Participants:
Scene Title | The Garden |
---|---|
Synopsis | Five of nine puppies find new homes. |
Date | May 24, 2010 |
The Garden: Basement
The basement where Dr. Harve Brennan served a short sentence has been converted into a nursery for the day — not for any human child but for a mixed litter of canine ones under the care of one Jensen Raith, Ferrymen ally turned Ferrymen operative. A flimsy plastic gate separates the basement floor from the bottom of the stairs to prevent the puppies from escaping, though it's turned out not to be entirely necessary. The only time they ever pay it any attention is when someone descends the staircase and steps over the barrier to greet them. Otherwise, their attention is mostly reserved for one another, their blankets and the spread of newspaper in one corner where they've been relieving themselves in between wrestling matches.
Although there's been a steady trickle of visitors throughout the morning and early afternoon, most of the Ferry operatives who stopped by were motivated by curiosity rather than any real desire to adopt, and as the sky outside begins to make the transition into the early evening, Eileen starts to worry that Raith won't be able to place even one before the stars take over.
The Englishwoman sits on the basement steps on the side of the gate closest to the door, well out of reach with a book on war memorabilia spread across her lap, pointedly ignoring their shrill yips and whines.
'Eileeeen!" Calls out a blonde in tones that are far too southern to be mistaken for anyone else. She's thumped her way to the stop of the stairs from above and is looking down at the former vanguard, drawn by the noise when she stopped by. Dogs, puppies, at the Garden. This has drawn Abigail out, and also checking out to see which house has space possibly for a wayward blonde if the rivage isn't livable or who knows what else.
"Think Francois or Teo would take one? Not like they don't have a big enough place" Abigail manages to dig up a grin from somewhere, tea in hand that was thrust at her to bring down to the englishwoman. "Where did you find them?"
Peyton shows up behind Abby's shoulder, peering down. "Puppies," she says in the high-pitched voice girls get when looking at baby animals of any sort. Well, except reptiles, at least on Peyton's part. "Ohmygodtheyresocute," is the next declaration as she grins down at the litter of pups.
"Hey, Eileen. Are you sure you don't want to keep them all for yourself?" the clairvoyant asks cheerfully, happy to get out of the Village Renaissance Building despite the cold jaunt from Manhattan. She's bundled up, though her usual designer coats have been set aside for a sturdier and uglier Gortex parka of charcoal gray, a hot pink scarf and gloves giving a little color to the somber overcoat.
Raith has arrived.
When Eileen had mentioned the puppies to her, Kaylee had been curious. Not that she really needed one, but a part of her was drawn out to see them at least. The trip was at least easier then the last time she travels away from the Garden. After shucking her jacket at the door, the young telepath is stepping through the door not too long after Abigail. "Oh.. dear… lord. How did you survive with all those in one place?"
Wearing a deep red turtle neck, jeans and her black boots, she looks down at the puppies from around the others. "Cute tho." She offers softly.
One visitor hasn't ventured downstairs yet, though she's been in the Garden for some time today; other things vied for her attention, held it for a time, and the seeress was content to have it that way. But she does trail down eventually, feet light on the stairs behind Abby and Peyton. Tamara smiles, looking down on them both from the greater vantage point of several steps. "Crowded here," the girl remarks — and she doesn't mean right this minute, either. Since there are others on the way, Tamara moves past Eileen and over the barrier, the better not to have a traffic jam on the stairs. "Hi," she adds, not quite an afterthought, smiling ruefully at the trio.
How exactly they got to the Garden is unimportant, but it likely involved carrying Hailey in his arms, and Doyle learning what it's like to both fly and be 140 pounds again. When they arrive at the Garden, and Magnes opens the door while helping Hailey head downstairs, he's talking. "See, that's why even in a wheelchair someone can be a hero, it's not about powers, it's about what you do with the situation. That's why Oracle is an incredible heroine." This may have started from a discussion of her broken leg, and everyone in the basement can hear as he helps her over the gate.
