[log] Raise the ruff! Who says there can't be a bit of pro-cat-stination between friends [closed]

[heroproceeding]

Characters: Sora (seekthelight), Charlie (mightyratslayer), and Sad Losers (Kunsel (deus_ex_phs), Zell (swatsflies),
Jim (rattingthestars), and Zack (heroproceeding)
Location Pet Store (Building 158, Downtown)
Date: Day 130 - Afternoon
Summary: Four losers walk into a bar- ...pet shop. Insert something actually witty here. Cannot be bothered with this shit.
Warnings: Idiots. Idiots. Expect dumb things.

[ Look at this amazing starter.
Look at it.
It's so beautiful.
Written of so many gorgeous words.
You can't take your eyes off of this.
CHECK IT MOFOS.

158: A store with large windows and a lot of cages inside.

This was definitely a pet shop, and it still has many of the signs of being one. There are small shelves in front of the windows with gated off areas where animals surely were on display in the past, as well as cages and tanks for all manner of smaller pet, reptile, fish, or amphibian. There is a section with a brightly colored label that says "CUSTOM", but it's unclear what that was except that it involves a small room with glass walls and a desk with a few chairs on one side for sitting in front of and one on the other side for sitting at.

There's nothing in the desk, and the shelves are pretty bare. The canine section of the store has been totally ruined, with all the shelves knocked over and everything smashed to pieces. It looks like the remains of a table leg are in there, too, among the mess. There's a fair amount of splattered dried blood all over the floor in that area as well.

"ALPHONSE ELRIC, DAY 110, TRAVELLING EAST. CONTACT LELRIC FOR ANY ASSISTANCE" and "ALPHONSE ELRIC, DAY 114, TRAVELLING WEST. CONTACT LELRIC FOR ANY ASSISTANCE" are written on the wall. ]

( Let's be real. Either your life's like this or your life's like that when these idiots are involved. HAVE AT YOU BUTTS. )

Comments

[heroproceeding]

{A}

[ It'd been typical going in. Same old armed-with-a-butcher-knife-ready-for-action as usual, the precaution he always took when they entered places. In this case? The pet store. It's caution that had ended when he'd realized the only presence they would find there was an... interesting man that looked roughly around his own age and surprise, surprise. The boy who whacked things with keys for a living. It's a two weirdos for the price of one bargain bin!

New company hadn't been a bad thing, especially after all they had been through the past few days. It's a comfort to see others among the town in the flesh- not... exactly untouched from what all had transpired. But still there and alive. It... also helps to take a break inside the store after being so sick lately, especially after worrying them all before. Maybe he's taking a page from that book.

Doesn't mean he's going to just sit and do nothing. He's currently digging through his pack, taking better inventory of things now that he actually has the mind to. ...Or at least he was until his hand he was set to balance himself on landed on something that had him catching himself on the wall before glimpsing down at the offensive object.

Which happens to be a bouncy ball. He picks it up, giving it a good, long look before his gaze goes to someone nearby. Then his eyes are back on the ball. Then... casually back on them out of the corner of them. And when they aren't looking....

He's just gonna toss that ball at them overhand with an easygoing flick of the wrist before casually returning to nosing through his things. Yep.

You did not just see that. Or did you. ]

{B}

[ Bring your own prompt, you butts! ]

[seekthelight]

[He is not weird! You're just being rude, Mr. Swiss Cheese!

Sora had been apprehensive when he'd first heard people entering the pet store, mostly because Charlie was in such a rough state and he didn't want anyone starting trouble. Lucky for them it had been familiar faces--and voices in some cases--and Sora had immediately gone from wary to relieved. He greeted them all like friends he'd known for years and had introduced them to the sick--aka going through alcohol withdraw--Charlie before diving into a series of questions.

Had they seen anyone else? Had they heard from people? Did they know if everyone that had been underground was back?

Listen, he's just worried okay.

The young man was in the midst of carrying another blanket to the area Charlie had claimed as his own when his spider-senses tingled something catch his attention out of the corner of his eye. He turned just in time to jerk back and catch the ball as it came at him, Sora blinking as he looked at it then over to Zack.

And his eyes slowly narrowed as he grinned.]

So it's going to be like that, huh?

[heroproceeding]

[ Don't give him that, Mr. Heart Hotel.

The questions fired off from Sora had been sudden and many, admittedly. Not exactly unexpected though considering. A lot had gone down and despite being in communication with the kid, well. They had been out of touch with quite a few others and there had been consequences, too, the elezen suffering the worst of it. The way things had transpired with that anomaly in the end... That still makes his stomach churn from the possible implications, but he's... not about to share those theories any time soon.

Time to settle on simpler things for a bit. If even just to help keep some sanity in all of this. Just a breather. Just- ]

Huh? [ Zack's just gonna look up, the completely and utter face of innocent bestowed upon him as he looks at the kid a few feet off from him.. ] What are you talking about?

[ Clearly, that wasn't him. Of course not. ]

[seekthelight]

[Don't be jealous of the Hotel CaliSora.

