OPEN | well, i don't know where they come from but they sure do come

[circlejerked]

Who: Everyone and some adorable, rolly polly, purring kittens.
Where: Ballroom.
When: April 4th.
Rating: PG? It's kittens, how bad can it get.
Summary: As advertised, Anders wished for some kittens, now there are kittens, please adopt a kitten, kittens everywhere.

The Story:

<sub>[In the ballroom with plenty of space for them to romp around, Anders and Alistair set the kittens loose.

When he'd been thinking about them, Anders had had a particular image in his mind: a bunch of kittens sitting in a padded wicker basket like something out of a graphic illustration or inspired by a toilet paper brand. Who wouldn't find that adorable? That's exactly what he'd gotten, and exactly what they load the kittens up in to move them downstairs. Once the basket is deposited in the center of the room, some stay napping in its cushioned confines, others tumble out to explore.

Anders takes the time to bring up food, water, and litter. After some internal debating, he scatters some cat toys around the room, too. Welcome to Wonderland's one and only kitty daycare, for a limited time only!]

(OOC: Don't worry about threading with Anders or Alistair if you want to join in just for kittens. Consider this a mingle log where you can make your own posts, tag around, etc.)</sub>

Comments

[fatherlesskind]

[She should be. Just imagine a ghost that just follows its victim around, talking constantly.]

Ummm... [A glance around at the cats he can currently see and he shrugs.] I don't know? We didn't exactly take a head count. [He was a bit busy just trying to keep them contained.] Some? More than one?

[Look, it's been a long day OK?]

[araneidal]

[ She nods, looking around. ]

Right. We'd better get to work.

[circlejerked]

_{[Someone pinch him. He's getting a round of applause for being a wizard.]}

Uh, that'll do, too.

_{[He laughs again and picks a kitten up from the floor so that he's not the only one standing around catless as they talk.]}

I know some lazy wizards who'd take special offense to the bearded part. Contrary to popular opinion, we aren't born in the form of wizened hunchbacks. It takes a while to get there.

_{[And thanks to the taint slowly corrupting him from the inside out, he never will. Hard to say which is worse, dying young or becoming a cliche.]}

[fatherlesskind]

[He snaps to attention.]

Yes ma'am!

[If she's going to take charge he won't say no. But he does add-] Careful. Some of them are sneaky.

[araneidal]

[ Dry, ]

Of course. We wouldn't want to fall prey to how adorable they are.

[fatherlesskind]

You might not believe me now but just wait! Next thing you know they'll have you wrapped around their little.... paws. And you'll be at their beck and call.

[Just look at Anders and how easily he's fallen prey to their power. It would be terrible to lose more to this invasion.]

[araneidal]

Yes, they're quite the little harbingers of true evil.

[ She sighs. ]

Come along.

[1908]

They really are. I had no idea you could get live animals from them.

[ These little kitties aren't even playing around. She'll have them crawling up her pants leg in no time, ]

Have you tried to count them? [ Said as she reaches down to scoop one up - don't you snag her fancy pants, sir. ]

[fatherlesskind]

[That is a pretty convincing argument. For making the cats honourary Wardens. Not so much for him being a competent caretaker for an animal that's not mostly independent. And while cats normally are, he's not sure these aren't too young for that.]

So I should start checking my pillow in the future for.... [What sort of gifts would a former apostate and Grey Warden leave lying around?] Darkspawn heads? A pretty dress?

[Enough of that in case he gave Anders ideas. Not that he seems to need them, with what he managed on his own already.

Watching their intrepid explorer come sauntering back to be recaptured Alistair shakes his head.]

He ran away but he came back. How accurate is that?

[Less so than his comparison he'll bet. And the cat in his arms definitely agrees as it continues to loudly makes its views on its captivity known. It's always nice to have someone take his side.]

[circlejerked]

Starships?

_{[Anders' attention snags on that comment, and he looks up from rubbing a kitten's head.]}

Would that have anything to do with a spaceship?

_{[Because he might actually have a vague inclination of what the man is talking about if so, all thanks to making the acquaintance of a particular serious-minded, space-born girl. Cryo chambers are still foreign terminology, but Anders takes wins where he can. Baby steps.]}

[circlejerked]

I'd had an inkling it was possible based on what I've heard from others' experiences, but I hadn't tested it to see for myself. I guess that answers that. Animals are possible and if you're not careful, they come in bulk.