"Can I be heroic with a puppy?" Hailey asks, once she's back on her feet, more or less, hopping down the stairs. She couldn't be hopping if it wasn't for the weightlessness that she's been given, allowing her to bounce arond on one foot. Not weightless, really, just lighter. "Aaaa, they feel so cuddly!" She can't even see them yet, and she's certainly not touching them. But considering what she's capable of, she can get away with saying that. They feel like they would be cuddly. Nevermind what their parents had done.
Crowded on the stairs where there are visitors, crowded in the basement where there are not only puppies, but also one Jensen Raith, ostensibly happily busy cleaning up the newspaper in the corner that the pups have been using for their toilet. "I found them," he says, apparently in response to the question that Abby had earlier asked of Eileen, "Under a mausoleum, hanging out with the undead, doing the Monster Mash, you know, kid stuff." Gloved hands scoop up used paper and stuff it into a garbage bag, although Raith is careful to make sure that stray puppies don't go in with it. "And despite my best efforts, I think it's almost time they had another bath. I'm willing to blame zombies if you are."
The bearded, be'coated puppeteer walking along with the girl and the gravitokinetic exhales a bit of a chuckle, noting wryly, "Until you're older, though, you have to check with an adult before being heroic from now on, remember that…" There's a wrist brace on Doyle's arm to remind him of the fact himself. As they head down the crowded stairs, he pauses, one gloved hand lifting as he calls out affably, "Kaylee! Hey."
"I'm not much of a dog person," Eileen says evasively without looking up from her book, even as she turns the page. It's occurred to her that speaking ill of the little monsters in the presence of prospective adopters isn't going to help her get rid of them, and so while there are a hundred other things she might add in some sort of feeble attempt to justify her obvious dislike what she settles on is: "Three girls, three boys. We didn't bring the aggressive ones. Raith can show you which is which if you've a preference one way or another. I wouldn't recommend trying to roll them over."
Out on the floor, two of the puppies have curled up on a rumpled white blanket, one with a fat belly, oversized paws and a cream-coloured coat with the texture like sheep's wool, the other small and wiry in comparison with floppier ears and black markings on a tiny, squashed face. Dark brown eyes rimmed in black and positioned above a pink nose give the larger of the two a more intelligent appearance than its smaller sibling, and as the gathering congregates on the stairs, it watches them in sleepy silence and curls around the other.
At the gate, three balls of orange and brown fur paw at the plastic mesh, squealing to be picked up while the smallest of the litter, a dirty brown runt, leans against Raith's leg as he works and casts a shy glance over its shoulder in the direction of the stairs.
"Zombie dogs" Abby lets those who want to zoom ahead, go look at the dogs go past her, taking her time to go down the steps before levering one cup of tea where Eileen can take it. Her own blue eye's glance over the motley crew of canines, taking in the ones closest, the ones further away and then to the runt. That one gets the majority of her attention. "How badly they tear up your stuff?" Asked of Eileen, before she takes a seat behind the woman a few steps up.
"Hey, Kaylee, Tamara," Peyton says to the two blondes with a smile, but her eyes get a little wider when Doyle shows up. Luckily Magnes and Hailey are there to help make him seem less frightening — not that he was too frightening the last time she saw him. "Hey, Magnes," she adds, and then smiles at Hailey, brows knitting together at the state of the little girl. Doyle just gets a polite nod.
The siren call of puppies yipping draws Peyton further down the stairs and then steps over the gate, an easy enough task given her long legs as she moves toward the two curled up, bending to scritch the smaller brown one, and then turning to laugh at the antics of the lively three. "Any obvious personality quirks among them?" she asks, curiously.
After a moment of watching, the telepath declares suddenly, "Okay… I have to go down." Being careful, Kaylee makes her way down the stairs edging past anyone left up on the stairs, pausing long enough to glance back up at Doyle, giving him a grin, offering a bright, "Hey Eric. Good your here. I had something I wanted to drop off. Remind me." She adds with a matter of fact look, before continuing down the stairs. Touching Tamara's arm as she passes, with a small smile in greeting. "Hey Tamara."
Those little balls of canine cuteness are like a magnet, drawing the telepath down. Careful not to step on the batch gathered at the gate, Kaylee steps over, foot nudging one or two aside gently. "Hold on. Watch out. I don't want to step on you." Her voice taking on that tone a person gets when talking to a baby.
