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

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

Date: 25th of July
Characters: Open!

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.

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Walter turns to her quickly - while glad to see her, he's mostly taken up with reacting to what she said.

"I- What- ... No, I don't think they have those in the petting zoo."

Eyes wide, and glancing quickly at a harried staff member nearby just in case he's wrong, he forces himself to relax again.

"I think most of the animals we'll have to handle are small and fluffy, not long and scaly."

Then he smiles again.

"And on that note - we can compare notes after we help handle this, right?"

Might be a poor time to get sidetracked, is all.

"Okay," She concedes, "Maybe not crocodiles BUT I bet you well have to catch tiny dinosaurs at some point."

Sadie pauses for just a moment at that, and pushes her wrap-around sunglasses up slightly to make sure they're securely in place.

"Right. Yes. That's probably a good idea. So is there anything they want us to find first?"

One quick conversation later, and...

"Huh. I guess we are - though only if you mean birds."

These are, sadly, not as fluffy as the ones Sky is handling.

"How are your peacock-wrangling skills, Sadie?"

Look, if you joke at Walter, he will try and match you.

Sadie just stares wide-eyed up at Walter, not that he would be able to see that with her sunglasses on but he could probably guess.

"I'm sorry, did you say peacocks?" She's a bit incredulous that that's what they've been asked to search for.

Starting to cast her gaze about Sadie couldn't help but think that the changes to her eyes were turning out to be pretty useful. So far she'd figured that she was much more sensitive to movement, although the slow change from short to long-sighted had been a bit disorientating.

"Did they tell you how many peacocks had escaped?"

"Be glad they're the petting zoo animals, not the zoo proper."

Those eyes, combined with Walter's speed, are going to be quite useful indeed...

"And it's just the two. Off hiding in a grove, apparently, though that's better than them preying on other animals in all this mess."

Which means it's time to start walking, because that's practically tempting fate around here.

"If they're anywhere near as vicious as chickens we probably should grab them as quickly as possible."

Walking towards the Grove Sadie is gazing intently about her, they needed to hunt down those peacocks. Sadie's entire body suddenly feels hollowed out, a loud thump vibrates through her head. She knew this feeling-

She was trying ever so hard to muffle the excited giggles and the purr she could feel trying to thrum in her chest as she crouched next to her Dad in the bush, eyes affixed firmly on the Puks roaming about.

"Watch you target Little Sparrow," Her father's deep voice barely a whisper, "When you stalk it you must be silent, watch my feet and do what I do."

She glances quickly down at her Dad's feet, the end of his purple tail obstructing her view ever so slightly but she watches as he moves forward, shifting his weight deliberately from heel to ball and not making a sound. Time for her to try-

Barely a few seconds had passed as Sadie blinks her way out of that vision? Memory? Her footstep falters ever so briefly, and she goes digging for her mobile, she needs to message Ben.

Walter's head snaps right back to look at Sadie.

"You alright?" he says, trying to make it casual.

There's rustling ahead, though, and sounds of muffled... squawking? Or whatever the onomatopoeia is for peacock noises.

"I...yes?" Her response is distracted as she wrestles her phone from her bag. Opening up the messenger she sends Ben a text:

Hey so I think I just hallucinated at the petting zoo. WebMD says it's cancer.

She looks up at Walter as she locks her phone screen, "I felt that...feeling again." Before she can say anything Else she catches the smallest flash of blue. "I saw it!" She hisses tugging Walter's sleeve and pointing, "Right there!"

Walter breathes out, short but forceful.

"What a time for it."

Though, spotting the bird like that sure is useful...

"Really wish we'd brought food for them- Is it just one of them?"

They'd better be on the move, then.

Sadie's gaze remains fixed on the peacock as it rustles about the bush, at Walter's murmured wish she slides her hand back into her bag. After a bit of a rustle, she pulls out a small Ziploc bag with about five, slightly crushed Digestives.

"Here." She blushes lightly, "Mum's a nurse, she has this thing about snacks."

She moves forward, continuing to follow the rustling bushes.

"Follow your target, not to close not to far. You do not want to be seen but you must remain close enough to pounce."

She scowls. Oh, that was going to be annoying.

Walter chuffs.

"Snacks do have their uses..."

He's tempted to let her take the lead on this one - that body language is hard to argue with. Still, he does take the bag, getting ready to lightly toss one of the Digestives just shy of the grove.

Sadie moves forwards, trying to split her attention between keeping an eye on the bird and walking in the same way the man in her vision had. It works, a bit. Her footsteps sightly softer but not soundless and effortless like the man's had been.

She got just a bit too close, what little of the peacock she could see disappearing off into the foliage.

"...Shite..."

Walter winces practically in-sync with her, as the birds run away again.

