bottlecaplogs | APRIL CATCH-ALL

This is kind of taking mottainai to an extreme, don't you think?

[Apparently not, because he's already dipping his head down to take another bite. Shoka snorts, then giggles, recoiling in theatrical disgust.]

Gross... [And then he remarks that it's getting cold. So much for animal instinct, she thinks to herself. A real dog wouldn't complain about that!] Okay, I can't watch this.

[So she leaves, swiveling around and shuffling off the way Laios came, surprisingly quick for a legless creature. If he watches her, however, he might notice that she doesn't go too far. Her destination is the same food stall he ordered from so she can put in an order of her own. It's late, but fortunately he picked a stall that caters to more nocturnal Pokémon as well (and her relatively high reputation in the Oran guild definitely doesn't hurt her chances of getting a quick order in either).

Eventually, she'll return to Laios with a new bowl in hand. It might not be exactly the same as his order (and the serving size is definitely smaller), but it's pretty close—and it's still hot. Hopefully he's still there and saved some room.]

Mohtai... huh? [ That's the best he's got, horrible accent and all. Not that he really has the willingness to ask for a repeat to get it right after he hears the laughing.

At this point, he's resigned to take it all on the nose, but what else should he have expected. He isn't human anymore, but she isn't exactly wrong, either. It's not like he's scavenging out in the wilds, but then what was the difference, really? Why uphold the pretense, just because he's in town, surrounded by other used-to-be-humans? He huffs, turning away after watching her sneak back toward the market.

On his own again, he finishes what's left of the salvageable scraps, disappointed, but not exactly dissatisfied by the flavor. The rest, he scrapes up into a small mound, unsure of what to do with his mess. Bury it, maybe, or—but he doesn't have a chance to finish the thought. ]

You—you're back? [ His eyes land on the bowl, apprehensive. ] You wanted to try it too?

Like I said, I just couldn't watch... Not without a snack, that is. [The hold she has on her bowl is much more secure than his own had been because she actually has hands—strange, clawed hands that appear to be made of shadows, but still dexterous and five-fingered, eerily like a human's.] And I'll admit, you made such a big deal about it that I low-key wanted to try it myself.

[She considers the contents of her bowl.]

Looks like they gave me way more than just a snack though. So maybe I'll consider sharing... [Her gaze then falls on the sad, piled up remains of Laios' original order.] Unless you'd rather finish that up instead.

Oh. [ His expression slowly shifts from suspicious to curious the more he looks at her—and whatever that hand is. What is she hiding under there...

He blinks hard, focusing back on the actual conversation. ] It was really good, actually. The chef was really proud of mine. [ More insult to injury, if the vendor ever finds out how Laios wound up eating it. He looks sadly at the leftover pile with her. ]

It's mostly dirt now, otherwise—wait, really? You'll really share some... with me? [ He sounds like he has something else to add—to the effect of Even after laughing at me?—because he certainly remembers how this played out for him before. School wasn't that long ago. ]

And you just went and dropped it? Maybe you really are a monster.

[As Laios speaks, she plucks a neat little bite out of her bowl with her claws and pulls it under the gray cloth covering her body. The process of eating must be taking place somewhere under that cloth, because when the ghostly appendage reappears, the morsel is gone.]

Did I stutter? Like I said, I just happened to get too much, so don't make a big deal out of it or anything. [Sighing in annoyance, she gestures to the wreckage of his original meal with a small motion of her claws.] Is your bowl still useable, at least?

Not that kind of—ugh. [ He ends in a huff, the joke finally landing even if he's not finding it funny. But his frustration easily melts into a wide-eyed expression as he watches her take a bite. Or whatever that was. ] Um. Okay.

[ His gaze lingers at first, but Laios slowly makes his way to pick up his bowl, definitely still useable if only slightly scuffed up. Carefully, he places it near her, right side up this time. ] ... Actually, wait.

[ He might be staring a little closer now. ] Before you give me any, can I see that again?

[Wow, he's really nose.]

Umm? [She inches backward a bit, taking the bowl with her.] See what?

See you eat. [ Obviously. ]

I can't tell with your outfit—do you have a mouth? Are you absorbing food into some sort of digestive layer? [ As if with a flick of a switch, any apprehension about Shoka seems to have completely flipped into burning curiosity. He does a half circle around her, as if trying to find the answers himself. ] Do you taste things differently at all? Your stomach must be pretty small if you can't eat all that.

[ A shame if true, but more for him (if she's still willing to share after all this). ]

Umm???

