coat, trying to look around, when a dog popped out of nowhere. Sure, he was a small dog for humans, but to Wolframite, he was big!
A cat cry rang out as Wolframite startled back and then clawed his way up to the top of the couch, back arched and tail and back bristled. He let out a hiss at the dog. Then he started to look around. It was warm here but WHY did there have to be a dog??!! "Go away." He whispered to the dog, and looked around again. The dog was bound to get up here and EAT HIM!
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Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 2:22 pm
Dogby did not seem to understand what the cat was saying. In cat meow's or with people words like her master used. She looked at him and tilted her head, one ear flopping over the wrong way and laying on the top of her head. She gave him her biggest doggy smile and whined as she hopped up and down some more, trying to climb up onto the sofa but having no hope. Especially now that he had climbed up higher.
She just wanted to say hi and be his best friend, was that so much to ask?!
Tony came in when he heard the fuss, seeing the cat up on the chair and Dogby hassling it. He sighed and moved over to them, shaking his head.
"Dogby, down," he said sharply, though he could never maintain an angry tone with the lovable pile of squishiness. She looked at him and then whined at the cat some more. Tony moved to Wolframite, offering him some of the cat food he had gotten for his foster kitten. He also brought a hot dog, in case guardian cats didn't actually like cat food. On his arm was a blanket.
"She's harmless, I promise. She really just wants to sniff and lick you: there's not a mean bone in her body."
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Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 2:39 pm
Wolframite looked back at Dogby who seemed rather saddened at being shooed away. Frowning, or as much as a cat could frown, he looked back at the man addressing him who not only had cat food (ew), but a hotdog and a blanket. Someone who was looking out for him wouldn't lie about his dog. That and he didn't think someone who saved cats from the rain would have an evil dog.
Slowly, he pulled his claws out of the sofa and slowly moved down. The dog was still whining, and he decided that, as a guest, he would show the other animals of the house that he was okay. It was best to win the favor of the man with the warm blanket and hotdog. Wolframite in no way thought that by understanding the man he was giving himself away.
He moved up to Dogby, sniffing the air before, knowing this might be unpleasant, got close enough to then jump off the couch. From the floor, the dog just seemed massive, and he curled his tail close as he waited for the strange animal introductions.
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Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 3:08 pm
A soft mew from somewhere nearby bespoke of the third animal currently in the house, the kitten he had rescued from a youma attack. It was hidden away, though, and did not reveal its location save for that small sound. It smelled the food and was interesting in sharing, but would not come out.
Tony left the plate of cat food on the floor for it, in case it did want to venture out some time.
He looked at the guardian cat, wondering why it wasn't talking. It was a guardian cat, wasn't it? Or was he just being crazy and assuming any odd looking cat was magical? Here he was, talking to it, like a mad man. Or one of those crazy cat collectors on TV.
Still, he understood his words, it seemed, because after being told it was alright he calmed and jumped down to see Dogby. Tony watched, tilting his head. Maybe this guardian cat simply could not talk. It did have only one eye, after all. Maybe it had suffered something worse.
Dogby wagged her stump of a tail as Wolframite came to see her, sniffing at him eagerly. She bumped him with her head, not meaning to knock him over and certainly lacking any aggression. She was just really excited to say hi and misjudged the distance between them. She stuck her nose in his fur, taking great sniffs in. This cat didn't smell like anything she had smelled before!
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Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 3:22 pm
Wolframite was just very cautious, and even though the dog was much bigger, the moment he started smothering him and sniffing his fur, he remembered that he loved dogs. They were energetic and cuddly, at least the domestic ones. The ones he met on the streets were scary, and Wolframite wondered if he's get payback if he ever became human again.
While the dog sniffed, Wolframite was bowled over and that in no way stopped the dog. It's nose just went everywhere, and Wolframite couldn't hold it in. He had tried to be smart and quiet, but he was ticklish and started to laugh. "ehhhehehehe-Stopithehehehe." He gasped, pawing back at the big dog face trying to inhale his fur off. He looked about to try and call for cat backup, but he couldn't see the kitten. Laughing, he managed to weak meow to the other cat.
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Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 4:45 pm
Tony watched with a smile as Dogby used her corgi cuteness to overwhelm the cat. He looked surprised when he finally heard a voice, amidst a laugh. So the cat could talk! That was a good thing to know. Maybe it just chose not to.
He wasn't sure why, and didn't want to rude by asking.
"Dogby, be careful with our guest, girly. You're going to inhale him." Tony moved to catch Dogby around the sides. He picked her up and held her over the ground, just above Wolframite, her little feet kicking like she was swimming while she stretched her head toward him, still trying to sniff and lick.
Tony laughed. "She likes you a lot."
The kitten did not reveal itself, though it was watching. It mewed in response, but mostly thought that he was on his own to deal with the dog. She didn't want to be sniffed and licked either.
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Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 9:11 am
He managed to catch his breath, watching the dog run in mid-air as it tried to swim it's way back to the new cat in it's home. Wolframite watched it a moment before deciding it might be best to go back to a place where it couldn't reach it. It jumped back up on the couch, balance a tad off with his eyepatch, but managed to claw it's way back up to let the man go back to set it's dog down.
He wondered if he had heard him, or if this guy was somewhat crazy and lonely as he had pets and spoke to them as people. Wolframite had been laughing rather loudly, and it seemed not to phase the man at all. Should he test it?
"She's sweet." He responded, and waited to make a mad dash if the man decided to freak out or play it off with a few meows to make the man assume he was just hearing it in his head.
As he did, he moved to the arm of the couch and looked about, ears turning around. He heard another cat. He meowed again.
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:01 pm
"She is," Tony said evenly, smiling at the cat. So he did not seem to find talking cats bizarre, but he had to be careful. He was aware that some cats were good and some were not, and he needed to be more careful who he spoke to and what information he passed on.
And his identity was probably something to keep safe from almost everyone. He hadn't been very good about that, either.
The kitten didn't appear, though it mewled in response. Dogby was wobbling around, whining, wanting to play but neither of her new friends seemed to want to. She went over to a chair and sniffed under it, and that seemed to be where the kitten was now hiding. Tony watched, smiling.
"That's a kitten I'm ah... fostering... she's very shy, but I couldn't just leave it..." he didn't mention he had saved it from a youma. Details. "You're not a normal cat, though. You talk, like that other one." There. He didn't say he knew them expressly, but that he had run into a talking cat before. Maybe that would prompt some explanation of who this cat was, and why he seemed so out of sorts.
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