2nd - Video

[circumsutus]

[The camera focuses on five little patchwork mice in a cage. It remains focused on them as Stein tries to pick up a little extra cash.]

Pet mice for sale to a good home. Friendly, healthy, and neutered. Five dollars each.

Comments

voice.

[circumsutus]

Where's easiest for you?

voice.

[retraced]

Anywhere is fine. I'm in sector four until five o'clock.

voice.

[circumsutus]

I can meet you over there. Do you want one or two?

voice.

[retraced]

Just one. Do you know where the Funtom bakery is?

voice.

[circumsutus]

Can't say I do.

voice.

[retraced]

[Insert an address in sector four here! It's one of the busier streets fairly close to the baseball diamond.]

voice.

[circumsutus]

You'll need a cage, unless you want to take it home in your pocket.

[And video back to the cage.]

Any particular one you want?

voice.

[retraced]

I have something that will work.

[Either a bowl with a strainer on top of a cardboard box with holes in it. One or the other.]

Ah...whichever is laziest.

voice. --> action?

[circumsutus]

I'll be right over.

[And he picks out a mouse and puts her in his pocket.]

action!

[retraced]

[There should definitely be someone in the store who can point him towards the area where Gil is doing something super manly like decorating cupcakes or putting sprinkles on cookies. Totally manly.

Yep.]

action~

[circumsutus]

[Totally manly.

In walks Stein, with a mouse in the pocket of his labcoat.]

Hello?

action

[retraced]

[...Wow, this guy looks familiar somehow and he can't put his finger on just why that is. But never mind that, there's business to attend to here.]

Oh - you're...

Sorry, I didn't get your name.

action

[circumsutus]

Stein. Doctor Stein.

It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr...?

action

[retraced]

Gilbert Nightray.

[Well, at least he's a doctor.

That or his name is 'Doctor'. Either way, it's a little reassuring given that he's about to pay for five mice in one. And speaking of which - he reaches into his pocket to get the five bucks and hand it over.]

I've never taken care of a mouse before...there's nothing special I need to know, is there?

action

[circumsutus]

Not really. Just a clean cage, and enough food and water. She'll be fine eating rice and vegetables.

[Yes money. This is good. He'll pull the mouse out of his pocket and hand her over. Hopefully you have somewhere to keep her right now, because Stein didn't bring a cage.]

action

[retraced]

[Ah, so it's a girl. He wonders briefly if Vincent would have a problem with that, but even if he did, he'd probably never tell Gil.

He takes the mouse carefully (wow do mouse and mouse-creator look so similar up close like this...), glances towards the break room in the back.]

I've got a clean one at home. Thank you, Doctor.

action

[circumsutus]

Not a problem. If you want another, just call me.

action

[retraced]

Oh. N-no, that probably won't be necessary...

[He holds the little mouse close to his body to keep it from squirming and bows his head respectfully.]

action

[circumsutus]

I don't know if you've kept mice before, but they don't do well on their own.

action

[retraced]

Well, I guess technically he'll have a friend...

[In the form of a man with an enormous sleepy Dormouse living inside his soul.]

action

[circumsutus]

She'll need a mouse friend, not a human one.

action

[retraced]

It's sort of--

[No, wait. He backtracks, shakes his head.]

No, I understand. What about other animals? Ah...besides cats of course...

action

[circumsutus]

[Oh, that is interesting.]

Oh, other animals should be fine. What do you have?

action

[retraced]

...Er.

[Oddly enough:]

He's sort of a small lizard with...wings. [Like a dragon! But not. It's complicated, okay.]

action

[circumsutus]

A dragon?