* Angelica wanders out of the maze, carring a potted plant that's about half as high as she is, humming idly to herself. Her squirrel companion riders on her shoulder munching a hazelnut.
* April slips in, playing with a blue ribbon in her hands, twisting and tying it..
* Angelica heads over to the replicator and bar, sets the plant on the bartop, and then repilocates a bowl of mixed nuts. Her squirrel scampers down her arm and dives into the nuts. Angelica giggles, takes a few nuts for herself, and then continues working on the plant... she reaches behind herself, pulls out a pair of garden clippers, and then hrms, considering the pure-white fronds.
* April moves to get a drink silently, then peeks quietly, not saying a word out of worrying she'll distract...
* Tina wanders in, wearing a large shirt, sweats, and rumpled hair.
* Angelica seems more focussed on the thing of trimming plantlife, anyway, so April shouldn't need to worry! She pouts a little at some dead branches... after a moment's consideration, she sighs, and prunes them, regarding them as lost causes.
* April gives a mouthed "Hi!" and wave to Tina, grinning.
* Tina waves at April, grinning and mouthing a hi back.
* Angelica puts the dead branches in the recycler, and continues arranging the white fronds and stalks, that seem to be almost winglike in their finery. She hms, and turns the plant around some more, studying it from several angles.
* The squirrell surfaces from its bowl of nuts, and regards April and Tina, mouth filled with cashews.
{April} {vq} How is that?
* Tina looks at the squirrel, but much collaboration with rodents makes her think nothing of it. {vq} "How'z what?"
* Angelica hrms, and mumbles back, *vq* "Almost...." She considers one of the buds along a lower stalk...
* Angelica goes, and gets a carafe of water, filling the pot and letting the water soak into the soil, which she then aerates a bit with her fingers. She wipes them off on her shorts, and then reaches up to put thumb and forefinger on both sides of the bud.
* Tina gets a bowl of ice cream, not sure what's going on.
* Squirrel chews and swallows and then chitters at Tina, its whiskers twitching in what might be bemusement. Or just nose-wriggling.
* Angelica takes a deep breath, and untenses her body while still standing... her gaze gets abstracted, the gold flecks in her irisies a little more prominent as they catch the light.
{April} How was her work, I meant. {slight smile} Hi!
* The bud between Angelica's fingers suddenly twitches, and then grows, as if in a time-lapse animation, pale soft white fronds spreading from the budding stalk.
{Tina} Hi! And didn't know, now I do. {grin}
* Tina blinks a lot at that.
{April} I just didn't want to disturb her.. Oh, very nice.
* Angelica lets the frond grow for a bit, and then removes her fingers, letting out another deep breath and wiping her forehead. She smiles. "Thank you... I wanted to get the positiioning just right, but not to force it."
* Squirrel scampers over to the replicator, and dials up carrots for Angie.
* Angelica smiles down at her friend, accepts the carrots, and then munches them.,
{April} You practice here a lot? And how are you both?
{Tina} I'm goodish. If feeling stir-crazy.
* Angelica chuckles softly, inhaling (not literally) a carrot. "Oh, I'm doing all right... just making some early preparations for the holidays." She taps the edge of the pot of the potted plant.
{Squirrel} *Chitter*
* Angelica nods to her squirrel.
{April} A nie small Christmas tree?
{Tina} Aaah, stircrazy, stircrazy.....Christmas and I'm stircrazeeeeeee...
{April} Then you should run? {grin}
{Angelica} A gift for my parents, actually. *she tilts her head and regards Tina* Why would you be going stircrazy?
{Tina} Space station. No snow. Saturn. Okay, methane snow. No snow. Not much in way of evergreens. Limited gift giving. Did I mention no snow? And I'm Hawaiian, I don't even much *care* for snow.
{April} I'm sure you could find *some*...
* Angelica ahs, and mmms at that. "Well, -that- isn't right.... how easy is it to leave the station for someplace else?"
{Tina} Not very!
{Angelica} Oh.
{April} But you are here...
{Tina} Very carefully.
* Angelica tilts her head again, regarding Tina. "I take it the Door is unknown to most?"
{Tina} Yeeeeuus. Prolly safer that way.