Once she's on the other side, Raith gets a grin. "Hey Raith… been awhile." Nodding her head at the puppies, "So.. you raised these? Get much sleep?" She comments with lift of her brows, teasing before following Peyton. Moving to crouch near her. "Hey there Peyton." She offers to the other woman as she holds a hand out to the two with the socialite.
Tamara moves farther into the basement along with Peyton. Reasonably confident the noisy three at the stairs will be sufficiently entertained by everyone else, she flops down without ceremony to sit on the cold concrete floor. Blue eyes regard the sedate pair steadily, particularly the one which is actually awake; she doesn't say anything, but after a brief pause stretches her arm out, fingers within easy reach of the pink nose. Or the other one's, if it wakes up and notices.
"Alright, be careful, Hailey." Magnes gently brushes her head with a smile, then looks over at Abby, a bit surprised to see her there, but he's even more surprised to see Peyton. He walks up to her, momentarily taken away from his strong urge to go roll around in puppies. "Everyone else can see Peyton, right?"
"I know, I know, no superheroing without supervision," Hailey says, passing it off with a patient wave of a hand. It's easy to be patient with puppies all around. Little balls of mischeif and cuteness. "I want a girl!" she says in louder tones, not an indoor voice really, as she makes her way to where she can settle down off her feet and reach out and stick her hand at one of the orange and brown puppies. "They're so cute. I wish we could take home two!"
"Quirks and girls!" Raith exclaims as he sets the garbage bag aside and out of reach (after tying it off, of course), "We just so happen to have quirks and girls." But both will have to wait while he lays out fresh newspaper, just in case. Only after he's peeled his gloves off and given the runty pup at his leg a ruffle behind the ears does he turn his attention towards the other puppies and potential adopters, giving a nod to Kaylee. "Girls… ah-" With one hand, Raith points to the pair that have curled up together- "Bigger one with the creamy coat's a girl. Hardly makes any noise, too. Got two here, if you could give me a hand, Kay-" Over to the gate now, where the ex-spy proceeds to carefully lift up one of the three clamoring for attention, this one with ears that flop-
"This one and the one with one pointy, one flop ear, both girls. This one hates being alone. Hates it, won't be apart from you ever, not even when you're in the bathroom. The other one-" That Kaylee has doubtlessly wrangled up by now- "She thinks that she's the boss, and you'd better believe she'll tell you when she doesn't like something."
An easy bob of Doyle's head acknowledge's Kaylee's words, a smile crooking to his lips, "Sure thing, I'll remember to ask before we go…" Then the little girl's crowing about the puppies, and he's shaking his head even as he steps along off to one side and out of the way, arms folding over his chest as he gently chides, "…I think Gillian's head would come off, and she'd start spurting fire if we brought two of them home, Hailey."
"Three pairs of panties, one set of good leather boots, a goose down pillow, a bottle of perfume from Marseille and a red dress I had tailored two months ago." The list has become a mantra that Raith knows well. Eileen keeps repeating it, perhaps to remind him that she holds him accountable for everything. "They'll grow out of it. Eventually."
A pink nose lifts, cold and clammy, and brushes against the underside of Tamara's palm. The puppy breathes in the teen's scent as it lifts its head, careful not to disturb its napping sibling, then lefts out a low whuff under its breath.
Peyton can feel the puppy with the black face flinch under her touch, and when its eyes open it fixes her with a luminous brown gaze that's both sharp and startled, accompanied by a low, warbling growl that swiftly tapers off when the world comes into focus. As Kaylee comes up behind her, one of the puppies from the gate eagerly trots after the telepath and latches onto her pant leg in an attempt to prevent her from escaping, only to be dragged on its belly across the floor. That's probably the boss.
The one in Raith's arms squirms against his chest, hind legs braced against the mercenary's belly as it twists around in an attempt to get a better look at Hailey. The last puppy remaining at the gate — a little orange boy with pointy ears — cocks his head, apparently having realized the same thing that his more anxious sibling has: there's something special about the girl.
