[Open]

[mybadhabit]

Who: Speed of Sound Sonic mybadhabit, Inoshishi no Ino, and you!
What: Sonic is having something of an open house so he can show off his pet boar.
When: April 13th, starting around 11:30 am and continuing into the afternoon
Where: Hermes' temple
Warnings: If you say anything about eating Ino, you will be threatened with death.

Enough people had expressed an interest in meeting Ino in person that Sonic felt justified in making something of a party of it. He didn't really have time to prepare anything fancy, but after his morning training, he whipped up enough sandwich quarters and salads (leafy, fruit, and crunchy ramen noodle) to offer to anybody who stopped by. Around 11:30, it got set up on a table near the pool, along with an assortment of chips and some pitchers of fruit water.

Ino doesn't seem to realize all the fuss is over him. He scampers happily around Sonic's feet as he sets up, a scrap of purple fabric tied around his neck like a bandana, occasionally wandering off to sniff at something new. He never strays away more than three or four feet, though, and as soon as anybody approaches, goes scurrying back behind Sonic's legs.

[[If people want to mingle, feel free to do the thing!]]

Comments

[bighand]

["Around noon" is the time Kija was given, so "precisely noon on the dot" is the time Kija shows up at the correct temple. He's actually gotten sleep since their conversation earlier and verified the location on the map at least four times so he wouldn't get lost and make a bad impression-! And now, here he is, approaching the temple and looking around with interest.

There's food... is this for the ninja pig? Hm! When he spots Sonic he waves with his right hand, which is apparently what "you will know me by the hand" was supposed to mean. There... there it is.]

Hello! Hermes, correct? You have a very nice pig!

[nailed it.]

[mybadhabit]

[Exactly noon means Sonic's taken to throwing a bean bag for Ino to catch, the little pig racing to catch it, then leaping up to snatch it quite deftly out of the air. Ino spots Kija before Sonic does and drops the bean bag half way through returning it, instead charging headfirst into Sonic's leg with a nervous "kyuu!"]

Ack, Ino, what are you- oh.

[Oh. That does certainly explain some things, yes. How interesting.]

[He scoops up the little pig into his arm and approaches, waving one hand in greeting]

Yes, that's right, thank you. Kija, I presume? You know, I must say, when you said "you'll know by my hand," I wasn't expecting... that.

[bighand]

[Warrior pig... Kija looks at his own hand completely unabashed, like it hasn't quite occurred to him yet that not everyone in this place knows about--his hand. Because they should. First of all, it's impressive...

He nods, anyway- yes, he's Kija, and this is his hand. It needs its own introduction.]

Well, here it is! What do you think? It's evocative of strength and dignity, is it not?

[mybadhabit]

[If his arms weren't full of pig, Sonic would have his hands pressed together up against his lips. As it is, he bites his lip as he looks the hand over, eyebrows raised skeptically]

Strength and dignity... well, I can certainly say it does look very powerful. [That's close enough, right?] I take it to mean that you're something of a brawler?

[oathkeeper]

[Sora didn't wait that long after Sonic gave him the get go to come over and see his pet pig.

As soon as he was awake enough he had relocated himself to Hermes' temple and burst through the front door looking super mega excited. And maybe a bit teary eyed.]

S-Sonic!!

[mybadhabit]

[Sonic glances back when he hears a door slam inside the house, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Ekko is probably up by now, but he doesn't really have a habit of slamming doo-]

[Oh. It's Sora. Sora, please.]

[Sonic sighs and opens up the sliding glass door at the back of the house, waving at Sora. Due to the open nature of the house, Sora should be able to see him if he turns his head slightly to the left]

I'm outside, you nerd. Are you crying already?

[oathkeeper]

Okay but you have a pet pig!

[Maybe sort of he was a little jelly. He sees Sonic and follows after with a bounce in his step.]

He really just popped up outta no where?

[wadoichimonji]

[Zoro wanders into Sonic's temple mostly because it looked familiar, and he didn't get lost on his morning jog, he just happened to take a different route than usual and ended up here. He absolutely knows how to get back to Euterpe's temple.

But he's here now and he walks in, looking around for the god that decides in, when he hears some squealing and goes off to where the sound came from.

He sees Sonic first, and, without really thinking much, looks down at his feet, where the small boar is happily running around. He smiles softly, crossing his arms in front of his chest.]

So that's your boy?

[mybadhabit]

[Sonic believes that, and also, he has a tower in France he'd love to sell you.]

Oh, Zoro! I didn't realize you'd be coming over. I'm glad to see I didn't get lost on your way here. [He snickers to himself, automatically bending down to scoop Ino up. Usually, he goes right for Sonic's legs whenever someone new shows up, but for the first time today, Ino decides to leave Sonic's side and investigate Zoro on his own] Oh-! Well, yes. This is Ino. I guess he likes you.

[He watches as Ino sniffs at Zoro, wandering around him in a circle.]

[wadoichimonji]

[Zoro blushes slightly, clearing his throat.]

Yeah, well, I wanted to meet your friend.

[Zoro has that effect on animals really. He bends down, extending his hand towards Ino, waiting for the little guy to come sniff at him. He kinda really wants to pet him.]

He's a lot smaller than I expected. Do you know his age?

[galactically]

[Although Sheryl can't stay in Sonic's temple for too long — there's a thing called having a busy schedule with teaching fitness class and work — she arrives at noon as promised. Being familiar with the location helps immensely after visiting his temple once for dinner and watching two men fight. What an interesting day, at the time.

At any rate, there sure is a lot of food. And there sure is a cute pig scurrying behind Sonic.

She approaches with a friendly wave of her hand, beaming.]

So this is the cutie you've told me about, Hermes! Hi there.

