Dick and Raven had been strolling around New York these past few days.
For one thing, after entering Battleworld, Raven's condition had become stable. Or, it could be said that after discovering that her counterparts in other universes were all ticking time bombs, she had come to terms with it.
Secondly, although Gotham is also a bustling metropolis with improved public order, it's not quite suitable for young people's entertainment due to the limitations of the era's development; it's not as fun as New York.
Nowadays, New York can be called a paradise for young people—extremely developed, with convenient transportation and a diverse entertainment industry. Any kind of niche culture can find a home here, and visiting any commercial area can be an eye-opening experience.
Not to mention Raven, who had been confined to a special space, even Dick hadn't had such relaxed fun for a long time. They dove into the heart of New York City and could be said to be so happy that they forgot to go home.
Of course, Raven was not without her doubts. While shopping, she asked Dick, "Aren't you a superhero? Don't you have any missions?"
"I'm not a superhero." Dick said, "If you have to put it that way, I'm the assistant to a superhero. And since that superhero no longer plays hero, I'm naturally retired too."
"Okay. But don't you want to do something?"
"Isn't the goal of traveling just to travel?" Dick said, "If you have a specific mission, it's not called traveling, it's called business."
Raven thought his reasoning made a lot of sense, so she let go of her worries and wholeheartedly threw herself into having a great time.
Watching movies, shopping, eating—these traditional activities could no longer satisfy them. They went camping on Long Island, took part in music festivals, wore their own costumes to comic conventions, bungee jumped, scuba dived, and went night fishing...
While Tim was racking his brains out in Los Angeles, these two happily played for several days straight.
During this process, Raven noticed something about Dick: he was very happy.
Normally, this couldn't be considered a characteristic of a person, only a transient state. If it must be said, it would be more appropriate to say someone is optimistic. But with Dick, it was different—he was simply a very happy person.
If Raven had to describe it in more detail, she would say that Dick is someone filled with curiosity toward new things and, in the process of exploration, his enthusiasm doesn't wane easily.
Raven thought her own curiosity was already intense. When deciding to try some new activities at the beginning, she would be full of excitement, but after a while, she would start to feel uneasy. As the time to participate drew closer, she would start to feel tired and think about giving up on going.
But Dick was not like that. His positive emotions were always straightforward and simple, consistent from start to finish, without change. Looking forward to doing something always maintained his strong interest, no matter how tedious the preparation was, he would not get tired of it.
Raven once heard an analogy from Professor Shiller: If people are compared to cars, everyone's fuel tank size is different.
Some people have large fuel tanks and can run for a long time without needing a refill. But others have smaller tanks and need to stop for fuel after a short distance.
Yet there's another situation where a car is so well-designed that it uses less fuel and has a longer range. Raven believed Dick was that kind of person.
In reality, whether it's attending a concert or going fishing on a yacht, it's just a pastime and not a real passion for music or fishing. Therefore, the joy these entertainment activities bring is limited.
Yet Dick always managed to sustain his high energy and excitement for a long time with limited joy, as if this small bit of happy time could support him for the rest of his life.
Raven didn't understand the principle behind it, but she felt envious. She wanted to know how Dick did it, so during their escapades, she always paid close attention to him, both overtly and covertly.
After Dick hung up the phone, the two prepared to visit a pet shop. Raven tilted her head as she watched him search for the location of the cattery on his phone, eventually settling on one that was a bit remote.
America's pet system is fairly robust. The so-called pet shops are actually places specifically for breeding domestic pets, divided into several categories. Some sell show-quality pets, while others cater to the common folk with ordinary pets.
In a place like New York, basically any type of pet you're looking for can be found. In addition to cats and dogs, some niche interests in reptiles and other less common pets also have dedicated hobbyists breeding them.
The Siberian Forest Cat, although not as famous as other large cat breeds, nor a native breed of America, could still be found in several New York catteries, with kittens of the right age available for sale.
Driving a rented car, they arrived at the Giant Pet House. One could tell that the cattery's owner was fond of large cat breeds just by the name.
This was a family-run cattery, located in a house on the edge of Queens District. As soon as Dick and Raven got out of the car, the cattery owner opened the gate to the yard for them, and they were immediately entangled by the gentle giant of a cat around their legs.
Raven bent down and effortlessly picked up the huge cat. The cattery owner was somewhat shocked, and Dick hurriedly nudged her with his elbow.
Then Raven realized that someone of her stature should have had some difficulty lifting such a big cat, so she quickly put the cat down.
"What an adorable little... erm, big guy."
The cattery owner, a plump middle-aged woman, laughed heartily and said, "Pari is our second biggest treasure here, a Maine Cat. The Siberian Forest Cat you're looking for is over this way."
