Rain was lovely—if it wasn't basically flooding the streets. Everyone else was probably dreading going out in this downpour—not Summer, though. The only thing the puppy did was constantly blink when she felt the raindrops prick against her face; her blinking only increased when she would—unknowingly—be standing underneath the runoff that slid down each roof she and Beatrice passed.

"Beebs," Summer squeaked, gripping her hand against the elder party's. She tilted her head up, staring at the woman as she watched her open up an umbrella.

"It's cold. Why is it cold when the falling water comes?" She smiled as she listened to Beatrice's response, only stopping when she watched her expression shift. Summer's eyes traveled down to Beatrice's foot and—it's a puddle!

Summer could only tap her toes against the concrete in excitement. She loved puddles; if the pup had a choice, she would absolutely be wallowing in a puddle for days. She immediately forgot about the talk about condensation and evaporation; Summer is finally going to be in bliss.

The pup stretched out her foot, allowing her lips to curl into a smile as she tapped her toes against the miniature pool.

"Stamp, stamp, stamp," the puppy whispered, the speed of her toe tapping only increasing until she heard Beatrice speak up. While she stared the elder party directly in her eyes, the puppy inquired,

"Uhm, no...stamp stamp?"

"Fucking shit! The hell did you do this time, you absolute fucking plebeian!?"

Whenever Fitzgerald opened his mouth, disaster was always going to follow suit, as he stared down a dark-haired youth and spat, "You shouldn't have spilled coffee into my purse! My bag, I mean-" It was a lie; it was definitely a purse, if the (dyed) black crocodile leather and handicraft brass zipper wasn't enough to give away the fact that this item existed to be a status symbol. "- I take this shit out for one day, and then some bitch fucking ruins it... Three hundred dollars or so, gone to waste!"

First of all, that was a pretty fucking expensive purse (assuming that he was being truthful about the cost in the first place). Second of all, he was still rich as fuck; he could still storm into the nearest designer boutique and buy a replacement, if he wanted to. Emphasis on "if he wanted to," because right now, the only thing in his eyes was an undying sense of - you guessed it - contempt.

"I'd normally make you pay it for me," growled the aristocrat with a roll of his eyes, "but... You know what?" He glanced around, seemingly oblivious to the small crowd that had started to accumulate to witness this bitchy catfight pan out. "... I think I'll make an exception this time. Because I'm nice." Ooooh, the bar is so low...

Clapping his hands together, Fitzgerald proclaimed while slinging the handles of his beloved (and ruined) purse over his shoulders, "How about... You buy me a cup of coffee? A cup of steaming hot coffee? Like the one that you bought for yourself, before you wasted all of that by spilling it on my purse..." Dude? He accidentally bumped into you? The fuck? "Trust me," he reassured the other youth in a singsong tone, "I won't spill it on you as compensation! So, how's that? Is that a good deal? I bet you have a few extra dollars up your sleeve, because I'm not paying."

You have the money, asshole. Just pay for it afterwards to further flex your wealth.

"And if you don't," he spat with a raised brow, "then... I'll hit you with this purse!" Assuming that he knew how the physics behind such an attack worked, but... Fitzgerald had his chest puffed out like a rooster ready to fight, and he wasn't going to back down anytime soon! "Yea, you heard me right! I'll hit you with that purse if you don't buy me a cup of coffee as compensation! It has a bunch of shit in it, so it'll hurt if it lands - you know!" Well then. At least that last part wasn't a stupidly placed bluff, everything else considered... Because he did have a lot of shit in that purse of his. His notepad, various sweet treats... All of that collective weight was going to at least produce an unsightly welt if the bag landed. If.

Fitzgerald gets to be a goof once and not take a threat seriously for once - as a treat. semi-quick follow-up time.

(I thought I'd get a bit goofy here and I actually got a good object to use against Fitz-)
(Ok it was supposed to be goofy but I went overboard-)

Ah, yes, another great day in the neighborhood. Satsu was out shopping in his maiden human form for some equipment to use at the shrine, as well as some foods that he crave and the town folks haven't been offering it to the shrine yet. After a few hours of looking around the market place and buying things, finallt he managed to get some bags of required needs. He's quite happy with these but as soon as he gotten off of the market area, someone bumped into him. The momentum caused him to fall over.

