Destiny Village ~ Pasta Plaza

[Namohysip]

"Uh." Nidoking looked at Sneasel, then at the poffins that lined the shelves. "...Poffins. All kinds." He didn't really know how to answer a question so braindead obvious. Unless she was the sort to come up with small talk to pass the time, but that just made things even more awkward. "Looking for a flavor?"

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Kate eyed the poffins lining the shop's display to the left, noting that there seemed to be a healthy variety of options for Pleo to choose from... if he wasn't being watched. The thing to do now was just to keep the Nidoking's attention off his display for as long as she could, and the fastest way to do that...

Would be to play to her audience.

"Well, I can't say I'm really familiar with what you carry here," Kate said. "I'm new in town and a friend of mine said that this was the best place in all of Destiny Village to get poffins."

The Sneasel leaned towards the rightmost end of the counter and propped her arm onto it.

"Think you can give me a run-down on your offerings?" she asked. "You don't seem to be very busy right now and I'd hate to get the wrong idea about your shop picking out a poffin that's not a good fit for me."

 

[Namohysip]

Nidoking narrowed his eyes, like something she said was offensive. "Well, sure," he replied anyway, tail flicking and thumping against the wall behind him. "Here are some of the basic flavors. Most people usually want to start off with the basics before going into the more elaborate flavors, so I'd recommend maybe familiar flavors, like Pecha or Oran, over there." He gestured to one of the simpler, but still colorful shelves.

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

"Well, I'm not 'most people'," Kate replied. "I like getting a feel for all the options available from a shop. Helps me get a feel for it."

The Sneasel gave an impish smirk back.

"I mean, you didn't get your reputation just for Oran and Pecha poffins, did ya?" she asked. "Let's hear about these other flavors you've got, the more the merrier!"

 

[Namohysip]

"Alright, alright." Nidoking gave a little smirk back and moved to the far side of the counter where the other poffins were. "Let's start with some of the mixed recipes first. Made a few of them myself, y'know, and..." As he started on his explanation, he seemed to become a little more distracted than usual. Perhaps he really did like his poffins. The silver feather necklace he wore glimmered in the light.

 

[Virgil134]

As Kate and the Nidoking continued talking, Pleo crept closer and closer to the stand. He'd tried to stay as low to the ground as possible in order to avoid being spotted by the Nidoking, and while moving like this had been awkward, it had also been successful so far. While the young Lugia crouched down he noticed a few paper bags on the counter, ones that likely already had a bunch of poffins inside of them.

Pleo looked at the Nidoking again, and suddenly started to feel a little nervous. What if the Nidoking spotted him while walking away? He almost attacked him the first time, but he'd surely attack him for real if he saw him walking away with his food! The seabird paused as he glanced over at Kate, who seemed very... relaxed. He blinked for a moment. If she felt this at ease about it, then maybe he shouldn't hesitate so much and just... do it.

The Lugia leaned forward and snatched one of the bags of poffins off the counter, before turning around and waddling away as fast as possible.

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Kate watched from the corner of her eye as Pleo slipped off and gave a knowing smile, before turning back to the Nidoking as he wrapped up his listing of his wares.

"Hm... guess I'll go with two of your daily specials, then," the Sneasel said. "That shouldn't cost too mu-"

The Sneasel grabbed at a small pouch she was issued by the guild, before feigning surprise, pouring it out to reveal it was empty before giving an overeager smile back up at the Nidoking.

"Er... I don't suppose you keep a tab for customers, do you? Kinda forgot to stock up on pocket change today."

 

[Namohysip]

"Hm, how about this," Nidoking said, holding the bag on the counter. "I'll keep these ones on hold and warm for you, and you can get back to me when you get the pocket change you need. Maybe I'll even get fresh ones if you've got other errands today." He shrugged. Nidoking had followed Kate's gaze, narrowing his eyes when he saw the last of Pleo's tail. He grumbled, "And watch out for any weird wraiths while you're out there."

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

"Hm, how about this," Nidoking said, holding the bag on the counter. "I'll keep these ones on hold and warm for you, and you can get back to me when you get the pocket change you need. Maybe I'll even get fresh ones if you've got other errands today." He shrugged.

Kate curled her mouth into a disappointed frown back at the shopkeeper at lack of a mention of a tab, before shaking her head back. "Well, it was worth a shot," she said. "I'll see what I can do about that change, though it's going to be a bit of a walk."

