Chapter 5: The Nickit!

Author's Note:

Finally, back in the swing of things! Two updates within the span of a month is something I didn't think I'd be capable of even a few months ago. Come to think of it, other than the earliest point in my account's history (twelve years ago, good lord!), I don't think I've ever had this many updates this close together before. XD

Anyway, please do enjoy! We're officially at the point where things can start to happen in this fic, so I hope you like what I've cooked up, even if the narrative can be jumbled up in a few places at times. (I'm a very brief writer. Habits from book writing die hard.) Leave a review if you'd like. I appreciate them!

- EMG

Teetering forward, innocent eyes wobbled two paws at a time. Endless, mirrored pupils twisted in focus beyond a tiny, perplexed muzzle as the little fox stumbled through prairie grass, eagerly in wait of the berry basket set out by their mother. Never in their short, three years of life had they seen such a mountain, much less one so edible, which made the task of setting it down evenly even more treacherous for the mother sylveon as she maneuvered it to and fro, desperately aiming for an even patch of grass that was vacant of her toddler's restless stumbles. Thankfully, her father, an exhausted-looking glaceon, was quick to the rescue, grabbing the eevee loosely by the scruff of the neck and allowing his partner unobstructed access to the ground below.

Evening was her name, an eevee kit on the cusp of her third year. The eldest of two twins, the tiny vixen had come into this world a late starter. Late to walk, slow to talk, yet what the little fox lacked in skill was more than made up for in spirit, or so her parents had claimed. The four made a fine family, yet, while certainly cute, it seemed the eldest's vitality had become a blight upon the couple's late-night routine. The pair hadn't slept a wink in the time since Evening became vocal, and, busy though I was, I had been appointed as the twins' godmother.

I waved her over with a paw, the fox kit receiving me with a flurry of licks and nuzzles in kind as I glanced up at her mother. "She is a cute one." I stifled a giggle. "I'm sure you know by now, Ella, but I'm afraid I'll have to hold off on our arrangement for a few days." I swallowed a pang of guilt. The sylveon's pale, rose-tinted fur could do nothing to hide the swollen bags that'd formed beneath her green-hued eyes. It was hard on any parent to raise one, let alone two kits at a time, in the middle of the wilderness no less, but it was all I could manage on such short notice. "I've an important assignment to attend to. However, once my mission has been accounted for, I intend to take my leave. Subsequently, you'll have my undivided attention. I pray you'll forgive my carelessness."

"Nonsense, Herra." Ella shook her head. Though exhausted, the proud sylveon mother stood firm, coddling the youngest of the twins behind tender forelegs. "It's only natural that an explorer of your stature would be well spoken for." She smiled reassuringly. "Now, let's drop the formalities. It's tiring enough teaching the young ones to speak properly. I'd rather have a casual exchange for once." An elated laugh escaped the eeveelution's coral-speckled muzzle. The young vixen had been a friend of mine for nearly a decade, and, despite the exhaustion in her tone, it was reassuring to hear her laugh.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," spoke the father. As well-mannered as he was, he couldn't help the occasional drop in his prim and proper façade. No one reasonable could blame him. He'd probably been sent on quest after quest for supplies to satiate the needs of the two newcomers, a fact that showed plainly across his matted cheeks and muzzle. Mild, summer oranges blended together in the male's pelt, the perfect complement to his boundless, ocean-blue eyes. "You and Axion are the pride of Axis. I'm sure whatever the guilds have entrusted to you, it was done so with good reason." He grinned. "Just make sure the kits get a good whiff of you before you go. It'll be a pain if we have to reintroduce you on your return."

I nodded. "I understand, Solstice." I glanced back down at Evening. Though I lacked the forelegs required to tuck her in, the kit had already succumbed to sleep at the base of my paws. "Hopefully she's able to practice in the meantime. I'd hardly expect a third year to understand the difference between a quadruped and a biped. It'd be a shame if she developed any habits." I chuckled. Unlike the family of foxes before me, meowstic weren't afforded the stability of a four-footed posture. I'd always been nimble in my own right, but I'd be the first to admit I envied the agility eevee and the like seemed to offer in droves.

