thestormishere | ☈ strike #06 (action / voice)

[ 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. ]

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That could be pretty handy, you know. Never know when you need someone's hand to be bitten off or unnecessarily nipped at.

[ And she totally thinks Lightning's annoyance is completely her fault.]

...I-I'm sorry.

[...

...

...Come on, Jenny. Deep breath. Puppies are involved. BE ASSERTIVE FOR THE PUPPIES.]

...I could...um, try to help you. If you would like.

[~~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.

Edited 2010-12-28 12:35 (UTC)

Hn.

[ Lightning pauses... just long enough for her to look down and see the leash-chewing. ]

-- Hey! [ Crouching down, she pulls the string out of his mouth, although he doesn't seem too bothered and takes the opportunity to put his front feet up on her knee while she's down. Somewhat reluctantly, she puts a hand on his back. ]

I don't know. If someone else wants him...

[ She sighs, thinking he's missed the point. ]

He's a little young, for that.

[He crosses his arms.] I know they can't be left alone at this age.

[And Dog, now convinced that this other puppy isn't going to attack on sight, leans forward to sniff again, until their noses bump.]

Oh noooo, you have to start really early I heard. He'd be the perfect age.

[ Yeah, it doesn't help that Lightning's personality can be a little too strong even for people who aren't intimidated easily. She doesn't really want to drive off help though; after hearing that pause, she catches herself and tries to tone it down a little. ]

Yeah. Right now I've got nothing. Not even how old it is.

Yeah? Maybe you can help me then.

[ While he's still asleep, quick! ]

That's... probably a given.

[ Like hell Lightning's going to just let the pup run loose and chew up and/or make a mess all over her apartment. It's pretty clear he has a lot of energy to handle- after touching noses a moment with Sigmund's puppy, he drops and does the stereotypical rear-in-the-air pose, wanting to play. ]

[Sigmund's pup takes a step back. He reaches down as if to pick it up, and then changes his mind. The puppy starts growling playfully and wagging his curly little tail so hard that it shakes his whole body.]

I've got a crate for mine.

[ PUPPY PLAN SUCCESS. Filled with glee, Lightning's puppy jumps up and begins pawing at his puffy, wiggling new friend.

Lightning herself looks a little surprised- somehow, a crate hadn't occurred to her, beyond the exasperated thought to herself just to put the puppy back in the box he came in for a while. ]

... I was considering just using one of my empty rooms, but that probably makes more sense. Did you get it from one of these shops or what?

[ Lightning can probably tell, but... she still remains quite serious about it. ]

No. I don't know how long I'm going to have him, anyway.

Not really a dog sort of person, are you?

It's a wooden box with a blanket in it. He won't stay in it for long - [Dog has the decency to look up at his owner, comically, in the middle of trying to bite the other puppy's ears.] - but it keeps him safe for a few hours.

[On it!]

What did you want to know about in particular?

[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?

[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.]

Hm. I would imagine dog food of some kind. Treats if they're available. Perhaps you might be able to acquire some at the item shop miss.

I see...

[ Annnd her mind is already starting to fill with a few ideas. The puppy is relatively small now, but that's sure to change pretty quickly- it might not even be a month before Sigmund's strategy turns laughably useless.

That is, if she's still herself long enough for that to become a problem in the first place. A slight frown ruins her look of thoughtfulness as she watches the puppies wrestle. ]

... I'll think of something.

Edited 2010-12-28 23:51 (UTC)

I'll check next time I'm down there. I need to find something he'll eat anyway.

Only animals I'm halfway familiar with are chocobos. Even then, I've never owned one of those either.

Any ideas on how I'm supposed to keep a puppy from... chewing on everything?

[ 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.

[ 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. ]

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