_{[Live and learn.]}

I tried... _{[From the way he trails off, it clearly hadn't been a successful attempt.]} But by the time I counted a handful of them, they'd be underfoot again and I lost track of which ones I'd already counted. I think we're starting to get a feel for one another, though. Take that one, for instance--

_{[He points to a pudgy black and white cat taking a turn at a water dish.]}

He's a bit top heavy. I can tell which one he is because of his habit of falling on his face when he runs. Poor thing. He tries his best.

[circlejerked]

Come now, I'm a gentleman, I wouldn't dare try to guess your size. It'd be awkward for all involved if I got it wrong.

_{[But the hypothetical dress in question would obviously be specially picked to bring out Alistair's eyes. Only the best for their king.]}

I'm a thoughtful gift-giver. It would be something you'd enjoy. Like maybe a sharp weapon. Or a nice pair of slippers. Or a block of cheese. You like cheese, don't you?

_{[His cat is more tentative than Alistair's and only after stroking it soothingly along its chest and under its chin does it let out a plaintive squeak like a rubber toy being squeezed.]}

Aw, he knew the best place to be is here with us. Cats are easier to train than dogs that way. They may not come when you call, but they'll come back when they're good and ready. Don't you agree, kitties?

[beforeblue]

Same thing, pretty much. Just another name.

[He's a little relieved that the man knows. Reactions to technology have been interesting at times.]

I've spent most of the last couple of years on one.

[slapfight]

I'm not used to "animals." [they're manufactured inorganic rock people, who apparently don't understand the wonders of furry pets.]

Except cows, which, according to Garnet, are terrible. And I'm inclined to take her word on that.

[sciencelizard]

[Alphys giggles a little watching the cat's shenanigans with Anders, smiling as he gently moves them. It's kind of funny to talk about her world with people who don't know everything it came with- it's strange that there are people who've never even heard of monsters. And now, in this case, haven't heard of electricity. Alphys looks puzzled, and tries to think of how to respond to this.]

Well, uh... it's w-what turns the lights on i-in here? Imagine, like... c-controlled lightning, and using it's p-power to make things work. So like how when y-you eat food, it becomes energy to move your body, e-electricity is like the food for, uhm, m-machines to operate. In the Underground, i-it's fueled by magic, in part, so the Underground's CORE w-worked by taking the energy from, uh, magma and lava, and turning it into magical energy and electricity!

[She stops, looks thoughtful for a few moments.]

Maybe, uhm, Wonderland's CORE d-does the same thing? Gives p-power to this place... or, uhm, power t-to the mansion to change, c-create events, and bring us here.

[uncaging]

I've never thought of a young wizard before. Most of my imagery comes from Merlin in Le Morte D'Arthur. Though I suppose even he had to be young once.

[The kitten reaches up to bat at the ends of her hair and Elizabeth laughs happily, shaking her hair over her shoulder so she can play with it.]

So what's it like? Being a wiz-- I mean, a mage.

mother of god, i'm so sorry for how late this is!

[littlestreetcat]

Yeah? Funny, because to me it looks like there is no control whatsoever here. With all the kittens running around and apparently ganging up on you, I mean.

[ She nods to the whole in his shirt, stifling a laugh. That's something she's never seen, a grown man with a hole in his shirt that must have been caused by a hoard of kittens. But then, this is the guy who got into a childish argument with her, so maybe she shouldn't be shocked.

Eyebrows raising, she follows the pointing thumb to Anders, watching him for a brief moment before her gaze returns to Alistair. The shift of blame doesn't rid her of curiosity, but she does have some difficulty that Alistair didn't have anything to do with it. Then again, it's not like she knows him well, so she could be wrong. ]

Wasn't really blaming anyone, but okay, how'd he end up swimming in kittens?

[ Not that Selina's complaining about the presence of tiny cats all over the place. She's honestly just curious! ...And maybe a little worried about what's going to happen to all of them. ]

[circlejerked]

Ahh, more of you space people! You're not the first I've met to mention travelling up in space.

<sub>[A knowing smile blooms across Anders' face. He's proud of himself for having even that small frame of reference to go by. Wonderland's been baffling since day one; it's nice to finally have a inkling about something. Even something not related to Wonderland, per se.

And this space traveller is a space soldier, apparently. Who would've thought?]</sub>

No wonder you were eager to see these guys. What made you decide to abandon solid ground and all the four-legged mammals of the world to gallivant around the stars?

[circlejerked]

Clearly.

