DUNGEON DIVING RAHHH

        The sky was painted a deep red as the sun rose, only a few clouds hindering the bright licks of warm sunlight. The small amount of wind was a welcome feeling, rippling through fur and barely chilling whatever pokémon may be out and about, causing them to gently rouse. On this day, Aphrodisiac was the one to enjoy the comforting weather. It was a wonderful change of pace from the rain and snow, as he'd much rather deal with a bit of chill than the stinging cold scratching at his nose and throat. He exhaled a sigh of tension, leaving it behind in the little flurry of condensation. No matter. That wasn't important. He was there for other matters, after all.

         Vibrant cyan eyes lingered on the ground for a while as he walked forth, uninterested in his surroundings for a while. The gravel path slowly changed into cobblestone, becoming more and more overgrown with grass and moss with each step he took, until the path became dirty and twisted. Aphrodisiac glanced up. Vines twisted into wretched, beautiful shapes, blood coating a few thorns and cobble on the way, the inviting red light of the sunrise becoming an unsettling sight. Yet it put the sylveon at ease. He walked further down the path, bushes filled with wild rosehips lead him deeper and deeper into the maze. As he walked past another bit of blood, he ran his finger over the thorn that pricked the unfortunate pokémon. The deep red liquid, swiftly becoming stale, caused no reaction from him. Rather, he simply glanced at his red-dyed thumb, swiftly brought it up to his mouth, and licked it up. 

         As if a switch was flipped, his form shifted into what could only be described as a demon. Fangs elongated, pupils morphed into a new shape, and markings changed under the red light. What was repressed became visible, as the vampire stretched his wings, and his stride became more confident. A part of him was free, willing him to soak in the dawn, and toy with some prey. The cool, metallic taste of blood left on his tongue was alluring, but he ignored it. For now. He'd much rather stay on track, rotating the destination route in his mind as he weaved between bushes, hopped over a few vines, and ducked the occasional tall root. 

         Finally where he was supposed to be, he cracked a slight smile to greet the anxious zigzagoon waiting for him in the center of the maze. The small creature nearly jumped out of its fur, before offering a more hesitant smile in return. Her eyes flickered away from his, hesitant to look him in the eye. That kind of fear was the exact response Aphrodisiac had hoped for, and he relished that reaction for a few moments. Finally, he spoke.

         "So, little one," the zigzagoon flinched, as if she wasn't expecting him to speak first, but she eagerly nodded to show she was listening. "What did you bring for me?"

         She scampered off the path and into a bush, then leapt out with a bag, dragging it over as if it weighed a ton. But she was a small creature. It wasn't his position to judge- or at the very least -voice his judgment. Rather, it would be bad timing to bring it up now. She pushed the bag closer to him with her front paws, then ran back a few steps, as if desperate to get some distance between herself and the vampire. He couldn't blame her. "Uhm. Three liters! I-I've got three liters," she stammered.

         "Three?" he asked, letting the question linger for a while and not breaking eye contact, despite her desperately fleeing eyes. Her growing discomfort and anxiety became visible as she started shaking, tears barely forming. The pathetic sight almost made him feel bad. Stifling a little laugh, he continued. "That's more than last time. Good job, Kye. Thank you for taking care of me."

         The shaken-up critter offered a hasty nod back, a few tears falling on her visibly hyperventilating chest. She quickly turned around and sprinted into the thorned bushed, done with her task, and looking for the first chance to flee. Aphrodisiac watched as she scrambled, slowly walking to where she entered the bushes. He wiped off the blood she left after so carelessly running into rosebushes, once again bringing it to his mouth and licking it off his short fur. A shakey sigh forced its way through at the taste, closing his eyes and relishing the taste as he swallowed. He stood for a while, taking it all in. The difference between stale and fresh was incredible. 

         Finally, he glanced back to the bag, several smaller plastic pouches filled with blood barely peeking out. As much as he made fun of her, Kye was cunning, and her deliveries were always more than he could ask for. Fear was a powerful tool, and a tool he loved to wield. He picked up his bag and glanced at the sky. The deep red had morphed into a vibrant orange, light scattering off of a few clouds, becoming warmer yet. It was still early, and he still had more chores to attend to. Aphrodisiac left the maze, idly picking at the bag. 

         He couldn't wait to dig in.