Yeah Sora doesn't believe that for a second. This may be his first time meeting the other in person but he's gotten a good idea of how you work, Zack--humor especially, even if it doesn't show all that often thanks to this place.]

The ball. [Cue him holding it up on display.] Or did someone else throw it from some other corner of the pet store?

[Translation: Don't play innocent with him, mister!

Sora's not going to wait for an answer and instead just tosses it back at the other.]

[heroproceeding]

[ Why would he be jealous? One of him's more than enough for this world. Or any for that matter.

Zack simply raises an eyebrow when Sora draws his attention to the dog toy. His gaze starts to wander, starts the great debate of who to accuse otherwise- but then that ball's flying back to him. He sees it out of the corner of his eye and quickly reaches up, catching it easily.

Then, he's giving it a once over like it's the first time he's ever seen it. ] Yep, pretty sure it was. Not a bad color though. Think it might be a keep-er! [ Yep, that's Zack chucking it at Sora again, trying to get him with it rather than playing catch. Nothing hard enough to smart but definitely hard enough to try and get him while he's off his guard. ]

[seekthelight]

[Depends on who you ask~]

Uh huh.

[Liar liar liar!

Sora was in the process of adjusting the blankets again when Zack tossed the ball back at him and normally, it might have worked. You might have been able to catch him off guard, Zack.

But he's prepared right now.

The teen dodges to the side with ease and manages to snag the ball out of the air with a quick motion, looking rather smug as he straightens and tosses it up and down in his hand.]

Nice try! Gonna have to be faster than that!

[And then he's dropping the blankets to toss it back at the other with a sharp underhand toss.]

[heroproceeding]

[ This time when he catches it, he can't help but raise both his brows in surprise. Rather than throwing it back at him, he starts to bounce and catch it against the flooring, expression turning thoughtful as he seems to consider the back and forth. Finally, he admits with a reasoning nod to the side. ] Not bad, kid. Not bad.

[ He eyes narrow and then he's pitching it again- but this time, it's purposefully over Sora and into one of the open cages. He smirks as it makes it inside... only for his expression to fall to something sheepish when it bounces off the back and comes straight back out, drumming along a counter before falling back to the floor. ] Well- Was worth a shot.

[seekthelight]

Have to be fast to keep up with the Heartless!

[Sora may not be quick witted but his reflexes? They'd gotten good over the years. And if it wasn't for this place he probably could have caught that ball out of mid-air but the lack of magic abilities he misses you double-jump makes it kind of impossible.

He watches it end up in the cage before snickering as it rolls back out, moving to snag it after a couple of bounces.]

You almost had it!

[Looking back at the other Sora grins and bounces the ball off the ground and catching it, repeating the motion a few times.]

Just don't bank on a career in sports.

[heroproceeding]

Eh, they were never really my thing anyway. [ He shrugs casually at that. Seriously, they were the last thing on his mind back home. It had always been about SOLDIER. About being a hero.

A part of him still stings mildly if he really thinks about it for too long. To know after all that time and all that loyalty... but well. What can you do? Keep moving forward is what. And it's what he pushes to do right then as a smile curves his lips just a little. ] Now, betting on them? That wasn't so bad. Ever heard of chocobo races?

[seekthelight]

[Sora snorts softly though he has an idea of why that may have been. He's not going to press, though, and instead just starts to say something else only to pause.

Say what now?]

Chocobo races?

[The way Sora echoes it makes it clear that he has no idea what the other is talking about, gripping the ball in his hand now as he gives Zack a curious look.]

What in the world is a chocobo?

[Because of all the weird things he's seen, a chocobo is not on that list.]

/unburies self from the rest of old tags

[heroproceeding]

[ There's something of an ironic twist of a smile that befits him at the clear cut confusion in Sora's voice. ]

So, let me get this straight. You've heard of darkness, heartless, keyblades, nobodies, some thing called Kingdom Hearts, you've seen people get their hearts taken from them, but...

You don't know what a chocobo is.

[ Seriously, he can't help it, Sora. This is just rich. ]

[seekthelight]

[Sora makes a face, huffing a bit.]

I had a keyblade called the Metal Chocobo that I got from Cloud but I don't know if that's the same sort of chocobo you mean!

[Don't be a jerk, Zack! God.]

[heroproceeding]

[ Sorry, Sora. That face? Is only going to get him ought right laughing. ] But if you got it from Cloud- [ ...The rest of what he says catches up to him, really catches up to him and that. That gets him cocking his head to the side. ]

..Wait, what do you mean you got it from Cloud?

[deus_ex_phs]

[A]

[After the initial round of greetings had taken place, it hadn't taken long for Kunsel to wander off to begin his habitual search of the place, checking for anything of interest. He checks the shelves, of course, and under counters and desks, shifts around the pieces of the broken mess that someone else had left behind. Eventually, though, he ends up in front of the room labeled CUSTOM with a thoughtful look on his face.

A thoughtful look, and his tablet out as something (a video?) plays on its screen. Anyone who tries to listen will hear a child's voice crying. W-we need to take her to th-the animal doctor!

Will you get closer to try to take a look?]

[B]

[Write your own prompt!]

