{MIW} Cardboard Box Stealth Mastery

[Humphries]

Humphries was staff. Staff should be helping with Move-In Week and the various festivities and events around it. However, Humphries was not helping, because Humphries also happened to be a staff. And there happened to be far, far too many people about who were not aware of this fact, and as entertaining as it may sound, it was not enjoyable to speak with them and spend the time necessary to convince them that he had enough intelligence to work at the school and be a fully productive member of society.

Thus Humphries had opted to hide. He liked to think he was still observing the situations, making sure to watch various students and take in what he needed to know. Perhaps he'd discover something important. or he'd catch a student attempting to use the bustle to sneak drugs onto campus, which he'd done before. Right now, he watched as a cardboard box appeared into the dorm first floor.

Naturally he had to investigate. And it happened to be empty. And Humphries happened to be a cat. Before he even realized it, the cat had hunched inside, and the moment he saw hands approaching, he popped out and bobbed with his paw, feeling his inner feline rejoice at the motion.

[Samai Deza]

While it was a task, a mission even, Samai managed to skip out on Move-In Week for today, or at least until someone begged her to help out. Even if someone did come up to her and ask, she had a whole excuse planned out. There would be something about having cramps, maybe a little whine here, a pout there, not feeling very well. She'd so sell the whole thing to perfection. Who could ever deny her pout? It worked like a charm. Besides, roaming around the halls, seeing new people; It was way better than being busy outside.

Her curiosity led her to first floor of the dorms, as she continued to do nothing but walk around and wave at a few cute guys, new people and some familiar faces. Then there was a box, just sitting there... on the ground. Samai neared it, her first thought was to pick it up and toss it into the recycling dumpster. Instead, she picked up a scent of something. Kneeling down, she reached for it until a paw popped out and bobbed at her hand. "Oh, woah."

Samai took back her hand, only to reach her nose in closer before pausing. Her hand reached out to it again just to see if the kitty would reach it's paw out again. She giggled, "Kitty? What are you doing in there?"

[Humphries]

The hand returned, and Humphries' paw shot out again with, well, with catlike speed and agility. He liked to think he moved with a near fluid grace as he lunged forward, batting away at the human hand. He certainly thought he felt a connection, his paw colliding with those imposing fingers for a few joyous seconds. The elation that he felt certainly didn't dim.

Humphries did, however, hear the human talking to him. The words nudged against the thinking part of his mind, reminding him that he did, in fact, have an intelligent mind driving his core. He still purred even as he let the mind do the talking: "I am staking my space among the rest of you and defending my territory. To whit: this box is mine, and I'm keeping it."

And to further demonstrate his ownership, Humphries popped back up and yet again smacked the side of the box. Just let her witness his grace and mastery in motion, and awe.

[Samai Deza]

Even after the kitty shot its paw out, Samai felt the need to be cute and reach a hand out again, knowing that she probably would've looked weird kneeling in front of a box and playing some sort of 'Paw Tag' with a cat. There was nothing wrong with it. Had she been able to shift into one, she probably would've hid in a box also.

The fact that the cat spoke, through... something, made Samai raise her brows. "Oh." Wasn't there some sort of Bellefonte official cat? A mutant? Or at least the cat she usually saw roaming the halls, he was an official something. Samai forgot his name though, she heard some crazy Irish guy mention it once in the hallway. "I see. I uh, I wasn't trying to take your box-"

She blinked, watching him pop back up, showing some kind of an example. "Right." Chuckling, the bleached blonde smiled. "I was just curious of who... or what was in there. I picked up on something when I got close, and I guess the scent I picked up was you." Furrowing her brows, she questioned him.. "Aren't you like.. staff or something?"

[Humphries]

Yes, this was most definitely enjoyable, particularly when the human continued batting back. Humphries knew he could count on his superior cat reflexes to ensure that he kept batting away at the girl as she extended her hand into it. He could hear her pause of confusion and so forth. But Humphries was fairly certain he'd fully asserted his authority and dominance on the situation.

