Message 09: Picking Up the Pieces

[unrecovered]

[It's a few days after FILSS' opening the training room, and Wash is still tired. He's in full armor and helmet to hide that fact. He holds up an AI chip in front of the camera. It's hollow in the middle and isn't lighting up.]

Melody had this. I'm pretty sure she found it on the Mother of Invention. Those of you who know what this is, there isn't anything in it. It's not active. That...doesn't stop it from talking.

The ID card from the post office and the blank photo from the mansion. Who has them?

[In the background, Melody protests, albeit not nearly as loud as she had when he'd mentioned getting another cat. Hey! She was holding onto that for Lela! Give it back!]

Comments

[guerriera]

[ Her prize! There's a delighted mewf! somewhere off camera, before a certain someone heads for Wash and York's room at a trot.

Still wearing her helmet, and crabby from a repeated night of restless not-sleep, Carolina seems to stare blankly at the item held by Wash. There's only one place it could have come from, of course. ]

...Who's was it? Is there any designation?

[unrecovered]

[Turns out their door is closed, so there's a bit of a delay in replies as Wash opens the door for the excited cat. By "a bit of a delay," we of course mean "a full ten minutes" as Wash has tripped over the excited cat weaving in and out of his legs and taken a header onto the floor. It takes him a bit of time to get set up again.]

No designation. I don't think it ever belonged to anyone.

[guerriera]

[ The waiting just makes her grumpier, unaware of her own spirit's involvement in the delay.

Still. That's something, she supposes. Carolina can't decide if she's pleased or not. ]

But it's speaking to you. [Frown.] What is it saying?


[ Lela all but crowds Wash's ankles the moment the door opens, attempting to weave between his legs as she purrs loudly in delight. Which rapidly transition into mews in horror and apology as she manages to capsise the Freelancer.

She's so sorry oh no-- ♥ HI YORKPERSON ♥ --oh gosh I'm so sorry Melody, is WashPerson going to be okay

Lela may be transitioning into a very adorable but inconvenient guest. ]

[unrecovered]

[Oh don't you grump at him. He's grumpy enough as it is already.]

I can't tell. It's too muffled to make out.

[Melody is protesting over something very different now, and she chivvies Lela away from her person. Yes, her person is going to be fine, he's already sitting up again, but seriously he doesn't need any more damage so quit knocking him down.]

[guerriera]

[ She can grump if she wants to, Wash. Just be glad she got out of that fight with only bruises. ]


But it doesn't sound like-- [She pauses; he would have said if it sounded AI-like. She starts over:]

Is it possible that the 'voice' from it is similar, or maybe the same, as the other pieces?


[ I said I was sorry! protested the Frootz Cat, trying to weave around Melody so that she can paw (very carefully) at Wash's leg. Can she at least have her prize now? They all fought so hard and she did find it, please please pleasepleasepleaseplease. She might even rest her head against his knee and look as adoring as possible. ]

[unrecovered]

No. It doesn't. [And that's pretty obviously a closed door.]

It sounds the same, but that could be because it's hard to hear in the first place.

[Melody lets her close enough to paw at her person's leg, still watching her very carefully. Her person's probably not going to give it back, you know. It looks like it's important to him, and he likes to hold on to important things.]

[As if to illustrate her point, Wash looks down at Lela-]

Apology accepted.

[-And does not give her the thing. He probably doesn't understand the request in the first place - it's not like he speaks Spirit, after all.]

[guerriera]

[ but but but the thing is hers! The pawings become a little more insistant, her ears drooping a bit as Lela's eyes fix on the AI chip. Please, she helped and Melody was looking after it for her, please give it back, WashPerson!

Unware of the imminent cat-astrophy in Wash and York's room, Carolina folds her arms thoughtfully. ]

Too quiet with one. And all three pieces have links to people who've arrived here. If they're brought together, that could magnify whatever signal they're receiving.

[Someone listened in on what you said to Eraqus too; her frown is audible but she's not annoyed.] All three items were found after battle. Something, or someone, else could be tracking that signal, and end up targeting our location.

[unrecovered]

And that's why I'm asking where they went. [That's Carolina for you; sharp as ever.]

