Ecological: Work Area

[sweetpinkpixie]

Work Area

The largest open room on level four is the one housing the employee work area for the department on this level. In the center of the room there are three sets of workstations, pushed together for easier coordination and respectively seating the department's largest divisions: the Enforcement Division and the Regulation Division. The Magical Beasts Office, Magical Beings Office and Spirits Office's workstations, on the other hand, are set up a little more inconspicuously to the side of the room, considering that these divisions' employees are usually not found at their desks. Both the Botany and Oceanoizardry Divisions' workstations have also been moved near the office walls to ensure that the generally unused desks are not in everyone's way.

You have to pass through here in order to reach the creatures holding room, conference room, break room, and the department head's office.

[The Announcer]

It was a perfectly normal morning on level four ... until Stan the Oceanologist came sprinting into the work area, panic on his face.

He reached the center of the room, slumped against a workstation, and panted, "Another - underwater earthquake - thought you ought to know."

Stan then sprinted out again, leaving his coworkers to absorb the news silently.

That was the third report this week of an earthquake in the Irish and Celtic Seas. What on earth could be going on?

[Charely Potter]

It really did seem like a perfect morning, Darej was at his station looking through some papers that were left on his desk earlier. A few just needed his stamp of approval, the others required him to jot down some notes and questions he had before moving it to the side to return later on. That was he noticed the heaier footsteps of someone arriving hastily. It was Stan.

Another underwater earthquake.. He looked to gauge other's reactions. Though he wasn't fully in the Oceanoizardry Division, this did affect the department overall. Had aquatic creatures that feasted or were feasted on by other creatures and also dealt with the plants.. This is serious. Immediately, Darej went through some of the files that had notes jotted already to add more.

[emjay]

Gunnar was just heading into the workstations after an early morning assignment, just in time to hear Stan's announcement. He paused in his stride towards his desk and stared at the man, noting how dramatic his entire demeanor was, turning to watch him leave as quickly as he came. And it was concerning news, it was just the delivery that struck him first.

"That was weird," he said aloud once the man left, then glanced over at Darej who he was near. "Alarming though... That's what, the third this week?" He wondered what could be causing that sort of frequency. Was it more than natural ecological shifts? "I should check on the kelpies." This couldn't be good for their habitat and maybe it would give him a clue what was going on.

[Zoe]

Jordan had been minding his own business, casually making his way over to the greenhouse area of the department, when Stan the Panic Man made an appearance and bolted out again. Truth be told, the young adult welcomed this sudden eruption because, well, he needed something to do at the moment besides wander amongst the flora. Underwater earthquakes would surely provide him with something to mull over, at least until he got bored with the subject or the boss lady had a job for him to do.

"Earthquakes aren't common around here, right?" he said out loud to no one in particular as he placed himself in the work area. He assumed not, but stranger things have happened before. "In my fifth year at Ilvermorny, random earthquakes happened. Even opened up some rifts on the grounds."

The more you know.

[PhoenixRising]

The worst part of Tia's job at the ministry involved actually going into the office for the administrative aspect of things. She was definitely more hands on, which thankfully was about 80% of her job description. However, today was one of those days that required time at the office, and subsequently finding out about another earthquake from Stan the man. She glanced around the work area to gauge the reaction of her colleagues, arching a brow over at Jordan. She grew up in this area, other than the decade she spent down-under, and she didn't recall earthquakes really being a thing here.

"Uh.... no... they're not common. But climate change has made peculiar things happen. Do you suppose it's more serious though?" She wasn't a climate specialist, so hopefully someone with more of an environmental background would be able to offer insights as to the situation

[emjay]

Making sure the kelpies in the area were okay and possibly checking out the source of the disturbances was important, but hopefully not an emergency. Gunnar was sure that if it was an emergency he would have already been tasked with the job. But he was going to ask his supervisor to be put on the job anyway.

Gunnar was just about to go when he heard Jordan's question as he must have arrived shortly after him. He'd agree with TiaMarie that no, earthquakes were not common to this area. "I'm not so sure they have much to do with climate change though," he added. Sure, that might be responsible for different weather patterns and more extreme weather, but earthquakes were not weather.

He paused a moment to consider what might cause an earthquake besides the shifting of tectonic plates, then looked over at Jordan again. "Do you know what caused the earthquakes there?" He wasn't sure exactly where in America Ilvermorny was located or if it was in an area common for earthquakes, but maybe it would give them some clues.

[Chelliephone]

For anyone who tried to tell her in the future that creatures were not intelligent or crafty, this is the moment Sookie would quote to them to prove the exact opposite - as the Department head came barreling into the work area with her high heels long discarded in order to keep up with the chase she currently found herself involved in.

It was mid-day, so of course it was tea time and she'd needed to make her way to the cafe in order to get a cuppa. She had the means for making it in her own office, but she also found that when she took the time to walk around (even for such a short distance) and visit the creatures, she had a boost of seratonin that kept her happy and focused throughout the rest of her day. It had become one of the few things she did a few times a week for self care. It was important to locate the things that made work more bearable - even if most of the days she loved her job regardless.

But what had never happened in any of her visits, was one of the crups looking as sick as one of the little gents had today. He'd been nursing a paw and looking so downcast she had been convinced there was something wrong with him. She'd spent some time checking him over and couldn't see anything immediate, but in case of anything contagious Sook had decided it was best to be safe than sorry and scooped up the little guy in order to take him to see a creature healer that afternoon.

