Chapter 2 of  incinermyn's and my ongoing roleplay.

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Chapter 2: Friendly Foxes and Foxy Friends

Within a few moments, Xeian returned with three yellow and red balloons clutched in his arms. "Here they are!" He announced in a singsong voice. He was so excited to introduce them; his toys loved meeting the guests Sai transformed. Reducing the pressure on the pump such that only five lights glowed, he fit the nozzle around the valve of the smallest of the three balloons: a toy Fennekin. Xeian carefully pushed down on the handle, stopping halfway as the Fennekin had fully inflated, being just larger than a regular party balloon. The Fennekin squeaked as he stirred and opened his painted eyes.

"Heya, Xeian!" he greeted his owner, turning to face him among a series of squeaks. "Nice to be puffed up again! What's the occasion?" he asked as Xeian pushed his valve shut.

"Our guest," Xeian gestured to Seraph while he pushed the nozzle into the valve on the tip of the Braixen's tail, "wanted to play with you and your sisters. Go on, say hello!"

The Braixen took shape beside her brother as he called out to the huge skunk-girl. The fox's body filled out from her hollow ear "fur" to the tips of her paws, steadily acquiring a bright sheen and a slight transparency as her latex skin tightened. She curved her back and stretched as Xeian closed her valve. "Morning, Xeian," she spoke, looking around to notice Seraph watching them from the pool. "Oh, did you get a new toy?"

Xeian once more had to quell his desire for her as he tensely replied, "No... she's... she's just another guest transformed by Sai."

Braixen laughed. "That's been happening a lot, hasn't it?" She squeakily waved to the Skunanne. "Hello, Miss! What's your name?" she called as Xeian prepared to inflate his Delphox.

Deflation's like sleep for them? Such strange creatures... Seraph thought, keeping silent at the moment. She glanced between the Fennekin and Braixen balloons, seeing nothing but growing smiles on their faces as they anticipated a response.

"Seraph..." she murmured nervously. "My name is Seraph." She didn't know what to think now. Everything Xeian had been doing to this point had been nothing but weird and suspicious to her, but seeing how joyful these creatures seemed to be reawakened by him, it just contradicted what she'd come to somewhat fear from him. Perhaps she really should give in and become a pooltoy permanently. It seemed harmless enough. Despite being on a rescue team back home, she didn't have any true attachments and nobody would likely come looking for her aside from Chip, Pyra, Ratchet, or Emmanuelle.

"Seraph? That's a pretty name! How are you, Seraph? Enjoying your time as a pool toy? You should try some helium next!" Braixen asked in rapid succession as she walked across the water over to Seraph. She stumbled once or twice on the ripples, but successfully managed to reach and then jump on to Seraph where she gently rubbed her back with a squeaky hand-paw.

The Delphox had taken shape and opened her eyes. She glanced over at Xeian with a smile. "Keep going..." she insisted quietly.

"Hm?" Xeian asked as he reached for the nozzle plugged into her tail.

"Wait, wait! Keep pumping! Please?" the tall fox requested.

"Sure thing," Xeian replied as he pumped his toy up further.

Once her belly swelled to the point she could only just wrap her arms around it, she said, "Okay. That's enough." Xeian smiled and closed her valve, prompting her to wrap the Floatzel in a tight, squeaky hug.

"I-Icari!" Xeian exclaimed as he blushed from her encompassing, puffy hug. The pair had begun to develop feelings for each other, though Icari insisted to be treated as any other toy. Nevertheless, they still enjoyed these tender moments.

"I see you've got a new friend," Icari eyed Seraph as she unwrapped her arms from him. "But you don't get pooltoys too often... Sai?"

"Sai," Xeian replied. "Speaking of..." Sure enough, Sai had begun to reinflate himself.

Sai's head was buzzing from the rush of bursting. He felt hazy, what with being only half-full, but there was something relaxing about the detached, half-asleep state. Nevertheless, deflated toys are no fun, so he made every effort to gulp down as much air as he could.

The haze in his mind cleared enough for him to make out the words, "...you pop him?" Icari? Xeian must have inflated her.

"I'm sorry; I wasn't paying attention! He never said anything, though..." Sai laughed to himself. Hopefully Seraph enjoyed his little demonstration and wasn't terrified out of her mind again.

"Yes, quite a bit actually!" Seraph replied to Braixen beamingly. She had a huge smile across her face now, partially due to relief that Sai had re-inflated but mostly because of the charming sight of Xeian and his Delphox hugging. It reminded her somewhat of how she felt towards Chip back home...somewhat anyways... At first she couldn't have cared less for the boy, but over time she grew fonder of him to the point where she could've even called herself his girlfriend. Granted, that part was a short-lived relationship, but the fact that they remained friends even after breaking up still meant they had a bond that couldn't easily been broken.

Afterwards, she sighed and turned her face away embarrassedly. She really was enjoying this way more than she'd originally expected. It wasn't like her to just open up and make new friends. If these Pokémon had met her any other time, she'd likely have shrugged them off and drove them away with the habitual arrogance that made her kind feared far and wide. What were they doing to make her feel this way? Whether it be sorcery or just flat-out coercing, she was actually getting relaxed enough to trust them. Would Xeian truly accept her as one of his own and, if so, would he take care of her like the rest of these toys...? This was all so strange.

"Oh, wonderful! My name's Aki, by the way," the Braixen mentioned. She laughed. "It's kind of funny how much regular Pokemon enjoy turning into toys only to turn "bio" again and just leave. If they love it so much, why not just stay a toy forever?" She sighed. "I guess they do have family and friends who would miss them..." Her voice began to quaver. "But when you're a toy, all you have is an owner and those can change. I've been through a few myself until Xeian found me. I had been kicked out, you see because my old owner couldn't bring himself to actually throw me away-I am alive, after all- but he grew bored of me and just... t-told me to go. But then Xeian found me... and, Arceus, you couldn't hope for a better owner! Al-" She caught herself, covering her muzzle with her paws. "I mean, our manufacturer knows what he's doing when he makes a toymaster!" After a moment of silence, she blushed from embarrassment. "Um, sorry if that was awkward," she stammered, "I j-just starting talking and... yeah. Sorry." She rubbed the back of her neck, creating a loud series of squeaks.

Glancing around, she saw an enormous, round Sai being pushed into the pool. His ten-foot-wide figure towered over her and Seraph, yet his many puffy tails caused him to look even bigger. Aki briefly wanted to join him, but she decided to remain with her new friend. Hopefully she wasn't put off by her life story... Ugh, why did I say all that? Now she'll think I'm really weird! She winced, her ears tilting back as she waited for a response.

