Alley Cats

Emily thought about her day at her new school and sighed, carrying her homework on her back, Ray striding next to her. She carefully sets the math down and looks about the room mischeviously, her stomach growling from hunger. Quickly jogging over to the cupboards, raiding them grabbing as much jerky and chips topping it off with a mountain dew from the fridge. Ray laughs and twists some of her hair in his fingers saying "Mind sharing some of that?" She laughs, then tosses him a bag of jerky before plopping down on a red sofa, and comanding the smallish/big TV to turn on with the remote. Clicking through the channels to some type of special on dogs, she sets down the remote, stuffing some dried meat in her mouth. Ray joins her a few moments later with his own soda and watches carefully, and said "So there's a sudden interest in dogs or what?" I laugh and reply "Nah, the other channels are playing football, or cartoons."He narrows his eyes suspiciously and says "Bones is on today with that new episode explaining that cliffhanger about what happens to them when that one guy has that one girl captive." I laugh and say "It doesn't come on till 7:00 and it's only 4:00 Ray." Emily doesn't bother educating him with their names for she knows he will forget a few moments later. Taking a swig of her pop, Ray says "Whatever."


A few hours after completing her homework, Emily prepares her room for whatever happens to her at night. Getting a wink of sleep she wakes up in what feels like moments later. She fights the blankets on her bed, struggling to get them off and falls flat on her black snout. Grunting, she gets up onto four legs, and leaps back on the bed and out the window that she had previously left open. Dashing through the yard, she leaps over the many garbages in the neighborhood, occasionally making a huge mess of someone's yard. She sniffs the air sensing a few different types of animals near-bye from birds, cats, and many others. The moon shows above her head, and she slows to a walk panting for oxygen. An expanse of trees lay ahead of her, and a few different types of equipment. Walking into the park, she looks about herself and finds a tom cat sitting upon a bench. I do not approach the bench but look curiously at the cat, wondering if it is another person from our school. My yellow fur reflects in the moon light as I study the cat, not sure what to expect.


--


Ray was working out on the benches as always when the change occured. He sighs and tips his black ears from side to side listening for anyone around before leaving the house. He begins jogging throughout the city, not sure of anything else but the thought of getting out of the cramped streets filled with cars.
 
Veronica had continued to glower and stalk just behind her sister and Sasha/Alexander as they continued their teasing and banter with her and each other, attempting to shrug it all off and use her sarcasm against them, not wanting them to see that she was embarrassed by them so much as that she thought they were both lame, tacky, and/or stupid. She had attempted to dodge the attempts at physical contact towards her they both made and to turn her face away from any physical contact they showed towards each other. But by the time the night was wearing on, Veronica was finding it increasingly difficult to deny to herself that she didn't truly want to part from Sasha to go home with Rinji alone. That in spite of herself, she wasn't actually having a completely horrible time.


What was it about this guy who was so irritating and arrogant towards her, that she would still not completely mind it?


It had finally been at Veronica's insistence that she and Rinji started for home, with Rinji babbling all the way about the terrific fun she'd had and how great and hot and awesome Sashali was and how he would be so perfect for her or for Veronica and didn't Veronica want him? Being Rinji, she didn't seem to notice Veronica's lack of enthusiasm for her words nor her arm flung about her neck, nor did she care. By the time they were actually home they were cutting it close to the time they would reappear as animals, and Veronica was not sure they would end up where she hoped- which was, as much as she hated to admit it to herself, exactly wherever Alexander would end up.


But when she and Rinji disappeared from their home, reappearing in their feline forms, they appeared to be in a park, and they could not see Sasha, at least not at first. But she did see a cat in the distance, what appeared to be a third female, on a park bench. Staying close to Rinji, she hissed, drawing up her fur.
 
Atzel had come home from the long day of school and tried finishing the pile of homework that the teachers had given her. Math was a struggle as always; English made up for that with a short passage of text that she quickly read and annotated. She yawned and after setting the alarm for five, she sat on her bed with the book. She was at chapter fifteen when she fell asleep and landed in her realm of dreams only to wake up what seemed like moments later in a real fantasy of her own.


