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Café Plaisir: October's Jaunt part 10; Loyalty

By October.

'He blanked me, I know he did this time, he blanked me!' thought Neon, irritably.

The Jolteon marched rapidly into the massage area, at a storming pace. Normally, her entrance was heralded by a series of rapid-fire greetings to her fellow Masseuse, but today, she entered the large, room with its soft colours and big, open glass-tile-walls room and made her way straight to her bench without a word.

Most of the rest of the staff present noticed the look of the Jolteon's mood and veered out of her way, accordingly. No-one wanted any part of the look on the usually-chipper Electric-type's face.

Except for Miranda, apparently, her neighbour. On pulling up to her usual massage bench, Neon was confronted with the smiling visage of the Purrloin. "Well, good afternoon..!" she said at almost a purr.

Neon frowned at her incredulously, "Yeah, good afternoon," she answered sarcastically.

The Purrloin's big eyes seemed almost aglow as they regarded the Jolteon, "You're actually early for your shift..." she commented.

"Yeah," said Neon, frowning harder, "Ain't that great."

Miranda chuckled and Neon just had to glare at her as the Dark type seemingly basked in her irritation. She wondered if the feline had any sense of manners at all and whether a few well-placed Pin Missiles might sharpen her awareness...

"So, come on then," said the Purrloin, suddenly, putting her paws on her hips, "Let's all hear it!"

"'Scuse me..?" said Neon, twisting her face in confusion and irritation.

"Let's hear what's got you so wound up, Miss Prickles!" said the Purrloin with a smile, "A look like that's gotta mean some gossip..."

"Miranda," said Neon, sharply, "You are the worst picture of a female I ever came across."

At that, Miranda chuckled, "Say that all you want, hun, we're all waitin' to hear what this is all about..."

Neon cast a glance about herself to see whether the glances might be sympathetic to her or to Miranda's point of view. The surrounding faces were depressingly curious, however. They all wanted to know what was up with her...

Except for Elegance, of course. The Mienshao was looking away with a mix of disgust and disinterest at the very concept of 'gossip.'

Neon bet she'd listen in, though. Sometimes, there were downsides to working in one of the more female-dominated sectors of Plaisir...

"Well aint'cha gonna tell us who..?" cooed Miranda.

"Who..?" echoed Neon.

"Hun, a face like that's always ABOUT somebody," said Cherise, a fluffy grey Cinccino, the fluffy rodent letting out a cackle as she said it, a cackle echoed by a few others watching.

"What the fuck is this..?" said Neon, looking between her interrogators, "Arceus, girls, it's no big deal, really."

"Your face says otherwise," said Miranda, "...and it'd be easier on you just to tell, you know it."

Neon sighed. That much, she realised was true. "October," she said quickly, hastily wanting to get it out of the way.

A brief pause and exchange of looks went between some of the girls, a loaded silence...

"What?" said Neon, frowning.

"That's the morning Ninetales, aint it?" said Cherise, "Red one? Scruffy one?"

"Not so scruffy, anymore, if you've seen him lately," said Miranda, quietly...

"Oh yeah," said Cherise, "I heard about that... wasn't there a bounty..? Didn't Firenze get it?"

Miranda grinned, "The very same Ninetales that Neon here told us she'd been hangin' out with, which we didn't believe her about. Looks like we might've been wrong..."

"You're always wrong, Miranda," spat Neon, meaning to go on.

"Hey!" said Cherise, "Didn't you say you were gonna bring 'im by here? I wanted a closer look at him..."

Neon opened her mouth to speak when Miranda spoke over her. "Perhaps the Ninetales decided to stop slumming it and with the bath, out went his taste for Gamer Gurrrls," she said with a little too much relish.

There was an 'oooh' that went around the room that suggested that the feline had gone too far, but the Dark type grinned a little broader for it, her eyes staring challengingly into the Jolteon's, almost sizing up over her.

Neon, feeling just a little bit insulted, was just about to ready her best, 'hey, fuck you!' when she was cut off, again.

"You're all disgraceful," said a curt voice, sharply, it was Elegance. "Most of all you, Miranda," her eyes were boring into the Dark types, with a most assured and sharp size about them in the comparison between the two Pokemon, "October does not dismiss his loyalties so and suggesting otherwise is slanderous. Your aspersions that Neon would ever be beneath his notice are also grotesque given your own dishonourable disposition, Purrloin..."

The Purrloin stared back at her, confrontational... briefly. For there was a grand difference between the small, purple cat and the four and a half foot tall Musteline Fighting Type. A deadliness that the Mienshao's gaze surely carried, above all others in this room.

Keeping that stare, Elegance went on, "October was assaulted by many members of this staff following Clarice's edict. As such, his view has naturally dimmed concerning his fellow employees. Nor should it come as any surprise that he is less than keen for their company."

"I heard he surrendered to Firenze, in the end," said Cherise, "...but wow, folk really assaulted him first..?"

"They did," said Elegance, her eyes leaving the silenced and moody-looking Purrloin... then briefly settling on Neon.

Neon stood up straight, then, feeling the Mienshao's eyes keenly. Elegance's eyes were pointedly sharp in their appraisal. Positively judgemental.

"He was asking for it, from what I heard," said Miranda, suddenly, perhaps not as subdued as she'd appeared, "Real rebellious type."

"I heard he fights with Eclipse!" added Cherise, "He must be crazy!"

"He's a free spirit," said Elegance, "Though some of his decisions are questionable, I find him more loyal and honourable by far than any in this room."

Neon was left smouldering silently and glaring at Elegance and wondering... had she drawn the attention onto herself on purpose, just to take the heat off of Neon whilst silently delivering a comment on October's recent attitudes? If so, that Mienshao was being entirely too smug... Maybe taking her English name a little too seriously.

"Eugh," said Miranda, "Prissy, pissy Elegance. You would like the outcast."

Elegance rolled her eyes at the feline. "Again, useless noise comes from you," she stated bitterly, "Though this is as expected of Miranda."

Still, the attention was on Elegance now, who was shutting it down with her usual graceful lack of tact. In the end, Miranda would stop pushing since she knew, on that intuitive level the more perceptive Dark types seemed to excel at, that Elegance ultimately would back up her words with actions.

Still, Dark types also seemed to have that way of finding some sore point or weakness.

"...Well, hearsay's had it," said Miranda, "That you've been spending a bit of time with that Ninetales, yourself, Elegance." There was a slight softening of Elegance's expression and Miranda clearly knew she was onto something. She pushed further. "Could just be you're not as clean and intellectual as you say... Could just be there's a bit of self-interest going on here after all..."

Elegance clearly looked outraged by the expression on her face, wide eyed, as she drew herself back.

Miranda still kept pushing anyway, "Maybe Neon's been seeing less of October because October's getting better pussy somewhere else..." she finished the suggestive sentence with a sharp grin.

Elegance took a step forward and the entire room took a step back. The next movement however did not send the Purrloin crumpling or flying but merely up on her heels, reeling with shock at the speed at which she had been very closely pointed at.

"I will take your suggestion as a defect of your character," said Elegance, sharply, with a surgically-sharp claw of a musteline paw, poking out of her furry, draping wrists, directly at the point of Miranda's nose. The sharp point perhaps a tenth of a millimetre from skin and evidently drawing the Purrloin's attention completely, from her crossed eyes. Elegance, holding her attention, went on, "The relationship between October and myself is that of Master and Student. It is not carnal. That October and I both hold old fashioned notions of Honour and Loyalty may be beyond your understanding, Purrloin, but it is against wisdom to further question mine."

The conversation had died down after that.

Still, Neon had been left to think, whilst they all got back to work. Like a sure and steady current, the number of customers wanting massages started to roll in as the sun got lower in the sky. Some of the more solicitous Masseuse, like Miranda, were even already talking customers through to the Special Massage Area. It was hard to hold a conversation whilst serving and engaging a customer, though most of them, Neon included, had the knack.

Still, between the near confrontation earlier and its original source, Neon was plenty distracted. Plenty moody, too, pity be on her poor customers that day, the humans and Pokemon who found themselves beneath extra-stampy Jolteon paws and directed electrical currents that were maybe a little too sharp - it was a small mercy that no-one wanted acupuncture that day!

When she saw Elegance heading off, she decided she needed some answers to the questions buzzing around in her head and jumped off her current customer with a quick, "Be right back..!" The man groaned and raised his head to slightly nod, looking perhaps slightly relieved for the reprieve.