"I have some spare piloows, down ones, at the Rivage. I'll bring them here for you to pick up Eileen. They're spare ones in case I have company but I won't be having company anytime soon" People are in, down, looking and choosing. She herself gestures towards the runt, the smallest one. "Think he'd, or she'd, do good with a cat?" She's nosing about herself, contemplating taking one home it seems. "How are you doing?" The tea cup is lifted to her own lips, a sip taken as she smiles, watching the others petting, playing, choosing.
"I want a boy, I think… I've never had a pet before," Peyton says quietly, and it might be a little lonesome sounding from the social butterfly whose life has been a media circus at times — most of it her own doing, of course. "Oooh, you're terrifying," she croons to the little brown pup as it growls at her. "You might be a little skittish, though…" She flops down next to Tamara and pets the puppy anyway, to see if she can assuage its little canine fears.
Sitting, Peyton notices the orange boy, and taps the ground next to her to try to get its attention to come to her — "C'mere, baby." She glances at Magnes and then Doyle, but then back to Magnes, since Doyle makes her nervous. "How's Aaron doing, by the way?"
"Sure thing." The telepath comments climbing to her feet and moving towards the pair indicated by Raith. "Oof.. " Kaylee comments with a chuckle as she finds herself dragging one of the puppies. "Hey now! Watch it!" There is a small chuckle from Kaylee, "Glad I didn't wear a good pair of jeans." Leaning down, hands drop to work to gently unlatched sharp baby teeth from her pant leg, so she can lift it carefully.
Head angling to look at it, Kaylee rests it against her, fingers curling into the fur to scratch at it, "Bossy, huh?" Brows lift at the puppy as it looks at her in turn, "No nonsense? Hmm?" She comments with a grin. "Not let hardly anyone tell you what to do? Won't be put down by the man?" A finger is tapped against her nose. "You realize… tho' you do have to listen to at least someone."
"Wait…" Magnes looks around at everyone, then to Peyton. He's not entirely sure what's going on, but the obviously conclusion is that he, too, probably has the cabin fever that seems to be overtaking everyone. "Not real." he mutters, and doesn't even look Peyton in the eye, moving back to Hailey. "You see any puppies you like, Hailey?"
"Oh, I like all of them!" Hailey says excitedly, looking at two in particular as the girls are pointed out. The bossy one seems to have attached itself to Kaylee, so she leaves that one alone in her mind, smiling at it, and but the needy one that Raith mentioned seems to win out.
"Gillian didn't want me to get a dog, she doesn't even want the dogs upstairs anymore," she says with a pout, before she reaches out to feel all of them a little bit. At least this time there's nothing in their head cursing and saying bad words like the bird she threw herself out.
"I'll take the one that doesn't like being alone. I hope Gillian will let her sleep with me." The way she's been around dogs lately, that is a genuine concern.
"I think we could talk her into it," Raith states. He's apparently taking the 'I'll take' remark quite seriously, because he begins off-loading her from his arms into Hailey's, and as soon as he's free of her, he's shuffling off to scoop up the runty one. "He's a sweet kid, but no cats or children-" The pup is brought over to Abby anyway- "Food aggression, so you give him space when he's eating or he will bite. And pointy down there-" A gesture with his hand towards the one that Peyton is toying with- "Is deaf, I think, doesn't react to sounds at all. Deaf, or he's the greatest animal actor to ever live, but I'm betting on the former, so keep a close eye on him."
As the puppy's loaded into Hailey's arms, Doyle can't help but smile at her reaction; his expression softening, he steps along over to crouch beside her, reaching out to make sure she's holding the puppy right. Of course, with her ability, she knows better than he does. Might be a bit heavy for her, though! "I'll talk to Gillian, if we have to. She'll let you."
It's not the sound of Peyton's voice that draws the puppy to her, but the movement of her fingers tapping against the cement as she calls him over. Gate abandoned, he approaches and a slow lope, weaving around Kaylee's legs along the way, and clambers up into Peyton's lap to press his front paws against her stomach and grab a mouthful of hair with his teeth, tangling himself in her.