Hiding in the shadows as best as a white cat can she let her bright red eyes scan the area around her. It seemed to be a back alley for a restaurant of some kind and she seemed to be under a dumpster with her belly pressed against the ground. Crawling out took little trouble for her, but the trouble started when she was visible to every creature in the alley. This was her only problem with being an albino cat; she was seen from the sky on nights like these. Knowing that if she stayed much longer she would be food for the next big animal to come along, she quickly got out of the alley looking for some food. Starving wasn't her ideal way of dying either and at the moment the only way she was getting food was to scavenge.
 
Jin turned her head when she heard the hiss of a cat. Although she had excepted to run into other cats here, she really didn't feel like fighting any at the moment. But when she turned her attention towards the hiss, she realize that there was two cats and both were female.


'Even better. At least the tomcat's hormones are under control at the moment.' Still Jin couldn't resist rising to meet the challenge of the cat. Or at least showing it who was boss. She was a tomcat and she was a proud one as well. Jin tried to keep that under control and while she did fine as a human, when she was a cat, she made sure people knew not to mess with her. Or him technically.


Jin jumped down from the bench and strolled over, making sure to keep eye contact with the cat that hissed at her. She stopped a few feet away and sat down, giving the cat a lazy look. She waited as if inviting it to hiss at her again or make some move. She didn't normally fight female cats, so she found this a bit odd. She let out a warning hiss as well. Why not?
 
Veronica had at a glance mistaken the other cat for a female, but as the other cat drew closer, almost as a challenge, then stopped, she realized that she had been mistaken, and the cat was actually male. Great, just great...he was probably going to take the hiss as a mating call. Shit, what was she supposed to do if some big tom cat started chasing after her wanting to implant his fuzzy kittens in her...or Rinji?


Even worse, what if Rinji, being the "adventurous" one, decided to take him up on the offer?


<Rinji, don't even think about it> she warned, and Rinji, flicking her tail back and forth, looked between the other two wary females, her eyes bright as she responded to Veronica.


<I don't know what you're talking about, Nica. It's a boy, boys don't fight girls. Usually. I think, anyway. I wasn't going to fight him anyway...but don't you think it would be fun to play at least?>


<No> was Veronica's unsurprising reply, but Rinji rolled her eyes and even shook her head as if dismissing her sister's response as she slunk closer to the other cat.


<I wonder if he'll get what I'm thinking even if he can't understand us talking?>
 
Atzel padded down the sidewalk as a few people glanced at her. Most of them were drunks that would kick her or throw rocks but a few were sober enough to pet her. Unfortunately, the next man to pass her decided that she was in the way when she hadn't even passed in front of him. "Wa'ch wherre yo goin'!" He shouted in a slurred voice that was almost impossible to dicier. The next thing she knew she was being kicked into the street. As she landed, the cat side got the better of her and she fell onto her feet running with her back puffed in anger. "Frrruin cat." Was the last thing she heard from the man.


Slowing, Atzel was now extremely hungry and a bit lost. <Why are drunk people so mean to strays?> She asked herself in curiosity. With a quick lick, she was able to get her fur patted back down and most of the dirt from the man's boots off her chest, which now ached. When she was done, a delicious sent caught her nose and she followed her small stomach growling with every step.
 
Jin paused for a moment, reeling back her animal instincts. Something felt...off. It reminded her of the feeling she got around the ferret, er, Aubree. Maybe she was just imagining things though. She had avoided female cats for a reason. It was hard to fight off the urge to mate sometimes. Now she had two in front of her. Maybe the tomcat just couldn't take it.


Jin looked at the two cats lazily and then began to lick herself. No something wasn't right. The cats weren't really doing anything. She let out a meow almost as if asking a question. Maybe being a cat for so long was making her delusional. They were just normal cats.


<Like I'd have luck finding more freaks.> Still it was tempting to try. <Hello?>
 
Kai was sitting in a dumpster,he wasn't able to just roam around now so he just laid there quietly. He huffed as he peeked out watching people walk past,because of his color he was hard to spot and simply looked like a shadow. He wished there weren't so many people around so he could get out of here,since there was nothing to do here.maybe if he ran for it he'd make it but he had a feeling it would work out a lot better in his head then in action,so he stayed there and just waited. He was sure if he stayed in the alley he'd be fine,he had nowhere he needed to be anyway.


