Scenario Entitled: The Truth About Cats And DogsCharacters:
Artemis, Battle-Bobcat Police Officer with a sshpeech impediment.
Alexi, large German Shephard Dogboy who is having strange grammars.
Rooke, arts center manager, herding a flock of novice dancers.
Trace, Gladias, Genet, and *coughing noise* (D-Bee NPCs).
Toki, newcomer played by a new player still learning the ropes.
Steve, a cameo appearance.
Location: Brimstone and Lazlo Avenue, the SW (D-Bee) Sector
Date: Summer, 107 P.A.
Artemis is standing near the edge of the athletic field, talking with Alexi.
Alexi stops to peer around quickly as he searches. After a few seconds, he realizes that he is the one being talked about, and looks over to spot Artemis. His eyes almost light up as he turns and gallops his way over.
Artemis tenses slightly at your speedy approach, but still says, "Ish haffing good night?"
Alexi slows to a soft pad, then stops as he reaches a spot near Artemis, remaining in a low position so as not to tower over her form as he nods, "Yes, am having good night I am. Am doing much exploring."
Artemis bobs her head. "Arrtemish know what Arekshi mean. Arrtemish shtirrl not know wherre everrything in Torkeen ish." she says.
Alexi looks around the street as he comments, "Yes, is big city. But I am learning where things are being." He looks back curiously, "Are you having explorations now?"
Artemis shakes her head. "No," she says, "Wash jusht rrunning. Ish mishe to rrun arround Torkeen inshtead of jusht arround trraining fierd."
Alexi nods happily, "Ah, yes. Is good to be running. But running in city can be dangerous. There are many... howdoyousay... obstaclers to avoid."
Artemis grins widely as she says, "Onry makesh it morre interreshting. Beshidesh, itsh not rike I rrun in the middre of the shtrreet orr shomething shirrly rike that."
Rooke emerges from a red-brick building on the northwest corner of Lazlo and Brimstone, and holds the door open for a troupe of young ladies, who spill out onto the sidewalk in a flurry of spirited giggles and chatter. Each carries a totebag of sorts, along with a pair of special shoes tossed over their shoulders by the laces. Rooke waits for them all to exit, then lets the doors swing closed, leaning up against the wall with them while looking expectantly up and down the street.
Alexi's eyes glaze slightly as he lets out a weak nervous chuckle, "Oh... yes, yes. Of course. Not be running... in the middle of the street. Would be crazy, yes... heh..." His ears twitch softly as his head tilts to one side in a curious fashion, "Is odd. Am hearing things. Alexi is not being that funny."
Artemis begins to laugh herself, but still manages, "Arrtemish not know... *giggle* Arekshi can be ffunny." Gaining a slight bit of composure, but still smiling from ear to ear she adds, pointing fairly blatantly over at Rooke's gaggle of girls, "But Arrtemish not think they laughing at Arkeshi."
Minutes later, automobiles and other manner of transport begin to pull up alongside the southern and eastern curbs beside Random Acts, their headlights dimming as they idle. The gaggle of youthful femmes, almost half of them of a nonhuman race, break away from the walls and part like a flight of birds to go to different cars. Rooke lifts her hand in an absent wave to those departing.
Alexi cocks a brow in almost suspicous fashion at the activity outside of Random Acts. You can almost hear the gears turning... oh, no. That's the quiet hrm of a growl in his throat, "Very odd. Perhaps I should be investigating..." And apparently he should be, since he turns and starts to pad in that direction.
Artemis looks upwards, and sighs as she slightly shakes her head. Sprinting a few steps to catch up to Alexi, then moving at a bit of a trot to match his stride, she asks him, "Why Arekshi need to inveshtigate?"
Rooke looks to the side as vehicles pull away from the curb with their passengers, and edge back into the stream of night traffic. About four humanoids wait quietly at the wall, three of them easily related with their matching, luminous eyes. The last is a rather runtier-looking D-Bee, with a spindly, fragile look about her. Rooke hums lightly in her throat, and waits a little longer, flashing a quick, reassuring smile at the small bunch. Her eyes move out to search traffic once more, and pass Alexi and Artemis once before her attention refocuses on them.
Alexi turns his head to one side to speak to Artemis as he walks, "Alexi is needing to know something about..." He takes a few seconds to compose the next word, "...Rooke. Is possibly very important. She may be being pood..." He stops in his stride, taking a moment to look around before he starts to walk again, "Is hard to explain. And not something I am talking about too loudly."