_{[Tone laughing, one of his eyebrows climb higher on his forehead.]}

Cows' milk is delicious, but I'm inclined to agree that they don't make the best choice of domesticated pet. You can pet them, but I don't think they'd appreciate being picked up and put in your lap, if they could even fit. Cats are a better place to start.

_{[And now for the obvious question that he's been dying to ask--]}

So where do you come from? You obviously aren't a member of the human community.

[circlejerked]

Now lightning, I understand!

<sub>[He makes a thoughtful sound. Ah, so that's what's powering the appliances in the mansion.

After being captive for as many months as he has, Anders had gotten a feel for how things worked mostly through his own trial and errors: light switches turned lights on and off, cords carried power to the toaster and the television sets, that sort of thing. But the blend between magic and man-made power systems has taken some getting used to.]</sub>

But let's say we're talking about similar concepts. If this core is acting like a generator as well, then it could be producing magic and the electricity you're familiar with in the same way. _{[He looks down at the kittens assembled around him.]} The magic that made these cats appear is coming from somewhere, at least.

_{[What's driving Wonderland's generator, then? Their memories, as the rumors say? There's another unpleasant thought.]}

[circlejerked]

That's a story about a wizard? Can't say I've heard of it. He must be the bearded exemplar you've got in your head.

_{[Maybe Merlin had had it better as a mage wherever he's from. For a mage in Thedas, life is far from grand, that's for sure. He watches her while absent-mindedly petting the kitten resting on his arm.]}

Do you want the romantic, glamorously exotic answer? Sure, being a mage in the Circle is great.

_{[Or does she want the honest answer?]}

[fatherlesskind]

[Well. At least if he is going to get a dress he knows Anders will ensure it's a well-fitting one. That is important. Although he rather prefers the other gift ideas.]

I've been known to partake, from time to time.

[By which he means all the time. As anyone who has seen him eat here can attest.

The cat seems to have less in common with the man holding it than he'd thought, needing encouragement to start talking but that may be for the best, given there's already plenty of noise to make the mansion seem even more lively than usual. He has a feeling this floor at least isn't going to be very quiet from now on. That doesn't seem so bad though.]

I don't think that qualifies as being trained. [Doing what they please seems the exact opposite of being trained in fact.] Or that we should just let them loose to come back when they want to. I think people might have a problem with that.

[sciencelizard]

Y-Yeah! Like a controlled lighting, that c-can be summoned with machines, instead of m-magic.

[She's pondering over how Wonderland could work, wishing she could get her hands on some blueprints. But it's likely that if the magic powering it is strong enough to bring people from other worlds together, it probably doesn't have any physicality at all. But that much magical energy, churning and self-sustaining itself... that's dangerous. That's practically a time bomb. Enough... to warp reality, itself. And there it was.]

In that case, it's m-more likely that it's a s-self sustaining generator. [She puts her hand to her mouth, biting one of her fingers absentmindedly while she gathers her thoughts.] I-If it's creating magic from memories-- l-like the theories I've heard-- it would burn itself out so quickly, b-because that would be such an overflow of magic... which m-might mean, the events we experience are o-overflow. That's why everything changes so drastically, a-and how it can affect us and our core selves. T-Then, when those events are done, it claims a memory from t-the person or people it latched, uhm, o-onto, and uses that to s-stop itself from shutting down, until... it s-starts over again.

[She crosses her arms, obviously distressed.] T-That's... and no one knows, w-where this is? Or how to g-get to it?

no worries!

[fatherlesskind]

That is- [Entirely accurate. But. He's so not admitting it.] Exactly what is supposed to be happening.

[Right down to his ruined shirt. Yes. Planned. All of it. Obviously. If he looks completely overwhelmed by rampaging kittens maybe more people will take pity on him and adopt one. Or two. Or three.

Speaking of which, there's been no objections to the idea of her keeping one so he figures he may as well try pushing his luck. Bending down, Alistair scoops up another kitten as it bounds past and attempts to deposit this one in her arms too. While offering an explanation to distract her from the clever ploy.]

An accident with the closets. [Because, in what is a surprise to all, this really did have nothing to do with him.] Or that's what he told me.

[And he's pretty sure Anders wouldn't lie to him. Though maybe he should be more careful about who he tells that to in case someone wants to repeat the whole thing with animals that would be worse to deal with. Like pigs. Or dragons.]

[beforeblue]

Well, that makes some things easier.

[Doesn't need to explain quiet as much then, and the man looks so happy about knowing something. Wash smiles back.]

It was the best way to get off the pit of a planet I grew up on. And there's a war going on. I wanted to do my part.