He messed around with a can which was the only thing in the dumpster at the time,he listened to the sounds that filled the air. So much went on here even though it was night,he really hated it. He jumped out of the dumpster when he knew no one was looking and headed down the alleys,his head hung low to the ground as he walked with a slow pace. But then he stopped and sniffed the air after catching a delicious scent and he knew just what it was,he headed towards it with a faster pace then before. He was led to another dumpster down the alley and he found what he had smelled inside,he dumpster was pretty much empty too but it had food someone must have thrown away at the bottom. Without a second thought Kai jumped in the dumpster and enjoyed what he had found.
 
They both heard the other cat's voice in their heads, as clearly as if she had spoken aloud, just as clearly as they had heard Sasha's. Veronica blinked, twitching her tail, and her fur remained standing on end as she regarded the other cat warily. Could it really be possible that he too was another like them? Four of them, all in the same area?


If that were the case, then clearly this was something beyond a fluke or odd genetic kinks...obviously something environmental must be causing it. If that were the case, how many others were like them? What if every other person in the general area did the same thing they did? What if there were toxic chemicals in the air or water, or food....what if it had something to do with that, and all she and Rinji really needed to do to have a normal life again was move?


But Rinji of course thought of none of these things, of the bigger picture. She cared only that she was meeting another human-animal, and she gave a loud mew of excitement, immediately joining the tom's side in two long, leaping strides, and immediately began to nuzzle him in a much too friendly fashion for Veronica's taste. Veronica was unsurprised, but no less irritated.


<You're like us!!!! Aren't you?! You're human and you do this at night? Wow, another cat!!! Do you have brothers or sisters who do it too? Wow, this is so cool, two days in a row!!!! Oh this is so cool, isn't it cool Nica, isn't it?>


She gives the tomcat a little lick on the cheek with a rough tongue and nuzzles it thoroughly again against the neck, completely appalling Veronica. Did her sister have to SLOBBER over the poor...person....even if it was in their same plight?


<Rinji! You don't make out with total strangers!>


<I do sometimes, it can be fun, you know> is Rinji's unruffled response as she continues to purr loudly, remaining very close to the other cat. <Anyway, I'm not making out with him. This is totally a friendly greeting.>


<For what, a kitty strip club resident?>
 
At his offer of dirtied napkins Aubree looked up with a frown “No thanks” Aubree noted, shaking her head with a smile. Her meal was done anyways so the girl got up for her own napkins, taking her tray with her. As she put it away, she wiped her face on a clean napkin and made her way back to wait for Julian. Soon, the break would be over and the two friends would be split once again, but for the rest of lunch, they fell back into their regular banter.


After her last two classes, Aubree head home, ready to collapse; she wasn’t sure if it was all that turkey at lunch or the boring English lecture but she was tired. Still, she had an experiment to run, and she often tried to stay up until she turned at night. So the girl busied herself by doing her chores, then her homework, then Julian’s homework, before collapsing on the bed.


“I’m boooooooorrrrrrred” she complained to herself, struggling uselessly up the bed and glancing at the clock. It was only eight, which meant long hours of her exhaustive behaviour until she changed again, as she lay there though, she fell asleep.


--


It was during this time that she changed, because when she came to, Aubree was much lower to the ground and padding around on all-fours. The girl was still tired, even as a ferret and her movement slow as she tried to readjust to her surroundings. An alleyway, and a non-discreet one at that, but as she continued down, she noticed some odd paw prints in the sand. Aubree tried to ignore them, instead focusing on the slight increase of people around…who walked around at one in the morning?


Trying to avoid their paths, the ferret dashed into the sidewalk and hurried next to the sidewalk, eventually realizing she was downtown. It was a shady part, but she knew she was going the wrong direction of the park, turning herself so that she was heading towards the park she and Jin had met the night before, she saw the clock tower.


12:13


Aubree hurried along before she froze, looking up once again to confirm the time it read; the clock must’ve been set an hour early or something... In momentary shock, she decided to find another clock before going to the park but every clock she passed, they all read the same. It was only midnight… she had changed an hour early??