Artemis nods as she listens, continuing to match Alexi's pace. In a baffled tone, she notes, "Arrtemish not underrshtand what Arekshi shaying, but Arrtemish undershtand haffing to not tark roudry."
Rooke watches the feline/canine duo approach through the traffic, then glances at her charges once more. "That's alright," she answers one of their fluting inquiries. "We'll just walk it.. nothing to worry about.." By the way they slip away from the wall and cluster round her as the two mutant animals get noticeably closer, it just might be that the kids aren't as confident. Especially when out so late at night.
Alexi slows down noticably as he reaches the small cluster. He knows better than to go charging into a group of unprepared kids. All the same, he s curious by nature, and as such can't help but scan the little faces as he queries gently, "You are walking? At this timing?"
Artemis comes ot a stop a few steps behind Alexi, and gives a smile to the children, then to Rooke. After that, she does a good job of looking around and at least somewhat appearing to be disinterested, but the fact tht she always keeps an ear pointed directly at the group should clue in the observant that she's actually playing pretty close attention.
Rooke lays a reassuring hand onto the sloping shoulder of one girl, and looks again to Alexi. "Heya, Alexi.. he's a friend," she adds, for the girls' benefit. "See, there's a member of the new Police Force," she nods to Artemis as she speaks cheerfully. "Everything's fine. Alexi, this is Trace, Genet, Gladias, and," she seems to interrupt herself with a harsh cough, although her body language makes no indication that she meant to do anything like clearing her throat. "Their ride didn't come, so we're just going to walk it," she explains, with a gesture to the south with her free hand.
Alexi nods to himself thoughtfully, "Ahhh. Yes. I am understanding." His ears perk up gently, "Are you requiring an escort? The streets are being..." He stops, eyeing the kids for a second before restarting, "Alexi would be honored to escort lovely young ladies to their destination, if they are so choosing."
Artemis looks at Alexi briefly as he speaks, a smile crossing her lips. "Ish prrobabry a good idea." she chimes in, then turns her eyes to Rooke and the girls, apparently deciding to abandon her feigned indifference.
A look of gratitude and relief washes across Rooke's features for just a second, then she smiles pleasantly at the suggestion, lifting her eyebrows inquiringly at the young foursome. "What do you say, ladies? Want a big cutey like Alexi to come with us? And..." she trails off to regard Artemis with a tentative smile.
Meanwhile, the girls seem to be warming to the kindly Dogboy a bit; the eldest answers for them all with a double nod that somehow just doesn't look like the human gesture it was meant to be. She speaks reedily: "He is large.. please let us go with Alecksi."
Artemis says as Rooke trails off, "Name ish Arrtemish. Arrtemisssssh. With an esh."
Alexi crinkles his nose as he all but glows with a happy look. Try as he might, he can't help but look pleasd that his offer has gone over so well, "Yes, Alexi is watching out for little ones..." His head bobs gently as he watches the small group merrily.
Artemis looks back and forth between Rooke, the girls, and Alexi, and offers, "Ish good that Arekshi wash herre. Arrtemish hope you haff nishe wark home."
Rooke nods slightly and pauses to consider the odd lisp? in Artemis' speech, before trying it: "Art-e-mis. Heya.. my name's Rooke.. I see you're on duty.. will you be joining us, Officer Artemis?" She lets go of the eldest child to introduce them in order of age again to the felinoid. Trace leads the small troupe over to Alexi, upon which they begin to touch at his paws with their slim hands. Even the odd one out, of a different species, participates in this ritual. Rooke watches, while she explains to Artemis briefly, "Their culture won't deal with most technologies.. or I would call a cab."
Artemis bobs her head. "Arrtemish rrecognishe Rrooke. Arrtemish shee on terevishun." she says, then looks at the children, nodding again as Rooke explains. "Arrtemish join if Rrooke want. But Arrtemish think Arekshi wirrl be prenty."
Alexi leans back slowly on his legs, staying low to the ground so as not to startle anyone by suddenly getting much, much taller. He greets the curious tykes in very givng fashion, allowing them pretty much free reign over him so long as they don't do anything like eye poking. His ears wiggle playfully as he watches the group and flexes his now lifted paw-hands for them.
