[open] Toto, I don't think we're on Hedenex anymore....

[bluesuit_handy]

It's been so good to stretch his legs again after so long cooped up on the ship. Andrew loves traveling, of course, and he loves spending time with James and the dogs, but his tolerance for monotonous space journeys is diminishing rather than growing. Their first journey out from Earth was the longest, of course, since they had to reach a jump node before they could travel from world to world in a matter of weeks rather than months, but somehow just a week stuck in a space the size of a largish flat is almost unbearable to him now. If he had to do that longer journey again, he might go mad.

Despite his enthusiasm, there's only so much running about (much of it literal) he can do before he tires out. Hedenex is a friendly sort of planet, with more than a few things to do and see, but just now he's tucked back up in bed in the spaceship he shares with James, their dogs curled up nearby as if watching to make sure he doesn't go off again without them when he wakes up.

His sleep is troubled by dreams that are less bad, necessarily, than they are weird. He's in the midst of grudgingly assembling a floral arrangement under the watchful eye of a robot servant belonging to a version of the Master he hasn't seen in centuries when a chill wind suddenly blows through the beach house where he and Abraham Lincoln have been imprisoned together. He shivers in both the dream and in reality, shifting uncomfortably on the hard red surface of the bleachers that make up the roof of the Times Square TKTS booth. He's wrapped up surprisingly well for someone who was just taken away from his cozy bed and blankets, as he tends to layer up even when he goes to bed, but a fleece onesie with a hoodie over the top half and socks on under the enclosed feet is still not enough. At least he'll look dashing in that yellow ducky-themed print?

Comments

[wildmage_daine]

Daine wouldn't be sure how to answer that even in a human shape. She doesn't think Tortall's on a different planet, because all the animals here are the same. It's only the two-leggers who are a bit different, and then only because none of them have the Gift.

Then again, there was no Tortall on the map. She lifts her wings in the closest thing to a shrug she can manage.

[bluesuit_handy]

"That's not a yes or no," Andrew points out. "Does that mean you don't know?"

He's shivering pretty steadily by now. There's not much he can do about it, though. The most he could do would be to put his hood up, but he might dislodge Daine if he tries it.

[wildmage_daine]

She hesitates, then nods.

Speaking of being dislodged, that might happen anyway if he keeps up with the shivering. She feels rather sorry for him. Spying an alleyway that looks a bit more secluded than the street, Daine lets out a quiet caw, then picks up the string dangling from his hood and tugs it to the left, towards the alley. It's probably rude to try and steer him like a horse, but maybe he'll catch her meaning and head over there.

[bluesuit_handy]

He startles when she stoops to peck at his chest -- no, his hoodie string. Andrew watches in bemusement, wondering if this is a crow thing or what, but catches on after a moment.

"Is Timmy down the well?" he asks, grinning at his own joke as he turns in the direction indicated.

[wildmage_daine]

Any pop culture jokes are going to be lost on Daine, but at least he's heading into the alley like she wanted. She launches herself off of his shoulder and lands behind a dumpster, where folk from the street won't be able to see her.

She considers taking dog shape, then decides against it. She'd rather be less noticeable, not more so, and being carried has its perks. Closing her eyes, she trades black feathers for white fur, her body stretching into the long, lithe shape of an ermine. She gives herself a little shake, then scampers back over to Andrew, feeling rather pleased with herself.

Only trouble is, she doesn't fancy trying to climb up Andrew as if he's a tree. She might be able to manage it, but she doesn't think either of them would enjoy it. Sitting up on her hind legs, she gives him an enquiring chirp. How about a lift?

[bluesuit_handy]

Is she abandoning him?? Andrew takes a few tentative steps toward the dumpster to look behind it, but when he doesn't see her reemerging further down the alley, he realizes that maybe she wants privacy and holds back.

He takes in a sharp breath when instead of a crow, a little white mammal appears. Is that a weasel? No, weasels aren't white. Same family, though, obviously. "Is that you?" he asks, dropping into a crouch and holding out a hand. He's not sure what exactly he intends to do, but it doesn't seem politic to just reach out and grab her up.

[wildmage_daine]

She nods--well, it's more of a bob, but she imagines he'll understand it. Now that he's crouched and holding a hand out, it's only the work of a moment for her to scamper up his arm. Once she reaches his shoulders, she drapes herself around the back of his neck, feeling much more secure like this than she did as a crow. Probably more comfortable for him, too.

[bluesuit_handy]

He gives an awkward, ticklish little shudder as she touches the back of his neck, but settles down once she's in place. "More comfortable?" he asks, standing up. He pauses, putting a hand to his hood. "Mind if I put this up?"

[wildmage_daine]

She squeaks her agreement. If he puts it up, they'll both be warmer, and she'll be less visible.

[bluesuit_handy]

"I'll take that as a yes," he says, as he rather wants the hood up. He's sure she'll make her displeasure known if that wasn't what she meant.

Properly be-hooded (but more aware than ever of his lack of anything to cover his legs and feet beyond his duckie onesie), he steps back out onto the sidewalk.

[wildmage_daine]

Daine snuggles beneath the hood and watches the world go by. Occasionally, if she spies broken glass or something else unpleasant on the sidewalk, she'll chirp or pat Andrew with one paw to alert him before he steps on it. Once they're in more familiar territory, she'll check for any recently arrived dogs.