"Don't feel so bad... My father almost killed me..." Seraph whimpered, suddenly reliving the day she got exiled. Several years ago, during her tribe's Day of Rage ceremony, the girl hesitated when the tribal shaman put forth a young Vulpix kit captured from an enemy clan for her put to death with her Luna Fang. She couldn't bring herself to hurt the pup, especially when he'd done nothing wrong. Though her kind had a long standing blood-feud, she knew it was wrong to just kill another Pokémon without reasoning beyond being a mere sacrifice to the gods. In her flight, her father, who was also the clan chief, caught up to her and attacked her as violently as he could. Barely able to defend herself, the huntsman skunk let her off with a warning. If she ever returned to the tribal hollow, she would be strung up as sacrifice herself and killed. In the three years since, she's distanced herself from the clan as much as possible, even come all the way her to separate continent. However, she'd made a new life for herself now, partly through thieving but mostly with her friends at Pokémon Square. Albeit, they hadn't thought much of her lately, after a couple routine missions they went on ended successfully but with great personal injuries. That was the whole reason she'd left town for a bit to begin with, to just get away from everyone for a while.

Aki's ears perked. "Your dad almost killed you? I thought all parents were supposed to be like super-owners or something! But I guess, like owners, some are good and some are... not so good..." She wrapped her arms around Seraph's neck in a hug. "Well... I'm sorry. I really am. I hope I can be a good toy for you and cheer you up. Is there anything you'd like me to do?"

Sai had managed to float over by paddling with his tails. Xeian and Icari were on top of him, and the little Fennekin walked on the water beside him. "Hey Seraph!" Sai called. "Sorry I popped earlier," the enormous Ninetales laughed, "Xeian was distracted. I hope I didn't scare you... you seem to be fine, though!

"You look lovely," Icari complimented as she rubbed her rounded belly. "I know many Bio Pokemon would find your state laughable... but to us, it's wonderful! I really hope you enjoy it."

Seraph first looked at Aki and replied, "My clan's extremely isolated. They cling to many old traditions that they haven't allowed to go out of practice, including hunting other Pokémon for food and even ritualistically sacrificing them to the old gods... Suffice it to say, our ways were quite cruel. That's why I refused to go through with them, and more so why my father exiled me from our tribe. We're quite literally the last of a proverbial dying breed: Pokémon that actually hunt to survive. My childhood was actually quite pleasant because I was the chieftain's daughter. But even that didn't stop him from attacking me when I refused to go through with the clan's Day of Rage ceremony, where the eldest child from each family kills an enemy clan's son. In my case, I was being made to kill a Vul..." She cut herself short deeply aware of Sai's presence.

"I'm sorry," she then said. "I need to get away from this topic. It's too gruesome for you all, and I'm having way too much fun to linger on bad memories. And, I've got plenty of them to force myself to forget about." After a momentary pause, she looked around at the others, first Icari and Xeian, then Sai followed by Fennekin and Aki again. Their happy faces made her realize that there was nothing to fear here. Everything was meant to be nice, pleasant, and fun. It was a degree of serenity she'd only felt in the presence of Golbania, a legendary serpent heralded by many as the 'god of protection' whom swore to keep all endanger safe no matter what.

With a big grin on her face, she was tempted to finally admit that she wanted to make this state permanent and stay with Xeian and Sai forever. However, she wanted them to all coax it out of her. That way, it wouldn't seem like she'd become so comfortable with them that she would openly admit her desires to everyone.

"Oh..." Aki said, feeling somewhat deflated along with her inflatable kin. Taking a deep breath to re-inflate, she spoke "Well, at least you're having fun, I guess! What do you say we head inside and have a snack?"

"I am kinda hungry," the Fennekin agreed, his countenance brightening. "Oh, I never told you my name! I'm Seya! Anyway, I guess if you'd like to keep floating you could, but I'd really love a balloon or two."

"You don't have to," Xeian mentioned. "You'll turn back to normal in a few hours, so there's really no need to eat unless you want to give it a try."

"I'll stay out here with you if you want a friend," Aki offered.

Sai spoke up, "Hey, could you guys just bring me some plates? ...No? Fine, I'll deflate, too..." After a moment, he gasped. "Oh! And Seraph, if you'd like me to renew the transformation to last longer, I could do that whenever."

"Uh..." Seraph hummed for a moment. "I really would like a snack. I am getting a little tired of floating right now and would like to kind of dry off. Could someone deflate me to a normal size, please?" She motioned for her tail tip, but couldn't reach it with her puffed up arms.

"Eh..." she then muttered. "Does anyone know how eating um...your food would effect me afterwards? Like when I turn back to normal? If it's going to make me sick, I don't want to eat it then. But, if it's not or just needs more time to digest than the berries and stuff I normally eat, then I guess I could have Sai extend my transformation for a while. I really like being a pool toy. I'm so comfortable with it now that I don't want to really change back." She put that last part out there derogatorily now, wondering how they'd react again. For whatever reason, she kind of wanted the encouragement.

"I can do that!" Aki offered, jumping down on the water beside her.

She pushed Seraph closer to the edge of the pool while Sai commented, "Oh, that? Well, the plastic will be incorporated into your skin as you digest it which will in turn become fur and flesh without a hitch. Even if you don't finish digesting it before you turn back, it'll just vanish during the transformation, kind of like your insides when you became a toy." He giggled. "Aw, you don't want to change back? That's wonderful! Let me deflate first and I'll prolong the spell. How's that sound?"

Aki pulled open the valve on Seraph's tail and pinched it to let the air out as Xeian exclaimed, "Why, Seraph, I'm quite surprised! What happened to the paranoid Skunanne I invited to my home?" He laughed before suggesting, "I'm thinking rubber band spaghetti with a weather balloon; anyone interested?" The three balloonies voiced their consent. "Excellent! I'll make a plastic salad while I'm at it for us inflatables. Make sure you keep an open mind, Seraph. Our food may not seem appealing to a Bio like you, but you'd be surprised what a toy would enjoy."

Seraph winced as her body started to deflate. At first the release of pressure from her valve was a shock, but as her vinyl skin began to relax, she in turn felt very soothed. In fact, she was tempted to tell Aki to make her deflate all the way just so she could take a little nap before they ate. However, her better judgment told her not to.