Upon looking up on who he was, that guy looked familiar...
Oh yeah, it was that guy he bumped into at the festival. Guess it's switched up this time, huh. What worse is that a few items was ruined by the fall, take the packs of eggs for example... Satsu looks at the supplies thoroughly then sighed, getting up with the few other bags that wasn't ruined “Excuse me...I know this kind of sound demanding in a way, but could you maybe...buy me back those eggs? Sensei is going to be mad at me if I didn't get back with any...” And knowing Fitzgerald, he isn't going to do it, is he?

Back then he kinda feel bad when he bumped into Fitz, but now he felt humiliated. The deity's aggressive and hot-headed nature came into light as he intolerably pulls out a jar of cookie and hold it with one hand while snapping at the other “Look, I was out of coins since that time I bought you dozens of cookies. You better help me with this in return or this jar of cookie is going into your head."

"Oh, darling! It's so lovely to see you awake! It's still a tad late, but my goodness, you were zonked out!" the feline cooed, shuffling in the room and allowing her eyelashes to flutter. Saffron tilted her head to glance behind her, watching a dark-furred kitten peeking through the door.

"Oh, Clyde! Did you want to give our guest some water? Come to mama," Saffron cooed, continuing to watch the kitten before turning to face the kitsune.

"He's just a little shy...he always is around new people. He's never been around a dog before. Please, be nice to him. I'll be right back," she chuffed before shuffling out of the room. After she returned in the room, she tilted her head over to Clyde, who was now presenting a brightly-colored cup to Satsu.

"Thank you, dear. Now, go to your room and you may watch some T.V." she chuffed at the child, watching him squeal in excitement before scurrying out of the room. After she lifted up the thermometer, she began pulling it closer to Satsu's lips.

"Oh, come on, don't fight me. It was awfully cold out there, I want to make sure you aren't feeling icky. Please, just cooperate..." Eventually, the feline succeeded in shoving the thermometer in the vulpine's lips, waiting before he pulled it back out. After she stared at it, Saffron allowed her grin to grow.

"Oh, goodie, your temperature is normal! Here, I can let you stay here overnight. I'll make sure you get some breakfast, and then you'll be on your way!"

I'm.... gonna spoiler my response since it maaaaaaay be formatted as long. who knows!! Skinner also isn't really the type to be threatening overt violence, so I do apologize if it's a bit subtle/muddled gbgbbtebedd-

I can personally affirm that allergies are the worst fucking inconvenient shit to ever exist. quick follow-up time.

"Gah! How disgusting!" Esmeralda gasped, furrowing her eyebrows in disgust as she glared at Skinner's hands. Her blank, white scleras focused on the elder party, continuing to leave her lips parted.

"No, no, no! You are not rubbing those disgusting hands on my desk! This desk was made with top-quality wood, by the most talented carpenters in Oxbury. You are absolutely not getting those snot-covered fingers all over my stuff."

Upon completing her sentence, Esmeralda walked away, her heels clicking against the wood until she arrived in front of a bookshelf. After she lifted up a box of handkerchiefs, she began to make her way over to Skinner.

"If I find a single one of your vile bodily fluids on my prized possession, you'll be pushing up daisies. Use a damn tissue like an adult," the spirit spat, slamming the box on top of her desk before crossing her arms.

"You are not a child anymore. You should know better, considering that you're an aristocrat and a father. Your little infant may be able to get away with it because she's still learning, but you're an adult! Unbelievable! If you want me to treat you like an adult, you better act like one! Ask for a tissue instead of using your hand; it's not rocket science!"

--------------

NP, Esmeralda is already dead and this is her spirit, but don't make that stop you!

(Oh god I got a perfect thing to threaten people with in general and something he actually has in his pocket)

If anything, Kuraru absolutely hates bugs, darkness and ghosts(because you know...). It's not that they're scary, no, of course! Why would be be scared if he could just use bug repellence, turn on the light and literally kill a ghost twice if possible? Okay, sure, he doesn't really have a tactical way to handle ghosts. Most effective ability to do so, if you will. He can't just nuke the whole city just to deal woth ghosts, right? So he just carry something that might help him with, perhaps it would.

And what an unlucky day it is, Kuraru encountered a ghost of a thief, a crass one too...or so it seem. But what took him to debate with himself is the fact that the ghost is indeed, a ghost of a cat. Usually, he would just getbit over with and 'exorcise' the ghost, but this one, it's a cat! Who could possibly hurt a cat without thinking twice? He know he couldn't. Sure, he doesn't like ghosts very much, but he absolutely love cats and for that matter, he concluded that he won't hurt Esmeralda. Although he still need to do something about this- he still dislike havinf ghosts around.

