FSE

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One week from now...

October was sure he had this. He'd agreed to take on the sweeping. He'd decided to work smart. Use the nine limbs he had to make up for the hands that he hadn't, (just as Pouncer had, in fact, just yesterday suggested.)

So, October strolled casually through the corridors of Plaisir, a broken-handled broom lightly wound by each tail, held just firmly enough to form an array, a dragnet of cleaning, behind him.

So the theory went, anyways. He wasn't exactly looking back to check on his progress. There was just far too much Café Plaisir to be too fussy about this, so he reckoned. Besides, his tails were awesome. They had this. He was sure.

So, he was lost in a daydream, stalking the halls and casually observing the architecture of the place, the layout, the feel of each zone. He'd been here a while now and this was, at least, a golden opportunity to get that layout as well learned and memorised as he already ought to have it gotten.

Suddenly Pouncer stepped in front of him. The Grovyle was about to speak, but he suddenly looked over and behind the Ninetales and then his beak fell open in horror...

October looked over his shoulder at the eastern first floor corridor and stopped. This was the sixteenth corridor he'd swept so far since leaving the supply cupboard.

Behind him lay a wake of destruction, potted plants pitched over, their soil spread across the carpet, mixed into the general dirt and grime of the previous day, all furrowed into lines by October's cleaning array, which had itself been carrying several dusty, dirty and chalky outlines across the carpet with it as it had gone. He had verily ploughed the halls with filth.

When October dared to look back around, Mister Pouncer was rubbing the bridge of his snout with his claws, shaking his head and groaning, "No..."

October winced and chuckled awkwardly, "Ahahahah... ahhh... I'll... clean it up," he began, unenthusiastically.

"No..." said Pouncer, still shaking his head, "No, I'll get someone else... outside, go outside and clean up the litter, October."

Two weeks from now...

"There's no-where better around here," said October, "In terms of fun, believe me."

"You say that," said Hisoka, "but this part of the world leaves much to be desired. This Pokemon Brothel-Resort is probably the only highlight."

"As you say," agreed October, with a nod, "though the wilderness is nice enough."

"Though it is outside and we are in here," said Hisoka, "Which is pleasant, but not quite as wild as I had hoped."

October cocked his head and smiled slowly, "We are in here, but we could be out there. These surrounding forests and plains are all Plaisir's grounds. They are not off-limits for anything."

That made Hisoka sit up and appear to take more interest, "Is it?"

"Now that is more interesting," said Minori, "We came here hoping for the wild American Pokemon, but when we got here, it's kind of tame."

October laughed, out loud. Oh, that was a good one.

"Something is funny?" asked Hisoka.

"Oh yes," said October, still snickering, "It only seemed that way because you hadn't spoken to me yet. Tell me what you want and I'll get you all the wild American Pokemon you can handle and then some."

They told him. He loved it. Mari didn't.

"This is crazy!" she said, shaking her head, "I don't think I'm doing this."

"Come on, Mari," said Minori, "When we were drunk we agreed it was a common trainer fantasy. Where is better than here to try it out?"

"I just don't-" began Mari.

October smiled and advanced on Mari. The black-haired no-nonsense girl had been the most reluctant of the whole group, in a way that October couldn't help but be amused by. She was even more awkward then he was.

Besides, this had the whiff of a game about it. A buried prize to tantalise a Fox, made more satisfying by the challenge.

He jumped up and put his forelegs on the table in front of her, pushing himself up to her eye level. October was not a small Fox and with his tails flowing behind him, he made the most of his presence. "Mari," said October, "There is nothing improper here. You are a young adult out to experience the world," he made sure to meet her eyes, earnestly, "With desires natural to the young and curious. This is the proper place and time to indulge them."

To her credit, she kept to his gaze, meeting his eyes though there was a blush on her cheeks. Just as he suspected she would. She didn't seem like she lacked courage, nor, he had a sneaking suspicion, interest. She was just holding herself back.

October suspected she just needed a little coaxing. He smiled, cheekily, "Are you really so shy and meek that you'll waste the money you've already spent?"

Her face reddened further. Red on black, an appealing combination, thought October.