[mybadhabit]

Sheryl Nome! It's always good to see you! [When Sheryl first approached, Ino had darted behind Sonic's legs, but the mention of her name, he lifts his head, taking a few cautious steps towards her, his snout raised up. Sonic gives him a nudge with his foot, and after letting out a little "kyuu!" of surprise, the little boar scoots closer, sniffing her curiously] Yes, Ino, she's the one I was telling you about. You don't have to be afraid.

[galactically]

Just Sheryl is fine!

[There's some quiet laughter out of her before she notices the tiny boar's nuzzle touching her feet. If anything catches her interest aside from music, it's cute critters. She's quick to let out a coo, cupping her own face with both hands as she looks captivated by Ino.]

Aww, he's even more precious in person! Can I pet him? Can I?

[chronobreak]

Around noon is about the time that Ekko's willing to emerge from his room. He's been up since much earlier, and the noises coming out of it say he's been working on something or other. When it comes to working he's happy to hole himself in his room.

Sonic wasn't the only one who got something today, though Ekko's is considerably less... alive. The machine Sonic saw him die to is on his back, and trailing behind him is a turquoise hologram of himself three or so seconds ago.

"When'd you get a pig?"

[mybadhabit]

When Sonic sees the Z-drive, he does a double take. The hologram trail is weird, but not all that surprising, considering what he knows of Ekko, and what he saw when he died. It's the fact that he's got the thing that killed strapped to his back that sets him slightly on edge. It's the burning fact that he wants to say something about it, but he knows that he can't that makes him uneasy.

But it's important, he suspects, and he can't say anything anyway, so he shakes it off and plucks Ino from the ground as he scoots by, tucking him under one arm so that Ino and Ekko can get a good look at each other.

"This morning, technically. Ekko, this is Inoshishi no Ino, a friend from home. Ino, this Ekko, my work partner who lives with us, so he'll help look after you if I'm not around."

While Ino sniffs curiously at Ekko, Sonic adds, "I don't expect you to do much, just let him out occassionally and give him food. I've been told he gets huffy when I'm not around."

[chronobreak]

He's not entirely sure what it does, other than jump him back to where ever the hologram is. He doesn't have the memories that go along with the thing, but if he did he'd insist that the Z-Drive is completely harmless if people didn't go around shooting a beautiful piece of machinery.

He looks at the pig, and then at Sonic. "A ninja with a pet pig. Man, this place really is weird."

[scrap_metal]

[ Fine. Genos need the convincing to come here, but hey, Hermes did help him with Motoki. He might be wary of him, but at least he should return that favor. Even if that favor isn't really helping with stuff for Ino - Hermes has it covered - but bringing in potential playmate.

So here he is, at Hermes temple, with very frustrated kitten in cat carrier way too big for it.

Of course he's going to be cautious. He's a paranoid responsible cat dad. ]

[mybadhabit]

[Sonic's having second thoughts about this play-date. Not because of Genos, no, but the din Motoki is making inside that cat carrier. He has the sneaking suspicion she's going to turn out far too aggressive and rambunctious for shy little Ino.]

[Ah well. Genos is here with the cat anyway, might as well give it a try]

[He sets up a screen to act as a barrier on one end of the living area, and gets a second one ready for the other end before letting Genos in. He's not worried about her getting out so much as he'd like to keep her as contained as much as possible.]

Well, I can see someone's fighting spirit hasn't dulled any since the last time I saw her.

[scrap_metal]

Are all kittens like that? Most of the cats I've met would rather spend their time lying on the sun. But her?

[ He puts down the container which starts rattling immediately. Motoki understands that while suspended in air - doors won't open -, but when on the floor, freedom is seconds away. ]

I can't keep up.

[herbalsupplements]

[Even Kurama can only spend so much of his day brooding, so when he sees that Sonic will be introducing people to his newly arrived baby boar in person, it only seems fair to deliver his compliments the same way. He arrives with a basket in hand, loaded to the brim with acorns, bulbs, and tubers, and catches Sonic's attention with the name he's expressed a preference for.]

Hello, Hermes!

[mybadhabit]

[You know who knows what's in that basket? Ino knows what's in that basket. Sure, boars can and will eat anything, but acorns and tubers are A+. He comes bounding excitedly towards Kurama, but skids to a halt about two feet away from and just.]

[Sits his little butt down to stare up at him, his big black eyes squinting in confusion]

[Sonic is not far behind, his brow furrowed and cupping his chin as he eyes the pig] Hello, Kurama. That is the strangest reaction he's had to someone today.

[herbalsupplements]

[And here he'd used his most strongly rose-scented shampoo before coming over. There's just no fooling a nose strong enough to find things underground, but Kurama was prepared for failure. He sets the basket on the ground and sits down next to it, crossing his legs to seem more approachable and less like a small predator in an unnatural body.]

I probably shouldn't have used such a strong-smelling shampoo today, but some days demand roses. [He says it just a little wistfully, thinking of the photo now moved to his nightstand back at the garden to give his explanation the weight of truth, and pulls a handful of acorns out of the basket to present in peaceful offering.]

[moonfang]

[Zangetsu couldn't care less about the baby boar. There were plenty of pigs to hunt in the jungle around Jin's temple. He didn't need to, or even particularly WANT to, eat someone's pet.

But he temporarily forgets about why he's actually here when he sees the whole setup Sonic has going on here.]

Wooowwww-EEEE. This is some fancy ass shit!

[....!!! FINGER SANDWICHES. He descends upon them like locusts on grain]

[mybadhabit]

[While Sonic had made more, he hadn't planned on having to replace the sandwiches so quickly. He watches Zangetsu eat with dull horror, Ino peering out from behind his legs]

Has... has your god not been feeding you?

[moonfang]

No! They have been! [he says between mouthfuls of sandwiches] But I'm hungry all the time anyway!