Raven adored the big darling meowing around her legs, and couldn't resist picking it up again. She cradled it like a baby in her arms to feel its weight, its fluffy tail nearly dragging on the ground.
Dick also reached out to pet it. The Maine Cat, worthy of its reputation as a "gentle giant," didn't mind being stroked at all, its sharp voice in stark contrast to its large size.
Upon reaching the backyard, the two finally saw the real Siberian Forest Cats and then noticed that although the two breeds were similar in size, there was a significant difference in the shape of their faces.
The Maine Cat's face was more pointed, to be exact, its muzzle more prominent, with a longer nose and mane spreading outwards. Its eyes were elongated and pointed, somewhat like a male lion, very handsome indeed.
The face of the Siberian Forest Cat, however, was rounder and broader, looking sweeter overall and exuding a goofy temperament. Its eyes were round and not so aggressive.
Raven, who loved every cat she saw, put down the one in her hands and picked up the Siberian that had just approached her. She felt their fur and discovered differences in texture; the Siberian's fur was softer but denser, incredibly thick, particularly its bloom-like tail, which was hard to grasp the cartilage underneath without exerting some force.
Dick then picked up the Maine Cat that Raven had set down, and after comparing the two, he still preferred the handsome big lion in his arms.
Next, the cattery owner introduced them to another forest cat breed, the Norwegian Forest Cat, which looked more similar to the Siberian Forest Cat. The two breeds looked almost alike, with the Norwegian having a more triangular-shaped face and slightly longer fur.
The cattery was full of large cat breeds, all lazily sprawled on thresholds or climbing frames and appearing not at all rambunctious. The owner explained that large breeds tend to be more emotionally stable and that all three breeds were renowned for being gentle and clingy.
The owner then highlighted the unique qualities of the Siberian Forest Cat, which among the large breeds behaved most like a dog, not just in terms of loyalty and liveliness but also in obedience. With proper training, they could learn most of the skills commonly associated with dogs, such as obeying commands to shake hands, circle around, fetch, and so on.
Finally, the owner showed them kittens that were for sale. The mother was a show quality cat with several awards, and the father had a fine lineage. The kitten was just three months old, looking sturdy and plump.
Raven immediately picked one, and Dick didn't know how to describe its color; it was probably a brownish gray. Because it was so small and the fur so long, it looked like a little furball.
Seeing that Raven wouldn't let go of it, Dick started to discuss the price with the owner. Once they had nearly agreed, it was time to take care of the paperwork.
In New York State, getting a pet involved some procedures. Adoption and rescue allowed for more leniency, but purchasing a pet required going through many stringent steps.
One important part was proof of housing. The buyer had to show they had an independent living space, with sufficient room for a pet to move around.
Born in another cosmos, Dick naturally had no property, so he had no choice but to call Shiller.
Having lived there for quite a while, Shiller was quite knowledgeable about these details. He had even seriously looked into whether Pikachu should be registered as a dog or a cat.
In no time at all, all the paperwork was ready. Raven happily got into the car with the kitten, but then she began to worry and said, "You mentioned Tim wanted a kitten, so when the time comes, should we give the cat to him?"
"What nonsense are you talking about? What we raise is ours," said Dick. "If he wants one, he can adopt his own."
"But didn't he say he wanted to raise a Siberian Forest Cat?"
Only then did Dick remember, carefully trying to recall the exact content of his conversation with Tim.
But by that time, he had pretty much forgotten and could only vaguely say, "Oh right, Professor Shearer said having a pet would help stabilize your mood. I wanted to suggest that to you, but didn't know which breed would be better, so I just asked Tim ..."
Raven cheered up again and gently stroked the kitten's head, saying, "No one has ever cared about me so much, thank you."
Realizing he had bluffed his way through, Dick laughed and asked, "Have you decided? What are you going to name the kitten?"
After thinking it over seriously, Raven said, "My name is Rachel, so let's call it Qiuqiu."
"Whatever you say," Dick replied with a smile. Then something occurred to him about Tim possibly asking him to visit Arkham Sanatorium for some reason. What was it for?
Dick couldn't quite recall, but he suggested, "First, let's buy some pet supplies and then head back to Arkham Sanatorium. It is too young and needs lots of sleep. We shouldn't get back too late."
Raven nodded in excitement.
Just as the car pulled into the parking lot of Arkham Sanatorium, Dick received a message from Tim.
"Did you find out?"
Dick had no clue what Tim wanted him to look into, but since he had purchased a Siberian Forest Cat, he replied with a non-committal "Hmm."
"Send it to me," Tim typed out his message.
Ten seconds later, he received a photo of an adorable Siberian Forest Cat kitten.