trans_9 | Free ice cream! [open]

Alex sat beneath the shade of a large tree in a decent sized park. Those familiar with New York might recognize the sky scrapers in the distance, even if they didn't recognize the park itself. Parked on a small service road was an ice cream truck with a merry vendor, who claimed that it was customer appreciation day, and was thus giving ice cream away for free.

Alex was already enjoying a chocolate and strawberry cone covered in sprinkles and caramel syrup, wondering if anyone would bother showing up to spend time with him, or even be interested in sensorium ice cream in the first place.

Either way, Alice seemed thrilled, as she pulled what appeared to be pink chocolate chips from a jar labelled "Yogis". Reaching out to pet Alice, Alex laughed a bit, "Don't get used to eating s-so many." sensorium food might not mess with her health, but once they got home, it would be the real thing once again. He figured that she deserved the treat as much as he deserved the ice cream anyway.

[OOC: Post to Alex or to other people if you'd like.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Y-you know... I live in a p-port city, and I've n-never been ta a beach. I'd l-like to sometime though!" He still felt weird talking to someone that he didn't know too well, and he was doing a very poor job of hiding that awkwardness. Despite the awkward shifting, he was doing his best to be friendly and open.

A beach party did sound fun, even if he thought the idea of being in just swim trunks around a bunch of strangers. Maybe if it was just him and a few closer friends.

The awkwardness was pretty obvious, and not at all unfamiliar. She'd seen how her brother dealt with new people, even if this guy was a different kind of awkward. "I could always whip up the beaches I've been to sometime."

Cagalli offers the young man a smile, leaning against his truck. "The name's Cagalli Yula Atha."

Alex smiles back, but more at her feet then her face. Eye-contact was never a strong point of his. "A-Alex Furest. N-nice ta meet you."

He pet the rat huddled next to him on the head as she nibbled at what appeared to be a pink chocolate chip, "and this here's Alice."

Brushing the shyness off, she nods in lieu of a handshake. "Hi Alex, nice to meet you too," she says before leaning down to look the rat eye to eye. "And it's a pleasure to meet you as well."

Alice seemed to have gotten all the confidence that Alex lacked. She stood up on her hind legs, paws reaching out to Cagalli's nose so that she could sniff her better, and maybe even groom her a bit.

"Y-you c-can pick her up, if you'd l-like. She's v-very friendly." Maybe a bit too friendly sometimes. Her survival instinct wasn't the best, but her judge of character was practically flawless, at least.

Cagalli looks down at the very friendly rat. She's not really used to being friendly with them, what with being something you don't want to see around a ragtag resistance group... Alice is kind of adorable though.

"Huh... the most friendly one I've ever met."

Alice was practically the mascot of the rag-tag resistance group that Alex had been a part of on his world, but Alice was very friendly... and very good at stealing keys.

"P-pet rats a-are friendlier th-than wild ones, a-and sh-she's just always l-liked people. S-sorta odd f-for a rat, but she s-seems ta be happy with it!"

As if to confirm what he said, Alice moved to the edge of the bench and continued sniffing at Cagalli.

It made sense - wild dogs were certainly not as friendly as tame ones, and rats have been pets for a long time.

Carefully, she held her hand out to Alice, watching her intently.

Alice reached for her fingers, gently nibbling at the tips to groom them, as a sign of friendship.

Alex just watched with a bit of an amused smile.

Cagalli smiled, letting Alice do whatever she wanted to. It was an odd sensation, but not unpleasant. "How long have you had her?"

Alex thought for a moment, and looked surprised as he realized how old she was already. "A y-year and a half."

He knew that she had been getting older, but he didn't realize exactly how old.

Alice showed no signs of her age though, as she tried to crawl up onto Cagalli's hand, investigating some errant scent.

"Never had a pet myself... I bet it's nice." She let Alice up onto her hand, looking down at her. Lots of politicians had dogs or cats, maybe she should consider it... if things ever go back to the way they were.

"Sh-she's like my best friend. I d-don't know what I'll d-do without her."

Alice sniffed at Cagalli's arm, pushing her nose into her sleeve a bit, curiously.

Gently, Cagalli reached over to keep Alice from being a bit TOO nosy, blocking the rat's progress up her sleeve. "I'm sure she'll be around for you for a long time."

Alex smiled up at Cagalli as Alice began climbing up the oppposite arm now. "I h-hope so. Sh-she's g-getting a bit older, but I t-try to k-keep the best c-care of her as I c-can. She h-hasn't begun ta s-slow down much y-yet."

Cagalli continued to watch curiously, wondering if she could get a rat as a pet for herself someday. "I bet she can take another five years easy."

Alex smiled a bit wider, "Y-you have no idea h-how much I'd love if sh-she did. I'm d-doing all I c-can ta make sure she does."

"Seems like you're taking good care of her so far." Not that she actually knew at all, but it seemed like the nice thing to say if nothing else.

Alex could guess that she didn't know, since she said she wouldn't be surprised if Alice made it another five years. Someone who knew rats well would know that would be an amazing lifespan for a rat. He smiled anyway, still cheered by her words. "Th-thanks."

Noticing that Alice had climbed up to Cagalli's shoulder and begun to groom her hair a bit he chuckled. "She seems ta r-really like you."

Cagalli's not exactly an expert, no - optimistic, though, she can definitely do. She reached up to pet Alice lightly. "I'm usually not this good with animals, y'know."

Free ice cream! [open]

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