[002] // VIDEO

[maevelous]

For all of you new arrivals and even for some of the older ones, I have a bit of a public service announcement if you will.

[ It's Maeve's voice, but the video is focused on her walking through imPort housing unit Nonah #005. The house is in various states of pet disarray -- shredded furniture, curtains, and carpeting come into view. There is pet fur all over that roombas can only do so much about. And there are a large variety of toys strewn out across the floor. The video focuses on the six cats in the room -- a calico, a white bengal, a munchkin, a havana, and two indeterminable breeds. ]

Think twice about getting a pet in this world. I know it may seem like a fine idea at the time, but this is the sort of thing you leave behind. And what becomes of these poor animals? How many of them wind up displaced because imPorts went back to their homes? We are temporary in this world. These creatures are permanent.

[ Maeve moves on from the room, heading out the sliding glass doors to the koi pond, focusing in on it. The pond is clean and well kept, but it's still more animals that are here that need to be tended to. ]

I had the misfortune of inheriting all of this after the port out of my housemates.

[ Going back inside, Maeve heads upstairs and pushes open a door in order to showcase a fish tank with a red-tailed shark and three imProcreats -- a dragprawn, a lamabama, and a blickablake. These things are essentially pokemon without the demands of having to be fed. ]

If anyone was friends with the Iron Bull, Ken Amada, Kaneda or Tetsuo and wants to adopt any of them, it would be greatly appreciated. Hell, even if you weren't friends and can offer them the attention they deserve, then take them. I'm keeping them fed and cleaning up after them, but I don't have time for much else beyond that. I'm a busy woman, after all.

[ Maeve leaves, heading to her own room and closing the door behind her to turn the video to herself. ]

To end this on a more upbeat note, I work as a manager at the bar Merlotte's in De Chima. As a warm welcome on behalf of new imPort ambassador Sam Merlotte, I'd like to offer any new arrivals a drink on the house. But if you're an older imPort and you sweet talk me well enough, I might consider offering you a drink on me.

Comments

video

[notsheepish]

Hey, stop stealing my shtick. Granny's is the place around here that hooks customers by giving new imPorts free stuff. Get your own thing.

video

[maevelous]

You'll simply have to offer them more than a drink to upstage me. All's fair in love and business, darling.

video

[prostheticbody]

I'm not really an animal person, so I can't help you out there. They're like kids who never grow to the point where you can have a reasonable conversation.

I could use a drink, though. I guess I'd better think of how I'm going to sweet talk you, then. [She smirks slightly. She has all the confidence in the world in her persuasive abilities.]

video

[maevelous]

Oh, darling. You've already won me over so no need for all that effort. It'd be nice to see that pretty face of yours again after all the madness this world threw at us as of late.

[VIDEO]

[halloflamer]

--Hey, wait a minute... Are those Pokémon!?

[SAY MAGIC WORDS AND THEY SHALL APPEAR. Blue blinks with intent interest- being the first trainer in the region to catch any of these? He's on it.]

I don't know any of those people, but... mind if I came and took a look at them?

--What do you mean about us being temporary, though?

[VIDEO]

[maevelous]

I'm...not certain what a Pokémon is. But yes, feel free to come take a look at them.

[ She pauses, her expression becoming a bit sympathetic. Oh, this poor dear. He has no idea. ]

Well, quite simply I mean that the same way we suddenly appear in this world, we often disappear. It's rare indeed that people will even make it a year.

[VIDEO]

[bindsthedead]

Those are cyborgs, created by the OTO and DARPA.

video

[jojoceanman]

I suppose a career in being a cat lady is not in your future. People sometimes think their stay here could be permanent, especially if they've been around for so long.

[Which he is kind of dealing with, since his vanished relatives similarly left a bunch of pets to the point where he could only take care of a couple and had to adopt the rest of the poor things out.]

video

[maevelous]

Well, I can appreciate the cats and their independence. But no. I'm far too pretty to resign my life to living in a house full of cats.

[ She smirks. What is modesty? ]

But I do understand the sentiment. The pets bring people comfort. It just all seems a bit too shortsighted for my tastes. I don't suppose you're interested in taking one of these?

Video

[bindsthedead]

I'll take two of the cats- and one of the imPocreats. The OTO made them, maybe we can learn something by examining them more thoroughly.

Video

[maevelous]

Sounds like a deal. I did promise the imProcreats to that young gentleman who called them Pokémon up there. But I'm certain an arrangement can be made if he can at least have two of them. Although I do hope that if Tetsuo does return at some point, you would return it to him undamaged. He might level the house otherwise.

video; private

[song_of_ice]

[He knows this risk. He has had to experience it as well, looking after the animals of those who left.]

My home is full of the animals Lucy adopted.

video; private

[maevelous]

It was kind of you to take them on for yourself. But do you have the room for all of them in your home. She had....an entire farm, did she not?

video;

[gitarre]

[A young man in his mid-twenties greets Maeve with a sympathetic smile.]

...Ach, but you should be commended for taking care of those poor creatures. Honestly, I can't even imagine keeping up with a zoo like that.

