2025-05-05 - Chasing Pumpkin

Theo had some time off as he tends to work the weekends. He figured he would visit the aviary since that is not one of the places he frequents often. Surprise registers in his features when he notices something outside the usual bird's antics. "Whoa. How did that get in here?" Looking puzzled as he says that. Looking around for anyone familiar.

This isn't her first place to visit. In truth, Peyton's not exactly sure how she feels about birds with their beady-here-to-slay-you eyes. However, sometimes one just has to take a trip they haven't in awhile. The woman is wandering through the aviary and looking at all the colorful winged critters. Of course, she's dressed all in black and has more than a little kohl around her eyes for effect. There is nothing that screams come and tell me your life story.

Which she is glad for. Resting nice face is for other people.

However, there is a sway to her walk and slight acid to her talk. She pauses as she sees the little capybara. A suspicious look as she turns to see if her brother has suddenly decided to return. When the conclusion is drawn that he has not, Peyton saunters over.

Her eyes are a metallic green today. More metal than anything else. She studies the zen creature and then she offers to Theo. "I'm going to guess it walked."

Michael is on duty, which means that when an escapee is discovered, he is tasked with helping to locate it. He's been wandering the park, looking at the places one might expect a creature without thumbs to turn up -- not inside an enclosed building, but eventually you run out of places to look and start checking more unlikely ones.

That is how he, and one of the keepers from the Capybara Encounter come to be taking a walk through the aviary in search of their quarry.

A quarry who seems to be very peacefully enjoying the water. It looks at Peyton and Theo and wiggles its ears a little. Otherwise, it seems entirely unbothered by its audience. All it needs is a fruit on its head and it would be the epitome of a meme.

Hearing Peyton's familiar voice, because Theo was staring, he turned to grin at Peyton. "Walked? Can they do that?" Yes, this one has no clue what capybaras can do, so again, he will have a resting surprise face continuously. Is it working? "Been a time. How are you doing, Peyton?"

He's seen Michael around, likely, and with that security uniform, it isn't hard to place what the other man is doing. "You need help or...." He doesn't know what it entails to capture a creature like this and take it back to its home, but he is willing to help if needed!

Theo points his finger at the beast as he tells Peyton. "I think it likes us."

"Of course it likes us, have you met me? What is there not to like?" Peyton doesn't wait for an answer, probably because she knows there is an answer. "Everything has been fine. I got a job that doesn't want me to walk around like a Swiss Miss reject. So it's all peaches and roses or that kind of bullshit."

Her eyes slide back to the capybara. "It's probably confusing me for the other Hanna's I'm not either or them. That famous one nor my brother." She sort of bares her teeth but there is no real grr behind it. Animals are fine.

Then there is Michael. Peyton's lips curve into a smile that could be called playful at best and sinister at worst. She gives a low sort of whistle. "Well well... who doesn't like a man in uniform? And one that will cook for you when you randomly show up at his apartment any day of next week."

Michael gives an up-nod to Theo and to Peyton. "Theo, Peyton." He saw Theo when they went to investigate the thing building itself in the woods, and he saw both of them last before that at the ski trip. "Looks like we found our escape artist," he says as he comes to stand by the edge of the pond in which the capybara seems to be peacefully enjoying himself without a care in the world.

Glancing over toward the keeper he asks, "How do you suppose he got in through the doors?"

The keeper shrugs her shoulders and says, "Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe someone thought it was funny and just let him in." She then looks around and says, "I'm going to have to go climb in the other way. Can you stay here on this side?"

Michael nods and tells the crowd, "Alright folks. If you can all take a step or two back for me, just in case he decides to make a jump for it." He grins a little, though, not expecting too much of a fight from the wayward rodent.

When Peyton says what she does, there is a flash of teeth. Theo has no issue with Peyton and is amused by her. "Oh yeah? What kind of job is that?" That is new news to him, so he had no idea that Peyton moved on to greater and bigger things. Laughing when he hears Peyton describe Michael. "I wonder if I go knocking on his door, if he'd feed me."

He quiets when Michael greets both of them, "Hey, hey." He says it simply enough. He has no issue following directions, and he does just that when told to step back.

Peyton seems to expect a lack of response from Michael, but she looks amused anyways. "I'm working more with the interesting .." She tries to figure out how to say magic without saying magic ad they are around tourists and such. ".. developments in the park. I like to think of it as marketing and research or people."

She steps forwards towards the zen creature. "I'd be happy to help. Maybe it will think I know more than I do. I could try to call it towards the door. Do you think they have bands or something with names on them?"

"Peyton," Michael says, "Step back," when she does the opposite of what he just said, tone firm. "Let Joanna do her job." Right now, he's focused on the creature in front of him and the crowd of guests and employees that are surrounding the edge of the pond where the capybara has parked itself.

The keeper, ostensibly named Joanna, on the other hand, is making her way around the back through one of the employee entrances and hasn't quite made it back to the pond yet.

Whether or not he might feed anyone is a question for after the capybara has been successfully retrieved.

"Oh! I heard about that." Yes, Theo is on the same wavelength as the coded language that Peyton is attempting to use. He knows what she is saying. Magical Studies. "That sounded interesting, but I enjoy being on stage and performing. I was afraid that would take me away from that." He explains.

His hand goes to Peyton's arm if allowed when Michael gives that warning. "Hey, keep me company. You and Wes still doing well?"