{April} For you and others both? {smiles slightly}
{Tina} Snow. I'll go to some Door, look at it, freeze for a few minutes, then come back in and be happy I'm no longer freezing.
* Angelica chuckles softly, again. "I think there's a snow-filled door down Wooden, actually..." She points in the requisite direction.
{Tina} Oo!
{April} Have you actually found one yet? {slight smiel}
{Tina} Nope. I found the Mall though. Talk about a huge gross monument to consumerism I loved at first sight...
{April} But the only snow there comes from a can, sadly... It might be fun otherwise.
* Angelica eats more carrots, listening and looking innocently bemused.
{Tina} Snow in a Can?
* April nods sadly... "And rather like shaving cream... Nowhere near as nice as real."
* The Door to Knight opens a bit.
{Tina} Yuck. Yeah. {twitch} Hooray, consumerism. If I wanted that, I'd just steal some shaving cream and decorate my room's windows with it. {pause} Then it'd smell like shaving cream.
{April} But you would have plenty if needed!
{Tina} Yes. {pause} I take snow in a can is more expensive even though it's basically shaving cream?
{April} I have not priced.. but likely...
* A meowing noise comes from the Door, and a black cat wanders in.
* Angelica tries to wrap her mind around the thought of snow-in-a-can.
{Tina} Right. {pause} Ooo, kitty!
* April blinks over... "Oh.. Think she's lost?"
* Angelica looks down at the cat. "Oh, hello there..." She smiles.
* April moves over, pauses at the kitten, then moves past to peek down the hall and see if she has a follower...
* The squirrel looks down at the cat, and decides perching on Angie's shoulder is the better part of valor. He does so.
{Tina} In other words, the Tommy Hilfinger of shaving cream. I never could understand *why* people liked Hilfinger anyway. Heeeere kittykittykittykitty.....
{April} A pretty name?
{Tina} Probably. And ludicrous prices.
* The cat looks up at them with big blue eyes. It's a fairly good-sized cat, too. It moves closer to Tina at her calling.
{Angelica} I have no idea who or what "Tommy Hilfinger" is. *she shrugs, and smiles, and dials up a glass of Oranbge juice for herself.*
* April moves back from checking the hall, propping the door open just in case. "A brand.. a person as well, I suppose..."
* Tina makes little finger twitches at the nice kitty, trying to get it to come closer to her. "Yeah. Some dead guy. Says something about his clothes."
* Angelica hehs, softly. "I don't tend to worry about 'name brands'. Yes, they come and go in cycles, and mother and father have some stuff from that era, but I generally find what I need when I need it."
{Tina} If it covers your butt, it works. Works for me.
* The cat moves closer, sniffing at Tina's finger and meowing.
{Angelica} Well... *she blushes* Sometimes one needs more covering than -that-... *she coughs, going pink at the cheeks.*
* The squirrel makes a chitter that may or may not be amused.
{April} For warmth, at the very least...
{Tina} You know what I mean! {wiggles fingers at the kitty, daring a head skritchie}
* Cat rubs its cheek against Tina's fingers.
{Angelica} Very well, very well. *she smiles, and takes the carrots and nuts and goes and sits down with her juice*
* Tina awwws and starts in on some serious chin and ear skritchies. "Issa kitty, yes it is....." {is cheerfully oblivious of the fact her language skills are going to four years old}
{April} Well.. Yes, it is... Haven't you seen one?
{Tina} Not recently.
* Cat immediately headbutts Tina's hand and gets a disgusting grin on its face, starting to purr loudly.
{Tina} I miss my kitty back home.
* Tina giggles a lot and begins to skritch even more.
{April} Oh... Should I get her a little bit of food before she eats your hand? {slight smile}
{Angelica} Good thing you found this one, eh? *She smiles* But I'm sure you'll be reunited with the other one, eventually.
{Tina} Food good, yes! And name's Tina.
{April} April! {moves over, getting a few of fish sticks} How often have you been here?
{Tina} A few times..... {pauses, twitches fingers of her non-kittyskritching hand} Prolly six or so...
* Angelica smiles. "Angelica. Angelica Frances Moyer. A pleasure to meet you two."
* Cat purrrrs and headbutts Tina's hand more... then promptly jumps up into Tina's lap.
{Tina} Ditto. I have no idea on the name of the ca--eep! Awwww.....
