"Yeah, she's a really good friend." Max agreed with her

Vanilla nodded.

"So...when might you want to come...and what might you want to do when you do?"

She was gradually--GRADUALLY--starting to become more comfortable talking about this.

"I'd like to listen to music, for one." Max said, first as he thought of other ideas, "Maybe watch movies, or shows. And I always love a good strategy game, like chess." He offered, "What do you think?"

At hearing the other two say they were ready, Shiro took a deep breath in through his nose, letting the air out through his mouth afterward and then repeating. After about the fifth time he felt himself getting slightly light headed as every smell in the air seemed to sharpen drastically. Part of him knew and worried over the risks he ran by hyper stimulating his sense of smell this way, but a much bigger part of him wanted to impress these two who he was hoping he'd get to call his friends, and for that he'd need the edge it gave him. "Okay, as soon as you two are where you want to be, just give a signal and we'll begin." The husky called out to them, simply falling quiet and listening after that.

Conrad gave the signal, he tried to stand perfectly still, not wanting to do anything that might attract attention until he knew what Shiro was going to do.

With a brave attempt to perk his Foxhound ears (failing completely), Awesome ran back a little bit, getting in position, and not really caring about secrecy. He had an advantage of knowing the park's area quite well, so he didn't even bother opening his eyes. Since the dog was never trained in using his sense of smell, and never tried improving a technique, he relied on the natural ability he inherited. His greatest advantage was his knowledge of the area right now. All of this going through his mind at once, he barked loudly, though didn't move, just to see if he had any chance of figuring out what Shiro was going to do.

Vanilla tried to prevent her eyes from falling out of their sockets.

"That sounds good," she said, trying to sound casual. She wasn't sure if he'd memorized all that about her, or if he really wanted to do all that. That was right up her alley.

"So...I guess you'll ask your folks and I'll ask my dad when we get a chance, then?"

(EDIT: Probably should be after the next timeskip, shouldn't it, since this is still the end of the day, and it's Honey's birthday?)

"That sounds like a plan." Max told Vanilla, confirming what she just said.

(Yes, it probably should be after the time skip. It is after dark by now, afterall. )

((P.S. I'd like to remind everyone that this current time-skip skipped us to the end of a day, and is presumed to have started just before dusk. That means, that by know, it should be dark out. Not pitch-black, but still dark. ))

Vanilla nodded.

"So...how do you feel about that?"

Vanilla tensed up again.

Shiro barked out his own signal in response and began moving in the direction he'd heard Conrad's signal come from. Listening for anything that would give him a more accurate location as he went, he was a little surprised he wasn't hearing anything, either both of his targets were extremely good at moving silently, or they weren't moving at all. Either way, it meant he was stuck until it was either time for them to signal again or he ran across one of their scents.

Conrad closed his eyes and backed up slowly trying not to make any noise that would give him away. He looked around trying to decide whether or not he should just run for it.
He knew he would have to signal soon, well whatever I'm doing I better decide quick

Awesome noticed the lack of noise, and sighed very softly. Great, we're at an impass.... He ran to the side, nor caring about trying to be silent, and judging his own speed to be enough. Still, he wasn't going full speed, so he knew full well Seth might be able to ctaching him. in any case, the wind was in his favour. He already had an estimate of where Shiro was due to the scent in the wind, and knew from this that Shiro had to rely on ears.

(If you think I'm God modding too much, I'll change it. Apologies if that's the case as well.)

Shiro stopped as he heard the sound of movement from behind him, taking only a moment to get a decent fix on it before beginning to move in that direction. Giving a quick bark as the five second mark hit he picked up his pace toward the sound. He wasn't sure he'd be able to catch Awesome like this, if it was indeed Awesome he was now chasing, but at least it was an active trail...now if the wind would cooperate and give him a scent to follow he might just be able to start moving at a decent enough pace to make a catch.

Conrad started to move to the left quickening his pace until he was almost running. He thought he heard Shiro's bark moving away from him but he couldn't be sure.

Awesome noticed Shiro coming closer through scent and his signal. He stopped at the same time, and barked quickly, giving off his signal. At the same time, he slowly walked backwards in the opposite direction, hoping it'd put Shiro off. If Shiro came the same way, and kept his sense of smell up, he knew he'd be caught pretty soon. Either way, he kept to his plan, and held his breath.

