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[absentconstellation]

Hello. You have reached the voicemail of [ the faint sound of traffic in the distance ]. Please leave your name and number after the beep.

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@hotstud_xxx; text; Day 165

[rubikscomplex]

hey, starcat
are you anywhere near the hospital?
there're a couple of guys who need a cat

video of course

[absentconstellation]

I am not.

[ He would ask why they need a cat but he's pretty sure it's not legit, this being House. ]

why starcat? WHY?

[rubikscomplex]

did you see watson's message from a few days ago?
secret room
body inside
we want a sample
but the entrance is small
like only a kid or an animal is getting in there
you were looking for something to do, weren't you?

being obnoxious is hardly limited to starcats

[absentconstellation]

[ Ah, that. No, he didn't see, because he wasn't looking. He is a lazy butt. ]

I will see if any of my companions would be willing to accompany me.

[ Otherwise he has to drag his bag around. Or starve, that too. ]

@godsend, audio, Day 166

[termineur]

Uh, hey there. I'm your contact at the hospital, just thought I'd say hi. I'll be there tomorrow, and I should be able to wait until you make it. Thanks for agreeing to help with this.

video!

[absentconstellation]

[ did you know your contact is a purple-eyed talking cat? your contact is a purple-eyed talking cat. ]

You are welcome. I should be there in no more than three days. I will inform you if there are any delays.

video as well, then

[termineur]

[ He didn't know about the purple eyes, but he had stalked the network enough to know the cat part. He turns on his video, too. Might as well have this cat know what he looks like. ]

That should work just fine. Guess I'll see you then. I'll try to rig up some systems so taking samples won't be too hard for you.

@featherydouche; voice; day 187

[mrcreamsicles]

'Sup, Fancy Feast? So I know it's like a week ex post facto, but I didn't know your username until I saw you trolling that one dude, so. I heard what happened with Dug—the dog—and I wanted to check in. Buncha people seemed pretty messed up about what happened and I haven't got the first clue what a talking space cat feels in his fuzzy little heart about offing a friendly family pet. You alright? You didn't, like, actually want to do that, did you?

[A pause, then:]

Have you got people carrying your stuff still? Sorry I up and died that day. With the static.

[absentconstellation]

[ How... to address this message. He has lived for eons, and never in all that time has he been made to do anything against his will. Not even the Great Gods have that power. ]

I am with others. You need not apologize for circumstances outside of your control.

[ That's a start, anyway. ]

Dug is alive and well. That is the important thing. And those responsible will answer for their crimes in Mithros' court, when the time comes.

[mrcreamsicles]

[What.]

... Who's Mithros?

@featherydouche; video; day 201

[mrcreamsicles]

Hey, 9 Lives, I found your double.

[The cat gets video today! Davesprite's in what's left of an apartment in the split tunnels, and he's holding up a stuffed animal version of the cat, purple eyes and all.]

[absentconstellation]

[ The Cat regards the toy with some amusement. It's definitely him, there's no doubt about that. He's not terribly concerned about it, though. ]

So you have. What do you mean to do with it?

[mrcreamsicles]

I dunno if you saw Steph's post, or what Lutha said there, but there's at least one way these things can be used to hurt the people they look like. So, I'm going to hold onto this.

[He lifts the stuffed animal a little, though it's obvious what he means.]

I can hand it off to you if we run into each other again in the future, but for now I want to keep it safe so it doesn't fall into the wrong hands.

@featherydouche; text; night 206

[mrcreamsicles]

hey cat

[Pause.]

sorry for no funny nickname tonight but im not really feeling it
thing is
clint and i are locked outside
im telling karkat too so thats handled
just keep an eye on him for me until we come back ok
he likes to act tough but his act aint fooling me

video;

[absentconstellation]

I see.

[ It's difficult to see grief in a cat's eyes, but his tone isn't as flippant as it usually is. More serious, and sad. His tail doesn't move at all.

He likes Davesprite. And even if the boy does come back from this, that doesn't make the death any less real. He has seen too much in his long life to get his hopes up. ]

I will look after him.

[mrcreamsicles]

[Somehow even seeing a sad cat hurts. It's easier to parse after years of living with Jaspersprite, for all their personalities are night and day. But he doesn't tell him to use text. He doesn't know if he can, with those paws. He sticks to it himself because it's easier than putting his thoughts to speech.]

thank you
look after yourself too ok
he told me you both got frostbitten
and hes one thing but youre small and dont even have a coat to wear

@featherydouche; voice; morning 218

[mrcreamsicles]

[A part of him is kind of dreading talking to the Cat after some of their last conversations, but he figures he at least owes him an update after the chaos of last night. He picks voice, because he hasn't seen the Cat do text, and hopefully it might be enough to dissuade the use of video again.]

Hey. Made it through to morning. I'm going to be going south to get something Ginger made me, but I'm going to be checking in with Karkat while I'm out here.

voice;

[absentconstellation]

[ He finds video to be easier, but he can take a hint. He sticks to audio only. ]

I see. Be sure that you do. We must retrieve something of Karkat's before we can come find you again.

[mrcreamsicles]

[The Cat may here a quiet sigh of relief at this choice.]

Yeah, he told me. Some jackass took his doll and is threatening his life, right? That's why I told him to go on ahead. I don't want him to end up dead on my account.

I've still got yours and mine, so we're safe from that, at least.

action-ish? screw the rules, i have grey skin and horns; Morning 222

[quadrangle]

[He doesn't emerge from his (honestly fucking terrible) hiding place immediately; the remembered fear is enough to freak out anyone, or so he tells himself. The storm seems to have passed, though, and while he dreads actually facing Pounce and trying to unwrap just what the hell happened, he's... he's probably a coward in a lot of ways, but he's not one when it comes to his friends. Sort of.]

[Either way, he eventually peeks out from behind the altar, then stands, glancing around. Fuck this tiny hive and its one remaining room anyway. Where the hell is Pounce?]

If only you had green hair

[absentconstellation]

[ The cat himself has pulled his bowling bag into a corner of the room and is curled up inside it. It makes him feel irrationally more secure, and he could use all the help he can get with that just now.

When he sees Karkat looking around for him he pokes his head half-out and mews quietly. ]

[quadrangle]

[There's literally no way the ten foot tall monstrosity Pounce had become could fit into that tiny bag, but catching the motion out of the corner of his eye startles Karkat anyway... until he hears the mew.]

[They're fine. They survived. Everything's fine.]

[Clutching absently at the front of his sweater (his bloodpusher should not be racing this fast, what the fuck), he takes a few steps toward the bag, then stops, his head tilting. Pounce is no ordinary cat, but should he be approaching him directly like this anyway? Because, yeah, sure, Karkat's pretty freaked out by the whole thing, but Pounce has to be even more so if he'd been... transformed into that. So maybe...]

[Slowly, trying not to feel self-conscious, he crouches in place and holds out a hand.]

Uh... hey, Pounce.

[He is so fucking articulate.]

@carcinoGeneticist; text; night 234

[quadrangle]

[He hadn't been about to do this on his own, but after some prompting from Davesprite—]

I'm alive.

[... Yes. That's the entire message.]

video;

[absentconstellation]

[ The first sound he makes is a very excited prrumph. ]

Where are you?

text; FUCKSFHLKGJDF

[quadrangle]

The funeral home. I'm heading to the school next.