Chapter 7: The return of Larry
Lyude woke to something soft and warm on his head. He grunted and saw a flash of blue and green flash before his eyes. "Larry?" Lyude grunted sitting up as the bunnycat hopped up onto the top bunk mewing loudly in his master's ear. Lyude looked up in confusion, he was sure he'd seen the pink haired woman take him away. He groaned as he viewed his pillow. Covered in long, blue and green fur. Larry was a shedder, it seemed. "Laarreeyyyy!" squealed Folon in delight.
Lyude sighed. Wondering how long this was going to last and busied himself in changing his sheets and straightening his bunk.
"Whoopsie!" said Benson just as Lyude finished and pretended to trip, pouring apple juice all over Lyude's freshly made up bunk. Just as the commander walked in for inspection. Lyude stood horrified at the yellow seeping deep into the pristine white sheets of his bunk as Stryker came up. Fortunately, Stryker had seen Benson's actions.
"Can't hold your liquids, Benson? I suppose you'll be on laundry detail and double duty for the next three weeks or so."
Benson gaped then glared at Lyude as if it were his fault.
"Tend to your bunk, soldier." said Stryker to Lyude who acknowledged and set to work replacing his mattress.
"Commander's pet." muttered Benson knocking against Lyude hard in the shoulder and trying to topple him over into the railing of his bunk. Lyude ignored this and finished his work as Commander Stryker returned to inspect his bunk. "Very timely." said Stryker.
"Mwrar...meowr..." Larry jumped up onto Folon's shoulder, then to the top of his head purring audibly.
"Heheh..." Folon stood nervously to attention as Commander Stryker scrutinized him. "Only those chosen to have private quarters may have pets." he snapped. "Get rid of that animal."
"Aw, c'mon, commander, everybody's gotta have a mascot! He can be the mascot for the unit!" Folon pleaded.
"A ratty, hideous bunnycat like that as a mascot for an Imperial unit!" roared Stryker. "You idiot! Get that filthy beast out of my sight."
"Nobody talks about Larry that way..." Folon growled.
The bunnycat jumped down and landed on Lyude's shoulder, putting distance between himself and commander Stryker, purring and rubbing his cheek against Lyude's and eying Commander Stryker lazily. Lyude glanced at the animal on his shoulder and reached up to remove it, Larry happy to crawl down his arm and settle against him, yet he'd dug his claws in to inform Lyude that he didn't plan on moving any time soon.
Stryker sneered down at the bunnycat. "I don't want to see it again. Get rid of that animal by the time I return." He turned on his heel and strode from the room. Lyude subconsciously stroked Larry's neck then looked down at him. "You know...if you know a soldier with private quarters, he could still stay in the fortress." said Lyude.
"What do you care?" growled Folon. Lyude pried the bunnycat off his uniform gently and handed him back to Folon.
"It was just a thought." said Lyude and headed for breakfast.
Folon looked after him with narrowed eyes, then thought for a moment. "Maybe...he just might." Folon trotted down through the fortress and ran to Giacamo's room.
Folon was smirking when he went to breakfast and Giacomo was rolling his eyes after him as he passed in the hall.
Lyude had gotten up from his plate to get a drink and closed his eyes wearily at his return. Blue and orange cat hair was sprinkled all over his food and Folon was grinning rakishly at him and peering over at the rules posted on the wall. Lyude sighed and sat down, scraping as much of the cat hair off as possible and tried not to waste anything. He could see this was going to be a long term.