The ferret side of her was scuttling, mid-sidewalk and made the people walking the street slightly scared, and when she heard someone on the phone with animal control, she realized she had to move. Aubree quickly took off for another alleyway…if Jin was anything like her, he wouldn’t be out for another hour. Realizing she probably wasn’t safe on the streets, she did something that would be usually characteristic of mice, and escaped to the sewers.


Her concept of time was a little shady, and the sewer system not as easy to navigate as the town, but she took off inside of it anyways.
 
The rest of lunch went more normally, after Aubree finished her turkey. She didn't even seem to notice she was acting weird at all. Maybe it was some sort of quirk in her brain, a little bit that quit and turned off for a moment. Something. Aubree seemed to be acting like always, however, so Julian didn't dwell on it.


The rest of the school day went by, ticking slowly around the clock with a series of doodling, daydreaming and staring at papers. Julian didn't feel much like trying that day; he was much too excited. He'd been distracted for a little, but now it invaded his mind.


Daniel, the wereowl. He had a bird to meet!


Julian awoke again in the same courtyard as always, fluttering his wings as he hopped to his feet. Uh, claws. Talons. Whatever. He didn't know. With a flurry of feathers, he took to the sky, destination already in mind. The sky was clear and cool, like many nights, but he didn't stop to enjoy it.


The park grew near, and Julian went into a dive, alighting onto the back of a bench. Looking around, he wondered where Daniel was at the moment.


<Mm... Daniel?> What was really the chance that he was right where he was that very moment?


"Hey! Look! An eagle!" came a voice from a far distance. Julian could pick out the teens' silhouettes easily.


He let out a bit of a squawk in indignation. <I'm not a flipping eagle!>


The nearing adolescents didn't hear any more than a screech, but they hesitated anyways.


<Isn't it obvious?> he flared his wings. <Red-tailed hawk. Prime specimen!>


Julian's actions seemed to scare the onlookers. "Is it safe?" asked one of them, looking cautiously at his friends.


Julian rolled- rolled- his.. attempted to roll his eyes and set off again, taking to the sky. He would find Daniel flying out somewhere else.


<Daniel?> he called, crossing over the park to check the rest of it before heading back towards the innermost part of the city. <Daaaniel!>
 
Jin regretted it from the second one of the cats pounced her. She was surprised to find her suspicion confirmed. She didn't want to think there was more of them out there than herself and her ferret buddy from yesterday. Knowing there was two of them already was enough. But now she had met more. It was almost surreal. It also begged the question if there was even more and if so, who? How many? And why them?


Jin was tempted to attack the cat for attacking her. Her cat body didn't seem to mind the attention, but Jin had very different thoughts about that.


<I have siblings but I do not see how that is any of your business. But it is pretty obvious that we do experience the same thing. I am surprised to have found more cats as well.> Two nights in a row? Jin moved away from one of the cats and jumped up on the nearby bench as if to get away from her. <You met someone else yesterday? I doubt it was a ferret also?>


As much as Jin didn't want to talk to them, well maybe just one of them, she was curious. She wanted to find answers to what was going on.


----


Daniel flew around, looking down below. He thought he caught a lot of movement in some places. Whenever he spotted an animal he was tempted to dip down and talk. Since he has just found out that he could communicate yesterday he wasn't exactly sure of the limits of it. How far could be go before no one could hear him? Could people block it out? Could he talk to humans as well?


Daniel tried it out on a few animals he passed by, but none of them responded. A dog did pause which gave the man some false hope, but then he saw some guy. Daniel spun around in lazy circles. At one point he thought he caught sight of a cat fight, but a sudden noise drew his attention away.


<Julian? Julian!>


Daniel scanned the area and spotted who he suspected was the boy from last night. He flew down and landed on a lamppost. <Is that you kid?>
 
There he was!


<Hey Daniel!> he said, hopping along the roof he had been resting on as the owl fluttered down from the sky, calling his name. <I don't think there are that many other hawks around this city,> he noted with his head tilted to the side. <I haven't seen any, at least. So what's up?> he shifted his wings comfortably, feathers sliding over each other.