Solstice chuckled. "Evening would make a fine espurr, I'm sure."

"Oh hush!" The rose-furred Sylveon nudged her partner. "You'll jinx the poor girl. It's all in good fun until our daughter stumbles over her own paws her whole life."

"I'm kidding!" The orange-furred glaceon raised his paws in protest. "Still, I'm sure it could be a fun parlor trick. Walking on twos, no?"

"I'm sure she'll be as talented as any other." I snickered. "In any case, Dear?" I glanced back at my partner, a rather plain-cut gallade. Despite the variety of fur and scale patterns that seemed to occupy the nation of Veralos, Axion was rather ordinary by comparison. Only the steady gaze from his lavender eyes served to differentiate him from others of his species, yet he took it in stride, using it as an excuse to over-accessorize. Not a single day went by that he wore the same getup, a fact that the newspapers weren't too fond of. They could never quite get his appearance down. Nonetheless, despite the praise he'd received from the sylveon and glaceon duo, the lazy bum had fallen asleep as well. "Honestly!" I sighed. "Perhaps it'd be better if I left him as well." I shared a brief chuckle with the young couple. "In any case, if something urgent should arise, please send word. Missions can always be reassigned." I nodded and returned the eldest twin to her parents. Then, with little more than a wave, I woke my partner and made for the nearest woodland trail, leaving nothing but hopeful cheers in my wake.

"Miss Herra!"

"…?!" I awoke with start, sweat seeping from the tufts at my forehead as I scrambled to meet with the source of the screaming. It was Verdant, Eve's partner. There was no way to tell how much time had passed before the usually silent feline decided to speak up, yet her needlessly expectant, amber gaze bore into mine as if I were being mentored by her! "Yes?" I sighed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes with a yawn. "What is it? Something you need?"

The sprigatito took a moment to respond, instead staring out the door to the main entrance. "I never got to thank you for saving our rumps back in the forest." She sighed. "In any case, we've been asked to find a guide for our first mission, and for the life of me I can't figure out where Eve went. The girl vanished with some vulpix named Esuna, according to the guildmaster. Any idea where I could find her?"

"Esuna?" I frowned. In truth, one couldn't set foot in this city without hearing of the golden vulpix. She was a star by all forms of logic, yet why she'd chosen to run off with someone like Eve was beyond me. "Of course! Esuna is this guild's shining star, tutored by yours truly. The girl gets up to just about anything around the guild, but if it's with someone she's just met…" I pondered. "Try Team Forecast's room. They're the closest she has to a proper team." I paused. "Oh, but if Eve went off with her, it's likely Evelyn is responsible. Keep that in mind."

Verdant frowned. "Forecast? Like the weather?" She sighed. "Why do I get the feeling that they're trouble?" She shook her head and made for the door. "Oh!" She pumped the breaks and whirled around. "I know Eve is going to try and choose someone else, but I figured I'd put a word in. Could you be our guide?" She tapped her paw impatiently. "I'm sure any of the high rankers around here will jump at the chance, but she kinda has this, well… I wouldn't call it admiration, but she's a big fan." The sprigatito rubbed her foreleg absently, her gaze fixed to a nearby window as if requesting as much for a friend were something to be embarrassed about.

I smiled in kind. "I'll make sure to let Evelyn know." I stood up, using a nearby chair to stretch. "In the meantime, if you can manage to bring Esuna along with you when you make your way toward the office, I'm sure Evelyn would greatly appreciate it!" I padded forward and shooed the sprigatito out the door. "Oh, and make sure it's a surprise!" I snuck in a grin. The sprigatito simply shrugged her shoulders before picking up the pace in the opposite direction, leaving me to contemplate what I'd just agreed to.

Starglow Guild – Staff Dorms – Verdant

While it was relieving to hear that our leader had, in fact, not decided to goof off for the day, I only found myself with more questions than answers. Despite being the most outgoing and kind pokemon I'd ever known, Eve wasn't particularly skilled at making friends, and neither was her sister. Sure, Ally had a whole slew of acquaintances and connections, some of which had been very valuable business partners of my own. Nonetheless, the twins rarely saw fit to socialize meaningfully with others. Even years of my quality service wasn't enough to get them to willfully approach me. In the end, it'd taken direct confrontation for the two to consider me a friend, and the mew was…another matter entirely. So, to think Eve would willingly run off with a stranger, guildmate or not. Well, color me surprised!

