[Mogget gives that pumpkin a critical look, because after carving one (1) pumpkin he is definitely an expert. Hmm!]
It will do.
[And this is where he wishes her good luck and trots along his merry way, but... nah. Instead, he hops off his perch and slinks over to the pumpkin in question, stretching out one paw to give it a brisk pat.]
I doubt you wish to carve anything intricate. A simple face, perhaps. [He glances back at her, considering.] Do you have a knife?
[A kid with a knife? Sure! Mogget doesn't even bat an eye; he is, in fact, rather impressed that she thought ahead, which is why he gives her a nod of approval before moseying right past the punkin.]
Good. Then pick your pumpkin and follow me.
[To... a nice, sunny spot in the nearby grass, because is there anything better than chillin' in the sunlight? Mogget doesn't think so. He sits right the heck down, casually cleaning a paw as he waits for her to join him. He'll readily admit that he picked this spot just for the sunbathing potential, but it's also right beside the edge of the garden—perfect for, you know, throwing gross pumpkin guts away from the heavily trafficked area. He can be thoughtful when he wants to be.
But does she even know where to begin? He should probably ask, but he decides to just wait and see.]
[ What a good thoughtful cat. But the correct answer is-- no, Kisa has no actual idea of where to start. Once she's settled down beside him with her pumpkin, she's staring at it rather dubiously. Does she cut the top off first? Does she try and jaggedly rip out a face?
[HMM! He smooths his paw over his head, almost like he's weighing his various options, before he pauses his grooming with an overly dramatic sigh.]
Your first time, I suppose?
[Placing a front paw on the top of the pumpkin, he stands on his hind legs and carefully uses one claw to trace a neat little circle around the stem. Ta-da! After taking an extra second to ensure that his outline of the soon-to-be lid is THE proper size, he settles back down on his haunches.]
You shall cut along that line, and along that line only. Do not stray. [A beat, and then, oh-so casually:] And do be careful, girl. I cannot reattach a finger if you carelessly cut it off.
[Which is why he's going to sit here and closely watch her use that knife. He's helped train... so many human children in his day? The role of teacher is surprisingly easy to slip right back into, so he's ready to reach out and bat her hand away from the knife if he sees even the slightest hint of trouble. KIDS...]
[ Does she really look like the type who'd cut off a finger??
She knows proper safety! And is just cautious enough to be fine if she didn't, but slowly, she brings the knife to that perfect little circle and presses the blade in. It takes some minor sawing and she has to pause at times to make sure she's still on the line, but.
[Listen, some kids... are hopeless; this one, however, seems to have things under control. Good. He still keeps a watchful eye on her as she cuts, just in case, but he nods approvingly when she cuts through the last bit of rind.]
Adequate.
[That's as close to a compliment as he's going to give at this point in time. Sorry, Kisa! Closing his eyes, he lowers himself to the ground and tucks his paws underneath himself. Cat loaf...]
Now you must remove everything inside before you may begin to carve. It is a messy business, but it is easy enough; I doubt you will need my help. [He y a w n s.] Throw the mess away from the path, yes? And wake me when you are finished.
Well, he's loafing now, so Kisa just devotes her attention to gingerly pulling out disgusting pumpkin guts and making all sorts of unhappy faces about it.
It's almost a relief to toss it all away, though as she looks back at Mogget, she pauses to first wipe her hand on the ground before she reaches out to tap him on the nose.
[One emerald-green eye flies open and locks right on her, because, um? Hello?? He is Most displeased, and it shows in the way his ears go right the heck back. It was totally his fault for not giving her better instructions, but like hell he sees it that way.]
That was hardly necessary.
[He was only cat-napping! Jeez! But after opening his other eye, he slowly trots over to peer into the pumpkin. Not bad, he supposes. It could be cleaner, but it's not like he told her to scrape the walls of the darn thing, so...]
Your rudeness aside, things seem to be in order. [He gives her a Look. A don't-waste-my-time LOOK.] I take it you've thought of something to carve?
