It was dangerous to traverse Ebot City alone, on its best days. Recently, however, it had been growing all the more unsteady. In quiet, barely observable ways.

The yellow-eyed cat watched from above, the movements of the girls. Aliza, and Frisk were headed home from the apartment complex. Pablo knew that, especially for humans, interpersonal connections were important in maintaining themselves. They were some of the most social creatures he'd encountered. So it was important for them to interact, and do so without his prodding, or direct suggestions.

But that didn't mean he wouldn't be near enough to get to them, should something go amiss.

Pablo's tail flickered. "Hmm. Finally egressing this dreary locale, suitably timed."

He had been waiting very patiently, keeping his attention on them. However, as amusing as it was to see them interact in peace, there was much that needed to be attended to. And his other duties were calling him.

Besides, Valérie was a better travel companion for them. Although, his darling brother had an awful tendency to go without, for the benefit of others. So, he had sent him to find something. To relax, for a time, before returning to their chosen wards.

Rising from his seat on the rooftop, he began moving along. Following after their steps, first by hopping down onto an air-conditioner someone had in their window, and then to the overhanging porch.

This bringing him to a spot with a pet-door of sorts. Which, while convenient, seemed a poor decision, given how high up this was. But, that was not his call.

Heading into the apartment, he gave a glance to another cat sitting on the living room couch. A black cat, with a bell around its neck. They rarely spoke, so he didn't know their name.

"Salutations again." Pablo greeted.

"Ugh it's you." The other cat grumbled. "The human placed a latch on the door leading into the hall, just so you know."

"Such unnecessary security." Pablo agreed, trotting over to the next pet door, giving a sharp scratch to the latch, breaking it. "Posthumously, I profess twas an incapable lot."

"It was crap." The cat on the couch said, getting a nod as Pablo stepped through it. "Later, ya weird cat."

"You as well compatriot." Pablo said with a little snicker.

Down below, the girls had been passing through the parking lot, when something caught Frisks eye.

She paused beside a car with its windows partially down. Peeking inside, noticing there was a bag on the floor of the passengers side. Checking the door, it was found to be unlocked, a little smile forming on her face.

"I think, well, it's probably owned by that store we went to." Frisk suggested, while snagging the food, shutting the door. "The uh, cute thing."

"The...one with the piano?" Aliza asked, thinking of stores. "W-with the uhm, with the goldfish?"

"No, no, the one we snuck into. With cute on all those shirts." Frisk clarified, while continuing on.

"Wow. That's cool." Aliza said, stepping to her side. "What about...uhm...fire?"

"Fire?" Frisk raised a brow.

The inside of the bag was someone's lunch things. A couple yogurt cups, some crackers, and a boxed container of what she thought was spaghetti. She took it, and the plastic fork, and handed them to Aliza. Who smiled some.

Frisk also noticed a photograph inside. It was similar to the girl on the mural. It was of the girl, a little bit younger than herself. Wearing a soft blue dress, with cartoon characters around the ends of it. With blond hair, that was long and curly. And light blue eyes. She was at what seemed to be a birthday party.

Aliza said. "Thanks."

"Well, you keep not eating. So now you don't have an excuse." Frisk said, giving her a look, briefly turning to slip the photo in through the window.

"Er-heh, sorry. Uhm...everything okay?" The other girl apologized, and asked.

"Huh, oh yeah, didn't need that." Frisk replied, motioning her friend to walk a bit quicker to make up for the wasted time.

Aliza gave a nod, not entirely sure what had just happened. "Oh uhm...about the fire thing. What I mean is, well, if people own cute. Does someone own fire?"

The more mischievous of the two snickered at this, as they reached the end of the parking lot. "Ahh, that's a common mistake, Aliza. See, while most people think that Fire is owned by the fighters. It's actually like, a thing. It grows out of plants, electrical sockets. That kinda of thing."

"It's alive?" Aliza asked, visibly confused. "W-wait, is that why they say...don't feed it?"

"Exactly." Frisk nodded, smirking. "See fire's super dangerous. Burns everything. Ya know?" She took the crackers out, and tied the bag to the belt loop on her shorts. "So, yeah."