Elegance cut a sure path through to the exit, but Neon was quick on her paws, following right behind the Mienshao until they were through to somewhere more quiet, which happened to be the entry room in which Elegance was logging herself as done for the day.

"Hey!" said Neon, standing behind her, "Y'know, I was gonna have alla that covered with, 'hey, fuck you!' Y'didn't have to jump in and make a fuss like that."

Elegance didn't look around, simply finished filling out her entry on the staff log, datestamping and signing it, merely quietly saying, "I had my own points to make. That I spared the room such vulgar language, I take as bonus."

Neon raised a questioning, frowny look at Elegance's back, "Because the conversation was so distasteful, huh..?"

"Yes," said Elegance, "and because it was dishonourable to all involved. Miranda's troublemaking and aspersions are shameful and I am certain, considered rude by this establishment's internal code of manners, such as it is. It was intolerable."

"Honour," repeated Neon, "That means a lot to you, huh..?"

Elegance looked around then, to see Neon's still frowning, yet still curious face. "Yes," she said, simply and earnestly.

"I don't get you entirely, Elegance," said Neon, "Probably on account of you being some mysterious, high class Pokemon from the far east and all, but that's why I always ask you so many questions. Maybe it's you find me impertinent..."

"Yes," said Elegance, with perhaps the slightest smile.

That raised Neon's already quick ire up an all-too ready amp and it showed in the rising tone her voice as she went on, energetically, "...but sometimes I get October a little less. I mean most of the time, he's down to Earth and fun, then he'll say something that makes you think he really is from a million miles away, but most of the time he's easy to get. What I don't get, is why he's suddenly being a bigger ass to me than you."

Elegance frowned slightly then and her look became just the slightest bit sad, "I suspect you know why that is," she said in a softer than usual voice.

"No! I don't!" spat Neon, "It's like one minute we're pals and the next, he's not talking to me over a stupid bath! I even said, 'Hey, Foxie! I'll buy you a dozen drinks!' Only right that friends share in a bounty, right? That's like winning one over on Clarice! It woulda been fun!"

"Yet you betrayed him," said Elegance, softly.

"It was just a stupid bath!" repeated Neon, angrily, "Y'dont just act like an ass like that over the small shit!"

"Loyalty is not a small-" began Elegance.

...but Neon, hopped up, angry and suddenly all kinds of new indignant, her southern friend code feeling all kinds of violated, was already literally running off, the Jolteon moving at a brisk and angry pace, her yellow spiked fur looking extra spiky and audibly crackling...

-

Elegance stood back and frowned. It was true that she disliked the English language, however fluent she was in it. In her usual curt manner, she liked to say as little as possible.

Yet as the hasty Jolteon charged off looking set on another confrontation too quickly to follow without causing a scene, Elegance reflected that this was one of those times in which she thought perhaps she should have said quite a bit more.

Perhaps that October, used to a more deadly environment in his adventures, had not yet adjusted his expectations of friendship, moreover, that October's security and independence had both taken blows at once and furthermore that she, Elegance, was not exactly on good terms with the Ninetales at present, either.

Such that whilst she had spoken in his defense earlier and had continued to dispense advice to the Ninetales on training techniques, in terse, short conversations where neither had made eye contact with the other... Elegance did not move to follow. Much as she would like to clear up the misunderstanding, she did not want to see October.

Not after the time with Rain Flower...

* * *

Chai was walking down from the roof with a frown on his face, but he was largely minding his own business, perhaps not in the best of moods.

He wasn't gonna bother waiting this time, he told himself. It was cold up there tonight and there was no way he was going to be back up out there to check again in an hour, no way. He was just gonna hit the break room and that'd be him for the night. It had been a long, long shift, this morning...

Pretty much on his own, again. With the way he and October had been kinda sorta, not really meaning to, but kind of avoiding each other. Chai hadn't slept in the bed last night. In fact, he kind of hadn't slept at all.

Something was nagging at him. Multiple somethings, in fact, but he couldn't quite get to grips with any of them, so he had been restless and grumpy, hitting vending machines, wandering aimlessly around the Café and trying to wear himself out. It hadn't worked, but it had left him feeling awful for today's shift.

Maybe it had something to do with Nightshade's conversation, two days before, whilst October had been off-work...

"Called in to fill for October again, eh..?" said the leering feline, to Chai, during a lull, "Is he feeling a bit sore, after all the fuss, yesterday?"

Chai did not like Nightshade. Did not like when Nightshade was around instead of October. They could both be playful dicks, it was true, but one those two playful dicks was full of spines and malice.

So he'd just stared at the Liepard, quite ignoring the creature's obvious size advantage. Just stared like Nightshade shouldn't be talking to him.

The feline's big features paused for a moment, then twisted in amusement, "Oh..? No snippy remark today, Umbreon..?" he said softly, "Is this a sore topic..?"

Chai frowned, "Just not wanting to talk to you about it," he said tersely.

"Oh, but I'm wanting to talk to you about it," said the Liepard, grinning.

Chai scowled harder.

"I didn't take part, myself," said Nightshade, "but I've been asking around and it seems you were with October, right until near the end, isn't that right?"

Chai stopped, paused, "Who's been talking..?"

"Oh, just about everyone," said Nightshade with a smile, "of course you know I have a particular interest in your pretty, pomped-up friend. Hence why I didn't want to earn his ire. So; My question to you is why did he leave you behind? I wondered if you were just too slow but your reaction is telling me something different..." the feline's eyes had bored into him, "Very interesting..."

Chai's frown deepened, but as he steeled himself to shout some abuse at the rude and probing Liepard, some customers had come in, which Nightshade had immediately greeted with a smile whilst Chai was still scowling.

It hadn't been a great shift. Certainly not whilst Chai had been stewing on those words... and it had also been a very long shift.

He'd wanted to see October, despite it all, but the Ninetales wasn't around. So that was that. That was that and he was on his own.

Well, that was alright with him... alright... Except it wasn't.

Chai stopped dead, suddenly, right in the middle of the staircase, frowning.

Being alone had never bothered him before. In fact, before October had turned up here, he'd pretty much never talked to anyone besides angry senior staff members, on the odd occasions he'd done something stupid and been caught.

Well, alright, he'd tried to make some friends at first. He'd naturally gone to a fellow Dark type, Vermont and he'd realised right away what kind of simpering asshole he was surrounded with, here. So he'd figured he'd just be self-reliant, like he knew he could be. He'd lived through hell and here he had free food and shelter. Couldn't get much easier. He didn't need these soft assholes.

In fact, just about the only other Pokemon here he'd ever had any kind of interest in went right back to his very first day here...

He heard steps coming up the stairs and paused, waiting, warily, slightly embarrassed at being caught out brooding on the stairs.

Then he screwed his face up, further scowling sharply as the bipedal blue figure came into view.

Of course it was him, of course it was, exactly like October would say, 'by Fortuna,' right..? Exactly who he didn't want to see.

Nature got a shock on seeing him; The Lucario jumped back, apparently getting a fright from the sudden appearance of the silent and sinister Umbreon's sharp red eyes and severe expression. He stood back on the landing, looking surprised and confused.

Nature. The pretty, effeminate young 'mon that everyone loved so much, the apple of their affections that grew so prettily here in Plaisir. Everything about him pretty and sweet and lovable and well loved and just so fucking perfect, living the damn dream. Fucking Nature.

"Hi..." said Nature, quietly and awkwardly, holding his paws out to his sides as if his arms had gone rigid.

Chai kept staring and scowling a while longer, as if it took a while to process the Lucario's greeting. Eventually, he said, "Hi.." quietly.

"Ummm... it's Chai, isn't it..?" asked Nature, uncertainly.

'Like you even remember me,' thought Chai, with a scowl, "That's right," he said softly.

Nature fell quiet, looking at him worriedly, those girlish eyes of his going big and puppy-esque. The arms unlocked, twitching to move in front of the Fighting Type's torso.

To someone else, especially from above on the stairs, he might have looked pitiful, despite the foot and a half the Fighting Type had on him in height. Neither of them was full-grown, they were both about the same relative age. When he wasn't 'cute little Nature' to you, he wasn't so cute at all.

Growing impatient, Chai spoke first, "What do you want?" he asked brusquely.

Nature recoiled a bit, as if the question were a surprise. He blinked a few times before answering, "Ummm, I was looking for October and-"

"He's not here," said Chai, sharply, sharper than he intended, his ire flaring so quickly it surprised himself.

"...Oh..." said the bashful Nature.