And so, he reached into his pocket and takes out a ritual Knife. Holding it against the cat spirit, pointing at her but not quite how anyone would do to start a fight. Just...threatening position. Kuraru acts tough, glares at Esmeralda with the knife in his hand and spoke in his usual cold and monotone voice. "...I'm giving you a chance. Get away from here now, or you will regret staying." But of course, he wouldn't actually hurt her. Unless she decided to attack him, that is...

In a way, M. Pourife almost wanted to welcome the other party with open arms, without any sort of questioning or doubt whatsoever. After all, those folded ears and pale, washed-out purple reminded him of a familiar Kalosian species... Something that reminded him of home! He chuckled under his breath while reveling in this morsel of nostalgia that he had secured for himself - as he could only think with the slightest smile, An Espurr... An Espurr combined with a human... Unusual, huh? And then... It hit him, and his muscles tensed. Ambivalence.

Was his newfound wariness for better or for worse? You decide.

Either way, the older man blinked for a moment as he stood there looking rather stunned, before coughing into his sleeve and admitting, "Listen... Sir... What are you doing here, um, this late at night anyways? Do you know about the 'dragon's breath' legend? Not that you should be drinking up such folktales, especially with your impressionable mind, but..." He shook his head and explained, "Essentially, ever since Team Plasma tried to take over Unova centuries ago, the extreme northern half of Unova has been afflicted with this meteorological phenomenon that makes it more vulnerable to cold spells, especially late at night. They used to be so cold that being exposed to them could be lethal - but now, with so many centuries gone by, the worst it can do is give you the chills... Does... Does that make sense?"

Regardless of the answer offered by the teenager, though, that stare sure didn't help. And a blank stare too! It sent shudders down M. Pourife's spine, even though he was well-aware of the fact that this was typical for Espurr; after all, as a Kalosian man at heart, he should be knowing this since this reminded him of home, and yet- Ambivalence, sir. Ambivalence.

"That asides," the middle-aged man huffed with a slight frown visible underneath his dorky mustachioed face, "you should explain yourself. As to why you are out here so late at night - in spite of the curfew - and why you want to be at my lab..." He paused before scratching his chin. "It... It is not for the coffee now, huh?" And M. Pourife was probably bullshitting this on the spot, as he could detect the faintest whiff of coffee emanating from the younger party's hair. Sure, it wasn't enough to detract from the usual smog, or the biting cold, and yet...

"It is not even that good, but... Just to let you know, sir... If you dare try using those powers on me, the computer monitor behind me will record what you have done. Then, I or one of my interns will pass the footage to the authorities, and they will not hesitate to have you arrested. Do you understand? All of this is legal. I have plenty of security cameras surrounding my laboratory for the sake of security, you know..."

It was, in turn, the question of security that made M. Pourife wince and cough into his sleeve before adding with the slightest stammer, "... Not that I should be considering a teenager a threat, but... I will have to close the door on you if you do not, um, explain yourself... Is that understood? Do you understand?" Just in case.

this is.... so sweet..... M. Pourife doesn't die inside for once, through a follow-up!!

"The greatest of tidings to you, mortal!" Vodo's smile is pleasant, warm, calm. "Though I fear that the tidings I bring may not be of the brightest of times. I have been informed I must 'threaten' you, though for what purpose, I was not told. However, I find myself an odd choice for such thus task, for I do abhor the act of violence. The whims of the others do elude me at times, I admit! And stranger still, I was given this with which to intimidate you with!"

Vodo holds out his hands. In them is a loaf of bread - freshly baked, warmth emanating from it. After a pause, in which all parties involved have sufficiently observed the very innocuous loaf, Vodo snaps his fingers. A table and chair appear beside them, and he pulls out the chair, offering it towards M. Pourife.

"Upon being gifted such a strange weapon, I pondered - perhaps it was meant to be a test of sorts? And it occured to me that perhaps to 'threaten' was not to be taken as literally as it may seem...!" he pulls two slices of bread free, "thus, I posit this question unto you: would you perhaps enjoy a small rest and a sandwich, for one as busy as you?"

This is chaotic, aaa. Spoilerized for violence; Steph attempts to choke poor Vodovorot, I'm sorry

The assortment of dishes that he had set on the dining room table was enough to make it seem like Johnson was preparing a banquet... But the reality couldn't be any further from that. In fact, he only had one guest with him tonight, and it just so happened to be the teenager whom his wolfish friend menaced and threatened to beat up not too long ago. Maybe actually beaten up? Johnson wasn't one to judge; he had been in the same situation when it came to Brown multiple times, and - in fact - one of his arms stung slightly from a laceration she had given him with that damn dagger of hers a few days ago.