It hadn't occurred to her at all the little guy was merely faking his situation in order for some afternoon excitement. But he'd certainly made it abundantly clear that's what happened, as the moment she opened the cafe door to leave with him tucked in her arms - the crup had SPRANG from her and was currently frolicking amongst the cubicles, leaving the woman with no choice but to run after him - probably looking entirely unhinged. Crafty little cruppy that he was.

Under a desk the little guy went as she pursued, yelling out at the others in the room, "Someone catch that crup!!" She apologize for not having included politeness in her urgent request later.

[Charely Potter]

Darej was looking over some files at his desk with diligence. He was about to approve the decision on redirecting the campaign demanding information on the rumored Crumpled Snorkacks. Well-meaning, but it was getting to be disruptive with their form of protests that he would need to reach their enforcement for a peaceful conclusion. He was reaching over to get his quill in ink when...

Someone catch that crup!!

Sookie's words reached his ears followed immediately by the sounds of barking. Darej turned his head, "Woah!" as the crup launched in his direction landing on his desk, one of its paws caught in the bottle of ink before hopping away. Least there was a trail if they lose sight, but he fought the inward groan as he got up. It was like the time the bloodhounds went loose. "He's a quick little guy, isn't he?!"

Darej whipped around the corner to see where the ink trail was leading him to then crouch under the desks where more paw trails were but he was out of sight with only audible barks letting him know it was still in the area. He would clean up the ink later. "What's his name?" He wanted to at least try to call it over... wherever it was.

[Chelliephone]

Poor Darej, she had clearly not yelled out her warning soon enough, not that it could really be considered one of those, as the little crup had already made a mess all over his desk. Was that ink spilled on the floors as well? That would be a fun clean up project later, but for the moment... it was perhaps helpful considering they could more easily track the little guy.

Theoretically.

Not going wide enough to avoid the ink spill that had dripped onto the floor, Sookie stepped in it as well - suddenly now adding her own foot prints around the room. She gave a small sigh but thanked her lucky stars the floor was not a wood that would have been more risk of sending her flying. The carpet already needed to be cleaned, she could wash skin. But the dress happened to be one of her favorites of her sister's design and she'd rather not have to mess with that.

"He's quick and clever!" She replied, refocusing her attention and replying to Darej as she moved again. She could see Darej was hunkered on the ground but not having luck, so she quickly pivoted to go to the other side of the desks to see if the crup had crawled under. Name? Her face screwed up in concentration for a moment as she tried to recall it. "Rosco, I believe was what was listed." She was going to take it as a good sign that the moment she spoke it aloud to Darej, a small bark could be heard in response. "Can you spot him over there?"

[Charely Potter]

Rosco, got it. "Rosco! Come here, Rosco," Darej called out. There were barking in response but not audible enough to where it appeared he was retreating even more. Crawling under the desk did more against his robes than his dignity on a little pup outrunning him. "I see him, he's going for the other desk," He said hurriedly, pointing in the south direction. Now how did he handle this kind of issue before? From the time the bloodhounds went loose from their enclosure to dog training his own Borzoi.

Darej thought back for a moment and then it hit him, "Sookie, I think there's treats in one of the drawers at my desk," Nothing like bribery for tricks. "Hopefully, he's in the mood for bacon," Though he did have other flavors in there that would entice a Crup.

[Chelliephone]

Following his lead, from the other side of the cubicles Sook also hunched closer to the ground, making clicking noises with her mouth as she reached out a hand blindly in hopes the pup could see it and maybe want pets. He certainly didn't seem the type to be motivated by that, at the very least... not currently, but it was still worth a shot wasn't it? "C'mere Roscoe! Want some belly scratches?" She'd offer a walk too but he certainly seemed to be getting plenty of exercise. Herself and Darej, too. Popping up briefly to see which direction was being pointed, she made to move that way as well before he spoke again.

With a snap of her fingers, her indication that that was a brilliant idea, she quickly hurried back to his desk and opened the indicated drawer - grabbing one of the treat bags in the process. "Who isn't in the mood for bacon?" Even as a vegetarian now, she certainly remembered her days of pork. And that was one of the few meats she continued to crave. Opening the bag, she grabbed a handful of the treats and shoved them into her pocket, before closing it again. "Heads up! I'm throwing it your way as well!" Between the two of them he'd probably take the bait somewhere, right?

[NiallNIP]

Kit walked back into the office and he was a bit drained. He had just gotten back from a crossover job with MLE—Graphorn poachers. Kitty was charged with securing the captured Graphorns and relocating them based on their needs—rehabilitation at a sanctuary or release back into the wild. After the MLE had apprehended the poachers he was able to get to the Graphorns, some of them having been captive for months, and it broke Kitty's heart. Yeah, they were aggressive, but they were still living creatures. Some had been handled brutally by the poachers and were frightened by him, the poor things. Kitty had enough experience handling dangerous creatures that he wasn't worried—he was able to convince them he meant no harm. He thought it would be better to bring them to a sanctuary to make sure they were in good shape before being released.

Kitty tended to get a little down after jobs like this. He had his fair share of adventures in DERP, and was usually able to find a silver lining or have some sort of fun. Of course he was happy to have helped the Graphorns, but this job was just a little depressing—he hated that people could treat creatures the way they did. He sat down at his desk, preparing to do the paperwork required to cover the issue, and he opened his hard candy drawer and took out a couple pieces. Butterscotch always helped to lift his spirits, so he popped one in his mouth and leaned back in his chair with a sigh. He just needed one moment.