[I'm genuinely sad that such a cute gesture is utterly wasted on an asshole like him. He considers her for a moment, tail swishing as he wonders if there's any sort of... teasing going on here? Carving a caricature of his face is definitely something the humans from his world would do just for a laugh, but she doesn't look amused... and she's also not a self-righteous Teen, so.
SO. ...Hmm. This is new. He's honestly not sure how to feel about it, which is why he looks back down at the pumpkin as his tail flicks from side to side.]
How flattering, [he says in a veeeeery flat tone.] I suppose I can be rather terrifying when I wish to be, although I am sure your carving will be... less than flattering. Do go on.
[He walks back to his sunny spot and settles into a cat loaf once more, although this time he doesn't close his eyes; no, he's much too interested in seeing whatever it is she's going to actually carve. It's going to be a generic cat, probably, but he's curious... and vain...]
[ He's not wrong, she's no artistic genius, nor does she have years of carving pumpkins under her belt. Or a handy-dandy claw guide to cut things out along, so yeah.
Kisa is still taking this incredibly seriously, though, glancing between him and the pumpkin several times before she gets to work. The little triangular nose. A few lines for the whiskers.
The eyes take the longest time, but that is honestly because between getting the oval shape right and adding in the pupils, she winds up with several majestically shallow cuts on her hands.
[The first cut? He just lets it go, because there's nothing surprising about a clumsy kid knicking themselves with a knife. It's not the end of the world! It's fine. The second cut, however, is a bit more frustrating, and then it's followed by a third...
He's not the nicest creature in the world, but even he has a limit. That's why he is UP! Again! And this time he's just going to give up on getting comfortable for the rest of the gosh-darn day! Instead, he walks right over to her and tries to shoo her hand away from the knife.]
That is enough of that. You're making a mess of yourself, girl. [His tone is admonishing, almost harsh, and he follows that up by looking down at her hands and shaking his head. Ugh. UGH.] If you go about something the wrong way, there is no sense in persisting—you are only hurting yourself. You should have taken a step back and reevaluated your approach the very moment you first sliced open your hand!
[Her approach to... pumpkin carving. Look, there's a lesson to be learned here! A fairly important one, he thinks, one that goes beyond how to properly use a knife, which is why he doesn't look very sympathetic as he glances back up at her. The Charter isn't here, and Free Magic isn't really... all that great for healing, but there are some perks to being a very, very, very powerful spirit/god/elemental thing.]
If I heal these wounds, you must promise to take greater care. Do you understand?
[ She... can't say she's never been scolded by a cat before, because one of them happens to be her short-tempered cousin, but Kisa still flinches guiltily and glances down at her hands. She hadn't thought it was that bad, but he's clearly annoyed.
But it feels like she shouldn't protest any further (or at all), so she nods meekly. ]
[Mogget Life Lesson, #1: Take care of your gosh darn self. But after studying her face for a few seconds longer, just to make sure she's being SINCERE, he looks down at her hands and... well. It's strange? The solid outline of his feline form suddenly seems to shift, to blur, as his green eyes begin to glow. He's still a cat! Make no doubt about that, but it's almost as if the much, much larger Thing contained within this tiny form begins to slip right out the cracks. And as the shallow cuts on her hand begin to stitch themselves together, there's an overpowering smell in the air... almost like incredibly hot metal...
But it's over surprisingly soon! The cuts on her hand are no more, and he sits back, satisfied.]
There. This is the only time I shall heal you, so remember your promise. [A sniff, and then:] Instead of making large cuts, make small ones, one right after the other. It will be easier to form a curve that way.
[He's just going to, you know, sit here by her elbow and watch.]
[ That's... almost alarming, and the fine hairs at the back of the neck feel like they're standing up. Whatever is happening is clearly not normal, and even if the tiger spirit inside of her wasn't warning her of that much, she's sure she'd still feel uneasy.
But whatever is going on ends soon enough, and she is now thoroughly bound and determined to not require that kind of thing ever again.
Kisa's quick to nod and even quicker to pick up that knife again-- and, as instructed, make smaller cuts to make a curve happen.
