(ACE) The LAVERRE Team

”After the others come back from gathering food and my team has been fed, I think we'll be ready to go, granted, that is if Kaneki doesn't need my help. I know you need to find your trainer, and I promise that, we will, but I don't just want to leave if someone could be in danger here.”

The Snover snuffled his feet as his attention was immediately drawn back to the human. His dead heart thunks heavily in in his chest. Yes, yes finally his mission was reaching fruition. Once the trivial matters with the other Pokemon passed he would finally return.. home... Lifting one foot Verglas tries to walk forward and finds his body is stiff and heavy from being still for so long. Forcing it forward in a single step his mind pulses with fuzziness. The snowstorm churns, wildly whipping away most thoughts. Freezing and unbalanced, the Snover stands and stares blankly toward the wall. How was he supposed to make his catch and journey back to his mountain when everything was so unresponsive?

Tensing his undead muscles the Snover strains until his legs start to move. If he moved enough then surely, surely they'd loosen up. Two more steps and he can feel the rhythm. One more and he's marked a target. If he continued like this he could- "Kaneki! Welcome back!" The Riolu starts moving again and the trance is broken, the Snover's feet bucking until he plops back on the floor.


His legs would not move fast enough. Bursting his way into the Cafe Plant nearly trips again on a sweater as he rushes toward Verglas. He was sitting. He was slumped over. Was he okay!? "Back at the cafe. Hide, are you alright? Is everyone okay?" Kaneki's question nearly zooms past him, Verglas' presence the only thing flashing in his mind. "Verglas! Verglas!" He wails, tossing all the mushrooms to the floor as he dives to wrap his arms around the Snover. The chill of his body penetrates his sweater but he can't feel any movement. "Are you okay!?" He nearly screams, struggling to flip the Snover around. His heart nearly drops as their eyes meet. "...Yes." The ice type finally wheezes, and a relieved, albeit exasperated, sigh puffs out of the Snivy's lungs and he hugs the Snover tighter.

"Yeah dude, everyone's alright. We were just playing hide and seek." Hide confirms as Plant tentatively looks at the others. They crawled from their hiding places, and looked at the new arrivals like.. nothing happened at all. Letting go of the dual type Plant took a step back to look him over. I dont see any new wounds. In fact, he didn't see any one anyone. He didn't see anything on anyone that wasn't there before. Letting out another heavily sigh the Snivy fell over himself. Everything was okay after all.. They had worried for nothing. Sending out his vines he rounded up the mushrooms he had dropped, collecting up into a nice pile on the floor. "Okay.." He muttered back to the Snover, and when he saw his eyes were still blank he sent his gaze back to the floor. Leaving him was a mistake.

Kaneki watched as Hide moved inside, placing the food items on one of the shelves and then moved to gather up some items just out of his view. The Spectreon was half tempted to follow after his beau to make sure that everything was okay, but he spotted the look at the human was giving him. Kaneki froze, his bi-colored eyes holding Grimsley's gaze for a moment, peering at the human with a judging glare. He searched the human's face for anything that rang out deceit, something to tell him that his fears were not just his own thoughts, but, he saw nothing but a sincere worry in Grimsley's face. The Spectreon gritted his teeth, tearing his gaze away with a muffled growl.

"Verglas! Verglas!" He snapped his head towards Plant, staring at the Snover that Plant had run to, his eyes darting over their for for any wounds. His gaze hovered over the red gash for only a split second before he tore his gaze away so that the two brothers could have a moment. "Are you okay!?" Plant's loud voice was hard to miss though, and he flicked his ear, looking out towards the Cafe, guilt clawing at his chest.

He shouldn't have left Alirah there. That was a stupid decision on his part. What if Nisha attacked while he was gone? He had assumed that the two of them were friends, but what if the Liepards was pulling the wool over their eyes and was attacking Alirah as he stood here? His tails lashed as he stared at the cafe in the distance. Should he go now?

"Kaneki? Can I come with you and Hide? I can help carry little things." He jumped, stiffening slightly as he realized that he had completely tuned out. He looked behind him to where Hide was, waiting at the door for him. Kaneki gave the Riolu a smile, who grinned back.

"Ready when you are, 'Neki."

Kaneki shrugged, motioning to Conan, wordlessly saying that the eevee could come along. He ducked his head back into the Boutique, his gaze lingering on Grimsley for a tense second before he looked at Plant. "Plant, I'm taking Hide and Conan to get the rest of the supplies. Do you want to stay here with Verglas?"

Hide sighed, noting that his beau deliberately left Grimsley out of that request. He walked up beside Kaneki and gave Grimsley a slight wave. "We won't be too long bud. Just gonna get these items and then we'll be back."

"How come you have two different colored eyes? Are you a special eevee?" Kaneki flinched, avoiding Conan's gaze as he looked back to the cafe. He felt Hide's presence beside him, and gave his beau a pleading look. Hide only sighed lightly, rolling his eyes with a grin.

"I'll tell you about it later. Lets just go get this food."

Grimsley sighed as Kaneki stared at him, the mistrust clear in the Spectreon's eyes. He wasn't sure what had happened while they were away, but evidently it was enough to shake the ghost into thinking that he was going to harm them. Grimsley let his gaze follow the Spectreon as they finally tore their gaze from him, instead moving to look at Plant, who had run over to Verglas.

