ITP: Kittens

[maybe_a_king]

Who: Arturia
Where: Virgo Ward
Summary: Arturia is settling in, meaning she has things to do: a). Buy kitty litter and cat food and b). Explore the city to find the best routes.
Warnings: Mention of cats?
Arturia, unlike others, hadn't bothered with the Network upon arrival. It was easy enough to peruse and get her head together. No, she had something else to do besides socialize on the internet: shopping.

Shopping for the four little kittens who had come through to Hinoto-Ri with her. It was nice to be able to do something relatively normal after the strange last few days she'd had. Even being brought to this strange place did not measure up to how odd and unnerving it had been. First she got chased through the streets for her life. Then she found out she had become a Master in some magical war alongside Rin? Then her own Servant being the one to snipe one of her.... well, Shinji was a sleazeball, but he was also Sakura's brother. How could she hope to face Sakura knowing Shinji would be alive if she had made it clear to Archer not to kill him? Now she was in a strange city in another world. What was next? A crippling sense of fear she couldn't explain driving her mad?

Yes, right now it was much easier to focus on her cats safely sleeping in her tiny apartment with a makeshift litter box and little else. If she was going to stay in this city, she needed to see about her moped getting converted and getting more than this small stipend she'd been given. It'd take a while to set up the delivery business she'd once had, but once she got to know the city better and earned enough to fix up her moped it would be easy. She could go back home soon enough, right? Maybe this short break to think things through wouldn't be so bad.

That being said, she still needed to find a pet store and was having no luck. To remedy this little problem she approached someone on a street corner who looked friendly enough, cleared her throat to get their attention, and asked:

"Excuse me? Do you know where there's a pet store around here? I've just arrived and am still finding my way around. Any help would be most welcome."

Comments

[greyerrant]

The grey-armored warrior looks slightly bemused at someone approaching him, staring down at the diminutive young lady from significant height, saying in a deep voice, "I see, well, ah, a pet store?" He blinks a few times. Oh yes, pets, mortals keep those. He raises his COMP for a moment, delicately keying it.

"I'll assist you in finding one then, Mamzel."

[maybe_a_king]

Arturia wasn't particularly inclined to use the tech around here, not having had much of a need for anything more advance than a television and stereo back home. It would take some getting used to, but in the mean time she let the rather large man key things into his COMP.

"That would be helpful, thank you, sir."

[greyerrant]

Garviel brings the directions to a nearby pet shop up on the COMP, and asks Arturia.

"Are these sufficient?"

[maybe_a_king]

"It should be. Hopefully they have the proper food for kittens there," she said as she looked through the directions. She glanced up and down the street for a moment, trying to mentally orient the directions she'd been shown to the map she was slowly building in her mind.

"So three blocks this way and then a right," she mused as she did so, "Next to the hairdresser and the laundromat."

[greyerrant]

"So it would appear, yes."

He is quiet, for a moment, and then asks, "Why do you keep pets? I mean, such as kittens. I can see the war-value of keeping dogs. Are you trying to ensure your home remains free of small vermin?"

[maybe_a_king]

"Nothing like that, no. I found them in an alley a few weeks ago and I couldn't just leave them to starve to death," she says with a shrug. Truthfully she wouldn't mind dogs either, but cats were a lot easier to sneak into her apartment building.

"I suppose I'm attached to them enough now that they came to this city along with me. They've got no one else to look after them at the moment."

[greyerrant]

"I see. Compassion is an understandable reason." He nods to himself.

"Are they difficult to care for?"

[maybe_a_king]

"At the moment, no. I managed to get them trained to use the litter box well enough. The main thing is to make sure they're kept warm and fed regularly as they grow."

Which is when something occurs to her and she gives him a curious look.

"You mentioned the war value of dogs, sir. Would you happen to be a soldier of some kind?"

[greyerrant]

Garviel gestures to his Mark VI war-plate, huge boltgun and chainsword, which he wears around town.

"I am a member of the Legiones Astartes, yes."

[9tailedtemptress]

Ahri had had a blast 'earning' freebies from the local shops and was taking a break at the moment, enjoying a nice chilled treat she had been gifted called ice pop. It was ever so pleasant!

Her tails were swaying idly around her before she got approached. Looking over, she smiled warmly and shook her head.

"I don't know of any pet shops, no, but I'm sure there are some around considering this place has been most fun to explore and have a blast in." She eyed her curiously as her smirk grew wider, this new girl seemed to have a pleasant source of essence, maybe she won't mind if Ahri gave her some good feelings in exchange for a nice snack.

Even as she spoke Ahri sent out her desires and had a small taste of the newcomer, usually, this would bring feelings of warmth and desire and pleasantry amongst the victim, sometimes even desire and ecstasy, but Ahri wasn't really feeding as much as she was testing the waters, so the feeling would be rather subtle unless they were very sensitive.

