A Soldier and a smol pup

[heavenlyhonour]

Angeal landed in a fountain and fortunately found an odd change of clothes in his new 'apartment' while his dried. And he did try his best to keep up with that gnome guy or whoever handed him the blue satchel and took off. But it scurried under some fallen tree trunks and even with his heightened senses and enhanced physical abilities, the First Class couldn't seem to keep up and it frustratingly disappeared out of sight.

Where this place was and why he was here wasn't answered. Why he was back from the Lifestream had gone unanswered. Everything about this place made absolute zero sense. He could remember picking Zack up from the battlefield, and bringing him to the Lifestream. And he even touched his own back. No Buster sword there, he'd given that to Zack who gave it to Cloud.

And then he wandered with his thoughts tumbling over each other eventually he came to the park and found a small wooden bench. So he sat down and tried to figure this new place out. He's not quite sure what is going on or why he's back from the Lifestream. Nothing looks familiar and as he continued to sit there, his ears picked up the sound of a small whine.

Standing up, the First Class started to look around and finally located the sound coming from a very small ball of fur.

Turning to someone nearby, he shook his head. "Does he belong to you?"

Comments

[soulsword]

With how long she'd been stuck in this place Illyana had gotten pretty good at recognizing new arrivals. Not that Recently she'd even made steps towards something really miraculous: trying to be helpful to them. Granted the 'steps' were just her telling herself she'd try to help the next newcomer she came across. That was about as generous as Illyana usually got towards non-teammates.

Today was different though! Today, she'd come across someone who clearly looked new and confused who had also seemingly found some sort of strange furball.

"That depends," she said with a tilt of her head. "Does it have horns?" Well, so much for trying to be helpful to a new arrival. "No, it doesn't. Looks like you've already made a new friend."

[heavenlyhonour]

A woman had been nearby and heard his question. And for some reason Angeal straightened to his full 6'4" height when he really took notice of her there. His blue mako eyes took a look at his new companion and then gave her an odd look when she mentioned horns.

Why did she mention horns? Did dogs normally have horns here?

And then he looked back at the pup when she mentioned he'd made a new friend. Funny, he hadn't meant to find something that might need care because he honestly had thought he was done with all of that and had been in the Lifestream.

But as he kneeled down and reached out a hand for the pup to inspect, he had to mention it at least in passing. "I don't suppose dogs normally have horns here."

[soulsword]

"Not here," she said with a shrug. Not really anywhere. Dogs with horns would probably just be demons where she's been. That wasn't going to stop her from teasing someone about things like that though. It just came a bit too naturally.

"Dogs do seem to be becoming more common though. All different breeds of the little monsters."

[heavenlyhonour]

He wasn't sure if she was being serious or not, but he didn't see any telltale signs that indicated humour. So he kept petting the little furball and smiled up at the lady. "They're common here?"

But when she mentioned 'monsters' he had to sigh at the four legged furball who was busy doing the tail wag thing for a moment before returning his gaze to his two legged companion. "Not sure he qualifies as a monster. But maybe he'll earn it when he gets bigger."

[soulsword]

"A few people have found them" she rolled her shoulders in a shrug. "Maybe they're becoming more common as a reaction to us." It had been mentioned that they would influence this world as it grew. There'd even been one young woman who had talked to the planet and it'd implied it was learning from them and whoever was around. Though Illyana wasn't entirely sure if the addition of more dogs here really meant anything. Maybe it reflected on the people here somehow.

"A good monster can hide itself. I'd know." There'd been no end to the number of people back home that referred to her as a monster. "When he grows he may be something fierce." She looked down at the dog again and then shook her head. That was a bit hard to imagine actually.

[heavenlyhonour]

He nodded at hearing this new report of dogs being here. Still, he had to ask. "A common reaction to us?" Was this lady a stranger here too like he was? She looked to Angeal like she belonged here. In his own eyes, he stuck out like a sore thumb so to speak. It was an interesting thought that there were others like him, strangers to this new world and were they trying to figure out why they were here too?

To the monster comment, he shook his head. "I'm guessing you don't think this pup is a monster then." Monsters were Angeal when he'd lost his mind and sprouted his white wings and all of that. But this pup was nothing like that. "But there are monsters that can hide themselves, that's a fact."

