mini animal adoption fair

Milo listened thoughtfully, turning the information over in his head with the caution it needed. He put a hand on Maddie's shoulder, as gentle yet assertive as ever. "Slow down a bit, Mads. Keep what he's saying in mind." Then, he turned back to their guest.

"So, a magical creature, invulnerable leanings with otherwise low upkeep, but with value in terms of affection. You seem to like the idea of this, despite any risks. I can see that in you. Everyone has to start somewhere." He nodded decisively, eyes sharp. "We'll find you a pet. Maybe you could give a place to one that would be unappealing to the average pet owner. That'd be nice, don't you think?"

Milo paused, noticing where the man's eyes went and the reaction given. He reminded Milo of himself, in that moment. He handed the pup off to Maddie and reached up to scratch the top of his rat's head as it sniffed the air and washed itself. He gave a knowing look, a faint, almost conspiratorial smile. "What about a rat? They're already survivors on their own, even when non-magical, so that's a good start."

Milo realized late that he hadn't really introduced himself, nor had anyone else, but it seemed settled that this man was staying and working through things with them now. He ruffled Maddie's hair. "This is Maddie. She can get hyper, but I promise you she's a harmless ball of fluff."

He gestured to Vin. "Vinanye, who will go by the nickname Vin or Vinnie. He has a knack for giving people the gems that'll help 'em out, or fit them."

Finally, he crossed his arms. "And I'm Milo Constantin, grouchy looking king of the rats. I'm running for Student Council, but this is also mostly about the animals. I won't be boring you with any speeches or politics you'd rather not listen to, not without prompting. Ain't my style."

"Anyway, now that introductions are out of the way, back to the pets." He hummed. "I think you're a great candidate for pet ownership, then. Especially of the magical sort." Milo flashed a smile, then turned his head a bit, chittering at the rat on his shoulder. It looked at the man and nodded right back. "Some of my rats are magical, some not, with all sorts of lifespans and intelligence levels. If we go out of our way to, I'm sure you can get a perfect match here."

"And it isn't too picky or anything. I understand that sentiment, and one should consider these things carefully, with respect, seeing it's a living creature, and one you'll be spending a long time with." Another rat, see through and ghostly around the edges, popped out from Milo's scarf. "I've had some of these rats with me for my entire life, and they traveled over with me from America. They're rather like family."

Milo was an easy protective presence, shielding Maddie well and keeping her safe, but proud of the comfort she was still showing. She'd been doing well today. He took Murphy's hand and gave it a firm, quick shake. Efficient. "Same to you, Murphy. Impressive credentials."

The last term was more unfamiliar, and it took Milo a moment to recall what it was. Probability influence, he thought, or something at least similar to that. Luck powers, some might say, but things were diverse so he couldn't assume much and didn't pry.

Milo's posture relaxed a little, near unnoticeably. It wasn't that he'd been particularly tense, not more than he naturally tended to be, but he didn't always receive that level of respect for his rats. He appreciated it in a deeper way than any casual friendliness.

Assuming Murphy then wanted to pet them, Milo made hummed agreeably. "Go ahead. And in the long run, take in for whatever calls to you and feels right, despite how… cheesy that may sound." He was more on the practical side, most of the time. "A rat with extra invulnerability would be a good bet for all the things you've described so far, but you never know, you may look around and find something else that really makes a sudden impact. It's like that, for some people, like those who say they don't like cats, then go to a shelter and end up adopting four of them." He snorted.

"Anyway, take your time. I don't know how busy you are, but we're going to be out here for a while."

Milo liked it when his rats, gentle and snuggly rather than anything sinister, could offer someone comfort rather than fear. They'd certainly done so for him, and were quite misunderstood as a species, in his (very strong willed) opinion. "Always have time for talking to the people I want to represent," he said with a shrug. "I'd be interested in hearing it if you had anything to say, really. Any hopes or complaints about Starlight I could take into consideration, for example. Even small things are helpful."

Milo hid a grimace the moment Murphy stepped away from them. 'More sensible than couple of the other candidates', he said. Milo knew what that meant. Vincenzo. He didn't need to draw attention to that, though. It wasn't exactly an uplifting conversation topic, or one that helped his being seen as sensible, seeing he was marrying Vince. He didn't condone his behavior in the slightest, but sometimes you loved a jackass. A very charming jackass who Milo cared for very dearly, but still.

It was… well, in simple terms, it was like having a spouse who supported an opposing political party, and those who put up with being in that situation were undeniably stubborn and dedicated souls. The morality differences in his relationship were likely far more extreme, but the comparison still rang both true and amusing.

Milo shook himself out of his musings and turned to follow after the potential adopter. He let Maddie take the lead first, giving her the chance to test the waters and improve how she worked with Murphy. He smiled, then added to what she'd said, "The rarer, stranger supernatural creatures. There's a large part of the Manta Carlos population that moved here from more human, unaware parts of the world, and they want something familiar, or are warned away from certain magical animals due to hearing uncomfortable bedtime fairy tales about them."

"There's a lot. Phoenixes, some kind of relative of unicorns, tiny dragons, even hellhounds. Ah. Jackalopes are very cute." Milo's smile softened, then faded, leaving his expression mild and neutral again. "Reptiles, amphibians, and insects, or anything with leanings towards that aren't as popular either. We also have mixes of things, animals with odd little traits and combinations, like the jackalopes."