[... See her eat. She was going to eat in front of him anyway, once he'd been given his own portion, but the fact that he's specifically asked to observe the process has officially made this weird.]

The hell do you— No? [She's hardly gotten that answer out before he starts bombarding her with more questions. Truthfully, having neither the opportunity or desire to study her new form much at all, she doesn't have a definitive answer for a single one of them. The reminder makes her non-flesh crawl with resistance; she shrinks back, drawing the bowl closer as if to hide herself behind it.] I don't—

[Then he starts circling her, and that is apparently the last straw, because she bristles and hisses like a cat.]

H-hey! Back off, creep! What's it to you anyway?

No? [ He's not getting it. ] No to which? [ He's moving in closer. ] Don't what? Are you— [ Creep. There it is. He chokes on his own question before pulling back into an awkward stumble. ] No, I—I didn't mean—I just— [ He takes a few more steps away from her for good measure. Suddenly thrown out of his element, he's back where he started: embarrassed and slightly intimidated. Finding the right words takes him a moment. ]

I think it's interesting. You ate that first bite so easily under, uh, that... I just wanted to know what it's like. I thought it could be cool. [ As silly of an answer as that might sound, his tone is incredibly sincere all the way through. ]

Well, it's not, and how I eat is none of your business! I'm not some science specimen for you to study or whatever...!

[It's definitely an overreaction. The pure, vengeful fury in her voice seems to surprise even her, because she pauses for a moment then, breath catching in the throat she may or may not even have, and deflates with a huff.]

You don't wanna know, anyway. Trust me. [With rough, jerky movements, she pulls his bowl toward her and fills it with a generous helping of her order before shoving it back toward him.] So just give it up and eat your stupid food already.

[ Oh, he really stepped over a line here. ] I know you're not a specimen, it's just—! [ The thought remains unsaid when his portion gets shoved over to him. Instinctively, he latches onto the bowl with his teeth, ] Mm.

[ He droops, until a few pieces start to slip out. Not ready to dirty up another meal, he puts it down softly. ] Do you... not like the Pokémon you are? [ That sort of just comes out before he can think. He gives her a pathetic look, moving on before she can respond. ] ... You can watch me eat. That's why you got the snack, right?

Yeah, thanks but no thanks. [In fact, she's just going to sit back and stare into space instead of watching him eat.] You just do your thing and I'll do mine—no watching necessary. And I already told you why I got it, didn't I? I just wanted to try it.

[She did say that she needed a snack to keep watching him eat off the ground for her own entertainment, too... But he's done with that now, and it was a lie anyway. Truthfully, her main reason was just that she felt a little sorry for him, but she won't admit to this much.

Speaking of trying it... Reluctantly, she delicately scoops another bite from her bowl into her disguise rag, quick enough that she hopes Laios doesn't catch the glimpse of churning shadows beneath it. It's really good, as expected, to the point that instinct tells her to just hop on top of the bowl and chow down freely as nature intended—but she forces herself not to.]

... What does it matter, if I like being this or not?

... Okay. [ Laios sits, tail curling close around his paws. Briefly, he waits, expecting to her leave, only to see her grab another bite. Immediately, his eyes dart away, very obviously looking at anything but her. Burning curiosity aside, he also knows how to learn his lessons the first time, enough to not even look at her when she's done. ]

Because it's hard not being what you like. You'll spend too much time thinking about what you could've been instead of appreciating what you are. [ Finally, he glances back at her, before sliding himself down fully. He takes a small bite from his bowl, his tail contentedly thumping against the ground. ] You shouldn't feel bad about it, if you do feel that way. I get it.

[She glances briefly, subtly back at him, then away again.]

... Not a dog person?

[He really seemed like one, proud of his barking and fully prepared to eat scraps straight off the ground.]

[ He eagerly finishes off another mouthful, almost like he didn't already have a whole meal to himself. ]

No, I love dogs! It's just... this wouldn't have been my first pick, is all. [ Head shake. ] But then I realized I could do so many new things even without wings or two heads. I mean, I'd rather be this than, uh. Hm. [ Human? He leaves that unsaid. ]

... Than what you were before, you mean?

... Yeah, I guess. [ A half-hearted response. He doesn’t even look at her. ] Did you ever want to be something else, too?

Sure. When you've spent your whole life as a regular old human, having pretty much any actual power feels pretty sweet, right?

[She admits to it easily. That's how it had been for her, when she first chose to become a Reaper, complete with claws, fangs, and wings: powerful.

Contemplatively, she looks at the claws she has now, flexing them before herself.]

... I don't hate being this, to be honest. The problem's with everybody else.

APRIL CATCH-ALL

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