Rooke cocks her head; either it's way too late for her brain to readily interpret the grrowling speech, or she's just naturally slow. "Oh..? I understand, officer.. you have duties elsewhere." She looks disappointed, her expressions showing through more clearly now that the girls' attentions are elsewhere. "Alright.. everyone got their stuff?" she asks absently, glancing at the cloudy night sky, which threatens to obscure the moon. Not that the streetlamps aren't on.. but..
Artemis absently licks the back of her hand a few times, then rubs it along her ear several times as well. "Arrtemish shourd herp, too." she says, then smiles a bit, "Ish grad to giff porishe eshcorrt."
Toki walks up looking kinda confused
Alexi supresses a doggy laugh as his ears wiggle a bit more. He props up a bit more, all but ready to begin, "Alexi is being all ready. Is first chance to do job in some time." He seems rather thrilled at the prospect.
The girls begin to tell Alexi where they live in a series of whistling voices, the youngest having the piccolo-iest tone one ever did hear. Their directions are sporadic and confusing at best, but at least the common thread is along the lines of 'Must Go South'.
Rooke nods to the feline officer briefly, returning the smile reflexively, before starting to walk.
Artemis is standing with Rooke, Alexi, and four young girls near the doors of Random Acts.
Toki, obviously thinking out loud, says, "Hmm... maybe i after i get a good job, i can get schooling here."
Alexi stretches into his all-fours stance, looking around the area and noting only the one obvious stranger before attempting to lead... or perhaps follow, the young girls around him towards the south.
Toki looks at Alexi, kind of curiously.
Toki says "Wow... i've never seen something so... big...."
Artemis makes sure the children start to move along before giving a quick nod of her head to Toki. "Herrlo... ish nishe night fforr wark?" she asks.
Toki says "oh... yes, a lovely night"
Rooke glances at the tall man as he slips in and out of the arts center, but does nothing other than nod to him, before passing on to check traffic. As soon as it's clear enough, she leads the way across, the young girls falling in behind her like a line of ducks.
Toki gives a slight nod to Rooke and moves to the east.
A line of four cute little ducks and one big, hairy duck that looks like a dog. He peers from one direction to the other, all but daring some vehicle to try their luck with his glare. A glare which of course fades as soon as he even thinks any of the kids might be watching, the look being replaced with the same gentle silly grin he usually sports.
Artemis stands still, watching Toki walk down the street for several moments with some suspicion before turning and dashing after the group. Quickly she catches up, then slows so that she walks just to the side, rather than falling in line. "What ish it that you werre in schoor fforr? Rearrning to danshe?" she asks the young girls.
As they gain the other side of the street and continue along Brimstone, everything seems a-ok so far. A breeze picks up to ease more of the baked heat from the concrete, and take some of the stagnant moisture out of the air.
Rooke falls back a bit to walk by Trace, talking quietly, while the youngest girl peers to the side at Artemis, her large eyes dark, limpid, and spanged a bit far to the sides of her face to be considered asthetically pleasing. Apparently the only significant word she caught in all that was 'dance', and fortunately that's enough. "Yah, dance on stage!" she chirps in a penny-whistle voice. "Last practice, it went late. Recital on Saturn Day," she informs with an alien look of pride. Still.. she appears to have picked up quite a few human-ish mannerisms and speech patterns.
The buildings along the street gradually take on a more ill-maintained look, the whole atmosphere becoming somewhat cheaper as what is known as the D-Bee Sector sprawls before the group. Strange life can be heard and seen down alleys, from dark, broken windows, and even overhead at times. Evidence of recent gang warfare marks the scuffed, grafitti-stained walls.
Alexi sniffs the ground gently as he walks, his nose errantly running across a wet spot there. He makes a gentle snort noise, shaking his head to clear the pathway again. He comments idly, "Saturn Day? That is being..." He stops for a second to lift a paw and seemingly count on it for a moment before taking a few quick steps to regain his normal spacing, "...is being not so many days away, yes?"
Artemis says warmly, "Shaturrn day. Arrtemish ish shurre it wirrl be a verrry nishe sshow, but Arrtemish shtirrl wissh you arrl ruck. " then looks up at Rooke and wonders, "What agesh arre crasshesh fforr?"
Artemis hurriedly corrects herself, "Arrtemish mean human equivarent agesh, not rrear agesh." while quickly looking around.
