Taku went over to them crawling under the desk and sitting on Jack's feet. I hope Melinda takes this strap off my muzzle when she gets back: I'd like to eat something, and the blood in that nose-pouch-thing is really bothering me..."

Darin was enjoying the petting when he realized something. "Jack, where's Mr.Raccoon? Is he coming back soon?"

"Rikki went to the development to go find Matt and his cat, Frank. He hasn't come back yet, so I'm assuming they weren't home and he went somewhere else to wait for them."

Zeke was plastered to Trinket's arm, holding it tightly as he tried to move around and find the actual light-switch before his bad luck switch decided to click off itself. "Zeke! Not so tight! Augh!" Trinket was doing his best to not trip as he moved along the wall for the switch that would reveal all. "Com'on where is...AHA!" Trinket found another switch closer to the staircase.

He flicked it on.

And havoc broke loose.

*BZZZZZZTTTT!*

The lighting system overhead blew out because of the lightning storm hit, sending sparks everywhere. Trinket threw him (and Zeke as well) to the ground as he heard the blowout, praying to god that none of the firedust in the room would ignite on its own. No such luck. Some fine musket powder was left out on a workbench, and that heated up fast, as well as a nearby box of bullets. Trinket clung tight to Zeke as well.

*BANG BOOM BOOM BANG PINGPINGPINGPINGPING*

"...Are we alive still?" Trinket looked at Zeke. Looks like he was okay...
____________
Trinket's Current stats: S6 P7 E6 C6 I7 A8 L2
Luck Curse: -2 Luck to Zeke for being nearby
Collar: +1 END and AGL, and +2 PER to Zeke for being nearby
Pendant: Kytes and Rikki can now use the +2 CHA boost when they want
Xuan: +3 Luck (max boost to 11 Luck) for wearing the Ear Banner, and +2 Luck for anyone close to Xuan

Kylie was sleeping on her favorite tree branch. Then again, any branch that didn’t collapse when she got on it instantly became her favorite. Something wet landed on her nose, walking her up. Huh? Oh, it’s raining. She got out of the tree and looked around. In front of her was a housing edition, and to her right, left, and behind were trees. Just then her stomach growled. Maybe I could get some food from one of the humans. I haven't had anything to eat since that forrest a few hours that one way. Ooh, maybe one of them knows where everyone else is! she thought as she ran into the edition.

A few minutes later, Kylie stopped and sniffed the air. Is that, smoke? Smoke means fire and fire is not good, she reminded herself as she looked around for the source of the hazard. She saw it on the roof of a house nearby, and ran towards a gate in the house’s back fence. She peeked inside, and saw two cats standing by the back door, Are they guarding it or something? Oh well, I’ll just go in and warn them through the front. She closed the gate and walked around to the front of the building and knocked on the door, ignoring the cold rain that was falling.

Zeke was scared stiff. He wanted to run, but Something prevented him.
'Bang boom twang'
He Finally managed to clasp his hands over his ears and made a small effort to get back to the staircase, and realized that something was on top of him. Maybe it was the Holey man, come to eat me! He kicked a little, going nowhere and wimpered, "This- this- this is the worst basement ever!"

"Ooh...I hope he's not getting rained on...Maybe Matt will give Mr.Raccoon a ride in his car!" Darin looked up to Jack's face.

Sam stopped mid-step after a flash of light and a bunch of gunshots going off. Once it quieted down she stepped into the dark basement floor, slowly letting her eyes adjust. "Hello, Zeke? Are you in here?"

Jack chuckled, "Don't worry about Rikki, he's real good about taking care of himself. I'm sure he'll be back with them by nightfall."
Taku sighed again at his feet, Yeah, I wish I could take care of myself that well, maybe then I'd be mating right now and not sitting with my mouth tied shut. Ugh, it'd be so good if I could sense that rain right now...

---------------- Back at the rain-drenched Barbecue ----------------
Kytes laughed. "Maybe just a little too much, too."
Sid sighed, "Yeah, I used to play in the mud in central-park with One-Ear and my girlfriends on days when it was warm enough to be wet. I'd jump in the lake to get clean, but it looks like they're thinking of a shower..." he sighed. "Speaking of showers, which do you prefer? Showers, baths, or licking?"
"Licking. Mom always gets these wierd things that make my fur all sticky for showers and stuff."
"Yeah, I can't really relate. I like showers, but I was conditioned not to lick myself at the shelter after the first family sent me back, so I wouldn't set off people's allergies. They thought it'd make me a 'more attractive pet', but now I can't even lick my own wounds without thinking I'm gonna be shocked by a shock-collar..." he looked down at the now-soaked bandages on his knuckles...

