Good times and a green suit.

[enkashi]

So help Boots, a vine-green suit.

She'd found it at the thrift store, in nearly mint condition and in her size. It'd even been owned by an avian... so the wings were considered in the tailoring. It was bright green, had darker green stripes down the legs, and had a certain sort of swingster cut that she found terribly appealing.

The fifteen bucks it cost her was each and every penny well-spent. The damn thing was MADE for her!

This was what she was wearing as she walked home from the market that day, her green-flowered backpack slung over both shoulders, filled to the brim. Times were good, and her pack was especially full... of whatever it is she'd set out that day to collect.

Boots Marie'fyr lived now in the Goldenbrick Boarding House, in west lucent, and times were good now for the young junkmistress, just recently stepped up from her role as a journeyman. The move to West and this bright green suit had been the peak act of her good fortune - her skilled hands had earned her a fat, reliable wad of cash for fixing rich peoples' devices for less than the other guy. She worked six or so hours a day, four or five days a week, and made the kind of wages a union worker could envy, charging half what the other guy did while doing it better.

Every last bit of her wages went to paying rent, getting the same sorts of food she ate in east lucent, and parts. Oh goodness, the parts she could afford now. Every day, her backpack was full to the brim of parts she could actually use, from junkyards, used stores, and in some cases, when she couldnt find a part she really wanted to look at or a device she was curious about, she'd just buy it. After all that, she was always broke.. and terribly happy.

So there it stood... the vivid hybrid walked home, wearing a radioactive green zuit-suit, wearing a huge, heavy backpack full to bursting with junk, a sight for the street.

[Raron]

Tarsus was not there... for the given value of not there.
It was a trick he had cultivated over the years. There was nothing supernatural about it. All you did was find a handy wall, this was handy for leaning against, and stay still. People looked at movement, you go still enough in mind and body and their eyes would just naturally over look you. He called it 'the Stillness'. It worked suprisingly well considering his build. He supposed if he looked plainer it would work even better but oh well.
His eyes were the only part of his body moving as he surveyed the streets, watching the going ons. There was no real reason for it. You had to practice skills or you would begin to lose them. The Stillness was one that got easier as he got older. His body had an easier time staying still the older he got. He supposed it was practicing for when it would stop moving and stay stopped.
He supposed he would be able to rest then without neighbors asking him to wake up every Sunday and climb to the roof to worship the Gates.
He was doing pretty good until he saw Boots. Boots in a bright green suit. Boots skipping along in a radioactive green zuit suit. Of all the things to wear. He shook his head breaking the spell after she pasted. He just had to talk to her. He just had to ask. There was no part of him that could not pad down and ask what she thought she was wearing.
He walked after her, furre's shying away from the mammoth dinosaur. He walked with suprising quiet as he came behind his young friend.
"Well, on the plus side I suppose I won't have to worry someone not seeing you and flattening you with a hovercar when you boarding"
He frowned firmly at her for a second before a smile split his lips. He had to admit... it fit her well. He could not help it. He began to chuckle.

[enkashi]

Boots turned to look to Tarsus, blinking a couple times at him as her brain caught up with her, staring at him for a moment or two, before without another moment's hesitation pouncing him and clinging to the giant of a man with her arms and legs.

"WAaaah! Tarsus!" she cried! She'd not seen her friend since she'd left eastern Lucent, and it was excellent to see the man once more. What was more, he looked healthy, and was very, very warm. This pleased the boots.

The hybrid let go of him, and let her feet touch the ground again, her fancy (but very, very fake) green leather boots clicing on the ground. No wide-brimmed, green-striped hat could hide the huge smile on her face.

"You like it? Saw it and I just could NOT resist it." she chirped, holding her arms out to her sides, and gave him a little spin to see, her tail, her longer hair, the mane running down her body, flowing in the circular motion before she again faced him, her soft hair spilling everywhere on her shoulders and back. For once, she was clean, well groomed and taken care of.