"Verglas! Verglas!" Grimsley's eyes widened in worry as he looked at Verglas, wondering if they would accept an offer to help. The Snover hadn't been like this earlier. Was it because of his questions, or maybe... No. That may be the case, however I'm not going to point it out. I'm only here on tentative graces, there's no use severing it with concern that be seen a misplaced or misinterpreted. He sighed, watching with a concerned gaze  as Plant checked over the Ice Type. "Are you okay!?"

He wasn't able to catch the Snover's reply, though he hoped it was an affirmative reply. Grimsley wasn't sure if he had something to help the undead's hunger. "Kaneki? Can I come with you and Hide? I can help carry little things." There was a weight on his shoulders as Shyama jumped down onto him from her hiding place, prompting Grimsley to give the Houndrunt a fond scratch behind her ears as he listened to the others converse.

"Ready when you are, 'Neki."
"Plant, I'm taking Hide and Conan to get the rest of the supplies. Do you want to stay here with Verglas?"

Grimsley didn't miss the purpose lack of his own mention in there, though it didn't bother him really. He was aware that Kaneki didn't really trust him, so he wasn't going to press the matter. Thankfully, Hide was more hospitable towards him, "We won't be too long bud. Just gonna get these items and then we'll be back." Grimsley nodded to Hide, giving the Riolu a small smile of thanks.

"How come you have two different colored eyes? Are you a special eevee?" His mind went to the conversation of the previous night, where Conan had probably been asleep. Grimsley winced lightly at the memory of the Spectreon's tale. He didn't want Kaneki to have to relive that memory. "I'll tell you about it later. Lets just go get this food."

The Spectreon's voice was stiff, causing Grimsley to sigh. He hoped that they would gather the last of the food and get back soon. Honestly, he wasn't sure if he could stand much more of the Spectreon's passive-aggressive hostility. That wasn't to say he would just get up and leave, he really did want to know what the ghost had against him, even after he said he would help in any way he could. Grimsley sighed, setting his cheek in his palm and staring out the window towards the Cafe, hoping to see the others as they got back.

((OoC - Skip my Alibean, please~<3 I was stuck on what to do on this post, but I'm just going to skip because too much of her drama will get old, and she's just brooding hardcore in a soup pot until the others arrive lol. I think this is my first skip with Alirah. ._. Kinda sucks. I liked that she'd never skipped lol.))

With his mushrooms in place Plant nestled closer to the Snover's side. Normally he'd feel the utmost safety here, but instead all he felt was the humans eyes hounding on him. It was like this entire room was filled with flames, or monsters, or preying eyes of unseen creatures. Despite their shelter it was as though they would be attacked at any moment. This place was not safe. Verglas shuffled as the Snivy's grasp tightened around him. Did the Snover not feel the threat levels?

"Plant, I'm taking Hide and Conan to get the rest of the supplies. Do you want to stay here with Verglas?" The child gives a strong flinch as the Spectreon's voice is completely unexpected. Leaving? He was going to leave them? Alone? With the human? "N-no." Instantly his heart is drumming harshly against his chest. No. No no no no. There was no way in the name of the oaks that he would stay here with that man. Struggling to shaking legs he tries to take a step toward the door with Verglas in tow, but the Snover didn't budge and Snivy's arms jerked back awkwardly. The air pushed from his lungs and had he not already been so close to the floor Plant probably would of fallen over. "C-come on Verglas," he snivels, tugging the ice types arm once more. The heavier Pokemon did not move, his eyes blank as though he didn't even hear the Snivy. "Let's go." He mutters a bit more anxiously while digging his heels into the wooden floor. He gave it all his strength but the tree only tipped slightly in pity.

"Can't leave." Verglas breathes while pulling his arm back and righting himself. "Too close." There is a huff as Plant whips around to his back and pushes the dual type from behind. "We're going," he strains, the Snover's heavy body barely shifting at all despite the combined effort of his arms and vines. Nearly grunting with effort Plant finally gets the Snover back onto his feet. One step at a time he continues to push his brother forward while grunting, "You can stare.. when we come back." Slowly, they make their way toward the door where Plant can instead gab the Snover's hand and tug him along. He gives a hasty glance back toward the human, praying he didn't follow after them. I don't trust you.

Kaneki trotted along quietly, his eyes scanning as he looked around with a soft sigh. The ground squelched under his paws from the rain, making the Phanteon grimace. It would be a pain to get that out later. He sighed heavily and kept going at that same pace, his tails curled slightly to keep the red gas away from the ground as the cat moved along the path to the Cafe. He only stopped for a moment to check his surroundings, gaseous ears perked for any sign of danger before he had gone back to that same quick, stalking pace forwards.

He needn't worry about the mud. They had to get to Alirah.

"I wonder what yummy things we'll bring back?" Kaneki glanced back at Conan, stopping for a moment to allow time for the Eevee and Hide to catch up. He looked down at the Eevee kit for a moment, a small smile tugging at his face. "Ah, there isn't much, Conan, bu' it's enough to keep us fed." Even if he was in a hurry, trying to push the kit wasn't something he should be doing. Hide moved up beside him and drew the Phanteon into a hug, nuzzling their cheeks together. Kaneki purred lightly and moved to lick up the side of Hide's face, much to the Riolu's chagrin.

"Kanekiiii," he whined, rubbing at his cheek and poking his tongue out at the Phanteon, which only recieved a laugh from the ghost.
"Awh, ya love me. He said, grinning toothily at him.

"What's a Cafe?"

Hide hummed and little, tapping his chin. What a question. "Well... It's like a big building that humans have, where other humans can go to buy food and sit down with friends. It's usually really nice in one." He said, leaning a little against Kaneki as the Phanteon busied himself with licking along Hide's arm, smoothing out the fur there. Hide just rolled his eyes at his beau's actions.