Shiro picked up his speed a bit as he heard Awesome's signal, adjusting his direction the little bit needed to be heading toward where he'd heard the other dog. Catching Awesome's scent just a moment later the husky turned just a little more and sprang forward as he reach out for where he hoped the other dog was, he'd know soon enough at least, because he'd either catch the other dog or end up tumbling across the ground at the end of his little jump.

((OOC: I'll leave the exact outcome of Shiro's leap to you R0N. Be it narrow miss, complete fail, solid catch, accidental tackle or any other logical outcome you can come up with. And I'll handle Shiro's reaction to that outcome in my next post.))

(I'm really impressed that you noticed it was R0N and not RON, just letting you know, heh.)

Awesome caught the scent of Shiro approaching quick, and tensed his eyes, pretty much frozen in the spot. He jumped back, as quickly as he could, though fell over landing back first on the floor. Having heard Shiro land, he merely sighed, having full expectations that he'd end up being caught before he managed to get up. Just my luck

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

Aethon growled slowly at Sly, before finally throwing him down. He slowly walked away, without a word. At the same time, Sly simply bit his bottom lip, siting on the floor and leaning against the clubhouse, as he looked towards Aethon. He decided it was best not to say a thing, as he finally let out a low breath of relief.

He looked back towards Liz finally with a smile. Quite silently, he said: "I h-honestly thought he would've been a lot rougher, heh."

Conrad heard Shiro land, he slowed down but sontinued to move slowly away from the sound

(Finally noticed srry)

"Your skill surpasses mine. I have been teaching myself all this time you know. I never took a lesson once."

Mark smiled, remembering his special item.

Liz hurried to Sly's side when he sat down. She hugged him, "I'm just glad that you're alright." She said, holding him tightly.

_________________________________________


"Well," Max began, "I like the idea. What about you?"

Sly hugged Liz back softly, although was visibly more tired. It was getting late, and that certain meeting definitely had taken it out of Sly, though he wasn't seriously hurt. Just a few bruises, and a small cut on his right elbow. Still, he smiled towards Liz, seeming mentally unfazed by what just happened. "I'm glad he's finally gone..." He began, before sighing and looking down, realizing just what was going to happen. He didn't seem as bothered by it as you might expect. "I can imagine I'll be single once he tells Rendak, for better or for worse..."

Vanilla had a lump in her throat which she tried to swallow.

"I...I suppose I don't mind the idea. Perhaps I even look forward to it."

She turned red, but did not pull her hood over her head.

Zeke grinned and showed Mark his violin. It was well polished all the strings fairly new, not a nick or scratch to be found, his name was painted on it introcately with gold paint. "My mother gave this to me when I was little..." he looked up to the skies "I really miss her... she died a year ago, taken by cancer..." he sighed "I practice every day ever since, and one day I decided to start singing...and taught myself" he smiled slightly. "I have another one at home, hanging on my wall" he chuckled "I found it here when I first moved in" he smiled "Yet oddly it had MY name carved into it, Ezekial Warren" he chuckled "Under my name it says 'A scattered dream is like a far off memory, A far off memory is like a scattered dream', kinda odd don't ya think?" he smiled slightly

“Hmm.. Sounds like a line from a video game I played... Anyway, your violin IS perfect. You take gret care of it.” Mark said, amazed.

Zeke put the violin back across his back "Yeah... I do... Its one of my most favorite things in the world" he smiled and closed his eyes "I love being outside, waaaay hiiiigh up in a tree when the moon is out, and listening as my soft melodies fill the air" he opened his eyes and checked the time on his cell phone. "You're welcome to come along, but there is a friend I really want to go see... His name is Rendak... He is the most wonderful, kindest, and sweetest dog in the entire world, with eyes that I could gaze into forever..." he shook his head "B-but he is taken... Sly really makes him happy..." he began walking "And as long as Ren is happy... I can be too..." he smiled slightly

Shiro tumbled and twisted as best he could as he hit the ground, reorienting himself to face the way he had come. Scrambling a to his feet as he finished turning he pushed himself forward quickly and jumped again, this time aiming to have his feet land just short of where Awesome's scent had hit it's most powerful, hoping the other dog was still there so he could end this quickly. He gave a bark as five seconds finished ticking by again, three of his paws coming down just after to meet the ground while one met with fur. "H-heh...g-got ya..." He panted out happily, though he didn't open his eyes just yet, he wanted to wait for confirmation from his catch first.