Or they could be a reward for surviving the Nightmares, or the Nightmares could have been there to prevent us from getting to them.

[He looks down at Lela, still not getting it.] Seriously, it's fine. You can go back to Carolina now if you want.

[guerriera]

[ For someone who hasn't been here very long (relatively), she's still pretty sharp on the uptake. She gives a cynical snort at the thought of the 'reward' being a good thing. ]

Good for someone, certainly. I don't know that it's us, though.

[ She hates setups. ]

If they're brought together, it had better be outdoors. With as many people and spirits present as possible to deal with anything that could show up. Better to be overprepared than--

[-- Wait, Lela? Carolina glances around, suddenly aware of the absense, before tilting her head at the screen. Why was her Spirit in their room?

Why? Because WashPerson has HER Prize! A cream paw reached for it, Lela mewing plaintively. Mineminemine, please. :( ]

[unrecovered]

We aren't exactly here for our health. [Says the guy who's still working through massive soreness. Yep.]

There's always the greenhouse. It's enclosed but big enough to deal with that sort of crowd.

[What- why is there a cat pawing at the AI chip. He lifts it out of her reach.] Seriously, go home.

[Melody just sits on the bed, grooming a paw. Sorry, Lela - her person is always first priority. You know that. If he thinks it's that important, it probably is. Maybe he'll give you another shiny if you ask nicely.]

[guerriera]

So long as there aren't any giant monkeys around, it could be suitable.

[Yes, she heard about that incident. The building WAS pretty large, though, if they could find some means of getting onto the roof..]

[ Lela's eyes seem to grow large and rounder, the effect highlighted by her yellow line-pupil. There's a mewf! bordering on unhappy when Wash raises the chip higher, and she doesn't seem to understand why he won't let her have it.

But, but, it's mine, I found it, I did my part, she protests. Her noises start taking on very very loud and very very Sad Kitten overtones: she does not really understand why a Person would find her prize important and then would tell her to /go away/. ]

[unrecovered]

I think we'd know if any more had shown up.

[Oh dear God the last thing he needs is another complaining cat, though at the moment Lela has nothing on Melody's previous fit for volume. It takes him a moment to realize that she just sounds sad. But why-]

[Oh. Huh. He wiggles the AI chip a bit in his fingers.]

Wait, did you want this?

[guerriera]

Not if they were invisible.

[But there are plans for dealing with that. Lockdown paint is a wonderful invention when it isn't being used on you.]

[ There's an emphatic meow at Wash's question, before Lela slicks her ears back, sits down on her haunches, and promptly begins to cry. Like a crocodile - in so far as no actual tears are shed, but the mewling is so utterly heartbroken because WashPerson is being mean to me why are you so mean I didn't do anything wrong.

(Un?)Fortunately for Wash, 'Mother' is still on the line. ]

....What the hell is going on over there? [why is my cat CRYING]

[unrecovered]

Giant monkeys are still pretty damn loud, Carolina. [He should know. He was there.]

[Speaking of loud, Wash visibly jumps as Lela starts crying, nearly dropping the chip.] The hell-

Your cat is having a temper tantrum, that's what.

[Melody just huffs and pads over to Lela, swatting her ears lightly. Oh come on, her person isn't mean - he's just dumb sometimes. This is one of those times. You're not going to get the shiny by howling at him. There are other ways to accomplish that goal.]

[guerriera]

[muttered. and Not Happy.] Oh for the love of--

#LINE DISCONNECTED#

[ She'll be there shortly, no doubt. ]

[ Melody swatting her ear just makes Lela shrink in on herself and even more Saddest Kitten Ever noises follow. The volume isn't a patch on Melody's earlier operatic feats and she's hardly leaping around and flailing, but Lela Is Upset and there's no hiding it. There's certainly no sleeping through it, either. ]

[unrecovered]

[Hurry up and get over here, Mom. Your kid needs a talking-to.]

[Melody just huffs again and drapes herself over Lela. Seriously, you're not helping your case here. Wash gives a matching sigh and pops the AI chip into a storage compartment on his armor. Hopefully Carolina will take care of this.]

