video; un: X_GoldenSword_X

[orchidingold]

WHO: Jin Ling and the network at large
WHERE: Zodiac.
WHEN: Feb. 9
WHAT: help my dog is not allowed in this motel room.
WARNINGS: some level of trauma. incoming MDZS cast feelings explosion, likely going to bring up family estrangement at least, will update if anything changes.

[The video turns on to a young man, slightly underfed, in clothes clearly hemmed in and altered to fit his slighter frame. Just in view at the bottom of the screen is the top of a shih-tzu's head.]

Well, I can't get this stupid app off my phone, so I might as well: anybody here know any place that lets you bring your dog in with you? The motel's not gonna let me bring Sunny in even though she's housebroken and well-trained and wearing a diaper, the assholes.

It better be a cheap place, too! I just got here, I'm still looking for a job.

[The dog barks, and Jin Ling's stormy face immediately softens as he glances down at the dog.]

Yeah, no, I know. Don't worry, I'll get us somewhere nice. [Pat pat.] Good girl.

Oh, and: best pet stores in the city? Cheap's not an option there, my dog deserves the best.

Comments

[orchidingold]

[A beat.]

What the fuck.

[blueeyeswhitedoppelganger]

You'll need to be more specific if there's actually a question,

[he asks, apparently inspecting his claws the way fancy folk look over a manicure.]

But if I'm going to guess the question, you should know I'm what is called a 'sphinx'.

[Beat.]

...American, not Egyptian. Or Greek, for that matter.

[That part feels important-]

[orchidingold]

I know about the Egyptian and the Greek sphinxes! I was in the Order, sometimes I had to deal with one or—look, never mind that, you’re the cougar?

[A huff of breath.]

Ugh. Okay. Fine.

…didn’t you ever like, break into wildlife rescues, though? They’ve got way nicer beds for cougars and lions and you wouldn’t have to fight a bear for some stupid damp cave.

[blueeyeswhitedoppelganger]

Did they really?

[Squinting at the camera...] ...another fucking thing no one briefed me about, I swear...

...Hm?

[Break into...

...ah.] ...Ah. Well. Humans obviously see...

[Gesturing to the cat part.]

Animals however...

[That's a big ol' grimace.]

So, not more than once...

...anyway, after almost a decade of it, you adjust. Mostly.

[A glance to the side.] ....It's less frigid on the west coast, as I have now learned.

[orchidingold]

Nobody briefed me about anything when I was in there. [It's something of an exaggeration, people tried their best.] But yeah, they do. It's like. They have to, you know? Because they're trying to make it comfy for the animals they've got in recovery.

[He's really only guessing, he's no expert in this. His only real experience in non-magical animals is hanging out in a makeshift sling right now.]

Yeah? You just now realized that? [This, from the kid who once showed up to Greenland in spring-weather clothes.]

[blueeyeswhitedoppelganger]

Oh, so that's a holdover. Good to know.

[He's well aware that the group he very nearly got hired by was not actually that great and probably would have inevitably ticked his 'mother' off.

But apparently taking a few months to hoof it across america buys time for a rebellion aftermath to finish or whatever, so.

He winces. He keeps wincing the more Jin Ling talks. He wants this part of the conversation over, and gone, and-]

Yes, yes the ammenities are fine, it was the room mates that was the problem, it's done.

Frankly I'm surprised the one behind me got the gall to come back and cozy up after we fought. Hardly going to argue that th-

[NOPE IT'S HIS TURN TO BE PISSY NOW.]

Well how was I going to know I spent 9 years in the Rockies!!! We had snow, it just wasn't cursed!

[orchidingold]

Why do people think it's a good idea to cozy up to bears?! You're going to get your arm torn off and I'm gonna stand there and say I told you so!

[What even was he arguing about? He should probably stop. Casper is telling him he should absolutely stop.

He digs in anyway.]

The Rockies? You couldn't pick any better mountain ranges than the stinking Rockies?

[blueeyeswhitedoppelganger]

HAH! She can try, [he preens.] Next to that 'Ninetails', chasing her out the first time was nothing~

[He does sober up though, looking behind him.] ...And anyway, she only appeared months later, which means cooperation was clearly a desperate last resort.

I might not 'speak bear', but I'm not going to just...tell her no, [he hisses, shaking his head.

Anyway.]

Tch. As if it was a 'choice', it's where I was when everything started. Convenience means sticking near where you started.

Wasn't until my training was delayed that I bothered walking here, [he mutters, grumbling to the side.]