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It was no sort of fine idea to transform near ones home. Not even on building-top. Once in a blue moon, only by necessity, it could be passed off as simply being in the area. The habit was better never approached, and no traces left so near. There was enough activity, anyway, of the powered variety on the near campus to mask location probabilities. An alley there, between educational buildings was better.

Quenton paused, however, at the distinctive voice he'd come to learn was Faust's. He'd never had a cat, but it made sense that their timbre and tone would be as varied and individual as any human. It was mildly nasal, medium-pitched and full when he wasn't mumbling behind his whiskers about something Alois did or didn't do. The sculptor stopped in his tracks, curious and turning to look for the source. Cats followed on walks? That would be both rather marvelous and a little worrisome. He didn't want Faust to get hurt by something- but then as an alleycat-c**-apartodweller Faust faced youma, wraiths, rats, stray dogs and other cats all the time. And had survived thus far as a very fine, husky example of catdom.

Quenton waited for the cat to appear, if he was following. If he was just announcing his going out as well, it was easy enough to continue on in another moment. His considerations tumbled genial and at his bipedal companion's expense, Really, its like having two housecats. Only I didn't need to put a deposit down on Alois. I think Alois is the bigger liability, really, if damage is going to be done to the place.

"Oooph...Faust. " He reached a hand down, missing the opportunity to stroke the dark fur as the cat moved on from his body slam. It was adorable and troublesome all at once- he'd like to make the feline happy. But there was duty for now.

"You have settled in to this regular meals and house thing, haven't you? Well right now is hunting, Faust. Are you going to come?" He pulled out his henshin pen. "Thraen Eternal, Make-Up."

It was the necessary evil to being able to do anything- the petal and light show dance routine with questionable, glowing vines wrapping limbs that became a uniform. When it was done, he put the pen securely away. "Are you coming Faust? You must have hunted plenty of mice and rats in your day. "

He'd not been looking at the cat, expecting another meow in answer. Thraen's attention was drawn prompty to the feline on his approach, and then on his jump. The eternal senshi 'oophed' again when the husky, fluffy body was neatly situation on his shoulders.

"....Faust?" He lifted a hand to hover over two fingers over the star. "You're a Mauvian."

"Since when are you a Mauvian? Did you just 'awaken'? " Ash mentioned she had been a housecat. Did my henshin trigger it?

"The devil is in the details, Faust. Your name attests to that." He tried to ignore the desire to puff the manic pompom that was the mauvian's thought-agitated backside.

"But words need not be idle, fair enough. You have your balance? It will be good practice, if we hunt together- I run faster than even a Mauvian, I think." The perks of Eternal powers were still new, so in truth it was practice for both of them. Claw-raked shoulders might be an inevitability around turns, but would be easily explained with the truth to Alois. Teaching a cat to ride on one's shoulders was not a bloodless endeavor. "We're going to need to do something about that star and Alois. He's seen you with no star. "

He started with a trot and then picked up to a run, letting the Mauvian get used to the cadence and motion.

"But do you plan to continue to stick with it?"

Leaping from a building top to the free space of streetlamps, chilled breeze and traffic felt strangle and new all over again with an unexpected companion. The complaint about Alois' sleeping habits earned a throat-caged chuckle. "It's helpful for enjoying him while I work or study. But you're right. I expect, if already asleep, he'd miss the End of All Things."

"Bandaid....A bandage might actually work better than a band aid. I'd rather not unnecessarily throw either of you out. But if you can wear a bandage like you got into a fight when you're visible or sleeping for a little it would work- cats have ears and head injuries often enough from alley fights. Normally they'd put a satellite on you as well, but explaining that you wouldn't bear the vet to do it is more than believable. "

"If you sleep out of reach, you could take it off. He can't find you more than half the time when you sleep anyway, and he's not strong enough even now to move the bed- he's put on weigh and muscles, but not that much. " As a black iron and walnut solid construction from the height of the Art Deco, it wasn't an easy task to move the bed anyway, but his 2-steps-to-anorexia boyfriend had a fat chance of managing the feat any time in the next six months if not longer.

"I'd rather he not move out yet, though I do not own him. I'm impressed....glad...he's stayed so long. It's meant a lot of progress for a lot of studies. " And a strange experience, many more open doors of knowledge and understanding for a lot of art when it comes to a lover. Though impression so far of Faust was not one of someone who cared much of the softness of a lover's sighs. Though I imagine prior to just a few moments ago, Faust has had his share of alleykittens.

Thraen felt out along the wires of night, some youma here and there worth some notice. He picked a direction to beeline towards, taking the crows flight in spite of any obstacle. Ricochet jumping to scale anything larger than two stories was good practice with a passenger. "I'll have to show you the safe house I've made. You can use it as well. How much do you remember or know, just yet of being a Guardian and Mauvian? "

"Something notable but feline. Something you wouldn't be expected to do to other people and could be explained as a specific kind of affection. You could put your paw on my hand, if I'm seated and accessible. If I'm not, get to my shoulder and put it on my lips like some cats do?" He felt the Youma on the move, pivoting on a foot and hurdling some bushes. They were closing regionally- the aura of the youma becoming more a nebulous presence. Thraen paused as it was no longer moving.

Look sharp. "One of the old medical buildings, Highcroft Labs, used for storage anymore. Room B24's windows are completely obscured by massive rhododendron. The windows are unlatched. I can hinge a pane to make it a Mauvian door, rather than leaving the window open all the time."

Human vision left much to be desired, not to mention hearing or smell, compared to a cat. If Mauvian senses didn't degrade with an awakening, it would still hold true. The Youma may be trying to flank, from behind...above. We have a lot of energy between us.

Thraen bristled, but started a slow pace, straining the rods of his eyes to pick out some hint of movement on the value spectrum. "Hear anything?"

"Easy to ignore what happens all day every day as it is." How often either he or Alois woke to a face full of black poufy backside because they had the audacity to sleep with their head on a pillow that was plainly meant for Faust's butt cushion.

The revelation of a second something was concerning- the body of a victim maybe? Or just a regular civilian out tracking the night-watchers and raiders to make more of the yellow journalism that plagued them all? Ultimately, it mattered less than the very present youma. Eight o clock, then.

As soon as Faust was down. Thraen shifted to a sprint again, taking a path of jumps from hold on the edge of a fourth floor building like holding the edge of a pool for a swim meet to an iron third floor fire escape, off a light pole to the rickety waste can chained to the pole itself. The youma charged from the darks, twelve spindle-sharp legs around an black, shapeless mass. Eyes opened in the side near him, wide and concentric circles of yellow and red. It struck out with its legs like lances meant to piece victims to Entomological study.

Thraen dove and rolled, glad of his eternal speed as he came up again to a crouch. This one is faster than I was as a scout, but not equal to me now. Did some poor page or scout find it first? Is there a child that way, powered down and dying? Find the source, Faust, and I'll dust this foul corruption.