{skritchies even more, running hand along the kitty's spine}
* Cat purrs even more and arches back at the spineskritchies. It appears to be a boy cat too.
* April offers one stick in the direction of the kitten's mouth, smiling. "So then a relative new.. you haven't grown tired and sullen of it all.. especially not cats. And you as well, Angelica!"
{Tina} I never grow tired of cats.
{Tina} And apparently the kitty's a tom too.
{April} oops, my guess was a bit off, then.
* Cat mews.
{Tina} Only by fifty percent!
* Angelica chuckles softly, watching the two with besmusement.
{April} At least I still found that she was a cat...
{April} He, I mean.
{Tina} Getting species right good, always.
{April} And so hard... {faint smile}
* Tina makes sure the kitty gets a serious spineskritching.
{Tina} Especially around this burg.
* Cat purrrrrrs like a maniac... and also sniffs at food being offered.
* April smiles, trying to offer it without getting in Tina's face. Er, stomach. Just in her way. "True.. He's likely a god in disguise. Or a dog in disguise."
{Tina} Dogs are good too, but they don't purr when skritched.
* Cat nibbles at the food. Since he's still purring, this creates an interesting snarfing noise.
{April} True.. so either he is a good actor, or a cat in truth.
* Tina giggles a lot at the snarf noises. "Well, he's furry and purrs, so I'm happy with the acting job."
{April} As long as he acts nice enough? {slight smile}
* April holds the foold in place until this stick is gone, then touches his nose for a moment. Then takes another, seeing how hungry the guy is.
{Tina} Ohhh yes. {skritchy skratches along the spine} It's been a while since I've been around cats.
{April} Does where you are not not allow them?
* Cat continues arching back at skritchies. He also noses April's finger, and proceeds to snarf the next stick of food.
{Tina} Not without lots and lots and lots of paperwork. My cat wouldn't probably have been happy there, anyway.
{Angelica} It would have to depend on the size of the station, and other environbmental concerns.
* April winks down to the little one, then pauses and switches hands as she realizes this is the one with her ring. "Well, there are cats around here, when you are in the mood..."
* Cat finishes noshing on the food, and then proceeds to settle into Tina's lap, still purring.
* April moves the remaining sticks onto the plate again, and it onto the floor out of the awy for later.
* Angelica smiles, finishing off the last of her carrots, and feeding some more nuts to her squirrel.
{Tina} And I'm *grateful* for it. {smiles as the kitty curls up and keeps stroking it}
{April} Cats, and squirrels too, and *large* cats, dogs, a dragon or two... We seem a menagerie at times.
* Angelica chuckles. "The Complex seems to attract them from time to time. Those who can make it past the doors, anyway. Even cabbits appear, if you wait long enough." She grins slightly, her eyes twinkling.
* Cat snuggles deeper into Tina's lap, acting as a nice buzzing lapwarmer.
{Tina} Really cabbits?
* Tina makes sure the lapwarmer keeps buzzing.
{April} Would she lie? {slight smile}
{Tina} I dunno, I haven't met her before.
* Angelica considers.
* Angelica conmcentrates.
* The lapwarmer does indeed continue to buzz.
* A small, rice-grain-sized jewel appears on Angelica's forehead -- it glows breifly, and then there's a 'pop'ping sound.
*** Angelica is now known as Angie-Oh-Ki.
* Squirrel hops off Angie's shoudler as she becomes small and furry.
{Angie-Oh-Ki} Miya!
{April} See? You should trust her...
{Tina} Oookay. {pause} You do double duty?
* April moves over, trying to live AOK.
* Angie-Oh-Ki nods, and then hops out of her chair. She makes an offhand gesture with her ears, and her empty bowl of nuts is telikinetically floated over to the recycler.
* Angie-Oh-Ki then looks up at April with Kawaiiiii brown-gold eyes.
{April} s/live/lift/ She doesn't jump down and start miya'ing in an attempt to emulate the lifestyle of the small and furry, no...
{April} {q} Hello. {wink} I'd offer you carrots, but you looked full...
* Cat watches all this, maybe a little cautiously.
* Angie-Oh-Ki accepts beng liftend, happily. She miyas, and snetles a bit, while her squirrel looks a little bemused. Well, as bemused as grey squirrels can get.