Gladias shakes her head with more natural skill than her siblings(?), and pipes, "Five days. Not long." She regards Alexi with a look of childish knowing... slow dogboy has to count toes, huh? She beams luminously at Artemis. "We learned Blue Swan, Step-Glide-Step, Falling Leaves, Into the Shadows, Catwalk Slut.."
Rooke interjects with a distracted correction: "Strut.." She turns to walk backwards for a moment, watching Artemis after sweeping the area behind her quickly with her glance. "This is the junior class here.. ranging from.. I think five to ten.. there are two intermediate classes for older kids, though. A few advanced courses, because the styles get pretty diverse at that point," she supplies easily.
The moon drops behind cover of sheet-like gray clouds, only slivers of light peering out along the edges of the flat expanse. Something gutteral echoes below as the group passes asewer grating.
Alexi pads quietly as he comments, "Ah, you are being youngest ones, then." He beams as he continues, "You will be doing family proud with your stylings. Alexi is sure of it..." His ears twitch gently as his head tilts earthward for a moment.
Artemis smirks at Gladias' particular misspeak, but doesn't comment on it, instead inquiring to Rooke, "Ish therre going to be a new crassh shtarrting affterr the re..." she pauses for a moment, then restates herself, "shtarrting affter the perrfforrmanshe?" She looks at the girls and almost purrs, "Arrtemish haff human cub named Horrly who ish croshe to yourr age. Maybe Horrly wourd rike to rearn to danshe with you."
A couple of strange 'beasts of burden' trundle by on the street, cloaked riders leaning down to check out the odd group. They roll their shoulders in an indecipherable gesture, and ride on. Through a second-floor, open window, strains of a weary old tape-player sends tinny sound reverberating faintly across the street. A passing hovercar affords a bit of illumination into an alleyway, where two wolf-like creatures crouch, watching the escort party with yellow eyes.
Rooke confers with Trace for a few moments, and gestures across to a side street that looks more residential and sheltered. She looks up, distracted by the mixture of sounds coming through on the street, not to mention Artemis' difficult accent. Crash? Crash where... oh. "Uh.. ah.. yes. Not new, exactly, but all the girls help get the newcomers caught up with the current steps.. you have a.. human cub..?" She looks as if she's not quite sure how to interpret that, but thankfully, the brief flashing sight of the wolf-things distracts her from her confusion.
The three younger girls crowd a bit closer to Artemis and Alexi, instinctively.
Alexi continues to pad along at the same pace, though he seems to move a bit closer behind the group. Passing animals and vehicles get a short cautious glance, not meriting much past that so long as they're just passing. He eyes down the alleyway at the two creatures there for a much longer moment, blinking several times in quick succession. His ears perk gently as he scans the darkened area before commenting quietly, "I am wishing there were not so many lines. Would be making things easier..."
Artemis was in the middle of giving a non-chalant glance down the alleyway while nevertheless resting her paw on her hip-pouch when an all too common utterly confused look crosses her face. "What?" she blerts, "Rinesh? Arekshi, what arre you tarking about?" then mumbles to herself, "Dogsh..."
Whether the odds were just a bit too even, or they read the 'police' bit on the cat's clothing, the coyles withdraw into the alley, and look elsewhere for some action. The residential side street is reached, and very similar-looking rowhomes run up and down both sides, overgrown shubbery and parked carts and cars littering the area.
Rooke lets some tension out of her shoulders, and has Trace lead the way to the proper address. She slips her hands into her hip pockets and strolls more easily along the neighborhood street, eyes flickering along the bland housing and lips pursed thoughtfully. Gladias pipes up something about being awake past her hands-down, whatever that is.
Alexi sighs softly, shaking his head as the possible conflict seems to pass without incident. He offers toward Artemis quietly, "I would be thinking that you might have understanding. Dogs are not liking lines. Well, Alexi is not liking. I am not knowing as much while they are there."
Artemis opens her mouth widely as she OHs. "Now Arrtemish underrshtand. Arrtemish not rike them, either." she says, then shrugs slightly, "Ish not much Arrtemish can do about it. Arrtemish jusht get ushed to headache and compenshate. Though, rinesh arre not ash bad ash nekshush. Ish shirrly prashe to buird town." she looks at the children, stops complaining, and says reassuringly, "Ish armosht home now."