The question did nearly have him chuckling. "Indeed, I am a member of security here at Bellefonte," the cat said. He extended his head slightly, ears and eyes poking over the top to look at the girl. "I also happen to be a cat, and thus am enjoying myself immensely in between duties." His head swiveled to look at the girl. "Did you have something you needed to report or some concern you wished to bring to attention? I'm most willing to listen. If not, then I'm likely to return to asserting my claim over this particularly comforting square of cardboard."

[Samai Deza]

The sight of his ears and eyes nearly made Samai squeal. He was so adorable. Grumpy looking, even but still cute. So it was him! While never really had the chance to speak up close and personal with most of the security staff, she often noted who was who since she was trying out for the squad. Maybe she was supposed to get all buddy buddy with one? Hopefully bettering her chances?

Laughing, she eyed the box. "How do you even get enjoyment from a... box?" When he asked, she then shook her head. "Well no, I didn't. I was just curious 'cause like, I thought something was in here but it was you and I get you're a cat and everything... whose also staff but like, do you really find this fun?" Her eyes glanced around the box before grabbing it and lifting it, seeing if there was anything extra about it. Forgetting that there still had been the cat inside.

She quickly put the box back down, "Sorry. Just trying to find the fun mechanisms. You're also the first and only cat I've actually spoken to. Funny, huh? I'm a mutant and still can't get over it."

[Humphries]

Humphries glared slightly over the edge of the box. "There's something about it that triggers pleasure sensors in my feline brain. The walls, the texture, it is just most pleasing. You may as well ask yourself why you gain enjoyment from cuddling up with another person or staring at the rain while you're inside and warm," Humphries would've added a derisive snort had he been capable of it. he did manage a meow that he felt went a way toward conveying roughly the same feeling.

The woman reached down to pick up the box, which forced Humphries to shift drastically. His limbs went flying as they braced, and he could feel himself brushing against the box. The sensation certainly wasn't altogether pleasant, and he let the girl know via a rather put out meow. At least the box went back down.

"Yes, the world of mutants is both fun and enjoyable. Could we try not to disturb my equilibrium while discussing it?" Humphries said, unable to stop himself from sounding put out. He had just had his entire world effectively lifted and shaken like a maraca.

[Samai Deza]

"You know... that's like a good point but I could do without the rain. It usually ends up in thunderstorms and those kind of freak me out." Now was usually the time where Samai ended up in deep thought about the subject at hand. Her attention could often be lost like that but quickly came back once she heard the meow.

Then of course, the other meow due to her picking up the box and while she couldn't speak cat, it wasn't hard to tell that he wasn't too pleased with her picking up the box. Which was why she had put it back down. "Right. Sorry."

Others often walked past, probably wondering why Samai was talking to a "talking" kitty in a box but for once she didn't care. It was kind of interesting. Now she found herself sitting on the ground in front of the box, her knees pulled in with her arms as her eyes were open... but with interest. "So are you like what are you anyway... a person in a cat's body, or like a shapeshifter? Or a cat who ended up in some weird scientific experiment like I saw in this one show? Who totally became a mutant and could talk to everyone?"

[Humphries]

Rain and thunderstorms? Humphries just had to wonder where that came from. Were he more concerned with the conversation and less concerned with getting into a comfortable position he might have even offered his own opinion on the awfulness of being damp, but as it was, he was far more interested in getting down instead. Thankfully the girl listened. Humphries did not, however, jump out of the box, but instead readjusted himself and stretched out slightly.

Well, it was his box after all. It smelled like him now and he'd be damned if he was going to give it up just because some girl decided she wanted to play with it.

The questions that came were somewhat expected, albeit a little tiresome. "I'm a mutant," the cat supplied, looking up at the girl, "who goes by the name of Humphries. The school employs me as security, and this generally entails patrolling the halls and reporting in on the various goings on. Since all staff are asked to help, I'm here. Helping," Humphries patted the edge of the box. How precisely he was helping was up for some debate. "I talk through a device around my neck that's very similar to the one Steven Hawking uses, except that mine is a good deal more advanced. And also complete with a British accent, as that is my country of origin."

And that was more than enough information, as far as Humphries was concerned. He punctuated the remark with a yawn, and was seriously considering asking if she'd like to entertain him with some string or something. The box truly was messing with his thoughts, but it did make him feel like quite the impressive hunter.