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[bitteraftertaste]

[Vesper's sitting on a couch in her room - which, for anyone who hasn't seen it, is a very swanky hotel room, which looks somewhere between lived in and waiting for the next guest to come visit, because she's a bit of a neat freak - and looks a little contemplative, like she finds the idea of talking about this to everyone a little ridiculous, which... she does, really.]

When I was about seven, my parents bought me a cat. She was just a cat, nothing special, but she was my closest friend up until she passed away while I was at university.

Maybe that's a bit pathetic. [There's... a lot more to this story than she's letting on, but she's certainly not someone who 1. enjoys revisiting some of the crappier things about her life or 2. feels like sharing much about herself with anyone, so that's a story that's better saved for a truth flood.

Or not at all, really, but we all know how this place works.] But I seriously doubt I'm the only one here who's ever felt like a pet understands them better than most people do. She always seemed to know when I wasn't feeling particularly well, and maybe that's just her wanting something warm to sit with, but I still appreciated having some company when I was feeling low.

Anyway, [Her smile isn't really self-depreciating, but she definitely looks like she thinks it's a little silly that she's telling you all this.] I suppose I was just feeling nostalgic. So if anyone else has any pet stories they feel up to sharing, I certainly wouldn't mind listening.

Comments

[voice]

[lastincident]

I always seemed to pick up strays where-ever I went. Dogs, mostly. Cats and I, for whatever reason, never seem to get on.

[ He sounds tired; but he's working on Sandoval's procedure and trying to keep himself from getting overstressed. ]

[voice]

[bitteraftertaste]

I'm afraid I'm not much of a dog person.

[patheticvillain]

Are you taking a survey now?

[bitteraftertaste]

Maybe I'm just looking for a way to fill the day.

[silvestris]

My cat saved my life.

What I wouldn't give just to have a cat here.

[bitteraftertaste]

Have you asked someone to get you one? I would assume the Admiral wouldn't say no to that sort of request.

[Unless something to do with cats are why you're an inmate...?]

[with_my_teacup]

[Hey Vesper, here's a voice you probably only know from the cafeteria line.]

I've never really had the kinda lifestyle that allows for pets, but I get along with animals when our paths cross. They do understand people, can usually see past our bullshit.

There's these omnivorous scavengers, Hellcats, native to the caves of Crematoria. Serious contenders. Two, three hundred kilos, plated hide that'd stop most slugs and a lot of low-end energy weapons. Hunters. Big teeth. But they aren't bad animals. They're just adapted to their environment. They don't bother playing games-- they'll bristle up and heat up their spines when they're angry, they'll go cool and smooth when they're happy. And if you can show that trust back to them, be a non threat, they can actually be real sweet and companionable.

[There's probably more to that one, too, but he's remembering the more pleasant parts of that little excursion right now.]

[bitteraftertaste]

That's... fairly impressive.

[routemistress]

I've never really 'ad pets meself, but I usually get on with other people's.

Except that bloody allosaurus. Those things don't 'ave the brain of a paramecium, I tell you. Impossible to 'ousetrain. Don't even ask about the neighbours.

[bitteraftertaste]

That's certainly an exotic pet.

[timesbureaucrat]

Agent Kay and I have a lionfish.

[And...that's it. That's the extent of his pet story. The lionfish is the first and only pet he's had.]

[bitteraftertaste]

Why a lionfish?

[heisrisen]

It isn't pathetic. Cats are well attuned to human companionship.

[Cats are the Emperor's greatest weakness.]

We grew up on a planet with frequent earthquakes. Our cat always knew when it would be a bad one, and when it was only small tremors.

[bitteraftertaste]

I'd imagine that proved to be useful more than once.

[truth_is_cold]

Cats were extinct where I'm from. I never saw one until I came to the Barge.

Me and my partner brought two back with us, so there's a small starting population on one world. But not much.

[bitteraftertaste]

I suppose you could always bring a few more, assuming that's not dangerous.

[lastrat]

What was her name?

[bitteraftertaste]

Ursula.

[darknessb4me]

I had a horse. Invincible.

[Arthas sounds genuinely sad.]

[bitteraftertaste]

Had, as in it's not here, or as in something happened to it?

[captain_jtkirk]

We never had a family pet. [Isn't he just depressing, better give him a hug]

[bitteraftertaste]

[Do you really want to try and steal James Bond's sort of girlfriend?]

Why not?

[burnmythoughts]

[Softly.] I don't think that's pathetic at all.

I never had pets growing up. But later, I had...well, he wasn't really a pet, more - a companion.

[bitteraftertaste]

What do you mean?

[bodilesswarrior]

[Barbara's words are quiet; distant, thoughtful.] I was going to say I never had pets, but that's not exactly true.

When I was a kid, in Ohio, there was this stray. Followed me around everywhere. I called her Jonesy, and started feeding her. [A faint, fond smile.] She never let anyone else near her.

[The smile fades.] Then one day, she just...stopped. I never saw her again.

[private]

[routemistress]

Jonesy?

[Iris is enchanted to find this out, and it shows.]

...I've not seen that film in years.

[insolubleriddle]

For about a fortnight, I owned a snake. Good temperament, domesticated. And it had absolutely no issue with being fed peanut butter.

[bitteraftertaste]

What happened to it?