[video] Merriment 2

[hotheadwarmheart]

 [Lea appears on the network, smiling a bit.]

OK, since Xion got me a surprise gift yesterday, I think I should make a little PSA.

[He holds up a gray rat with a few small white spots so the camera and thus those watching can see it.]

This is Smoke, the familiar I was given in the last world I was in. And aside from anything magical, that means that he's basically my pet.

So all you science types on board? That means this little guy is off limits as a potential experiment. And for all the cats and other creatures on board who might normally eat rats? That means he's also not a potential meal. Got it memorized?

Everyone else shouldn't have anything to worry about with him though; he's pretty well behaved, as rats go. And I'll try to make sure he stays out from underfoot, metaphorically and literally. Just... don't freak out if you see him peeking out of my pocket now and then, OK?

Comments

[video]

[consider8]

[So she pressed the ICP button to say something about the rat friend.]

[...]

[But she forgot what she was about to say. Smoke is too cute. She just wants to stare at him.]

[blitzcheer]

Cute guy! Soo, you're saying he can't puff himself into a pile of smoke?

[ A joke, a joke! ]

video;

[paopuofyourlife]

He is adorable~

[Yes, she thinks he is. But she smiles, she gotta say something else...]

So does he take after you? I mean they do say pets take after their owners after all.

audio;

[theturksway]

Isn't that a little obvious? The only animals on board this dumb thing are people's pets, yo.

Re: [video]

[hotheadwarmheart]

[Smoke twitches his whiskers, seeming to sniff at the camera a little.

Guessing at the reason for her silence, Lea smiles.]

He's cute, isn't he?

[hotheadwarmheart]

[Lea chuckles.]

Nah. And good thing too, otherwise I'd never be able to keep him in his cage.

[blitzcheer]

Haha! Hey, he might be a good pal for Taiki's lil' friend. He's a kind of rodent. You seen him?

[consider8]

[The question causes her to smile. A finger raises to the camera lens as though she wanted to reach out and touch him.]

But what is he?

[She thinks she heard him mention in that announcement, but uh... yeah, no, she was only half paying attention.]

Re: video;

[hotheadwarmheart]

Ya know, I'm not sure? It's a little hard to tell with a rat a lot of the time. Though thankfully he doesn't get into nearly as much trouble as me.

Re: audio;

[hotheadwarmheart]

Well yeah, but I know how some people see rats, and given that we've got a lab now, I didn't want anybody to get any ideas, you know? Plus there's still the cats and things; even the talking ones might chomp first and ask questions later.

[hotheadwarmheart]

I can't remember seeing him off the top of my head, no. I'll have to be sure and introduce them.

[theturksway]

Giving me ideas just showin' the little guy. [He's teasing. Right?] Aaand I don't think most of the cats are gonna know the difference. Only the ones that talk and understand. If they care to be nice.

[But if he were a cat, man, it'd be fair game still. He's the worst.]

[hotheadwarmheart]

He's a rat; a little furry rodent. Wild ones can be pests sometimes, but pet ones are different. I think they're called 'fancy rats'? I'm not really sure what's 'fancy' about them though.

[blitzcheer]

He's abooout... [ He makes a small circle with his thumb and middle finger. ] This big, tiny thing. Taiki usually has him around in his cage when he doodles in the coach car.

[ Heh. ] Never thought about getting a pet myself. I guess there's Gibbs, but... he just does whatever he likes.

[ So he probably didn't count - Tidus didn't feel so, anyway. ]

[hotheadwarmheart]

Yeah, yeah... whatever.

[You better be teasing, Reno.]

And I dunno; I've met at least one talking cat on board. Though fish seemed to be more his thing. But if the cats don't do it themselves, at least their owners can keep an eye out and make sure they don't try anything.

[hotheadwarmheart]

Yeah, aside from maybe a parrot or something, I don't think anything that's smart enough to talk counts as a pet.

But thanks. I'll be sure and keep an eye out when I'm in that car. Smoke's probably gonna be riding around in my pocket a lot- at least til I can get one of those plastic ball things that he can run in around safely on his own- so I should have him with me.

[consider8]

[The octokid beams as she imagines Smoke in a fancy top hat and jacket. That would be fancy, right?]

Does he not talk? Its a shame that he wouldn't be able to tell us...

[theturksway]

Right. One. [Well, two that Reno's met. One of which was no longer on board. He tried to recall if there was another but frankly didn't care.] Anyway, talk like a normal person then, would ya? Normal people don't talk to pets, they talk to the owners.

[Yeah, no, he's just bored. It's all mostly teasing. Arguing for the sake of having something to do.]

[agoodsoul]

Cute little bugger. If I happen to see him around I'll be sure to return em.

He like treats or anything?

[blitzcheer]

A plastic...ball? [ Huh. ]

Never seen one of those. Now I'm curious!

[ Hopefully he'll get to see it by next platform stop! ]

Video

[secretmakesawoman]

An... interesting choice of roommates.

[Is she judging? Disinterested? It can be hard to tell with Sharon, especially since she's still smiling.]

Well, thanks for the heads up. I suppose I'll be seeing Smoke quite often.

video;

[paopuofyourlife]

So he isn't into getting into mischief, so far not like you at all.

Maybe that is a good thing.

[And yes she is teasing.]

[hotheadwarmheart]

[That would be adorable and Lea would absolutely try to put one on him if told about the idea.]

Nah, most animals can't talk. And even if he could, I'm not sure he would know why 'fancy rats' are called that himself.

[hotheadwarmheart]

[Hopefully!]

It's basically just a hollow, clear plastic ball with some little air holes in it. They usually either come apart in two halves or have a little removable door in them so you can put a small animal like a rat or hamster or something in it. Then they can run around all they like without the risk of getting lost or stepped on.

Re: video;

[hotheadwarmheart]

[Lea chuckles.]

Yeah. Least if I cause trouble, no one's likely to set traps for me. Can't say the same for a rat.