15. [Video]

[brodakota]

[When North awakes, he can hardly believe his eyes. His room is a warzone of tattered pieces of cloth and a very sorry giraffe in the middle of it.

He can hardly believe it, even when the Giraffe attempts to bleat its excuses. It wasn't my fault, there was another cat, she wanted to help and then I tried but they smelled so good. I'm sorry person, I'm sorry.]

[He runs a hand through his hair and there's a muttered god dammit. This may be the maddest North has been in a while.]

This is a ridiculous request, but, does anyone have anything that can be used as a lock? One that spirits can't open? 

[Trouble is nosing her way in, still trying to apologize.]

Comments

[Video]

[guerriera]

[ Both eyebrows are slightly arched at the sight of the mess in the background. Carolina hasn't see North this angry since the earliest days of the Program -- and South had been the one to talk him around. ]

She learned how to open a padlock?

[video]

[juniorganymedian]

Not at present, but I can request one from the Moogles. Has Agent Washington's Spirit proved particularly troublesome for you? [There is a minor note of annoyance in Jeeves' voice. Someone's fed up with the animal.]

[laughingsword]

What sort of lock can they open?

[brodakota]

Padlocks apparently.

I thought a key would be enough to stump them.

[Video]

[brodakota]

Apparently. I'm not sure how though.

[Since she's, you know, a giraffe. Who knows better than to use magic in the house. Trouble is making apologetic noises.]

[video]

[brodakota]

[Hang on?]

What about Wash's cat? Did she cause this?

[laughingsword]

Oh. My. That is impressive!

Perhaps if you installed a latch....

[brodakota]

I was thinking that or a combination lock.

[Because he probably don't have a resources for a holographic one.]

[laughingsword]

Hmmm--

I suppose it depends on how he got through the last lock! If he broke it, then maybe you need a stronger door instead.

[brodakota]

She actually.

[He's managed to get up and examine the lock a bit.]

You might be right there. Looks like a number was done on it.

[It definitely looks forced open and the key's still in it's hiding place.]

[laughingsword]

Oh, I'm sorry! She must be very strong. [The shredded clothes did hint as much.]

[statisticallyterrible]

[She can't help with the locks, but she can see the mess. And his chest. Chell holds up a shirt that should look familiar to North.]

Did not sign up to be your shirt reserve.

[Video]

[guerriera]

[ Even for Trouble, that's a very apologetic noise. ]

Thought you'd at least cured her of eating the shirt off your back, though.

[ Careful, North, you might make the younger ladies on the channel swoon. ]

[video]

[juniorganymedian]

[Jeeves raises a brow, making a pointed up-and-down scan of North's bare top half. Old habits die hard; he can't help falling back into a more formal mode of speech when snarking.] I had assumed, sir, your lack of shirt was not by choice given the number of young women who might see you in such a fashion given the video function. Agent Washington's Spirit, Carmen, has committed various acts of sartorial larceny since her creation.

voice

[fatemeter]

[That's... quite a sight. Enough to suggest even without the clearest view of the door that "open" is probably a euphemism.]

The current lock isn't salvageable?

[brodakota]

It's persistence, mostly. But yeah, she's useful in a fight.

[Although that's followed by a look that suggests he's still upset, so the apologetic noises continue.]

[brodakota]

[North sighs. At least he has one decent shirt left. Never mind that he's slowly putting together Wash's cat's intentions.]

Sorry. I'll come get it.

[Video]

[brodakota]

So did I. It's a little better. She only ate about half, but that could be because she was full after eating the other ones.

[video]

[brodakota]

[The confusion and annoyance have started to fade and North's finally starting clue in that oh yeah, he did use the video function, didn't he? He probably should get up and get a new one.]

I guess you'd be right. My giraffe ate it, or most of it.

So, his cat's been stealing clothes? And doing what with them?

video

[brodakota]

Not really. They did a number on it.

[He holds it up to the screen, where it looks like it was wrenched open.]

[Video]

[guerriera]

[ She doesn't laugh, but North might notice the crinkles at the corner of her eyes, indicating concealed amusement. It really is a serious matter, though. ]

Sounds like she needs a muzzle. Or to be dismissed entirely when you're sleeping.

voice

[fatemeter]

So it seems. Hmm. [She pauses briefly to run over a few possible ideas, and maybe to put that distracting shirtlessness out of her mind.] There are a number of alternatives more resistant to force than a conventional padlock, but as well as procuring a lock, you'd likely also need appropriate tools with which to work on the door... And given the diversity of Dream Eaters, it's hard to imagine any single lock keeping the majority of them out. Are you sure the lock is the best area to focus on?

[laughingsword]

[Souji chuckles, just a little, before pulling a dramatic face.] And they're so hard to train! If anyone ever really figures out how to teach them manners, they should open a school....

[video]

[juniorganymedian]

[Probably. Jeeves found the sight of a half-naked, well-built man mildly distracting, but he was used to dealing with it from attending to his employer in the bath.]

Was your shirt covered in ice cream or one of the other Spirit treats? [Because otherwise, he's going to silently judge your Spirit and its lack of any form of apparent intellect. Well, silently judge more than he's doing already.]

In any case, the animal seems to have taken to leaving the articles in other room. To what end, I could not say. [He could say based on the grumbling he's been hearing, but he'd really rather not.]

[Video]

[brodakota]

See, I usually do, but this was the one night I thought it would be safe to try again.

I didn't count on Wash's cat.