He looked up and around the sky, not really bothering to let the other respond. <What do you do every night? I try to make the most of it, flying and everything... I mean, this might not last forever, right? One day it might just tick past 1 o' clock, and we'll just be sitting there, human. That'll suck.> He paused. <But now, I don't know. Think there are any others?>
 
Rinji obviously couldn't, but Veronica could tell that the other cat wasn't seeming very receptive to her sister's caresses. Veronica could hardly blame her. How could she be, when they were, as Veronica had pointed out, total strangers? Not everyone was a horndog like Alexander obviously must be, especially people who were in cat bodies. Even if it was a male cat.


The cat is backing away from them, and Veronica muttered to Rinji, cleaning her own face with her paws as though to wipe away from herself what she's just watched Rinji do. <Rinji, you're embarrassing him. STOP already.>


<No I'm not...oh there's more, there's Sashali> Rinji informed the other cat brightly, swishing her tail back and forth. Oblivious that the cat seemed to want away from her, she hopped up beside him on the bench, flicking him with her tail. <He's a dog. Well he's a hot bartender normally but right now he's a dog...I wonder where he is? Have you seen a terrier named->


But Veronica is thinking about the last part the cat had mentioned. A ferret like them...


<How many of us ARE there?> she asked in disbelief, sitting upright on her haunches and turning her face towards the other cat.
 
Luminous was idly waiting for her to pass out and for the change to take over , lying on her bed as she watched the boring clock tick and tock. Usually this was the time of day where she would be noting in her diary how usually uneventful her day had been, and how she couldn't wait to be free again tonight, but no. Today, something had actually happened at school. She had been talked to. By a boy. A hot boy as well. Of course the girl was there too, and she spoke as well, but she hadn't made Lumi stutter half as much as the boy did. She didn't even stick around to hear their names she was so scared, she just muttered a barely audible, "Um, yeah, I'll, I'll go outside?" Then hurried away with her heart pounding.


She was just lucky she didn't trip. That would have been even more embarrassing.


Before she knew what was happening Lumi had blacked out and re-awoken somewhere in the city, she was laying somewhere outside a random house in the middle of town, and she pushed herself up onto all four feet, shaking her fur as she looked around her, mostly seeing shops and a few turned over bins. The dog side of her urges her to go over and rifle through the trash, and after annoyingly doing so - finding nothing of interest - she decides to make her way to a park or somewhere less noisy and human-populated.


But before she can reach the safety of the trees and grass she hears the pattering of four feet, smelling another dog nearby and her ears prick up further as she spots a pure black German shepherd up ahead. She pauses in her actions, unsure how to react. It smelt like a male, which worried her a bit. Well, she wasn't in heat thankfully, at least she hoped not. She didn't feel like she was anyway. But avoiding other animals was a must for Luminous, she had gotten into a few scraps already - mainly with cats - and she didn't want to have another fight. Should she peg it or try to warn the other dog off?


Of course, the idea of it being another human like her didn't even come to mind. She hadn't met a human-animal yet - that she knew of.
 
By the time Atzel got to the source of the amazing smell, another cat was already there. She was very tempted to fight for it seeing how it smelt so good and she was so hungry. Should I? While she was asking herself, her stomach growled rather loudly and she was already found out. A quick change in approach was called for as she jumped on to some boxes that were stacked next to the dumpster and mewed quietly. <Please work!> She whispered quietly to herself knowing that a normal cat wouldn't be able to understand. She hadn't thought about the other cat being like her though. In fact it hadn't even crossed her mind.
 
When Aubree eventually surfaced from the sewers, she looked around hesitantly, no idea for what time it was now. In fact, the girl could hardly tell where she was, skittering about in the dark as she looked for some sort of familiarity. Instead, she decided to explore this new area, also looking for some way to clean off the smell of the sewers. Eventually she found it, in a small fountain, forcing her ferret –self to get in and wash off.


Now that she didn’t smell like the sewer she could actually find where she was going, looking around idly for some kind of marker. Eventually she decided on a path, darting down it with her head ducked, and waiting patiently for familiarity. The girl almost missed the hawk and owl on the rooftop, but tumbled into the shadows when she did. <Oh no> she cursed to herself, knowing that they were the predator to her.
 
