Don't pet them, grab them! [Mingle]

[ourearth]

Date: 25th of July
Characters: Open!

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I.

In the afternoon on the 25th, a network message alerts the Numbered to the fact that the petting zoo in Moss Manor's Menagerie is facing a major break-out: Someone has torn down the fences, and all the bunnies, sheep, and all the other animals typically found in petting zoos have decided to book it. They are now swarming the manor's grounds.

Due to the staff being nowhere near enough to catch them all, and due to the generally low threat level of the animals that escaped, visitors are asked to help catch them instead of being sent away.

And anyone who just happens to show up and help will be happily welcomed and included in the fort, without any question of who told them that help is needed.


II.

Afterwards, Lady Margaret Camilla Brassant invites everyone onto her patio and offers refreshments - tea, water, little sandwiches, cake and scones with clotted cream and jam. She retires quickly herself, but not before giving a brief speech thanking everyone who helped save the gardens from hungry mouths.

Comments

[warped_replica]

I
The next bus to arrive following Sadie and Walter delivers Benjiro to Moss Manor. With a quick notification sent to Sadie with his phone, he tucks his phone into a pocket to go inside. Upon entering, he immediately scans for signs of a worker to speak to in order to figure out where he might be most helpful...which would ideally be in some capacity other than handling the animals. Cats are about the only animal he feels comfortable interacting with thanks to a more urban upbringing.

That plan lasts for about five seconds.

Coming around the first corner, he stops in his tracks as a llama barrels towards him. Without a thought, he springs backwards out of the path with only a hand grazing the edge of its fur as it passes across at the intersection. Not stalling, he steps forward again to regain view of the creature. It doesn’t seem to know where to go with several visitors already having chased it into an agitated state. Benjiro knows he would not be able to run it down even if he tried, so he stands still to block the exit and watches as he considers the limited options.

II
Hesitant to follow the invitation initially as Benjiro is far more inclined to assist with repair of the damaged fences rather than face a social gathering, he relents with the promise of a chance to catch up with Sadie so they could talk. That, and he is curious to see who is present from the network that he recognizes, along with the pool of other potential numbered in the gathering. Slow to follow others, he watches for anyone moving in a different direction away from the patio.

II! As promised.

[iamnotgod]

Walter made sure to catch Ben's attention after all the hubbub died down. Luring out the peacocks had only been the beginning of the hectic day for him, and he really would have liked time to be alone.

Only, in one sense, he had as much of that as he wanted now, didn't he? Just not the way he wanted. Seeking out those he's connected with, then, is preferable.

He'd found an empty corner, one where the floorboards wouldn't creak and no one kept sneaking glances or asking You sure you don't want to take anything home? It's the least you all deserve for helping us...

<3

[warped_replica]

It takes very little to catch notice from Benjiro, already seeking familiar faces between identifying more unique characteristics or combinations of features in other faces that he might use to recognize them later. Details always make it easier for him, and he knows Walter's visage even from a distance.

Rather than maneuver through the crowd of talking visitors turned volunteers, he slips to the edge to make his way around to approach the corner where Walter has positioned himself. Sliding up to ease his back to the wall next to the man, he speaks quietly, "I suppose that's one benefit of a number. Calling for assistance."

I suspect Benjiro is a fan of whatever the AU version of Person of Interest is.

[iamnotgod]

Walter chuffs quietly.

"True. Though, I'd be careful of saying that - it sounds like a step down the road to the realm of puns."

He winks - then the moment of amusement gives way to exhaustion again.

"Wonder if they would have had enough people, if our anonymous alerter hadn't called."

Very likely

[warped_replica]

Puns have their time and place, but when that amusement gives way to obvious fatigue, Benjiro will shelf them for later.
 
“I suspect some animals would have gone off the grounds requiring longer efforts to retrieve, but most would have remained.  Damage to the garden would have been increased.”  He pauses, then speaks further, “Tearing down the fences…  I wonder what the goal was.  Destruction of the fences certainly delayed containing the animals, and it put them at greater risk.”
 
