Jono was a half-step behind Hannibal, but froze in his tracks as the sound hit his ears. He blinked, looked at Hannibal, looked around the causeway, and then looked up.

He pretty immediately recoiled from there.

//Christ. What the hell is going on with the sun?//

//If it doesn't pause to rest its... ah... throat... in the next ten minutes, you're booking us a portal to Westchester,// Jono informed Hannibal. Because sweet lord. //I'll tolerate a lot of Fandom's nonsense, but I draw my line here.//

It was a very firmly drawn line. It was relatively quiet, psionically, but a screaming sun was a dealbreaker, here.

It was kind of sad when the place that blew up on a fairly regular basis was a step up from here.

//The amount of time it takes to go check on the cats ought to be enough to know for certain,// Jono noted, sticking a pinky finger in one ear on the off chance that maybe it would give him... half a reprieve.

Ha.

//Maybe bring them with. Beethoven might not be able to hear this, but Joni must be driving him up a wall.//

Jono kept easy pace beside him, his key already out by the time they made it to the front yard. The poor flamingos couldn't bury their heads under their wings deeply enough, and for a brief moment, Jono had the absurd thought that maybe they could let them in from the noise.

... Better not.

//You get whatever we might need for the week, I'll collect the cats and Hendrix?//

Can't forget the frog.

//I have an acoustic in Westchester, that'll do,// Jono replied, actually willing to leave his guitar behind for the sake of getting out of there all the more quickly. He went rummaging for the cat carriers, and the little plastic cube he'd picked up for Hendrix last week. //Better pack a few extra wrappings, though, in case we need to go out for anything.//

//I'm sure our students will weep at the thought,// Jono muttered, down on his hands and knees, trying to coax a hissing Joni out from under the sofa. //Or just be angry that we didn't take them along with us, I suppose.//

This was getting ridiculous, Fandom. Ridiculous and horrible. Mostly horrible.

//Whatever's close to hand,// Jono replied, managing to get his hand on one of Joni's hind legs and getting swiped at for his troubles. //Son of a--//

Well, at least he had the cat, now. Though she wasn't terribly thrilled to be had.

//... No, that would've been smart,// Jono muttered, stuffing Joni into her carrier and then latching the door shut. //Is Beethoven in there with you? I got Joni. She got me, too.//

//... I'm not going to ask what you're doing. I have the feeling it's better I don't know.//

Jono gathered the carrier containing the yowling kitten under one arm, and then went to collect Hendrix, who promised to be significantly more easygoing about the whole ordeal than Joni was. Because, really, if a tree frog caused him that sort of grief, he'd start to worry about the state of affairs here on the island.

//Excellent. I'll be there just as soon as...// Into the container went the frog, and Jono paused to make sure there was enough moisture to last them the trip. He'd stop at a pet shop for crickets when they got where they were going. //... As I get in there.//

A few moments later, in Jono came, carrying two pets and an empty carrier.

...

//Really?//

Well, it had worked.

//Here,// Jono sighed, setting Joni and Hendrix down and making his way to the suitcase to collect Beethoven. //I'll remedy that.//

Good luck with that one if Beethoven saw the carrier, Starsmore.

Jono slid one hand under Beethoven's front legs, and then did his best to get the other under his behind, scooping up the armload of cat and giving Hannibal a nod.

//You get the carrier, I'll cram him in there?//

Manhandling Beethoven into one of those things was a two person job at least.

And now they had two angry cats and one very mellow frog, as Jono closed the door on Beethoven and latched it shut.

//Cranky old bloke has no idea how lucky he is right now,// Jono muttered, stepping back to survey the small menagerie. //Ah well. He'll like it at the mansion. Unless something blows it up, I suppose.//

Just go ahead and jinx it, Jono, sure.