After she'd returned to normal size and Aki closed her valve, Seraph turned to Xeian with an embarrassed grin and replied, "Well... I am paranoid, but that doesn't mean I don't know how to relax...eventually... You'll have to forgive me. I've never been the type to just try something new without a little coercing." Next she turned back to Sai and nodded.

"Uh, prolong the transformation, yes. But please disregard my previous statement about wanting to stay this way forever..." she said before whispering to herself, "...for now anyways..." She didn't want to overly admit she wanted to stay this way.

Xeian laughed silently. "Glad to, er, 'coerce' you, then! Once Sai's through with you, I can show you what we eat around here. I'll meet you inside!" He walked into the house alongside Icari, but Aki and Seya stayed to watch Sai work his magic.

"What did you say?" Sai asked. "Anyway, I'll make it last until... say, noon tomorrow. That way we can have a sleepover!" Sai jumped in the air in excitement before pawing over to her, letting his many tails gently enfold her inflatable body with a just a light touch- he didn't want to make her feel like he was constricting her, preferring instead the feel of a blanket or soft embrace. "Hold still, please," the Ninetales requested as he closed his eyes to concentrate. With a bit of focus, he was able to sense their auras, his fully artificial, hers transformed by his spell to become an inflatable Skunanne's aura. He willed his unique power to purge her of the resurfacing biological energy and strengthening the spell, extending the time she could enjoy being a toy. He was, however, careful to make sure she maintained just a sliver of her original aura- without it, she couldn't turn back. "And... that will do it! I set the spell to run out tomorrow like I said, but I can make that shorter or longer if you'd prefer."

"How'd it feel?" Aki asked as Sai unwrapped her from his tails. "I've always been a toy, so Sai's never used his magic on me. Just curious."

"Very comfortable actually. I barely feel like I've ever been organic anymore, but not in a bad way. I mean, it's not like I've forgotten I was biological before, but the way Sai does this thing, it's like a fully natural conversion," she said. "I wasn't going to say anything but I noticed it earlier too, that the change was completely fluid without any pain or any reason to fear it. My friends back home should really meet you, Sai, especially Pyra. She has terrifying strong hexing abilities, but the tome she learned spells from is only good for straight transformations. When she casts her plushie and pool-toy hexes or curses, that's all you turn into. You're conscious of what's going on, but left completely immobile. She generally turns Pokémon back soon, but they're left trapped that way until she does and some like my friend Chip find it very scary."

Aki nodded at her description, delighted to hear it was so relaxing, but frowned at Pyra's abilities... or lack thereof. "So, like, you're a regular old boring toy? You can't talk or move or anything? Where's the fun in that?!"

"I know, right?" Sai replied. "I was so excited that Pyra could turn Pokemon into plushies, but then when I learned you're tiny and immobile and all that I was so disappointed! He huffed in frustration. After a moment, he spoke up, "Hey, maybe I could teach her! Wait, I have no idea if we use the same magic. Um... I don't know. Should we pay your friends a visit after lunch or something? How far away are they, anyway?"

"Oh, Seraph?" Seya quickly spoke up. "I was wondering something myself: what does being a bio feel like? Like you’re always filled to the brim with water or something?"

"Well, the way I was going, I could've easily been traveling for a week before I got home. But, judging by this area, Pokémon Square shouldn't be more than a couple miles away. Perhaps we could arrange for them to come here. Do you use the Pelipper Postal Service? If there's an post office nearby, we could send an urgent communique and have them come out here. Though, we need to be discrete about whom to invite... Pyra and Chip definitely, but Ratchet you may not like... I can't explain why other than most Pokémon tremble at the mere sight of him. He's very nice, but not someone most like to meet face-to-face. Furthermore, he's slow and may slow the others down while they're traveling."

Icari slid open the glass door leading outside, which proved a bit of a challenge with her huge belly. "Lunch is ready!" she called.

As they walked inside, Sai spoke up. "Hm? Oh, yeah! We use Pelipper's! I'll get you some paper." He ran ahead, calling a quick word to Icari as he bolted in.

"W-wait... they... come here?" Aki's voice was quavering as she wagged her puffy tail nervously. She hadn't seen any bios since her old owner. To be honest, they still kind of scared her. What was this girl thinking? "Are you sure Xeian's okay with this? Maybe you should check with him, first. I mean, we wouldn't want to invite Pokemon to his home without asking him first, right? Yeah, make sure you talk to Xeian first, okay?" She couldn't help herself- the words just tumbled out, one word after the next without interruption.

Seya frowned. "Hopefully they know what they're doing around toys like us." They stepped into the air-conditioned home as he continued, "Are you sure we can trust them?"

Seraph sighed, "Yes, you're right, Aki, though I don't think he'd refuse more guests. Also, the rescue team Feral Fang has some of the most polite Pokémon you'll ever meet on it...aside from me. Hehehe..." As they entered, Seraph followed the others into the kitchen, where the meal Xeian mentioned had already been set out. The girl stood in the threshold of the kitchen door waiting to be address as she further thought about someone else to invite whom she'd knew would have a field day here...Pyra's father, Osiris Jya-Luquay.

"Come on in, Seraph!" Xeian called. On the table was a large pan with a white weather balloon hanging off the sides topped with a large pile of dull red rubber bands covered in liquid latex like a sauce. Beside the pan a bowl was filled to the brim with various plastics- shreds of plastic wrap and splinters of utensils were mixed in with crumpled plastic bags and doused in petroleum oil. Xeian carved up portions of the rubber "spaghetti" and set full plates around the table. Leaving a lot left. He began to toss the salad with a metal utensil."Sai tells me you want to invite some guests?" he continued with an audible note of concern. "Who are they? Will they be gentle with my toys? Many of them have been hurt in the past..." He paused from his preparation to look Seraph in the eye. "You can invite them, but only if you can promise me they won't hurt my toys. They're fragile, and many bios and ex-owners don't understand that. Are you sure you should invite them here?"

"Chip Erminfyr is a Weasinge. He's actually been a pool-toy before, but an inanimate one. He really didn't like it much. I remember he cried so much the night after he got turned back," she said, choosing her words carefully. "Pyra Jya-Luquay is gifted Vulpix sorceress. I mentioned her earlier, if I recall correctly. She has the power to turn regular Pokémon into plushies and pool-toys, but only learned how to because her father Osiris gave her an ancient spell book that chronicles all known forms of magic that their clan has encountered over the years. Osiris is a stern mentor and a miraculous sage. However, he lacks the extra magical prowess Pyra has. He said that their powers have always been strongest amongst woman of their tribe, while the men have some magical hexing ability but their powers aren't as diversified. If Osiris comes, Pyra will be on her absolute best behavior. The only thing with him is that he demands the utmost respect from everyone in his presence, especially his daughter. Lastly, there was Rachet Sombra... I am unsure about inviting him for one of several reasons. Most Pokémon get terrified just being in his presence and that's because he's what's called a Zombrong, a mechanical horse Pokémon who's entire body is controlled and operated by demons... Please don't get scared hearing that, though. He's actually very sweet and goes out of his way to protect everyone around him from danger."