And he was referring to himself.

[soulsword]

"That's what they told us we were brought here for: to exist and help re-create their world." She shrugged nonchalantly as if it were an average every day fact to tell someone. "Evidently the natives can't do it themselves. Kind of embarrassing for them, huh?"

She smirked and then shrugged again. "Maybe it's a monster in hiding. You never really know. Have experience with monsters?"

[blindpuppet]

Enis was sitting below a nearby tree, her eyes closed and her chin angled up towards the fading afternoon light. The days were getting longer and the bone-deep exhaustion was getting worse but she could at least make it out here to rest and wait for night.

The deep melodic voice caught her attention and she slowly opened her eyes to stare at the man sitting a few yards away. She didn't recognize him but she was sure that she'd remember a man with such prominent muscles. It was a stark contrast to her own slender lethal frame. Her vibrant blue eyes then lowered to the small ball of fluff that was somehow positioned perfectly between them.

Enis exhaled a slow sigh and leaned forward. "No. He isn't mine." She shifted and stood, grabbing the umbrella at her side and opening it above her head. "Perhaps he has a collar?" Safety protected from the waning sun, Enis knelt down and checked the puppy for any identification. She then looked up at the handsome stranger with a thoughtful glance.

She then scooped up the pup with one hand and walked over to Angeal. "How about it? Looks like he needs someone and you're handsome enough to be a father." Enis gently placed the puppy in his lap, happy to get the frail fluttering heartbeat away from her palm. It was eerie how well her senses picked these things up.

[heavenlyhonour]

Somehow a dark haired woman answered him and he noticed she leaned forward to look at the pup. But he waited as she stood and opened an umbrella. This action puzzled him and it got him curious as to why she would need such a thing without it raining.

"I didn't see a collar." he replied, and that was one of the first things he'd visually searched for. But he remained still and made no attempt to kneel down or assist her in any way, figuring she knew what she knew what she was doing.

While he was working on whatever was going through her head with that glance, suddenly there was a pup near him and her words about being a father burned him even if she couldn't know that.

There hadn't been time to have a family even if the person he originally envisioned such a thing with would never consider it. So he left that one's side and turned his back on the two, bowing out of that babysitter position. That was when he found Zack and poured all of the love he had into the boy. And then there had been the wings and not wanting to risk passing 'monster' genes to an innocent child and it being hunted down as he had been.

"I'll take him in then." Angeal finally said with a nod, realizing he should say something to the lady who'd been kind enough to say something like that even if it hurt at the same time.

[blindpuppet]

Enis watched the stranger with an openly curious stare. There was something off but she wasn't skilled enough to recognizing what might have caused pause. She could hear the steady drum of his heartbeat and see the set of his shoulders shift at her remark but what could have bothered him.

She spun her umbrella as her thoughts tumbled and scattered. Eventually she bit the bullet and asked what was on her mind. "Is something wrong?" Enis didn't have a lot of experience interacting with others but she was slowly trying to change that. It wasn't easy and the effort was noticeable.

"Did I upset you?" It was usually her fault, so it was an easy assumption to make. Perhaps she had miss-stepped somehow.

[heavenlyhonour]

Angeal looked over at the spinning umbrella, curious as to why she would do such a thing. This was definitely different, but then most of his interactions were with those at the Shinra company, and soldier operatives or those tied to them.

He really didn't socialize with people outside of it and was even wary of people in Midgar. But as he put one of his hands under the pup's rear to try and give it stability as he let it rest against his chest, the Soldier had to look at Enis as she asked her question.

No way was he going to get into anything personal, it wasn't her fault that things didn't pan out as he wanted them to.

"No miss. I'm sorry if I gave you that impression."

He was just going to have to find a way to make it through the day without his real pup or his friends. Angeal was dead, he was of no use here and there was no reason he should be here.

But again that wasn't the fault of the innocent lady here with him.

[blindpuppet]

Enis frowned as he not only dismissed her concern but apologized. What the hell was up with this guy? It was like talking to a wall... in both appearance and conversational ability. If only the sun would go down, then she wouldn't feel so damn tired.

