cactusy | IC contact for lastvoyages

Good news is, there's a whole kennel onboard; you can probably work something out with them. So yeah, I'm on board.

What are they like? What kinds?

[ Amused: ] I mean, I hope so. Since I work there now.

I wouldn't want the gang to be stuck there indefinitely, though. I'll probably ask some people to watch individual dogs.

Uh, the kinds? They're all mutts, honestly. Strays that didn't have a chance to get taken in by anyone else. They're mostly mid-to-small sized. From yappy to woofers. Some of them are kind of anxious, though. So it'd probably be better to get the more settled ones first. That's why I asked for Winston- pretty much nothing seems to bother him.

Okay. Which one would you want next?

I think...Jet, next. He's mostly border collie, I think? Beautiful colors. Kind of gives off the constant impression that he's just happy to be here. People take that for air headedness sometimes, but he's actually really smart. I'd started him on a puzzle feeder for treats, and he tore through 'em.

-anyway, yeah. Jet would be good.

Okay. I'll ask.

[And she does.]

-- It said yes. How'd you get Winston, did he just show up in your cabin or what?

No, but--

[ He's interrupted by barking in the background, and then slightly lower-pitched ruffs.

And yes, then the communicator gets set down in favor of a full-body hug and a 'Heeey, Jet!" The barking continues, and after allowing it for a few seconds, Will makes a noise and it simmers down. There is a bit of thumping and some unintelligible murmuring, and then the fuzz of something brushing up against the microphone. ]

So that worked. [ He sounds joyous. ] Wanna come meet him? Or I can bring him to you?

You at your place?

Sure am.

[ There's a snuffling noise. Apparently, his no-barking noise isn't a calm-down one. ]</small

Be right there.

[And he'll get a knock on the door a few minutes later! Show her the dogs.]

[ There's some clattering noises as soon as she knocks, and shortly after Will opens the door and Jet dashes out. At first he runs past Shaw, but quickly circles back around because new human. He prances around her, tail wagging and panting.

Will doesn't call him back, because he knows what a dog person Shaw is by now. Instead, he grins at her. Winston stays back a couple of feet, letting Jet meet this new friend of theirs. ]

Energetic, isn't he?

Do you go for runs with him?

[She asks, kneeling down so that she can properly scruff at Jet's neck, murmuring Hey, buddy under her breath.]

I haven't forgotten about you.

[She adds to Winston, holding a hand out and wiggling her fingers at him.]

Yeah. Although he tends to lap me. But he doesn't seem to mind.

[ Jet can hardly contain his excitement, but he's been taught not to jump up. So he just pretty much vibrates with happiness, his tail wagging everywhere as he snuffles lightly at Shaw's arms and face.

Winston takes the cue with a light 'ruff' and comes over for pets. His tail wag is a little less fast, but no less happy she's here. ]

Winston's been doing okay by himself, but he's really better off when he's not alone. He's the type that needs a pack to lead and take care of. So this'll be good for him, too.

Oh, you're a squad leader, huh?

[She sure is talking directly to Winston now, giving him a smile.]

Is his work impressive?

[ Winston barks in response to her question, because it was pointed at him. Will laughs. ]

He even keeps Buster in line, most of the time. That's the Jack Russell mix. The little ones are always the most...adventurous.

[ Jet, meanwhile, rubs his head under Shaw's hand and nips at her sleeve a bit just to make sure she doesn't forget he's there. Will frowns a little. ]

Hey, come on- [ He points at Jet and gets the dog's attention. ] No clothes. You know that.

[It's just a t-shirt, and she doesn't really care, but she gets that saying so goes against the point of dog-training, so she dutifully rescues her sleeve from Jet's loose grip, giving him a stern look.]

Nee-- uh, no.

[All of Bear's commands had been in Dutch, and old habits die hard.]

How long have you had this guy?

[ The dog does take instruction, if a little reticently, backing up about half a doggy-step so he's not so in Shaw's face. He breaks into a pant, though, looking like a happy little smile. He's a good dog, really! ]

Oh, he showed up about a year before Winston. That's... [ Between everything that happened (the illness, incarceration, etc), Will's sort of blanking on time. ] A few years, then?

Jet ran away from a neighbor's all the time, kept getting into their henhouse. They eventually asked me just to hold onto him.

I don't think I ever asked but- did you have a dog back home?

We, uh, kinda had a team dog, but he was mostly Finch's. He used to be a military dog - smart as a whip.

Finch would kill me if I asked for him to be brought here.

[Is that how this works? Would Finch even know? It's a weird thought either way.]

[ Yeah, Will doesn't know, either. Maybe time being wonky on the Barge means it wouldn't be noticeable? Regardless- ]

Yeah, probably shouldn't risk it. Well, you're welcome to Winston and Jet as 'team dogs' while they're here, even if they've never been military.

[ He could not be any fonder of them if he tried. His mouth is probably going to be sore tonight from all this smiling. ]

I try not to be too strict, but I want 'em to be safe.

So, the warden-inmate thing. That make us a team?

[She's still looking at the dogs as she asks, stroking Winston's ears and ruffling the back of Jet's neck, but there's only one person who she could really be asking.]

Well. Not a conventional one, since there's a different power dynamic. But I don't think that's honestly a bother to either of us. We're both working together toward a common goal.

So yeah. I think so.

Works for me. So how much do you already know about this whole... set-up?

Me?

[ He looks slightly confused, then shakes his head. ]

Not sure. I mean, I know you can request things on my behalf- obviously. [ He gives Jet a few pets, as an example. ] That includes restrictions, and probably magic? If you wanted it to. I'm supposed to redeem myself, but we're not told for what, exactly. If I manage that, I get my life and you get your Deal. And every pairing is different.

That's pretty much all I've been told. None of this is as bad as my time at the BSHCI, so I hadn't really asked around beyond that.

I'm supposed to redeem you.

[It's quibbling about wording a little, perhaps, but the distinction is a meaningful one to her.]

Not that that responsibility is out of your hands - but it's in mine, too.

[ Will's eyebrows go up as she corrects him, but her explanation makes sense. He wouldn't accept anyone else changing him. But if they're doing it together, then- maybe. He nods. ]

Well...okay, then. I can work with that. Although I'm not entirely sure where to start, on the redeeming thing.

IC contact for lastvoyages

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio; 1/2

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

action

action

Re: action

action

Re: action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action