Evelyn had been gracious enough to part with this vulpix's info at least. The infamous Esuna, one of the front runners in the explorer rankings and current nominee for the Veralos Royal Knights, a hall of fame of sorts chosen by Queen Celosia herself! That alone was enough to merit the vixen some trust, but I was determined to give her friends a thorough evaluation. Eve was by and large my most loyal customer. If anyone were to threaten that, well… Cat claws are razor-sharp. Do the math.

"Hello?" I shouted, coming to a stop in front of a thick, mahogany door labeled "Team Forecast". "Is anyone there?" I knocked a leafy paw against the hardwood door. A few muffled voices broke through the silence on the other side before the door swung open, revealing nothing short of four pokemon asleep in various corners of the room, along with Eve and three others near the entrance. Eve was standing with her back turned, addressing a vaporeon with very…eevee like attributes a bright sapphire eyes. The water type had the same neck fluff as an eevee, this time tinted blue, their fur cascading along their body in increasingly darkening shades that ended in a dark, stormy blue toward the tip of their tail fin. A ruby-eyed, golden-furred vulpix, presumably Esuna, sat beside them. Neither of the two looked up as the fourth 'mon, a togetic with mysterious, amethyst-colored eyes, greeted me at the door.

"Oh?" The togetic smiled, his voice thick and smooth like honey. "Might you perhaps be Verdant? I've been told to expect a sprigatito." He glanced back at the group of three who, despite the ongoing conversation, had yet to address the open door. "Your friend is currently training with one of our own." He stepped aside. "Come in!"

I returned his smile in kind. "Thank you." I nodded the togetic's way and padded forward just in time for the door to swing shut. "Might I ask for your name?" I inquired. "I make it a point to know anyone who might make an important customer in the future." I continued, indicating the togetic's warn-looking scarf. The garment had a prismatic texture to it that changed color depending on the lighting. Unfortunately, much of the material that gave it said property had since worn out, leaving the garment mostly white under most conditions. "I'm sure you could use the patchwork."

"My name if Mirage." He bowed respectively. "Are you perhaps referring to this?" He tapped the garment with his stubby limbs. "I suppose I have been looking into getting it replaced." He smiled. "However, if you could fix it, I'd much appreciate it."

"I'll see what I can do." I chuckled, before padding forward to check what all the fuss was about. Esuna and the vaporeon stood huddled around Eve. A light whirring sound emanated from between them as I approached, revealing itself to be the makings of a shadow ball, its murky form hovering ever so slightly above Eve's upturned paw as I stopped to take a peek. "I wondered what you were up to."

"Huh?" The eevee jumped, immediately dismissing the darkened orb and whirling around to meet me. "Oh, Verdant!" She grinned. "Did ya see? I learned a move!" The pink-eyed vixen puffed out her chest with pride. Of course, learning to use moves was a concept many addressed when they were much younger than she was, but I wasn't about to diminish the girl's accomplishment with that fact. She was fickle enough with her studies. Besides, the eevee's smile had a way of brightening my mood. "Come on! Aren't ya going to congratulate me?"

I gripped the eevee's outstretched paw and examined it closely. Despite her relative inexperience, there was a noticeable lack of wear on her pads from training with such a skill. "You did great, I'd say." I giggled. "Though uh, are you sure this is where you want to use that attack? Usually, it's formed before the muzzle."

Eve frowned. "But that's so boring!" She grumbled. "I'd rather punch my opponents with my attacks!" She grinned. "Cool, huh?"

"Ooh~" The vaporeon's eyes lit up, and pretty soon she had us surrounded. Gentle, cerulean paws soon joined our own, cupping around them eagerly as the excitable water type glanced between the two of us. "Is that paw holding I see?" She giggled. "Eve, I didn't know you had a girlfriend!"