Chai huffed a few times through his nose, getting upset without really understanding why, he looked away from and then sharply back at the Lucario, "...what do you want with him?"

Nature was stunned silent, with only his wide eyes answering the Umbreon. He tried to start to talk, but Chai didn't, couldn't wait for his response.

"...I don't have time for this," said Chai, quickly, "and neither does October, you don't... he's not your kind of Pokemon, just..." Chai looked aside, "go away."

There was a lingering moment of silence between the two. Chai found it instantly intolerable. It was upsetting him, somehow. He started walking, walking and then running past the Lucario down the stairs when he realised he couldn't keep his legs steady under him.

He put the situation behind him and decided he would do anything he had to in order to forget it. Now was a good time to get a drink.

Nature had upset him, just by being who he was, as usual. Just like all the rest of them, but worse because of comparison. That's all it was.

It wasn't because Nature-housepet-boy extraordinaire had set his sights on October, oh no. That wasn't going to happen, October had told him so himself, on the first night they'd gotten to know each other. Rough and dirty Chai'd finally found someone and something that was all his, someone who actually thought he was cooler than Everybody-Loves-Nature, someone who was HIS kind of Pokemon.

Someone he'd just recently broken every solid rule in his otherwise scruple-less moral code with by turning on them at a critical moment. Him, the one Pokemon in this whole place who got how bad that really was. The one time he'd done something because it seemed like it was the right thing to do...

Chai growled at himself and headed for that drink. He didn't have much money to his name, but right now, he needed the drink a little more.

-

Nature stared after the retreating Umbreon feeling just awful... He felt like he had done something wrong, but what..? He had upset him, somehow, he was sure of that... you didn't need aurasight to tell he had angered Chai, somehow... but how..?

He stood there, confused, for some time, trying to work it out, replaying the conversation in his head, short though it was, trying to figure out what had done it... if there was any way he could apologise.

Nothing came to mind, though. He had just said hello and asked where October was. He didn't get what else the Umbreon had been mumbling... he must not have heard something important..? That had to be it.

Cursing his ears for failing him, he crossed his arms unhappily and leant back against the wall of the stairwell, thoughtful.

Maybe he just wasn't welcome in these Feral circles, maybe he was too soft for the likes of the games October and Eclipse seemingly played... If they were even games at all. He had tried asking Eclipse about it and been pushed off. So he had tried coming to October and now this...

It was almost enough to dissuade him, put him off investigating further... almost... but he had seen things, too many things, chases in the woods... near-battles... possible rapes...

Nature was far too curious not to need to know more. Curious and feeling a thrill of danger that was only growing the closer he got... He had to get to the bottom of this.

* * *

Colin pouted his lips and huffed. Still no October!

He wanted to find the Ninetales, he told himself, he would find his friend! He hadn't been seeing much of him, lately. He wanted to spend some time with him and he promised himself that he would make that time, tonight!

He couldn't find October, though. He wasn't in his room and as usual, he'd disappeared out into the woods after his shift because for some reason, he wouldn't eat the free food provided in the Employee Lounge like everyone else.

The last week or so, Colin had been hinting to October each day that he'd been wanting to spend some time with him. Day after day, October would disappear after his shift and not reappear until the day after.

Sure, there had been lots to get in the way, lately... the messy breakup his friend had endured, the traumatic occasion another Ninetales had come to the Café (she had turned out to be a criminal!) and of course, the whole bounty ordeal... but that just meant it was all the more important to pull together and look after each other!

Colin's ribbons were just aching to soothe his friend! He knew October had to be in a lot of pain and he didn't get why the Ninetales hadn't come to him, already! He knew, he ought to know, just how keen his Fairy friend was to ease his pain and take a load off..! ...or more...

So, Colin had a new plan, this time. This time he was going to stake out the Main Bar. Front and centre at Plaisir, it was about the one place you had to come through most of the time. Sitting here, he could get October's attention. Colin would bribe him to stay with drinks, if he had to!

Sitting there alone at a table, pouting determinedly, Colin must have made for a curious sight...

"Is everything alright, Colin..?" said a deep, warm voice, with a rich Mediterranean accent that always brought an instant smile to the Sylveon's face.

Still, it wasn't a big smile, as he looked around and up at the face of his friend. He made a slightly unhappy noise, comforted though he was by the imposing sight of the huge, fluffy profile of the Arcaninetales... "Hi, Prometheus..." he said softly.

"Oh, why this sad voice, why this sad face..?" asked Prometheus, coming closer and walking around to face Colin from the front, "Nothing could look more wrong upon the face of my happy Fairy friend!"

Colin smiled, sadly, "Sorry, Prometheus, I'm not doin' great right now... lettin' myself right down..."

Prometheus raised a huge, fluffy eyebrow at him, "Doin'? Lettin'..? Oh my, Colin, have you been drinking..?"

Colin looked aside, twisting his face and half-pouting, "One or two..."

"Well, that, 'Cowboy Twang' of yours is showing through," said Prometheus, "and as sweet as I think that is, we both know..."

"I know, I know," said Colin, quickly, cutting off the Arcanine before he could get started, "I'm not drunk," he said, "I just... I'm waiting for October."

Prometheus eyebrow rose further, "October..?" he looked about, "...but he isn't here..?"

Colin looked ahead, "No..." he said, unhappily.

Prometheus sighed slightly, then leant in to give him a good natured chuckle, "So you thought you'd lure him in with the scent of drink, hmmm..?" He smiled, "I must admit, it's probably not a bad plan with that one! One of Hedone's children, perhaps..."

Colin smiled at the Arcanine's big, boisterous humour.

Smiling at his smile, Prometheus went on, "Indeed, come to think of it, the most success I ever had with that one came at the cost of a very dear bottle of liquor! You have a cunning plan, my friend, one I should consider as well if I'm ever to snatch a slippery Fox! You'll have to let me know if it works!"

Colin smiled a little brighter at the Arcanine, "I will," he said softly, then giggled a little before saying, "...Thankyou."

Prometheus chuckled with rich good humour, "Thanks for putting a smile on the face of my Fairy friend? ...but why? When it brings me such pleasure?"

"Thanks anyway," said Colin, "You're a great friend, Prometheus."

"So are you," said the big dog, smiling, "For a long time, now. So your pain is mine, my friend and I do not need to be a Fairy to want to soothe it!"

"Hey, what's up!?" came a brash voice, from down below. Way below.

Colin and Prometheus had to lean right over to see her on the floor, but they needn't have bothered. Rain Flower leapt up onto the table so quickly that they had to duck back. "Hey!" she said again, as a truncated greeting.

"Rain Flower, good afternoon," said Prometheus, suddenly sounding tired.

"Hi..!" said Colin, with as much cheer as he could muster.

"Hey, Prometheus," said Rain Flower, leaning towards the Arcanine and slurring her words in such a way as to let the huge Arcaninetales know that the small Vaporeon considered him a dreamboat, then she looked acidly at Colin, "Hey, lucky bitch."

Colin made a confused, unhappy noise at the rude word, paused, stunned.

"Rain Flower!" said Prometheus, instantly frowning, "How rude of you! Are you, me, and Clarice's closet going to have to have another word?"

"Pff!" said the Vaporeon, "Clarice let me out! Besides, Fairy-boy here can't complain, he IS a lucky bitch!"

Colin stuttered as the rude word was repeated again.

"Rain Flower..." grumbled Prometheus, seeming to emit an aura of increasingly hot impatience.

"What?" protested the Vaporeon, "He gets to ride YOU, Dream-dog! When he's not riding Redtales, that is!"

Colin blushed at first, then looked away...

"Oh, so your envy entitles you to be rude?" said Prometheus, "I do not think so." He shook his head, sadly, "...and whilst your cause may be lost with me, girl, did you not think, perhaps, if you were a little nicer, October might be more inclined to-"

"HAH!" shouted the Vaporeon, "Yeah right, playing nice with Redtales, that's a good one, Prometheus! Naw, his ass is mine, I've got a plan and everything..."

"Oh, a plan," said Prometheus, sarcastically, "Surely your cunning will give you the advantage."

"That's right," began Rain Flower, smarmily, "I- HEY!" her face twisted as the penny dropped, she frowned at Prometheus, "As a matter of fact, I caught a Redtales just last night!"

Prometheus frowned at her, doubtfully.

"It's true! I had him all night and wore his ass out!" protested the Vaporeon, "and whilst I kinda sort of had some help from Clarice this time..."

"Help... from Clarice..?" repeated Prometheus, sounding suitably confused.