Xeian nodded solemnly as Sai approached with a paper and pen in his soft jaws. As Seraph took the fortunately dry materials, Xeian explained, "I trust you to make the right choice of who to invite. In the mean time, why not have a seat and enjoy the food?" He gestured to the table where the Fennekin family enjoyed their synthetic meals. "I'm very much aware that plastic and oil would not constitute a bio's meal by any stretch of the imagination, but we inflatables are geared to enjoy it. Why not give it a try?"

Sai paused from wolfing down his own plate to mention, "Don't worry about the sharp bits; your mouth has very tough vinyl and enzymes to quickly digest it."

Seraph sat down next to Aki and immediately started eating. Contrary to what she was expecting, the 'spaghetti' tasted just like actual food to her. She could barely distinguish between it and anything else she'd normally eaten, but it was absolutely delicious. Sai was completely right about the rough parts too; they simply melted in her mouth like nothing. This truly was a unique experience for anybody and she was delighted to be their guest. She definitely wanted to keep this going as long as possible, and a sleepover would hopefully be the best thing to get her fully acquainted with this new lifestyle when she got the courage to truly finalize it.

About partway through the meal, before she started the 'salad' Xeian had put out, Seraph took a moment to scribe a quick memo summoning the primary members of Team Feral Fang, Chip and Pyra, and Osiris to this area several miles south of Pokémon Square. She made not to look into the forest on the roadside to find a cottage with a pool nearby and wait in the woodlands for her to show herself. She also added to not make any sudden outbursts about things they see. After she finished, she continued to eat her meal to completion.

"Wow! That had to be the best meal I've had in a while. And that's saying something because I eat meat sometimes!" she laughed, hoping her new friends wouldn't get disgusted with her.

Icari brightened. "Oh, I'm so glad to hear it! We put a lot of work into our meals, that's for sure."

Seya tilted his head. "What's meat?"

"Don't worry about it," Icari spoke softly. "It's just more bio food."

Xeian laughed. "Oh, yeah, I almost forgot; because we use plastic plates and bowls, you can eat that, too!" He demonstrated by taking a bite of his own plate. "Oh, remind me again when they'll get here? I don't send urgent notes and I'd like to have everything in order, first." He also needed the time to plan in case something went wrong. As much as he trusted Seraph, she hadn't been his toy Just a toy, not mine! for that long. She still had the mindset of a Bio... He threw the inedible dishes and cookery in his sink and cleared off the table. Icari helped out where she could, using her enormous belly as a platform for the dishes she collected. "Go ahead and send the note," Xeian insisted despite a knot of anxiety within him. "We'll be ready for them."

Aki quivered in the doorframe, wringing her squeaky hands. "You're sure they won't hurt me, Seraph? Maybe I should just deflate until they leave..."

"Aw, Aki... Please don't be that way. My friends are absolutely nice..." Seraph started to reply, but then got sidetracked by a stray thought of how rough Pyra liked to play with her and Chip when she transformed them before. "Eh...Pyra... She can have a wild streak, but that's the reason why I'm asking her father to come too. The man is very strict and keeps her wildness in check whenever he's nearby. He's one of the kindest biological Ninetales you'll ever meet, and the most knowledgeable one too. His experience spans many generations since he's over 800 years old. Osiris may intimidate you at first, but he's very kindhearted. He won't let anyone hurt you, no matter what the situation. I know because he's protected me several times."

Afterwards, Seraph stepped outside a moment to see a Pelipper just so happening to be landing right in front of the house. The bird carried a mailbag at its side and wobbled forward to deposit several letters in an adjacent mailbox.

Seraph approached him quickly and asked, "Excuse me..." The pelican looked at her awkwardly and noticed she had the same notorious scowl as someone he knew in Pokémon Square.

"Um, pardon me, ma'am, but you look awfully familiar... Eh, but there's no way you can be Seraph Furlong in Pokémon Square. That girl's biological, not inflatable. What can I do for you?"

"Yes, can you deliver this communique to Team Feral Fang in Pokémon Square? It's urgent, so please hurry."

"Oh, by all means, dear." The bird took the letter and flew off without another word.

Sai and Seya talked about all they would do with their new friends while Icari did some simple chores to keep the home tidy, but Aki simply sighed as Seraph went outside. "If you say so..." she muttered.

Xeian placed a paw on her shoulder. "We'll protect you, but I don't think you have anything to worry about. Seraph's a clever girl, and a very kind one at that! I wouldn't be surprised if she defended you more fiercely than we did!" That said, he was rather nervous about their appearance. He dearly hoped Seraph knew what she was doing...

A few hours later

"Come on! Seraph needs our help!" Chip said as he dashed frantically through the timberlands searching for the house mentioned in his friend's memo. The young Weasinge looked fiercely as he tried against all instinct to not to burn down everything in his path with fireballs.

"Chip, halt!" Osiris demanded as he kept pace behind the boy. The red-and-white ermine stopped dead in his tracks as the black-robed kitsune jumped in front of him along with his pink-cloaked daughter. "Her letter said nothing of the sort. In fact, if you read it, she told us to come kindly and unarmed. Here you have five smoke bombs in your backpack and throwing spikes at your flank. You're prepared for war when there's no reason to believe there's even going a scuffle."

"But, Seraph never writes unless she's in danger..." he stuttered as the Ninetales glared down at him from beneath his hood, the golden fur on his scarred face becoming apparent in the muted forest lighting.

"Chip, my father's right. Seraph said nothing of the sort in her letter," Osiris's Vulpix daughter stated as she suddenly pulled out the communique from under her flowery robe. "It says right here 'Don't fear for me. I'm alright. However, I need the fleet-footed members of Team Feral Fang to meet me in the forest area off the highway route about ten miles south of town. It's urgent. Bring Osiris too; I need him to explain something to me. Look for a cottage with a pool nearby, and wait for me to show myself before approaching. Don't approach wildly!'"

"Yeah, but..." the boy continued.