So he’s not thinking it was a demonstration against cruelty of keeping them in a petting zoo.  Especially not one this luxurious.  

... What if someone apped The Machine, tho?

[iamnotgod]

That's... a very good question, Benjiro.

"Either they were looking for a particular animal, or they were creating a distraction."

Walter folds his hands together.

"Or they were doing this to be cruel. Destruction for its own sake."

....I have no idea but now I’m curious

[warped_replica]

“Accounting for all the animals with a registery should answer if it was an attempt to remove an animal from the grounds. I expect some of the workers would still be searching the gardens if any of them are still missing,” not that they can see the grounds from the patio well enough to determine if this is the case. The inclusive search may have been called off as soon as the vast majority had been contained. “A distraction is quite possible given our location. Destruction...I don’t see any reason this would be the target. There must be security cameras.”

Then again, other people are not as logical as Benjiro or Walter.

“Do you think the person that sent the alert might know more?”

Maybe we could poke the mods on the latest digest post?

[iamnotgod]

Walter nods, humming quietly for a moment.

"So, things we'll have to look into after we leave, then - or before leaving, in the case of asking about the petting zoo inventory."

He doubts they'll be allowed access to the security camera footage - but he doesn't doubt that it'll get looked at.

"If we can find them. Though, they did seem reluctant to talk much about themselves... and also rather excitable."

Loud is the word he means there.

Or ask in Discord since it's more of a 'what if'

[warped_replica]

"I can ask before heading out," he offers. Whatever information he receives will be passed on to Walter in a text afterwards of course.

As for asking the mystery prompter, he nods once, "Evasive certainly. Still, we may get an answer if we leave a new message on that initial call since everything remains on the network." That person might be calmer with the situation more or less resolved for the time being.

"Otherwise we may have to wait and see if anything shows up in the news."

II

[dragoonrouge]

It does not take Sadie long to locate Ben hovering somewhat awkwardly towards the edge of the group. She walks up to her friend with a smile and hands him an empty plate, pulling him towards the food table.

"Hey, so you survived your encounter with the vicious forces of the petting zoo?"

[warped_replica]

Focused on his own tasks of gathering information, he blinks in surprise when he looks down to a plate being put forward to him by Sadie. Before he can inquire about the reason for it, he's lurching into motion after her and following her lead towards food.

"Enough to keep all my fingers. You appear physically intact."

He's still hoping to hear about her mentally given she experienced that 'hallucination' in the midst of this situation.

[dragoonrouge]

Sadie has placed two of the gloriously warm plain scones on her plate along with a dollop of strawberry jam and a large dollop of clotted cream. She casts her eyes over the sandwich fingers, all the food looks so delicious it would be a shame not to try as much as possible.

"Yep!" She grins, "Walter and I spent most of the time trying to catch these two peacocks that kept hiding in the tree grove. And then the cutest little Pomeranian ended up helping me catch and return this dwarf goat. I say help...the dog made the goat panic and it knocked me over but they were both such sweet little things. All in all it has been a very good day."

She'll lets Ben grab some food before they get into the conversation about what she saw.

[warped_replica]

For himself, Benjiro selects a couple of the sandwiches from the variety presented, a Welsh cake, and tea from the refreshments table.  No need to waste the opportunity to partake in some local high-end treats, even if his mind is at work trying to decipher more out of the situation and overshadowing his appetite.
 
“I guess it’s a good thing it was only a dwarf goat,” he responds with relief.  Her overall evaluation of the day puts him more at ease to know she had not had a hallucination intense enough to ruin the experience.  Especially with how much Sadie cares for animals.  In turn, he’ll summarize his own contribution simply, “It all started with an unhappy llama and got easier from there.”
 
Both set with food, he’ll move along with her through the crowd away from the table to find a spot to the side at a bench along the edge of the patio.  He pauses with a glance back into the crowd, then sits down to put the plate on his lap as he cradles his tea in both hands to look expectantly to Sadie.

[dragoonrouge]

"Yep! it really was very cute..." She grimaces at Ben's mention of a llama, "Oh god! Llamas have terrible attitudes, are you okay?!" Sadie knew they were prone to kick and bite and she casts a worried glance over Ben to see if he had any obvious injuries.