"Just this one time, we worked together!" said Rain Flower, hastily, "...but now that's happened, it's all me! From here on out, it's all me, tamin' Redtales ass and makin' that hot flame work for me!" She grinned, "Flash Fire's fine and all, Fire-puppy, but when it gettin' a Fire under control, no-one's better than Rain Flower!"she frowned, briefly, "Especially not that Elegance."

"You somehow used Clarice to boss him into it, did you..?" said Prometheus, with a frown, "That's not exactly sporting or fairly won, was it? I can't imagine it has warmed his heart to you..."

"Hah!" was Rain Flower's only response. Followed by wicked giggling, "Jealous, much, Fire-puppy?" Grinning, she pushed herself up high on her stubby legs and waved her hips from side to side, clearly feeling the dominant female at that moment as she leered at the significantly larger Pokemon, "Tell you what, Fire-puppy; you say you might just swing to Rain Flower some time and I'll tell you exactly how I snagged a Redtales, huh? My tail might just get you that ass, Prometheus..."

"I'll take my chances my own way," said Prometheus, shaking his head, "Some of us find it important and enjoyable that our partners are actually agreeable and the pleasure is shared... Coming together is far more pleasant when it is not forced. You can keep your plan, Rain Flower..."

Colin sighed, looking down, feeling terrible about the whole sorry situation. He hated it when Pokemon fought, but he didn't feel like he had the energy to raise an objection, right now.

After all, HE'D had a plan, too... did that make him as bad as Rain Flower..? He wasn't very cunning, either... and was he just not being nice enough? October had been having a hard time, lately and Colin had managed to miss almost all of it, one way or another. Bad luck, perhaps, but he hadn't been there for his friend... Maybe he should have bought him more drinks! ...Wait, wasn't that bad?

Colin moaned and hung his head, cradling it in his ribbons.

"What's up with him?" asked Rain Flower, bluntly, staring.

Prometheus sighed, "October is a sore point with him at the moment, Rain Flower. He's been having trouble getting his friend's attention, in fact, more than one have been saying this of late..."

"What?" said Rain Flower, twisting her face, "Getting Redtales' attention? That's easy! You boys don't seem to get it. You just need to run up to him and give him hell just like that Neon girl's doing right now!"

"Huh?" asked Colin, looking up.

Rain Flower went on, "Yeah, it can be hard to get him to do what you want, like me, but I'm working on it! Like I said, I've got his number, now!"

"Where's October!?" asked Colin, quickly, his eyes wide, alert and confused, "..and who's Neon Girl?"

"Neon?" said Rain Flower, "She's some gamer or something who likes to stab people with her hair. She's alright! For an electric-type, anyway..." she twisted her face at that...

"Where's October!?" asked Colin, again.

"Huh?" said Rain Flower, twitching her fin-ears, "Talking to Neon, like I said he was! Anyway, like I was saying-"

Ribbons were suddenly on Rain Flower's head, drawing a confused trill out of the Vaporeon. Gently, very gently, she was coaxed to look into the Sylveon's big, blue eyes, which were filled with a desperate, almost crazed urgency.

Prometheus looked on with some concern, no doubt expecting Rain Flower to erupt with outrage.

Rain Flower was quickly wearing a serene expression in her big, deep, dark, yellow-irised eyes, however. She was smiling at the Sylveon with a look of polite concern on her face.

"Hey, Colin," said Rain Flower, in a gentle voice, "You look worried. Can I help..?"

"Mmm-hmm..!" said Colin, softly, "I really need to find October, Rain Flower, but I don't know where he is! I'm worried for my friend! I need to be a good friend to him but I don't know where he is!"

"Oh, that's shitty," said Rain Flower, in a completely passive voice, "Well, just head down the stairs, they're makin' a scene in front of the bathrooms."

Colin gasped, "Making a scene!? Oh my! I've got to go and help!"

"Mmm-hmm..!" said Rain Flower with a happy nod, "That's what friends are for, isn't it!"

Colin nodded, assertively and let the Vaporeon go, jumping down from his seat.

"Colin!" said Prometheus, looking down at him with some concern. Colin paused to meet his friend's eyes, which tracked between him and Rain Flower. Prometheus frowned, "You didn't... is she..?"

Colin winced, hard and shook slightly, "I..." he was going to deny it at first, but he wouldn't let himself lie, "Only a little! She's fine..! I've got to go!"

"Colin, you can't do that, we've discussed this..." said Prometheus, unhappily, looking at the happy, glazed-over Vaporeon, "Is she going to snap out of this? Don't say you've broken Rain Flower!"

"Oh, I'm fine, Dream-Doggy," said Rain Flower with a big smile, "Colin's nice, isn't he? His Fairy magic feels real nice, too. Go enjoy Redtales dick, Colin!" she said in the same calm, pleasant manner, "It's my turn, next!"

Prometheus turned to say something else to Colin, but the Sylveon was already skipping off.

He knew he shouldn't have done that, he knew it, but it was just a little... and she'd be fine, she would. He'd only soothed her a bit, that was all. This was an emergency!

Colin skipped as fast as he dared, still not quite able to bring himself to run indoors. He'd broken that habit! So he skipped, since it was slightly faster than powerwalking. He pushed through guests and fellow staff members alike as if he didn't even see them. He was needed!

He was along the corridor and down the stairs before he knew it, rushing into the basement and past all of the employee quarters... past the open doors and all of the onlookers who had crept out to see what was doing on with the racket down the hall...

There was an almighty bang and a flash of light and most of the onlookers, many sleepy with and looking roused from bed, jumped back and out of Colin's way, showing the scene.

October was settling down from a leap, snarling, whilst a few meters across from him, was an angry-looking Jolteon stood in an aggressive stance.

"Try that again, one more time, I fucking dare you," growled October.

"You ain't listenin' to me!" shouted the Jolteon, back at him, "Why'd'yall gotta be such a dick, just shut up and listen to what I have to say!"

"Oh, not allowed to talk back, am I?" said October, "Not allowed to have an opinion of my own on my own feelings? Is that it?"

"Your feelings suck, Foxie!" shouted Neon, "and you've gotta get over them! You need to stop being such a stupid sour-puss and come around like a real friend!"

"Oh, I've got to say, you're REALLY winning me over with this, Neon," snarled the Ninetales, "First you turn on me but it turns out you're still not done attacking me, eh? Fine friend you turned out to be!"

"FUCK Y-" began Neon...

"EVERYBODY STOP IT!" shrieked Colin, cutting right over her, "EVERYONE STOP FIGHTING, RIGHT NOW!"

The Sylveon went running in unhappily, right between them, tears in his eyes.

October blinked, surprised, "Colin..?"

Colin sniffled, "Friends don't fight like this! We don't fight like this, not here! Not in Plaisir! Not us! Stop it..!"

"Aw, can-it, pink-and-white," said Neon, behind him, "Foxie and I've got some things to work out, here..!"

"No!" squeaked Colin, unhappily, "You two are fighting! It's wrong!"

October sighed, behind him, "Look, it's alright, Colin, we're settling down," he said reassuringly, then, "aren't we..?" sharply over Colin's shoulder at Neon, "It's alright..."

"Like hell it's alright!" said Neon, practically splitting, "Foxie here's being a real bitch over a bit of fun and profit, I never knew he was so Arceus-damned sensitive!"

"You turned on me at the behest of Clarice of all people..!" said October outraged, "you attacked me!"

"It was over a bath, you baby!" said Neon, "I said I'd buy ya a dozen drinks, didn't I!?"

"That's not the point..!" growled October.

"October..!" gasped Colin, "Please, you said you'd stop..!" He reached towards October with a couple of ribbons...

...October, however, dodged back, muttering, "Not, now, Colin..."

"Not the point?" said Neon, "What is the point then? What could be so damn important that you'd throw our friendship away?

Frowning briefly at a now even-unhappier Colin, October met her eyes, "I could ask you the same thing, except you recently provided an example... how much was it..?"

"Plenty of money," said Neon, with a smirk, "which I'd've shared with you, like a good friend would! We'd've taken the damn Ice-Bitch's money and done all sorts with it! I'm not seeing your damn problem here, it's just a damn bath, which you damn well needed, which you damn well know!"

"Of course I needed it," said October, growling softly, "I was filthy. An idiot could tell that. That's not the point. The point is, you betrayed me."

Neon rolled her eyes, "Oh, you fuckin' BABY, what the... are you even serious? Because this never was! Betrayed you?" she shook her head and drew out each word, "It, was, a, damn, bath..!"

