Derrick had dropped them off at Times Square. Kitra looked over at Calley, "You were quiet that entire ride, was it in anticipation?" Kitra looked around for the pet store she knew was there but couldn't find it. "Calley, do you know where the pet store is around here? I can't seem to find it."

((ooc: Continued from "Training an Artist".))

Calley stopped staring up at the buildings long enough to blink and answer her. They looked shorter from the ground than they did from the air--which he was finding strange and intriguing. "Oh, sorry. I was staring at the back of Derrick's head." Yes, this answer did make sense to him. Derick's hair was an interesting texture. Sorta wavy-coarse-spikey-flat. He'd been trying very hard not to touch it. "Ooo, pet shop!" He grabbed Kitra's hand. "This way!" And started dragging her through the human traffic of NYC. Past KB Toys, past a conterfeit purse store, to a little place with goldfish and guinea pigs in the windows. He really hoped they had a parrot.

Lost. Again. It only now occured to Ted that he should get himself a map. Or a guide. A GPS would be nice. ted decided that he should stop thinking about things he should have done, and worry about what he should do now. What that was, exactly, he didn't know. He spotted a pet shop, and decided that with nothing better to do, he might as well have a look. He liked animals, though some didn't seem to like him. Ah well, dogs seem to like me. I'll see if they have any puppies. Maybe when I have enough money, I'll come buy one. Pleased with the thought, Ted went straight for the door, and stopped to let a couple in first. "After you."

Kitra felt herself being pulled and let Calley take her to the pet store. She laughed when they entered for it had seemed small on the outside but was actual decent sized. She wandered looking for kitties and wondered where Calley would be. She passed the puppies and awwed. They were so cute. Kitra seriously considered getting one.

Calley got distracted from the second they walked in. This was due in large part to the squeaky toys. I am not a dog. I am not a dog. I am a cat. I-

sqeee-kak!

-Hee hee!

The mental image of him playing with one of these in front of Hunter actually made him more tempted to buy one, instead of less. ...He worried, just a little, that he might be getting suicidal.

sqee-kak!

It was a worry that was easy to dispell.

"Kitra, Kitra! Neon orange giraffe squeaky!" He proudly proclaimed, looking up. Huh. Where'd she go? Grabbing his happy toy of happiness--neon orange happiness, mind you--he started walking down isles. Down one of them, he spotted the guy who'd entered at the same time as them. "Squeaky!" He happily greeted the guy, waving the giraffe in the air. Then he kept going, searching for Kitra...

Kitra looked up as the man who had opened the door and let them go through first, strolled into the puppy aisle. She wondered if he was going to get a puppy, that would be cute.

"Hello. How are you?" She looked at the guy and then saw Calley behind him, holding a neon orange squeaky toy.

"Calley, what are you doing with that? It looks...amusing, oddly amusing."

Kitra let out a small chuckle as she looked again at the guy. "So, are you looking for a pet too?"

He smiled at the girl, "I'm fine, I was just looking." At this point the man mentioned something about speaky, and waved a neon orange giraffe in his face. Neon orange? Cool. I'm thinking of getting one, when I get myself a job." He agreed with the woman's view of the toy. Certainly amusing. Certainly odd. The description worked quite well. "So do you already have a puppy? Or is the toy for your friend here, considering how much he seems to like it." Ted deicded that it was probably safer to speak to the woman; she seemed more normal.

Calley grinned, and gave the toy its first test: did it balance well on his head?

...It passed wonderfully. Neon orange giraffes, apparently, have very sturdy legs.

"It is amusing," he assured them both. "Highly. I consider myself amused. Here!" He decided to share his happiness, by balancing the giraffe on Kitra's head. He was sharing his latest toy--it was a supreme sign of friendship. In an odd sort of way.

Upon Calley reasurring them both that the toy was amusing, Kitra felt the neon giraffe toy being set on her head. She attempted to balance it on her head but it fell off anyway and she caught it in midair and handed it back to Calley while rolling her eyes.

"I think that the toy will be for him. I actually don't have a pet yet and I was looking for a kitten. I got distracted by the cute puppies though. It shouldn't be too hard to find a job, there are quite a few in New York." I'm Kitra, what's your name?"

"I'm Ted, and yeah, I think this guy named Mr. Antonescu might be willing to give me job. If not, then one of my friends owns a garage, and he'd be more than willing to take me on." He watched the guy playing the toy, and wondered if there might be something wrong with him, but let it be. "I'm not much of a fan of cats, I've always preferred dogs. I was thinking of getting one to keep me company, and was just looking around to see if there were any I liked." He saw one to pups run up to the edge of the pen and seem to attempt to rub it's head against Ted's leg. "This one seems to like me. Then again, I've yet to meet a dog that doesn't." Ted picked up the puppy and began stoking it. "He's a cute little fellow, isn't he?"

Calley perked up at two things in their fellow teen's speech: Antonescu, and garage. He went with the less obvious one. "Hey, the garage friend--you talkin' about Geo?" He looked curiously at the guy, shoving his hands in his pockets. He almost could have pulled off 'normal' if he hadn't put the girraffe back on his head. "Personally, I'm more of a cat person myself."

Kitra tilted her head at the guy, "A garage, Geo? Cool, we've met. I've always prefered cats but playing around with other people's dogs are fun." Kitra smiled and let out a small chuckle, "Yes he does seem to like you. Hmm, I wonder how much he is?" She looked at Calley, who still had the neon orange giraffe on his head, "And this is my little brother." Kitra pointed to the puppy, "I would ask if you could get him on credit or something, that puppy seems to like you a lot."

Ted shook his head. "Don't know anyone called Geo, that a nickname? The guy who owns it is called Tristan, does that ring any bells?" He nodded to Calley, Ah, it's her little brother. That makes sense. She's probably looking after him. "Cool, so do you guys hang out together often? Because in my experiance most siblings don't get along all that well." Ted laughed, and looked at the little puppy. "Can't hurt to ask."

Ted went over to the counter, and spoke to the guy behind it. "Hi, I was wondering, because i forgot to bring any money with me, would it be possible that i could buy this little guy on credit or something? Because I really want a puppy, I just don't have the money right know. Please?" Ted considered trying his 'puppy dog eyes' look, but whilst that worked very well as a kid, it doesn't work so well when you're over 6 feet tall. The guy seemed to consider it. "No."

Kitra followed Ted up to the counter and listened to what was said. She frowned," Sir, how much is the puppy?" Kitra turned to Ted, "Look, I am an artist by trade and I am always looking for people to model for me. Anyway, you model for me, I get you the puppy and the neccessities for the puppy." Kitra held out her hand, "Deal Ted?"

Ted looked in surprise to Kitra. "Modelling? Me?" That was certainly not what he went to university for, but then again, it was something to do. And he would get the puppy. "Deal." He took her hand and shook it, and then put the puppy on his shoulder. "I think I'll name you Wallace." He decided to leave the puppy there, he seemed to like it. "So I'm basically gonna need a leash, food, a bowl, basket and collar. Right?" He hadn't had a dog before; it would be a good experience. And fun too, hopefully. "Then you tell me when and where you want me, and I'll be there."