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doodle by @GodihHv

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uh oh. the question led Pikachu to one conclusion pretty quickly. ϟ did you lose it around here? is it important? it must be around here somewhere. ϟ

that was usually were those kinds of questions led. maybe it was a present, one for her from someone else or one she had brought to give. and in a busy place like the market, there was so much danger of it getting knocked or kicked around and damaged or broken. or someone picking it up and taking it away with them altogether!

a panic raced in his heart, not wanting her to lose what she was looking for, and already his head was whipping around from side-to-side frantically to find any sign of it. ϟ don't worry — we'll find it. ϟ his breath was a little sharp, and the words spoken more for his own nerves rather than hers.

winter was the season she always grew hesitant to call bleak. Artoria could not bring herself to find words that were ill-mannered — needlessly cruel, to the harsh weather. whether it was from sentimentality or her weakness, she was torn in choosing a reason. over the years, she had grown used to low temperatures, but the sight in front of her brings her chills. the market is no different from last time, and it brings her a bizarre sense of déjà vu. she had thought, perhaps foolishly, that something would have changed.

“Everything is still the same...” she wonders aloud. maybe the wares she had seen on her last trip were— the thought is halted immediately, she needs to ask the closest person before bringing herself down. “Sorry! Have you seen a bracelet with pink flowers around here?”

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now and then, Diluc's brother came to visit, probably to make sure the Manor was nice and tidy. he did wonder why they didn't live together, but adults seemed to have their own space, so it made sense. Kaeya must have had a really fancy den somewhere too — if he asked, maybe he could come visit with Diluc. there wasn't a lot he knew about Kaeya and wanted to learn lots more. then he could know what presents to buy for birthdays and Christmas!

seeing him was always a welcome sight, it made Pikachu smile, it felt familiar even though they hadn't spent a lot a lot of time together. and Kaeya was really playful, it was different but a nice different, he liked it a lot.

of course he nodded when Kaeya asked. if he got the man into trouble, maybe he wouldn't visit anymore, and that wouldn't be right. Pikachu definitely didn't want to cause any fighting between the brothers. ϟ okay! if he asks, I'll say I had an accident and knocked them or someone snuck in to take them away. but won't ever say you had them. ϟ though probably neither story would be that believable, he wasn't a very good liar anyway, but Diluc was the kind of person to notice things, and he was making a promise to keep Kaeya safe from the eyes of his brother.

HONESTLY, HE'D BEEN COMING HERE MORE OFTEN. not that he's aware of his own brother's return to the city, but even so, he would likely still make his way here for these very reasons: a good drink to be had, especially free. glasses clink gently against one another as he shifts through the stock, one glass in hand, before hearing the sound of pattering feet walking toward him.

he turns, as if he were a child caught red handed, to take note of the little creature known as pikachu. ❝ Oh? And here I thought I was on my lonesome today, ❞ he chimes, clearly having gotten busted in some case. that is... if pikachu says anything, causing the captain to turn and squat down in order to better speak with him. hopefully he would be generous, one who could keep a secret, lest more headaches arise...

❝ What do you say? Our little secret? ❞

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oh! he wondered if they'd get lucky... or maybe it was unlucky? unlucky for the someone... to watch someone cause the problems that would get them thrown out. anyone who tried must have been fearless, or far too silly for their own good.

with the doorway open, he hopped inside, waiting for the human to enter as well before leaping up onto his shoulder, giving the Pokémon a good view of the entrance area. there weren't a lot of people around, but the building was really big, so maybe there were more in another part.

ϟ what do we do if everyone behaves? you aren't going to take their place, right? don't get hurt just because I'm curious, and if she's scary. —or, are you going to pay someone? humans do that to get things they want, right? ϟ

true enough, he supposes. if she has a reputation for being strict, surely visitors would have the common sense to behave accordingly. but on the other hand... "some know better than to look for trouble, so of course they wouldn't be an issue. however, there are others who simply can't help themselves." from personal experience, there's usually at least one person who believes they are an exception to any rules in place.

he heads toward the building now, opening the door as he waits for the animal to go inside first. "let's find a place to watch quietly." if nothing happens, well, he gets the chance to look at a few books with decent company, so it won't be a complete waste of time.

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the decorations had taken some getting used to, especially when they were really tall like these ones. Pikachu had to learn overtime that they were just props meant to make places look spooky and invite or scare trick-or-treating kids. normally, they didn't move. or if they did, he was at a safe distance to run away.

this time, the sudden laugh and flashing startled him enough to hide behind the human who seemed to enjoy the reaction of the... well, it wasn't a toy.

ϟ yeah... ϟ he said, a little timidly after the shock. ϟ it isn't... going to chase us, is it? they've never laughed before. ϟ

He's pondering a rather tall decorative skeleton; a good head taller than him, he thinks, with some sort of contraption causing its dark eye sockets to glow red.

Qifrey snaps his fingers in front of it—the movement makes the decoration activate, letting out a tinny cackle with the sound of thunder and howling in the background.