October stared at her in silence, as if she wasn't getting it. Well, at least it wasn't shouting, thought Colin.

Neon groaned in exasperation, "Dammit, Foxie! You need to assign more damn value to your friends! Maybe you need to figure out more on what a friend is! Because a good friend oughta go through shit with you, you know? Thick and thin and yeah, sometimes doin' something for someone's own good that they might not like!"

"Oh, I quite agree," said October, "up to about the lines you crossed."

"Lines I crossed..?" said Neon, "Lines I crossed..?" October nodded. Neon scowled, "Alright, let me tell you something about lines, Foxie, let me tell you a damn story..."

"No," said October, quickly, talking over the Jolteon, "Let me, my stories are better." He frowned, "I once knew an adventurer who turned his friends in for the bounty. They had been larking about, being dicks lately and he thought it would be a laugh, teach them a lesson, big bag of coins to share once he'd busted them out and all of that. Sounds slightly familiar, yes..?" it was a rhetorical question, he didn't wait, giving Neon barely time to scowl, "He could have easily broken them out, of course, he was a powerful Sorcerer." October's voice then became increasingly grim, "Except he didn't realise just how execution happy the local lord was and when his friends were scheduled to be executed, that very night, he was drinking in the tavern... A mistake which would darken the rest of his life and all that he would do from then on. Forever embittered and lost."

Colin gasped, hiding his face behind his ribbons. What an awful story! Awful..! That thought was going to keep him up at night!

"Cute," said Neon frowning, "If it's even true. Never can tell with you..."

"It's true," said October, "Fortunately someone told him what was happening and saved the day like a big damn hero, but he was just lucky that someone noticed how bad that single mistake was for a whole world's timeline. When it comes to a conflict of interests between your friends and some authority, there's no room to joke around about it, there's no PARTIAL loyalty. You have it or you don't and if you don't, death and darkness follow. You're protecting your friends or you're leaving them to the Wolves. Without loyalty, friendship is a sham!"

The rapid-fire tirade of a storytelling concluded, they were left in silence. Briefly, whilst October glowered at Neon.

"Alright, Foxie," said Neon, eventually, not quite as loudly as before, "I think I see where you're comin' from, but yer still a damn fool. You took the wrong damn lesson as most important from that story of yours!"

October frowned, "Did I, now..?"

"Ahuh," said Neon, "Y'see, it ain't disloyal to wanna bathe your filthy friend and Clarice ain't exactly the same as some dark lord asshole or whatever.. and ain't none of it near as important is the point that no matter what, you stick by your DAMN FRIENDS, YOU STUPID, UPTIGHT BRITISH ASSHOLE!" she finished with a snarl.

Colin whined. It sounded like she had a good point, there.

October growled, glared at both of them.

Colin widened his eyes, worrying that the Ninetales was misunderstanding! It wasn't like he was taking her side..! Even if she might be kinda right...

"Stick by your friends? Good idea," growled October, with bitter sarcasm, "When they show up... let me know?" He then turned to leave.

The words were like daggers in Colin's heart. He couldn't breathe, certainly couldn't move to follow. He was paralysed as he looked at the retreating form of his friend... who he'd thought, felt, was his friend...

Neon called after him, "There's worse things happen in life than baths, Foxie! ...and when those things happen, you need your friends! So, get the fuck over it and maybe we'll still be here when you do!"

Colin didn't hear her, though. Ribbons and ears down low, he looked like a wilted flower.

* * *

Through the main bar, Vermont was moving quickly, as quickly as he dared, the slight and smallish grey Glameow keeping his head low, hoping to make himself invisible, lose himself in the crowd. It was getting quite busy, after all, he should be fine...

He'd had to get out of his room. The time had been coming up and... he just couldn't face it. He'd had to get out... they'd... be looking for him there. In fact, they'd already have checked his room.

He knew he couldn't hide anywhere outside of the Cafe, either. They'd find him there, too.

So maybe here, in plain sight, amongst all of this people and Pokemon, if he kept moving, if he kept his head low and begged to Arceus that no-one paid him any attention...

The deep growling voice delivered the line with deliberate, painfully pendulous slowness, "Heeeere, kitty, kitty... kitty..." Teasing torturously by merest suggestion, as it closed... as HE closed in...

Vermont stopped and his head shot up, his eyes wide, the cat's tail going between his legs, which began to tremble, slightly.

Chasing him down, the voice growled, "Here... kitty... kitty..." once again as that terrible presence bore down upon him. Then that voice began to chuckle, oh-so deeply...

Vermont breathed sharply, "Eclipse, I..!" his words caught in his throat.

That low chuckle continued.

"I... I was just..." began the Glameow.

"You weren't... trying to skip out on the games, were you..?" said Eclipse, with a scant veil of pleasantry.

Vermont looked around, trying to come up with some excuse. Though as he looked around at the huge, dark profile of the Wolf-like Mightyena, seeing those big, fearsome red-on-yellow eyes swallowed in those all-black facial markings... that thunderously polite expression, that barely concealed displeasure... a darkness hiding the deeper darkness within the towering beast... His words died, coming out as a strangled groan.

"Didn't think so..." said Eclipse, slowly, "After all, you promised... and you don't break your promises to us, do you..?"

Vermont initially couldn't speak, but he forced his voice out of himself, knowing the Mightyena wouldn't like it if he didn't answer, "N-no! I don't!"

The Mightyena took a few steps closer, growing larger and taller and putting more fear yet into the feline, he growled softly, "Good..." then smiled, "So what brings you into the main bar, Pussy-boy..? Right when it's so busy..?"

"Mmm... mmm!" Vermont struggled to speak, struggled to come up with an excuse, "I'm just taking a walk! I wanted a walk!"

Eclipse grinned... with pleasure... and to Vermont, that was about the most terrifying thing in his world. He cowered.

They were right in the middle of the main bar, but no-one seemed to see. It was right in the middle of the Afternoon shift and things were just getting into full swing with the hustle and bustle of the amorous and hedonistic barely getting started. For all the intense horror of the moment for Vermont, this quiet little encounter couldn't fail to escape the notice of just about everyone around them.

Vermont realised at once that this was no safety.

"You shoulda just said," said Eclipse, "I'd be happy to take you for a walk, Pussy-boy... heck, you can even run, if you want..."

Vermont had no doubts at all, then, that Eclipse could and most likely would make him run...

For the powerful Mightyena's Dark-type aura, so much more potent that Vermont's own feeble, Normal-type field, felt as though it were already all over him, pinning him down, whispering words of fear in his ear, quickening his heart in anticipation of what was to come...

It would be so much worse, outside. Out in the rough, in the cold and dirty forest, perhaps pushed against some treestump... "N-no!" burst out Vermont, "No, no! I don't want to go outside!"

Eclipse frowned at him. Of course, he liked it outside...

Vermont shrank further, the cat's eyes growing yet wider, "I just... didn't want to stay in my room!" He closed his eyes and looked away.

Silence. Brief but lingering silence. Vermont looked up. Eclipse, was smiling. Vermont swallowed with difficulty, his throat going dry.

"Oh, Pussy-boy," said Eclipse, in his dreadful approximation of a pleasant tone, "We just trusted you back on your own again and you're already feeling lonely?"

Vermont's claws suddenly stuck into the carpet flooring.

Eclipse's smile grew, "Don't worry about it, Vermont..."

Vermont, did in fact worry. He knew what was coming.

"...We're your family," said Eclipse, with a smile that spoke volumes of the Mightyena's perverse pleasure, "...and we're always happy to have you."

Vermont was paralysed with fear, making no movement at all except to shake and quiver, his eyes wide with horror, his ears and tail folded right in, his body low to the ground in terrified submission.

Unable to move, until Eclipse's smile shifted fractionally towards an impatient frown, with the Mightyena saying, "I'll walk you home. Get moving."

He found just enough traction to do exactly as the Mightyena said.

* * *

Getting back to his room, October sighed as the door closed behind him.

He almost walked away from the wall without turning on the light. He had forgotten it had been fixed... He pushed the switch with a tailtip, lighting the room warmly.

It brought up an alien landscape, largely unfamiliar to him, but for the slightly scorched walls, a small amount of mess and a jar that's purplish glow was smothered by the oppressively bright luminescence of the naked and eye-scorching new lightbulb.