"But nothing... Seraph's fine, boy. You'll see soon enough. Now, let us embark quietly." The Ninetales turned away from his daughter and her friend, leading them onward with his fanlike tails tucked down so that they were partly hidden under his cloak. The two others followed silently behind him, as usual intimidated by the sage's stern demeanor.

The odors here... I've smelled them before... It's unnatural and very distinct. No doubt there are some synthetic Pokémon nearby. Peaceful ones too. T'would not be wise to allow Chip to unleash his pyrokinetic fury hear should he get alarmed. But this may prove an excellent learning experience for Pyra, should we meet some one with the power I've been seeking to teach her. Albeit the affinity of her magic must change first before she can even begin to cast those types of spells, and I seriously fear that she'll dislike the way it will have be altered. But once it has, I'm sure everyone will open up to her more... It's just a matter of finding someone who can help with that first, Osiris meditated, knowing well that this may be the opportunity that he had long been waiting for. Seraph Furlong knew this too, as he had mentioned to her between Pyra's wayward spell castings.

As they approached a short ridge, the threesome came upon the sight of a robust cottage in the middle of the forest as Seraph had described. The Ninetales sat and watched as he observed the terrain for the skunk girl. Noticing the presence of a Fennekin and Braixen outside, the man stopped Chip and Pyra from continuing any further. He alone recognized that these were not normal Pokémon and thus needed to be approached gently lest they flee in fear or get accidentally popped by his daughter's unusual instinct to cuddle things or rogue fireballs sparked by Chip's unnatural timidity.

Seya glanced around. "Do you see 'em?" he asked his sister. He had managed to convince her to look out for Seraph's friends with so they could greet them personally, but after several minutes they hadn't caught a glimpse of even a Pidgey fluttering by.

The Braixen took a look into the trees, spotting three figures in the trees up by the ridge. She yelped. "I see them!" she whispered, pointing in their direction.

Seya took a look at the Pokemon. He managed to make out a Ninetales beneath the black robe, and a Vulpix under the pink one. But the last one was nothing like he had seen, at least, what with its slender body and red-and-white fur. He grinned at looked up to Aki. "Shall we say hello?"

Aki shied away, taking a step back as she frowned. "...N-no, I can't do it. What if they get scared and run away or pop us? No, we should just let Seraph- Seya! Where are you going?!"

The Fennekin balloon had begun to trot briskly into the forest. He was aware of the sharp sticks and plants all about, but he was certain that with his thick latex skin and deft movements he'd be fine. Looking up to the trio of potential friends, he momentarily winced under the piercing gaze of the Ninetales before continuing his ascent. So far so good, he thought as approached Seraph's friends.

Osiris sat down nobly as he saw the young Fennekin approach. He lowered his head to the ground in a bow as a gesture of good faith and then grunted for Chip and Pyra to do the same. If this child saw them as a threat, they may be driven away and forced to return to town before they even got a word in. Chip glanced up curiously as he bowed, but immediately kept his head down to show respect to the oncoming Fennekin. Pyra glanced up from the ground with a friendly smile, but kept her cowl drawn at her father's behest. Just then, the three saw Seraph come out of the house and start approaching them as well. They all remained quiet and motionless as the two came to them, however.

Seya looked at them with confusion. Why were they bowing to him? He was just a toy, after all. Intending to break the awkward silence, he spoke up. "Um, hi! My name's Seya. I guess you're the friends Seraph invited?" Suddenly feeling quite awkward, he decided to bow back in case that was considered courteous. Nevertheless, he looked up at the trio for a response.

Meanwhile, Xeian stood just by the house as he watched their interaction. Once Seraph had ran out, he followed her to make sure their interactions went smoothly and his toys weren't hurt. They seemed rather respectful, bowing to Seya as he approached. He could only hope they kept that disposition as their stay waxed longer. Icari stroked his inflatable tube vest soothingly. "They'll be fine," she reassured. "Seraph knows what she's doing."

"Indeed, we are. My name is Osiris Jya-Luquay, a sage from the northern mountains now living in Pokémon Square. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Seyi," Osiris said as kindly as he could. Lifting his head, he revealed a gentle gaze to prove that they were no threat. Noticing him stop bowing, Pyra and Chip lifted their heads with friendly smiles on their faces.

"This Vulpix is my daughter Pyra, and the Weasinge is Chip Erminfyr. I am their escort at the behest of Seraph Furlong. I trust you have met her?"

"It's nice to meet you all! And um, yes! Seraph and I have been playing all day, actually! Here, let's go meet the others. Follow me!" The Fennekin bounced back down the ridge with a loud series of squeaks. Xeian and the others stood to greet them at the bottom of the ridge, Sai up front with his tails wagging in excitement, Icari beside Xeian, and Aki cowering behind them. Sai reminded himself that as friendly as he wanted to be around Seraph's friends, he had to be careful to keep his distance so they weren't inadvertently transformed. Aki instead did her best to appear friendly despite her fear of Seraph's biological friends. Well... they didn't attack Seya, at least, she reasoned. Maybe this won't be so bad after all... and if worse comes to worse, Xeian and Sai are pretty strong in a scuffle, what with their magic and all.

"Did...did you see that? That Fennekin...Seya, was it? He's bouncing like nothing and squeaking too!" Chip stuttered nervously.

"Discard your weapons, boy," Osiris ordered.

"Yes, sir!" Chip replied, loosing the belt on which his throwing spikes were sheathed and letting them drop to the ground.

Afterwards, the threesome headed downhill. Osiris kept his hood over his face to avoid scaring the synthetic Pokémon whom awaited them. Pyra removed her hood to make herself appear friendlier. Chip, likewise, sported a cheerful demeanor to make himself look like less of a threat. Whatever these Pokémon were, surely they weren't too bad if Seraph liked them.

Seeing Seraph off to the side, Chip was about to call her over until Osiris blocked his view of her and said, "Do not speak until we have been properly introduced to the rest of them. It is rude to blather on without learning whom your hosts are first."

"Yes, sir..." the Weasinge said disappointedly. The real reason Osiris blocked his view of the skunk was so that he wouldn't immediately notice the transformation she'd clearly undergone. He knew the boy would've freaked out if he saw she was a living pooltoy now. Noticing that Pyra started to gaze off towards Seraph too, the Ninetales grunted to make her return her attention forward.

Stopping before their hosts, Osiris bowed yet again and kindly stated, "My name is Osiris Jya-Luquay. This is my daughter Pyra and her friend Chip Erminfyr. We have come here at the behest of Seraph Furlong. May I have your names?"

