bottlecaplogs | APRIL CATCH-ALL

[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.

[ His gaze remains elsewhere, but he’s listening, ears perked up intently. They twitch at her question, and he glances over first before turning his head back. Actual power. He knows exactly what she means, but he can’t bring himself to agree as readily as she admits it out loud. Still, he manages to give Shoka a quiet nod before looking back down at his bowl, as if trying to hide from her reaction.

Her follow up does make him wince slightly, though. ] What do you mean? Did... did they say something, too? [ Being part of everybody else, he has to imagine he isn’t the only one asking about her form. ]

APRIL CATCH-ALL

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