No more the grand piles of socks he'd pulled from a dimension of lost things in search of discarded cigarettes. No more the random junk he'd began to accumulate in here. The cheap bed he'd broken for a wedging post was gone, replaced with some beautiful, shaped memory-foam wonder that even messed-up and unmade seemed simply far too good for him.

It didn't really feel like his room, anymore.

He had been feeling bad enough, sufficiently out of sorts that a short while ago, he couldn't wait to get back here and out of sight of the backstabbing sods that surrounded him. That was BEFORE Neon and her little rant. He'd desperately ran for some comfort and security...

Though now he was here, he found there was very little to be had.

October sighed, not bothering to head over to the bed and just letting himself flop upon the carpet. At least that hadn't changed. They'd covered over some of the ritual burns with a rug, but that was over there.

Here... well, at least he was somewhere. That was a start. He had to be somewhere and this was the best spot he could find.

He huffed and whined. "Fuck," he muttered aloud, then, "FUCK!"

He was not feeling like a happy and prideful magical Ninetales. He was feeling... he was getting that feeling... starting at least, he was sure it was no more...

Like he was done with this place. That feeling he got when an adventure was done and it was time to move on, to another world, another adventure...

Normally it was accompanied by a thrill of anticipation. Leaving behind the old, ditching some new memoirs in the tower, some new artifacts for the vaults, new weapons for the racks...

Right now, there was no such thrill. That wasn't all that was missing, either.

Normally, he'd have some sense of closure. An adventure would either be done or he'd have found his limits and been unable to go on. Sometimes, he concluded one early because everyone in a given world all seemed to be assholes and/or he was just wasting his time, here... and that feeling was closest to this feeling... but it still wasn't right.

Normally, when he made a judgement like that, it took him like, a day. It didn't take over four and a half weeks, in fact, none of his previous adventures had lasted longer than two weeks. He never stayed anywhere longer than 13 nights. He didn't stay for a month, start to make friends, start to settle down, even, on the fateful day that Kathy had come by, outright ignoring the next obvious plot-hook for adventure...

He didn't do that, he never did that... He was always looking for the next Adventure hook, right?

So why was he still here? He could have left the moment he'd had use of his Tower back. He could have just disappeared and never come back. He could be anywhere, by now, literally anywhere...

...Yet a part of him, a big part of him... didn't want to go. Didn't even consider the possibility. The same part of him that had gotten him thrown off the back of a speeding motorcycle. Whatever part of him seemed to be betraying the spirit of adventure.

Because that's what he was, wasn't he..? He'd come from nothing, created by accident, with no other purpose he could find, as a rootless being from no-where in particular in a grand multiverse, than to experience it all. All of the stories. To go out and get good at doing exactly that. To have fun, doing it. He'd come so far, seen so much, made so many sacrifices... all in the name of fun and adventure. The only sense of purpose he had.

So, was he betraying that, by remaining here? All he had been, all he had worked for? A thousand terrifying experiences, a mind full of the wonders and horrors of the multiverse's extremes..?

Maybe so. Maybe so, indeed... After all, parts of Neon's speech had stuck in his head.

Clarice was no dark lord, there was no grand evil for him to fight, here, no great adventure to be had. His daily challenges were menial and occasionally hedonistic. He didn't fit here, this wasn't what he did...

That he'd gone up against the Café in an unintended battle of wills over his hygeine... and lost... was just humiliating in the extreme.

Of course, he had his excuses for that. It wasn't the Café that had beaten him, nor Clarice. He could have given them the runaround forever even on his worst day to say nothing of what might have happened had he been sufficiently provoked into fighting back... Ultimately, he had been beaten by Firenze, that glorious, magnificent Ninetales, that spellbinding creature who was everything October wasn't, whom he had surrendered to the first time, starting this whole... domestic adventure.

He had even gone on to finally win some measure of respect and acceptance from that Ninetales. He had spent a night with that glorious beast, finally coming to accept the possibility that even a grand Ninetales might have a submissive side and that this was indeed a fact which needed to be shameful not at all...

Just in time for everything else to fall apart. Just when things were seeming so nice... so comfortable... Just when he'd started... liking this damn place, this damned place that had tried so hard to tame his wildness. Holding him by the Ninetales pride and making him humiliate himself for profit...

After all, the following day, he'd been teased and taken advantage of, doing some extra work for the Café after being roundly mocked by Ravage only to have his already ragingly sore behind do a lot more work than he'd bargained for at the behest of a capricious pair of surprise customers. He'd actually considered going back to the Tower for healing potions, which as an Adventurer's Rule, he only did in real emergencies. It had been fun, yes, but it was embarrassing enough that he hadn't been able to bring himself to tell Chai about it and had avoided the Umbreon all of the following day for fear of mockery.

Then that following evening, he'd found Chai napping on the roof and decided to take one, himself. Perhaps when the Umbreon woke him they'd have a chat about it. Maybe get a drink or something, laugh it off. Instead he had been woken by a psychic summons that had lead to an even greater humiliation. Rain Flower had finally gotten him and gotten him good. So much for his pride...

So he'd avoided Chai again, today... and everyone else, for that matter.

All the while, getting angrier, recognising faces that had chased after him, slowly realising how much his hot Ninetales temper was silently smouldering under the surface about that... and about the complete lack of support, about the lack of loyalty, even from those he had called his friends. No-one had ultimately had his back, no-one. He actually hadn't expected that. Even more humiliating.

When Neon had confronted him outside the toilets, he had been just about ready to explode. They had all been lucky that his temper hadn't lead to literal flames flying, in truth, they nearly had, he'd nearly lost control entirely. He had thought he was getting in control of that, but no, he had just been an angry, barking Fire-Fox with wounded pride, speaking without thinking before storming off in a huff before his uncontrollable temper and associated temperature could do even more damage.

Two weeks ago, he'd fallen from the motorcycle and crawled back to a place where he just didn't fit in the first place. When you thought about it rationally, it was really no choice at all. He should just speak the command word and be gone from this place before things got any worse.

He didn't want to, though.

He just wasn't sure why.

He fumbled for the single cigarette he'd had saved in his mane, though after one look at the thing, he knew it wouldn't help at all. After staring at it for a second, he threw it across the room.

What was he doing, here?

* * *

"Get in."

The room was dark and full of the musk of Mightyena as always. As the door closed behind them, the rectangle of light it cast was shut off. It felt like the darkness was closing in on Vermont... like he was caught in the beast's jaws...

Because he was. He froze on the spot, his limbs feeling heavy with dread. He didn't want to look up, in case his night vision adjusted and he'd be able to see it anyway... the bed...

A heavy paw landed on his ass and shoved the Glameow forwards, he almost stumbled, but the sound of deliberate, heavy pawsteps had him keeping his momentum, fear turning from lead into water, having him run away from the monster behind him...

Right up to that stinking, messed-up furpit of smelly grey hairs and the stink of Mightyena, that battered, beaten-into-oblivion and with-all-the-lumps-to-prove-it matress...

He didn't want to get on that, didn't want-

"Get on the bed," growled a deep voice with no patience in it whatsoever.

Any thoughts of resistance fled Vermont at the sound of that voice. The subtle intonations of Eclipse's growl carried meanings that the Glameow had become all too sensitive to. He knew, on a bodily level, the price of irritating Eclipse. He knew the cost of impatience... and by now, he'd never dare defiance.

Slowly, shakily, Vermont started to get up on the bed. One paw at first, awful disbelief at touching his pads down on that awfully familiar texture once again... then another, now lifting his front end so that his feline eyes could see the shape of this place, that terrible terrain where he heard again the sound of his own suffering in his memories...

He almost paused again but then Eclipse made it irrelevant, shoving him onto the bed with a paw and then immediately jumping after him.

Vermont was bowled over onto the bed, landing awkwardly, twisting one hindleg under the other, poking himself with his heel, but as the weight of Eclipse came down, there was no chance to free it. The limb was trapped and Vermont tried to suppress a groan. Eclipse wouldn't want to hear of his discomfort any more than he made him.

Eclipse made himself comfortable though, the big Pokemon bearing down on the smaller Glameow so hard that Vermont gasped and found he couldn't breathe. He waited a moment without complaining before his instinct had him began to squirm.

With an amused grunt, Eclipse adjusted himself just enough to let Vermont draw breath. Just enough for that, though. Not enough to free his legs, oh no...

...and it was quickly his last concern as he felt something solid rubbing against his hindquarters. He gasped... already?

Eclipse growled, softly. His sheath was big, heavy and all too present. It pressed against the feline dangerously, promising pain, causing the Vermont to tense up the memory of that pain...

