[MauReg] News travels fast [Hygiea/Niflhel] [fin]

[chirigami]

Somehow down the grapevine, her little ears caught wind of the most interesting of news; who she got it from... really, she never checked. The city had broken out in cats. People were turning into felines. It was clear who exactly; good guys, bad guys, people who were struck with a powerful beam and were there at the wrong time or something. But frankly, Ridley Pendergast was incredibly jealous.

After a quickly, and frankly, dodgy lie to her parents about where she might be going - parks were a nice excuse - she was out the door and to the streets as fast as her little legs could carry her. Once at a safe distance and with the aid of a pen, she transformed into her senshi form and quickened the pace after tugging her little plush into her belt.

Hygiea needed to see this for herself. She needed to find these cats. It was a mission of up most importance, more than anything.

People were cats!  

[LP]

Niflhel was sitting there looking almost rejected. His cat ears were down and he was currently looking around for some sort of answer to this problem. Mainly because he needed to find Polaris but the other reason was because he sorta wanted to find *********... maybe he could find out what's going on from her. After all he didn't really have a phone to call anyone and it's not like he could dial a phone....

So the squire gave a dejected sigh, unaware of any lurking senshi. For that matter unaware of any lurking chibi senshi that had an obsession with cats. His tail flickered unhappily as he sat there trying to figure out what the hell do about his current situation.  

[chirigami]

There had been one cat along the way that didn't seem to have an information on what had happened. Pretty much because it couldn't talk. That didn't stop Hygiea from stopping and petting it, giggling as the calico rubbed herself against her legs and purred loudly from the gloved hands that went through her fur. It wasn't a total lose, it was still a cat. And Hygiea was tempted to take the normal feline along with her until it scampered off for no good reason aside from 'normal cat behavior' with a soft meow.

Definitely not a person. Or a guardian. A cute cat, but not what she was looking for.

The next cat, however. Even with the possibility it was just another normal cat like the next, Sailor Hygiea nearly broke out into a full run trying to get across the street where Niflhel sat in his dejected state on the sidewalk. As she got closer, her hopes began to raise and soar. The unusual markings on his fur, the way he was holding himself.

THE STAR.

The obvious jackpot symbol upon his fuzzy brow. "Hey there, kittykitty!" She beamed, kneeling down to be more level with the feline. "Who might you be?" Pleaseanswerpleaseanswer.  

[LP]

If Kitties could death stare, it was the one thing Niflhel was giving the child until a thought popped in his head, she could help him! She was after all a senshi. "I'm not a kittykitty, first off. Secondly I'm Niflhel Squire..... of Saturn. Though I suppose I'm now Cat of Saturn until I figure out what happened."

His nose wrinkled, he'd seen the child talking to Polaris and *********... though he wondered, If ********* wouldn't know maybe Zirconia would or something. "And actually kid..." He paused she had a name didn't she? She was with the other child in the yellow hood, "I don't remember your name off hand.... but look I'm sorta in a pickle..." He admit his ears twitching as he sniffed the air.

Wait was that cinnamon rolls he smelled? Oh man..... and he couldn't buy them right now 'cause he didn't have any money. So he scowled as his nose twitched at the delightful smell. He wished he had some sweets, or anything to snack on really... A back paw idly scratched at his chin for a moment before himself....  

[chirigami]

Well, wasn't he grumpy! Hygiea still couldn't help but giggle as he sourly explained who he was, he had at least replied to her which cleared up her fears that she had not found the right kind of cat. He was a page, meaning he used to be something like her once; not just a human but someone who had a power. Honestly, Niflhel's name sounded terribly familiar to the little senshi, but she really couldn't place it.

"I'm Sailor Hygiea, senshi of..... herbs..." She began to respond, though he didn't ask for it specifically it would have probably been nice for the now cat to know who he was talking to. The enthusiasm in her voice faded though as she watched him curiously, sniffing the air and twitching.