The Café might've been trashed and any logical creature would've chalked up a loud crash to just something falling... Alirah was not a logical creature.
A pan teetered back and forth on the hanger and had been for some time, sort of a inanimate clash of wills or something, before finally the small metallic rack fell forwards and made possibly the loudest sound Alirah's hyper-aware ears had ever heard. It wasn't, in actuality, but she sure as heck thought so.
She fled from one corner to the other and was a painting of the cliché halloween cat with their back arched and a bag of candy at their paws. “Kaneki?”

Nothing called back “Alirah.” Through the assumption something was stalking towards her and was preparing to maul her... that might've been the worst part. That she was in that position because she made the Spectreon angry and now he simply didn't care. And Plant, he wanted to leave so badly... he didn't just keep going ‘til he was out of Laverre, did he? She meant it when she said anyone was welcome... I'm so sorry... The red ribbon tied so perfectly to hold the spoils in the bag, Conan would never see. He wouldn't know how proud she was the moment her tail brushed the loud packaging in that cramped cabinet.
Not now... I haven't died yet, I surely won't-- not without making it right with them, anyways...

She dipped her muzzle to snatch the moderately sized, decorative bag and made a break for the exit, for the Boutique. Most importantly, for her friends.

Alirah was out the door in record time, not wasting even a fraction of a second to check if what she was fleeing from was a crazed murderer or a pot rack. She raced back the way they had come, tail raised high and taking each curve with a drift through the mud before throwing down the throttle again.

Her heartbeat was racing, but her anxiety began to lower as the color palettes she wouldn’t ever mistake came into sight. She nearly called to them, so they wouldn't somehow not see her and she'd get swiped up when so close, but her voice was negated by the crinkling plastic.
She made a final heave and leapt farther than she knew possible, bounding at them and dropping to her chest as she plummeted back down to slide the remaining distance.

“Umf pharry!” She wailed, plastic still clenched in her maw. “Umf phoh pharry!” The Umbreon dared not raise her head to Kaneki's gaze yet. Setting down and nudging the bag to Conan, Ali felt like a criminal on judgement day, trying earnestly for mercy. “I-I know it's not much, Conan, but it's for you…”

She drew in a breath, holding it to excuse the seconds it took to work up the courage to speak again. “Kaneki, I'm s.. sorry... I never wanted to make you mad, I never meant to upset you, Plant…” Her bangs fell apart and reconnected each time she shifted her muzzle nervously. “You all don’t think I'm bad, do you? I say and do stupid stuff, I know that, but please... please don't leave.”

((OoC - I'm so ecstatic right now oh my god Laverre is back aaaugjbdnsn.<3 Lemme professional here, just for a moment: If Plant and Verglas aren't in conversation range for any reason, she’d assume they were there and address Plant anyways bc Alibean logic is flawless lol. And as for the bag she brought to Conan, it's got snacks inside but I was vague on that so Shad can decide what Conan gets if they want.
Non-professional: SHE RAN FROM A METAL POT RACK THINGY LIKE ITS THE PLAGUE IM DEAD. Taima is going to somehow know about this and give her hell haha.))

Plant's short arms quivered as he shoved the Snover forward. Though he pushed with all his strength the tree's stubby feet and weight made for slow and strenuous progress. "Come on... Verglas..." He groans between spurts of energy. Sucking in a deep breath of air the Snivy stopped for just a moment to look behind him. No, no he wasn't about to have something sneak up on. He wasn't going to be attacked from behind. Bracing himself, he continued to push, and was relieved to feel Verglas moving with him if ever so slightly. "The weirdo.. will be there..." With Verlgas' silence offering no barrier Plant could hear another, shaking, voice in the distance. “Umf phoh pharry!” That was Alirah, right? The sound was muffled but held the tone of her voice. "This way," he prompts the Snover, shifting their direction slightly.

They had stormed out on the Umbreon. Was she mad at them now? Was she going to strike like the Pokemon she cheered on in the story? Nausea pulsed through the grass type's stomach but he held himself together. Finally, Verglas stopped resisting, and his short feet stepped in to motion. Letting his hands slide free of his black Plant watched as his brother fell into place just behind him, quiet and watchful. "Thank you.." He murmurs softly on a heavy sigh. He probably wouldn't have been able to push the Snover much longer anyway. "You know, you're heavy." He griped, but the ice type did not reply.

Between his rigid breaths and his own heartbeat pounding in his head the Snivy nearly felt deaf as the other Pokemon came into focus. Alirah was indeed there along with her spoils, and the others as well, but even from a distance the youth could feel the negative energy coming from up ahead. With a deep swallow of air he tries to clear the pounding and listen as he walks. “Kaneki, I'm s.. sorry... I never wanted to make you mad, I never meant to upset you, Plant…” Shocked, he comes to a hard stop, tiny hands collapsing together at his chest. She was.. sorry? I'm the worst.. She hadn't meant to be cruel, or even expect it to upset them, and was trying to apologize. It was a misunderstanding. And I thought you would attack us... How could he think such things about his friends? One of his hands grabs at his chest and brushes the small necklace under his sweater. No, it wasn't right of him to of judged her like that.