Squeaks and squeals greet the arrival of the troupe at 445 Geffen Lane, a literal horde of D-Bee children peering out the torn screen door at the mutant creatures accompanying their siblings. A faded-looking, older version of the dewy-eyed girl beings shuffles to the door in a brown robe, beckoning to the children. "My thanks. My thanks," she tells the three escorts, tired eyelids making clicking sounds as they blink over her darkish eyes. "Wagon is broke again," she offers by way of vague explanation.
Trace starts bossily herding her sisters, even the ugly duckling, into the house. Gladias escapes briefly to return to her instructor and the two mutant animals, touching at their hands delicately in whatever appreciative gesture it supposedly is. "Saturn Day," she announces in her impossibly whistling voice, and darts away.
Rooke smiles and shakes her head, lifting her hand in both a 'don't worry about it', and a farewell gesture. She turns, looking around the street again.
Alexi manages that doggy smile look of his, lifting a hand to wave a form of goodbye to the little ones. Then he scratches behind an ear as he ponders a bit loudly, "Hmm. Now we are going to home, yes? I am walking back for safety, yes?"
Rooke nods as the family disappears behind the door, and turns back to the main avenue to head back. "Thanks Alexi.. Artemis.. I appreciate your help in this," she tells them with a sincere smile.
Artemis nods a few times, and looks at Rooke. "Ish prrobabry a good idea, ifft you want an eshcorrt fforr yourrsherf, that ish." she says, then dips her head again. "Arrtemish shourd shay yourr wercome. Ish a preashurre to herp prrotect."
Toki looks down the street at the group ahead of him, he smiles. It is a very content smile, with no confusion.
Alexi shakes his head, "Is no problem. Is Alexi's purpose to protect little ones from harming... Alexi is keeping friends safe as well. Will follow back home to keep safe."
Rooke starts the longish walk back north along Brimstone, her strides lengthier now that they're all adults here. She stays away the direct sides of the buildings, opting to travel along the curb and thus avoid those nasty lurking alleyways somewhat. She nods to the two noble-type statements from the dogboy and felinoid, and settles to striding along with a slight smile lining her lips, eyes thoughtful and far away.
Steve meanders in from the east, up rather early, sipping at a styrofoam cup as he walks.
Artemis is walking along through the residential area of the district with Alexi and Rooke.
Toki catches up with the group, running almost in a blur, "good morning, you think?"
Rooke cocks an eyebrow, coming back to the here and now as Toki dashes up and speaks. "... uh. Yeah, it is," she says warily, and looks to the red-brick building at the major intersection to the north. "Too bad I'll miss most of it."
Toki grins a big toothy grin.
Alexi eyes Toki curiously for a moment before yawning gently, "Yes, am missing mornings sometimes also. Is mostly when sleeping. Sleeping is seeming like good idea soon..."
Toki pats alexi on the head and says "I don't want to sleep! I want to think about how lucky I am."
Steve spies the group, sipping his drink a bit more. He doesn't make any moves towards them, content to be by himself for the moment.
Rooke stays silent and withdrawn once more, until the intersection is reached. She comes back to life, and flashes a smile at Alexi and Artemis in turn, and restating, "Once again, thank you both." She reaches out to comfortably scratch Alexi behind the ear, while informing Artemis, "If your.. ah.. Horly is interested in some summer arts activities.. please, by all means.. register her at the 'Acts, Artemis.."
Artemis's eyes dance from Toki's side to his boot, then she says noncomittally, "Ish rike mosht morrningsh in Torkeen." she pauses eyeing Toki's pat, then asks, "Rucky?"
Artemis nods to Rooke, "Ish Horrly... with an erl. And... Arrtemish wirrl ask herr."
Toki smiles contently, "Because I'm not somewhere else. Because I'm gonna be somebody!"
Alexi's ears wiggle gently at the attention he gets as he comments to Rooke, "It is no problem. Alexi is always helping with friends. Except when he is sleeping..." The pre-occupation with the concept would seem to be a dead giveaway of what his next statement will be, "I am thinking I will go and be resting now."
Rooke bids them all goodnight/goodmorning, with an extra-long look at Toki, her expression questioning. Hmmm... junkies sure do get all sociable when they're flying. She finally slips away across the street towards Random Acts.
Steve wathces Toki with a cocked eyebrow. Then it flickers towards Artemis after a few seconds.
Alexi lingers on the street for a few moments before nodding to the few people still assembled there and padding off to the east.
Artemis nods to Rooke, then Alexi, "Haff a good night, both offt you."
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