"Of course!" Xeian stepped forward. The Ninetales, though not nearly as playful as Sai, commanded an authority that both impressed and relieved the Floatzel. If he was keeping the other bios in line, he had nothing to worry about! "I'm Xeian, this is Sai, my Delphox, Icari, you've met Seya, and behind me is Aki!" At her mention the Braixen whimpered and stood behind Icari except to peek her head out. "Welcome to our humble abode!"

Sai blinked. "Pyra? That name is familiar... did Seraph ever mention you? Um, oh, yeah! You're the Vulpix who can't transform Pokemon right! Um, please don't transform me. I prefer being a mobile pool toy, not a stiff, lifeless plush. I'm sure Seraph agrees," he gestured with a tail to the skunk girl.

Osiris nodded and addressed Xeian, "Thank you."

Chip looked nervously between Pyra and the unusual Pokémon before them: first at Pyra, then at them, back at Pyra, then at them. He couldn't believe the horrors he was seeing. These Pokémon were already pooltoys and living ones. If she learned how to turn Pokémon into living pooltoys and plushies too, there was no amount of torture she wouldn't afflict on him. He just knew it. The Weasinge tried against all horror not to scream when he finally saw that Seraph had been turned into one too!

Pyra shied back behind her father nervously. Like Chip, this was the first time she'd seen living inflatables, even though her father had told her about them on occasion. To make matters worse, she felt like she was staring right at a pooltoy version of her future self in Sai, which was perhaps her darkest nightmare realized. She didn't want to be a pooltoy, moving or not, and now she was in the presence of one. She wouldn't be surprised if he took her spell book and used it against her.

Icari gave a sad smile. The two younger bios were obviously terrified by them! Well, best to take it slow so the young visitors can get used to their hosts' inflatable nature. Clasping her hand-like paws together atop her large belly, she broke the silence. "Well, perhaps I should explain. We are all living toys manufactured in secret factories in the Kalos region. Xeian here is an inflatable Floatzel specifically designed to care for the toys who had been discarded or abused by their past owners and give them a loving home. Aki and Seya are such examples, although I was shipped to Xeian directly right after I was manufactured. As for Sai, he's tends to be nomadic, although he has lived with us for a while now. His tails will transform those who touch them into inflatables temporarily. From what I understand, Seraph asked to be transformed; he'd never pooltoy anyone who didn't want to be transformed, though I would keep clear of his tails if you prefer a body of fur and flesh."

"I promise I'll be extra careful with my tails... but I'm always willing to, ah, "curse" any of you if you'd like!" Sai commented with a cheerful smile.

Icari giggled softly. "Right. So, any questions?" She smiled at the Vulpix and her friend Chip, making sure to look them both in the eyes. She was certain once they warmed up to Icari and her fellow toys they'd be wonderful playmates... but first they had to feel comfortable around them.

Pyra and Chip looked up at the Delphox nervously at first, but slowly started to calm down. Pyra was about to speak until her father glanced at her briefly to make her stop.

"I have heard tale of such factories from others like you. Albeit, those were rare encounters. In fact, it has been at least a few years since I last met any of your kind. These children, and I use that term loosely as Pyra is actually older than she looks, have not seen your kind before. Forgive them should they unintentionally get rough, though I do not intend to let that happen."

"Um, uh..." Chip stuttered, unsure of just what to say as he shot a glance at Sai. "You can transform others into pooltoys? That's what you did to Seraph and she asked for it?" He was in disbelief because he knew his friend hated being forced into unusual situations like that.

"Yeah, Chip," Seraph interjected. "I was afraid of it at first, but now I'm more than okay with it. You guys definitely need to try it!"

Pyra shot a glance at Seraph's tail curiously and said, "But, you said you hated it whenever I made you into a pool-toy. Why would you suddenly warm up strangers turning you into one, even if you're still mobile?"

Seraph's grin suddenly turned into her trademark scowl as she thought, Geez, Pyra, you have to point that out?

"Pyra, enough," Osiris said and then turned his attention to Sai. "Your powers... I can sense that they are akin to my clan's, but of a different affinity... Such differences drastically effect a Ninetales's abilities. This is the way our clans have been since the times of lore." Stepping kindly towards the inflatable Ninetales, he continued, "It is customary for our kind to exchange mystical knowledge upon first meetings. This is typically done by synchronizing our spiritual powers by touching our tails together, though I am personally hesitant to do this upon hearing your gifts. There is much to be gained on both sides, I assure you. Would you do me the honor, Sai?" Osiris fanned out his beautiful but apparently scarred golden tails. "I will not oblige you if you refuse, and I shan't pry too deeply if you agree. Tis merely a show of friendship amongst normal Ninetales. We generally cannot curse each other during this, but I am willing to be pooltoy-ed should it result."

"Osiris, what are you doing?" Chip blurted out. The sage shot him a glance and the boy silenced himself.

Sai's eyes widened. "Wait, we can do that? Huh. Guess my manufacturer never told me. Then again, he isn't... Never mind. Well, I guess we can give it a shot!" He turned around to display his shining silver tails. He disliked transforming people against their will, so he did his best to restrain his power. With just a bit of hesitation he curled his tails around Osiris's, successfully holding back his power. Suddenly knowledge began to flow through him, memories of magic and power accumulated over centuries assaulted his mind and broke his concentration. Fearful, he was helpless to stop his power flowing out... yet he felt no change in the furry tails he touched. Instead, his aura seemed to be assimilated within the sage without affecting him. When the flow of power ended, Sai unwrapped his tails from his fellow Ninetales's "That was so weird!" Sai exclaimed. "Do Ninetales really do this every time they meet?"

Xeian chuckled. "I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed! It would have been interesting to see how you react to an inflatable body."

"Yes. As a show of good faith between tribes, we generally recess our cursing abilities just for this exchange. The knowledge you have acquired is that which I have obtained over 800 years of life. Granted, it is the females of my clan whom have the inherently stronger magic, but even my lessened powers are still much to bear. However, you should have greater control over your own abilities now, and more so understand why my clan's abilities are so limited in respects I'm sure you're already aware of, namely due to our lack of exposure to magic such as yours," Osiris replied before turning to Xeian. "This exchange was the only exception to Sai's powers. Should I touch his tails again, I will be transformed as normal per his abilities. Admittedly, I am quite curious about what such a form would be like now." He finished the last part with a happy grin, plainly visible as his muzzle stood out from his cowl though the rest of his visage remained hidden.