"W-what?" Eve yanked her paw away and whirled on the water type. "No! Come on, Mist! Verdant was just looking at my progress!" The eevee held her paw gingerly, as if it might float away. I couldn't help but giggle in response.

"I'm assuming you're the one who taught her, then?" I eyed Mist curiously. The vaporeon hardly looked convinced by Eve's words. Nonetheless, she smiled my way.

"Of course!" Mist grinned. "Well, Esuna helped a little, but Eve here is pretty talented. It didn't take us long at all." She shook her head. "And here I thought I found a pupil!" She pouted. "Hey Eve! If you need any more help, hit me up again. Kay?" The water type inquired before padding off to join the rest of her friends in a nap.

"So, you're Verdant!" Esuna's ruby-colored eyes bore into my own. Despite her standing in the rankings, she was far more cheerful than I'd imagined…and young! The vulpix was easily ten years or so younger than Herra, her competition. "I was wondering when one of you would come poking around these parts for her." She shook her head. "Sorry about that. Honestly, it's a good thing Guildmaster Evelyn knows about my deal with this lot." She chuckled. "You'd have been searching for us for hours otherwise."

"Her sister would've sniffed her out sooner or later." I shrugged. "Anyway, Eve." I glanced at the still-flustered eevee. "Evelyn needs us to meet with her about our first mission. Ally sent me to find you because, well, we need a guide. Ally went to look for volunteers, so naturally I came looking for you."

At the mere suggestion of a mission, Eve's tail picked up speed. "Our first mission?" She grinned. "Yes! Just in time, too!"

"A guide, you say?" Esuna echoed out of curiosity. "That's right! Your first mission needs to be with one of the senior staff." She grinned. "Well, in that case. I'm free." She offered, flicking her six tails in the direction of her comrades. "This lot is, for lack of a better term, rather lazy."

"Everyone's lazy if it's left up to your standards." Mirage chuckled. "Still, if you intend on helping these two, I'll let the others know where you've gone."

Esuna nodded. "Thank you, Mirage." She eyed me expectantly. "Well? I'm sure there are others who could help, but none that you'll find on short notice!"

"Sure!" Eve flicked her tail against Esuna's flank and padded for the door. "Let's head out before Ally finds someone else!" The hat-wearing eevee linked her tail with my own and flung open the door. Then, before I could protest, she began walking, forcing me to keep up with her pace lest I lose my tail. "Better keep up!"

I glared daggers at the eevee. "Mess up my tail and your next repair will cost you double."

Her pace immediately steadied, yet she refused to relinquish my tail. "Fine, fine." She snickered. "But you're explaining things to Ally if she finds us another guide before we get back. She hates wasting time."

Starglow Guild – Guildmaster's Chamber

Evelyn wasn't the only espeon in the room by the we caught up with Ally and made the trip up the winding staircase to her office. In fact, she was far from the only pokemon in the room in general. Elly's team crowded the front of the emerald-eyed guildmaster's desk, her teal-furred forepaws folded neatly atop the oak desktop despite the overcrowding of her cozy, book-ridden room. The other espeon wasn't fairing nearly as well; however. She stood off to the side, her cerulean eyes scanning the group as if searching for a chance to get a word in, yet Elly's team was far too enthusiastic, and the guildmaster offered little assistance. It was only when the four of us entered the room that Evelyn raised a jade-colored paw to silence Team Starlight.

"Team Fedora!" The guildmaster called, motioning us into the cramped room with a hasty forepaw. "Oh, and you brought Esuna too! Fantastic." She sighed. "I thought I'd have to send for you as well."

Once we'd gotten settled, Esuna approached the guildmaster's desk with abject confusion written plainly across her muzzle. "You meant to call for me as well?" She inquired. "I thought you sent Ally off to find a guide for Eve's team. What do you need me for?" Evelyn returned her a reassuring glance and signaled for the remaining chatter to quiet down.

