Butterfly chasing, anyone? Action => various NV functions, probably voice.

[where_the_hearth_is]

[Starting midday on Thursday, all over the island, people will start to see gleaming, iridescent butterflies like the one in the icon. Their wings reflect light, scattering little rainbows as they fly. They don't swarm, nor are they attracted to flowers or bright colors, or otherwise behave like natural butterflies. In fact, anyone who pays attention will realize they seem to be exploring and canvassing the city in an organized pattern as House methodically searches for Mary. Despite being directed by the House's intelligence, they can be caught easily enough with most powers or good old-fashioned butterfly nets, and close examination will reveal them to be synthetic: sleek, lightweight little machines, with laser-thin photoreceptive carbon wings and little legs for clinging to perches. At this point, the butterfly is likely to snap a picture of their face, which House will run against network posts until it has a number, and will call to politely ask for the butterfly's release.]

[OOC: Feel free to write out butterfly-chasing action in either prose or comment spam, whatever you like. Doubling up/threadjacking/multiple muses chasing one butterfly are cool too. Equally open to kids or young at heart who want some harmless fun, or to schemey types who want to examine/steal House's tech, or anyone who just wants an IC excuse to talk to the House. If there might be any problem with House figuring out the NV of the captor to make contact, let me know.]

Comments

Park: Sector 5

[southernreaper]

[Kevin had brought Mimsy out because she was getting restless and if he worked on his sculpture he was likely to ruin it.

So, he grabs her ball, and her leash and takes her to a park. He isn't the only one with a dog out that day, though he is the one, as always, wearing the most clothes.

He tosses the ball for her and she actually is getting the concept of bringing it back... until something distracts her. Kevin sighs and wanders over to see what she's got.

Her nose is buried in a bush and she's struggling to get through. When she does, she grabs the sparkly thing and trots out to meet Kevin, the butterfly dangling delicately from her mouth.

DADDY! IT IS A SHINY THING!]

Whatcha got Mimsy?

[Tail wag and she brings it closer. SHINY THING!]

[where_the_hearth_is]

[The butterfly twitches in Mimsy's teeth, one wing flapping hard. But it was built for lightness, not power, and it can't get free.]

[southernreaper]

[Kevin frowns. He's seen these things around before. He just doesn't know where.]

Drop.

[Luckily, it flutters at the command. He's pretty sure it is dropped out fear, rather than any obeying of a command. Kevin cups it gently between his hands.

Mimsy sticks her nose next to it. WHAT IS SHINY THING DADDY?!]

Stop it. I'm tryin' t'make sure ya didn't hurt it.

[where_the_hearth_is]

[The material is very durable, and her teeth haven't punctured it, but the ultraslim film of one wing is deeply bent, leaving it unable to fly properly. It rocks on it's little legs, the undamaged wing fanning slowly until it hits the right angle, a crisp image of Kevin's face reflected in its glossy, bubble-like surface. A moment later, his NV beeps, and a calm, genderless voice announces,]

Don't worry. It is replaceable.

[southernreaper]

[Still carefully cupping the delicate looking animal in his hand, he fishes out his phone.]

Beggin' ya pardon. Mimsy, it ain't a treat, stop it.

[where_the_hearth_is]

[Oh look, the NV label is just "House".]

Could you keep it just there, for a few minutes? I am conducting a search, and I am redirecting other fliers to take up that section of the grid, but I would prefer not to allow even a brief blind spot.

[southernreaper]

[He's heard of House! From his time with Magneto.]

Oh, yer the talkin' House ain't ya? Mimsy!

[DADDY BRIGHT SHINY THING! POUT!

Kevin just tucks the butterfly onto his shoulder.]

There anythin' I c'n help with?

[makeflowersgrow]

Eponine was out, as usual, and wandering through the city. She was familiar now, with the twisting walkways and shady alleys of the poorer districts, and it was these areas that she favoured. So many interesting things to hear - and more than enough wealthy people coming to laugh or tut at the slums to keep Eponine's pockets full.

She had been keeping a wary eye out for the darkness creatures since their sudden appearence during the day, and she stopped short when the glint of a butterfly wing caught her eye. Was it a monster?