Nidoking had followed Kate's gaze, narrowing his eyes when he saw the last of Pleo's tail. He grumbled, "And watch out for any weird wraiths while you're out there."

"Meh, I'm sure I'll manage," the Sneasel insisted. "Wraiths are ghosts, aren't they? I am a Dark-Type, so I'm not losing any sleep here."

The Sneasel drifted off from the shop, a smug grin spreading over her face as the poffin stall faded from view behind her as she followed after Pleo to the alleyway she'd been lurking earlier, where the Lugia shade had settled down with his purloined snacks.

"So? What do you think?" she asked. "Pretty good trade for that rough treatment earlier, huh?"

 

[Virgil134]

"Uh huh! Uh huh!"

Pleo took a pink poffin out the bag and ate it, cheerily beating out his wings the moment he tasted the snack.

"It's really yummy! This one tastes very sweet!"

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

"Heh, sure that's just the poffin that tastes that way?" she asked. "Since the revenge isn't half bad either."

Kate smiled to herself and thought back to her crew, the young shade's face reminding her of many a night spent in celebration of a job well done. Even so, it was probably for the best to make sure that Pleo kept these sorts of score-settlings rare. The two of them weren't in Varhyde, so there was no need for him to go straight to living like she did in Varhyde...

well, at least not yet.

"Though let's keep this between us, alright?" she asked. "After all, it'd probably be easier to get around town if that Nidoking doesn't know that you got even with him."

 

[Virgil134]

Pleo gave an overeager nod back. "Okay! I promise I won't tell anyone!"

He took another poffin out of the bag and started eating it, before speaking up again with his mouth full. "Bethides Cabot!"

Before Kate could say anything in response, the Lugia finished his snack and took a third poffin from the bag and offered it to her.

"Here, this is for you."

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Pleo gave an overeager nod back.

"Okay! I promise I won't tell anyone!" He took another poffin out of the bag and started eating it, before speaking up again with his mouth full. "Bethides Cabot!"

Kate flattened her ears out in annoyance at Pleo's reply.

"Um, Pleo?" she began. "When I said 'between us', that kinda by definition meant not-"

Before Kate could say anything in response, the Lugia finished his snack and took a third poffin from the bag and offered it to her.

"Here, this is for you."

Kate fell silent as the Lugia shade passed the poffin into her claws, the Dark-Type looking at it for a moment before giving an impish shrug of her shoulders back.

"Eh, I'll make it work," she said, before cheerfully munching down on the ill-gotten poffin.

 

[Virgil134]

Pleo let out a happy chirp as Kate accepted the poffin.

"Thank you for helping me!" the Lugia exclaimed. "Maybe we can hang out together sometime! I'm sure you and Cabot will get along great!"

He grabbed the poffin bag with his beak and made his way for the alley's exit, giving her a cheery wave as he left for the guild.

<><><>​

 

[Adamhuarts]

"Mochi, Mochi, life is better with MOCHI!" Ivy sang to herself, browsing through the various food stands at the plaza with as many mochi sticks could fit in her flowers.

"Mochi, Mochi, uhhh, what rhymes with Mochi?" Ivy tilted her head, then she popped another into her mouth. "Mochi, Mochi, Ivy doesn't rhyme with Mochi!"

 

[Ambyssin]

A trail of slime slithered up behind Ivy and snatched the sticks — both eaten and uneaten — away. It ducked behind a stand.

 

[Adamhuarts]

"NOOOOOOOOO! THAT'S IVY'S MOCHI!" Ivy's eyes lit up and she frantically looked to find the thief. How could anyone take Ivy's mochi? So unfair!

Ivy looked down at the not so subtle trail of slime and narrowed her eyes. How subscipious. Was that how they pronounced the word? Who cares! Following the slime will give all answers!

And follow the trail Ivy did, and it led her to a stand. She puffed her cheeks and scurried around behind it, flowers raised and ready for a fight. After sparring with Mia the day before, Ivy had surely leveled up enough to take on anyone!

"Give Ivy back her mochi!!!"

 

[Ambyssin]

An empty stick pelted her. Then another. And a third.

 

[Adamhuarts]

"Ow!" Ivy flinched when the first one hit her, then came another, and another. Her eyes dimmed.

"Stop it! Don't eat them all! Leave some for Ivy too!" she said, lunging forward in hopes of tackling the stick peltler.

 

[Ambyssin]

The next stick had neon purple paint dribbling from it...