[seekthelight]

[The room labeled "CUSTOM" had been driving Sora mad with curiosity. There was something strange about it that he couldn't quite put his finger on and he really wanted to figure out why it was labeled the way it was. And why it was so...strange looking in comparison to the rest of the building.

He's not surprised to see that someone else seems to be drawn to it as well and he pauses as he comes around one of the shelves. While he can't hear it all, he does hear some noise from Kunsel's tablet--specifically the animal doctor part--and a soft frown touches his face.

What was he watching?

Sora can't help but wander over, peering around the other to try and get a glimpse of the tablet.]

Was that filmed here?

[deus_ex_phs]

[Kunsel glances up from his tablet, then shakes his head in response.]

I don't think so. I think it's from one of the houses in the residential district. But I wonder if the bird in it might have been from here.

Here.

[He taps the screen, resetting the recording, then hold it out for Sora to see. It's a recording from the Publicly Available Data.]

The following is half audio and half video:
[The sound is a bit distant, as if recorded from far away, but it's audible. It sounds like a small girl is crying in a muffled way. An older woman seems to be trying to soothe the child.]

I know, baby, I'm sorry. I can't believe they would-- [The woman's voice rises in anger, but she checks herself, returns to her previous soothing tone.]

W-we need to take her to th-the animal doctor! [The child's voice, plaintive and broken with crying.]

[The woman doesn't answer, and it's a few moments after this the video turns on. It displays from a high corner of the room, explaining the distance in its audio recording. The woman and child--Sparrow Langley--are in front of a large bird cage, the woman keeping the child held tightly in her arms.

The bird cage is open and silent, because the little sparrow that was once inside is dead on the floor, its neck snapped. There's something odd about it, though--why is its blood blue?]

[seekthelight]

[Sora's brow furrows thoughtfully as he focuses on the tablet, arms crossed as he watches the scene play out. It seems normal enough and he can't help but feel bad for the little girl, starting to say something about it when he pauses.

That...wasn't right.]

Was that a normal bird?

[He can't help but blurt it out like that, staring at Kunsel's tablet a moment longer before looking to at the other man himself.]

It wasn't, was it?

[deus_ex_phs]

[A smile ghosts across Kunsel's lips when Sora zeroes in on exactly what he noticed in the video, too.]

No. No, I don't think it was. In fact, the girl who owned that sparrow, Sparrow Langley, spoke to us once, and she said it wasn't exactly a real sparrow either.

[seekthelight]

She spoke to you--but I thought there weren't any people here? I mean, the people that use to live here!

[This place has been confusing him more than he'd like to admit as of late and you aren't helping things, Kunsel.]

Did she give you guys a clue as to what it was? Is--was it like the anomalies or something?

[deus_ex_phs]

[Ah, yeah, Kunsel should probably give him the full context for that.]

There aren't, at least as far as we know for certain. The ghosts of some of the people who lived here before possessed a few of us at one point a few months back. Sparrow was one of them.

Unfortunately, she was only six when she died - or whatever happened to her. She didn't really know much about what made her bird different, just that it was. I could pull up the conversation, if you'd like.

[seekthelight]

[Considering the time he'd spent in Halloweentown, Sora wasn't really all that surprise to hear Kunsel talk about ghosts. He'd seen his fair share of them. What he hadn't ever experienced was ghosts possessing people.

He'd only really ever seen Xehanort..Ansem...various variations of said old man do that and that had been slightly different than what he had a feeling Kunsel was referring too.]

Please? I've been trying to get a hold of or watch as much stuff as I can so I can..I guess try and help more. So if you're willing, I'd like to see it.

[Can't be as bad as what Brian showed him, after all.]

[deus_ex_phs]

[Sora, your world has issues.]

Alright, give me just a second.

[A little bit more than just a second, actually, but it's still a lot faster going through his notes than it would be to find the conversation manually. Not for the first time does Kunsel wish the network had anything like a search function.

Fortunately, this one is in his notes, so it's only a minute before he pulls up the thread in question - a thread with a face that might be familiar, but with a completely different username than what Steph uses now.]

[seekthelight]

[You have no idea. :'D

Sora's patient, absently rocking back and forth from his toes to his heels as he tucks his arms behind his head. When he finally gets a look at what Kunsel was talking about, his movements stop and he looks it all over a couple of times.

It was really..strange. And he had to remind himself that it definitely wasn't Steph because nothing about how she was acting or speaking was right.]

Has she done that since then? Take over somebody? Or has anyone figured out anything about her weird bird?

[deus_ex_phs]

Not that I've heard of. It's possible that they're out there in the shadows that we keep seeing, but no one's reported spotting anyone we recognize yet.

[He's gotten somewhat used to the ghost-like people that wander the streets, but they're still very much a mystery.]

[seekthelight]

[What the gears turn in his head, Kunsel, because you can see how hard he's thinking about this based on the way his expression screws up and he holds his chin in one hand, other arm supporting his elbow.]

What about talking to them on the network? Calling them out. Has that ever worked before? I mean, if they lived here, they'd know things and maybe talking to them directly will just...I dunno. Make them feel like they're alive again and want to talk!

[Sora logic.]