< HSoS 112 | High School Of Scenes | HSoS 114 >
< HSoS 114 | H So S Timeline | HSoS 116 >
Merope , now much cleaner and wearing a white blouse, pushes open one of Altair's many doors. She's holding a glass of water. "Cassie? It's Merope."
Merope Cassie is lying down, quietly. She says nothing.
Merope "I brought you some water. How are you feeling?"
Cassiopeia "Quiet."
Merope pauses.
Merope "Do you want me to be quiet, or are you saying that you feel quiet?"
Merope No answer.
???? a shadow on the corner of the girl's eyes suddenly nuzzles up to Cassiopeia's. Soft, soft fur, and Merope spied a siamese form moving on the corner of her eye and hiding again.
???? Merope sees a shadow race through the room, Cassiopeia senses soft fur nuzzling on her leg. As soon as her vision can locate the shadow - something that kept being gone from where her peripheral vision had JUST seen it - she perceived a siamese cat pawing at :Cassiopeia's strange hair.
Merope waves at the cat vaguely. "Shoo."
Merope "I didn't realise there were cats in this house. There are cats in here, Cassie."
???? The cat stops to look at Merope. After some time, it mews.
Merope "Hello, cat."
Merope frowns a little. "Cassie, I hope you're okay. I brought you some water to drink."
Merope places the water by Cassie, then pauses.
Merope "I guess a straw might be good...?"
Merope "I'll see if Altair has one."
???? The cat mews again, teal eyes shining in the dim light, its tone demanding!
Merope "And maybe if he has some cat food, too." Merope loos at the cat, and then moves to scoop it up in her arms.
Altair And Altair finds her as soon as she is walking out of the room! "Oh."
Merope "Altair! I... found your cat?"
Merope holds the aforementioned feline, supporting it properly but looking slightly uncertain about it. Sometimes cats would bite, after all.
Merope "She was in the.... what do you even call that room? With Cassie."
Merope avoids prolonged eye contact.
Altair "So you did." He moves to scratch that cat, that had not fought much in her hand. "He didn't give you trouble, now, did he?" The cat purrs on merope's grasp, reaching a paw to her chin. It was a soft touch... despite the feel of the all-too-sharp claws. "That's the music room. I thought I could play once. He didn't hurt either of you, did he?"
Merope "He hurts people?"
Altair "Aldy can be a little clawy when he dislikes someone."
Merope looks distinctly more uncertain, but doesn't dare make any sudden moves. "He uh, seems to be purring for the moment."
Merope swallows slightly, aware of claws near her throat. "He seemed to want something. Does he maybe need feeding? Or just attention?"
Aldy The end of the claw ALMOST scratches her chin at the end of its movement... but then the paw comes down, and it stops even that threat. He SEEMS harmless enough now...
Altair "Attention, I think. He'd be more insistent with food."
Merope nods. "I guess males like a lot of attention."
Altair "Oh, we love it. There's nothing worse than being neglected, Angela." He walks back to the dimly-lit 'music room.' more of a mess of devices. He gives Cassiopeia an almost silent hi.
Merope "Right, I wanted a straw. Do you have any drinking straws, Altair? For Cassie."
Altair "Oh, sure. The kitchen has EVERYTHING. I don't know what half of that does." He nods, walking out with an almost silent goodbye to Cassiopeia. "Come with me? That place is terrifying! I once tried to make popcorn and I swear the cutlery was trying to eat me."
Merope smiles. "I had enough trouble getting the glass of water." She follows him. "I'll be back in a little while, Cassie."
Altair "She is... strange. Was it them?"
Merope "I'm worried about her." Her voice is low. "I mean.... should we even have her here? I don't even know if she still has a family..."
Altair "What happenned with her?" He answers in an equally hushed tone. "I've been guessing alot, but honestly, I'm kind of in the dark here..."
Merope "She...." Merope pauses. "Ras rescued her. From people who were... using her. Like Johnstone said. Station Cassiopeia. They had her hooked up to some... computer or something." She pauses. "That's why she has the wires...." She pulls a strand of her hair, illustratively.
Aldy The cat begins to stir. He's already over Merope's bosom, ready to run free, apparently!
Merope looks a little startled, but lets the cat leap off her, wincing slightly as it uses its claws.
Altair winces. "They have already gotten that far, huh? Making us into... things."
Altair "Using her as what? A radio? A computer."
Merope "Johnstone said she was keeping us hidden..."
Merope "Maia seems to understand it. She can clearly, like, send out signals...."
Merope She mumbles to herself. "Broadcasting on all frequencies..."
Altair "And turn them off. She did turn Furud off. He was going NOVA."
Altair "You think she can still do it? Hide us?"
Merope "So we give out signals...." Merope is speaking much to herself. "...I think maybe she just did, for the two of you."
Altair "She did not 'hide' us, she cancelled..." He stops.
Merope "Cancelled the music..."
Altair "Mero, could you ever fly like that BEFORE Ras shut down the Station?"
Merope "No..."
Altair "Maybe she was keeping you weaker, then? Under control?"
Merope "We... went to pick Ras up... the day he was there, at the Station... and that night was the first time I really flew.. high..."
Merope "Oh God."
Merope "....We need to talk to Maia."
Altair "So they were crippling you this whole time." He looks at Aldy, who comes close to him and nuzzles his leg. "Dulling your claws. No wonder they went for Ras first... he's your boyfriend, right? The military guy? Alice told me something about him..."
Merope "No, but... I mean, Johnstone... he said he wanted to keep the military away..."
Merope frowns and bites her lip.
Merope "We HAVE to talk to Maia."
Altair reaches the kitchen. "Well. Straw first. Conspiracy second."
< HSoS 112 | High School Of Scenes | HSoS 114 >
< HSoS 114 | H So S Timeline | HSoS 116 >
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