absentconstellation: (actually sleeping)
The Cat sometimes known as Pounce ([personal profile] absentconstellation) wrote in [community profile] isleofavalon2021-09-24 07:58 pm

Time spent with cats is never wasted.

🧙 WHO: The Cat and YOU
⚔️️ WHAT: A Cat
🕒 WHEN: After the Event
🗺️ WHERE: Camelot
⚠️ WARNINGS: None anticipated

Warm in the Sun
The days are getting cooler, but the weather is still pleasant enough that the Cat enjoys spending most of his time out of doors. The architectural style of Camelot is such that there are plenty of fine spots to take a nap, and today he's chosen a decorative stone wall. It's out of the way enough that he doesn't feel crowded by people in the streets, far enough into the main road that it gets sun all day, and tall enough that other animals don't bother him. It's a rather lovely spot.

To passersby he is a perfectly round bun of black fur, turned golden in the sun. Anyone who comes too close will see him open a single purple eye, but otherwise he makes no move. With a bit of courage, you may even be able to pet him.

Begging for Attention
The mood in Camelot has been abysmal since the arrival of the refugees. It isn't only the tragedies that resulted in so many refugees, but the crowding and heightened tempers clashing against each other almost constantly. The Cat doesn't have any close friends that he particularly wants to see to, but he dislikes seeing so many people so unhappy when they were in high spirits just a few days before.

Spotting someone who looks particularly stressed but not particularly busy, he pads after them and meows.

Wildcard
[ Is your character somewhere they could feasibly be approached by a cat with teleportation powers? Congratulations, you've been visited by a purple eyed constellation. [plurk.com profile] flamingchemist for questions or requests! ]
prontissimo: (aspetta)

[personal profile] prontissimo 2021-10-05 01:12 am (UTC)(link)
Oh. Okay. So, um...— why can you talk?

[ Nosy kid. Right to the point. Alberto's own cat shifts its position, sitting upright, looking the Cat over with curious eyes, its wings folded against its back. It seems to understand what's being said, but cannot speak. Unfair, really. ]
prontissimo: (una voce poco fa)

[personal profile] prontissimo 2021-10-06 07:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh.

[ He is obviously unimpressed. ]

...What's a "constellation?"

[ Ah. That's why. ]
prontissimo: (e cento trappole)

[personal profile] prontissimo 2021-10-06 07:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh! Wait— you're... a, uh— a star-cat?

[ That takes a second to sink in, but his face cracks a smile after a beat. ]

Heh! I bet my friend Luca would love to meet you. He likes stars. More than he likes cats, but, y'know~

[ He gives a light shrug, but seems eager to continue the conversation, a boyish excitement about him now. ]

Hey, can I ask you something? Have you ever touched the Big Fish? The one that protects the stars? What's it feel like?

[ ...what the hell is he talking about... ]
prontissimo: (è una ditta specializzata)

[personal profile] prontissimo 2021-10-06 10:01 pm (UTC)(link)
But what about the big one? Have you touched it?

[ That was not his question. He’s not letting it go. He has to know for personal reasons… He’s pretty much accepted that stars aren’t fish, however dubiously and reluctantly, but that’s really the extent of his understanding of astronomy… ]
prontissimo: (quanta fretta)

[personal profile] prontissimo 2021-10-06 10:31 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Alberto groans dramatically. ]

Ugh…! The huge golden white thing in the sky almost every night! The thing that’s a gazillion times bigger than all the anchov— stars, whatever! Maybe it’s not a fish, I dunno, I don’t know what it’s called, but I know you know!

[ Children are frustrated easily. Preteen boys the easiest. ]
prontissimo: (macchina magica)

[personal profile] prontissimo 2021-10-06 10:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Wait, wait, wait— there’s a river? In the sky? So stars are fish! Giulia’s wrong! Hah!

[ He’s standing at full attention, a triumphant grin on his face. That… was not what was just said. He just wants to be right. ]

This girl I know told Luca stars are fire. I knew she didn’t know what she was talking about!

[ …Alberto doesn’t know what he’s talking about. That’s becoming increasingly obvious. He seems to think the sky is water…? He doesn’t even know the name of the moon. Let alone have any concept of planets or galaxies. This conversation is off the rails. ]
prontissimo: (non perder tempo)

[personal profile] prontissimo 2021-10-06 11:38 pm (UTC)(link)
[ The question catches Alberto off-guard, mid-celebration of being wrong about being right. ]

Eh? ...What— why don't I nap in the sun, you mean?
prontissimo: (soltanto a te)

[personal profile] prontissimo 2021-10-09 01:14 am (UTC)(link)
Nothing. I nap in the sun all the time!