<You have a point with that." Daniel was happy to find his search for his friend wasn't going to take too long. He could feel any worry he got fall away and he wish that he could smile. He almost started laughing at the mental picture of a smiling owl. It seemed so ridiculous. But a lot of things lately felt that way. So maybe it wasn't that ridiculous after all.


<Mostly I fly around. I watch people sometimes. Not in a creepy way,> Daniel said, making sure he wasn't going to give his young friend the wrong impression. <Like if I see someone walking down the streets I might follow them for a while, see where they are going. I have found several raves, weird hook-ups and seem plenty of people just roaming around aimlessly. It's interesting.>


Daniel turned his owl head to face Julian. <Sometimes it feels like it just goes by so fast.> Daniel thought about his question. <I do. I mean we met another one yesterday. There is no reason not to think there wouldn't be others. Now whether we are all birds is the next question.>


Daniel felt the owl in him twitch. He stretched his wings. He felt hungry. He glanced down as if to look for prey. He spotted something...a ferret? But no Daniel didn't eat as an owl. Not after the weird mouse experience. He could still taste the blood as a human.


----


Jin was tempted to try and intimidate the cat next to her. What was her name? Rinji. What an odd name. Not that she was one to speak. But her name was based on her race. She didn't think Rinji sounded like a cultural name. Not that it really matter.


<A dog. No I have not seen a dog. Not as of late anyways. But you are saying you have met him outside of your animal form? That is interesting.> Jin walked down and laid down. It seemed this conversation might take some time and she wanted to be comfortable. She peered down at the one on the ground.


<I don't know really. We probably know as much as the other one. Did it start six months ago for you too?>
 
<About six months, yes,> Veronica nodded, not relaxing in her posture as she regarded the other cat. <Give or take...this is strange. Very, very strange.>


She's starting to wonder now if everyone in the city, maybe the entire world, is affected, and all now struggling to keep it under wraps, but no, the thought is far-fetched and ridiculous. But then again, isn't the fact that it's happening at all also far-fetched and ridiculous? Sometimes Veronica seriously wonders if Rinji has been slipping her drugs to keep her company on some wild acid trip every night...it would make a hell of a lot more sense than reality.


That can't be right though, Veronica has seen humans when she's in her cat form. But...what if the real cats turn into humans? And other animals? Or some of them, anyway? She's seen real animals before though...she can tell the difference. Are there humans that are really cats or dogs too?


<What is your name again?> she asked the other cat, still keeping her distance from her both physically and in her tone and expression. She does not remember if the cat has already shared it when she wasn't paying attention or not.


Rinji is still oblivious to Jinn's lukewarm response to her, as she jumps down beside her again, yet again rubbing her shoulder up against Jinn's and standing uncomfortably close as she continues to add her input. <Yeah, six months, every single night, we hardly sleep at all! And we can't go to parties at night or do anything, it really sucks but it's kinda cool too! And now you're here like us and I bet there's more, we should look! We should go look right now!>


She nuzzles both of her companions excitedly, still seemingly unaware of Jinn barely tolerating her and Veronica edging away. Why was it that the only two other animal/people they had met were male, just HAD to be male...but then again, it wouldn't have mattered to Rinji if they were female, she was an equal opportunity personal space invader.


It's actually not a bad idea. Veronica shifts her eyes to her sister, considering it. On one hand it was a good idea to know of others who might be in their situation, to look for patterns of some kind to help them figure it out, maybe even to stop it. But on the other hand, what exactly would they do if they found them?


Then again, they couldn't figure out anything unless they tried.
 
<It's more than strange. It's creepy as ****. I don't know many people who turn into an animal every night.> Jin realized she was probably giving a bad impression. Not that Rinji seemed to mind. She was even more tempted to attack the catgirl, but she didn't. She had a feeling Veronica didn't like her and she didn't want to start something that could end poorly. The more people she knew the easier it might be to figure out what was going on.


<Can you recall anything that might have lead to this? I think...most of it's blurry from before.> Jin peered back down. <Jin. My name is...Jin.> Did it sound gender neutral? Probably not. She hadn't told the ferret she was a girl and she didn't seem to notice. Maybe they'd think she was still a male.