"Hey, you Fox-faced bastard Demon!" said Mari, angrily, "I'm not scared!" She looked away, looking pouty, "This is just weird."

October chuckled, but pleasantly and not over-much. "I understand, it was odd for me too at first."

She looked at him, doubtfully.

"It's true," he said, honestly, "In spite of appearances and despite an adventurous nature, I'm the type that likes a bit of familiarity, first. So it was difficult for me to adapt, but now I'm learning to enjoy new kinds of adventures."

Mari looked doubtful, then thoughtful, then looked away. Her moods seemed to shift very quickly, thought October. It was entertaining to watch.

"My Auntie has a Ninetales," said Mari quietly, "but you are very different to him..."

"Am I now?" said October, pricking his ears, "How so?" Comparison to another Ninetales? A Japanese one? Now this was interesting.

"He is very reserved," said Mari, "but you are... outspoken."

"If he is a very proper Ninetales, I am also probably a lot more fun," said October, with a smirk.

Three weeks from now...

October frowned, oh, now THAT was a low blow, punching him in the feels like that. The feels of pride and vanity. That was a particularly unkind thing to do to a Ninetales. Especially THIS Ninetales.

Still, twist his face as he might, October didn't have an answer to that.

Pouncer sighed again, "Never mind, then, October, I'll leave you with these two. I shall clean up the mess they made."

"...Mess..?" asked October, curious.

Frowning, it was Colin who spoke first, speaking in a high and angry voice as he tattled on his friend, "HE threw coffee beans at me!"

The Umbreon scowled at Colin, his red eyes sharp, "HE wouldn't shut up!"

"THEN," shouted Colin, the Sylveon squeaking louder, "He wouldn't clean up the Coffee Beans and THEN he threw more!"

"Because you still wouldn't shut up!" declared Chai.

Behind them, the door closed in front of the retreating Pouncer. The look in his eyes to October told him that this problem, which he had made, was his, now.

October frowned, but smiled slightly. He had to grudgingly give the Grovyle this one.

Still, that smile didn't last long into Colin and Chai's continued argument.

"...Dammit Colin, for once in your life, you should wake up and stop being such an-" cursed Chai, angrily.

Colin cut him off, squeaking louder, "You're mean! You're always so mean, Chai! Why aren't you sorry? WHY aren't you EVER sorry for ANYTHING..!?"

October winced as Colin's pitch and volume rose slightly past the upper limits for morning tolerance.

"...Well! Mister Breeder and Bedroom Waiter," said Chai, "Maybe if you, for once in your fucking life, got out and saw how real people acted, you'd know, you'd ACTUALLY know what they felt like..!"

"REAL people?" said Colin, drawing himself up a bit, "Like all the nasty people you met as a stray, you think THOSE are REAL people!? More then the nice people here? Is THAT what you think..!? Chai!?"

October sighed and then started taking a deep breath. They were getting personal. It was time to intervene. He readied himself for battle condition: shouty. October could out-obnoxious just about anything and whist he hated turning that terrible power on his friends, in the name of peace... he opened his maw wide, readying the first terrible syllable of his peacekeeping salvo.

The screech of rubber interrupted him, interrupted them all. Ninetales, Sylveon and Umbreon looked up at once, ears pointed towards the entranceway. It went on for a good number of seconds.

"What was that!?" asked Colin, worriedly.

"Sounded like a motorbike," muttered October, mildly irritated to have to exposit the obvious, but this was Colin.

"Anyway," said Chai, "The fact is-"

October stuck a paw on the bridge of his muzzle and shoved it down onto his chest, "Oh, can it, Chai," he said casually, "The pair of you have had your say for today, let's not be shit."

Chai struggled back out of his reach and glared at him. October gave him a look that told him how unapologetic and right he felt he was.

Colin whined, nearby.

Without taking his eyes from Chai or letting his smirk slide, October let one of his tails, the fourth from the left, slink over and pet the Sylveon on the head, smothering him in crimson floof. Colin let out a squeak at first of protest, but it quickly melted into relief as the Sylveon relaxed.

Different strokes for different folks.