[Raron]

Tarsus smiled happily. For the longest time his little friend had been through rough times. He supposed he could have given her money but that would not have been right. She was stubborn, she would want to make it on her own and it looked like she had. She looked healthier, happier, and it looked like she was getting the money her creativity was due. She was the most talented Junkmistress he had dealt with for a while. When it had come time to choose between her and her mentor it had been no dilemma. True her mentor was a childhood friend but he understood. He understood the Tarsus could not afford to have less then the best by his side. True he could just by guns. But that homemade touch made them better, more reliable. He liked to buy guns where he could look the maker in the eye, shake their hands, look around their shops, see the steel they used.... and if something went wrong he could come and "Chat" with them. Like with her mentor that was not something that he worried about happening. He trusted her completely and that was a rare coin nowadays. Everywhere he turned people were not what they seemed, who they pretended to be. It seemed to get worse as he got older, as more and more old friends were buried, cremated, or never seen again. The city was going to Hell in a handbasket but things like this moment was why he kept going. His friend was happy, that was good enough for him.
"Looks good on you. Though I am a bit miffed, why didn't you call me. I could have helped you move."
His smile faded a bit and then he shook his head.
"Never mind, just being big brother again. I am not here to tell you how to run your life. But I want you to tell me about it. So spill."
He reached down and poked her in the belly.

[Rook]

Ivan's box flower garden was in shambles, as were his hands, he looked down mournfully at his pert paws which were now scuffed with tiny cuts and bruises. Last time I do yard work with potentially carnivorous marigolds. Well, the box had said marigolds but the cheetah suspected that that cheeky gardener had been leading him on.Just because I look like I have money now. Too poor and too rich, never enough for any'furre. He was a bitter kitty, but at least he still had his dignity.

The flowers looked innocent to them as they bathed in the sun, but if one were to try to touch those delicate looking petals or uproot those tender green shoots they'd find a nasty surprise, as quick and as painful as a wild animal's.

He at least was able to water them without invoking their wrath, the fur was warm on his golden, spotted fur and he blinked his hard clear blue eyes with an uncharacteristic heavy lidded-ness.

As he did this, very nearby, perhaps only a few feet from the railing of his apartment porch a hybrid and what looked like a dinosaur or perhaps some sort of warped crocodile talked amongst themselves, they seemed oddly exuberant to him, oddly interesting.

It wasn't as if he never saw a variety of people at Goldenbrick, there were quite a lot but there was something about these two...he couldn't help but eavesdrop, perhaps it was a bad habit he'd picked up from being in the food business for so long.

Not anymore. he thought with a smile After my second paycheck comes in, I'm out of this place. For good.

It wasn't as if the apartments were bad, no, they were good, but they weren't up to his standards anymore. He was reborn, rich powerful and with dangerous allies.

And yet he had to resort to listening to two old friends reuniting, as if they were doing something wrong by being happy.

How pathetic am I? he thought, turning away from them and hoping he hadn't been noticed.

[enkashi]

Boots squeaked as her tummy was poked by that big, meaty finger, and let her tail sway a little as she listened to her old friend question her like he was twenty... okay, maybe thirty years younger, but still.

"Well, I *called* but you were off fixing stuff, mister." she grinned at him, and poked back, leaning over the man somehow, despite that she was half his size, prodding his chest with her finger.

"Hee..." she leaned back again comfortably, and ran a finger across the rim of her hat. "Making all kinds of interesting things these days, you should drop by my - oh hold on, we're already here, aren't we?" It would probably start to dawn on Ivan that this was his neighbor, you know, the one laughing maniacally at all hours of the night, the one whose room occasionally seems to explode in the middle of the night, the very one who up until recently dressed like a beggar but paid for an apartment there in full each month. You know, the random, crazy person.

"I just got some supplies... I'd be happy to whip up some pizza for us, if you wanna come on up? Been perfecting a pretty tasty recipe lately, and I got some good coffee up there!" she took his hand, inviting him to her room. Every time she moved, he got to see her apartment, it was like... a tradition... and she made some pretty badass pizza.

Then... as she turned, she noticed her neighbor, and tugged Tarsus's hand gently to get him to fall behind her in tow.

"Howdy neighbor!" Boots chirped cheerfully, and leaned on his fence a bit, the hybrid's tail wagging a bit, side to side. "Cmon and join us, I haven't ever gotten to know you, and thats just not right, with us as neighbors and all!" Gods she was a friendly creature, full to the brim with life and love for it. She wasn't crazy, everyone else was!