Peyton gives a soft sigh but she doesn't progress more towards the animal. Her eyes on it and the keeper before she looks towards Theo. "We haven't broken up yet." Peyton says this as if that is the answer to everything.

Unfortuantely, the capybara hears Joanna coming and gives a little shake and starts to climb out of the pool in the opposite direction. Capybaras aren't particularly high jumpers but they can scoot pretty fast when they want to, and this one exhibits a sudden burst of speed as he darts out of the pond and begins to rush off through the bushes, making for a low spot where he could dart onto the path.

There aren't very high walls in here since everything in the aviary can fly, which means there isn't much separating people from the animals or the capy from the path that the people are on. The race is on!

Joanna calls out, "PUMPKIN!" That must be this one's name. "PUMPKIN, come back here!" Yeah, since when has that ever worked?

Michael says to Peyton, "Hey, try and go around that way. Theo, go with her." He gestures a little further down the path. She wanted to be involved in capy catching? Now she is.

"Everybody else, I need you to back up toward the entrance. If Pumpkin approaches you, please stand still. Do not attempt to catch him."

"That's good." Theo smiles. He's a little distracted as he watches what is going on. When Michael directs Peyton, he grins at her. "Looks like we get to play catch the capy." He won't touch the animal, but he likes being helpful and will move in that direction to do so—the helping part.

Peyton might silently be cheering on the capy. Run Capy Run. "Of course, I would love to help with this." Her fingers twitch at her side as seh looks over at Michael. There is a bad comment that was going to be made, but she leaves it on her lips and keeps walking.

Run capybara run!

And Pumpkin is off! He dashes around through the exhibit, scaring up the birds who take flight up into the trees and raise quite the ruckus. Guests start backing away toward the doors, a couple of little kids shriek. Some of the older ones laugh and try to make as though they might attempt to catch it.

Michael is now a little too busy doing crowd control to watch what Peyton and Theo are doing, but at least they're employed by the park and can possibly help Joanna. Jo, on the other hand, is now stuck trying to play catch-up and is splashing through the pond to get onto the path to try to cut off the rogue Pumpkin.

Pumpkin rushes toward Theo, sees him coming, and turns and zig-zags toward Peyton, dodging neatly and running around her and disappearing under a nearby bush.

Theo has done something similar to this when he was trying to catch snuggle bunnies with Lee. He immediately falls on his knees when he gets closer to that bush and calls, "Here, Pumpkin! Pumpkin!" Repeating the capy's name is its magic, right? He's also attempting to look and see how far Pumpkin got into that bush. He's also laughing. "This is kind of ridiculous." No offense, Jo, but that is how Theo sees it.

"Pumpkin is showing a little spice."

Peyton is helpful. She studies Theo going to the front of the bush, so she tries to leap over to the back of the bush. They will try to get that animal out. Or get eaten. Peyton tips her head in consideration.

"Capys don't ... you know.. eat people right?"

Michael gets most of the crowd out through the double front doors, leaving only a couple of people loitering around while he tries to herd them as Peyton and Theo go chasing after Pumpkin.

Peyton makes an impressive leap over the bush to land on the other side where Pumpkin rapidly scoots backward straight into Theo. Theo might not have intended to touch the capybara but now he's practically got a Pumpkin in his lap.

"Coming!" Joanna calls out as she finally catches up just in time to watch Pumpkin practically bowl Theo over.

On the upside, Theo now has a solid hold on Pumpkin. On the downside, Theo is a thin guy holding onto about 70 pounds of capybara.

"Whoa! You are a big fella!" Yes, Theo will state the obvious as he wobbles in his grasp on the creature. His mood ring eyes, try to track where Joanna is as he hears her call out. "Okay, now what?" The question is aimed at Joanna as he tries to see how Peyton is faring. He hugs the capybara as if it's his new stuffed toy, hoping the animal will stay in place. It's cute. The performer is not put off by holding the rodent.

Peyton sticks that landing like whoa! There is a sort of self-appreciative smile as the critter runs backwards from her and into Theo. "As well you should back up to go back home. This is not a free for all." She speaks to the capy and then looks up to Theo to make sure he's managing before her eyes move between Michael and Joanna.

Joanna comes jogging up as Theo holds onto Pumpkin and swoops in to put a harness around the creature. It's purple, and looks kind of like the sort of harness you'd put on a cat or a rabbit to walk it, complete with a leash. Once she manages to get Pumpkin secured she tells Theo, "You can let go now. I've got him." She gives both Peyton and Theo a broad smile and says, "Thank you so much for your help!"

Michael comes wandering up now that the aviary is free of guests and they're the only ones left. "Thanks, guys," he says to all involved. "That was one heck of a rescue." He holds out a hand to Theo to help him back to his feet.

"Sure, not a problem." Theo tells Joanna once she has Pumpkin leashed.

He brushes himself off and takes Michael's hand, giving a light tease: "So does this mean you now will make a meal for Peyton and me?" He laughs. He's not expecting to be taken too seriously, even as he asks that question.

Peyton opens her mouth to say something,b ut she's not going to mess this up. There might be free food. Her mouth closes but her brows go up.

Michael looks from Theo to Peyton one brow rising. When she doesn't say anything at all? He laughs. "Yeah, sure. I'll make you both a meal for catching the rogue capybara."