"That sucks," Kytes said as he licked his paw and rubbed the back of his neck with it. "It's probably just something you'll have to get used to again."

Sid looked down at his arm, pulling the jacket sleeve back, "Maybe that's a good idea..." he started tentatively and awkwardly licking it, but he wasn't getting it very well... He finally just gave up with a sigh, changing the subject, "So, you got something goin' on with your paw? I noticed you keep looking at those little holes in it..."

Darin leaned back against Jack, getting bored of the typing. His gaze fell down to see Taku sitting on Jack's feet. He smiled, "Taku!" Darin slid down Jack's leg to land in front of Taku, glomping Taku's right arm.

Terry glared At Frank, an eyebrow raised. "What makes you think I'd want to glomp you?"

-----Off for a Washing-----

Pifer followed Rikki gingerly through the house, looking around timidly at the surroundings. "Umm... so what's a shower?" The weasel asked as he trailed behind.

"It's the way that humans bathe themselves because they don't have lakes and aren't good at licking." he said as he led Pifer into a bathroom with a shower. "You'll enjoy it." He turned the water on and took off his collar while he waited for the water to warm up, closing the door behind him and Pifer.

"Oh, that was a... 'accident,' from earlier." Kytes looked back at his paw.

Sid nodded, raising his tail in front of him and gesturing towards the limp-end, which hung off of it like a rag, "Oh yeah, I know about those. Wha'didja' do to get those holes there?"

Pifer glanced curiously at Rikki as he shut the door. The same strange thoughts crossed the weasel's mind as he realized they were in here alone, but be tried to push them away. "S-So," Pifer said with a gulp as he watched Rikki take off his collar. "It's like... Th-the pond? In the forest?" Pifer stood awkwardly by the door as spoke, his hand fondling the latch on his collar hesitantly.

-----Making Puddles-----

Terry made an indignant sound, glaring at Frank. "I see that was a mistake now, thanks!" Terry looked up and down Frank. "You know my name?"

"More like a waterfall," Rikki said, "Take off your collar and we'll clean it separately, they aren't meant to get wet like this..." He stuck his paw under the shower: warm now. He stepped in, gestured for Pifer to do the same, and took the hose-showerhead down.

Pifer tried to swallow the knot in his throat as he unclamped his collar. He laid the muddy strip of cloth on the sink and stepped to the edge of the "shower". The weasel rubbed his neck awkwardly, looking up at Rikki as he dripped
on the tile floor. "S-So... I just stand under it? ...Next to you..."

-----Dripping on Another Floor-----

Terry, stared at Frank for a while, looking thoughtful. "Friends...?" The blue tom looked at Frank, eyes glinting. "I'D LOVE TO!" Terry went to pounce Frank, but stopped as he remembered the deal.

"Yeah," said Rikki, "C'mon. Don't worry, I'll help you." He smiled at Pifer, thinking his discomfort was from the unfamiliarity of the situation.

---------------- At the Station... ----------------
Taku looked up and gave the pup a little nuzzle before laying his head back down.

Pifer breathed a shakey sigh as he stepped under the spray. The mud immidiately started to dislodge from his fur, running down into the bottom of the shower. Pifer had never felt so strange in his entire life. Here he was, in some human contraption, fur plastered to his body... Rikki mere inches away. "Wh-What now?" He stammered, arms wrapped around himself as water ran over his body.

Frank flinched massively, then in relief when Terry didn't glomp.

---Meanwhile---
Matt had an interesting conversation with Frank's cousin, K-Bar, over the cell phone. Apparently, a housing Snafu was forcing them to move and could they camp out at Matt and Frank's place? Of course!

---Back to Frank---

"Say, did anyone hear an explosion in the basement?" asked Frank.

Darin laid down next to Taku, snuggling up against his side. He looked to Taku's face with his bright blue eyes, wondering why he was being so calm and still.

Sid chuckled a bit, "Yeah, I kinda found out that they aren't that useful for punches anyway, once you learn how to throw a good punch." he gave a little punch to the air, "So who would you have been punching?"

