Yay! Animals! [Reserved-Soph & Raven.]

Soph skipped into the store, hoping Raven was following. It was pretty big in here.
"Wow!" She twirled around and around. "Wow! It's nice! I sound like a little kid on stocking day! But it is nice here. I could just hang out all day!" Soph laughed, stopping her twirling to face the direction of the door. Her blue eyes scrunched up as she yawned and rubbed her eyes, but her smile never faded. Hey, what's the point in being a pessimist? Besides, days like this are fun! I think I'm chaneling my inner Genna, Soph thought, putting her pointer finger on her chin. Yes, this seemed like the sort of thing her blonde haired, blue eyed friend would do.

Raven creeped into the store, eyes searching fo any surprizes that could jump out. Spotting Soph, she hopped over, grinning shakily. Hey, Soph? what a-AUUGGH!" Raven yelped as Olive, her kitten, popped her snout out of her side bag, meoufing loudly. Then, with the heir of regality, it thrust itself out of its hiding place and onto to the floor. "I-I'm sorry." Raven huffed, bent over as she tried to regain her breathing.

"Oh, sure! I understand! Maybe your kitten thought you had the hicupps?" Soph suggested, half jokingly. She bent down to the floor, smiling as the little kitten came clser, wanting to explore this strange place.
"Aww...this is you kitten, Raven? How cute!" She cooed, reaching out towards it, but being careful at the same time-Soph didn't want to frighten it. "Come here," Soph said softly, a relaxed smile lighting up her face. "I won't hurt you, little one. I'm friends with Raven, and I think she's lucky to have you. Though maybe-" Soph looked at her friend, who was now trying to regain control of breathing-"...maybe you shouldn't scare her like that."

Olive sauntered over to Soph, rubbing her head against the girl's hand. Looking at Raven, she mewed softly, something that sounded surprizingly like an apology. "Well, I don't have them now." Raven smiled wanely as she attempted to brush off the incedent. "I don't really know what to do now, though. Should we let all the animals out?" She stuck her finger in a nearby cage, cooing softly to the puppy inside it as the bundle of fur bounced up and down in excitement. Raven wasn't very good at making the first decision. Or the second.

[T^T I'm sorry e_w! It's been a while, hasn't it? ;D]
"I don't know..." Soph smiled brightly, placing a hand behind her head and looking a little apologetic. "Whilst I love animals, I'm not actually much of an expert on them. Unless you want to make them happy?" She grinned, showing all her teeth. "I like doing that too. But I'm not so sure if I'm an expert on that either. It must depend upon characteristics..."
Looking down at the small kitty sure made Soph feel good inside. She giggled. "Aww...now aren't you just the cutest? It doesn't even tickle," Soph announced proudly. "But you still make me giggle. Well, that's not exactely hard to do. And in some cases, I bring it upon myself."

"I guess we should, since I don't think they'll be very happy locked up." Raven megan unlatching the cage, when she looked at Soph, confused. "Characteristics? what do you mean? I think that maybe experience is what makes you know what something likes or what to do..."

She seemed pretty happy with Olive, well, happier than usual. "Maybe you should get your own pet. They always seem to make people happy. And you seem good with animals. Olive warmed up to you right away. If you are such a happy person, animals would probably love to be around you."

"That's a good point," Soph replied, still patting Olive. "But sometimes the way a person is helps too. For example, I wouldn't be able to make a grumpy person happy straight away. That's when the experience thing comes in, right? When you get to know a person, learning likes, dislikes, the works, it becomes easier to understand and therefore easier to make that person cheerful!" She concluded, nodding wisely, but smiling at the same time. It was good to hang out with Raven because the two were more understanding of each other as they met more often. Becoming atuned to each other...that's how friendship works, Soph thought, looking around herself at the animals.
"It would be awesome to have a pet, but I need to get more money!" She laughed. "I already have a job, but it's early days, and it wasn't very busy. Although, Red promised me that, during the course of the new year, things will be back on track. So maybe when I have enough cash..." Soph trailed off shrugging. "Of course, if you ever need any help with anything to do with animals, I'd be glad to help!"

It seemed it was becoming easier to understand Soph's...sophisticated way of speaking. Maybe it was just because she was getting used to it. "Personality..is like building blocks or framework for a friendship...is what I think you might be emplying..." Or at least that was the shortened version she recovered from the conversation.

