[video] Adventures in Babysitting

[urbanwonderland]

[Onscreen, a goodish-sized robotic cat with a large-ish egg cradled lovingly in her arms. If Cait seems not to mind the awful wailing noise the egg seems to be making, it's because she doesn't. She's a robot. A robot with what would sound to those familiar with it to be a scottish accent. Long story.]

There now, that's better! We'll have a little chat, an all-mummies chat!

[Cait hugs the egg closer, a wide smile on her face. She seems to have made a little cape for it, to match her own.]

Reeve is busy with some project or other, so since she's too busy to be this little one's mummy, she's entrusted me with the responsibility. But! Having a wee bairn like this isn't only work. No, it's fun! Sure, it cries a bit, but who wouldn't, being shut up in an egg!

But I don't want to be selfish, so I'm going to share with you my patented parenting tips! First! singing. Do lots of this. Don't worry about sounding grand, just sing out, make it up as you go along! Second. Play games! Dress-up, Hide-and-Seek, Peek-a-Boo, and the like! Entertainment is key. Take long walks together in the dark! That sort of thing. Don't roll the little one along though, it doesn't seem to like that much. Caution is key!

So! What do you have to say for yourselves, mummys? Is there anything you can teach me about wee ones? I can learn equally well from success or failure!

...

[Cait has brought up a mirror on the Vine, and it remains up. When Reeve and Sephiroth return from their business elsewhere in the Gardens, it is still up, yet they don't notice it right away.

Once they enter, the egg stops crying in their presence, but they don't turn toward it right away. Sephiroth leans in and kisses Reeve's mouth, no careful nor gentle kiss. But then she breaks away, and turns toward Cait Sith's charge. (It's nice to have a robot babysitter.)]

I don't understand the point of this exercise.

[It takes Reeve a moment to get her breath, and when when she does it takes her another moment to formulate a response. She chuckles warmly, giving the egg a glance before turing her attention back to Sephiroth, who she hasn't seen all day.]

I take it you're referring to our guest and not the kiss? I'd have to agree.

I certainly didn't mean the kiss. I mean yet another pointless, profitless task we're meant to carry out, supposed to teach us a lesson or encourage bonding. I'd say I grew weary of it, but I always have been.

I know, I know. In some ways, some of the more benign events put me in mind of the sort of tasks a child might set. It's hard to find any pattern in such a jumble! At least Cait seems pleased.

It's very childish. As long as Cait enjoys it, at least we can ignore it, for the most part. There are other things I'd rather do.

[With this, she kisses Reeve again.]

...

[[OOC: Feel free to reply to Cait earlier or directly to Sephiroth and Reeve later once they come in. Red text is Cait, green is Sephiroth, and blue is Reeve.]]

Comments

[drinkswithminors]

I'm not taking parenting advice from a toy cat.

Also, you never told me you had a lady friend, Reeve.

[Cait]

[urbanwonderland]

[Cait shakes a clawed-toe at the screen in remonstrance.]

Now, now! Let's not call names, missy. At least not in front of the wee one! I'm no toy. So I'll do you the courtesy of assuming you were mistaken!

[drinkswithminors]

You look like a toy.

[urbanwonderland]

You look like a bit of a pillock, but I guess I'll have to know you better to be sure!

I'll tell you once more, I'm no toy, lassie. I'm a sophisticated robot with artificial intelligence-- at least that's what it says on the label! [Cait gives you an exaggerated wink.]

[urbanwonderland]

[Oh, damn. Pull yourself together, Tuesti.]

Ah! What a-- surprise! Well, yes. We are-- friends. Good friends. Also, ladies!

[drinkswithminors]

"Good friends", huh?

[nohometown]

Hello. [She seems calm enough, but she is slightly annoyed at the Vine, which ordinarily is so obedient to her.]

Reeve and I reside together, yes. We're from the same world. [Alternate versions of it, maybe, but close enough.]

