(no subject)

[man_without_fear]

The front door opens a tiny crack, like it wasn't properly latched and has come ajar. A moment later a tiny nose pokes through, followed soon by a fuzzy head.

A cat, black and white with wide yellow eyes, peeks into Milliways, meowing to announce this new discovery, then slipping through the crack into the bar.

"No, no, no, no-- "

The door swings wide, pushed open by a man in a black mask, a box of kitty kibble in his hand.

He's too late, the cat makes a break for freedom and adventure, and Matt is left standing in the doorway trying to track the feline as it threads its way through the chaos of the bar.

"Damn it."

There is absolutely no way Claire is ever going to let him live this down.

Comments

[oldmancreed]

It isn't long before the cat finds a friendly stranger, at least to animal types, is scooped up in one hand and placed on a large shoulder.

"You lost?"

He looks around the bar and spots the man at the door, appearing to be searching for something. He approaches.

"Missing something?"

[man_without_fear]

The cat accepts this new perch with purring. Starved for attention, it is happy to have a new caretaker.

The previous sort-of-caretaker is busy shaking the box of food hoping to coax the cat back out of hiding because Matt doesn't have a name to call out other than 'Shithead'.

Sifting through the myriad of sounds and odors in Milliways, he realizes he doesn't have to because the cat is on its way back to him, up on the shoulder a very large man.

Maybe it's because he has the mask on, or maybe it's because he doesn't know this guy and the large man seems to be radiating an air that warns caution, but Matt straightens up and regards the big guy before replying.

"The cat," he says, pointing at the man's shoulder.

[oldmancreed]

Matt's lucky he isn't going to say a word about the mask. He's seen worse.

"Yours, huh?"

He regards the cat again, stroking a gentle, clawed hand over the creature's head, before settling his gaze back on the masked man.

"Seems pretty happy here."

[man_without_fear]

"A friend's," he replies. Or a friend's of a friend, doesn't matter.

The cat leans into the stroking, purring louder, and then headbutt's Creed's chin.

On several occasions Claire has called the cat a traitor, Matt didn't buy it until now.

"They're out of town, I was just feeding him," he says, for the moment annoyed more by the cat's display than the man holding onto it.

[chime_ra_tilt]

Zelgadiss prides himself on his self-control, but some things even he can't resist.

"...Seems the cat's out of the bag," remarks the hooded figure at the bar, dry but mild. The person who spoke is human-shaped, however their skin is not skin, but pebble-flecked stone, and their hair chimes faintly when it moves, like metal wire.

[man_without_fear]

Matt grimaces, the kind of semi-impatient and annoyed expression that a bad pun deserves.

"Did you notice where it went?" he asks, trying to track the cat but, considering the size of the bar, the size of the cat, and the varied patrons of Milliways, it isn't the easiest task.

[chime_ra_tilt]

"Towards freedom, it looked like," he remarks.

He finishes his mug of tea before setting it down and getting to his feet. He's tall, thin for his height, but the floorboards shift under his great weight. He glances with little more than idle curiosity towards the crowd of tables and chairs and patrons.

"I think it just slipped under the couch. Unless that was one of the bar's other cats."

[man_without_fear]

That shifting of weight and the sounds of grinding stones that accompany the man's movements are unexpected, and Matt cants his head a bit, taking new measure of the man.

"Other cats?"

Matt turns to face the couch suddenly realizing he has no idea if he could pick out Shithead from a lineup if he had to.

"Damn it."

It feels like he may be saying that a lot tonight.

[dreamingofelectricsheep]

Viv, still trying to determine if the bears are patrons or not, is distracted by a moment's burst of WiFi which cuts off as soon as the door closes. She tracks the movements of the cat, as much as she can, and once the man (a vigilante?) in within a normal speaking distance, she comments, "There are bears here."

She smells odd; plastic or polymers, but not overpowering to normal senses. Faint electronics, perhaps even sunlight, if such could be smelled. There are also many small moving parts within her, though they are quiet and pitched to be below that of a human's organs.

[man_without_fear]

Bears?

That is such a randomly made statement that it actually makes Matt stop in his tracks.

"I'm sorry?" he says, and then the readings his senses are giving him from her cause another pause.

She isn't human and Milliways seems to be up to something. Again.

Pulling back his focus from its narrowed tracking on the cat, Matt finally starts to really take in his surroundings and realizes... there are bears. Or, what he assumes are bears. He's never actually encountered a real life bear before, but the fur, claws, growling, and smell of creatures in remote parts of the bar sure seem like 'bear' to him.