Sensing no change in the rowdy bunch, the cerulean-eyed espeon sighed. "Silence!" She demanded, her amber-colored forehead gem shining with a sun-like radiance. The moment the gemstone flickered to life, the atmosphere of the room grew heavier, as if we'd ascended to the top of a mountain and were forced to adapt to thinner air. The espeon's eyes seemed to ooze with the same intimidating aura as she cast Team Starlight a sidelong glance. "It'll do you well to listen to your guildmaster." She advised. Curiously, though her teammates cowered before the explorer's demanding gaze, it seemed none of this had an effect on Elly.

"Come now, Skye." Evelyn cut in. The fellow espeon had hardly been fazed by the actions of her colleague. Nonetheless her emerald-colored gemstone began to glow with an opposing, yet soothing aura. "There's no need to terrify the kits. They're still inexperienced is all."

Skye shook her head and sighed. In the same moment, her forehead gem ceased its powerful glow, releasing its stranglehold over the atmosphere of the room. "This is why I work alone." She mumbled. "Well? Answer the girl." She urged her companion who, despite the newfound silence of the office, had yet to answer Esuna's question.

"Right." She cleared her throat and turned her attention to the golden-pelted vulpix. "As talented as you are, Esuna, you're much too young to mentor new recruits. Given your age…" Her emerald orbs flicked between us and Esuna. "…and your lack of proper teammates, I figured it best that you join Team Fedora."

Esuna's ruby-colored eyes grew wide with fear. "What? But if I do that, then-'

"I will make sure that you don't lose your rank." Evelyn flashed a reassuring smile. "There's no rule stating that you can't join a new team. Explorer rankings are separated by individual rather than team." She sighed. "Rest assured, I will make sure nothing happens. You are our guild's crown jewel." She smiled proudly. "In any case, you still need a guide…"

"Perhaps I might be of assistance?" A familiar voice called out from the doorway. Herra pulled up beside Esuna shortly after. "I've still some time before my next excursion. I wouldn't mind escorting this lot on their first mission." The meowstic smiled back at us. On closer inspection, her fur pattern differed greatly from what was typical of her species. A deep maroon color replaced the usual blues of the female's forehead, tails and paws, complemented only by the light, sandy tan of her main coat. Deep sky-blues intermixing with darker, more oceanic tones to form captivating, feline eyes as she scanned our group for changes. "Oh?" She frowned. "What happened to young Lisa?"

"She is being cared for by Aloe in the infirmary," replied Evelyn. "We'd be hard pressed to expect anything from these kits if they were forced to babysit." She shook her head. "She may be their client, but in the meantime, while we push to get in contact with the girl's mother, I figured it best to leave her in Aloe's care."

Herra nodded, clasping both forepaws together in a form of subdued, albeit giddy excitement. "Oh good!" She chuckled. "All the more reason to jump on the occasion, then!" She grinned back at Eve. "So, what of the details? Surely you don't mean to have them pick their own mission."

"Hardly." Evelyn shook her head, her teal-furred ears flicking about with glee. "Team Starlight?"

Elly stood at attention. Curiously, though she's struggled to even introduce herself at our first assembly, the cerulean-eyed eevee was steady and alert. "Y-yes ma'am?"

Evelyn smiled in kind. "You four are to meet with Conifer and his nephew, Alex at the edge of Starshroud Forest. The two are florists, so they're rather capable with plants, but the unusual properties of the flora in this region make navigating the forest a bit of a hassle for anyone from the outside I'm afraid. And of course, the frivolous rumors surrounding ghosts and curses don't help. Our forest may serve as host to a time gear, but it is one of the few that lacks a proper guardian, much less one of the spiritual variety." She shook her head. "In any case, those two are important business partners to the guild. Make sure that they arrive unharmed!"

"Yes ma'am!" Elly nodded, followed by Nebula, Oleander and Flux, who each saluted the guildmaster under the watchful eye of their mentor.