Pyra looked at her father fearfully. She'd seen him do this before, many times even, but never with someone who could've completely altered his form. After a moment, she relaxed a bit to the realization that he stayed that same, and that Sai was probably the one more in shock due to her father's power.

"I...I don't understand... Your kind can resist each other's powers like that? I've never even heard of this," Chip stuttered as he looked inquisitively between both Ninetales, eyeing Sai more than Osiris.

"That's because we don't like to promote the notion, Chip," Osiris explained as he slowly moved behind the boy. Once he was, the Ninetales pushed the young Weasinge forward as if to oblige him to start conversing with the inflatables. Chip shook nervously as he moved before the bizarre living inflatables.

Sai grinned. "Well, my tails are always available to you all! Just give them a quick brush if you want to see what my life is like. It won't hurt a bit!"

Xeian crouched down to face the little Weasinge while respecting his personal space. "Your name's Chip. right?" He asked softly with a warm smile. Seeing his fearful expression, he added, "It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you; none of us will!" He slowly put forth a paw. "Here, feel this. No, nothing will happen to you, I promise. I just think it'd be good for you to get to know what we're like!"

"Ye...yes, sir... My name is Chip," the Weasinge replied anxiously. He returned the gesture by placing the pad of his paw atop the Floatzel's, taking care not to place pressure on it with his pointed claws. The creature's skin felt very soft and equally smooth. In fact, the boy enjoyed the feel so much that he smiled.

Turning his attention away from Chip and to his daughter, Osiris called, "Pyra."

"Yes, Father," the Vulpix replied nervously.

"Go and have Sai transform you," he whispered harshly.

"What?" she gasped. "No! I don't want to be a pool-toy!"

"Pyra! What have I told you?" he retorted.

"That the best way to learn new magic is through exposure to it..." she sighed and reluctantly headed towards the inflatable Ninetales, tears starting to well up in her eyes.

Xeian smiled at Chip's touch. "Now, would you like to play with us?" Xeian offered in a soft, kind voice. "We have a pool, a nice big yard, and a few more things inside!" I can have Icari show you around if you like."

"That's a good idea, Xeian," Icari agreed, stepping before the Weasinge. "Come on, Aki. Let's give Chip here the full tour!"

Aki took a step back, slightly swelling and deflating with each panicked breath. Despite her fear towards the red and white-furred ermine, she gulped and nodded.

Icari put a hand on her shoulder, causing both of their rubbery bodies to squeak. "Oh, no, don't tell me you're scared of them!" Aki nodded, never taking her eyes off Chip. "Now, now, Aki... Chip, does she have anything to fear from you? I think she needs a bit of encouragement."

Sai frowned at the tearful Vulpix. "What's the matter? Being a pooltoy is lots of fun!" Turning to his fellow Ninetales, he added, "Are you sure about this? I really don't like transforming Pokemon against their will..." Nevertheless, he put forth his ninth, rightmost tail before Pyra so she could decide for herself.

"Oh, no! I'm completely gentle. I wouldn't hurt anybody, especially you guys. I mean, that Vulpix over there turned me into a pooltoy a while back, and she really likes to play rough. I'm not like that at all," Chip said as he glanced over to Pyra, whom he saw sobbing in front of Sai. "Pyra? What's wrong?" He hadn't paid attention to what her father said.

"Pyra..." Seraph murmured as she walked over to the Vulpix, taking the girl's paw in hand. "It's alright. It's perfectly safe. It's only temporary, right, Sai?"

"I don't care... I don't want to be a pooltoy... I like turning others into them, but that's all..." Pyra whimpered, resting her muzzle on Seraph's hollow arm.

"As a member of our clan, she has an obligation to learn all forms of magic. Studying our spell tome only goes so far. Her abilities are restricted while her magical affinity remains unchanged. In theory, if she becomes a living toy, she'll hence for be able to turn others into living toys. This was the case when I discovered the plushie and pooltoy transformation spells to begin with. I had to become a toy in order to develop the power to turn others into toys. So long as it is temporary, she will learn all she needs to in order to advance in her training," Osiris explained as Sai waited for Pyra to do something.

Sai bit his lip with soft, vinyl teeth. If it really was for the best... well, no one's ever been disappointed after transforming. "If you insist, Mr. Lu-quay... You'll enjoy it, Pyra, I promise," he reassured his biological kin. As he stroked Pyra's paw with the tail, another spell sprang to mind to calm a troubled soul. The magic instinctively flowed through him even as the streak of burnt-red vinyl quickly spread up her arm, leaving Sai surprised and delighted. Maybe he should meet Ninetales more often if he can learn things like this!

Meanwhile, Aki mustered the courage to sit beside Chip as the transformation proceeded. Despite her empathy for the terrified Vulpix, she was inwardly very relieved to have one less bio to fear... and if what Seraph said was true, she's the only one she had to worry about in the first place.

Pyra quietly relaxed as the fur all across her body slowly turned to vinyl. She recalled this spell from long ago. It was the Tranquility Hex her father often cast to help her sleep better as a young kit after her mother passed away. As the flesh on her body, neck, legs, and tails changed, the girl started breathing slowly as she waited for her face to transmute as well. After it had, she looked back at one of her central tails as a plug-like nozzle materialized at its tip.

Calmed that the change itself was quite comfortable, she backed out of Seraph's arms gently and bowed before Sai, then said, "Thank you, sir. I apologize for making such a fuss. I always get scared whenever I'm put into a situation I dread being forced into." Walking up to him with light squeaky steps, she rubbed her head against one of his forelegs affectionately.

Chip placed his forepaw gently on Aki's handpaw as she sat next to him. He felt a little bit anxious but also relieved that Pyra had now been transformed herself for once. Secretly, he'd been wishing for a little payback like that, but much milder though.

Aki snatched her hand away from those sharp claws, then looked away in embarrassment. He had only tried to be a friend. "S-sorry," she apologized, "it's just your claws; I am a balloonie, you know." She rested her paw on his, a minor change that left her much more comfortable.

Sai giggled. "Well, I've hope you've learned something from this. I've never really been around too many Ninetales, so I have no idea how you learned any magic by becoming a toy..." He wrapped a tail around her hollow body, placing her on his back. "But what I do know is that we're going to have more fun than you ever thought possible! Whaddya say?"

"Okay, you two lovebirds," Icari joked as she peered at Aki and Chip around her taut belly, "We should show Chip around. Would you like to see our pool?"