Racing forward the exhausted Snivy is panting again and hobbles to a stop near Conan. “You all don’t think I'm bad, do you? I say and do stupid stuff, I know that, but please... please don't leave.” Wheezing, there is a heavy delay in his response. The other Pokemon easy go before him initially, and when he has enough air in him he rasps, "You-ou.. didn't mean it.." That aside, it was true he didn't mean to spend too long here. They had to finish Verglas.. thing, but at this point, Plant thought, finding a different human might be better. Still, this was about the Umbreon, not the creep. "We aren't.. heading out yet.."


Verglas had stopped. Something pulsed in his head. There was something around, something that wasn't there before. Drawing in a deep breath Plant's smell was the first thing to come up, but the earthy scent of foliage that clung to him was no match for this new one. It was.. it was.. Food. His feet turn, and slowly he shuffles past a building closer to the edge of town as the Snivy runs off.
Was there an intruder? Was the thing from before coming back? The tinge of blood is faint but his undead senses hone in on it. Whatever it was, he needed to know. Stumbling his way forward Verglas passes another corner, completely lost in this new sensation.

Kaneki was about to continue on when his ears flicked up, and he caught wind of something drawing closer. His defences went up, his red eye flashing with a Detect as he moved to step in front of Hide and Conan, his lips pulling back in a snarl as his claws slid from his paws, gripping at the muddy ground.

When a familiar pink form slid to a halt in front of him, all traces of aggression vanished. What was Alirah doing here?
"A-Alirah?"

“Umf pharry!” Sorry..? He stared down at her, a bewildered expression on his face. What on earth was she sorry for? “Umf phoh pharry!” He gently leaned down and took ahold of the small umbreon's scruff, pulling her up onto her feet, a worried expression on his face. He moved his paw to help move the bag she'd be carrying to Conan. “I-I know it's not much, Conan, but it's for you…”

Kaneki looked at the tiny Umbreon with a frown, his tails flicking a little behind him. Why... why was she sorry? “Kaneki, I'm s.. sorry... I never wanted to make you mad, I never meant to upset you, Plant…”

Oh.

Oh, that's why.

"Alirah..." He sighed and looked away, glancing back at Hide, looking for some sort of guidance. Hide his crossed his arms and shook his head at the Spectreon. This was his situation to sort out. Kaneki pouted, but turned back to look at Alirah. “You all don’t think I'm bad, do you? I say and do stupid stuff, I know that, but please... please don't leave.”

Wait, leave???

"A-Alirah... We were never going to leave... I just... I needed a moment to cool my head. I... don't like fighting, especially the kind of fighting that Grimsley and his... Liepard... do." He moved to nuzzle her face, purring softly. "I don't hate you, Alirah." He pulled back to give her a warm smile. "I could never hate you. You're like a little sister to me. You're a pain, but you're family. And I don't hate family." No. He could never hate the pastel umbreon, no matter what happened.

Even if she stabbed him in the back one day, he still wouldn't be able to bring himself to hate her.

After all, he hated himself more.

"I still think you're pretty Ali." Hide grinned at Conan's words, moving forwards to lean a little against Kaneki, feeling the Spectreon purr from where he was leaning against the cat.

"Hide? I got some yummy snacks wanna have some when we go back?"
"Heck yeah! That sounds amazing!"

Hide beamed and gave Conan a thumbs up, his fluffy tail wagging a little behind him. "So, are we gonna go get the rest of the supplies? We can walk and talk on the way back to the cafe, right?" Hide asked, looking at Kaneki, who nodded at him.

"Yeah... sounds good. Are you alright to come with us, Alirah? I don't want to leave you alone..."

Alirah leaned down and ruffled the Eevee's cheek fluff with her nose in a return display of affection and gratitude. Thank you. Her nerves were still frayed like her excessive fur on a bad day, but like people often found comfort in the faces of their children, Alirah received the same soothing vibe from Conan.
She hadn't honestly expected Plant to come near her again, making her all the more surprised when he flew up right next to Conan, breathless. Her ears perked in concern for the little Grass-type. "Don't wear yourself out, sweetie," she said softly. Maybe she could carry him if he were too tired to walk... We'll decide later.

She returned to full height - which was humorously not very much taller than Conan himself - and met Kaneki's sight. She'd seen the look of hate, malice and disgust burning a mark on her soul more times than she'd care to remember, but Kaneki... Nah. Kaneki wasn't like them. And that's why she adored him to the ends of the earth.
"A-Alirah... We were never going to leave... I just... I needed a moment to cool my head. I... don't like fighting, especially the kind of fighting that Grimsley and his... Liepard... do." He nuzzled against the Umbreon's sticky face, in turn she snuggled her muzzle against the fur under his gaseous ear. "I don't hate you, Alirah."

"You promise?"
Kaneki smiled warm as the sun above. "I could never hate you. You're like a little sister to me. You're a pain, but you're family. And I don't hate family." Pfffbth, she suppressed a laugh with a toothy, mischievous grin. Right on the money with the pain part! "That's me~ what else are little sisters for, other than being a pain?" She tilted her head to Plant, waving the tip of her tail bashfully. "Are we good, too?"
"You-ou.. didn't mean it.." The little guy breathed hoarsely. He hadn't been running from something, had he? No, impossible, Kaneki was with him. Unless he had ran from the Café. "We aren't.. heading out yet.." Yet...? But... it's a bad world, she'd never stop worrying about them... They're not yours to keep, Ali...

"I didn't mean it at all, Plant. And I'm promising right now that I won't do that ever again." She reached her paw out to him apologetically, holding her rightmost toe out. "You and Verglas can stay for as long as you want, don't feel like you have to go." She sincerely hoped the kids didn't think they weren't welcome.