[bluesuit_handy]

He almost doesn't understand her warning the first time, but after he realized he was about to put his foot down on a broken bottle, he pays more mind to her when she tries to direct him. It's a little warmer with her against his neck and his hood over his head, but he still thinks longingly of his nice, warm bed -- and his winter coat.

The trip to the park doesn't take too long, and he has to be grateful that this is New York, and people here honestly aren't that phased by weirdos in jimjams.

[wildmage_daine]

Now that she doesn't have to focus so much on where Andrew's putting his feet, she's free to send her magic out into the park, looking for misplaced dogs. There are a few strays, but when she describes Andrew to them (a combination of his smell, his voice, and how he'd look from the ground), none of them recognize him.

When one hopefully asks if Andrew might be looking for a new dog, Daine heaves a little sigh and invites them over. She doesn't think Andrew will take them, but maybe she can do something for them.

She checks her magic, calculating how many changes she has in her before she gets too drained. She could probably manage a couple more. First, she reshapes her mouth again so she can talk to Andrew.

"I can take hawk shape and look for your friend. It'd be quicker."

[bluesuit_handy]

Andrew is indeed not looking for a new dog, though if he knew one was getting hopeful about it he might feel guilty about saying so. At the moment he's not even in a position to do much for himself, let alone take in a stray canine.

"Would you?" he asks hopefully, unaware of any limitations that would stop her from transforming as many times as she likes.

[wildmage_daine]

"Yes." Her hopes aren't particularly high, but the sooner she searches the park, the sooner they can get in out of the cold. "Also, some dogs are going to show up in a minute. Not yours, just strays. Tell 'em to wait." Before she starts her shift, she adds, "Describe your friend again for me?"

She exchanges her mouth for a beak, forgetting to warn him that things are about to get a bit weird in his hood. She'll try not to scratch him with her new talons, at least, and peregrine falcons aren't too much bigger than ermine, really.

[bluesuit_handy]

"...Alright. Friends of yours?" he asks, both tucking away the information that she apparently knows ahead of time when tray dogs are going to show up and wondering just why they're coming.

There's a moment or two when he's not sure why she isn't getting out of his hood, and then things start getting just a bit intense. He squirms as feathers tickle his neck and something sharp scrapes across his skin (though thankfully without breaking it).

[wildmage_daine]

Daine squirms out from under his hood and nods in answer to his earlier question.

To the dogs, still some way off, she suggests they wait by Andrew and try to keep him warm, if he'll let them. One of the incoming dogs feels like a terrier mix; the other is some kind of hunting dog and a bit larger, but they both cheerfully agree to wait with Andrew until she's done searching the park.

Then she looks at Andrew, wondering if he's going to describe his friend again. What was it--tall and blonde? It's a big vague.

[bluesuit_handy]

And dogs! She wasn't kidding. "Hmm?" he asks in return for the look she's giving him. Then, remembering she asked him for a description, "Oh! Ahh...about this tall," he gestures, "floppy blond hair, blue eyes, gray three-piece suit, probably looking for me."

[wildmage_daine]

Daine gives another nod, then launches herself off of his shoulder and takes to the air.

The dogs, for their part, mill around Andrew with their tails wagging for a few minutes. If Andrew moves around, they'll follow him; otherwise they'll sit next to him and lean against his legs.

[bluesuit_handy]

Alright, ow, hawk launching self off shoulder. Remind him to get a falconry glove if she's going to use him as a perch again. He glances at the dogs, still not quite sure what to make of their presence...and wondering if they're giving him fleas.

[wildmage_daine]

Falcons aren't much for soaring, but that's just as well; Daine's in a hurry, and peregrines are fast. She sweeps back and forth across the park, her eyes picking out two-leggers with the traits Andrew listed, but none of them have more than one or two, and none of them are looking particularly confused or lost, as far as she can tell. Most of them aren't even alone.

She covers the park twice, just to be sure, then heads back to the general area where she left Andrew and the dogs.

[bluesuit_handy]

Andrew looks around a bit himself, watching to see if the dogs follow when he moves about -- they do -- but he knows that she's more likely to find James than he is, if James is even here. He sits down after a little while and pulls the smaller dog into his lap, reasoning that he can always get flea powder later and they've already rubbed themselves all over his jimjams anyway.

[wildmage_daine]

Daine swoops in for a landing, lighting on the back of the bench. Even though she's in falcon shape, the dogs are thrilled to see her--something she realizes she should have accounted for when the smaller one enthusiastically lunges for her, knocking her clear off the bench. She lands in an untidy heap just in time for the larger dog to snuffle at her, and she uses the dubious cover to shift into a dog shape, herself. There. Now they're on more even footing.

She allows the dogs to sniff her and tumble about a bit with her before asking them to hold off, and they obey, tails fanning the air. Turning her attention to Andrew, she shakes her head. No luck.

[bluesuit_handy]

What is it with animals launching themselves off him today? Andrew grunts, curling in on himself in a vain attempt to protect a delicate part of his anatomy, the matter of seeing what the dogs and his new friend are up to secondary for the moment.

"Nothing?" he asks, starting to get a bit worried. It's a big city -- but he's got to ope that James is somewhere in it. Otherwise, they're literally planets away from each other, and James -- who, incidentally, is the one with a working spaceship -- won't have any idea where to look.

[wildmage_daine]

Daine hops up onto the bench and shakes her head again before sitting down with a heavy sigh. She's tired, and it's cold, and she wants to go back to the base. Maybe she can coax Andrew into coming with her. She tilts her head at him, as if to ask if he has any ideas.