[drinkswithminors]

Tall, amazonian, and absolutely gawjus. I wish I had a roommate like this.

[ofnovalue]

-She's just... going to tactfully ignore the public smooching.-


Such a curious creature...

[Cait]

[urbanwonderland]

Are you curious about me, now? You're pretty curious yourself, lassie!
[Cait gives you a toothy smile.]

[ofnovalue]

Why would one not be curious over a talking cat?

[hopelessdreamer]

[at first she's pretty fascinated because--talking robot cat! She remembers Cait's introduction on the Vine way back when, but she'd been busy at the time...and the egg mystery. She's almost glad she hasn't received one, seeing the fuss everyone else is kicking up.]

[recognizing both Sephiroth and Reeve, she starts to say something, but the kiss stops her. She leans back from the mirror, her face turning bright red. She'd never get used to this place.]

Oh, uh--I had no idea you two were--con...gratulations?

[nohometown]

Hello. [Sephiroth doesn't appear to be embarrassed, but she is a bit annoyed with the violation of her privacy--though she should have noticed the mirror. Cait should be more careful about that.] Congratulations?

I wasn't aware one was ordinarily congratulated on friendships.

[hopelessdreamer]

Friend-- [she looks completely at a loss for a moment, then recovers hastily.]

Oh! I'm, I'm sorry for assuming. That--that was kind of rude, wasn't it?

[cue nervous laughter.]

[urbanwonderland]

[Cue an awkward sort of chuckle from Reeve. It's not that she's embarrassed to be seen kissing, but she can't think of anything she'd enjoy less at the moment than listening to Sephiroth define their relationship. Which is fine, really!]

Oh, Gal-- well, it's nothing new, really! Not that I don't appreciate the spirit of the congratulations. But yes, "friends". With a-- multifaceted relationship.

[hopelessdreamer]

Multi...faceted. Well, to be honest, I've never heard of that before, but there's a first time for everything, right?

[wow she feels like an idiot right now.]

Sorry for interrupting--I was just, um...curious about your fon--your robot.

video;

[jemerite]

Cait.

[Her adoration is apparent.]

Who do you have there?

Re: video;

[urbanwonderland]

Hello, little lassie who lives down the lane, all on her own!
[As they are acquainted, Cait gives Zinc a charming smile, full of pointy teeth.]

It's a lucky egg, of course-- with a wee whatever in it!
And do you have one, too?

Re: video;

[jemerite]

I am bigger, and older, than you.

[So there, Cait. She is hardly a little lassie. She's been dead longer than you've been constructed.]

I have an egg. Christine, I named her.

[phobophage]

[She's going to just ignore the egg. Just more of the Garden's ridiculousness, and one she was fortunate to not have befall her. It looked like it'd be annoying.

Instead, all of her attention's fixated onto Cait. She doesn't say anything, just watches silently and intently until the other two finally show up on the screen. It's then that she finally speaks up.]

That's better work than I've been able to manage.

[Cait]

[urbanwonderland]

[Though the speaker is plainly addressing her creator, Cait takes it upon herself to answer. She's not shy.]

Why, that's a great compliment, and I thank you! I am fine work, if I do say so myself.

Now, just what are you trying to manage, lass?

So rude, Dee

[phobophage]

I was trying to talk to your creator.

[She decides she might as well talk to Cait, though.] What can you tell me about yourself?

[thedexorcist]

[There is a lot to process here, so Dex is just going to focus on what immediately jumps out and go from there.]

I'm not sure if it's weirder that you're a cat, or that you have a Scottish accent. I'm really not.

[urbanwonderland]

What's "scottish", now? You wouldn't be making fun of Cait, would you? You look to be a weird one yourself!

My creator gave me my fine accent! It's from some little place or other she used to call home before she built the big city and moved into it.

[thedexorcist]

One, Scottish is a nationality. Two, I wouldn't dare. And three, watch the mouth, whiskers.

So I take it you're not from Earth.