Conan had bounced back over to Kaneki's side, casting a smile in Alirah's direction. She flushed slightly - she looked so yucky and everyone was looking at her! "Thank you Ali. I love you." He... what? She blinked, staring at the tiny Eevee with his bag of treats. He wasn't trying to guilt-bribe her into anything, or make up for something - she was sure at this point Conan could do nothing wrong, ever - he just... loved her, like a family member would tell their loved ones. "I love you too, sweetheart." She hadn't done anything to deserve the kit's love, but by gods, she'd earn it.

"So, are we gonna go get the rest of the supplies? We can walk and talk on the way back to the cafe, right?" Hide asked, casting a look to the Ghost-type. Kaneki nodded in confirmation, "Yeah... sounds good. Are you alright to come with us, Alirah? I don't want to leave you alone..."
"Yeah, I'm with you guys~!" She stamped her front paws, squishing small heart shaped marks in the mud with her pads. "Need to hunt that place high and low! Stuff is reaaaally well hidden. I didn't hide any of it though, so I guess Knightly must've done it."

The Umbreon smiled at the ground. She'd stopped worrying a while ago... Knightly was too strong for anything bad to happen to her. As long as Knightly was okay - Ali knew she was - then Alirah could be happy. "I wonder how she's doing?" She loved the Furfrou enough that being apart could never change that.

Kaneki was not mad either, and the relief was quick and clear as it came to the pink Umbreon's visage. She had not tried to hurt or upset them, and the regret was so strong even Plant felt bad for yelling. "I didn't mean it at all, Plant. And I'm promising right now that I won't do that ever again." With a little effort Plant managed to get a weak smile to spread from the edges of his mouth. "Thank you," he whimpered gently, still trying to catch his breath. "You and Verglas can stay for as long as you want, don't feel like you have to go." The smile peaked a little bit more on one side and the youth's tail gently waved back and forth. "But we gotta go rescue." He explained calmly. It wasn't like he didn't like their adventure, or the Pokemon he had met here. "It's the whole reason we left Pewter!" Saying the name of his home felt strange on his tongue. Not strange like foreign, but a sense of home and longing for where this all started. Home..

Would he see it again soon? Would his old nest still be there or will something else have moved in? With the unrest quelled Hide seemed eager to move on, and asked, "So, are we gonna go get the rest of the supplies? We can walk and talk on the way back to the cafe, right?" The others agreed, but Plant only gave a soft nod. He didn't really wanna go back. He didn't understand what a lot of the stuff inside was, and if he had to go looking for it he'd probably miss something important. Maybe he could gather some more mushrooms now that he had dropped off the rest? "Wanna be friends?" Conan asked abruptly as they started to walk. "W-what?" He chokes out while trying to process the question. "Sure," he simpered, reaching a hand out behind him to help pull Verglas along. "What do you think, Verglas?"

But the question went unanswered, and his hand fell flatly against nothing but air. "Verglas?" He says again, looking back to find the Snover was not there. Even the ground was clear of his wide footprints. Instantly, cold dread pulsed through the child's body, his heart drumming against his rib cage. Had he gone back to the Boutique? Surely, surely that's what he would have done. But why do I feel.. this..? Conan said something else, but the words were lost like Plant had fallen into deep water. "I-I I gotta find Verglas," he gasped hastily, throwing his shaking hands in front of him as he started to trot back. He just went back.. He just went back to Grimsley is all. Then why did it feel like Violet all over again..?


The rich scent of blood was too much and the Snover felt himself being dragged along by it like a lure on a string. How long had it been since he last ate? If they were going to climb up the mountain to the lodge and cliff site he would need all his strength. The human had offered him food but everything always seemed to taste like ash and mud. Everything but that that gave off the thick, deep scent of blood and life.

Verglas took in another deep breath, drinking in the aroma as he tracked it like a hound. His bumbling steps grew more steady, more determined though they remained slow. Could other Pokemon smell that, or was it just his undead instincts? Snow drifted in his mind's eye, blurring all the structures in a sheet of white. Only the path he followed remained, bright and colored against the pale world. Hunger gnawed bitterly as his hallow stomach as he passed another building and headed toward the edge of town. The faintest sound of crunching met his ear slits, something he could not of picked it on without his cold, dead body.

Heading down an alleyway Verglas could see the treeline of the surrounding forest. There was green grass before him, puddles and mud too, but it was the splotches of blood that dotted the passage that his eyes chose to lock on to. As he meets the end of the alley Verlgas stops, his dark red gaze finding what he had been searching for; by a large shrub crouched a Mightyena with its catch at its feet. Its tattered grey fur was dirtied and ragged, its muzzle slathered with blood from the Purrloin that lay before it. The hound continued to feast, Verglas' presence unknown as it ripped a limb free from the cat's body. Blood poured from the wound and smashed against the Snover's senses like a tidal wave. Something stirred in him, something strange about this being unfair yet familiar, but all thought was lost to an overwhelming instinct he could not ignore.

He wanted to feed too.

Taking slow, heavy steps forward the Snover made itself known to the feeding Mightyena. It looked up from its meal, red eyes blaring as it gave a low warning growl. Verglas was not intimidated and continued to walk forward even as the hound stood to its full height. It barked another warning, speakings words that were lost to the small undead as all reason fell away. It continued to bark, the sound growing more agitated as it raked its claws through the air. When it realized the Snover was not going to stop the dark type stepped forward, ready to take the challenge and defend its catch.

