005: Crazy Cat Lady (Video/Text; un: ushiromiya_eva)

[onesurvived]

[In what was perhaps a surprisingly wholesome video feed coming from someone like Eva, the video begins in one of the spare rooms of her Apartment- one that was filled with numerous cat trees and toys, with plenty of little hideaways and cat beds. No expense had been spared, here!

And the footage begins with her void cat doing zoomies from one light source to another across the different cat-trees, whilst a young Octocat tried to playfully swat at it with its long tentacles.

Meanwhile, a Meowscarada was casually lurking around in the background, summoning flurries of glowing leaves to strike out at some old logs that had been set out for it- and to occasionally tease the other two.

All whilst a couple of small ghost kittens were stretched out for a nap, taking up an impressively large amount of the sofa.

Evidently, one of the spare rooms in her Apartment was now very much the cats' bedroom.

The video is subtitled with; ]

I swear I am not turning into a crazy cat lady.

Comments

Text; un: russell

[guilt_trip]

Are you sure? That’s a lot…

[Kantera would love this.]

Text

[onesurvived]

The ghost kittens were definitely not my fault. They followed me home.

So it doesn't count, right??

[Who are you trying to convince, Eva?]

[guilt_trip]

It counts.
But it’s okay if it counts.
Animals are nice.

Most of these are really unusual looking.
Are they native to Ellipsa?

Please excuse my lateness

[onesurvived]

They are nice. Nothing like some good, quiet company, right?

Most of them are, yes. Other than my Meowscarada- the green one- back there, all of them are native to this realm. The creatures here really are something else, aren't they?

un:happyaround

[roundandaround]

Why not? They're so cute!

Text

[onesurvived]

Aren't they? I wasn't planning to take in this many, it just sort of happened.

[roundandaround]

Maybe it's that thing the internet talks about! Cat distribution system! Where you aren't gonna go get a cat, but then they come to you!

Please excuse my lateness

[onesurvived]

Cat distribution system? That's a good way to put it.

Sounds as if you're talking from experience there.

[roundandaround]

Not personally, but I did see the memes. I guess they wouldn't have happened in the 80s.

[onesurvived]

Guessing you're from further in the future than I am, then? It's 1986 for me.

[Well, even back when she was a child, she'd heard stories of people finding cats and taking them in.]

Do you have any pets here?

[roundandaround]

[True, they just didn't have internet memes.]

Yeah! My lizard, Leon! Isn't he the cutest?

[Attached: multiple photos of a chill and disaffected chameleon wandering around in a large enclosure.]

I also have two Pokémon, I just don't know if they count as pets or not.

[onesurvived]

He is cute! It looks like you're taking good care of him.

That's a good question. I assumed they were pets, but they're more intelligent than the others, right? What are yours like?

[roundandaround]

They're really cute! Mecchan is shy and nervous, and he cries when he's scared, but he's gotten braver so he's not scared of everything now. He did cry in the SEAKEA haunted house and made all the ghosts cry too, though... And Hina-chan's really curious and friendly! Except she bites. We're working on it. She doesn't do it as much these days.

[onesurvived]

Do they get along with each other, or do they fight? The way you talk about them really does sound like you're talking about your kids.

Then again, that's probably how I sound talking about all my cats, right?

[roundandaround]

No, they don't fight a lot! Though sometimes Mecchan tries to keep Hina-chan from flying into or eating stuff she shouldn't.

That's because you really care about your cats, and that's important! That's what I think.

[onesurvived]

It's rare siblings don't bully each other, so it's good they're the exception. Then again, maybe pets are more compatible than human siblings are.

[Less said on her relationship with her own siblings, the better.

...It still felt strange, admitting how much she cared for the little creatures in her care. Not for any fault of their's, but because admitting she cared for something was exposing something vulnerable about herself, wasn't it?]

I do spoil them, honestly. They get away with far too much.

But... yes, I do care about them. It's nice having their company about the place, you know?

[roundandaround]

[Oh, that's right... Eva would probably be feeling poorly about that. Rinku shakes it off to think of something happier.]

Yeah! And it's way better than being lonely. It's cool that your cats are all different kinds, too!

[onesurvived]

It is. And really, I'm surprised just how different all of the different cats are in this place. Most of the ones back home were all pretty similar when you got down to it, you know?