"Surely you jest, Sai?" Osiris finally giggled. "Or perhaps it's just as you've said: you've never been around many Ninetales. Elsewise you may've been more aware to our customs. Admittedly, mostly elder Ninetales such as I truly stick to the old ways. But there is no substitute for experiencing things firsthand. This is the only reason I pushed so hard for you to change her. Furthermore, anything we do here is simply to relax, I trust?"

Whilst the other talked to Sai, Chip looked at Icari and replied, "Sure. That would be fine, so long as you don't make me get in the water. I am a fire-type after all. I can tolerate it a little, but I really don't like getting soaked. It makes me feel kind of sickly."

"I don't know about you," Sai explained to Osiris, "but playing is pretty much the only reason I'm talking to you guys at all! That's my job as a toy, you know. So I'm gonna take Pyra to the pool! Wanna come?" He craned his neck to smile at Pyra. "You've probably never gone swimming, have you? Now that you're inflatable, you're also waterproof! C'mon, I'll show you!"

Icari spoke up, "Hey, we're going there, too! Aki, Chip, why don't we go with them? You know what they say: the more the merrier!"

Aki sprang up, her tail wagging in excitement. She never grew tired of the pool. "Say, Chip; would you feel comfortable floating on one of us? As long as you're careful with your claws I bet at least one of the pooltoys would be happy to oblige.

"You think this old man doesn't like to play, now do you?" Osiris laughed. "That's part of the experience! If you don't believe me, just whip those tails my direction and I'll...hmm..." Osiris pondering something to himself for a moment. Absorbing part of Sai's aura granted him knowledge of how to cast the toy's own pool-toy curse. Within measure, he might be able to cast it upon himself, but there was a catch... His clan's mysticism prohibited them from casting their own spells upon one another, including themselves. It was a seal of protection to prevent feuding amongst the families from getting out of hand. Coincidentally, he had allowed an outland clan-member to cast previous transformation hexes on him just so he would retain their power for future use.

"Yes, I supposed it would be best if you cast your curse upon me. It had crossed my mind that I may be able to do it myself, now that I have adequate knowledge and the magical prowess for it. However, our clansmen have always worn a protective enchantment that prevents self-afflicted curses, meaning it probably wouldn't work."

As the others talked amongst themselves again for the moment, Chip replied to Aki, "Yes, that would be fine with me... So long as it's not Sai... I don't want to be anywhere near those tails."

Overhearing them talk, Pyra glanced at Chip ominously and replied, "Oh, Chip! You're not getting out of it that easily! Father, pass me my spell book!" Osiris reached into the saddlebag hidden under his cloak and removed a thick leather-bound book. Afterwards, he took it over to Pyra who was still sitting on Sai's back. Resting the text gently on Sai's neck, she opened it about halfway and began chanting inaudibly.

"Pyra, no!" Chip screamed ready to dash off. As he started to run, the fur all over his entire body changed to a thick layer of inflated vinyl, all the way from his head with a ruby embedded in his forehead to the fat tail at his rear. His legs suddenly squeaked as he tried fleeing, but couldn't make any headway because his belly suddenly expanded outward to the ground to keep him in place. After his transformation was complete, Pyra cackled as loudly as she could, watching the ermine still trying to get away despite being immobilized due to his sudden over-inflation. Otherwise, though, he could still move his legs, so it proved her father's theory correct. She now had the power to turn other Pokémon into living pooltoys.

Sai growled, "Pyra! How could you?! I should have never shared my power..." He tossed her off with a tail, which would have been a harsh throw if not for her near-weightless body. Sai ran straight for Chip, quickly pulling open the valve on his tail so he could deflate to a normal size. "It's never appropriate to transform someone against their will! That could traumatize someone! I... I should know..." Turning to the Weasinge, he added, "I'm so sorry, I never meant for this to happen!" With Chip having returned to normal size, Sai continued, "I hope you can forgive her. I'm not sure I can reverse it, but I can try make the next few hours at least somewhat bearable. We could go somewhere quiet for a little while if you need a bit to recover... what do you say?"

Xeian scowled at Pyra. "Do you think this is a joke? We don't take kindly to those who abuse their toys... while Chip may not be your toy, this does not bode well for mine. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Chip covered his face crying as Sai tried to comfort him. He should've been expecting it, though. She always pulled that sort of thing at home too. But, he also knew it was completely reversible, given the right counter spell.

"Oh, give me a break! He knew I need a guinea pig every time I learn a new HARMLESS transformation spell," the Vulpix grumbled, the shy girl suddenly vanishing and revealing the sadistic hexer she truly was. "Furthermore, that was only a hex. It'll wear in ten hours or less, and there's always the counter-spell if it comes down to it. It's covered either way."

"Well, I cannot say that I condone this, but at the same time, the boy has been warned countless to expect it whenever she has a new spell to cast. So, there's no reason to be so angry with my daughter," Osiris stated, almost arrogantly. Seraph fell over on her back laughing.

Xeian frowned. "Right. 'Oh, by the way, you're going to be cursed whenever I feel the need to, just so you know.' What kind of warning is that? He clearly doesn't like it! I'm going to have to ask her to apologize and cast the counter-spell or she'll have to leave."

"Guinea pig?!" It was Aki's turn to be enraged. Memories of countless nights serving her abusive, careless ex-owner flooded her mind. Apparently, owning a living toy to him meant having a slave you could do whatever you wanted with. She grabbed and lifted Pyra to eye level with a furious expression. "How DARE you treat someone that way! He's not an object you can use any way you feel like, he's a Pokemon like you and you will treat him that way or so help me I will rip you open here and now!"

Icari gasped. "Aki! What are you doing!"

"Nobody deserves to be abused like that," Aki responded coldly. "I'm ensuring this doesn't happen again... by whatever means necessary." She squeezed Pyra harder.

Oblivious to the argument, Sai could only worry about the crying ermine. After Chip wouldn't respond to him, Sai didn't know what to do except curl around him protectively, using his tails to shield him from the world. "It'll be okay..." he whispered, "I'm here for you."

Osiris threw off his cowl to reveal his disfigured face long-ago scarred by whipping attacks from an insufferable adversary, and then raised his tails fiercely. Afterwards, he woofed harshly at Aki and forced her to back away from his daughter.

"Pyra, apologize to Chip and dispel you hex!" he then demanded.

Terrified, the girl whispered her apology under her breath and then immediately chanted the counter-spell. Her hex immediately dispersed and Chip returned to his normal furry self, still cowering with Sai otherwise protecting him. Sobbing more, the boy cuddled up to his would-be protector and suddenly felt comforted.

"We have no further business here..." Osiris said as he turned to leave, "Pyra, come."