((OOC: Skip for now, will edit into a post later tomorrow))

Ali flicked her paws in each jovial step. “That sounds like fun, Conan,” she chirped, “what should we play?” She played dress up more times than she could remember despite being well out of her adolescence and, ya know, there were plenty of clothes… Nah, boooring. That’s only fun when someone is irritated at having eight bows in her fur… heh. Kaneki would probably wear them just to make her smile. But if Hide wore them in his sleep, both Eeveelutions would smile… Definitely asking about that later. Alirah was truly a devil sometimes. Absolutely, no doubt about that.

Nothing really was like the relief that came after resolving an issue of any severity, and now that it was cleared up, she had no shame that she could possibly eat the bark off a tree at this point. Right off that tree right there, she snickered quietly and eyed the poor trunk, that would’ve worked swell… Eh, maybe for dessert or when I’m stranded on an island…

The Eevee was itching to befriend Plant and Verglas, and honestly she couldn’t deny having been listening curiously to their conversation since ideals of tree genocide was only interesting for so long. Which wasn’t very long.
"Verglas?" Having done so many times with her companions, Ali knew without looking that Verglas wasn’t there by the way Plant spoke his name. She turned to prove herself wrong, but the Snivy was already hurrying to find him. "I-I I gotta find Verglas,"

“Uh, Conan,” she said quickly, bending down nose-to-nose with him, “stay rrreeeallly close to someone, okay?” She turned on her paws and trailed after Plant, “I can’t let him go alone.”

The Mightyena growled, blood and saliva dripping from his ajar maw in long strings. Verglas was not afraid, his thoughts honing in on the still Purrloin while the hound was only a distraction. He kept moving forward at his sluggish pace, and when the growling turned to barks he forced his eyes to look upward. "Back off." It warned at him, "Unless you want to be next. This is my kill." Coming to a bumbling stop, his body swaying side to side, Verglas stared blankly at the dark type. Why was it keeping him from the food? He did not care for the hound, he meant it no harm, but still it threatened him. Like he was the predator.

"Turn it around, bub." He snarled, gesturing with a flick of its paw, but Verglas just brought his arms up so his fingers could gingerly touch one another. "Food?" The word whistled out weakly, his voice hoarse and questioning. The hound did not flinch, his tail swishing side to side at a stiff, fast rate. Food.. The other Pokemon had not said no, and it was moving closer to him and further from the meat. Kicking his feet back into motion Verglas continued forward, undeterred from his goal even as a dark aura started to form around the Mightyena's paw. "Last chance." It said, lowering its head close to the ground.

The scent of blood made every cell in his dead body hum with excitement. It'd been so long since he last fed properly. So long since he had eaten something that did not taste like ash. Berries never filled him, his thoughts never felt clear unless a proper meal was had. The snow in his head brushed aside so there was nothing but a clear path to the blood-smeared purple pelt of the cat--  The Mightyena jumped, landing just short of the Snover as its claws raked the air. Any instincts the thinly trained fighter had left kicked in, his feet backpedaling as a Double Team kicked in. Speed suddenly bolted through his heavy body, enough that multiple images of the frost tree were left in the spaces he had covered. Thin clouds started to blot the already grey sky just barley above them, and hail began to fall.


Tha-thunk. Tha-thunk. Plant could feel his heart pounding in his rib cage like a Trumbeak hitting a tree. "Verglas?" He whimpered quietly, knowing full well the Snover was not close enough to hear him. His tracks were still there, the steps leading back just a little more spaced out than the ones leading toward the Cafe. He's moving faster. I guess I woke him up. Had he made his thoughts a bit clearer? If that was true why didn't he listen to him about seeing the human later? Squeezing his eyes shut Plant shook the thought away. He didn't care. If Verglas wanted to see Grimsley so bad whatever! He would deal with the suffocating room just to make sure his brother was safe.

The Boutique was back around the corner, and all he had to-- The Snivy froze in his tracks, his eyes going sideways while his head remained forward. In the sodden ground he saw the oval foot prints suddenly veer and head away from the Boutique without warning. They traveled off into the city, a direction they had neither come from or gone to in the last day. An icy chill swept over him like Verglas' ice attack, so cold that even his bones were shaking within him. For something to of taken his attention away from Plant and away from his human obsession.. the child knew it could only be one thing and his small green body swelled with dread.
He had gone after something.

His heart drums faster, the moments ticking by as the realization sunk in. After one gasping breath the Snivy was tearing off after the steps, his dry throat calling out with fresh panic, "Verglas!"

The Spectreon's steps were even and long as he paced across the ground, his feet ghosting over the mud and leaving small tracks behind him. He flicked an ear behind him to listen to the others, picking up the soft voice of Alirah as she spoke to the Eevee kit. “That sounds like fun, Conan,” he paused in his stride to glance back, listening in, “what should we play?” A small smile crossed his muzzle as he listened to the two of them. It was... refreshing to listen to such innocence in a time like this.

"Verglas?"

Bi-colored eyes snapped to the Snivy, pupils constricting to slits. Had they lost someone? The ghost's muscles tense up, and his claws unsheathe, digging at the mud beneath him. Where is he? Where's the Snover? His eyes flick to the boutique, and he turns, tails flicking and writhing behind him. Why is he gone? Did he go back to the boutique? How had he lost him? Surely the kid couldn't be that quiet?

"I-I I gotta find Verglas,"
"I'll come with you," the words had fallen out of his mouth before he even had time to register them, looking over at Hide. "Hide, can you take Conan to the cafe and gather food to bring back? He received a nod from the Riolu as Hide moved to stand beside Conan, looking at Kaneki with a worried gaze.

