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[embraves]

Cloud Strife

Cloud Strife. Leave a message.

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[embraves]

Uh? Yeah, I’m surprised.

[Pitou might have had claws, but ears and a tail? Not exactly what he expected when he rode in to help fix their van.]

But I guess you’re sticking to a theme, huh?

[Deflecting with his dry humor, he supposes standing around and staring isn’t going to get them anywhere. Give him a minute while he gets everything ready, then goes over to pop open the hood of the van. It’s steaming, which isn’t a good sign.]

Probably get along with the cats even better now.

[playdolls]

Or maybe they think I'm a giant predator.

[ They don't, but Cloud is also not the first one to say that to them. ]

It's done, and I'm not going to amputate them, so I suppose I'm stuck with them.

[ They could only manage to be so upset about something they clearly couldn't change. ]

[embraves]

Amputate them? [His mind hadn’t even gone that far, and he’d look over at Pitou if he could see from over the propped up hood of this van.] No one said anything about amputation… I mean, unless they hurt you or anything?

[He wouldn’t know one way or another.]

You should see a doctor about it.

[playdolls]

What good is a doctor going to do me?

[ A slurp of coffee. ]

Aren't they just going to tell me 'yes, you have a tail now'?

[embraves]

I don't know, give you some piece of mind whether or not it's going to affect your health?

[More dry humor in 3, 2, 1...]

Guess you could try a vet instead. Also, your engine overheated.

[playdolls]

I am clearly some kind of cat monster, the highest detriment to my health is probably not eating enough protein.

[ Obligate carnivores and what-not. Pitou peers in under the hood at him: ]

So go get some coolant.

[ They'll be here drinking coffee. ]

[embraves]

Bossy.

[Said in a way that indicates no real irritation, just an observation.]

Then you should've asked for a protein shake instead of coffee. Pretty sure Prompto has some of that stuff for it lying around in the apartment...

[He goes to dig around in his backpack again, and remarks:]

You really think you're a cat monster, though?

[playdolls]

I use monster to encompass creatures I generally wouldn't have considered biologically possible.

[ Not, exactly, to denigrate. ]

Some cat-human-maybe-something-else hybrid falls into that category. I am either some very bizarre species, or I'm some kind of science experiment. Either way monster applies.

[ Speaking of protein shakes: ]

I meant for the engine. Why is Prompto drinking protein shakes?

[embraves]

No, I know you meant for the engine, I just-

[He's bad at this, okay.]

Prompto's all about healthy eating. Maybe he has a protein shake, maybe he doesn't, but... I don't know, he's more likely to than me. He jogs and stuff, counts calories, that kind of thing.

[playdolls]

[ A blink. A laugh. ]

If I wanted protein, wouldn't I just eat you?

[embraves]

[What.]

Um. No?

[playdolls]

I don't know.

[ Their tail swishes, excited about something. ]

Your organs would probably do nicely enough, even if the rest was a bit stringy.

[ They slide closer, just to be a creep. ]

[embraves]

[He looks up at Pitou since he's still crouched at his things, blinking and looking... skeptical and uncertain.]

...If you eat me, who's going to fix your car and save your cats?

[playdolls]

Maybe I can do it now that you've brought the tools.

[ A very sweet smile as they lean against the van. ]

What do you think? Could you stop me?

[embraves]

[h e l p]

I... uh.

[How is he supposed to reply to that? He stands, shifting on his feet.]

I could outrun you.

[Out... ride them, on his motorcycle.]

[playdolls]

[ You'd think he'd know better after they outright admitted to doing this kind of shit to Prompto too.

But Pitou just smiles at him. ]

You do realize I'm not going to cut you up and eat you, right?

[embraves]

[You would think so. But both of these boys are useless in their own ways.]

...I hope not. [Shoulders relaxing, but still weirded out.] I don't know. People are changing in weird ways, getting even weirder memories... maybe you turned into a human-eating-cat. Would that be so strange after everything else that's happened?

Anyway, you shouldn't go around saying stuff like that.

[playdolls]

You don't like me anymore, now that I'm a human-eating-cat?

[ The flick of an ear. ]

[embraves]

[He sighs and returns back to the van which is mewing slightly. The fact that he's turned away means that he's at least starting to understand that this is hopefully one big joke... maybe.]

I hear they call that murder.

[playdolls]

Humans do, animals call it lunch.

[ They lean back against the van, looking upwards. ]

Besides, I hear those of us Retrospec has paid attention to can't die. It might not be in my best interest for my digestion to eat one of you.

[embraves]

[Pitou will only hear his voice, since he's going to be working for a bit.]

That's a nice mental image.

[He pauses.]

I read about that, though. It's hard to believe that it's true, and honestly? I'm not going to go testing it out on myself any time soon. Not dying is supposed to be a comforting thing, right? It's not. At all.

[Twisted immortality that he didn't ask for, is what he means.]

[playdolls]

I'm just curious why they care so much. Saving us is one thing, what do they need us for after that?

[ Not knowing annoys Pitou so deeply. ]

[embraves]

Keeping us alive is worth it. That's all I can think of, is that we have a use and if we die, we haven't served our purpose yet.

[And that also settles very badly within him, for reasons both obvious and ones he can't quite put his finger on.]

[playdolls]

Well, have you remembered any amazing magical powers yet?

[ Or was he just the speediest mechanic with a soft spot for kitties in town. ]

[embraves]

Nothing like that.

[He's frowning now, even if it can't be seen.]

I remembered golden chocobos. And a giant snake that was trying to kill me... or eat me, I think.