Sadie happily follows Ben, sitting down next to him on the bench, close enough for their arms to touch and so that she can talk quietly about her newest odd experience. She takes a sip of tea, the comforting warmth making her feel even more relaxed. "Right, so it started when Walter and I were trying to catch the peacocks. That empty feeling returned and it was I wasn't with Walter catching peacocks, I was hiding in a bush with a man teaching me how to hunt sheep."

She frowns and takes another sip of tea. "I had no control of how I reacted...He called me 'Little Sparrow'."

[warped_replica]

By the looks of him, it seems his backpack took the brunt of the llama's displeasure. A popped seam with a hole seems to be the worst of it with a smattering of spit dried on the fabric. Offering a smile of reassurance, he tries to calm her concern when she looks over him, "It didn't hurt me. But I definitely want a shower and change as soon as I get home." Somehow, he had kept ahead of any kicks and most of the spit. That said, he still has a chicken feather stuck on his shirt at the back of one shoulder.

Not about to object being close to Sadie, he'll lean forward a little to listen more closely when she speaks regarding her experience with that hollow feeling that heralds a change. He takes a sip from his own tea, then lowers it to rest next to his plate with one hand.

"Did you lose awareness of your surroundings when it happened?" he asks with concern. Spacing out with such visions could be very dangerous if it occurs at the wrong moment.

"Hm. It sounds like an affectionate nickname. Do you remember much about the man?"

[dragoonrouge]

Sadie retrieves the feather from his back, popping it on his knee with a grin, glad that he had managed to come out from the Llama experience unharmed. "Shower is definitely a good shout, especially with llama spit. Mouths are filthy, that spit's probably teaming with germs."

She taps her nails against the cup of tea, causing it to clink. "For the first instance, it was like what I saw settled over the top of what was around me until I could only see the field and the sheep and the memory. The longer we looked for the peacocks the more cropped up, but not as images, as a voice." She frowns, " It was like that bloody Clippy Paper Clip but in my head and talking about the best way to stalk an animal...and kill it."

"He felt...safe, like I knew him really well." The part of her that had been living what she had seen certainly hadn't felt afraid of the deep voice and close proximity of the man. Although..."He had a tail." That bit gets blurted out, Sadie clearly at least mildly perturbed by that.

[warped_replica]

Feather plucked from his shoulder, he watches her hand move to his knee only to drop the feather into view. He huffs a single laugh at the feather, but decides to keep the story of the chicken in the tree to tell Sadie later on. It doesn’t take long before a light breeze pulls it off his knee to carry away from the patio. As for the shower, he’ll simply nod in agreement. He is trying not to think too hard about it.

Benjiro listens attentively as Sadie speaks, watching her expression as he hears the tapping on that cup. From what she describes, it sounds intrusive but not entirely obstructive to her current awareness after the first view of a field. The mention of Clippit elicits a subtle cringe in the teenager – which quickly makes more sense with the purpose of the instruction being something far from anything he would associate with Sadie. She cares for animals far too much to hunt them.

Still, this person teaching her was trusted. Someone that might impart such lessons would likely be close in terms of friendship or blood relation, so the mention of a tail is met with the raise of a single eyebrow. Sitting up straight on the bench, but not away from Sadie, he looks perplexed only until he remembers the reason for her sunglasses, “A tail…oh.” He had accepted their purpose and presence so readily, it took that extra moment for him to put it together, “And you’re worried that might be related to what’s already happened...?”

I

[runs]

One of those visitors that have chased it into agitation is Kitty, who is still running after it.

She's a bit bogged down by the guinea pig that she holds cradled against her chest, though. She slows down when she notices that someone is standing not too far beyond it - someone she knows fairly well, no less - and arrives at Ben's side in a slightly accelerated trot.

"I think they're helpless when you push them over."

Sheep. She's thinking of sheep.