"Why are there bears?" he asks. Although, the better question is 'why does he even with this place?'

[dreamingofelectricsheep]

"I do not know, they were here when I entered. Security is not doing anything to contain them, so I believe that are patrons. However I was unable to communicate with one, so I cannot be certain."

Her scent and the sounds fade for a moment as she phases through the table in order to stand, and then returns. "If you are concerned for the safety of your kitten, I would be willing to help you capture it?"

[man_without_fear]

Matt takes a reflexive step back when she fades out and seems to pass through the table.

He stands a little more alert, leery, but not yet defensive as he tries to sort out this person in front of him.

"It's a-- friend's cat," he says, going with safe explanations and not about the contemplate the other descriptors that could maybe apply.

"A hand would be appreciated."

Matt doesn't always accept help so easy, but he's got more important things to do tonight than chance a cat around Milliways.

[childofrebellion]

Cassian's at a table enjoying delicious fresh caf as he smells of dirty air created from manufacturing factory smoke, exhaust from various ships and vehicles, makers of street food and being in a place with too many species without enough space.

He's eating a plate of spicy chicken which the cat seems to be moving towards. When he looks down, he considers the small creature. "Are you looking for someone?"

[man_without_fear]

All of the alien scents on the man make the cat a little wary, but the friendly greeting changes its mind and the cat walks right up to rub against Cassian's leg.

Clearly, if the cat was looking for someone he has found them. And for the moment the cat has lost its pursuer.

[childofrebellion]

The rub is unexpected and nice, Cassian leans down to offer the cat his hand to sniff and pet if it will allow. "You're friendly. Are you hungry?"

[man_without_fear]

The cat immediately presses into that hand, looking for all of the pets.

'Hungry?' is a question it definitely understands, and it gives a pitiful and loud yowl.

Why yes, human, this cat is starving.

[galen_erso]

There are already a number of cats that live here. Two of them, a black one and a red-and-white one, are observing the newcomer from beside the trilobite tank, near the fireplace.

[man_without_fear]

While the man heads in one direction, the cat comes around from another, eager to investigate all of the new things.

He's rather oblivious about being watched or any possible dangers, a house cat through and through.

Meandering near the couches and fireplace, the cat finds a cocktail napkin and immediately pounces. It's a wily napkin, though, and a great battle soon ensues, with the cat rolling around, pawing and playing with the crafty foe.

[galen_erso]

The black cat pounces on the napkin from the other side -- if this new cat fights such a mighty battle, it must be a worthy foe, and a dire adversaries this place.

Count has taught her all about the dire adversaries he fought to defend their home, so Myrrh now shreds into the napkin, helping the newcomer to his well-deserved victory.

[thewidewideworld]

There are pretty ribbons braided into the hair of androgynous blonde laying on the couch, ribbons that trail and move as the blonde plays on a little silver tipped flute. Ribbons that must be very tempting...

[man_without_fear]

The ribbons are sooooo tempting.

Ducking away from the masked man, the cat creeps along the back of the couch.

"Mow!" Black and white paws spring forth from behind the chair, grasping for those ribbons.

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric fails utterly to see it coming till he has a braid full of cat. The flute music ends in an abrupt squeak and the sound of high, sweet laugher as Sinric untangles the kitten. He's more than happy to spare a ribbon for a cat to play with.

[configuration_birdwatcher]

Ganymede immediately takes off into the rafters as a cat approaches Bastion. Better safe than sorry, when you're dinner-sized to a domestic carnivore; prudence and an armed bodyguard are how he's lived this long.

The omnic themself glances upwards at their companion and then down to regard the cat with curiosity, as well as a faint servomotor hum when they swivel their head to trace its path backwards to the door. (In fact, every time they move there's a little whirring noise like that.) A human with an impractical-looking hat is approaching from a similar point of origin and holding a cardboard box emblazoned with a picture of a cat, so it's likely this is a misplaced pet.

[man_without_fear]

The cat watches the bird flutter up into the rafters with interest, then turns its attention to the giant thing standing in the bar.

Tentatively, the cat comes over to sniff at the robot's foot.

By the doorway the masked man shakes the box of food, hoping to coax the cat back, or at least get an idea of wherever the hell its gone.

[configuration_birdwatcher]

Since Ganymede pulled off a successful abscond without incident, Bastion turns their attention to the cat. They crouch down to be closer to its level, in the process producing a bunch of moderately loud clanking noises and somewhat quieter whirring noises as they shift their considerable weight, and extend their hand for it to check out. They smell like metal and plastic and industrial grease, but also like dirt. And bird, obviously.