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]

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."

[maybe_a_king]

Which did not occur to the mun. Doh!

"Forgive me, but.... what is an Astartes?" And then yet another thing occurs to her and she gives him a polite bow.

"It appears I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Arturia Pendragon. What would your name be?"

[greyerrant]

"My name is Garviel Loken, and, if you will forgive the vulgarity of the term, we are Space Marines."

He looks embarrassed just saying it.

[maybe_a_king]

Her eyes go wide briefly at the term and she has to fight to hide the small smile on her face. Arturia is not unfamiliar with science fiction in her world--especially considering her life has basically been one giant urban fantasy. But to meet an actual space marine, someone who she knows for a fact has seen a proper battlefield....

"Will you accompany me to the pet store, Mr. Loken? I'd like to know more about the Astartes and where you come from if it wouldn't be a bother."

She almost feels like her Uncle and how he tended to get a bit--okay, a lot--fanboyish whenever he ran into someone with a katana.

[greyerrant]

"Very well." He looks down at her again, remembering a certain Remembrancer of his acquaintance, and briefly smiling.

"I come from Cthonia, that was my homeworld, though I am of Terran descent. As for the Astartes, we are posthuman protectors and warriors of humanity who fight to bring the enlightenment of the Imperium to the worlds that are still haunted by Old Night."

[maybe_a_king]

"Terra would be.... Earth, correct?" she asks, glancing up at him and taking long strides to match his step. Fortunately she's the athletic sort and it doesn't wear her out at all.

It's kind of amusing to see how the crowd parts for them due to his sheer size and, other than that, pay him no heed. Is he a mainstay in the city or are the people here just so used to unusual sights?

[greyerrant]

"You have the right of it, Mamzel."

He moves gingerly amongst the people, as if keenly aware of his own size and power. Because he is, especially after the tragedy of the loading deck massacre, he is careful not to throw his weight around near mortals. He remembers the consequences of his own panic and fear about the near-death of Horus too well for that. Guilt he will bear forever, just another weight for the massive burden the Grey Angel must bear.

[maybe_a_king]

"And you were born on.... Cthonia, was it? What was that world like?"

It just sounds so fascinating. A space marine, really? And he did seem to be of the knightly sort and Arturia knew she could be as bad about knights as her uncle is about samurai.

[greyerrant]

"It was... many things. A hollowed out hive, a mining colony that had mostly been emptied, except of men. We were cold, we were brutal, but we had honor, and brotherhood. It was a decayed industrial world, so close to Terra as to be easily reached without even the need of a Navigator. And most of all, it was our home, and that of our Gene father."

His eyes close for a second, and he almost whispers a name "Horus Lupercal, our lord and master."

[maybe_a_king]

The way he says it gives Arturia pause. Up until that point Garviel had given no sign he had some kind of issues, but the very way he said the name, spoke of Horus Lupercal as his lord and master, set her just slightly on edge.

"Was he a good man?" she can't help but to venture. Hopefully she isn't stepping on any toes.

[greyerrant]

"Horus was the greatest man that I have ever known, except for the Emperor, and I can't say I... knew the Emperor. I have seen him, once or twice. At the Triumph of Ullanor, once at the Vengeful Spirit, from a distance. A few times before that, when he fought with us during the Great Crusade. He was... a being of light. A nimbus of golden fire so bright it burned you to look directly, even with posthuman eyes, or a helm filter. I can see why some worshiped him as a god. But Horus... Horus was his son, the best of him, really. A general, a statesman, a warrior, and a good man. More than anything else he was a leader."

His face doesn't show much as he speaks about him though, just a granite-like resolve as though discussing nothing of great import, rather than the entire reason he is now the Silent Wolf.

[maybe_a_king]

"He must have been one to get such respect from you," she says almost delicately. The way he talks it sounds like something must have happened involving Horus Lupercal, though exactly what is impossible for Arturia to say at this point.

[greyerrant]

Loken nods, and walks a while with Arturia, silent, lost in thought, and memories of a better time, a more glorious one. Where things were simple, and the Imperial Truth was clear and self-evident to him.

[maybe_a_king]

Eventually they get to the pet store and when they get there, apparently a couple dogs are in a little cage to be pet.

Oh look, they seem to love Garvi if how excited they get upon seeing him and how they start barking like mad is any clue.

[greyerrant]

Garviel frowns, and then eventually pats them lightly, still quiet. The seem to like that. He looks at them, they look at him, and sort of acknowledge an Alpha, if a kind one. The connection of Astartes to the various canids of Terra are notable on a genetic level, if some of the techpriests are to be believed, at least the Luna Wolves and the Vlka Fenryka, though far more for the Space Wolves. For the Sons of Horus, it was more a reflection of doglike, pack-loyalty. And Loken was always an exemplar of loyalty, though he wouldn't say it aloud.

[maybe_a_king]

Arturia herself reached into the cage and pet a few herself, her hands being licked as a soft smile came across her features.

"You know, there's an old wives tale that says you can tell a person's true character by how a dog responds to them."

[greyerrant]

"I was unaware of that. But I don't know any old wives."

He looks at the dogs for a moment longer, looking for any that are black, and meeting their eyes for a moment. Looking for telltale facial features as well.

"Do you know some, then?"

[maybe_a_king]

"Quite a few. You hear a lot of things from people when you deliver packages. There's this one old couple who believed if you put a piece of paper with a bit of writing on it above your door, it'll keep evil spirits at bay."

Something she'd never put much stock in, but was willing to let them believe what they wished. She could walk on water and Rin could shoot magic from her fingers. Who was to say that a piece of paper couldn't keep evil spirits at bay?

For all she knew she'd summoned one, but Arturia pushed thoughts of Archer down. No. Now was not the time for that. She had to focus on the little ones in her care.

[greyerrant]

"That sounds almost like a superstitious version of the Oaths of Moment that my brotherhood used to adorn our war-gear before we took to the field. Only we didn't believe in evil spirits, or worship at fanes. We simply used it as a mental focus."

He watches her carefully, taking note of her micro-expressions, trying to read the little woman's face and mood.