Cradled in Kaylee's arms, the boss responds with a high-pitched bark blasted right at her face and a goofy puppy grin that's all sharp needle teeth a long, lolling pink tongue. Maybe that's a yes or maybe it's a no. The only person in the room who might be able to give her any insight is Hailey, and her arms are full, too.
"He'd do fine with a cat," Eileen says of the runt, "as long as the cat doesn't get anywhere near his dish."
Food agression, no children, no cats. Well… Scarlett can learn to run? It's a puppy, it can be taught, the same as Scarlett was taught to not fuck with the bird, so can the puppy yet to be named, learn to deal with the cat. Or well… the cat to deal with the dog. One arm curls around the runt that Raith deposits, shifting her legs away from Eileen so that she doesn't have to deal with him. Maybe getting him fixed will fix the aggression? Snip, snip, there we go, all better, no more babies for you! Maybe. "I think Scarlett won't be going near his bowl. She has her own" She's of the agreement with Eileen, or maybe Eileen just really doesn't want to see that damned dog again. "These are the babies from the ferals?" INquired of raith, glancing over to Peyton's attention begging canine. "Should take that one Peyton"
"Why are you looking at me like that, Magnes? What's not real?" Peyton says, frowning at the man when the puppy scrambles into her lap and gets a mouthful of long dark hair. "Ow ow ow…" She squeals with a giggle thanks to the orange puppy yanking on her hair, while the deaf puppy looks up with those soulful sad eyes. "He's deaf? Oh, how sad…" she croons, reaching to let the deaf pup smell her hand, then pulling him into her lap with the other. "It's okay. I hear enough for the both of us," she tells the puppy solemnly, before glancing at the others in the room. Might as well let that news out.
"Speaking of hearing… I … um… I'm still training it up, but my power's changed a little. I can … eavesdrop along with play I-Spy, so to speak. In case you need me for anything," the clairvoyant says a little nervously. "I think the deaf one — my house isn't too dangerous, you know, it's just me, right now, and it wouldn't be as confusing as some place with a lot of people or kids or something."
The puppy bark has Kaylee grinning practically from ear to ear. "Yeah… you'll be trouble." She comments with a chuckle at the edge of her tone. "I'd like to see you try that with Alicia, young lady." She gives one of the ears a gentle rub. "You are cute tho, I'll give you that."
Uh oh. Kaylee glances up from the puppy to the others, looking a touch guilty for talking to the puppy like it can understand her. Glancing back at Peyton, she smirks a little at the woman and puppy. "Seems to like you, too." She shifts the puppy in her arms and wrinkles her nose a bit. "Yeah… I think your right, Raith. She needs a bath."
Looking at the puppy in her arms again, brows furrow a little in thought. "I wasn't planning on taking one… but…" She glances at Raith and Eileen. "I kinda think I would like to." Fingers scratching gently at the scruff of the puppies neck. She knows for sure Eileen wants them one, so she glances at Raith, brows lifting a little.
"Evesdrop? I don't think I know what your ability is… and wait, you're real?" Magnes looks to Abby whens he acknowledges her. "You can see her too?" He's quickly rushing over to Peyton to bow his head apologetically. "Oh god, I'm sorry. I thought you were a hallucination. Aaron has cabin fever and hallucinated you, so I thought I had cabin fever too, I mean, why else would you be here? I'm sorry."
After that awkwardness, he stands up straight, taking a deep breath. "Alright, who wants to name their puppy Krypto? Remember, it's a boy name." A hand goes to Hailey's head again. "Maybe we can name yours Stephanie Brown, or Batgirl?"
Though Hailey is handed a bundle of puppy, she stays seated, cause it's safer than standing right now, even if Magnes has made her weight less so she can bounce around. Cuddling the puppy against her, who hates being alone, she looks down and asks, "Batgirl? Stephanie?" Her head tilts to the side, as if expecting an answer from the puppy. "No, I don't think she likes that, but I think she likes hearing my voice!" She looks over at Kaylee and smiles at her, "That one likes hearing your voice too!" Voices are welcome things in her mind.
