Welcome to Gaia! ::

There was a soft clinking sound, a sound of tiny toenails making an occasional contact with the metal, something diminutive and white approaching up the fire escape towards you, it had either been of no interest at all to the strange dog below or it had, perhaps come out a lower window that lead onto the fire escape and was heading towards you.

A pert bunny-like tail that somehow suggested less that it had been unceremoniously removed, and more that it simply was a bob from birth twitched as the tiny cat paused to blink at you with vivid green eyes. It, or she… wore a beaded chain and a small key around her neck that swung slightly with the residual energy of her assent. Her forhead bore a strange mark that was rather distinctly a star.

The tiny head tipped to one side, and then back, quirking an ear before she moved closer and pressed her small head against the back of your hand, demanding a friendly touch without pausing to consider if you yourself enjoyed cats in the least.

The cat’s small mouth turned up and its green eyes glittered, it sat back on its haunches and the tiny bobbed tail twitched back and forth quite pleased with itself. “Well, not from within –it’s- reach that’s a certain thing.”

Yes, the cat spoke, and it seemed quite pleased with your reaction to seeing it do so. “You should follow me. If you think talking cats are fun you’ll love what I have to give you, I just need to get a little hand or it’ll come out –all- wrong.”

“Following is a good start!” The cat replied blinking wide green eyes in a satisfied squint. “But you said that was a given so just keep doing that till I find the person we need! How does that sound?” She chirped and did a little pattering circle.

“This way this way!” The cat declared and led you from one rooftop to another, a small yet no doubt terrifying jump, the risk of falling so much more profound if you were a civilian and not a cat.

“I AM DEMANDING A CELL PHONE IN MY NEXT LIFE!!” The cat declared to the heavens.

“Ooo…do you have yours? No… darn it he won’t have one like that.” She huffed and wiggled her hindquarters and leaped up onto a fan vent.

“OK… we are doing this the old fashioned way, if any people in white show up we run okay? Bad news those, bad news… also anyone with planetary cult symbols!” She added holding up her paw to give you careful instruction.

“I know you’re talking to a cat but you haven’t even started to see –crazy- in this city.”

With that she cleared her throat and tipped back her head and gave a long, yodeling caterwaul.

“You’re the one listening to a cat talk, logically you’d be thinking you were already ON something don’t you think?”

The new voice was warm and amused, as smooth as velvet.

“I’d say you need a cellphone, but I imagine that would be hard to use with paws.”

He wore dark clothing, pattered with blue curls of smoke, his face, and was covered with black cloth. Chains clattered at his waist when he moved forward spreading his hands to show he was unarmed, trinkets swung there, a gem, a key hung there at his hip.

The cat for her part chirruped happily and bounded over. “It worked didn’t it! I call that good and scientific method!” The small tail twitched almost a wag as she walked her front paws up his leg and swatted at the silver key.

“Yes… I’m afraid so. You may be right about cell-phones but for all the layers I’m wearing I have rather a shortage of pockets that I can –spare- for cell phones, never mind that I honestly have no idea where she would keep him.”

“What did she find you doing?”

The cat piped up, pointing a paw at you and declaring.
“She was toying with a youma! Brave as anything! And I’ll tell you something else, you should recruit her for all the BEST reasons, I’d just as soon say that Leto should grab her RIGHT up but you’re here so you’ll do just fine.”

“Beautiful smart woman, Princess actually, warrior princess, like Xena but real!” the cat said with a nod. “Best kind of science, Senshi science! Except it’s hard to understand so that it’s so perfect that we don’t understand it!”

The Stranger took a deep breath and exhaled softly. “Besides strange monsters, there is a… war going on in this city. Leto and I share a… side. The fact that she’s interested in you.” He waved a hand towards the cat.

“That… means you’re… rather more than the average civilian. It…means, it’s really in my best interest to, convince you to fight with us, to defend the city. To… join us rather than the people who put half the city to sleep.”

He lofted an eyebrow at you. “Putting half the city to sleep resulted in mass casualties, they blamed us… the ones that the news doesn’t report on. They have captured some of mine, they…tortured them for weeks before we found and rescued them. They took over…dreams believe it or not, dreams that could leave physical injuries on people… I’d show you but…I’m afraid dressed this way I’m wearing too many layers.”

He sounded amused at that.

“But… there are rewards to joining the war, you would be stronger, you’d know what the news can’t… or won’t show you. You’d be…faster, jump higher. You would have special abilities, and our little friend here, she’d help you learn them.”

He stooped and stroked a hand over the cat’s head, she pressed her head into his palm in return squinting her eyes shut and letting out a enraptured purr before marching back to you to twine about your ankles.

“You should, I’m a cat for this side, not like the other cats who recruit –children-“ She made a disgusted sound. “We only take people like you who are old enough to really decide… pleeeease please please?”