Lo and behold, it does actually kind of look like A Cat. ]
[He's just setting the spooky mood! But while he notices her unease, he doesn't say a thing about it... because hey, he's used to it. Humans only tolerate him when he's playing the part of a normal, albeit talking, cat! At least this girl can't scream.
And he's also used to people pretending like it's a-okay to not thank him for his assistance, so he focuses on the cat she's carving and shoves that familiar bitterness right to the side. Hmm. A... slightly abstract cat?]
The eyes are lopsided. [He tilts his head to the side, squinting his own eyes like he's some sort of art critic.] Uneven, as well, but there's nothing you can do about it now. A pity.
[ To that, Kisa dips her head apologetically. She should have warned him-- well, he knew she was pretty new to the carving business, but cats will be cats. All the same, he's helped her a lot, that it stings a little to disappoint him. ]
[KISA!! Just so you know, Kia, I feel terrible, because she's cute and she deserves some positive encouragement, but! He doesn't even think he's being rude; he just thinks he's being Fair and Balanced. Lopsided eyes are lopsided eyes...
But that aside, he considers it for another moment before going in for a closer look.]
I suppose it could be worse. At least its eyes are its only off-putting feature.
[He's not going to call this a portrait of him, but it's clearly a cat. That's acceptable. Another pause as he trots all around the darn thing before:]
Next time, perhaps, you will not be so hasty. Taking your time will ensure that everything is even... and that you do not do any further damage to your hands.
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It will do.
[And this is where he wishes her good luck and trots along his merry way, but... nah. Instead, he hops off his perch and slinks over to the pumpkin in question, stretching out one paw to give it a brisk pat.]
I doubt you wish to carve anything intricate. A simple face, perhaps. [He glances back at her, considering.] Do you have a knife?
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And simple is fine, because Kisa is not the best with knives. ]
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Good. Then pick your pumpkin and follow me.
[To... a nice, sunny spot in the nearby grass, because is there anything better than chillin' in the sunlight? Mogget doesn't think so. He sits right the heck down, casually cleaning a paw as he waits for her to join him. He'll readily admit that he picked this spot just for the sunbathing potential, but it's also right beside the edge of the garden—perfect for, you know, throwing gross pumpkin guts away from the heavily trafficked area. He can be thoughtful when he wants to be.
But does she even know where to begin? He should probably ask, but he decides to just wait and see.]
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Help. ]
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Your first time, I suppose?
[Placing a front paw on the top of the pumpkin, he stands on his hind legs and carefully uses one claw to trace a neat little circle around the stem. Ta-da! After taking an extra second to ensure that his outline of the soon-to-be lid is THE proper size, he settles back down on his haunches.]
You shall cut along that line, and along that line only. Do not stray. [A beat, and then, oh-so casually:] And do be careful, girl. I cannot reattach a finger if you carelessly cut it off.
[Which is why he's going to sit here and closely watch her use that knife. He's helped train... so many human children in his day? The role of teacher is surprisingly easy to slip right back into, so he's ready to reach out and bat her hand away from the knife if he sees even the slightest hint of trouble. KIDS...]
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She knows proper safety! And is just cautious enough to be fine if she didn't, but slowly, she brings the knife to that perfect little circle and presses the blade in. It takes some minor sawing and she has to pause at times to make sure she's still on the line, but.
Success!! ]
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Adequate.
[That's as close to a compliment as he's going to give at this point in time. Sorry, Kisa! Closing his eyes, he lowers himself to the ground and tucks his paws underneath himself. Cat loaf...]
Now you must remove everything inside before you may begin to carve. It is a messy business, but it is easy enough; I doubt you will need my help. [He y a w n s.] Throw the mess away from the path, yes? And wake me when you are finished.
[GoodNIGHT.]
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Well, he's loafing now, so Kisa just devotes her attention to gingerly pulling out disgusting pumpkin guts and making all sorts of unhappy faces about it.
