Friday January 3, 2014, Sidra, The Estate
Thursday started with Momoko making a phone call to France... well, the France in her world.
"Momoko-chan," Miyako's voice was amused and gently chiding, as was her usual way. "I only just got the coat. I haven't had a chance to do anything with it. It does take time, you know."
Momoko laughed. "No no. That's fine. That's not why I called… how are the measurements, though. Were they okay?"
There was a sigh on the other end. "Well, I don't know how you expect me to fashion a coat when there's no chest measurement, but other than that they look fine. These are the same person, yes, Momoko-chan? I mean, this is a very large coat for someone of these measurements to wear."
Momoko made a face. "He… well. His powers were taken away and then he got them back, so he kind of changed size? And… has a big hole in his chest because of it."
"Ah." Momoko sighed in relief as Miyako seemed to understand. Which made total sense, since Miyako was dating someone who changed into a giant lion-shaped monster. "Well, I'll do what I can. I must admit that the coat and your photos did inspire me. I have a few sketches, just no actual work done."
"So if that's not why you called…?"
"Ah." Momoko scratched her cheek. "Well, actually. It is to ask another favour but it's totally weird… How would you like to join me on a little tiny hero mission, here in this world?"
There was a pause. A confused pause. "Eh?"
Momoko had to giggle. Just had to. That was totally not a typical Miyako response; she was normally so formal and correct!
"I need someone who can speak 'dog,' and you're the only one I know. Please say yes? I'll pay for a round trip portal; you'll be back home before you even know it."
"Of course I'll be more than happy to help, but… Why would you need to speak dog, Momoko-chan, to be a hero?"
Momoko's face fell. "Honestly, Miyako, I'm not sure if I can do this one by myself…"
"Momoko-chan? What's going on?"
Momoko sighed. "There's a house on my way home from the bus to the grocery store. A few days ago, I was late coming home and I heard a howling coming from the back yard. When I looked, there was a dog in the yard..."
She'd passed the house multiple times since, she explained, and not once had Momoko seen any sign the poor dog was being tended. No water bowl, no food. No toys scattered around, and it was tied to a tree by a rope so short Momoko wasn't sure it could get to the ricketty box that was the only possible shelter in the yard. The poor dog had such big sad eyes! And it had an awfully thick and mangy coat, especially considering the Texan weather...
"..." Miyako's silence was telling to Momoko, who'd known her for so long.
"I'm going in tonight to rescue it. I was hoping you could help, could come along and explain that I'm trying to help?"
"Send the portal, Momoko-chan. I can't stay more than the night, but I'll definitely assist."
And so it was that Thursday night Blossom and Bubbles landed quietly in the yard of a house in El Paso. Bubbles explained to the dog that they were going to free her and take her away. There was some resistance, Blossom was bitten twice while she worked on the rope that not only tied the dog to the tree in the yard, but that had grown into her neck, but Bubbles at least was trusted.
When they arrived back at Momoko's apartment, they set the poor dog up on a pile of blankets and towels in a corner of Momoko's kitchen. Momoko set up a bowl of food and water, well away from Moshi's feeding area, but there was still a small skirmish. Miyako had to have a stern conversation with the cat about sharing, or at least that what she said she was doing. All Momoko saw was a lot of staring and ear moving. Miyako actually had an angry look on her face at one point, but a tail twitch and a lick of his ruff apparently signaled the cat's agreement and the blond girl nodded in approval, her face returning to the usual soft smile she wore.
"Can you teach me that?" Momoko was almost teasing as she handed her friend a cup of tea and led the way to the futon.
"I don't even really know how I can speak animal, Momoko-chan," Miyako smiled. "It only happened once we got our powers."
"Still, it's totally useful. Thanks for coming to help; it would have been much harder without you."
Miyako nodded, looking into her cup. "Momoko-chan, this wasn't the poor creature's first home. She was brought here only recently, to guard the yard, she says. She came from a house full of dogs and puppies. A /puppy mill/ I think it's called in English? She was abused there and then it continued here. And it sounds like there is illegal activity happening there. She talked mostly about being hit with things when she made noises or tried to investigate, but there were always strange people around- and no people lived there. They came and talked and then left... And she says that there are more animals inside."
That didn't sound quite normal, but Momoko still couldn't put it firmly into the 'crime' category. She frowned, pinching her cheek as she considered it. "I've never noticed anything around there. Nothing weird seems to be going on. More animals?" They were going to have to go back.
"She doesn't know what kind, except that they aren't cats or dogs or rats; she knows those by smell."
Momoko set her tea down and reached for her phone. A few minutes of pleading and Momoko had convinced Jaime to wake up and make a visit “just to make a quick scan of the house in case of illegal activity"!
Early Friday morning, Miyako returned to France, the Blue Beetle was leading local police and Wildlife agents to the location of a group illegally trafficking in rare and exotic animals...
And Momoko had gotten a last minute change to her Portalocity agenda, so instead of being in Bordertown early for once, she was alternately tugging and carrying a very reluctant and growly dog through the halls of the Estate at Sidra looking for a particular someone.
...
Oh Raaaaaven? Would you happen to know anyone living in a biiiiiig house in a cold climate who would be able to love a poor young abused female dog who's been recently liberated from the backyard of an abusive owner and needs lots of healing emotionally as well as physically?