* April moves to sit next to Tina, placing AOK in her lap to scratch, and give the kitten time to watch and consider the new furry creature.
* Angie-Oh-Ki myais quietly, looking backt at the Cat, its puffy tail wiggling as she's skritched. Indeed, her hair color is tha tof Angelica's.
* Tina offers the cabbit a skritch or two, but concentrates mostly on her kitty.
{April} She seems to do both easily, yes.
* Angie-Oh-Ki miyas, happily, directing a fuzzy smile up at Tina.
{Tina} Being fuzzy would be cool.
* Angie-Oh-Ki nodnods.
* Cat mews.
{April} Really? Would you like it very much?
{Tina} Well, if I got a lot of skritchies, I would, but I'd want to go back. I need my hands.
{April} Oh, I understand that... {slight smile} What would you be if you could?
{Tina} Cat. So I'd get skritchies.
{April} Around here... well, you might find a way, with enough peeking..
* Cat's ear twitches a couple times, and he settles into Tina's lap more, apparently dozing a bit, if the half-closed eyes are any indication.
* Angie-Oh-Ki nodnods again, and miyas happily with the srkitching.
* The squirrel chitters at Angelica.
* Angie-Oh-Ki looks over at the squirrel, and Miyas back.
* The squirrel chitters again.
* Angie-Oh-Ki 's ears droop a little, and then she shifts a bit in April's lap, looking regreabout having to go.
* April fluffs the tail a bit, then she leans down to kiss the top of head. "Bye?"
* Angie-Oh-Ki nodnods again, MIyaing apologetically (and blushing at the kiss, how you can tell through the fur is anybody's guess), and then she -leaps- out of April's lap.
* At the apogee of the leap, the cabbit Miya!s and flips in midair, and there's a dudden expansion-transition-shifting of crystal and flesh...
*** Angie-Oh-Ki is now known as Angelica.
{April} Good night?
* Angelica lands on her feet, abnd bows to April and Tina (and the cat). "Thank you, April, for a breif respite of skritchies."
{Tina} Yay on the skritchies. {grin}
{April} It was pleasant, it was. And good luck with your tree!
* Angelica nods, and goes and picks up the potted plant with its snow-white, almost winglike fronds. "Yes. I need to get this to home for my parents for christmas. Goodnight, you three." She smiles.
* The squirrel scampers up and perches on Angie's shoulder again.
* Angelica nods to them, and heads out via the TC door.
{April} Tell them hello! And good luck!
{Angelica} I will!
* Angelica oor closing behind her.
* Tina keeps skritching her kitty. "So how long you been here, April?"
{April} Five years, about...
* Kitty dozes in Tina's lap, purring softly.
{Tina} Muuuuch less than that for me. Five months. *Maybe*. {sheepish grin}
{April} Then about once a month? {slight smile}
{Tina} With the occasional irregularity. {small grin}
{April} Nothing here is *quite* regular.
{Tina} I've kinda noticed!
{April} ap You're *very* perceptive. {smiles slightly}
{Tina} The cabbits and electrical girls were kind of a hint. That and the cheap Calvin Klein perfume knockoffs.
{April} Oh, how bad were those? I've missed.
{Tina} Not very good. I got spritzed with it.
* April wrinkles nose. "Horrible. What is it like.. on a station?"
{Tina} It's well....it's kind of constricted at times. And the food's not *way* cheap. At least there's green areas in it, and the view is pretty wild.
{April} I'd imagine... but there's always a limit on how far you can go?
{Tina} mmmhm. Always is. And after a while it can feel sterile.
{Tina} Got a good gardener though, who knows her stuff, so that kind of helps.
{April} Does she try for variety?
{Tina} And naturalism.
{April} It sounds as decent as you can make in such a place...
{Tina} Yeah, it is. And helps.
* Tina keeps skritching the kitty in her lap.
{April} But no animals either?
{Tina} I have a couple of hamsters....they were smaller and easier to get on board than a cat. {small wry grin}
* Cat keeps purring softly, looking unconscious and blissed out in Tina's lap.
{April} Oh, that's a mild relief... You're not completely alone. That would sound.. very wrong, very... off.
{Tina} I'm not. {small grin} I have a boyfriend and friends on board.