---------------- Inside... ----------------
"here," Rikki said, turning Pifer to face away from him, "Let me get your back for you." He pulled the hose-style showerhead off its wall mount and began running it over Pifer's back, getting it under his fur and cleaning out old dirt with the new mud.

---------------- At the Station... ----------------
Taku rolled over on his back, pulling the pup onto his belly where he began to play with his ears and headfur.

"An explosion?" Ian glanced curiously at Frank. He hadn't heard anything, but that may have been due to the shock after the lighting. "I heard the lightning..." Terry said quietly.

-----In the Shower-----

Pifer flinched as Rikki turned him around, a little uncomfortable with having his back to him. He turned his head a little to look over his shoulder. He was about to ask Rikki about the shower again, but stopped as the warm jets of water blasted into his fur. Pifer's eyes rolled a little, and his eyes fluttered. The water massaged at his tense muscles and caused the dirt and mud to fall from his fur. He didn't know what exactly made this "shower" do what it did, but he liked it. Pifer became caught up in the relaxing sensations the shower brought, and he didn't notice when he gave a low, guttural moan. "Ooooh..."

Rikki chuckled, "Feels good, doesn't it? I told you you'd like it." He finished off Pifer's backside, making sure to get every nook and cranny. "Alright, let's get the front now." he said.

Darin giggled, squirming around of Taku's belly. He reached up and messed with Taku's ears, still laughing and giggling.

"I guess I must have imagined it..." mused Frank. "Well anyway, what d'ya guys do in your freetime?" he asked Ian and Terry.

Pifer barely heard anything Rikki was saying. He closed his eyes as the water ran down his back, but his bliss ended suddenly. Pifer shot straight up, eyes wide. Wait... my front?! Pifer looked around frantically. "Er... Umm..."

-----Meanwhile-----

Ian shrugged. "I like to read, and I play-" "I PLAY VIDEO GAMES!" Terry cut Ian's sentence off. "A lot...."

Frank blinked.
"Um... ok... I guess that's cool... I like nipping...." said Frank awkwardly. Matt took his shirt off and wrung it out on the rug.

"Yeah, c'mere." He turned Pifer around, thoroughly cleaning his frontside now, not finding anything strange about the situation at all.

---------------- At the Station... ----------------
Taku let the pup play with his ears and began ruffling all of the fur on his body. Why am I enjoying this so much? Is this what it's like to have kids?
Jack looked down under the desk and smiled at the two before going back to what he was doing.

Kytes sighed, "My dad. He's just... not much of an animal person."

Sid sighed, putting his arm over Kytes' shoudler, "Yeah, my second family was kinda like that: the kids wanted a cat and the mom was allergic to cats, so... Once the kids decided they didn't like me, that was over. So were you fighting him over somethin'?"

Darin stopped playing with Taku's ears, hugging him around the neck and nuzzling his chest fur. His tail was wagging happily and he was still giggling from the fun.

Taku snuggled the pup. He's so soft and warm, and it feels so right to be cuddling him. Man, I want more of these around! The second I get outta here, I'm having kids!

Kytes scratched the back of his neck, "Always, it's almost like whenever we see each other, there's always something to fight about."

Darin quieted down, nuzzling Taku once more. "Taku you're fun! I hope you get better soon so we can go play outside." He smiled at the idea, his tail wagging."Oh, I know! We can go get ice cream then go play!"

Sid sighed: Kytes wasn't much different than him. He stayed silent for a bit before finally asking, "What about your mom? You get along with her?"

---------------- Still at the station... ----------------
Taku cuddled the pup a little more. He hoped he'd be better soon too. He'd love to go play with the pup outside, and ice-cream sounded delicious...
At that moment, the front door opened and Melinda walked in, the boots of her full uniform made clomping sounds on the tile floor of the office. "Alright, I'm back. Didn't find anything other than what the guy had on him. I guess the city police came and got him?"
Jack chuckled, "Oh yeah, you won't believe it: the chief himself came and got 'im. Apparently they've been investigating some massive pet-napping and narcotics ring all day long. They've only made two arrests so far though, and that was this morning, so you can imagine his mood."
Melinda chuckled back, "Oh man, sounds like our perp picked the wrong day to speed through the park with a car-full of liquor... So where's Taku? He went back to sleep."
"I dunno," Jack said, rolling his chair back and peeking under the desk, "You still awake down there Taku?"
Taku looked up and gave a wave. How could I possibly sleep? My head feels like its been split in two...