"I'll find the perfect name! I was thinking one of the Watership Down rabbits, maybe. I liked all of them. She could be Hyzenthlay! Or, I guess that's a little long— Hazel maybe. You look like a Hazel, don't you?"
Raith offers a half-shrug. Fine with a cat, sure, why not? "What about you, Varlane?" he asks, "Eric? It is Eric, right? I'm sure it is, but you know how it goes. A building falls on you, and you aren't so sure all the time anymore." If Magnes says 'yes,' Raith can only hope he won't traumatize the poor thing.
"I think that Hazel's a great name for her," Eric encourages with a broad grin — reaching out to stroke the puppy's ears in a playful little graze, then he straightens again from where he's standing, looking over towards Kaylee with the smelly puppy, chuckling a bit before he looks around at the others examining the animals, smiling that awkward smile of his until Raith asks to confirm his name. "Yeah. Yeah, it's Eric, at least around…" A vague wave, "…people who aren't likely to arrest me for being a fugitive. Jason, otherwise. And nah, I'll have my hands full helping Hailey already, but thanks."
Tamara, meanwhile, has gathered the cream-coloured pup in her arms, leaving its smaller, more growly sibling alone on the blanket. He's the last one left, and as Eileen sets her book aside, she climbs over the gate and makes her way toward him. Of all the puppies here today, he and the one Abigail has taken a shining to were the least likely to be adopted. With the others safely distracted by the people taking them home, she can scoop him up in the blanket, bundle him in her arms and angle his muzzle away from her face when he tries to hook his teeth into her chin while she's repositioning him.
She has a plan for the leftover, and unlike the rejects back at the Dispensary, it does not involve drowning him in the nearest river. Peyton's addendum about her ability earns the clairvoyant a dark look angled over the Englishwoman's shoulder, but before she can comment on it, Hailey is offering up names. Her mouth creases into a small smile in spite of the package struggling in her arms. "I like Hazel."
"Aaron had a … hallucination about me? What the … why?" Peyton says, looking up with knit brows. "I … everyone I know has cabin fever, but no one else I know is having hallucinations. He's not…" she frowns, and looks over at Hailey to ensure the little girl is otherwise engaged, and she mouths, "doing Refrain, is he?" There's worry and a little anger at that, but she shakes her head. "Never mind. Not the place for that. Tell Gillian about the seeing things, if you haven't already."
She smiles up at Eileen as the growly little brown pup is taken. "I'd take two, but I … one is probably more than I know how to handle, you know? It's… I never had a pet." She glances down at the little deaf pup in her lap, and grabs a lock of her hair out of his mouth with another wince.
A glance goes to the little girl and Kaylee chuckles. "She does, huh?" Head tilting a bit as she studies the girl. "You're lucky. You'll be able to know what she's thinking." She comments lightly, before looking at the ball of fluff in her arms. "I'll have to guess.. well, once I walk out of here."
A thoughtful look crosses the telepath's face as she studies the puppy. "Naming you will take longer. Nothing it really popping into my head yet, but I am sure it will." Brows furrow a bit as she tries to scroll through different names in her mind, but nothing screams, 'Bossy little puppy.' "Though… I think a bath is in order first, but that will wait til we get back home."
"I told Colette, Gillian was hurt when it happened. Colette said it sounds like Aaron might have the flew, but we can't figure out if he's Evolved or not." Magnes explains, looking to Raith as he considers the question of a puppy, pointing to himself with wide surprised eyes. "I want one, but, I don't know, all I ever had was a penguin for a while. And I have to wait and see if we can go back into Dorchester yet."
Upon hearing the exchange between Hailey and Kaylee, he adds, "You probably could know what your puppy is thinking. Kazimir used to say that most ability limitations are mental blocks."
"Do you like that name, Hazel?" Hailey asks, making a cutsey voice despite knowing what the puppy can feel. It's not as easy as knowing what the dog thinks— but perhaps it's good enough. "I don't know what it thinks— I just know what it feels. Only time I've ever heard a voice was when the bird was saying bad words." Little does the girl know that it wasn't a bird saying the bad words…
"But knowing how it feels will be helpful! Like I know Chandra doesn't actually like milk. Who ever knew of a cat who doesn't like milk? He kinda gets all cranky when I try to give him milk— he likes soda, though." There's a pause and she looks up all deer in headlights at Doyle and Magnes. It's kind of a 'don't tell Gillian I give the cat soda please'.