She closed her eyes and focused on breathing before once again meeting Angeal's gaze. "You really shouldn't apologize for that kind of thing. You're pretty but that's pretty dumb." He hadn't done anything. She had simply been worried that her brash way of talking had somehow rubbed him the wrong way. Enis didn't understand the details but she liked the way she spoke because it was straight forward. Guessing how people felt was annoying.

"You're new?" Assumption but it felt safe with the information she'd gathered. "If that's the case, I recommend you hold onto him." She pointed to the pup before digging into her pocket to pull out a small bag with some extra money.

"Here." Before he could refuse her, because he seemed the type, she added. "It isn't for you but the pup."

[heavenlyhonour]

And here he thought he was being polite but her biting words had him stunned when she said he was pretty and pretty dumb. That was something he hadn't heard since Genesis..way back when.

Wisely he held his tongue because he wouldn't speak badly to a woman due to his mother's lessons on respecting women. And any man who spoke out of turn to his mother would face Angeal's blade or his fists. So he frowned slightly trying to figure out what her issue was. Why would she even say that?

So Angeal took a breath and focused on the pup in his arms. But then he nodded to her question along with a "Yes." Maybe people who'd been here didn't hold onto a pup or maybe they just would've picked it up and walked off with it without asking first. For all the mistakes he made, he still had a sense of honour. It was right to ask instead of just assuming.

And then she was giving him money. She was right, his pride would've refused the money, but since she did say it was for the pup, he wouldn't refuse it. So he had the pup in one arm, and shook his head. "I'm going to pay it back."

That was a Soldier promise and his pride and sense of honour wouldn't allow him to do any less.

[monochromatically]

Mono was on his way between stops, his letter bag slung over one shoulder and the brim of his postman hat pulled low over his dark eyes. Not for shade or anything. It was simply a habit to keep his eyes obscured when there were a lot of people around. Yes, he’d come a long way from wearing a bag on his head, but he still did default to hats to hide behind when around the city. The question from the adult gets a small start. Was the man talking to him? This was not someone he recognized among the people of this city, and so he was even more of a stranger than most. Someone he hadn’t had a chance to follow around yet, to get a better idea of.

That meant the kid’s caution would be a little higher until he got to know the man better, unfortunately.

But… Well, he also wasn’t going to ignore a question. “Nope. I don’t got a dog, the people I live with got cats though.” He chirped back, tilting his head at the little fluffy creature. It kinda reminded him of the oversized moths in the Pale City you saw sometimes, fluffy and round. Just… This was a dog and so it was wingless. “Lots of people got dogs, though, but I think those people put name tags on their collars and stuff, so you know where you gotta take them when they’re lost.”

[heavenlyhonour]

Angeal was half surprised that there seemed to be a child here that came close to him. As he'd gone through the streets, he'd seen a lot of mothers call their children to their sides or flat out try and hide their children from his gaze as if he was going to eat them or something.

It was confusing and he didn't understand, but then he supposed seeing a stranger go through the streets as he was, meant something in a negative way to the people here. And it was half on his mind to kneel down to maybe make himself seem not so..dangerous. Sure he was, but not to this boy.

"I didn't see a collar on him, but that's good to know that people do that with their dogs here."

Wherever here was.

"Cats are here too? Well I guess that would stand to reason if there's one, there's the other."

[monochromatically]

Considering Mono had faced adults who were real monsters that would potentially gobble up a kid if they saw them, or attack in general, he probably would have been more wary of Angeal if he knew that the guy was used to that kind of reaction. The man didn’t look like the adults in his world, at least. With their slightly uncanny features, exaggerated proportions, and sometimes lack of… Well, part of what made people seem like people. But appearances could also be deceiving.

“No collar? Then I guess he doesn’t got people.” So maybe that meant Angeal was his people now, right? It could be that simple, at least to the child it seemed like it could be. Mono adjusted the strap on his letter bag and crouched to get a better look himself, to see if he could possibly see a collar in all that fluff. He doesn’t get close, though, since he knew someone he lived with was kinda allergic to dogs. Still, the boy couldn’t see a collar.