((Eh...helps that '0' and 'O' have a distinct size difference in the font used on this forum.))

Mark nodded. “Sure, I guess I could spare my time. I'll practice on the way.” He started playing his violin, as if it were a guitar. plucking strings being care notto snap them.

"Thanks" Zeke smiled as they were walking "I am going to check the clubhouse for him first since it is along the way" he noted. "Hey! SLY! LIZ!" He waved as he approached the clubhouse "Sly have you seen Ren anywher?" he asked him "I wanted to see him before I headed in..." he scratched the back of his head "I haven't seen him in a while... I wanted to check up on him..."

"That's probably what will happen..." She said, a little saddened, "I'm really sorry, Sly, I didn't mean to cause trouble between you and Rendak." She told him, giving him adorable kitten-eyes. She gasped a bit, "Wait, if Aethon knows, then he'll tell Rendak. And if Rendak knows, he'd probably tell the whole neighborhood! Jacky won't want anything to do with me! 'Nilly and Maxy and Honey and Morri will be so disappointed in me!" She said, almost in tears at the thought. So she clung tighter onto Sly, seeking comfort.

---

"Well, it's very likely that I look forward to it as well." Max replied, turning slightly red. Though his fur was darker than Vanilla's, so his redness was less visible.

"Okay then."

Vanilla took a deep breath.

"So...do you want to continue the walk, or shall we start heading back?"

Zeke's ears perked up "If Aethon tells Rendak what?" he asked looking at the two "Whats going on? Did I miss something?" he sratched behind his ear "Sly... What happend?" he looked Sly dead in the eyes

(You'll be surprised how many people still don't notice that )

Awesome laughed softly, as he opened his eyes and looked up at Shiro, knowing he was caught. "H-hehe, nice one, I had no chance," He said, heart still beating rapidly, though trying not to show that in his voice. In any case, it was obvious he was having fun.

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


Sly simply held Liz softly, caringly nuzzling the top of her head. "Don't worry about that.." He said slowly. "I'm almost certain Rendak wouldn't do that. He'll be kinda depressed from me, probably mad too, but still...even if he does, I'm fine being the bad guy. I could just say I forced you or something.."

Sly looked up when he heard Zeke, and silently cursed. He hadn't even noticed Zeke in the area. "This isn't the best time, sorry...Just a big mess..."

Zeke glared at Sly for a moment "If anything is wrong with Ren..." he turned and began to walk "You better speak now... You know how much I care Sly... He is one of my closest friends..." he began to run in the direction of Rendak's home

Conrad opened his eyes and walked over to the other pets.
Looks like you're up again awesome

Shiro shook his head in response to Awesome as he opened his eyes. "S-sure you did...there...there were a lot of ways...that could have...gone different." The husky panted out in reply as he rolled to the side and flopped on his back beside Awesome as Conrad walked over to them. "S-sorry Conrad...but that...that really isn't going...to be possible right now..." He continued to pant as he said that, feeling his nose starting to go numb as the vague dizziness from when he had heightened his sense of smell seemed to increase ten fold. "K-kinda paying...for a tr-trick I used...back there...at th-this point."

Max looked up to the sky, "It's starting to get late, so we should think about heading back." He offered.


Liz watched Zeke walk off away from the two of them and sighed, cuddling up to Sly, "Well, I'd deny it if you said you forced me. If you're the bad guy, then I'm the bad guy too." She said, serious for once, but finishing it up with a cuddle.

Vanilla nodded.

"I concur. I don't want to be out here after dark."

She cringed. It sounded like a cowardly thing to say.

Max, however, did not take it like that. He thought of it as a sensible thing, "Right, our parents would worry about us."

"Yes...that's right, they would. Sure...."

Vanilla hoped he wouldn't catch her embarrassment. She hadn't thought of that--and Mr. Cake didn't worry about things like this that much, not anymore.

"Thank you for this walk. It was...pleasant."

Conrad sat down next to Shiro and stretched out his legs, he was relieved to find that he wasn't feeling anything in his bad leg yet.
Fine by me, I'm willing to just relax for a little bit.