"... Only so far they can go, though, right?"

He picks up the Digestive, debating whether or not to toss it in and try to lure them back.

"That is true...Maybe we should leave some of the biscuit at this point, stop the peacocks from trying to leave the area or maybe lure in another escapes animal?"

Sadie slowly pads forward and-'Do not strike till you are assured of your success.'- whispers at Walter.

"What-what do you make of this Network thing?"

"Right," Walter answers, stepping forward to crack it in half.

Holding an already-crumbling Digestive does not do him any favors for stealth, he figures.

Still, he answers without hesitation, and just as quietly.

"If you'd asked me about something like this two decades ago, I'd have accepted it without question. One decade ago, and I'd have rejected it just as quickly, or ignored it. Now... I don't know. It's- it's strange, for sure, and it could be dangerous but none of us have become worse off for it yet, and I can't imagine who could have created it. I suppose I'm- ambivalent."

There are worse things.

"Oh..." That had not been quite the answer that Sadie was expecting. "It worries me, who knows who could be listening in to it?" She knew Ben had been listening in, who was to say that there weren't more people listening in without them knowing? "What could even make something like this happen in the first place? The only thing I keep coming back to is magic and well." Her face scrunches in displeasure.

Moving into the trees some more she spots one of the peacocks again, pecking about near a dense patch of foliage. "We might be able to corner it!"

"It's certainly not everyone, but it's hard to tell who's who if we don't already know each other."

Walter's displeasure mirror's Sadie's, then he refocuses on the task at hand.

"What, you go left, I go right?" he asks, keeping his voice low.

"Hopefully we'll be able to meet with some of the others after this, especially the people we haven't met yet. I'm glad I at least know some of the people on it, like you and Sir, it makes me feel a bit better about the whole thing to be honest." Sadie admits and pushes the sunglasses back up her nose.

She does smile when she sees Walter's reaction to the suggestion of magic before focusing back on the peacock. "Sounds good, heard it further into the corner so you can grab it?"

For a moment - well, possibly less, given the time conversion ratios - Walter has to puzzle through who Sir might be, but he remembers who before his expression can hint at the question.

"Same here," he says, and "Are there really corners here?" he asks, before nodding and stepping forward, heading ever-so-slightly right.

Sadie looks over at Walter, "The trees kind of act like a corner...? I like animals a lot, hardly an expert in peacock removal though."

She edges forward ever so slightly, "Walter...Did you get anything more from the Aurora, aside from the Number and this Network thing?"

"You're more of an expert than me, then," Walter says, flashing a smile that he hopes is reassuring.

At Sadie's question, he takes in a deep breath.

"As a matter of fact, yes."

And then he moves, heading right-and-around as planned.

"Now, Sadie!"

"Just be careful of its feet I suppose. And their wings...or was that swans...?"

Sadie jumps when Walter blurs and moves, "Bloody hell!" In her shock she lags behind, making the manoeuvre less balanced and ending up with the peacock coming in her direction.

Bending down she grabs it about the body as the peacock tries to get past, scooping it up and holding it tightly to her chest.

"Oh my god Walter that was so bloodycool!"

Walter twists, his face full of concern for the younger girl.

"Er- thanks! But we're only half done!"

Rather than wasting time getting embarrassed (something he knows he'll stew in later), he looks about for the other peacock - peahen?

"It's not hurting you, is it?"

"I'm fine!" She insists, "But that, that was amazing! You moved so fast! Have you figured out how fast you can go?!" She is clearly very enthusiastic about Walter's superpower. "Far cooler than what I got."

She looks around, the peahen would be harder to spot, and harder to catch with her arms already full of bird. Although with Walter's speed that probably wouldn't matter.

"Just the peahen left right?"

"I've done some studying - I can show you my results when we're all finished here," he replies, still scanning for the peahen.

He's still holding the Digestive, and he starts waving it about as if it has a smell the animals can pick up.

"And really, 'coolness' relies more on what you do with what you have."

He nods.

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Googling on how to catch a peacock/hen is a hassle. .-.

omg. A net? we need a net

Trufax. Maybe a worker left one in the bushes??? ... Nah, seems improbable.

Maybe they could craft a net from the leaves of the nearby trees...

That would be NICE.

Set up a Peacock Forcefield

/cackles/ Also AC is live! For the next week, apparently.

Tonight is the great AC run-down

IT'S THE FINAL AC-DOWN.

One Ac, one to go!

D'you want fries with that? ;) No, wait, that should be chips.

...now i really want chips. with salt and vinegar. Proper chips, not fries

You'd have an easier time getting them than I would. ;)

*looks longingly at Just Eat*

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looks longingly at Just Eat

Re: looks longingly at Just Eat