[maybe_a_king]

Arturia, not being that well-versed in magic beyond the fact she could walk on water and apparently had a contract with the Servant Archer, wouldn't notice the feeling much. Perhaps a vague sense of unease at the intrusion but she dismissed it as how unnerving the last few days had been both at home and here.

"I've noticed. I plan on exploring the district more thoroughly, but my cats apparently came through to this place with me and I need to make sure they're cared for first."

Despite herself and what she'd seen so far in this city, her eyes kept flicking to Ahri's tails. Was she a native citizen of Hinoto-Ri or another transplant like herself? It was hard to say, but Arturia didn't comment. It might be rude to do so.

[9tailedtemptress]

"Aww, you have felines with you then?" she asked with a smile. Anyone who cared for animals was already in good graces with the legendary spirit.

"I'm sure there's bound to be something, yes. This place seems to supply most of everything we need, be it by purchase or by gifts." she giggled coyly as she motioned to the bags at her feet. All gifts of course, she hadn't spent a cent yet... Although she might have been using a bit of her charm to acquire some of them.

[maybe_a_king]

With Arturia's luck she might just get handed the cat food and supplies once she explained the situation. Sometimes she herself just had that effect on people--and then she'd strive to find a way to pay that person back.

"Yes, four kittens I found abandoned in an alley a few weeks before I came here. I've been caring for them since I couldn't find their mother." The very first thing someone should do when they find stray kittens of any kind.

She smiled a bit at the bags. "The people here have been kind so far. I take it people such as us are not that unusual here."

[9tailedtemptress]

Ahri frowned a bit, "If the mother wasn't nearby, than an unpleasant fate must have befallen her..." she lowered her head and sighed a little.

"Nonetheless, it is good that a kind person like you found them. While animals are great at adapting, if they were just kittens they would have had a rough time surviving."

At the latter comment she perked up a bit, "Well, it seems that since us outsiders are of the exotic kind, we get a bit of special treatment."

[maybe_a_king]

The good possibility of the mother befalling an unpleasant fate was the exact reason why Arturia took in the kittens in the first place. She couldn't just abandon them and who knew what would happen to them in a shelter?

"I try to do my best by them," she said, remembering how her uncle tends to give her annoyed looks at how their cupboard had slowly been filling up with cat food.

As to the special treatment: "I see. I'll have to do my best to repay the people here once I'm more settled in."

[9tailedtemptress]

"I'm sure they'll appreciate it even more. Which oddly enough will cause them to feel the need to give even more special treatment and thus you create a cycle! It's amazing how things like this work so curiously." Ahri mused.

[maybe_a_king]

Which, Arturia reasoned, must be why she tended to get a lot of attention at school. She never thought much about it, but it made about as much sense as any.

"I suppose so. Either way, I feel I should be willing to earn and pay people back for the things I've been given, it's the only decent thing to do."

It was there she realized she'd forgotten to introduce herself. Again.

"Ah, I apologize. I'm Arturia Pendragon. Would you please tell me who you are?"

[grancenturio]

Nessiah tilts his head before turning to face her as directly as if he hadn't had his eyes completely covered.

"I haven't looked for one in particular, but there is no doubt one nearby in this place."

[maybe_a_king]

"I see. I'll have to keep searching then, thank you," she says to Nessiah, trying not to get too close. While she knows better than to judge others on their appearance and has seen stranger things in this ward alone, the hood and chains are enough to set her on edge.

Still, she wouldn't just write him off. Just because he looks strange doesn't mean he's malevolent, right?

[grancenturio]

Trust your instincts, Arturia. Although the hood and chains have good reason for them.

"Would you like my assistance?" he asks. "I haven't much to do today."

[maybe_a_king]

Oh, she will. The mun just doesn't want this to be a one tag wonder with "and then she avoided the creepy child like the plague forever and ever."

"I suppose it couldn't hurt. I'm still trying to understand how to work the Comp system so using it for directions is trying at the moment." Not to mention she wants to learn the city's layout with her own eyes and feet. There were just some things seeing a map and being handed directions couldn't tell you.

[grancenturio]

"The technology is a tad more advanced than I'm used to," he admits. "Shall we go this way, then? It seems a good a place as any to start."

[maybe_a_king]

"Very well. Lead the way, Mr. ...."

She looks embarrassed as she realizes she yet again forgot to introduce herself.

"Forgive me, I'm Arturia. Arturia Pendragon. And you are?"

[grancenturio]

"Nessiah." He nods his head. "A pleasure, Miss Pendragon."

Without further niceties, he starts down one of the streets, seemingly picked at random.

[maybe_a_king]

And Arturia follows after him, wary, and on edge, but knowing it can't hurt to at least see where this road goes for future reference. If he tries anything the streets are crowded enough she could get some help and has enough side alleys she could duck through and jump the fence to get away.