[warped_replica]

While Benjiro had been anticipating other members on the number network to be here providing assistance, he had not expected Kitty to have come.  In part because he had been hoping he had been wrong about the familiar voice in an audio conversation.  It is still possible he is wrong, but he’ll have to simply ask her to be certain  – at another time.
 
“I don’t think trying to tip the llama would be safe for its head,” he reasons based on its physical structure.  The long neck of the animal alone poses a risk with falling over.  
 
“Kitty, can you do me a favor and stay here for a moment?  I don’t want it running out into the streets, and someone standing here might be enough to keep it in the grounds,” he requests, then quickly adds, “But if it does come running at you, please step aside and let it go.”
 
Sliding his backpack from his shoulders, having just arrived from the library, he hooks his hand in the top loop and raises it to hold like a shield at his forearm.  Rather than moving fast, he’s going to walk slowly towards it with the pack held down at his chest for the moment.  The llama doesn’t notice initially, still turning this way and that with an occasional kick.

[runs]

Another time will definitely be better, especially as the llama is nervously stepping forth and back as they speak, trying to figure out how to get out of this situation.

"Sure." She throws very suspicious glances in the llama's direction but trots over to where she's been told to stand. If it races towards her, she's most definitely going to jump out of the way.

"What are you going to try and do?"

[warped_replica]

"Calm it down a little if I can. Right now, it's not going anywhere it doesn't want to go," he answers with as much confidence as he can muster. He would prefer to keep Kitty away from this spooked animal, so hopefully she'll trust he can do something about it.

If he new the layout of the gardens better, perhaps he could devise a way to herd it into a space where it could be contained until it could calm down alone. Without that knowledge however, he has to hope this one has be socialized well with people.

Not changing his pace from a slow but steady approach, the llama takes notice of him as it makes another turn while moving back and forth. Raising its chin, it cocks its head back to give him a side-eyed look as it goes stock still. To this change in behavior, Benjiro responds with a pause in his own approach. A pause follows in silence before the llama spits a sudden burst of saliva from its mouth in his direction. Thankfully, with his backpack up, he's able to quickly cover his head and face. Unfortunately, that doesn't protect the rest of him.

"Ugh, キモい!"

[runs]

For a moment, Kitty isn't sure if to react with amusement or interest.

Curiosity wins. Because there's some truly interesting nugget buried here. "Is kimoooh a curse word?" Because if so, she definitely needs to make a note of it. And if he says no she just has to try and google it later, but that would be a lot harder...

*knew, *has been socialized (so many typos in my last tag ugh)

[warped_replica]

That question gets a brief glance back over his shoulder in surprise, but he shakes his head and focuses his gaze back to the llama. Ever a fan of education, he’ll inform her of the proper translation, “No, it’s not a curse word. ‘Kimoi’ is the same thing as saying ‘gross’.”

Sorry to disappoint.

Not wanting to get spit on a second time, he steps to the side in an attempt to approach more from the flank, but the llama is not having it. It turns its head, still cocked off to one side, and follows him until it has to step to keep up. Starting to move in a circle, it spits again but misses when Benjiro skips out of the way in a sudden side step. Backpack kept at the level of his shoulders, he winds in closer.

[runs]

"Boo." That's disappointing. Especially since she's pretty sure that he was truthful there.

"Hey! Hey, llama! Stop looking at him!" She waves, hoping to distract the animal from the approaching Benjiro so he can grab it.

[warped_replica]

He finds outright lies distasteful. Moreover, he would never knowingly teach a child something that would put them in danger or set them up to be punished.

The calling and waving Kitty uses to distract the llama gives him the opening he needs when the llama hesitates before twisting its head the other way to look at her. Benjiro darts in close, wrapping his free arm around the base of the llama’s neck in a loop to hold securely. Of course, the llama immediately reacts to the contact, pushing away with its body as it swings its head down like a hammer in an attempt to head-butt the teen off. Blocking with his backpack again even as he drags his heels against being pulled, the llama only hits the pack twice before it opens its mouth and chomps down on the material in frustration. Straining enough to hold his ground with the llama, Benjiro can do little about the bite on his pack even as the llama tugs its head repeatedly to pop a seam and open the side.