☈ strike #06 (action / voice)

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning doesn't tell anyone the reason why she spends so much time outside despite her hatred of the native weather. Walking or jogging in the cold, training at the 'battledome' and barracks, visiting the stores when people tend to not be around... these things keep her busy, in the time she's not poring over the journals and library and whatever else she can get her hands on, looking for some clue towards what she's supposed to do with herself.

She's certain her time left to complete her Focus - something she cannot do here even if she wanted - is running out. Running out fast. Needless to say, it's pretty difficult to indulge in any sort of holiday mood for long, with the threat of either dying or turning into a monster hanging over her head.

Today, however, the ex-soldier has something entirely new adding to the mix of things on her mind- one that's not hard to figure out for once, considering the mild spectacle she's sort of making of herself around the outside of community housing building 4 right now. In one hand, she's got a makeshift leash that probably started its life as a drawstring to a jacket's hood or something, and at the other end is a black fluffball of a puppy, snuffling around in the snow while his new owner watches with a stiff posture and mostly neutral expression. If there was anyone who actually knew her very well here, they'd probably be able to tell that she's... at a complete loss.

Eventually, she decides to try consulting anyone who might be near their journal, though as usual, she's sure to make it very short and to the point- ]

Who knows anything about dogs?

[ And... yeah. She's definitely going to be outside with the puppy quite a bit - mostly outside CH4 where she lives, though at some point she finally just picks him up and ventures into the part of town with the shops, searching for anything that might possibly help out in this... little predicament. ]

Comments

[action]

[chaincutter]

[And out by the shops she will meet someone else looking slightly put-out, with a fat red puppy that doesn't want to walk more than five steps at a time before being picked up. He watches her for a moment, then-]

Statue?

[action]

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning really notices the other dog first, only then looking to Sigmund with her brows drawn at the one-word question. ]

What?

[ The moment her puppy sees the red one too, though? He begins squirming in her arms, eyes wide and thrashing side to side in his sudden desire to be put down. ]

[action]

[chaincutter]

[Dog is rather more cautious, hiding behind Sigmund's legs and only peaking his nose out, snuffling.]

The dog. Was it the statue?

[action]

[stilldontgotit.livejournal.com]

[Riku isn't familiar with Lightning, but that doesn't stop him from watching her struggle with the puppy with some vague amusement.]

Having trouble?

[action]

[thestormishere]

[ When Riku asks that question, Lightning's already starting to bend over to say something to the dog sitting directly in front of her. At that, however, both of them turn to look at him at the same time- the puppy looks curious, though... the woman is clearly sizing him up as she straightens. ]

... I guess you could say that.

[action]

[stilldontgotit.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing this is your first pet.

[He crosses his arms and continues to watch them both, occasionally glancing down at the curious pup.]

[voice]

[redroseprince.livejournal.com]

......um....

...I-I have a dog.

[voice]

[thestormishere]

[ What, timidness? Lightning just sounds exasperated in turn, jumping straight to the problem. ]

The Malnosso gave me a puppy.

[voice]

[redroseprince.livejournal.com]

[Very timid. But dogs are nice. :( And much nicer than her present.]

Oh...do you...um, not like dogs?

[voice]

[magnanimity.livejournal.com]

My fiancee has a dog actually. What exactly would you like to know? [ Even if he doesn't exactly take care of Minuet he still knows something about them. ]

[voice]

[thestormishere]

How to keep this puppy from peeing in my apartment would be a good start.

[voice]

[magnanimity.livejournal.com]

[ That gets a good humored chuckle from him. ] A good scolding for when they actually do it inside and then perhaps giving a treat for when they go outside. It helps them differentiate between right and wrong with the added discipline.

[ima-greywarden.livejournal.com]

I know a bit. But it's mostly only on mabari.

[thestormishere]

... On what?

[ima-greywarden.livejournal.com]

Uh... mabari. They're a breed of war dog. Very popular in Ferelden. Anyway, what do you need to know?

[Voice]

[bullet-dance.livejournal.com]

[Thread's not done yet but Guess who also got a puppy for Christmas.] I... was given one not too long ago, so I know a little about them.

[Voice]

[thestormishere]

Yeah? Maybe you can help me then.

[ While he's still asleep, quick! ]

[Voice]

[bullet-dance.livejournal.com]

[On it!]

What did you want to know about in particular?

[goggle-syndrome.livejournal.com]

[Due to the fact he hates being inside all the time, Taichi's out and about today when he spots this unfamiliar woman. Lightning's not really his concern, but instead he's focused on the puppy.]

Wouldn't it be easier for him to walk on his own?

[thestormishere]

[ The puppy is quite busy at the moment trying to pull a stick out of the snow, with limited success. Lightning looks up from watching him stiffly, though she's slightly taken aback for a moment over finding a kid talking to her. ]

... It's easier to get him to come back inside, this way.

[goggle-syndrome.livejournal.com]

[He's busy watching the puppy then, shrugging at Lightning's answer.]

How do you figure?

[twoyearblade.livejournal.com]

[Roberto's out patrolling--as per usual--but slows outside of the community building as he notices this little spectacle, staring toward her and the puppy with a slightly lifted eyebrow.]

[thestormishere]

[ Even with how cold it is, there's enough people around that Lightning doesn't really give much thought to Roberto, aside from glancing at him briefly to note that he's there- a well-trained habit of hers.

Unfortunately, the puppy is nowhere near as trained. He darts between her legs, so that she has to bend quickly and pivot in place to keep a hold of the 'leash.' She's obviously fairly graceful in general, but with the lack of hesitation in the motion, it's probably obvious that this isn't the first time the puppy has done that. ]

... I forgot to press "Post Comment" on this, sob

[13th_captain]

[Lightning isn't the only one out walking a puppy today. Arumat has a gawky fluffball of his own on the end of what looks like a clothesline, just standing awkwardly while the puppy sniffs at anything and everything that happens to look interesting.

But beyond that? He has no clue what to do with this thing.]

/does that all the time x_x

[thestormishere]

[ As for Lightning's puppy, TARGET SIGHTED. He pauses, stiff-legged in the snow while his brain works over the idea of HEY ANOTHER PUPPY, then finally lets out a single high-pitched bark before trudging to the end of his makeshift leash. Lightning simply stands for a moment too, watching, but then starts to walk in Arumat's direction as well, the puppy leading the way somewhat awkwardly. ]