{April} Oh! Oh, sorry, that was silly of me...
{Tina} No it's not. Critters are important too.
{April} Out of curiousity... do you really want to be kittyish?
{Tina} Not *all* the time...but might be nice...why?
{April} I know someone who sometimes does things like that, but I don't know if she'd give...
{Tina} Hmmmmm. Hmmmm....is a thought. Don't want to go, you know, presuming either.
{April} I can simply ask. {smiles} Nothing hard to that.
{Tina} Right. {grin}
* Cat's ear twitches.
* Tina tickles the ear some, then turns it into another stroke.
* Cat's eyes come halfway open, arching back a bit against the stroke.
{April} Wishing that you could steal the poor him back? {slight smile}
{Tina} Ohhhh yes.
* Cat mrowrs softly.
{April} Of course.. the hamsters might have trouble with...
{Tina} Point. {wry grin}
{April} It sounded like you could not anyway, so I decided to give other reasons...
{Tina} I'm glad for them. {small grin} It's a major trial not to.
{April} Is.. it worth it to live there, then?
{Tina} It is. I have my boyfriend with me, and that helps a lot.
{April} Oh, I imagine.. And I am sorry, I meddle curiously sometimes.
{Tina} Hey, it's the only way people find things out about the universe, so no biggie at all. {wider grin}
{April} I'm massively curious...
* Cat mrrrwwrs again and then streeeeeeeeeetches, claws briefly deploying.
{Tina} Ooo, rubber kitty!
{April} I think we bored him. {fast smile}
{Tina} Cats are like that. {spineskritch}
* Cat rolls on his side, continuing to stretch, purring more at spineskritchies.
{April} But sweet and warm...
{Tina} And purr a lot.
* April laughs a little. "I know a very large one, though she's very stubborn at times."
{Tina} How big?
* April raises hand a good bit from the floor, towards more jungle kitty size...
{Tina} That's a big kitty.
{April} Yes.. she's very nice, usually though...
{Tina} What kind of kitty?
{April} Ummm... a cougar, I believe..
{Tina} Okay, that's a big kitty.
{April} Very!
* Tina nods!
{April} Have you ever seen one?
{Tina} In the zoo. {sheepish grin}
{April} Never able to touch? That is a true pity.. but I suppose most aren't.. quite so friendly.
{Tina} They probably aren't. I have a sister who is kind of pointed about the fact that wild animals are well....wild.
* April gives a slight smile. "And dislikes zoos, then?"
{Tina} Yup. {small wry grin}
{April} If I ever see Kassie around when you're about, I'll make sure you two meet, then. :)
{Tina} Hopefully she won't eat me.
{April} Only if you tease.
{Tina} I don't tease anybody that weighs as much as me.
{April} So you don't tease many people? {slight smile}
{Tina} Not when they have claws and enough teeth to make a set of knives, no!
* Cat streeetches again, rolling on his side.
* Tina regretfully shifts. "And I need to head back before they miss me."
{April} Then good night.. good luck hiding the Door!
{Tina} Ohhh yeah. {sadly tries to shove the kitty off} C'mon....I have to go...
{April} Should I take? {small smile}
* Cat mrowrs and hops off Tina's lap.
{Tina} Probably. {wry grin} Oh, wait. I thought I'd have to pry him off....
{April} I won't bother unless he tries to follow, then... {slight smile}
{Tina} Okay. {regretfully gives the cat one last stroke on the back} Hopefully I'll see you again. {little grin}
* Cat arches back and rubs against TIna's leg.
* Tina addressed it well, to April. But part of that may be to the cat too. :)
* Cat mews.
* April gives a wave, grinning. "See you later!"
{Tina} Later, April!
* Tina heads out, rather quickly. Probably to not be drawn in by the lure of furry, cute, purring temptation again.
* April moves to try intercepting any kitten trying to follow...
* Cat mrowrs, and darts around April.
* April leaps for the door, trying to shut it!
* Cat rrrrs and charges for the Door with surprising speed.
* April lands on the floor, fingers brushing the Door to move towards shut, but there's time for it to go through...
* Cat zips through the Door!
* April sighs wryly, then puts elbows down and chin in hands. "Well, I tried... hopefully she won't get into trouble."
* April slides up to her feet, then hurries out as well.