"Sure thing! I'll let you know if I need any help. And you can babysit Olive any time you want." Speaking of the cat, it seemed to be rolling on the floor, purring like a motor while Soph pet it.

Soph laughed. "In short, yes! I tend to over-complicate things, right? Sometimes I speak like this, other times I'm totally different. Y'know...I'm a still a teenager, but I've become used/accustomed to this way of speaking pretty quickly...if I'm over thinking things so that it's hard to understand, tell me, 'k?"
She laughed again at Olive did the cat version of relaxing. "Yeah, I've made my mind up. I'll help with Olive anytime, and I'm sooo getting a pet, when I can!"

[Real sorry I haven't replied. Been grounded]
'"It's fine! It make everything more interesting. Besides, I like to think I get a little smarter if I can shorten it to how I think. Let's just say I wasn't that great with school...Too many distractions." Raven threw up her hands, trying to look sorry.
"See, she feels relaxed around you already, cats only show their bellies if they feel completly safe. As for helping me out, I think you will have your hands full sometimes. She's very...excitable."

[Tis okay.]

Soph laughed, looking thoughtful. "Hmm...school. I had distractions also. In the end, I quit at sixteen. It was just before I moved to the Valley. But I don't mind. It was interesting but a little...boring." She grinned brightly. "Besides, it's much more fun to learn this way. Talking to others and developing our understandings...looking at our surroundings and working things out."
She laughed again when Raven pointed out Olive's excitement. "I don't mind. I deal with Leon. Animals would be a breeze compared to him! And animals are cute~"

"Really, you thought it was interesting? I guess I didn't because it didn't teach me anything I wanted to know. Learning about animals and things like that where, but I couldn't pay attention thrue history no matter how hard I tried. I guess i was deemed for a different sort of education. I seem to know a lot of irrelivent facts, though." Raven quicky scooped up Olive, who seemed ready to pounce on an unsuspecting puppy. "I don't really know much about others, though, so everything is a new experience. Makes it kinda scary."

Olive puffed up from the 'cute' remark, seeming to say, 'Take that, Leon! I'm the queen!', making Raven giggle. "Watch out for your compliments, she's spoiled enough as it is!"

Soph stood up, smiling at both the kitten and Raven, nodding as if agreement with Olive's apparent 'remark'. "It is true, though! Animals have that certain...charm that Leon lacks. Or hides. I'm sure I'll see it if he falls in love." She shuddered. "That would be quite scary..." She smiled again, rolling her eyes.
"School...it wasn't that I couldn't concentrate, I think it was just that I moved around every year...it disrupted my studies. When I got to one place, they were half-way through something I didn't understand or had completed previously...except for art!"

"I think he will, there's alot of people out there. But that may just be my overwhelming optomism speaking. Then watch out! Though I think it would be pretty hilarious if a grown man was acting 'cute'." Just trying to picture it made Raven break up.
"That would be harsh. I lived in the same place all my life, so I wouldn't know. But they do say art is the universal language. I don't think you ever need to study up on it to know what it means. But for me, I usually can't see the hidden meaning, art is just art." Raven shrugs apologetically, absently petting her kitten. "Unless it's blaringly obvious."

"Mmm...I hope for my sake that it would be funny! Otherwise..." Soph gulped. Just imagining Leon all loved up was enough to bring several long nights of nightmares.
She decided to not tell Leon of her fright.
"I don't personally think there's a true meaning to art," she smiled, putting one hand behind her head. "I don't really like it when people try to find out the supposed truth to painting. Shouldn't it be there to make us feel different things? No one apart from the artist knows why they painted it."

"Well, that would be the meaning of paintings, to make you feel different emotions or look at something in a new light. And isn't their multiple 'truths', things you take away from the picture. And the joy of painting could be interpreted as a meaning of art. I don't know, it's hard to tell what I really mean. I'm not trying to anger you or anything, it's just that a painting just means a pretty picture to me, but in school, they always want you to take something away from it." Raven blushed, looking at her feet. She didn't like angering people, it was part of the reason she was afraid of strangers. "Sorry."