"Where did he go? Is he shy?"

"Something like that, bud..." Hide said, watching as Alirah moved to say something to Conan. Hide's ear twitched towards them, and he flicked his chocolate gaze downwards. “Uh, Conan,” he glanced at the pastel Umbreon, concern in his stare, “stay rrreeeallly close to someone, okay?” Hide's eyes widened and he shook his head at her, trying to get the Umbreon to stay here.

"Alirah? Where are you going?" Kaneki looked back at Alirah when he heard Conan, and he frowned, already stepping forwards to stop her from going forwards. “I can’t let him go alone.” Kaneki took in a breath, leaning his head down to gently touch his nose to Alirah's. "He won't be alone. I'll go with him. I'm not going to let him get hurt. I need you to stay here, ans show Hide and Conan where the food is. Can you please do this for me?" He asked, glancing back at Plant, starting to follow after him.

"Kaneki? Can me and Hide play after we go back home?"

He stopped, glancing back at Conan. "Maybe. Let me just... sort this out first, and then I'll give you a proper answer." With that, he quickly bounded after Plant, keeping close to him to make sure the Snivy didn't get hurt.

Alirah made half a bound before skidding her forepaws against the ground for a hasty halt. Her pelt spiked in surprise at the quick touch of noses until she near-instantly recognized Kaneki leaning down to her. "He won't be alone. I'll go with him. I'm not going to let him get hurt. I need you to stay here, ans show Hide and Conan where the food is. Can you please do this for me?"
Her fur lay flat at his soothing voice and she nodded at the ghost cat. “Of course I can, Kaneki,” she purred, waving her tail behind her. Plant and Verglas were lightyears better off with Kaneki than Ali, anyways.
"Kaneki? Can me and Hide play after we go back home?" Alirah smiled softly at the Eevee as she trotted back to them. Home…

"Maybe. Let me just... sort this out first, and then I'll give you a proper answer." After that, Kaneki flew to Plant’s side as their shapes grew more distant.
“So! We should probably go get that food!” She sang, but the carefree tone sounded less than natural. Walking with a prancy gait, she soon fell back into normal steps and moved close beside Hide. “Um, Hide… Kaneki seemed spooked, didn’t he…” She walked on her toes to make her whispers more audible to the Riolu. “Do you think everything is okay…?”

Alirah’s milky white rings poured light into the Café en route to the kitchen. “I heard something earlier, but it was probably just loose items falling.” Yeah, rationalize that now. Previously, anything besides the devil himself would’ve been a letdown for cause of that godsforsaken sound.

She hopped from shelf to shelf, making quick work out of checking the cabinets she recalled having things in. The trip had lost it’s appeal a while back, now the most stellar sounding idea was going the heck back to the Boutique, to see everyone safe and hope for just an hour of peace in the otherworldly city.
Alirah crouched at the stove, swiping her paw underneath and dragging out a Teddiursa shaped bottle. “I don’t think honey ever goes bad,” she picked it up in her teeth and set it upright next to the other stuff, “but I don’t have hands, heh, I couldn’t get it open. That’s how it ended up under the stove…” She’d gathered a bag of white rice, the honey and some salt.

There was a small contrast of color against the stained floor, no more than five but they were strands of bright yellow fur. “Huh. Looks like somebody isn’t a smooth criminal…” The scent was stale and mostly covered by ruining foodstuff splayed across the room. They must’ve moved on a while back.

((OoC - I cut out the last paragraph of my previous post so that Alirah was stopped by Kaneki instead of jumping on the gazebo.))

No, no no no! Panic pulsed through every fiber of the Plant's being with deja vu close behind it. How could he of let Verglas out of his sight? How could he of let him wander off? What kind of brother was he?! "Verglas!" He wails again, listening for a response between the beats of Kaneki's paws. Though his ear slits are honed for the low moaning sound of the Snover's voice nothing of the sort comes back to him. Its just.. silent. "Negh," the youth whines, trying to get himself to run even faster after the footprints. They round a corner and the child must drop his frame even closer to the ground not to crash. Frantic he went on, positive he that he was about to enter hell.


The hound growled, reddened saliva strings drooping from his snarling maw as he paced a small circle. "Wise guy, eh.." Verglas knew not what he meant as he now stood on the far side of the area. Why was he being attacked? Why didn't this guy just share a bit or tell him no outright? The clouds thickened, and shimmering hailstones started to rain down on their immediate area. Flicking its muzzle to the sky the Mightyena growled even louder, disgusted, and started leaping at each clone with its claws extended.

They fell away one after another, the real Snover behind it already prepping a defensive strike. With a deep breath in Verglas held the air in his cold body for a moment before blowing it forward as a frigid steam of snow and wind. The canine jumped at one more copy, cursing unintelligibly as it faded into nonexistence, and yelped when the freezing blast swarmed over its backside. Frost quickly overtook its pelt and grew into chunks of ice that weighed heavy on its thigh. With his position revealed the hound charged him, its paw dark, and Verglas barely managed to dodged the swift strike.

But the Mightyena was in no mood to stand down. It continued after him, biting, snapping, and clawing like a wild animal at the scurrying Snover. The heavy ice made its motions sluggish, and another Powered Snow grew ice along its chest and shoulder, but it was not daunted. Some of its hits made contact, scoring thin scratches along the Frost Tree's body, but a quick Razor Leaf made it back off for a quick recovery.

