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

[dragoonrouge]

Sadie pauses at that and frowns. "I...don't know? But...it was like I was living and feeling it but I had no control over how I reacted to what I saw or how I felt. Like...the man that was there. Instead of being scared by him all I could feel was comfortable and happy that he was there."

Her fingers start tapping against her knee. Not really, there was a lot of sheep about. It was more the situation I think. We were hunting the peacocks and in what I saw...also hunting."

[iamnotgod]

"Living a life as someone else," Walter says softly, thinking out loud for Sadie's benefit this time.

"I- there is a history of such things, but it's all very... personalized, subjective even."

General situation to provide a reflection, or perhaps the mirror itself?

"That makes sense. Hunting peacocks doesn't exactly sound common," and his lips quirk into a smile at that.

[dragoonrouge]

The finger tapping increases as Walter muses out-loud as she frowns. "I've never believed in any of that. Thought it was nonsense, to be honest...But nothing is really normal or makes sense at the moment..."

She shrugs, "I don't think so but who knows...the man had a lion's tail.." She scrunches up her nose in distaste. "Considering my eyes I think a tail might be on the horizon."

[iamnotgod]

Walter sighs.

"That makes two of us, then. But if there's a history of this happening somewhere else, a precedent... then maybe we'll feel less like we're just stranded in the ocean somewhere."

He snorts at the mention of a lion's tail.

"Yeeaaah, might want that change to occur later rather than sooner."

[dragoonrouge]

"That is true, maybe those accounts were caused by the same thing as this?" It's probably unlikely.

She groans, "Oh god I hope so, it'll make wearing trousers so uncomfortable!"

[iamnotgod]

"Well, they'd have to have their own Network, or we'd be in contact with them as well..."

It's an assumption, and the expression on Walter's face makes it clear he knows it.

Sadie's complaint wrangles something like a smile from him again, though.

"Long skirts do have their uses."

Not that he's paid them much mind in a long while.

[dragoonrouge]

Sadie hums thoughtfully, it was fun to hypothesise but really didn't seem like a plausible scenario.

Sadie's face scrunches up in distaste at Walter's suggestion of long skirts. "I hate skirts." She proclaims with another groan.

[iamnotgod]

"I didn't say they were good, just useful," Walter adds.

"It's not like trousers are cut out for every job, after all."

There's a micro-fraction pause... and then he facepalms. Oh gods, that was a pun, wasn't it?

"Forget I said that."

[dragoonrouge]

Sadie's still scrunched face tells Walter all he needs to know about what she thinks of him saying skirts are useful. "Useful for chafing sure. And what trousers can't do shorts can."

Sadie regards Walter for a moment before solemnly shaking her head. "I shall never forget you said that."

[iamnotgod]

"That's all assuming you get a tail. It's a bridge best crossed when we get there, I'll wager."

Walter groans, though he's still smiling through it.

A staff member starts coming their way, waving frantically... and then another, from a different direction.

[dragoonrouge]

"I guess..." Sadie is fairly certain this tail thing is going to happen, she's got the eyes already, what's a tail at this point? Although she has turned to tapping her fingers against her knees.

Sadie looks at the approaching harried staff members. "It looks like we're going to be put back to work." She swivels where she's sat and goes in to hug Walter. "Thank you, Walter."

[iamnotgod]

Could be worse; could be fur.

Walter returns the hug with no small amount of warmth.

"Anytime," he says, before turning to get up and greet one of the staff.

Time to split up and go back to work, at that!