Though Niflhel was begrudging his own nose, he would probably be grateful for that little distraction since Hygiea was all ready to go in for a scratching behind his ears. But no, her attention turned to looking around, wondering what he was smelling, "what is it?" She asked before sniffing herself. Cats had a better sense of smell, but maybe he had just gotten to it first?

She really had no idea what he had sensed, "good? Bad?" Hygiea looked back at the cat, perplexed.  

[LP]

Niflhel was indeed grumpy, probably because he had no way to contact anyone and seemingly disappear off the face of the earth. He paused, "Oh yeah you're one of those kids that was at Polaris' games." He seemed to remember her a little bitter now.

His tail flickered as he was trying to stop smelling the cinnamon rolls when she asked what the problem was. "cinnamon rolls..." He answered and his stomach seemed to cue in and growl. The squire cat's ears fell lower as he sighed, then laid down covering his head, as if that was going to stop his want of cinnamon rolls. "UGhH why me...."  

[chirigami]

"Yeah!" Hygiea grinned proudly at the cats recognition of who she might be, she honestly still had no idea who he was since she was terrible placing names without faces. "********* knocked me out in the first round though," there was a small pang of disappointment but it was subtle in the happy way she explained.

With the sound of Niflhel's stomach growling filling the air, Hygiea couldn't help but break out into giggles. "Would you like.. me to go get you some cinnamon rolls?" She managed between breathes. It would probably be pretty easy for her once she powered down or something and she had some money on her.  

[LP]

His ears twitched as she explained, "Ahhh *********.... I need to speak with her, I was the one that ended up kocking her from Polaris' fights as well."

He paused thinking, "Also, I might need some help finding Polaris. She needs to know I've been turned into a cat... And since I can't go home, that provides a problem...." He added with a frown, "At least I need someone to dial phone for me." He held up his paws wiggling them, "These don't do phone numbers."

He watched as the child started giggling and nodded, "Would you?" He asked curiously ears perking up. His tail flickered as he watched her cinnamon rolls would be good, and he was still getting use to this whole four legged not being able to do much thing as well. His tail flickered as he watched the child.  

[chirigami]

Sailor Hygiea took a brief moment to look at the store and then back at the small cat at her feet. "Alrighty, how about I go get us some snacks and then I'll call ********* and Polaris for you, sound good?" She smiled, rather pleased with her simple idea - it wasn't often when these things just came to her.

Without waiting for his consent, the little girl ran off towards the small open market of stores, briefly powering down back into Ridley Pendergast before entering the one that had teased Niflhel with its delicious flavors. It wasn't long after that she came back out with a small bag, filled with confections.

A few beats later she was back into her sailor uniform with orange-tastic phone already out and her fingers tapping away. The first she sent to ********* via Iris to let her know of the situation and by the time she made it back to the cat she was already working on the one to Polaris.

Setting the bag in front of Niflhel, the orange clad senshi sat herself next to him on the sidewalk trying to get the right wording. "Do you want me to tell her to meet you somewhere and stuff?" She asked.  

[LP]

Niflhel thought for a second as he tried to get his baring. "Tell her, I'll be coming the most direct route from the park to her house as soon as I manage to talk to *********. If she wants to meet me half way She can?"

He pondered and nodded, "You may want to let her know you'll send her a second message when I'm on my way. That way she doesn't have to waste patrol trime looking for me."

He gave a nod, "Oh and uh.... you may want to send a picture of me.... since I'm a cat. Do those phones do that? If not do you have a phone that can I know her number."

His tail flickered looking concerned.  

[chirigami]

As well as she tried, Hygiea tried to type up as much as Niflhel was dictating to her, "wait... wait, you're going too fast," not to mention way too many characters to have to handle with the phone. Her eyes were beginning to cross from how much she was trying to concentrate on getting the message to the senshi of magnitude. If only she could use shorthand but it was always hard to tell how some people felt about abbreviations in text messages, so she worked as fast as she could.