Jin decided to ignore Rinji's closeness. Nothing she could do short of attacking her was going to get the catgirl to stop. She hated affectionate people. She'd rather be left alone if she was being honest. <It's a hinder to my studies that is for sure.>


Look? She wanted to go and look. Jin got up and moved, jumping down from the bench. She wouldn't mind seeing Aubree again. At least she didn't invade her personal space nor was her cat body attracted to the ferret body. Still who knew if she could locate the ferretgirl again. The city was big and they hadn't made plans. Maybe she had found someone else or didn't like her. She looked at Veronica as if wondering what she might do.


<You make it sound easy. Finding more if there are. Who knows if they'd want to even find others.>
 
Jin, as the cat introduced himself as, seemed to Veronica's eyes to be more than simply uncomfortable by Rinji's open affection. He had not hissed again at her, moved away, or swatted at her, but from the way he held himself and looked at her, he still resented her closeness. But if he wasn't willing to thrust her aside as needed, that was his own issue...then again, how often did Veronica successfully manage to shake her sister off when Rinji was as determined as usual to stay in contact with her?


Jin...that wasn't the most masculine name in the world, and Veronica figured she had simply misheard him, and his name was Jim. Or else his parents really hated him, to name him Jen, one of the most popular nicknames for one of the most popular names ever, Jennifer. She didn't bother asking. After all, her sister was queen of screwy names, so Veronica barely had room to comment. But Rinji, seemingly oblivious to her own odd name, of course didn't let it fly by.


<Jin? Really? That's a girl's name! That's so funny, what's your middle name? Marie? Jin Marie for a boy> she giggled, giving Jin another nudge with her shoulder playfully. <Studies, oh so you're like my sister then! Nica is all study girl too, are you all serious and weird about having fun? Tell me you're not, I don't know what I'd do if she ended up having a bestie who's just like her and just helps her have a harder time finding the fun than usual! Oooh what if you were dating, would you ever take her somewhere other than the library? I could help you with that...I could make suggestions.>


<Damn it, Rinji, I just met the guy and you're hooking me up with him too? What is WITH that, I think you're more worried about MY love life than your own!> Veronica hissed, her fur rising slightly in response to her sister. God, she was so mortifying to be around for even two minutes! It was like she TRIED to seek out new ways to make everyone look at her like a freak.


<Well, I am, you need a lot more pointers than I do> Rinji informed her. <And I'm happy to give them, as always!>


Turning to Jin again, she added, <You are a guy though, right? Because it looks like you are, right equipment! You can't help if Jin is a girly name...I bet you can make up for it!>


<Just shoot me now,> Veronica muttered, sinking to the ground and letting her face sink into her paws. Rinji ignored her, or more likely, didn't notice at all.


<Sure, why not, of course we can find people!> was her response to Jin. <Of course we want to find them! They're like us!>
 
Atzel let out a sigh when she didn't get a response and jumped down. She didn't know if would've worked anyway. Padding away silently, she started to explore the area some more. Before long, she had arrived at the park, so lost in her own thoughts of hunger that she didn't notice the other cats until she was about a car length away. When she realized it she stopped and quickly turned to head a different direction not wanting to mess with other cats.
 
Jin swished her tail back and forth as she mentally debated it. It's not like it'd be a big deal to reveal she was a girl. That life had a funny sense of humor to stick her in a tomcat's body instead of some female cat. She decided why not. Maybe it'd freak the girl out and she'd be left alone. Probably not.


<Actually I am a girl. The cat simply happens to be male. I am not sure why it happened. Maybe I am more masculine in personality and that is why I am a tomcat. I understand none of this besides that it is annoying.> Another flick of her tail. <As for my middle name, I am not one to share personal information with strangers.>


Rinji though didn't seem to be with her on that. Jin didn't really care and she half-listened to her babbling. She did look over at Veronica when she mentioned that they'd get along. She almost laughed outloud. From what she had seen, she didn't think they'd get along. If only because the other sister seemed to be wary of her. This did confirm she was smarter of the two or at least had the common sense to be cautious of a stranger. Maybe they would get along if they had meet as humans. Jin didn't have a lot of friends, but she could tolerate people in small groups at certain lengths of time. As for Rinji, she'd probably keep walking on, ignoring her. She was just the type of person Jin hated to be around.