[roundandaround]

I guess so! I mean there's all different cat breeds, but between normal cats and all the magic cats, there are huge differences! I almost brought home a jelly cat once, but maybe it's good I didn't, Solarpeak might be bad for them, huh?

video; un: jean

[rustyhonesty]

You sure? It's starting to dangerously look like it.

[Don't leave such easy chances for teasing.]

Video

[onesurvived]

I'm absolutely sure! Besides, I doubt you'd turn them away either.

[She'll let him get away with teasing, at least! She'd return the favour soon enough.

In the meantime, she scooped up the Octocat, letting it wrap it's tentacles around her arm. Don't mind it smooshing it's face right into the camera.]

[rustyhonesty]

[Well hello there, Octocat. Nice close view.]

I mean, we have a lot of pets, so that's a given.

[onesurvived]

Oh? You have to tell me about them- hey, stop trying to steal the camera already.

[He's basically getting one of those 'Octopus steals camera' style videos right now-]

[rustyhonesty]

[Goodbye, camera.]

Uh... we have two dogs, a pegasus puppy, a cat, a voidcat, a jellycat... and one of those Otters that were at the party in June.

un: sasha

[potatogirl]

they’re all so cute! I’d turn crazy too.

Text

[onesurvived]

Thank you. I didn't mean to take in this many, but they make for good company don't you think?

Do you have any pets here?

[Not a username she recognised, but she was more than happy to chat.]

[potatogirl]

I have a jellocat and a ... sort of a dog! I don't think I'd mind having more either!

Please excuse my lateness

[onesurvived]

A 'sort of' dog?

[Jellocat also sounded intriguing...]

[potatogirl]

yeah! It’s also kind of looks like bread.

[onesurvived]

It sounds cute. You know you're going to have to show me a picture now, right?

[Pet tax.]

[potatogirl]

Oh! Sure! I can do that!

jpeg

[onesurvived]

You weren't joking when you said it looked like bread, especially those ears.

[potatogirl]

Yeah! It's a shock he's not actually food, right!

Text; un: shoto

[itsmypower]

Is "cat lady" something to be ashamed of?

[Seems nice!]

Text

[onesurvived]

[This was Hijikata's kid...she recognised that name.]

Some people would say so.

The type who'd use it as an insult for older women, who surround themselves with cats instead of having family around.

[It wasn't like anyone else from her world had ever been brought here, even before she thought about what happened at home-]

[itsmypower]

[And he'll wholly defend her too.]

What if the cats are family? It's not that different.

[Says the cat lover; newly minted, found-family advocate.]

Please excuse my lateness

[onesurvived]

It's definitely different. But it's not as lonely, having quiet company like this, you know?

[Were her cats family? She wasn't sure she could say for sure- it was different to when she lived with her husband and son. All the same, she couldn't deny caring for them.]

And they're important to me.

[Video; UN: gentlebreeze]

[gentledawn]

[His laughter is unmistakable. How adorable! If given a chance, Xingchen might turn into a cat ladyman himself.]

There is nothing crazy about taking in those who need a home. Will you play a game with them for me?

Video

[onesurvived]

My thoughts exactly. Stepping up and taking them when they have nowhere else to go should be the simple option, right?

[Somehow, she felt a little sting in her chest, all the same- thinking about what awaited her when she returned home.

But for now, she turned the camera to the... extensive pile of cat toys.]

But sure, that's fine with me. Did you have something in particular in mind?

Video

[gentledawn]

The option is simple, but you must put in a lot of work to keep them happy and healthy.

[Thus why he bows to her. He hopes she isn't exhausting herself!

Ah, so many toys! His eyes brighten and he tilts his head, trying to determine their various shapes.]

Do you have anything with feathers on it?

Please excuse my lateness

[onesurvived]

Only the best for them, of course. Honestly, I spoil them.

Now let's see here...

[The ache made way for a fondness in her voice. Maybe she really was becoming a crazy cat lady!

Feathers, feathers... she picked out a light-coloured wand with feathers on the end, before propping up her device. Almost immediately, her little void cat started to pay attention, rushing around Eva's legs.]

Someone's excitable~ Keke~

[There we go- just taking a seat on the floor and wiggling the wand near it. The cat watched it very intently, waiting for just the right moment to pounce!]