Such a cycle kept repeating, the Mightyena's pelt becoming extra tattered from quick slices and the Snover's bruied form growing bloody. Verglas' mind was swarming. He was hungry, starving, and could not run forever against such a strong creature. The beast was growing hysterical, much like the ones he had met in the mountains long ago, and he knew he would have to soothe it just like then. His hands fiddle for the ground, fingers searching for a blade of grass long enough to play a song. The rain had flattened most and it, the pairs dangerous dance not helping, and it takes extra crucial seconds for him divert his eyes and find a free standing bit to pluck. Bringing it up to his mouth Verglas hums the first few notes, ready to--

Air is propelled from his lungs without warning and the snowstorm whips up, the flakes blowing blindly in all directions as a wash of red came over them. The sickening sound of ripping tears through his ears, the dark shape of the Mightyena in front of him blocking all aside from the driving snow. The world spun, the Snover's feet buckling as he stumbled backward and tried to take in what was happening. His eyes go wide as they spot his own dark blood oozing heavily from his chest, deep gauges lying jagged beneath them. "But.." he groans, still stumbling backward and trying to counter with a hurried Powder Snow.

The flakes fly forward but the Mighyena lunges through them as though they are simply dandelion puffs. Throwing its paws up its crashes into the Snover, digging its claws in until the child falls over and it can use its full weight to keep him down. Its yelping snarls are interrupted with an eerie click, an alarming noise the Snover knew to be ignition. Though he struggled Veglas could not knock off the canine as he drove his Fire Fang into his arm. CRRK. Thrashing its head side to side the Mightyena tore the limb in two, the flames both making quick work and cauterizing his attack. The Snover screamed, his thoughts whirring, his memories replaying. Plant had taken one of these, Plant had needed his help. He needed Plant. "Plant!" The dual type wails, but the hound just put one of his massive paws across his mouth. "Say goodnight, buddy boy." Petrified, the Snover could only shriek as the canine tore into him with both forepaws and its fangs.


Plant felt his heart sink all the way to the bottom of his stomach. The sky had already been kinda muggy, but there was no mistaking the low-bearing grey clouds that formed when Verglas went on the offense. Even worse, as he chased after the clouds, were the feral snarls of something in combat, and the sound of Verglas crying out. Something the Snover never did. Plant's lungs were searing, his heart racing so fast, but as he erupted into the clearing his exhaustion was no longer noticeable.

There was blood everywhere. Blood and snow and ice and-- "Get off him. Get OFF him. GET OFF HIM!" Plant screamed, his body whipping around to launch a shower of leaves at the hound that stood atop his brother. It mustn't of been expecting reinforcements, or such aggression from a child, as it flinched heavily and took the attack right to the face. Never before had the child felt such intense emotion, such utter determination and desperation that all else just fell away. Such a rage that when his Magical Leaf hit the Mightyena's eyes he did not regret it.

Blood poured from its face, the hound staggering back a few steps, and with its hesitation removed it lunged at the Snivy. Already in fight-or-flight Plant manged to duck out of its way, but with his thoughts on the still shape of the Snover he was not the least bit focused. The dark type gave a quick follow up, his claws reaching out and clipping the Snivy along his healing scar. Off balanced the child fell over, his vines instinctively coming and and whipping at the hound defensively, but it had had enough. Crunching its fangs into the vines the Mightyena reached out past them with one darknened paw, its eyes squinted and oozing still. Its paw making heavy contact with his head in a dead-on Assurance, tossing the kid back several yards in a heavy skid.

The canine skulked closer, ready to give a killing bite, but backed off when he realized the Snivy was not one of them. It growled, turning its head and quickly limping back over to its original catch. "Stupid kid." Picking up what was left of his meal the Mightyena staggered off into the brush, but Plant's eyes were locked on Verglas. His vision was blurred, head buzzing with a numb, heavy torpor, but every bit of his remaining strength was channeled into his limbs. He crawled with every bit of effort he had left, giving it his all as he dragged his way through the mud just to be by the Snover's side.

Alirah’s scavenging came to a quick halt with her peripheral glance landing on a splotch of red-- her tail flicked in alarm, but just as soon she let out a breath.
A red bag lay at Conan’s tiny paws and Alirah would deny it if asked, but the color so near him spooked her for an instant. Red was associated with blood and pain far too much, so the color on a bag of chips was much more welcome than a possible alternative. She padded over in genuine interest - colors often depicted what they’d taste like. Wonder what those are?

"Will this be yummy as well Alirah?" The Umbreon nodded and bent her neck down to pick the snacks up, stealing a quick glance to make sure there were no objections to her assistance. She wouldn’t want to steal the kit’s thunder, ya know? “I bet all the fur on my ears it’ll be really yummy,” she lifted the bag with her front teeth and spoke through a smile behind the cargo. “Good job, Conan!”

Hide was joined by Conan and a moment later Alirah too after placing the chips with the rest of the spoils. "Does Kaneki like honey Hide? Its yummy with other yummy things on it as well." Conan asked. She snickered softly in response - didn’t matter that it wasn’t directed to her, she couldn’t fight off the mental image forming in her mind-- “I’m totally imagining him in a Teddiursa costume eating honey with his paws! That’s--” The sentence broke into silence while she took in a much needed breath. “That’s golden, pun intended.”

If she had been more focused on the task, she wouldn’t have noticed air was tainted a tad chilly in comparison to a moment ago. Hope it doesn’t rain again…

OoC)) Skip, I got to little to respond to at the moment will post next round.