Why don't I ask some of the natives at my workplace if they'd be willing to take any of them in? In the meantime, I can look after at least one of your feline friends until I find a more stable home for them.

video;

[maevelous]

[ Well hello, handsome. ]

I would appreciate that, truthfully. It's probably better they go to a native home than from imPort home to imPort home should their new owners vanish much the same way.

[Video]

[cadbane]

That is quite the dilemma.

Is such a mass port out common?

[Video]

[maevelous]

Not common at all. At least not from what I've seen. But I believe there have been instances where individuals who are incredibly close have all vanished together. Perhaps that is kindness on behalf of the porter. Or cruelty, depending upon how you look at it.

voice;

[infomodder]

I'll take them.

[Super confidently said. All of them. They are all gifts for April.]

voice;

[maevelous]

[ Wait. What. ]

All of them?

Hi Roomie - video

[flightforfreedom]

Aw man, but they add such ambience to the house. Why are you trying to get rid of them? I mean, I have no idea what any of them are, but they're still cute.

Also, we no longer have a couch.

It's a long story.

[OOC: HI WE ARE ROOMMATES i'm just going to go and assume that they've at least seen each other, but if you want to figure out how the meet cute went let me know]

HELLO!! - video

[maevelous]

[ This world is a cruel thing tossing her in a house with young, rambunctious boys, sending those boys home, and bringing in NEW rambunctious young boys. ]

You've never seen a cat before?

[ And Maeve thought SHE was sheltered! But that's nothing compared to the confession about the lack of one vital piece of furniture... ]

I... [ Stern face. ] Why. Do we not have a couch?

[ Momma Maeve is pretty much demanding the story. Someone has to keep these rebels in line. ]

video

[dirtyredneck]

I can take Kaneda and Tetsuo's lot. Got something of a small farm in the countryside. Plenty of room.

[And the kids were part of his group, as far as he was concerned. He really should have asked about anything left behind when he realized they'd ported out. Stupid on his part.]\

Tetsuo was family.

video

[maevelous]

I'm uncertain which of these cats belonged to who, honestly. But I do know the cat Grim did prefer Tetsuo. The little shark most certainly was his...if you're willing to take those two.

video;

[lightinside]

Yikes. That is a lot of animals.

...Is that a shark?

video;

[maevelous]

It is. A small one. Endangered in the wild, but bred in captivity so it's popular in large tanks. It tends toward aggression, so it's best kept alone.

[ She recites the data as though it's something she lifted and memorized directly from wikipedia or something. And truth be told, that's probably exactly what she did when trying to learn how to care for it. ]

It won't grow to be as big as what you think when you think of a shark.

[Video]

[versusseeker]

[Pokémon? But Red had been told that there weren't any Pokémon in this world - aside from those that had come with their trainers. Of course, the idea that a trainer could be ported out of this world without their Pokémon is profoundly disturbing to the young man, but that doesn't stop him from staring somewhat starry-eyed at them from his end of the feed.]

Can I have one?

[Hell, he'll take them all if you'll let him.]

[Video]

[maevelous]

[ Sorry, Red! Blue already laid claim. But Maeve won't clarify that just yet. ]

Which ones are you interested in?

video;

[itistolaugh]

If you don't mind me jumping on your li'l PSA, it's not a bad idea to arrange something with one of the locals. I've got an old coworker who'll come pick up my cat if something happens, and I'm pretty sure there's at least one animal shelter that keeps tracks of who ports out and leaves pets behind, but they gotta be told you got pets in the first place.

video;

[maevelous]

I'd say this is something more people should be made aware of. I think I'll be able to find homes for this lot.

[ Will wants to take ALL of them, after all. ]

But you're definitely one step ahead of the rest, planning what will happen to your pet after you go. Can't say I'm really surprised, though. You are a woman, after all. And we do tend to be the more forward thinkers.

Voice

[namesaquestion]

Are there any of those weird pokemon left?

Voice

[maevelous]

[ Having talks to both Blue and Red, Maeve knows by now which ones are being talked about when 'pokemon' is mentioned. ]

Unfortunately all three of those have been claimed. It seems a great deal of people took an interest in them. I assume they have relevance to your world?

[audio]

[devoutish]

Haven't they got a pound here? It would be a nice one too, surely.

[audio]

[maevelous]

Oh, I'm certain they do. I've heard the stories of imPorts who can turn into animals and then accidentally wind up being taken to the pound.

But I'd like to escape the wrath of my roommates if it turns out they're not all gone for good and they come back looking for their animals. At least I could point them in the direction of the new owners now.

Video

[liverletdie]

See? This is why in all of eight years, I've never bothered with a pet.

So how sweet do I need to be to get a free drink from you, beautiful?

Video

[maevelous]

I don't imagine you would have much time for a pet anyway -- not when you have all your little toys.

[ A wink. But his question does give her pause. Hadn't Chilton said Tony was trying to quit drinking? ]

That all depends on the sort of drink, darling. And whether it's during or after hours.

[ But she'll play along, regardless. ]