Morning, Aftermath of Revival/January Event.

[velesdonnersen]

[Tarvek dozes beside Ilsa, on the sofa bed in the home office. She's back, and there's little that makes him even one tenth so happy... The blankets are piled high, pillows are tucked around them, and he can lie half-dozing, watching her through the veil of half-lowered lashes.]

Mmmmmmmm.

Comments

[ooeeooahah]

[ Ilsa is laughing enough she doesn't offer to take over driving. ]

[velesdonnersen]

[Just when Tarvek's starting to recover and get his breath back, Florian decides he's bored, and starts to "dance and hum" to himself to keep himself interested. Tarvek starts to giggle again.]

I should have named him "Fred Astaire." If I'd only known...

[ooeeooahah]

Come on, let's go - you can see if they have tap shoes at the pet store.

[velesdonnersen]

[He managed to settle down, and pulls away from the curb. Soon he's parking in front of the pet store.]

Ok, got any ideas about a good color for a wooly maximimmoth?

[ooeeooahah]

I'd worry about fit, first.

[ She gets out of the car, and pulls Florin into her arms, carrying him into the pet store. ]

[velesdonnersen]

[He follows as she heads unerringly for the harnesses and leashes. But he does note various toys and supplies as he goes by. There's a hooded wicker pet bed that has him already reaching for his wallet.]

So, advise me, oh Sophia.

[ooeeooahah]

[ She's put Florian on the floor, and looked him straight in the eye, ]

Now you stay here with us, understand?

[ then she straightens up and starts looking through the larger dog harnesses. ]

We want something that is comfortable enough that he doesn't want it off immediately. That way he doesn't fight it so much.

[velesdonnersen]

[He finds a nice, "manly" no fuss leather harness with several adaptable buckles.]

This, maybe? With that expensive looking round-plaited leash to go with it?

[It looks like horse harness, and he's feeling a bit homesick for the world where horses are at least part of daily life...and a Prince is expected to know how to look good on a well-trained dressage mount.]

[ooeeooahah]

Hmm... possible.

[ Ignoring the drone clerk, who is babbling on about the wrong harness for a spaniel, she sets about fastening the buckles. ]

Seems to fit. Shake all over, Florian!

[ Ilsa shimmies her shoulders as demonstration. ]

[velesdonnersen]

[Florian looks totally bewildered, and a bit uncomfortable. Tarvek laughs.]

No, he won't get that. But this?

[He chuckles and begins stamping his feet, rhythmically.]

Dance, Florian. Dance!

[The mimmoth's eyes light up with understanding, and he squeals and begins to "dance," stamping all four feet and flapping his ears. He's almost prancing.]

Good boy!

[Tarvek squats easily, and hugs the little goof.]

There. Did that do what you need?

[He lets go of his pet so that Ilsa can check the harness.]

[ooeeooahah]

[ The harness seems to be in place, still. ]

I can't see anyplace it shifted too much, and it doesn't seem to bother him too much. It might jingle a bit once we get his tags on it, unless you think he might like a collar?

[velesdonnersen]

No. Maximimmoths aren't all that well designed for collars. Next to no neck, and the collar slips over their heads too easily. Then it either gets tangled in their tusks or gets turned into a play-toy.

So, that's good. What else do you think we should get him. I was thinking of the basket bed: it gives him someplace to go when we decide to chase him out of bed.

Any other ideas?

[ooeeooahah]

Tags, at least one to identify where he belongs, and you picked out a lead there already... and you might want to invest in a good-sized crate for him. Something he can drag his toys and blankets into? At least that's what the hounds at home liked. A place for him to den up, as it were?

[velesdonnersen]

[Ooops. That comment has him free associating into Spark Mode.]

Nnnnnnooooooo. A cave. I must *make him a cave.* He will be a Cave Maximimmoth.

[Sparking more madly...]

Stalactites. Stalagmites. Little tiny cave bears for him to beat up. Yessssssss. I can make it work....

Plaster. Lathe. Paint. I have the technology. I can build it...

[ooeeooahah]

[ She sighs, and grips his chin lightly to focus on his eyes. ]

Not. Here.

[ Her eyes flash slightly. ]

Notes for later, but not In Town.

[velesdonnersen]

[Awwww. He comes down. For now.]

All right. (sigh)

Toys? What toys should he have? Something to tug, that's for sure: he loves grabbing things with his trunk and pulling.

[ooeeooahah]

I can tell you from experience - squeaky toys are startling when you step on them at 0300.

But a ball or two would be good. One for outside, one for inside, at least. We can build some more tug toys.

[velesdonnersen]

Balls. Yes. And...

Ilsa, would there be places with safe blocks and wagons and pull toys? Mimmothy creatures like piling, and building, and dragging and pulling: it's the trunk-thing. They're bright, curious, and like to fiddle around almost as much as a spark does.

[ooeeooahah]

[ She lowers her voice, eyes darting to Catherine. ]

Toy store, if you dare it with the kids here.

[velesdonnersen]

[Even with drone kids, he's a bit of a softy.]

The toy store it is. Catherine, Perry, want to help pick *safe* toys for Florian? Remember, if they're not safe he can't have them.

That means you'll ahve to teach him not to take any of your toys that aren't safe, too.

[ooeeooahah]

[ Ilsa clips the lead to Florian's harness. ]

After we check out here, it's just a few stores down.

[ She scratches Florian behind the ears. ]

We'll wait outside for that part of the trip.

[velesdonnersen]

[He nods and soon he's back with the kids, and several LARGE bags and boxes. The kids are radiant and giggling, and Perry is zooming a toy airplane around by hand. Vrrrrrrroooooom! Tarvek loads everyone up, and slips into the front seat.]

[Sotto voce]

Bet you didn't just play with baby-dolls when you were a kid.

[ooeeooahah]

Tch, not often. I had cooking tools and throwing toys from the beginning. Nadine had the dolls, mainly as models.

[velesdonnersen]

[Slightly sad.]

One of the things I miss about Europa is the lack of many women outside the traditional home-roles here in Mayfield. We may have once thought only the man could pull the knife-switch or inherit the empire, but we always were open to female sub-sparks, minions, spies, and so on. And we've come a long way since then, in part thanks to Wulfenbach. Whose bones may burn green, but whose heart is sometimes in the right place.

[ooeeooahah]

[ She sighs. ] Part of the problem is that no matter what I do, the girl drones are just not interested in anything outside the programming.

[ She nods towards the hardware store. ]

I could use some 10d nails, 20d if they have them.