"...What an intriguing holiday, isn't it?"

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ϟ it is! lots of humans like the scary things, for some reason, so they always get really busy around now. and the costumes are fun too.ϟ

ears twitched and suddenly his tail was sending on end — very, very excitedly.

ϟ where was this bar? ϟ

" It was surprising to see the last minute rush for costumes.....I didn't know Halloween was such a popular holiday for the humans." she's seen more bats on windows the last week than she has in caves.

" Not to mention the sales on candy.......I saw a small child with a bar the same size as her."

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with all the people that were around, he was really, really lucky none of them had managed to trip over him or step on any part of his little body. the lady was really kind to be concerned when all she had seen was his shape bounding around. it was a little hard to stay still while so excited — there was so much going on, and he wanted to see it all!

even though the SpiraleFes lasted a long time, there was always this worry he might miss something that could happen suddenly. and the all the party feeling in the air heightened his excitement, making him even faster to explore everything and soak in all the fun. but that probably made things stressful for others who didn't quite see him and got startled — or in the case off friends, any who tried to keep up. oops—

ϟ nope. I make sure to run off sweets so they don't make my tummy bigger. if it did, I'd be slower, and wouldn't be able to play properly. ϟ was she hinting at wanting to pick him up? it would get them both out of the way of people walking around, and not let her be the one they might bump into. so he jumped on, landing on her shoulder and turning to face the right way. ϟ I can't cause accidents up here. and we can see the fire together. ϟ

⠀⠀⠀IT ⠀was by sheer happenstance that Rin caught sight of the little creature, a brief blur of yellow among the throng of excited people. Honestly, she'd just been on her way home, but had stayed until after dark watching the various street performances. Maybe this... animal (?) would've been easier to spot in the daytime, but now, only the large bonfire makes it remotely easy to track.

⠀⠀⠀❛ ⠀You shouldn't be darting around in a crowd this big and rowdy,⠀ ❜ ⠀the mage chides, although she really has no clue if it's the type of creature to talk back. She sort of assumes so based on its two-legged walk, but after a brief moment of thought, she thinks that's a pretty moronic reason on her part. Regardless, Rin crouches down in front of them; just that one act at least helps keep the sea of people parted somewhat.  ⠀❛ ⠀You don't seem like you'd be that heavy...⠀ ❜ ⠀But how exactly should she go about whisking it out of here ? It's not a cat or dog, but maybe it needs to sniff her hand or something ? What Ward has creatures like this, and how did it get here ? Great, now she's getting lost in thought—

⤷ @lightoball : spiralefes / never - ending extravaganza.

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his own? maybe he was one of those people who made libraries inside their den because of how many books they had. what was it they were called? book... uh... booknerds? whatever it was, he wanted to see. libraries had comfy places to sit and nap, lots of laps to take a place on. and his home wouldn't have anyone scary that might throw out a mischief-maker.

but he'd feel bad for anyone to get in trouble or even hurt because of his curiosity. no to mention there was a much more simple problem. ϟ what if everyone behaves? maybe they'll know all about her so they won't be naughty so she can't kick them out. would you do the same if someone made noise in your library? you could be undercover and surprise the noisy people. ϟ then he might get to see what happened — this human definitely didn't seem like one who wold grin and bear badness.

when spoken to, one would expect to set eyes upon whoever the voice belonged to immediately, in this case no one comes into his line of sight. though it hardly sounded as if it were anywhere close to his height, so his gaze shifts down instead, finding a small yellow creature not far from where he stands.

but that can't be right. unless...? "perhaps she does, or not. I don't visit often enough to know whether it's true. the other library is more suited to my interests." nobody else appears to be nearby, meaning the only one it could be is the animal. that certainly would be unusual but not unlikely, given the nature of this place and the beings brought here. "but no, this is from my own collection."

part of him wants to ask questions, perhaps too many, but he won't bother the poor thing with his curiosity. not yet, at least. there's always another time and a better place than the middle of nowhere. "why not go inside and wait to see if someone else happens to break the rules?"

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there were all sorts of strange things happening around, but none of them felt... dangerous. just strange. but in a fun and curious kind of way. but still, Pikachu had been wary about getting caught up in a lot of what was happening because it was all so much to take in, and he was afraid of what trouble there might actually be.

it didn't take seeking it out though. the sounds of a chase had caught his ears, and innocently, he had gone to see what was happening. just in case someone needed help. or maybe there was a race happening, like the ones he always took part in with friends.

not that he'd been running this time. out of nowhere, the ground disappeared from under his feet and the warmth of something around him had the creature tucked into place. the shock of it all had been a good thing — electricity crackled inside of his cheeks, but not right away because he was so taken aback. and the human who had also been surprised had been able to realise what was happening before an instinctive electrocution.

ϟ —no! ϟ he answered a little hastily, mostly from panic and confusion. who knew what not being what the man was looking for was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Shit-" running after bipedal birds was not his favorite thing to do, especially when he was running on foot behind them. One of the babies under one arm as he chased down the adult he could see.