The human-folk might be discussing things of a more serious matter, but the puppy-folk are, for the most part, happy as can be. Particularly the runt, considering that while bundled up safely in Abby's arms, his siblings can't beat up on him anymore. Being consistently beaten up might explain why he is shyly getting a feel for her, cautiously sniffing at her rather than trying to climb up or bite or kiss like the others are. The others, expectedly, couldn't be happier (mostly).
Hazel, the only one of the bunch to already have a name, loves being picked up and is perhaps now, officially, Hailey's new best friend, forever.
Kaylee's bossy little lady, meanwhile, has made a game out of trying to nip at the telepath's fingers when they are within reach, mouth opened expectantly while her eyes keep watch for stray digits.
The deaf, pointy-earred pup in Peyton's lap is going to be a hair chewer for sure, but when that is removed from his mouth and his easy reach, he is happy to slather kisses all over her hands and fingers. He's not terribly noisy, although still noisier than Tamara's choice, who hasn't made so much as even a little whine the entire time she's been, well, anywhere. That leaves only the one in Eileen's grasp.
"I thought you didn't want another one," Raith remarks to her, "Change your mind when you realized how impossible adorable they are?"
Eric's lips twitch into a quiet, almost wistful smile as he watches Hailey with her new puppy for a moment - and then he laughs, a deep belly-chuckle atthe look slanted in his direction. "If you're going to give soda to Chandra," he tells her in amused tones, brows lifting, "You're going to have to brush her /teeth/ you know."
"No," Eileen says coolly on her way back up the stairs, "I'm going to sneak into Sumter's room and leave it at the foot of the bed while he's asleep."
"It's gonna eat Alicia alive" Abigail muses, free hand scratching behind the ear of the one in her lap. "He will both adore you and abhor you Eileen. I heartily approve of that plan. There is room in his heart for another of God's creatures in need. Maybe it'll help him" Abigail grins at that. "Won't he Rhett" She murmurs to the dog, dipping her head to drop a kiss on an ear.
The fact they don't know if Aaron was Evolved or not gets a little frown from Peyton. "Just talk to Gillian about it — I don't think it's the flu," she says, not wanting to out his power. She stands with the puppy in her arms, pulling all of her long locks out of its reach and behind her ears so he can't get at them.
"I think this one is going to be Ludwig Von. But it's too long a name for him, so just Von for short. Plus, you know, it isn't like he can hear it," she says, inhaling the puppy smell of its fur as she cradles him. "Can you tell me if he's okay with Von for a name?" she asks Hailey with a smile.
Her head turning towards Magnes, Kaylee gives him an amused look. "If I could hear her thoughts… it would probably still sound like a dog. I'm a telepath… but not an animal telepath, Magnes. She doesn't even hum at me. You all are like angry buzzing bees on the other side of a wall." She smiles a bit and shrugs her shoulders slowly.
"Hazel is a great name," Kaylee offers, her attention shifting away from Magnes to Hailey. Before glancing after Eileen, with a chuckle, nodding in agreement with Abby. Before. "Ow!" The puppy manages to get a hold of a finger, though lets go rather startled by the yelp from her new owner.
Kaylee eyes the puppy, before sighing patiently. "Come on… got a long walk ahead of us and I need to give the puppet man the stuff I brought." She moves to bump a shoulder against Raith lightly to get his attention, as she passes by to climb over the gate, giving him a bright smile. "Thanks for taking care of her, til I could meet her. Good job, Mr. Mom."