Aliza reflected on this new information. "I never heard of this before."

"Well, ain't you lucky you have me then?" Frisk asked, adding. "Here to make sure you know what's goin on."

"Thanks Frisk." Aliza poked the fork into the plastic bowl. "I...I'm sorry I...don't know things...as well."

"Don't apologize. It's like that uh, that song says. Live and Learn, right?" Frisk heard someone yelling back in the parking lot. "Hey, let's put a lid on that. Race you back."

"Huh, oh, okay?" Aliza raised a brow as her peer started to jog away. "W-wait, you d-didn't say start!"

She quickly closed up the container, and ran along after her. She wasn't keen on being left behind. Unaware of the very angry person looking around the area, they'd just left.

Valerie had made his path through the city, some more, before stopping to enjoy his food. He did his best to be quick about it, not wanting to eat up too much time. It was simply too difficult, however, to eat it on the go.

The cat took a seat beside the porch of some home. The area he traveled through, his short-cut, was a bit nicer than the rest. So long as one didn't peer too deeply. Which, he was fine with, in the moment. Pablo would have called it utterly foolish, though.

As he munched down, his eyes closed. Simply enjoying it for a moment. He heard a rumbling sound, felt an odd chill, causing his hair to perk up. He felt a hand on his head, and heard a whisper.

The voice of a girl said. "He's coming."

His eyes opened, and he jumped. Looking around, there was nothing there. Shaking himself some, his eyes began to glow some. Had there be some maddened thing he couldn't see?

Even within the underlayer, however, there was nobody. But there was evidence of something having been there. Wet footsteps set before him, with empty space where a person would be. No path, no indication of where they were, had gone, or had come from. His hair rose.

"That's... unlikely to be a good sign." He muttered quietly, changing his vision back, while getting back on the path. "I must profess, I'm not interested, thank you, sorry, goodbye."

He offered his brief apology to whatever that had been. The blue-eyed cat surmising he'd need to ask his sibling most likely. Giving a glance back, there was still nothing there.

Hopping up and onto a fence, he dove back down on the other side. Coming to pass by a home, where the residents had the window open. The sound of something broadcasting from their television.

"All necessary precautions to protect yourselves and your loved ones." He had heard it say, but paid it little mind.

There was always some new crisis in the world. Stopping for every little news report being foolish at this point. Besides, he was... busy.

Ground level came easily enough, or, was set to. It wasn't too difficult to traverse the apartments. And he got quite a number of pats, and bits of attention from the various humans he encountered. He did, however, take note of a specter or two that ignored him. Or, worst, stared.

"Impolite rapscallions." Pablo muttered in disapproval.

It was uncouth to simply stare at someone. Regardless the reason. It was discomforting, and compelled him to make a note to eventually return to this place, and deal with them. Thankfully, there was nobody on the second floor, giving him a moment of peace and quiet.

The hall was nice, and empty. Meaning he could progress it a bit quicker. He stepped, and passed door, after door, after door. Each one closed, each one bearing numbers. And then, as he passed one, he felt... something there.

The hair on his spine rose for a moment. Palo turned and stared at the doorway. It was empty, though, the door did seem slightly ajar. Scanning up the line, he came to spot an eye there, someone staring out at him through the crack.

The moment it was noticed, the door slammed shut, the cat nearly jumping. A strange little laugh escaping from behind the door. He hated that.

"Disrespectful conduct." Pablo chastised, while shaking it off, and stepping nearer.

There was...a sound, a television set, or a radio. "-ible flooding. Please stay indoors and avoid going outside unle-"

The sound was too heavily distorted for him to make it out. And the volume was growing quite a bit quieter. Pablo knew better than to try something foolhardy, like leaning his eat against the door. Were what he saw, a specter, it'd likely use the opportunity to kill him, or drag him inside. Neither of which he could afford to do.

"Assuage concerns that this is an alleviated encounter." Pablo spat, annoyed. "Potentially phantasmagorical prankster."

With that he turned and continued off. He had wasted too much time anyways. Best to hurry along.