It seemed too big NOW, whilst it was still in Eclipse's sheath... but Vermont knew, knew all too well, that it would seem much bigger, more terrifying still, when it was in him...

He made a piteous noise without meaning to and strangled it off quickly. He moaned unhappily, then wished he hadn't.

He felt, rather than saw Eclipse's grin. Felt, on an intuitive level, the stirring hunger in the aura above his.

Vermont was a sensitive Pokemon. He knew how to read auras in close proximity... only recently had he learned to regret this knowledge.

"So, Pussy-Boy," said Eclipse, sounding almost conversational, "You needed attention again, already..."

Vermont paused, not knowing if he was meant to answer or not.

"...You know, you're not the only loser in the place could that use my attention, Pussy-Boy," Eclipse went on, "Fun as you are, you're just the latest cocky little prick who needed bringing into line... ah, what was it you said to me, Pussy-Boy..?"

Vermont moaned then and even begin to growl a little. A piteous protest born of desperation and his rising fear that he didn't mean and hoped Eclipse didn't notice...

Eclipse didn't... or pretended not to and continued, "Ah, that was it, 'Filthy Beast,' wasn't it..? Said I didn't have enough class for your tastes, huh? Wasn't that right..?"

Vermont shook his head, tried to speak in a gasping voice that had no strength, "No, no, I was wrong..." almost a whisper.

A heavy paw ruffled the fur of Vermont's head, a little too roughly, blunt claws scratching his scalp on purpose. Eclipse chuckled, "Ah, Vermont, no wonder nobody likes you. No wonder they all think you're a prick and laugh at you. You pretentious little shit," he laughed, but you could feel the snarl Eclipse's face was truly wearing, "and now here we are, discovering that only the likes of me could truly love the likes of you..."

Vermont whined, his ears right back.

"Isn't that right..?" prompted Eclipse.

Vermont nodded, without hesitation.

"Let me hear you say it," said the Mightyena.

"You're the only one who gives a shit about me..!" gasped Vermont.

"That's right," said Eclipse... and then he shoved his hips forwards.

Vermont moaned, the sound trembling as Eclipse mashed that heavy, full sheath against his rear and began to grind it roughly. It felt more dangerous by the second. It WAS more dangerous by the second. Eclipse's motions became rougher until he was shoving against the Glameow so hard that Vermont was worrying his back was going to get twisted. The flexible, spring-like spine of a feline was fine and all - until it felt like someone was trying to break it!

"So here I am," said Eclipse, growling, "Giving you my attention, when there are others who need it. You didn't even really wanna go out to the woods for a walk. What do you say, hmm...?"

Vermont had to cough out the word, weakly, "...Thankyou..!"

Eclipse suddenly shifted himself and rammed his hips forwards, hard. The thick, pointed tip of a huge and throbbing cock jammed right up against an already-tender tailhole that was far, far too small for it. Vermont cried in fright, "Guah! Nnnnn..." he forced himself not to finish the word 'no...' Eclipse wouldn't like that...

Eclipse chuckled, "Now..? Alright..."

Vermont moaned in fearful anticipation before Eclipse's hips even began moving. Then, as a physically, tangibly, increasingly thick, increasingly hard pointed dick forced its way, mostly dry, into the most sensitive place in the feline's body, he began to moan out in earnest.

Eclipse growled, bestially. It was hard to tell if he was pleased. He'd never let you know this early on. Then it might be too easy to read his mood and brace yourself accordingly... He liked to keep you off-balance and frightened.

Whining, feeling a broad and violent wedge having split him open, Vermont felt that huge, painful intrusion of a tip, throb - and even that throbbing made him wince! - and spit some precum into him. Knowing that broad tip only hinted at the horrible volumes to come he thanked Arceus for small mercies.

So Eclipse rammed himself in harder, forcing himself in violently, smearing that pre until it was dry against his rectal walls and lubricating no further.

Speared, stretched, practically abraded, Vermont began to cry out loudly, only to have his maw plugged by a rough and forceful paw as the Mightyena roughly gagged him. Not even seeming to feel the points of Vermont's sharp teeth upon his thick paw-pads.

"Ssssshhh..." said Eclipse, growling deeply in a predator's mocking tone of tenderness, "Not so loud. I know you need this..."

Vermont gave a strangled whine of incredulous horror. Oh, it hurt so much! It hurt so much already...! ...and they weren't even getting started!

Chuckling darkly, Eclipse then began to fuck him. Gently at first, so it might appear.

That was because Vermont still wasn't used to him at this depth, so that depth was still fun for Eclipse. Every inch of Eclipse's huge cock seemed to be an instrument of agony and the grading only got worse and worse. When he wasn't in any hurry, like right now, he wouldn't move deeper until you'd gotten used to him... or if he just wanted to hurt you.

He would hurt you, if you made him. So Vermont lay there, taking the slow, rhythmic force driving painfully into him as bravely as he could. He didn't want to break any rules...

Eclipse had rules... If you made too much noise.... If you didn't make any... If he tried to back answer or object... If you were too snivelling... Sometimes if you were just getting too relaxed...

Eclipse rammed in harder, drawing another strangled cry out of the Glameow as agony roared through his body, overwhelming his nervous system, making him jolt and writhe..!

Eclipse growled with pleasure... "Ahhh, Pussy Boy..." he gave a big lick on the back of the Glameow's neck, a mockery of affection that felt more like the tasting of a hungry beast, "At least someone appreciates you."

"Mmm..! Nnn..!" cried Vermont. Knowing, FEELING through all his senses, what was coming.

Eclipse snarled and rammed in a bit harder. Vermont shrieked loudly into the paw at the new, sharp pain amidst that huge, blunt ache... Eclipse had hurt him, on purpose... and he immediately started hammering that injury, snarling with the hints of his Dark, voracious appetites...

In a flooding sea of pain that burned through his nerves and made his body dance and writhe in agony - as little as it could, trapped beneath so much bigger a Pokemon! His long curly tail, signature of his species, thrashed against the floor, as helpless as the rest of him, as weak and useless as it whipped about.

At the same time, Vermont cursed his own little self-improvement. He really wished he'd never learned to read auras or he was sure he'd have been happier in ignorance, right now. Because now he knew what kind of mood Eclipse was really in.

He was a tidy little feline thing, trapped beneath a storm of raging lust and fury. The Mightyena was bigger than he seemed, for whilst he was a giant to the Glameow physically, on an aura level, he was a colossus, a Fenrir, a terrible storm front that could sweep the land bare... and it was bearing all of its focus down upon him... into him, through him.

Eclipse was so much more powerful than him that Vermont's own aura was simply overwhelmed. Eclipse was literally inside his being, asserting his Dark type power as the dominant force. His snarl weren't just snarls, they carried rumbles of Dark Type energy that literally forced the Glameow to be afraid, to submit.

When he hurt you, you could literally feel the base pleasure and the unlimited appetite for causing it. He literally fed from it, as if the stormcloud were tearing from your aura, like jaws, tearing into a kill...

The tiny amount of rational mind left to Vermont, as he struggled and wailed and writhed in his strangled, trapped position knew that Eclipse was objectively a monster. One he was powerless against...

Deeper, just to make him cry out... and he did.

There was a noise at the lock and the door opened. Vermont's eyes widened, then he immediately screwed them shut. The dim light from outside was blinding, hurt his eyes.

The light switch was flicked and Vermont kept his eyes tightly shut, against the red-hot pain the light would bring. No more pain, no more...

Eclipse shoved himself in, making him squeak in pain and misery.

"Oh, hey brother!" said a female voice.

"...Hey, brother," said a very similar male voice, a short delay later.

"Hey, kids," said Eclipse with mock-cheeriness as he thrust his hips in again and released his paw.

Vermont tried not to cry out, but his body cried out anyway, a rattling, moaning sound.

"Vermont's here, huh," said Dextus, the smaller male Mightyena, not sounding amused nor interested.

"He is," said Sinister, giving a smile, "Huh, just startin' to miss 'im, too..."

"What are you two doing back..?" asked Eclipse, plainly, pulling back a little and drawing a sigh of relief out of Vermont.

"Break," said Sinister, "Figured we'd just grab some food from the fridge."

Dextus added, "Figured you'd be out, today..."

"Well," said Eclipse, "As y'can probably tell, poor little Vermont was feelin' lonely, today, wasn't that right..?"

"Y-" Vermont began to agree, automatically, but perhaps just for spite, Eclipse chose that moment to start pushing in again, "YES!" he yelped and then immediately cringed.