"I think Hazel's a good name too." Magnes agrees with another ruffling of Hailey's hair. "I think a puppy could learn a lot from Alicia, she's a hero, y'know. If it wasn't for her holding those dogs off and protecting Hailey and Pastor Sumter, who knows what would have happened." He stretches, watching the remaining dog again, tempting. "When the snow clears up, I'll be close to driving the Impala. And um… is there any chance you could hold the last dog until I figure out what's going on with Dorchester? I'll name him Krypto…"
"Chandra won't let me brush his teeth! But— I can give him one of those teeth cleaning chew treats." That could work, or so Hailey hopes… "Von is a cool name." Though Hailey likely doesn't get the significance yet. "I don't know if he likes the name— but he likes being held I think!" Her voice is happy, as she offers puppy-empath advice, cuddling up against the smelly puppy. Smells a lot of licking tongues and basement, and puppy dander. "And you better name her fast," she says to Kaylee. "She seems to be demanding!" Is that an emotion? It seems to be, in this case. "You'll grow up to be a good good doggie, right? You wouldn't every bite anyone." Or she's hoping that the needy clingy puppy won't ever bite a single soul. At least she'll always have someone who can feel just how much she needs to be held… and plenty of friends to play with.
Human and otherwise.
Happy endings, all around. But Raith is nevertheless apprehensive: Magnes wants a pet. "Work it out with Eileen," is all he offers to the youth, although he does follow it with a shrug. Gosh darnit, what can I do?
"Soda really isn't good for his teeth," Doyle points out, "You brush your teeth every day, but he can't. You don't want him getting a cavity, do you?" Oh god, he's starting to sound parental. Or adult-al, at least. A rueful shake of his head, and he allows finally, "Well, we'll.. figure something out." As much as he can be a monster to men, he's a softie with the kids.
As Kaylee steps away with her puppy, he lifts his head up in a bit of a nod her way, "Hey, make sure to let me know whatever before you go— oh, hey, uh, I saw Odess— wait, was she being Brooke? God, I suck at aliases. Um." He rubs his forehead, "Your doctor?"
"If you're up for a challenge," Eileen calls down to Magnes from upstairs, "I've another one you can take!" Her footsteps can be heard on the floorboards overhead. "Come see me when you know where you're living and the little beast is all yours!"
The mention of Odessa's name pique's abigail's interest, looking between Kaylee and Eric with furrowed brows, hand still absently scratching the runt in her lap.
"Well, I'm glad he likes being held, because I don't think he'll get put down a lot until he's too big for me to hold," Peyton tells Hailey with a grin. The puppy punctuates her words with a lick to her chin that brings out a rare giggle from the former socialite. "Thanks for letting me come by and pick one up, guys," she says, angling her chin up toward Eileen to ensure the woman hears her gratitude.
"Alright, I'll come see you when I'm ready!" Magnes stretches, still wearing his winter clothing, but his goggles are up on his head and his scarf is pulled down. "When you guys are ready to go, I am. When we get home, Hailey, I'll read you some Legion of Super-Heroes. And Mister Doyle, I made a present for you and your puppets."
"She does at that, doesn't she?" Kaylee comments to Hailey, looking at the puppy. Giving a little cluck of her tongue she considers, the puppies head tilting before she barks at the telepath, in response. "Hey there, little missy. None of…" There is a pause, and Kaylee looks like she's been struck by an idea.
"How about… Missy?"
Kaylee glances at the animal telepath, brows lifting a bit as if questioning the girl. "Kinda looks like a Missy, don't you think?" She holds the puppy out a bit as if checking to make sure the name fits.
Giving Doyle a sideways glance, Kaylee gives a short nod. "I got a box of stuff… Stray socks, pipe cleaners, felt.. googlie eyes, some odds and ends. Thought you could take them for the kids. Help them make their own puppets and teach them to tell stories, puppet master." She gives the large man a wink, but then she looks a touch surprised. "You.. you did? I've… always wanted to get in touch with her… you know thank her for helping me get away from Adam."
"I'm ready to go, so take me upstairs now," Hailey says, reaching up toward Magnes, while still holding the puppy. She doesn't care try to stand carrying it, not with her busted leg, but she doesn't want to let little Hazel go either. "Oh, Missy could be good! It's cute and appropriate for someone who is acting up." She likes it. Once Magnes helps her get up into the air, she keeps the puppy close to go upstairs and await Doyle so they can make their way home to the Lighthouse.
With a new friend.