[guerriera]

[ What's the matter, Wash, don't you know how to handle small, crying children? ]

[ (Carolina certainly has about as much experience: none.)

The cyan Freelancer hasn't appeared yet, but Melody's full-body hug at least knocks the volume down a trifle. That doesn't seem to stop the crying, however@ at least tears aren't part of the spirit package, so there won't be a flood here today, but You Should Feel Bad, WashPerson. Very Very Bad! ]

[unrecovered]

[Yeah. Sure. Of course. He's an expert. Dammit, Carolina, hurry up and get your cat.]

[(He actually does feel bad that Lela is crying, even if he knows giving her what she wants is not a solution. Stupid guilt.)]

[Melody just starts grooming Lela's ears, partially as a reassurance and partially as a distraction. Seriously, Lela isn't going to get what she wants just by yelling about it. She's not helping her case at all.]

[guerriera]

[ The crying doesn't cease, exactly, but Lela is clearly radiating misery in spite of Melody's affections when Carolina walks through the door. It's a good thing she's wearing her helmet, as it prevents anyone trying to read her expression.

Her tone and body language fill in none the less.]

...What did you do.

[unrecovered]

[Jeez. He'd known just how Mama Bear Carolina could be over her teammates - when she wasn't ass-deep in her jealousy of Tex and sinking, that was - but he hadn't really figured it'd extend to an upset cat, especially against him.]

Refused to give her the AI chip to use as a toy.

[guerriera]

[ We're not a team anymore, Washington. Why wouldn't she hold being the source of her spirit's distress against you?

Stepping over to the crying frootz cat, the aqua coloured freelancer tipped her head at both felines before crouching to scoop up her pink one. There's a soft polite 'excuse me' to Melody, as the act likely dislodges her attempts to sooth the younger cat: she appreciates it, but Carolina will take it from here. (Or at least try.) ]

That can't be all. She's not upset by much.

[unrecovered]

[Because Lela is a cat and Wash really isn't in the habit of vexing them?]

[Melody scoots off of Lela, letting Lela's person pick her up. She pads over to the other side of her person, pawing at the storage compartment. See? This is where the thing is that's causing all the trouble!]

[Wash just sighs and completely reinterprets Melody's intentions, rubbing behind her ears.]

Carolina, she's a cat. Do you really think I'd upset her on purpose?

[guerriera]

[ Maybe not vexing cats, but vexing girls? You still got that down pat, Wash.

Lela maintained her pathetic crying, cuddling immediately against her person's armor. Her position was adjusted so she was supported in the crook of the cyan-clad ex-Freelancer's arm, the brief stroke of gloved palm down her back at odds with the angle directing its glare at Wash. ]

Given the evidence, I'm finding it hard not to believe it.

[She glanced at where Melody pawed the Cabinet. The tears were easy enough to ignore, but it took a bit of effort to throttle down the urge to snap at him.] You're certain it's blank.

[unrecovered]

Your cat is having a tantrum, and to you that's evidence. [Seriously?]

[Wordlessly, he pulled the chip out of his storage compartment, ignoring the murmuring that started up in his head, and stuck his finger through the hole where the AI itself would've been. Without that part, it was just an empty casing, albeit a talking one. The visual should've made his point just fine.]

[guerriera]

My spirit has been reliable and consistant in her behaviour, something that only deviated because of your actions, Washington.

[ Carolina is tired, and cranky, and it's a wonder she doesn't hiss at Wash just like the cats present in reply. ..It's a close thing, though. The look from Lela is almost a match for her green-eyed human, the feline's ears slicking back flat against her puffball head at being accused of a tantrum. She's upset yes but that's because it's HERS, and you said mean things.

The mean things part is of course now the arguably most important part, and a cream paw reaches when Washinton holds it up. Said paw is promptly pushed down by her Person. Being protective of her cat didn't mean she'd tolerate further bad behaviour.

The point was certainly made, however. But Carolina made no move to grab for it; it wasn't clear if her focus was on Wash or the chip, but it was certainly no longer on the cat. ]

..Why would that be chosen, of all things.

[..Is that a rhetorical question?]