EVENT: HERE THERE BE MONSTERS

[initiatesnpc]

Date & Time: October 24 - October 31
Location: Throughout Exsilium
Characters: ALL; tag yourselves in
Summary: The Transports return from their mission to find the island crawling with monsters.
Warnings: Violence, possibly injuries (notify a mod if there's cause to add a particular warning!)

The Transports return from their mission to Medieval Russia, but the Initiative Hold is eerily deserted. Normally, their would be a number of Initiative personnel prepared to meet the Transports at the end of their mission for debriefing.

Instead, there is only silence.

That is, until a distant thumping sound can be heard. It is growing closer, and suddenly the beast is bursting into the room. It lets out a roar and charges. Within minutes, it is easily defeated, but damage has already been done -- it collided with the Transporter machine, which is now making a low fizzling sound and lets off a couple sparks. The commotion is enough to draw the attention of the few remaining Initiative personnel who still inhabit the Hold, who arrive immediately afterwards. They are able to tell the Transports two things: that the machine is broken and currently unable to sent anyone back in time, and that the island has been overrun with aggressive, mutated beasts sent by the United Earth. They have been under siege for months, with the island's population reduced to a mere fraction of what it had once been.

Comments

[selfloyalty]

[Anora is of a similar mindset and she too has taken refuge in the Hold for the time being. She's settled on a couch with a book in hand, the front and back of the book bare (the slipcover having been removed because it had featured imagery a queen would not wish to be seen with spoilers: dirty romance novel). She's reading with muted interest, her eyes looking up every so often.

Growing bored of the cheesily coy dialogue with very little "action" taking place, she looks up once again, eyes taking note of a cat who had decided it was best to lounge on a nearby chair.

She looks around to see if anyone familiar was around, and seeing no one, she sets the book on her lap, making a few of those "pss"ing noises in an attempt to see if the cat will humour her and come over.

The queen has a secret soft spot for cats, who knew.]

[onblackwings]

[ She'd been content to ignore the human nearby, but something about that sound snags her attention. She flicks an ear, then opens lazy golden eyes to regard Anora with inevitable curiosity. She obviously wants Khisanth's attention. But why? Is it food?

Her eyes widen fully at that idea and she watches with clear interest... although she hasn't been quite convinced to stand up. Is it food, lady? Is it?? ]

[selfloyalty]

[Nope, no food, but Anora does manage a smile when the cat looks in her direction with obvious interest. She would honestly never do this in the presence of, well, anyone who thought they knew her better, but she continues to make those sounds and bends forward to scratch at the floor with her nails a little in an attempt to draw the cat towards her.

Her voice is low and there's a slight 'coo' to it.

Yup. Super glad no Thedosians are around.]

You are a pretty one, aren't you?

[onblackwings]

[ Why is this so intriguing. Khisanth stares for a few seconds longer before hopping to her feet and beginning a slow meander in the general direction of Anora. Maybe it's not food, but it's definitely something interesting.

...But either way, yes, she is a pretty one, and she appreciates Anora pointing it out. She swings to just within reach, still eying those beckoning fingers. ]

[selfloyalty]

[There's a minor feeling of success as the cat wandered towards her, and she mentally chides herself at how easily people can become stupid in the presence of domesticated animals.

When the black cat is within reach, Anora ceases her scratching at the floor, bringing her hand up just below the height of the cat's head, palm facing down and fingers laxed, allowing the cat to initiate whether or not it wishes to be petted. She makes yet another sound between her teeth before talking to it again.

Her voice remains at the same timbre.]

Haven't seen you around before.

[onblackwings]

[ She's not totally sure what to do with that hand there, but the cat instincts certainly know. So she gives into those, for sheer curiosity. Before she knows it she's butting against that hand, rubbing her cheeks against the fingers to declare to anyone with a nose that this hand and the attached human are firmly hers, for as long as she wants them.

...Well, that will do. ]

[selfloyalty]

[When the cat rubs its cheeks against her fingers, Anora's smile grows fond, almost wistful in a way, and takes it as a sign that she's now allowed to actively pet the cat.

She leans forward a bit more off the couch, tilting her hand so the palm faced up, scritching under Khisanth's chin.]

I wonder if you belong to anyone here.

[It's said idly as she continues to pet the cat.]

Far too pretty to be a stray.

[onblackwings]

[ Oh. That's nice. She tilts her head obligingly, and after a few seconds of this, is a little startled to find a rumbling in her chest. Not a growl, it goes in little waves with her breathing.

...Huh. Well, okay, that can stay, she supposes, but only because she's so pleased with this. And in fact, she might even make things a little easier, here. In a few seconds more she's hopped up onto the couch next to Anora, ready for more lovin. ]

[selfloyalty]

[As the cat takes a seat next to her, Anora's posture straightens and she looks a little less ridiculous. She abandons her book on the arm rest of the couch to free up her lap just in case, and her hand moves from the cat's chin to the side of its face, and finally behind its ears, stroking down and along its back.]

I had a cat once.

[STORY!TIME. But seriously, Anora's in the nostalgic zone right now and talking to a cat is completely logical.

Talking to animals when you think nobody's listening is totally a Mac Tir thing okay.]

He wasn't as pretty as you, of course. His fur was dirty and white and he had a horribly mean face that looked like a goat kicked it in. The children in my town tormented him endlessly, so I told my mother we should keep him on the farm...he was a marvelous mouser; didn't have a name though. I called him 'Cat' and left it at that.

[She's back to scratching under Khisanth's chin again, looking at her solemnly. Obviously she knows that this cat a) probably doesn't understand because OF COURSE IT'S A CAT and b) doesn't give a shit, but Anora never gets a chance to simply let her walls come down and talk about her childhood.]

Had to leave him behind after Mother died. I'm positive he did not mind it in the least.

[onblackwings]

[ Well, she's half right on one count. The stare that Khisanth fixes on her isn't quite the uncomprehending stare of an animal, and she seems too interested for what little motion-stimulus Anora is providing for kitty attention spans. The story isn't exactly the most fascinating, but she appreciates the lack of sentiment in it. Of course the cat didn't mind, and she'd have been annoyed to hear anything else.

...Maybe this human is alright. If she keeps up that petting, she might even find a reason to like her.

Contented that she's found a good enough place to do her lounging for now, Khisanth curls herself up against Anora's leg and just keeps on keepin' on with the purring. It's all very comforting, sort of in the way sleeping on a giant pile of gold is. ]