[Raron]

Tarsus shook his head and chuckled as he was "dragged" along behind Boots, her enthusiasm was contagious. He privately believes she could gather an army by going up to random people and telling them how much fun it would be. Enthusiasm like that could be dangerous but like most with that kind of energy she didn't seem to know she had it. When she started shouting towards he neighbor he looked up and studied the furre for a brief moment. His piercing eyes looking him up and down. His instincts told him the cheetah wasn't an immediate threat and that seemed good enough. His smile returned full force and he waved invitingly. He liked meeting people, besides he wanted to meet some of Boots's neighbors, get a feel for the area.
He knew that Boots could take care of herself but sometimes she was a bit on the naive side. It was something he liked about her. She seemed to try to see the best in people while he just tried to see who they were. In all he reckoned she was a better person then him but the universe needed it's utter bastards as well as it's saints.

[Rook]

Ivan almost fell flat on his face as he jumped back his head snapping around in a moment odf panicked confusion as the...exuberant young lady stuck her head right over his fence and into his face. No one who is yellow and has spots should assume that others can't see them he thought sourly, one whiskers twitching as he tried to un-fluff the end of his tail.

West Lucent was a hospitable place, at least in this part of town, he had no idea why he should be so suprised that his neighbor wanted to meet him, but he was startled. However he quickly reasoned with himself I'm used to coming home at 3 A.M, other people obviously don't do that every day. And neither will I from now on.

For a moment he just stared at her and then he blinked and his mind turned Auto Pilot, before he knew it he was offering his long fingered hand, though he still looked a bit startled. "Ivan Delaney".

A few seconds later a nervous smile flickered and the came to rest on his features. He could feel Tarsus's eyes on him, but he took no notice, he assumed the dinosaur was just being protective of his enthusiastic lady friend. However....

Don't look. Wait until he introduces himself, then you can get a better look at him.

[enkashi]

"Well, Come along quietly, mister Delaney - I has pizza fixings and I knows how to use them, chief." she chirped, and gave Ivan a playful wink, the impish hybrid doing a little flourish of a twirl with her long hair dangling from the back of her bright, cheerful green-with-black-stripes hat.

She faced Tarsus then, a couple of his fingers wrapped in her tiny-by-comparison hands, and grinned at him like she had an evil plot in her head, though it was extremely unlikely she had a manipulative bone in her body. "Tarsus, this is Ivan Delaney!" she chirped, and spun again to face the confused creature that had been at war with his landscaping.

"Mister Ivan, this is Tarsus!" she finished the introduction, motioning between the two with one of her stunted wings.

[Raron]

Tarsus had to fight to laugh when he saw how startled Boots had made the poor furre and he rolled his eyes at the unusual introduction but smiled anyways. She was sweet when she thought she was being sneaky. She seemed to love making friends and making her friends into friends. He understood why even if he himself wasn't good at it. He made few friends but had alot of allies. Boots was good at making friends, lifelong ones to... well... boot.
Finally after a moment of letting the cheetah contemplate the introduction he game a half hearted salute with his free hand.
"Name's Tarsus Ridge, now that everyone has been introduced let's go eat. She means it. She will make you come if she has to. Trust me on this."
He peered at the furre for a bit. Not hostile peering, just noticing details. He looked at the hands pointedly.
"While we are add it I have some stuff you can put on your mitts that will help them heal faster, prevent infection, etc. Been using it for... well almost forever."

[Rook]

"Conversation and the doctoring" he said easily enough despite himself, his smile was now a little more sincere, it was small but bright. The cheetah looked like a very well to do person, neat and efficient, and his reservation returned after his initial bewilderment faded. His eyes were an over bright blue and they swam.

The pretty, mizmatched hybrid reminded him of a Christmas puppy on some kind of mind altering drug, but he got the impression that this was just a mood she was in. If he stuck around long enough, maybe she'd be serious and tell what she was really about. He studied her as the smile tugged at his lips.

I doubt there's any logical reason for the suit though. So help me if there is.

and the dinosaur...well...

"Eh, but if you don't mind I'll pass on the pizza, thanks". His shoulders rolled in a customary shrug, and his long tail flicked around his ankles. He looked at the both of them, he wasn't exactly intimidated, but a little drawn into a corner, though outwardly he gave no sign of it.

He felt that he should give a explaination for his own sake.

"I've been working as a pizza delivery boy for almost three years and I finally got a new job. I wouldn't touch a pizza if the One God himself had blessed it with holy cheese".

