groundzeroes | IC Inbox

[ Look what the cat dragged in! ... Hold on– look at the cat that snuck in. Sasara's familiar shares more than one habit of his. Rei's office chair is OCCUPIED, though that restful creature peers with one eye open as soon as he comes in, far more observant—too—than its ever-idle shape lets on.

Unlike Rosho and his fox, it and Sasara hadn't communicated about posting the old man some visit during his absence. Cats can just sense things, that sort of deal. How about Rei...? ]

[Rei pauses as he enters the room, watching the creature with a neutral expression on his face. Sasara never interacted with his familiar much.. not the way Rosho or Rei did with theirs. So it's a little hard to gauge its personality or its intentions.

...Sigh.]

Keeping an eye on me, are you. [Does he get his chair back or is he gonna have to pull up another one from the table?]

[ It stands up on the seat, languidly, then arches its back. Then sits down again. Rei should just pull up another chair, yes. It may well be, that just that lazy cat behavior is what removed it from Sasara's understanding, that his familiar is much more than. ]

Nya-thing to say?

[ It speaks, although there's clearly an element of this ability stemming from imitation more than practice... hence, the pitch of Sasara's tone. Just the same, the meaning's intended as is. ]

Edited 2021-06-27 17:52 (UTC)

[Rei can't help the short, surprised laugh he makes. Whoa there. It can talk! (Mostly?)

On second thought, though, of course Sasara's familiar can talk. Damn, it sounds just like him.]

Nothing that I haven't said already. [Rei frowns a bit as he scoots the cat's chair aside to make room for his replacement.] What is it?

[ Not as burdened with making a delivery as Rosho's foxes, it also didn't come at the behest of Sasara. In that way, could you say there's a selfish element to its question? The one it says after deigning Rei with a look and another moment's silent observation.

~~Ahem–!!!~~ It doesn't scoff comically, unlike Sasara. Its tail slaps against the seat. ]

Old man, you're ditching us?

[God, it's fucking weird to hear Sasara's words like that.

Is he ditching them? Well, sort of. Certainly in the short term. He needs them around, once they return home... but right now? He can't exactly waltz back into their lives after that happened.]

What does it look like? [Rei doesn't make eye contact with the thing, powering on his laptop.] But seems that master of yours has kept his mouth shut. I must not be kicked out quite yet.

[ If Sasara had the guts to walk up to Rei right now, he might as well say it just like that. This sorta reckless boldness, though, it's what made this mess in the first place.

Still, this cat ain't dead.

Another flick of the tail; what the motions that escape the bakeneko reveal are just as well to say that Rei's right. Sasara hasn't said anything to Rosho. How it knows... well, just now it's looking thoughtful enough, eyes on Rei even if he doesn't return the look. ]

That sorta secret-keeping, it's no good, nya know. [ Ny-o way. That little comedian-balloon... when it pops... ] Say, this ain't how it was supposed to happen, yeah?

Edited 2021-07-25 18:10 (UTC)

No shit it wasn't. [Rei sets his jaw, staring hard at the laptop screen. Stubborn in more than one way, he refuses to look back at the creature.]

I did warn him.

[...still, Rei's ire isn't all with Sasara. The cat's right, this isn't how it was supposed to happen. This isn't how Rei wanted his teammates finding out about anything-- about his plans, his family, his limits. But Avalon took away the one thing he thought he had full control over: his own actions. And Rei still hasn't reconciled with that vulnerability.

As long as he's still here, how can he risk coming near them?]

Teh—chh! [ That's definitely a kitty-scoff this time.

Stubborn and full of pride, if in different ways, their little group syncs up just fine. Always lazing, but with one eye open, the cat's seen just enough of that. Its master may only think to fix this mess with his own brand of insistence. Something it doesn't approve of, hence it came...

Well, this and Rei's chair is comfortable. ]

Him being all up in that business of yours, ain't it ya made the team like so!?

Call me a hypocrite if you like.

[Rei takes in a deep, slow sigh, willing himself not to get into a fight with a cat. It's not like the creature has said anything incorrect.... but let him sulk in peace god dammit!!!]

What are you looking to get out of this conversation, pussycat?

[ It won't call Rei that because a kitty-mouth can't just say the word. That look he gets, though. "Pussycat" isn't one of the myriad of names Sasara uses, at least!

It sits upright, still, and seemingly all despite the bakeneko's worded judgement, that apathetic gaze stays underlying. Whatever Sasara may approve in this or not, there is a spirit bond in this world between a familiar and its master. ]

Come back. [ A simple appeal, and nothing that answers Rei's question. ] Nya-thin' for me to say, n-ya see! [ The cat's glare fades, disappears with it, with nothing to add. ]

[Rei watches the cat fade into nothing, left to stare at the spot it was occupying in silence.

He sits there for a while, expression hard. Then he tilts his head back, gaze to the ceiling.]

Is it that easy? [he asks, to an empty room.

Hah.... he needs a smoke.]

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