Eclipse gave a good natured chuckle. Sinister gave a small chuckle as well, then moved over to the mini kitchen, opening the fridge and burying her muzzle inside.

"Those games you play, huh, bro," said Dextus, the emphasis he put on 'games,' like he knew they weren't games... "I have no idea how you two manage to fit that thing..."

"Oh, he manages," said Eclipse, pleasantly, "Don't you Vermont?"

"MMmmm-HHHMMMM!" agreed Vermont, his reply emphasised by an over-aggressive pull-back...

"Ahuh," said Dextus looking at them with half a smile, "Well, you two have fun, then."

The fridge door slammed shut. Sinister's face reappeared with a Wolfish smile, "...and just why should they get all the fun, huh?" she declared, then advanced towards the bed.

Eclipse gave his younger sister a look as she came up to the bed, a look which she met with equal parts deference and assertion. An educated part of Vermont's brain equated this to the dominant female of a pack telling the dominant male that she wanted her part of the kill. The rest of Vermont's brain told that part to shut up. This situation wasn't getting any better with analysis.

Sinister jumped onto the mattress in front of Vermont, the feral, Wolfish behaviours melting at once in a more relaxed demeanour as the Mightyena casually threw herself down and unto her back with a happy sigh, like someone falling into a couch after a long day at work.

It was no coincidence that this put her crotch, legs wide open, in front of Vermont's face. The powerful musk of female Mightyena assaulted Vermont's feline senses. Of course, what was one more slightly-less-dangerous predator in this situation? His instincts panicked anyway, his breathing quickening. Stupid. He'd need the breath...

"Told you I'd been missing you, Vermont," said Sinister with a slow smile, "Busy out there, today. I could use somma that raspy tongue of yours..."

"Y-yes, ma'am," said Vermont, obediently, though his voice shook.

He didn't waste any time, though. He pushed his muzzle forwards to the Mightyena's vulva and pushed straight into that hateful smell, his nose quivering, he began to lap at once, in the places he knew she liked for him to start with...

"Aw!" declared Sinister, "Yeah..!" she reached down with both forepaws to roughly fuzzle up the fur on the back of Vermont's head, "You're ALWAYS welcome here, Vermont..!"

Vermont heard the fridge door open, saw Dextus slowly duck inside, looking over at the scene... less than happily.

There wasn't any time to think about it. Vermont's world was now enclosed in the grey fur of the Mightyena, a world of strong flesh and voracious appetites, where he was little more than a ragdoll, bouncing between two grinding bodies, just hoping he didn't break or tear.

It was a vain hope. Now being held down by two sets of rough, careless forepaws, he felt like they might twist his back out at the slightest slip. So he tried to do everything right. Everything they wanted...

"Aw, Dex!" cried Sin, "He's got some energy, today! You've gotta come and get some!"

Eclipse chuckled Darkly at that... trying some longer, slower thrusts now that he was more deeply into the Glameow... the long strokes making for an even lewder soundtrack to the twin's conversation as the shaft noisily distended Vermont's rear.

Dextus, who had been spending over-long in the fridge, come to think of it, looked up, "Nah, that's alright, sis," he said casually, "Like you said; Busy shift. I've gotta save my stamina..."

Sinister tutted and rolled her eyes, "Boys..."

Dextus smiled at her, "Well, you know us boys..."

Sinister patted Vermont on the head, "Well, you're not gonna let me down, are you..?"

Vermont couldn't reply, worse, Eclipse chose that moment to speed up his noisy thrusting with a grunty chuckle, so Vermont tried to shake his head as Eclipse made him whimper into her sex. Sinister growled appreciatively as he ground his muzzle into her spade, then grabbed him by the back of head and just shoved his snub muzzle right inside, using the Glameow's very face to pleasure herself. "Rrrrf, good boy," she growled...

She used him like that, his world now restricted to the vista of the Mightyeness' sex, unable to breathe, unable to struggle, unable to do anything but please her whilst her bigger brother continued to use his other end, jolting him harder into her depths, almost hammering him in...

He couldn't breathe of course, but of course, this was by now a small mercy. Soon he became faint, soon enough, his physical sensations were fading. This was only a good thing, for the pain and fear were far too much and oblivion itself began to seem a sweet release...

Only for it all, pain and all, pain most of all, to come flooding back when Sinister finally pulled him away, Vermont's body instinctively heaving for breath even though he bid it otherwise. Though his laboured gasping for breath was eclipsed in volume by the depth of Sinister's moan. A sticky drenching covering Vermont's face, smelling oh-so-strongly of Mightyena, underlined the pleasure of her peak.

Yet with fresh air came fresh awareness of the terrible trauma done to the back of him. So Vermont was crying out loudly and then louder still, as Eclipse shoved in harder and harder, getting closer and closer to the hilt... and oh, but how Vermont's raw and abused ass was hurting now..!

"Have fun, Pussy-Boy?" teased Eclipse, growling more dangerously than his humourous tone would suggest, "Good." Then he shoved the Glameow's head into the mattress.

"Mmmmf..." was then the only noise that could come out of Vermont.

"Aw, Dex," said Sinister, panting and smiling at her brother, "You've gotta get some of this! Maybe tag out with your brother for a bit, looks like they could both use a rest!"

"No..." growled Eclipse, suddenly, drawing looks from all of them, "This ass is mine. At least for now," he said firmly, "Maybe Dextus can have him when I'm done..."

"Maybe," said Dextus, "Alright," then he looked away towards the door, "Anyways, it's about time to be getting back to work, Sin. Don't wanna piss off Firenze, again."

Sinister growled and rolled her eyes, "Uh, yeah..." she gently ruffled the fur on the back of Vermont's head, "So; You hang in there, little buddy..."

Vermont looked up at her, trying not to make his eyes piteous and nodded.

Eclipse patted him on the head, then, a far more sinister gesture than Sinister's, each slowing pat feeling heavily weighted, "Oh, he'll be fine, won't you, Vermont?"

"Mmm-hmm..!" said Vermont, lying...

"Alright," said Sin, finally rolling away and starting to stand up, "We gonna be seein' him, later..?"

"Depends on him," said Eclipse, casually, starting to work his hips at a rhythmic pace as he spoke, "I mean, Vermont's gonna be gettin' my close and personal attention right up until it's time for our Night Shifts to start." Vermont was moaning as Eclipse he continued to speak, "If he's feelin' up to workin' today, I'll take him in, keep him close, make sure he's alright... if not... you two pups are gonna have a guest to keep company."

"Right," said Sinister, casually.

"Right," said Dextus, quietly, then added, "Is it okay for him to be missing any more shifts? Clarice is gotta be gettin' real pissed at him, now..."

"Awww," said Eclipse, with good humour, still pumping away and roughly ruffling the Glameow's head-fur, a great deal rougher than Sinister had, "Who gives a shit what Clarice thinks? He's with us now, right..?"

"Right," said Sinister.

"Right..." said Dextus, "Well, let's get going, Sin."

"Yeah," said the other crescent-moon Mightyena, "See you both when we see you!"

Eclipse didn't bother to say goodbye as the twins quietly left, quietly closing the door behind themselves.

"Just you and me, now, Vermont..." growled Eclipse, teasing softly, letting the anticipation build...

Vermont whimpered pathetically.

Then Eclipse got rough.

* * *

Just outside the door, Dextus sighed.

"Shut up, Dex," said Sinister, quietly.

"I didn't say anything," said the male.

"Yeah, but I know you're thinking it," said the female.

"Oh yeah..?" said Dextus, frowning, "What am I thinking, then?"

Sinister frowned and looked away, "Doesn't matter," she said quietly, "Don't think it."

Dextus looked away as well and at the moment, for once, both the crescent-moon faced Mightyena were in opposite alignment.

It was a while before one of them spoke, Dextus, saying, "...He's got that look in his eyes..."

"Yeah," said Sinister, quietly, at a forced casual tone.

"I hate that look," said Dextus, "He's gonna break, soon."

"Yeah," said Sinister, in the same way.

"We're gonna be buying another Pokemon another bus ticket out of state," said Dextus, in a quiet and resigned voice.

"Yep," said Sinister, casually, "Anything for family, right..?" She stared at him, then.

Dextus met her eyes... there was a long pause, but his voice was firm when he said it, "Right."

A piercing cry of agony came right through the door. Sounded like they'd managed to fit the knot, after all.

Saying not a word, the twins looked at each other and quietly went back to work.