And something bright yellow - weird coloring for a thoma, but it's also weird for a herd to manifest out of nowhere and for him to get reports of the large birds flocking around the island. Grabbing the bright yellow one, he tucks it under an arm....

"Wait a second-"

"You ain't a bird-"

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even though it was so hot outside (and because of that, curling up under a blanket should have made it even hotter), it was actually really comfy. it was a soft layer that didn't feel heavy or undo the cool air from over their heads. if anything, it was a really nice feeling!

ϟ it is! ϟ he said with the same energy and a nod so that the sincerity came through louder. ϟ Kirby? I'm Pikachu! Jigglypuff and Ditto are Pokémon like me, and they can look like you. lots of people don't know anything like them, but they're mostly humans — and there are lots that I've never seen, so anything not-human could be another kind. ϟ

kirby was pretty content sitting next to the yellow creature - making sure they were sleeping well. but then he woke up, and they were a little surprised! but hey! at least they could talk to him now!

"mm? no, i'm not either of those!" the terms did sound vaguely familiar, but those were not kirby! "i'm kirby! you're welcome! i'd thought it'd be more cozier with a blanket!"

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the sound of a voice made his ears twitch. it was a gentle and kind voice that must have been talking to him, because it wasn't loud enough to be calling to someone else nearby. his head lifted up to find the blond man looking down with a smile. the sight made his tail perk up first, and then the rest of his body lifting up from the cool floor.

ϟ sorry, i didn't scare you, did i? ϟ he might not have been intimidating by any stretch of the imagination, but startling people was something he'd been accidentally good at. and showing up under someone's foot on its way down might have been a perfect chance to do that.

he hadn't actually thought about the risk, both to someone walking in and himself, of just plopping in the doorway, easily missed. once it was cool, his head became empty of thoughts. ϟ i'll find somewhere safer so you don't trip over. but if you're also hot, it feels really good to stay here for a minute. ϟ

There were still so many kinds of life on the island that Dimitri was unfamiliar with. The dogs with...televisions? On their heads were something he'd never expected to grow so used to, but now this rather large yellow rodent nearly wound up underneath one of his boots as he'd headed for the interior of the market. "You should probably find somewhere else to lay, little friend," he spoke up- no idea if this thing could really understand him. Whether or not it could, he gave it a little smile, hoping to reassure this critter. "Don't want to be caught underfoot."

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even though it was so hot, there was something so cosy about having a soft layer on top that made it easier to fall asleep even deeper. and he was ready to do that... when he realised that wasn't there before. with a sudden sit up, Pikachu found the pink blob beside him — a bright smile on their face. did they get this for him? he needed to get them something nice in return, otherwise it wasn't fair on them!

ϟ you aren't a Jigglypuff, are you? ϟ he asked, tilting his head. ϟ or a Ditto that looks like one? —oh —and thanks for this! ϟ he tugged at the blanket, smiling back.

Kirby looked down curiously at the yellow creature. He sure looked like he was having a nice nap. Maybe they should get him a blanket or something? Looking around the store that he was in - convent! He decides to buy one to make sure the creature stays warm!

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@hetuvidya!

it wasn't really bad, but it had been one of those days where it was hard to stay still, because he'd still manage to get hot. somehow. he'd sipped lots of water, and so much that his tummy was feeling a bit weird. hurt didn't feel like the right word, but it wasn't comfy. so he'd gone for a walk to work it off (he thought it would... or hoped).

the sight of a human perfectly still caught him by surprise while wandering through the ward, not far from the big library. because of all the trees, there was plenty of shade but... he looked completely fine. didn't he hear someone say that black made you even hotter in the heat?

taking advantage of the distraction, he tottered over, noticing a book resting in the man's hand. ϟ did you find that in the library? i heard there's a lady who gets really scary if you try to take books from it without being allowed. does she really? i'm too nervous to try and find out. ϟ

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when the automatic doors to one of Golden's supermarkets opened, if the customer was observant, they might have noticed the yellow bundle lying just inside. he should move, but as soon as he was away from the air rushing down from overhead, the heat of the day made an uncomfy return. nope, he was good here.

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a paw found the back of the man's leg, touching slow and gently like it was meeting something that could break if he wasn't careful. ϟ are you okay? ϟ he squeaked just as gently. he knew the feeling.

he never stopped missing Rain and Diluc. lots of humans seemed to carry on fine when someone went away, but they probably always carried the hurt — just hid it better. ϟ do you want a hug? ϟ

❝ Wait 一 oh... ❞ looking at his screen, a shift in his expression is given, as if parsing the situation at hand. ❝ This is the first time I've experienced someone I've gotten closer to from here returning home, isn't it? ❞

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ϟ I do that too. when you have a nap under a tree and your eyes don't wake up right away so you can't tell if you're here or in a forest home. ϟ

"Oh, this place again. Was I...asleep?"