The question gets a quick nod too. “Yeah theres cats too, theres lots of animals here. Like frogs and birds and those chocobo things. Moths too, but they’re really small for some reason.” The kid rambled a little for a moment in the attempt at being ‘helpful’ since the guy was definitely proving to be new if he didn’t know there were cats here too. Though his tone when he said ‘birds’ had a frown in it compared to all the other animals. He wasn’t as fond of birds, especially crows and ravens.

[heavenlyhonour]

"I guess he doesn't." Angeal said. The boy was adorable, helping to help him look from his angle and the Soldier slowly lowered himself down to pet the dog. "Then he'll need a collar and a name."

Not that he knew where to get a collar, and a name was just beyond him at this point. He wouldn't show he was worried, because Angeal tended to have a frowning resting face. Zack had a particularly colourful name for it, but Angeal wouldn't repeat it in front of a young boy.

At hearing about frogs and birds and moths was helpful. But then his brain focused. "They have chocobos here?" How in the world did that happen? Chocobos, really? That and he'd overheard people talk about things that resembled Tonberries in his mind. Well those monsters were scary and not for 'little ears' as Angeal would call them so he didn't ask the boy about those.

[monochromatically]

“Yeah, I guess so.” Mono puzzled for a moment over the fluffy creature, before glancing up again as something struck the kid. “Should probably have a name before you get a collar for him.” He added in a tone that suggested he was trying to be helpful, as if Angeal hadn’t thought of that first based on the order in which he put those things a moment ago.

What kind of name did people give dogs? Especially tiny fluffy ones? “It’s kinda potato shaped… Like a fluffy potato. Or a really stubby, chubby caterpillar.” None of this is helpful, and caterpillars aren’t that big (in this world), but Mono was simply offering his observations in an unfiltered manner as he wondered what the guy was going to call the little puppy. He’d never seen one like this before. He’d seen the wrinkly clumsy looking one from afar, and a few other kinds around the market, but this one was definitely new.

Mono nodded vigorously at the question, as though there might be doubt if he didn’t. “Yup! There’s lots of them. They pull carts, and those funny carriage things, and people ride them.” He explained everything he had seen. “I know they got a whole ranch where there’s a bunch too, and I think that people like to see which is fastest at that big place.”

[heavenlyhonour]

"I suppose he should." Angeal agreed amicably with a smile. He had half a mind to call the pup Zack, but if the Soldier ever showed up, he'd probably be offended. So naming him after the tall First wasn't going to work. Names like Marshmallow crossed his mind but then the boy mentioned potatoes and caterpillars which got the former First Class to chuckle.

"I'll just have to figure it out."

But then he was getting the report on the carts and carriages. And then he found out there was a whole ranch and possible races. Well then that was definitely information that he didn't have before now.

"Have you ridden one?"

[kree_soldieress]

A person speaks up as Lauri-Ell, carrying a massive wooden crate propped on a single shoulder, was walking back toward the forge. She wasn't expecting it, but with the voice calling, she pauses. What she found was someone who was clearly a warrior, and with him a fluff ball.

"I have not seen this scentbeast before," she said, before pausing to correct herself. "Dog. They are called dogs."

[heavenlyhonour]

"Scent beast?" Angeal asked with a small smile on his face. That was a first. He hadn't smiled since before he arrived here. But then she called it a dog and had corrected herself.

"They don't have dogs here?" Or where she was from, but Angeal was the stranger here, not her obviously.

[kree_soldieress]

Well, at least he smiled.

"There are dogs. Mister Llewellyn has one. It is named Pretzel."

She doesn't really know why, but it's true.

[heavenlyhonour]

"Pretzel?" Angeal asked. He had no idea where that sort of a name could come from. In his own mind it was pretty foreign. But it did give him insight that other people did keep dogs as pets, such as this Mister Llewellyn, whoever he was.

"I'm guessing they're allowed in the apartments then."

Whereas back home he couldn't have one if he was new to the army. Since he was a First he could though.

[kree_soldieress]

"Yes. Pretzel visits mine when Mister Llewellyn comes over for my lessons," she answered with a grin. He was teaching her to write these human languages better. "Is this dog to be yours then?"

[heavenlyhonour]

Lessons? Angeal wondered what those were but wasn't sure he should ask. So he looked back at the pup and nodded as its tail wagged.

"I think so."