video;

[heliakal]

[ Clark appears on screen wearing a recently acquired pair of glasses from the marketplace. He looks like a buff nerd irritated and uncertain. ]

I think something was delivered to me by mistake. [ He angles the camera so the fuzzy little bonsai tree in front of him is clearly visible. The leaves are covered in fur, it's actually sort of cute but... That tiny meowing sound? That's coming from the tree.

More specifically, from the little seed pods that contain live kittens. ]

If it belongs to anyone, I'll be happy to return it. [ Said mildly. He doesn't know yet if this is an alien species or something more deliberate, but he's trying very hard to give it the benefit of a doubt here. ]

In the meantime... Does anyone know what this is, exactly? Or how to take care of it?

Comments

[heliakal]

Unsettling? [ Because that's the first word (polite) to come to mind. It would be one thing if it was some sort of bizarre native species, but someone had actually created this thing. Deliberately. And now he's stuck with it. ]

Alright, so this is someone's idea of art. [ Clark nudges his glasses up so he can pinch the bridge of his nose. This is really not a job for Superman. ] Do you know anything else about it? What it eats? Or if it'll grow enough for the kittens to separate from it?

[forwardmomentum]

[ miles spreads his hands in a shrug. ]

Hell if I know. I suppose it'd need watering. But I, uh, wouldn't count on that thing dropping its fruit, ever. I don't think they were meant to separate from it.

[heliakal]

That's fantastic.

[forwardmomentum]

Look, I didn't make the thing. For all I know, it's not meant to last at all. Cetagandans have some funny ideas about art and mortality.

[heliakal]

I'm getting that impression. Thank you for the information, anyway.

[ Clark cards his fingers through his hair. ] And for talking to Ivan, if you did.

[forwardmomentum]

[ miles grins unrepentantly. ]

He's my cousin. I live with him. What do you think?

[ thanks for the assist, clark, it's been fun. ]

[heliakal]

[ Clark actually laughs at that. ] Well I assumed it wasn't my grace and charm.

You two seem almost like brothers. Did you grow up together?

[forwardmomentum]

[ miles shrugs, still grinning a little. ]

Yeah, sort of. We were -- well, I guess I wasn't quite an only child, but Ivan was, and he was the only one my age. He can be kind of a pain in the ass, but he's useful to have around.

[ miles and ivan bicker a lot, but they're very fond of each other. somewhere in there. ]

[heliakal]

It seems like he would say the same thing about you.

[forwardmomentum]

[ miles actually laughs at that, giving clark a rather manic grin. ]

Oh, no doubt -- well, except for the part about me being useful to have around. I think he'd fundamentally disagree on that point.

[heliakal]

I can't imagine why. [ This thing with the tree is clearly not the first incident of its kid. Clark almost feels sorry for Ivan. ] You must keep his life pretty interesting.

[forwardmomentum]

[ oh, clark. you have no idea. miles' grin only widens. ]

You say interesting, Ivan says proximity hazard. [ he throws his hands up in a what can I say? gesture. ] Semantics.

[heliakal]

I'm almost afraid to ask - how much trouble have you gotten into?

[ Clark has never had any siblings or even close friends. It's kind of fun to listen to Miles and Ivan harass each other in a good-natured way. ]

[whatdidisay]

( ivan pokes his head onto the feed, above miles's. just to keep his cousin from making it sound like it's better than it is. )

In the last three years? Two counts of kidnapping. Me getting kidnapped, just so we're clear.

[forwardmomentum]

Ivan!

[ miles immediately tries to shove him out of frame, the feed going a little shaky as miles moves to bat him away, annoyed. ]

He's -- [ exaggerating? no, he really isn't. ] It wasn't like I kidnapped him.

[heliakal]

[ Clark is actually making an effort not to laugh. ]

I wouldn't have pegged you for the a damsel in distress, Ivan.

How -- [ He's about to say on earth but catches himself. ] Did you manage that?

[forwardmomentum]

[ ivan finally leaves him alone and miles rolls his eyes, sitting back against the wall next to his bunk bed. ]

That's classified, [ he says airily, and that isn't... not true ] and sort of complicated. But! I came to his rescue both times, and he got out with his skin intact, so isn't that what really matters?

[heliakal]

Well I guess I can't subpoena you for information out here, but it sounds like an interesting story - let me know if you ever decide to declassify it. [ He's joking about the subpoena, but he is curious about what actually went on. ]

[forwardmomentum]

[ ivan, you ass, stop drooling information everywhere. miles sets his teeth against a smile, turning it to an airy laugh. ]

I'm afraid my boss would skin me if I did. [ he flashes clark a manic grin. ] Oh, but I could tell you plenty of other stories about Ivan sometime.