[enkashi]

Boots was little bummed that the kitty refused the offer of her pizza, but it was a fleeting thing - she dispelled that disappointment completely, blew it out of the water. He didn't know her pizza. With a chirp and a grin, she tugged Tarsus's hand a bit closer, almost like she was trying to get him to bowl her over as she gave her wings a slighting little beat for stabilization as she spun on her heel.

"Ookay! Number 667... neighbor of...! The devil!" she said, and made a sort of mysterious motion with one hand, to a rather silly, cheerful effect, with a flashing wink at the feline as she led Tarsus away.

Boot's apartment was... well, a wreck wasn't the right word - people who didn't care and left their apartment filthy, with mold on plates long ago occupied by uneaten food, never to be used again. had "wrecks"- But this was not the way of things with Boots. No, Boots cared - the cleaner it was, the more storage space there was. There wasn't a speck of dust to be found, which was quite astonishing, considering the ammount of... shelves she had, all full of a device of some kind... a broken skyboard here, a fried capacitor there, a computer server, several monitors nearby at a console um... just about everywhere, since it was so darn big.

The sheer ammount of junk was astounding... and very, very interesting. The room was frigid.

"Here we are then..." Boots murmured, and did a little twirl. "Home."

[Raron]

Tarsus either by some miracle or sheer detirmination was able to squeeze his great bulk between the shelves. He would have to remember never to use her place as a hide out... there just wasn't room for him for an extended period of time it seemed.
"It's... great... there is no doubt it belongs to Boots... none at all."
He nudged a shelf and with suprising speed caught a monitor before it could break farther on the ground. This sudden motion caused him to grave another shelf causing a toaster to plummet which was caught by his other hand. Another piece of equipment and another fell until he was holding up a toaster in one hand, a moniter in the other, a gizmo between his right forearm and bicep, balencing some conductor or another on the back of his foot, finally his mouth was holding some sort of glass cooking contain in his jaws while he swung his tail for balance.
"MMMmmm."
His eyes twinkled with pride and amusement. He always told people to not take their lives so seriously, they would never get out alive.

[enkashi]

Boots squeaked, raising her hands up as if to muffle a cry of surprise that never came, bouncing once as everything on that shelf started to fall on her poor friend, and it just may annoy him to have all her things smacking off him! She was shocked, amused, and more than a little pleased though, eyes wide with disbelief, as he caught... everything, the way only a crazy old man with combat reflexes possibly could.

Her hero! As wild and silly as that looked, seeing him balance like that, and as tempting as it was to offer to have him live there with her forevermore as her stuff... catcher... person, she scooped up the monitor and the toaster, set them on a bottom shelf this time, and bent up to give him a smooch on the cheek.

"My hero!" she admitted, and giggled happily, her tail swising cheerfully behind her. She stuffed each object back onto her shelves and siezed his hand gingerly - Tarsus had earned something very, very tasty! She tugged him on, looking back once with pleading eyes that sait "Dear god don't let the shelves of stuff squash my friend!" then led him into the kitchen.

Boot's kitchen was no less cluttered, from breadmakers to waffleirons to... many other two-word, one meaninged defices that did just what they were supposed to do, and take up space, both of which they did quite well. She seemed to know where everything was, though - her hand went right into what had to be her fridge, a part of the wall that opened up into an austere white chamber that seemed warmer than the temperature at which she kept her apartment.

She produced rumcake, and offered what was left of it, on the cake dish, to Tarsus - about two slices worth, and a moment of fishing through her things later, a spoon with which to eat it, and a chair which - she hoped - could support his immense bulk. It aught to, Boots thought - it was made of solid iron, and set to cooking the promised pizza like how bees set to stinging a bear.

"So Tarsus! Hows work been?"

[Rook]

Ivan thought of a couple witty things to say at several intervals in time, but he had no time to say any of them, and even if they would have been of any use afterwards, he could not remember them.

So he just watched and listened, opened his mouth and rapidly closed it, watching Boots and Tarsus, he was suddenly aware of something.

I'm young. he thought unsettledly I'm much too young, and I'm in a room with dangerous people.

Ivan had thought he was hot shit for driving through the "bad neighborhoods"and flicking his tail at rotties, but he knew, he could almost tell it by the look of them, that he was with people, pleasant and inane as they were, who did much more than that.

what it was, had not been given, and he diddn't think it would be, but he decided that if he said nothing, and laughed when it was funny, he might get a clue or two, at least some slight indication.

I have a shy face. he thought, twitching his whiskers in a nervous smile. it has been my only blessing.