"As for Team Fedora…" She turned to face Eve. "We received reports of a distressed individual who appeared lost in that very forest this morning." She shook her head. "As you may be aware, Laurel Brook cuts straight through the forest to the east of the guild. Despite its name, it is anything but a small stream. The current may be gentle, but changing landscape in the area has turned it into a full-blown river. The locals of small villages down south have created a modest ferry service that runs the length of the river, and it just so happens that the ferry's captain spotted a distressed-looking nickit on their way to the northern dock." She shook her head. "The current isn't very strong, but it worries me that they were spotted so close to the riverbank. I've tasked you four with their rescue." The espeon concluded. By the time she'd finished her delivery, Eve was practically bouncing with energy. The fedora-wearing eevee was kicking up a draft of her own with her fan-like tail. "Find them and return here. Am I understood?"

"Yes ma'am!" Eve hopped, nearly smacking her sister in the muzzle with her tail as she whipped around to celebrate. "Well, it's not much, but we get to leave the city for a bit!" She grinned. "Come on! Let's go find the poor fox!"

"Just a moment." Herra stepped out into the doorway, causing Eve to run face-first into her tan-furred waist. "Oof!" She chuckled. "Looks like I'm just in time." She shook her head, using her maroon-tipped forepaws to grip Eve's shoulders and steady her. "Do you even know where this ferry dock is located?" She smiled kindly, despite the importance of the question.

"Oh, uh…" Eve shook her head, a rosy tint creeping its way along her cheeks as she shuffled her cream-tipped paws uncomfortably. "No. Not really."

Her sister soon accompanied her, nudging her gently with an identical forepaw. "You may love the forest, but let's tone it back a bit, hmm?" Ally giggled. "Esuna just joined the team. Let's not give her a bad look."

"But it's boring just sitting around." She grumbled, only to receive an equally gentle nudge from Herra. The tan-furred meowstic waved goodbye to the guildmaster and padded out onto the polished ebony flooring of the loft. It could've just been the way she walked, but for a moment I thought I sensed a similar, youthful energy from the famous explorer.

"I'm not asking you to sit around." The blue-eyed meowstic shook her head enthusiastically. "Arceus knows I wouldn't be able to handle it." She chuckled. "Buuuut~." She used her psychic to lift Eve's chin. "I do need a degree of your attention. Lend me your ear and I'll set you loose in a jiff! This is your mission after all, but I do need you to listen."

"What's the plan, then?" Esuna caught up and offered Eve a tail for support. "Come on, stand up." She giggled. "You're making Mist look like a professional!" She teased. To Herra's relief, the eevee rose to her paws soon after.

"I'm glad you asked." Herra sighed. "Listen, I'm not as strict as Skye." Her gaze wandered daringly over at the cerulean-eyed espeon, who'd already managed to lead her pupils over to the stairs down to the main entrance. On closer inspection, the espeon's fur was far more…frilly than one would expect for her sergeant-like demeanor. The usual magenta of the espeon's fur lightened as it spread out along her body, nearing tints closer to white than pink as it came to a stop at the tips of her paws, tail and ears. Even the whisker-like tufts beneath her ears had been prettied up, resembling the fluff of clouds more than they did fur. "But I do require a modicum of attention." She clasped her forepaws together. "I will lead you to the ferry dock. Our lost nickit was spotted on the eastern riverbank, so we'll need to use the ferry to hop across." She explained quickly, so as to not lose Eve's attention. "From there, we will walk along the riverbank until we spot our target. Understood?"

Eve nodded along enthusiastically. "Yeah, got it!" She grinned. "What's this ferry like, anyway? I've never seen it." Using Esuna's tails as support, the pink-eyed eevee jumped to her paws once more and tapped her paws eagerly against the polished, ebony floorboards. "Is it fancy?"

I shook my head. "It was built by folk from the smaller villages down south, Eve. Think along the lines of your home village, if you remember it at all. I wouldn't expect anything extravagant." I explained…not that it would do any good. For as long as I'd known her, Eve had been known as the girl whose excitement reached a boiling point at the mere mention of adventure. We'd been friends since childhood, even made the move to Starglow together, yet the eevee hadn't changed much even compared to her village days. The ferry may turn out to be a makeshift boat born of scraps, but she'll be all over it the moment the captain speaks of where it's been.

"So?" Eve's grin widened. "A boat's a boat! I've never been on one before." She eyed me expectantly. "Speaking of extravagant, where are our scarves?" She craned her neck to the side and sniffed at the bag meant for my merchandise. "Are they ready yet?"