It's almost a relief to toss it all away, though as she looks back at Mogget, she pauses to first wipe her hand on the ground before she reaches out to tap him on the nose.
Hi. ]
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That was hardly necessary.
[He was only cat-napping! Jeez! But after opening his other eye, he slowly trots over to peer into the pumpkin. Not bad, he supposes. It could be cleaner, but it's not like he told her to scrape the walls of the darn thing, so...]
Your rudeness aside, things seem to be in order. [He gives her a Look. A don't-waste-my-time LOOK.] I take it you've thought of something to carve?
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Aaaand points to him.
A kitty pumpkin. ]
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SO. ...Hmm. This is new. He's honestly not sure how to feel about it, which is why he looks back down at the pumpkin as his tail flicks from side to side.]
How flattering, [he says in a veeeeery flat tone.] I suppose I can be rather terrifying when I wish to be, although I am sure your carving will be... less than flattering. Do go on.
[He walks back to his sunny spot and settles into a cat loaf once more, although this time he doesn't close his eyes; no, he's much too interested in seeing whatever it is she's going to actually carve. It's going to be a generic cat, probably, but he's curious... and vain...]
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Kisa is still taking this incredibly seriously, though, glancing between him and the pumpkin several times before she gets to work. The little triangular nose. A few lines for the whiskers.
The eyes take the longest time, but that is honestly because between getting the oval shape right and adding in the pupils, she winds up with several majestically shallow cuts on her hands.
But it's fine! She's got this!! ]
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He's not the nicest creature in the world, but even he has a limit. That's why he is UP! Again! And this time he's just going to give up on getting comfortable for the rest of the gosh-darn day! Instead, he walks right over to her and tries to shoo her hand away from the knife.]
That is enough of that. You're making a mess of yourself, girl. [His tone is admonishing, almost harsh, and he follows that up by looking down at her hands and shaking his head. Ugh. UGH.] If you go about something the wrong way, there is no sense in persisting—you are only hurting yourself. You should have taken a step back and reevaluated your approach the very moment you first sliced open your hand!
[Her approach to... pumpkin carving. Look, there's a lesson to be learned here! A fairly important one, he thinks, one that goes beyond how to properly use a knife, which is why he doesn't look very sympathetic as he glances back up at her. The Charter isn't here, and Free Magic isn't really... all that great for healing, but there are some perks to being a very, very, very powerful spirit/god/elemental thing.]
If I heal these wounds, you must promise to take greater care. Do you understand?
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But it feels like she shouldn't protest any further (or at all), so she nods meekly. ]
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But it's over surprisingly soon! The cuts on her hand are no more, and he sits back, satisfied.]
There. This is the only time I shall heal you, so remember your promise. [A sniff, and then:] Instead of making large cuts, make small ones, one right after the other. It will be easier to form a curve that way.
[He's just going to, you know, sit here by her elbow and watch.]
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But whatever is going on ends soon enough, and she is now thoroughly bound and determined to not require that kind of thing ever again.
Kisa's quick to nod and even quicker to pick up that knife again-- and, as instructed, make smaller cuts to make a curve happen.
Lo and behold, it does actually kind of look like A Cat. ]
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And he's also used to people pretending like it's a-okay to not thank him for his assistance, so he focuses on the cat she's carving and shoves that familiar bitterness right to the side. Hmm. A... slightly abstract cat?]
The eyes are lopsided. [He tilts his head to the side, squinting his own eyes like he's some sort of art critic.] Uneven, as well, but there's nothing you can do about it now. A pity.
[It's just How He Be.]
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But that aside, he considers it for another moment before going in for a closer look.]
I suppose it could be worse. At least its eyes are its only off-putting feature.
[He's not going to call this a portrait of him, but it's clearly a cat. That's acceptable. Another pause as he trots all around the darn thing before:]
Next time, perhaps, you will not be so hasty. Taking your time will ensure that everything is even... and that you do not do any further damage to your hands.
[He's just sayin'.]
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Kisa nods obediently, still definitely guilty about it-- but it's good advice. It's why she lowers her head again, this time in gratitude. ]