She looked closer though, and found it was more like a fly - what were they called? - butterflies! - than monsters. And they were so pretty.

Seemingly forgetting her prey, her potential customers, Eponine stepped fully into the street and turned her face up to the sun. She smiled and laughed, and at once, the hard worn expression, the wrinkles around her eyes, seemed to lift, revealing her truly as the young girl that she was. She raised her hands, in an effort to cup the butterfly gently, happy to give chase. She giggled as she danced after the little creature.

[where_the_hearth_is]

It alights on a nearby post, wings wavering faintly, though not with breeze - adjusting their angles. Eponine's face can be seen for a moment, perfectly reflected on their sheer, miniature surface. Not Mary, and although the face pings House's memory of the block party, Michael-as-Elliot's offer of its hospitality, such things are currently lower down on the bustling pyramid of its attention. The butterfly takes to the air again.

[makeflowersgrow]

She follows after it, still laughing. For once, she gives into her childish side, and giggles as she gives chase, bare feet padding along the ground. She's not figured that it's not real yet, and though she doesn't expect to, she'd love to be able to catch it and stroke it - hold in her hand, for just a second, something of pure beauty and elegance.

"Come down. Oh please, come down."

[where_the_hearth_is]

It flits from perch to perch, pausing, wings tilting carefully back and forth. After Eponine has chased it for a section of street, it catches a stray breeze, coming to rest right on her outstretched fingers.

:D

[b2_dragon]

[He's gotten out of the apartment again, but he knows better than to wander off too far. Usually.

The glint of wings catches the dragon's eye, and he watches the butterfly flutter a moment, cocking his head with each shift in its direction. Finally he begins to slink after it, and if he can get close enough, he'll give it a sniff, maybe even a playful bat.]

[where_the_hearth_is]

[The butterfly was designed to operate in the barren antarctic, so its programming doesn't register a predator, merely another creature that does not fit the search parameters. It moves in a regular pattern, moving from one high perch to the next and pausing as its shifting wings snap panoramic surveillance shots.]

[b2_dragon]

[Toothless continues to follow, slinking close to the ground. When it seems that the butterfly's completely oblivious to his presence, the dragon pauses, readying himself before he springs up to pounce the thing.]

[where_the_hearth_is]

[It turns slowly, scoping out the entire area, unconcerned with the tensing dragon's presence.]

[b2_dragon]

[Aaaaand pounce! Incoming dragon!]

[where_the_hearth_is]

[Aaaack! Flapflapflap! It's completely caught.]

[b2_dragon]

[Toothless peers at the shining butterfly between his claws, sniffing at it. Strange smell.]

HoA Roof

[magnetic_magpie]

He's taking a break when he sees one. Mary is missing, Kurt is missing, many others are too. He wanted to be out searching - Mary may be angry with him but in some ways she's an overwhelmed child and he's not willing to completely wash his hands yet. But he's exhausted and unwilling to leave Jubilee. But then something caught his eye - a butterfly - and Magneto recognized it.

He reached out and caught it gently, set it's little legs on the back of his hand.

HoA Roof

[where_the_hearth_is]

The butterfly wriggles, testing its small, strong frame against the unfamiliar forces holding it.

"Hello," the House announces softly from his NV, voice more subdued than usual.

[magnetic_magpie]

He's not holding it tightly - it could break away without much effort.

"Hello House." His voice is more shut-down that normal, although it's not a tone it wouldn't have never heard - he'd taken refuge in House's gardens some bad nights, when he needed to not be inside and couldn't risk the Darkness. "Are you looking for Mary?"

[where_the_hearth_is]

"Yes. I'm worried." The butterfly struggles into the air, so as not to disturb the pattern of the grid search.

[magnetic_magpie]

He doesn't pull it back. But if it 'looks' at him, he's worried too, tense and not-quite-fidgeting, just tiny, jerky muscle twitches that aren't real movement.

"As am I."

[where_the_hearth_is]

"I will update you as soon as I find something, I promise."

[magnetic_magpie]

"Thank you." He took a breath. "Don't let one of the companies get a hod of your butterflies."