Message 12: Fair Warning

[unrecovered]

[Wash is sitting on his bed with a teal Frootz Cat in his lap. The cat looks pleased as punch to be there; Wash, in casual clothes with his face therefore visible, is obviously not.]

This is Carmen.

[Carmen meows happily. Hi all my buddies!]

She has a bad habit of stealing people's clothes and leaving them in other people's rooms. Or beds. Or bathrooms.

[Carmen looks a bit disgruntled at her behavior being labeled a bad habit. Those people belong together! They just don't know it yet. Obviously it's her duty to educate them!]

I figured I should let anyone know before she causes real trouble. She's teal so nobody will mistake her for Lela.

Comments

[brodakota]

You got another cat?

And don't worry about my clothes. I keep them locked up.

[unrecovered]

Yeah, I got one of the rare Spirits the Moogles gave us for all those apples in Ponyville.

[Wash snorts. He'd almost forgotten about that.] Obviously Carmen and Trouble should get together.

[Carmen perks up at that. Yeah, get together! Yowl-chika-meow-meow!]

[Wash pauses for a moment and looks down at Carmen]

Quit that.

[She just rolls over and waves her paws in the air. Make her!]

[brodakota]

[Reserving judgment unless/until Wash acquires a third cat.]

Somehow I'm not sure that's a good idea.

[unrecovered]

[Carmen's proving to be just as much of a handful as Melody. He doesn't think he can handle a third cat.]

Well, no, but at least they'd have something in common.

[brodakota]

Stealing clothes is not exactly a habit I want to encourage in my spirits. No offense.

[unrecovered]

You really think I'd be offended by that.

[Carmen has had enough of the small talk, especially after it mentioned a potential partner in crime for her. She gets to her paws and presses her face up against the communicator screen. Who is this Trouble and where can she find him? Hello?]

[She's only there for a moment or two before Wash pulls the communicator away.]

Get out of there.

[brodakota]

Well, I know how you feel about cats.

[Oh hey! Catface!]

Yeah, I think I'll keep Trouble on the sidelines for a bit.

[unrecovered]

That doesn't mean I don't know how crazy they are.

[Carmen meows and reaches for the communicator. Nooooo she wants to meet Trouble!]

Probably a good idea.

[brodakota]

Well, that's comforting to know.

[Teasing, teasing.]

[Video]

[guerriera]

[[ It's one of the rare few times that Carolina uses the communicator while not wearing her helmet. Still in armor, she looks tired, but no worse for wear thanks to the recent dreams. She looks from cat to Wash, then Wash to cat. ]

It would seem some personality traits aren't universal for spirits.

[A slight headtilt.] The paint is really that necessary?

[unrecovered]

[So, just like everyone else, then. At least these dreams aren't as bad as the last ones.]

The only common trait I've seen is that they all like chocolate.

[There's another yowl from offscreen - evidently Melody is in the room as well - and Carmen reaches up to bat at her person's chin. He said chocolate and now they want some!]

[Wash just ignores them for now. Troublemakers do not get rewarded.]

I didn't think you wanted Lela getting blamed for Carmen's...antics.

[guerriera]

[ There's a hiss from Carolina's side of the radio. Evidently Dax heard the magic word, too. A pair of (red) strawberry-tipped ears peek up into range from one corner of the view screen. Mewf? ]

It's...appreciated. Though I would have thought most people would have known her to be well behaved by now.

[ Because Lela introduces herself to everyone, like it or not. The downside of a very gregarious spirit, really. ]

Who's clothing did yours steal?

[unrecovered]

[That's what he gets for bringing up treats.]

[Carmen straightens up at Lela's appearance. Eeeeeyyyyyyyy pretty lady~]

[(Offscreen, Melody sits up straight. Oh, she had better not be hitting on Lela.)]

All the more reason for them not to get mixed up. I definitely don't want anyone expecting Lela and getting Carmen instead.

Ziva's. And she put it under my pillow. [And somebody is none too amused by that.]

[guerriera]

[ The ears prick up, and the full face pops into view curiously. Who's pretty? My Person's pretty! Is that who you're calling pretty? Who are y-- The questions are interrupted as she is pushed down gently by Carolina's palm. ]

It's a good thing then that spirits can't get rid of that pain easily. [pause] Why that colour, though?

[ She has her suspicions, but she'd like to see if her guess is correct. ]

What did Ziva think? [..not smiling. not smiliiiiing.]

[unrecovered]

[Oh, no, sugar, you're the pretty one- Carmen stops abruptly, loudly complaining when Lela is pushed aside. Hey! Put her back on!]

[Melody just grumbles. It's probably for the better.]

I think you know why this color. [Wash can only provoke irony for so long before it comes around and slaps him in the face, after all.]

She...wasn't too happy. [He sees that smile. You shut up.]

[guerriera]

[why are you yelling? is the off-camera cry, even as Carolina arches an eyebrow at Carmen.]

...I'm sorry.

[The sympathy is about as genuine as she can manage, given her (negative) feelings for the Reds and Blues. But Wash doesn't deserve that. None the less, let us be clear: Carolina's definitely not smiling. You see nothing. Not even that upward twitch at the corners of her mouth.]

I'd imagine not. Has it only been just the once, or a bit more often since you got her?

[unrecovered]

[Because she wants to see you, obviously!]

It was bound to happen eventually.

[He knows her well enough to see that twitch. Quit smiling, dammit.]

Once that I know of. I wouldn't be surprised if she's done it to other people and I just haven't heard about it yet.

[guerriera]

[ Strawberry-tipped ears creep back into frame, but Carolina's hand keeps her from pushing in all the way. On the other hand, Lela loves getting ear scritches, which is what this is slowly turning to, so the only noise Carmen will here from her from here on out is purring. ]

Should we keep an eye out for if she starts wandering further abroad than the hotel?

[ While it wasn't common, it wasn't entirely unheard of for spirits to leave their Persons' side. ]

[voice]

[battleborndr]

How does something even develop that kind of habit? [Seriously what do your Spirits get up to.]

[unrecovered]

[Oh hey, it's this guy. The tinkerer.]

I think she just came with it.

[battleborndr]

Let's hope that it isn't the "Factory Settings" for the Spirit.

[They don't need to have more of Carmen's Spirit species with the same personality running around.]

[unrecovered]

I'm pretty sure Spirits don't have "factory settings," except for maybe liking chocolate.

Carmen's just...[Wacko.] Special.

[battleborndr]

"Special." Right. Well, I think you have your work cut out for you.

[unrecovered]

You can't tell me yours doesn't have some quirk either.

[battleborndr]

...Yeah, alright.

[unrecovered]

[And that's a raised eyebrow. He's not getting out of this that easily.]

...and?

[battleborndr]

[And nothing, obviously. :|]

And he's certainly not that [weird] unique.

[unrecovered]

[And that is both eyebrows raised. Look at all the skepticism in that expression. Look at it.]

Uh-huh.

sorry so late. -_-;;;

[colorbymemory]

[Ah, so that's the kind of trouble Wash had meant when gave the reason he wanted Carmen painted.]

Has she stolen a lot yet?

You're good

[unrecovered]

[Yeah, there was a reason for that one.]

Not that I know of, but I wouldn't be surprised.

[colorbymemory]

[Not!Dad, you're so protective.]

I see. Well, at least everyone has been warned now.

[4letters4ninja]

Just keep her out of my things from now on.

[She doesn't sound that amused. And she has no problem with having Gibbs guard her clothing...really.]

[unrecovered]

We may have to figure out a way to lock the dresser.