For now, though, he was going to focus on flexing his power and wealth, as he droned to the teenager, "I hope that you know that you're a very, very lucky young woman. Young lass, in fact, but I'm willing to elevate you for the sake of this discussion. You want to know why?" He paused for a moment for the girl to fill in with her answer, but... Did it matter? Regardless of what she uttered (if at all), Johnson huffed, "I happen to have just what you need to make sure that... Blonde girl gets torn down. I don't care if it's physical or literal, but you know..."

"You know very well that she's basically protected by the Wolf, right? Brown? She's formidable as hell. I don't think you'd be able to win on your own, unless you wanted to beat her in a competition in teenage hamartia or some shit like that."

"I know it'll go over your head right now," sighed Johnson as he picked at a roasted pheasant wing with a fork, "and it might if you keep up with that attitude of yours, but... I'm not going to beat around the bush. I'll have to admit that I see you as just the tiniest bit useful. Yes, you heard me correctly, miss. Useful." Another pause. Only a clink could be heard from Johnson's fork as he picked at the meat, then carefully chopped it up into small shreds. "I mean it in the form of an alliance. I don't want to be friends with you. I might as well be stupid if I want to be friends with you, let alone any teenager." Wow, way to throw your not-daughter under the bus- "Unless I have a very, very good reason for it."

Sure.

Still, even that momentary blunder wasn't enough to make Johnson flinch or waver, as he droned, "So keep that in mind while you eat this food, okay? And no, you do have to eat at least some of it. Just because it's decadent doesn't mean that it's somehow going to fatten you up like a hog getting ready for slaughter." And, conveniently enough, there was a whole roast hog in the exact center of the table! Hope it didn't go to waste. "I'll be disappointed if that's the case, miss. You know that I'm an aristocrat, right? Slights against me are something I take seriously. What do you think happens to the journalists who dare to blab those libelous thoughts against me, huh?" Again, he paused, before starting to laugh with almost uncharacteristic enthusiasm.

"That asides! I won't do such a thing to you," he snorted with a scoff, "I'm not that cruel!" Suuuuuuuuuuuure. Johnson gesticulated with his hand and hissed, "Instead, I can use my archives and record to my advantage. Medical histories included. And I might as well be infusing everything you eat with milk, just in case... Or dousing your hair in it... You know that milk is good for the hair, right? Better than shampoo? Less chemicals. I try it myself, you know." Yet the facetious tone suggested that he was being an asshole, and... Good for him? He didn't deserve to put milk in his hair if what he said was even true anyhow.

gonna use young Johnson here since Cashmere only really exists in that era!!

anyways. follow-up time. who knew that Johnson actually gave a shit about his wife in the end (/s).

Very cursed idea on the way in this episode of revival time! Claiming kafkaesque!

"Hm, I've run into quite a bit of aristocrats, but I think that you're one of the only ones who regarded me with respect!" Kyandī stated with a chuckle. The canine paused to use a couple of fingers to hold her jowls upwards, examining herself in the mirror before lifting up her lip gloss and slathering it on her lips. After she finished, Kyandī let go of her snout and allowed her lips to smack.

"You know, as I said earlier, I've got a fairly tight schedule today, so I can't talk for long," the canine continued, simultaneously twirling the miniature tube around in her fingers.

"So, what did you need from me? You've never specified in your...in...your..." Kyandī abruptly stopped speaking, distracted by a clattering noise she heard in the background. Kyandī flattened her ears, slowly slinking behind Johnson so that she could investigate. After gasping in shock upon discovering a Furret scurrying around, Kyandī abruptly began barking at it. She tossed her lip gloss behind her, preparing to apprehend Cashmere. However, she abruptly halted upon hearing Johnson, turning her body around to glance at the man. Apparently she hadn't closed her gloss all the way, because there was now a scarlet puddle pooling onto poor Johnson's shoes.

"Oh, uh, my bad! I thought that was...an... intruder," Kyandī stated, maintaining her guilty expression as she cautiously approached the second party. She bent down to pick up the tube, this time ensuring that the lid was screwed on tightly.

"Here, let's get you cleaned up, then we can continue talking, mmmyes?"

I don't think my response is particularly long, but I'm still spoilering this since there are mentions of graphic violence/gore in the response!! they don't actually happen, but they're still described to some degree, so toggle at your own discretion!!

NP maaaaay get a follow-up if I have the time!!