The door burst open.

"...Yeah, yeah, thanks, thanks," loudly said a heavily accented voice from the south of this very continent, verily the south. Somewhere.

October glanced towards the source of the voice, briefly catching sight of Cheryl, the Lopunny door-greeter, as the poor thing was almost spun off her heels by the apparently brusque passage of the magnificent creature that had just walked in through that front door.

Chai looked up at his friend, who had suddenly gone quiet and frowned. Now that was wierd. October's maw was hanging open and his eyes were staring.

It took him a few seconds to follow October's line of sight and see what it was that had illicited such an unusual reaction out of his friend.

Chai's eyes widened. There was a sight... she was big, especially to him. She had to be just a little bit taller then October. The Ninetales was the classic gold, but tarnished with dust and dirt from the road. Apart from a single travel bag slung over her shoulder, she had a wild look, like October's but windswept... and sighting the three males together, she advanced with a grin that looked to Chai like she was gonna eat them.

"She's beautiful," gasped October.

"She's fuckin' sexy," muttered Chai.

"Hmm, she doesn't look after her fur, very well," said Colin quietly and thoughtfully.

October and Chai stared at the Sylveon in disbelief.

She advanced on them fearlessly, showing no sign of having heard their exchange or caring if she had.

"Hello, boys..!" said the Ninetales, "Let me see you now?"

October and Chai straightened up and stuck out their chests as if a button on a remote had been pressed.

Four weeks from now...

October advanced onto the roof, his expression set in as plain a determination as his stride. He raised his tails high behind him in a fan.

The dark landscape of the roof beckoned. A tight landscape of metal and darkness, glinting in the moonlight like teeth in the night.

October grew a smile as he walked. No, no need at all for a Ninetales to advance blindly into the jaws of darkness.

Without even opening his mouth, barely waving his tails, October put what practise he had to work.

Four will-o-wisps, balls of floating flame formed from concentrations of his aura and burning bright green, emerged from no-where around his tails, following as he walked, keeping pace and casting October's own, eerie green light over the scene, bringing the landscape of roofing felt and protruding utilities into view. Across the roof, the grand solar mirror that concentrated the light into the inner garden recast that dim green light all the farther, making for a galaxy of glinting, green returns, becoming verdant in a manner like the night sky, above.

By this light, however, October himself was black. His own eyes, also glowing, shone all the brighter.

"So now you show yourself," growled a deep voice from some hidden place, in the shadows, "Is this the stealthy vulpine terror I've stalked through the woods? Where's your guile, Fox..?"

"Oh, far be it from me to deny the fun of our little chases," said October, loudly to the darkness, still striding out towards the middle of biggest space on the roof, making a grand show of himself, "but that was then and this is now, Eclipse. I'm done running. It's time to shine a light against your darkness."

A deep, dark chuckle resounded around the roof, "Oh, October... you're talking such deep commitment, when I think you're too used to changin' the channel on things you don't like, gettin' away from all your consequences," the Mightyena's tone was almost light and jovial, "You don't really get what facing me might mean..." his tone became low and threatening, "but don't worry... you'll learn... I'll make sure of it, this time..."

"Oh, will you now..?" said October, smirking confidently, still striding forth.

"I will," said Eclipse with surety, "Confident as you might strut, you know I'm stronger than you, Ninetales. Arrogant of you to just walk out in the open like that..."

Finding his place in the middle of the roof, October stopped and stood, posturing, smiling as he declared, "You wouldn't just ambush me, now, Eclipse! Not me. Not after everything. You want this face-to-face. You need this in the open so that there can be no doubt as to the victor..."

"Guilty as charged," said Eclipse, appearing suddenly from the shadows, looking big and mean as the night itself, wearing a grin that was a snarl and reflecting the moonlight, darkly. "Gotta admit," growled the Mightyena, those eyes bearing into October's, "I was worried I'd winged you too hard. You're right. This wouldn't be as satisfying if there were any lingering doubts... and it'll be all the better to break you when you're at your best. Though make no mistake, I want you broken, Ninetales... and when I break you, you and everything you are is going to be mine..."