<Fun is for other people. I am content with my studies. I want to be successful. Besides I do not think my family would appreciate it if I was out partying all the time or what not. They are sort of strict. I can have fun, but I think my kind if vastly different than your's. As for dating, I'd rather not.> Not only that but she straight and even if she wasn't, Jin would not go after some random person she met as a cat.


<True. But maybe they'd rather be left alone.> Like her. Sure she wanted to find Aubree, but at least ferretgirl didn't get into her personal space after the fight. Her she could tolerate. <Why don't you go find your bartender friend and let me be.>
 
Wanting to be left alone is simply a concept that Rinji cannot grasp. She herself can't stand to be alone for two minutes, or at least that's how Veronica sees it; even when she is alone, Rinji tends to talk to her own self. So hearing Jin's rather standoffish reply, she isn't put off in the slightest. In fact, she simply laughs and nuzzles her briefly again, in the manner of a human giving a short, teasing hug.


<Why would they want to be alone? Who would want to be left alone when this is so weird and crazy, we ought to be working together to figure it out! I mean it could be like an evil wizard casting a spell on us! We have to figure it out or we might end up stuck like this forever! Don't get me wrong, it's cool to be a cat, and we can jump high and we are flexible in a way that I bet would make sex REALLY awesome->


<RINJI FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!> Veronica blurted, and she actually hissed, giving Rinji a swipe to her ear that Rinji gave a hurt yowl in response to, backing away and blinking at her as she twitched her tail.


<Nica, that hurt! I'm just saying, we totally ought to. And anyway isn't it weird she's a girl? Not that it matters 'cause girls are cool too, but just weird! We should find out about this wizard thing.>


<Stop watching Harry Potter after I've gone to bed, and stop assuming that because his name is Potter it means you have to smoke weed while you do> Veronica grumbled, but she was thinking about all of this too. It WAS pretty weird that this Jin was in a male body, when she and Rinji weren't. Maybe she was trans, but if she was, Jin was right, it wasn't their business.


<You and Nica should totally get along, you're both so touchy and boring> Rinji rolled her eyes, but she was backing away. <Fine, you could totally be more friendly, you know. We're all in this together!>


She went to nudge Veronica briefly. <Come on Veronica, let's go, I wanna find Sashali. Where is he anyway?>


Veronica had no objections; this Jin wasn't exactly someone she felt like hanging around. She barely felt like hanging around Rinji, but that was no choice. Following her sister's rapid-paced trail, she eventually found that the reason Rinji had suddenly come to a stop were that she saw not one, but THREE other animals- an owl, a ferret, and a hawk. Great...how many different species could her sister possibly attempt to befriend?
 
The terrier yawned, stretching both paws as he shook it's short haired mane, moving and relief itself against the nearby wall shortly before rising to sniff at the ground idly in curious exploration, taking several steps forward from it's box before lifting, and looking about as Alexander groggily awoke within and took in his immediate surroundings. An alley as usual; rarely did he wake elsewhere-, and a road lay beyond with a wide open park guarded by railing further still on the opposite side.


Moving to the mouth of the alley Alexander peered out curious to the settled flow of none existent traffic, moving out and following the paving, looking out and attempting to collect his bearings, the the terrier wagging it's tail in an idle fashion as it now and then sniffed at a door or alley way before, peering both ways in a human fashion began to bound across the road following the feline scent that carried in the air that he recalled from the night before.


He did not head in their direction immediately, still groggy his animal companion taking advantage and taking distracted lead, running along the outskirts of the park in sprint, claws tapping against the solid stone only to squeeze between the bar fencing, moving to the nearest tree and marking before bounding over the field. . .


Alexander slowed as the bench came into sight, the scent stronger here and the terrier took a moment to regard the anima perched upon in warily as he moved closer, sniffing the ground only to finally stop, looking up, alert, ears angled toward the feline before turning directly to face, a single curious beat of his tail as he moved several steps closer still 'on toes' and curious, careful to remain well out of swiping range as he glanced away once more, keeping the cat in peripheral. . .


<Maybe they all smell the same. . .> Alexander mused aloud then in reference to the feline race, terrier sniffing experimentally at the ground as if to discern the individual scents and pick out a slight distinction as he was convinced he had been on the right trail. . .
 
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