[ He lets an airy hint of laughter decorate his tone, giving a light shrug, open posture, still holding the Polaroid in one hand. But something flashes across his face after a beat that's a bit less lighthearted, and takes some wind from his sails. He's not lying, he does nap in the sun probably more often than most people still, but that's exactly the thought that strikes him, and he's caught off-guard by the question a second time (though, quite less than the first!)... Maybe it deserves a fairer answer, on second thought. ]

Or, uh— I used to. More often, at least. I used to live on an island. For a really long time... My dad was away a lot so I just did whatever I wanted all the time. And I still kinda do, in general—! But it's not like that in the human towns... Other people aren't doing that. If I laid down right here and took a nap right now? Definitely weird, hah. But a cat? Toootally normal. People expect you to be doing whatever you want, y'know?

[ That same natural laughter dances through some parts, good-humored despite the relative bleakness of his point, but all the same tinged with laughter, an expressive and nonchalant young man if there ever was one. But clearly putting on airs to make light of gravity. ]
prontissimo: (è una formalità)

[personal profile] prontissimo 2021-10-09 02:54 am (UTC)(link)
Well— No. They already do, anyway...

[ He narrows his eyes. Indeed, the Cat likes to make people think. ]

People scold you if you don't follow "the rules." It's annoying! I can't always do what I want anymore. When you're alone, you make the rules — there's no one around to tell you what to do. I-I mean! I didn't used to have to worry about money, I just had stuff...! I No one kept telling me to go to school all the time. I spent all my time in the sun! Now I'm, like, the bad kid again, even though I know I'm not — which just makes it more annoying.

[ He leans against the wall again, crossing his arms over his chest and looking away, frustrated. Perhaps it's easier to talk to a cat than other kids. Much less adults. He's not particularly concerned with impressing this star-cat, the way he might with any and all of his friends. There's no need to put on airs. It's a cat. ]
prontissimo: (se ci ascolti per un momento)

[personal profile] prontissimo 2021-10-09 05:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Because humans use money! I didn’t even know what it was when I first moved to the human town back home… And here it’s all in the Everything Machine, there’s not even real lire… and people get mad and say I’m stealing if I take stuff I want! It’s dumb.

[ It sounds like this kid really was isolated from society. And he keeps saying “human this,” “human that,” like it doesn’t apply to him, this scornfulness. He hasn’t gotten to kvetch at anyone cuz he’s always trying to pretend that he’s getting on better than he is. Living alone with no help on a private island was hard, but easy. Living with an adult to provide and look out for him in the human town was easy, but hard. Living alone with no help in an even bigger, crazier human town, though? It’s just been hard. Far be it for Alberto to ever admit that he doesn’t know what he’s doing, though. At least not to a cat — albeit magic talking star-cat. ]
prontissimo: (è una ditta specializzata)

[personal profile] prontissimo 2021-10-09 07:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Ugh, it's not shamefulI'm not ashamed! It's fiiine — or at least it should be. I don't wanna go on quests, I don't wanna go to school... I tried to get a job with this sea monster guy I met on the Everything Machine who runs a seafood restaurant, and even though I told him I'm an expert on fish, he said I'm too young to have a job...! How am I supposed to make money to get stuff I want?! It's stupid!

[ He groans again, dragging his free hand over his face in frustration. ]

When I lived in the human town, I worked in the pescheria my friend's dad ran, and I helped him out, so he helped me out. On my island, I was alone, so I did whatever I want. Now I'm alone in a human town — but even though I'm alone again, I can't do whatever I want.

[ He rolls his eyes dramatically, turning to look the cat straight-on with an exasperated expression, but rather matter-of-fact, too, waving his free hand for emphasis. ]

That's why I'd rather just nap in the sun. You see?
prontissimo: (aspetta)

[personal profile] prontissimo 2021-10-09 08:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Not fourteen?

[ He rolls his eyes again, but looks up at the sky, ruminatively. ]

I’ve been old enough to take care of myself for years, but I’m not old enough to get paid to fish? I even found another pescheria in town the sea monster guy told me about — a couple of ‘em, actually — but they all said I’m too young… Just told me to go to school…
Edited 2021-10-09 20:39 (UTC)
prontissimo: (che c'è in quel cervello bacato)

[personal profile] prontissimo 2021-10-10 12:57 am (UTC)(link)
No.

[ A flat, immediate answer. That's absurd to Alberto! ]

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