[For trigons-child please!]
"Momoko-chan," Miyako's voice was amused and gently chiding, as was her usual way. "I only just got the coat. I haven't had a chance to do anything with it. It does take time, you know."
Momoko laughed. "No no. That's fine. That's not why I called… how are the measurements, though. Were they okay?"
There was a sigh on the other end. "Well, I don't know how you expect me to fashion a coat when there's no chest measurement, but other than that they look fine. These are the same person, yes, Momoko-chan? I mean, this is a very large coat for someone of these measurements to wear."
Momoko made a face. "He… well. His powers were taken away and then he got them back, so he kind of changed size? And… has a big hole in his chest because of it."
"Ah." Momoko sighed in relief as Miyako seemed to understand. Which made total sense, since Miyako was dating someone who changed into a giant lion-shaped monster. "Well, I'll do what I can. I must admit that the coat and your photos did inspire me. I have a few sketches, just no actual work done."
"So if that's not why you called…?"
"Ah." Momoko scratched her cheek. "Well, actually. It is to ask another favour but it's totally weird… How would you like to join me on a little tiny hero mission, here in this world?"
There was a pause. A confused pause. "Eh?"
Momoko had to giggle. Just had to. That was totally not a typical Miyako response; she was normally so formal and correct!
"I need someone who can speak 'dog,' and you're the only one I know. Please say yes? I'll pay for a round trip portal; you'll be back home before you even know it."
"Of course I'll be more than happy to help, but… Why would you need to speak dog, Momoko-chan, to be a hero?"
Momoko's face fell. "Honestly, Miyako, I'm not sure if I can do this one by myself…"
"Momoko-chan? What's going on?"
Momoko sighed. "There's a house on my way home from the bus to the grocery store. A few days ago, I was late coming home and I heard a howling coming from the back yard. When I looked, there was a dog in the yard..."
She'd passed the house multiple times since, she explained, and not once had Momoko seen any sign the poor dog was being tended. No water bowl, no food. No toys scattered around, and it was tied to a tree by a rope so short Momoko wasn't sure it could get to the ricketty box that was the only possible shelter in the yard. The poor dog had such big sad eyes! And it had an awfully thick and mangy coat, especially considering the Texan weather...
"..." Miyako's silence was telling to Momoko, who'd known her for so long.
"I'm going in tonight to rescue it. I was hoping you could help, could come along and explain that I'm trying to help?"
"Send the portal, Momoko-chan. I can't stay more than the night, but I'll definitely assist."
And so it was that Thursday night Blossom and Bubbles landed quietly in the yard of a house in El Paso. Bubbles explained to the dog that they were going to free her and take her away. There was some resistance, Blossom was bitten twice while she worked on the rope that not only tied the dog to the tree in the yard, but that had grown into her neck, but Bubbles at least was trusted.
When they arrived back at Momoko's apartment, they set the poor dog up on a pile of blankets and towels in a corner of Momoko's kitchen. Momoko set up a bowl of food and water, well away from Moshi's feeding area, but there was still a small skirmish. Miyako had to have a stern conversation with the cat about sharing, or at least that what she said she was doing. All Momoko saw was a lot of staring and ear moving. Miyako actually had an angry look on her face at one point, but a tail twitch and a lick of his ruff apparently signaled the cat's agreement and the blond girl nodded in approval, her face returning to the usual soft smile she wore.
"Can you teach me that?" Momoko was almost teasing as she handed her friend a cup of tea and led the way to the futon.
"I don't even really know how I can speak animal, Momoko-chan," Miyako smiled. "It only happened once we got our powers."
"Still, it's totally useful. Thanks for coming to help; it would have been much harder without you."
Miyako nodded, looking into her cup. "Momoko-chan, this wasn't the poor creature's first home. She was brought here only recently, to guard the yard, she says. She came from a house full of dogs and puppies. A /puppy mill/ I think it's called in English? She was abused there and then it continued here. And it sounds like there is illegal activity happening there. She talked mostly about being hit with things when she made noises or tried to investigate, but there were always strange people around- and no people lived there. They came and talked and then left... And she says that there are more animals inside."
That didn't sound quite normal, but Momoko still couldn't put it firmly into the 'crime' category. She frowned, pinching her cheek as she considered it. "I've never noticed anything around there. Nothing weird seems to be going on. More animals?" They were going to have to go back.
"She doesn't know what kind, except that they aren't cats or dogs or rats; she knows those by smell."
Momoko set her tea down and reached for her phone. A few minutes of pleading and Momoko had convinced Jaime to wake up and make a visit “just to make a quick scan of the house in case of illegal activity"!
Early Friday morning, Miyako returned to France, the Blue Beetle was leading local police and Wildlife agents to the location of a group illegally trafficking in rare and exotic animals...
And Momoko had gotten a last minute change to her Portalocity agenda, so instead of being in Bordertown early for once, she was alternately tugging and carrying a very reluctant and growly dog through the halls of the Estate at Sidra looking for a particular someone.
...
Oh Raaaaaven? Would you happen to know anyone living in a biiiiiig house in a cold climate who would be able to love a poor young abused female dog who's been recently liberated from the backyard of an abusive owner and needs lots of healing emotionally as well as physically?
[For trigons-child please!]