... he wants u to meet him half way. Will send second message when he is on his way....

Hygiea was about to tap on the send button when the cat offered his suggestion. "Good idea!" She appended her current text.

Will send picture of cat

With that, she sent the message off into the air to the older senshi. And without warning, she spun around with phone raised high above Niflhel's little cat face and clicked. It might be the most candid of shots and really her opinion on any shots of cats was always pleasing, she sent it off quickly after taking it without consulting the once human. "Heee, I like this one," she giggled while putting it into a folder she had designated for anything cat related.

As if on cue, Hygiea's orange phone beeped and vibrated indicating an incoming message. "Aa, its from *********!" She announced surprised - she had expected something from Iris but apparently she was able to contact the cat herself, "she says she'll meet us at my house."  

[LP]

"Good, good... So meeting ********* at your house... Oh and do you happen to have plates for the cinnamon rolls? Or did they put them in different boxes or something?" His stomach growled again and he stared at it.

Ears twitching, "I mean.... not to sound spoiled or anything but I can't bring myself to eat off the ground..." He made a face like that was the most revolting idea ever. Though he was hungry.... "A bite before we get to your place or should we get to your place and then eat?"  

[chirigami]

Niflhel's inquiries brought out a mighty giggle out of little Hygiea, her arms wrapped around her stomach as she laughed obviously finding it hilarious and adorable how concerned he was over how he was going to eat his pastry.

"You're a cat, you don't need a plate," well true they fed her cat on a plate but how else were they going to feed her. Like Niflhel, they weren't going to feed her on the ground. "Did you always eat off plates at a person? Didn't eat with your fingers?" Having calmed herself, she reached over to the bag and pulled out each of the cinnamon buns, each wrapped in their own papers. First she placed one in front of him, unwrapping the leaves to reveal the bun before placing it her's on her lap.

"Even Dahlia didn't mind eating from the ground and she was kind of prissy." She grinned.

"I don't mind eating before we go, I don't know where ********* is but it will probably take her a while to get to my house." She explained. After all, the duo wasn't really that far from her home.  

[LP]

Niflhel watched as she laughed, "I don't know who Dahlia is but she's probably been a cat the whole time."

He pointed out his tail flickered in slight irritation as he held up his paws, "Also, I have no fingers. So I can't really hold the cinnamon bun without dropping it I'm pretty sure."

He watched as she unwrapped the cinnamon bun, oh good it was on paper. "I mean I don't mind eating from paper or something, but the ground... it's just like.... do we even know what's on this sidewalk?" He pointed out. "Youma dust and who knows what other kinds of germs."

He pulled part of the bun off using his teeth and started chewing it, cheeks puffing out a bit because he took a little too big of a bite. However, it didn't seem to stop him from chewing it and swallowing. "I mean a floor of a house isn't as bad, I know it's at least clean." He added with a firm nod. At least they had time to eat before they had to leave. It should at least tide him over until he managed to get to Aurora's.

"Oh by the way, I'll pay you back for these when I actually have money on me. That way your parents won't wonder where your money went." He took another bite.  

[chirigami]

"Cats are still capable at using their paws though," Hygiea told the cat all matter of factly. That and they had sharp claws to catch things with which was super cool. Well, cats had a lot of super cool abilities, she was sure Niflhel was not aware of them seeing as how grumpy he was during their whole conversation.

She was sure he could have gotten the cinnamon buns on his own if he had given the owners 'The Look.' It was how she figured ********* always got her treats when her girls weren't around. "Dahlia is a pretty cat that went on patrol with me one time," she explained after munching on a big piece of her bun. Her gloves were beginning to get sticky but she didn't really mind it - that's what skirts were for, to wipe them clean.

"You don't need to, my parents don't really mind what I do with the money I get." She was nine, they never really expected to see her money go to somewhere worthwhile so getting food for her and a 'new friend' was nothing new to them if she really needed to explain it. "I think my parents will like you when I take you home, you have really pretty fur," she smiled.