"I'll lend you Olive when that happens, she can chase the horrors away. Or snap Leon out of it while shes there. You'll just have to look at the bright side, I'm sure it won't be that bad. And wouldn't you want your cousin to be happy? I think it's kind of...heartwarming to see someone in love." I don't see what Soph could be afraid of, but then again, she hadn't met the guy. He must be a very angry or stubborn person if she dosn't want to see it. Raven lapsed into one of her daydreams again, imagining Leon as some large ogre of other such monster.
[Sorry it's so long]

[It's fine! ^^]

"It doesn't make me mad!" Soph assured her. "I like hearing other peoples point of view. It helps me become more well rounded. And it tunes me in to different people's ways of thinkng!" She continued, nodding for some sort of...effect, she guessed.
"Leon wouldn't mind Olive, I think..." She put a finger to her chin, pondering. "I don't know how he'd be. I am scared of the second of two options. Number one is that he is sweeter than he's trying to be at the moment. Number two--the dreaded one--would be the 'acts sweet around gal, but is stubborn when her name is brought up at home and treats littke cousin like an idiot' one. I don't want to be seen as small by him. I'm more mature. Mostly." She laughed. "I hope it doesn't seem as though I feel bitter about having a cousin. He's great, but he lingers in my mind a lot. Maybe I'm just worried or something." She jerked her arm in a movement that suggested confusion.

Raven furrowed her brow, thinking, while randomly throwing a stick she spotted outside for the exuberant puppies. "I don't really know, this hasn't happened to me, but you could try to prove you aren't an idiot or immature somehow...I guess it will be difficult, but he might be nicer to you because he wants you to be nice to his girlfriend." She shrugged, completly at a loss. This never happened to her, with only her parents. These things where well past her limmited knowledge. Clutching her bicep in a comedic display of strength, her smile returned. "And I'll stand up for you, too. Somehow...But you must care about your cousin alot, to worry about this stuff and for him to always be on your mind. I'm sure It'll be fine, but why would he be 'stubborn' when her name's mentioned?" She drew a heart on her hand, face still looking puzzled.

Soph rolled her eyes, giggling at Raven. She was a very good person to know--she could laugh, joke and chat with her about all manners of things, and Soph felt as though she could tell the girl anything.
"Well, I'm no expert, but I...observe people," she smirked a little as her language dipped back into being formal again. Having a mixture of the two things was funny. "A lot of the guys at high school were a little...shorter and snappier with answers when they had girl-friends. Being stubborn around everyone...except the one they love and care about. That's what I'm afraid of. Though...I'd try my hardest not to make anything happen. I'd be friends with her, I hope or...I don't know."

But isn't that...immature, when Leon would be saying you are. Belittling people because they are inexperianced or just because they're talking to you. And it's a pretty small place, you would probably meet her sometime. Or she might want to be on good terms with you if your his cousin. You guys seem really close, so it might be easier for her if she knew you also." Raven sighed, sloutching forward. "Just thinking about it is making me kinda depressed. What kiond of person is Leon? It might make it easier to form opinions. Cuz, all I'm picturing is some brute, or crude person, and I don't think that's him."

Soph's sparkly blue eyes darkened. She felt bad for talking a lot about her own life, then bringing Raven down with solutions to unimportant problems.
"Sorry," she mumbled under her breath, picking up on Raven's question. "Leon..."
Well, that was weird. Suddenly thinking about it...no one had asked her that before.
What was Leon like?
"Well....when he was little, he was...great," Soph smiled faintly. "Playful, fun, caring...but then we moved away. After a while we lost contact. I didn't know as much about him as I thought I did." She folded her arms, stubbornly trying to remember something...anything else. "Nada. Nothing else. He turned up, I screwed at him...now he seems like a free spirit. He likes music, but isn't musical. He flares up very easily, he's arguementative...but he's still my cousin from back then, I think."

"No, it's fine! I just don't seem to be much help...You've told me what's worrying you, and I can't think of anyway to solve it. I'm just worried about you." Raven waved her hands frantically, trying to express an apology with arm movements alone. "If something's bothering you, I want you to tell me...If you want to tell someone you don't know very well..." Raven whispered, staring at the ground.

"He's angry that you challanged him, so maybe that's also why he's argumentative. He probably has the 'old Leon' inside him, but won't show it..." Raven sighed, throwing her hands up in despair. "I give up! I see why you don't know what'll happen. On one hand, he could go back to the way he was before, or stay argumentative." Raven paused in her statement of the obvious, blanking out again. "Maybe he wants you to apologize or something, that's why he's so rash? He dosn't want his choices to be objected." She sloutched down, throwing her arm over her eyes. "I think we need a new topic."