I shook my head and stole the bag away from her grabby paws. "You'll get yours when you get yours. Knitting takes time, and Miss Velvet is particularly busy at the moment." I huffed. "Of course, they could've been finished sooner if I were allowed to design them, but rules are rules." I shot the eevee a stern look. "I will let you know. They won't be finished until late tonight at the very earliest."

"And speaking of." Herra cut in, a cheeky smile creeping across her muzzle. "I'm not sure if you've been told, but the Starglow guild operates primarily at night. That means…" She eyed Eve closely. "No sleeping tonight! You lot are in for a long night of, well…whatever you can think of." She chuckled. "Point being, try not to doze off until the sun rises. I'm sure the guildmaster chose this time for your mission just to send a message." She flicked her tail toward the skylight, which had grown orange in the afternoon sunlight. Though it hadn't felt like it, the day had gone by in a breeze. Surely by the end of our mission, we'd bee looking at sunset. Still, the prospect of staying awake all night didn't seem to excite anyone. Even Eve ceased her bouncing at the idea.

"We have to stay awake all night?" Eve frowned, exhaustion ebbing at the eevee's energy at the mere idea of missing a nap. "In that case, I'm going to need plenty of smoothies. Nebula mentioned a place nearby!" She grinned, and like magic, every ounce of the vixen's energy returned in full. "And you…" She poked my nose, a teasing grin plastered across her muzzle. "…are coming with me. Someone needs to teach you how to have fun!"

I shuddered at the thought of spending a full night slurping down sugar, but I didn't argue. Someone had to make sure she didn't destroy the place, and Ally wouldn't be enough to hold back both Eve and Nebula. "Whatever." I turned my nose up at the suggestion about fun and padded away toward the stairs. "Come on, then! That poor nickit won't rescue themselves!"

Somewhere in Starshroud Forest

Gentle, midsummer wind intermixed with the trickling of nearby water, creating a noxious rush in my ears as sound returned all at once, followed by the most severe set of aches I'd ever felt. It was cold, or…was it? No. Half my body felt wet, and no matter how hard I kicked, I couldn't feel the ground. Topside I met with a dry, grainy sensation that seemed to penetrate my form. It felt like tiny pinpricks set atop a warm blanket, except the blanket was full of lumps and hadn't been washed in months. Somewhere between the putrid smell of mud and wet fur lay the scent of sweetened clover. Perhaps at the promise of something more pleasant, my eyes fluttered open, allowing but a blurry glance of my surroundings as a fit of coughs lay siege to my lungs.

"What…is that?" I groaned in pain, my voice coming in raspy tones that burned like fire in my throat. I needed water! "Damn, that stinks!" I gagged, blinking my eyes to clear away the haziness of my surroundings. "Ugh. Who didn't clean their dog?" I croaked, digging at the ground for a foothold as the sight of trees twisted into focus before me, not a dog in sight. "A forest?"

I clambered to my feet, a dull ache encompassing my legs as I gawked at the blue skies above. Not a cloud hung in the sky over the forest ahead which, despite the thickness of its canopy, was far from lightless. The trees gave off an almost eerie glow, painting the ground ahead in multicolored hues as I twisted around to find the source of my discomfort: a gentle, yet voluminous river. The soil I'd been laying on slumped downward, sinking like a gentle slope into the shallows of what was otherwise a full-blown river.

"This…isn't my bedroom." I sighed, scanning the surrounding riverbank for shreds of hints or clues. Anything to tell me what'd happened to take me from my bedroom to a river in the middle of a forest. "Wait, where even am I?" I paused, anxiety gripping at my stomach as I swept the area one last time. With no sign of civilization for miles, I was tempted to call this a dream, but if that were true…why did it hurt so much? "And what is that?" I grumbled. My vision had since returned to its normal state, yet no matter how hard I blinked, I couldn't get rid of the last remnants of fuzz that clung to the center of my vision.

"Come on! Clear up!" I swept a hand in front of my face hoping to clear up the fuzz, only to come into contact with something solid and…sensitive? "Agh! Oww!" I winced, grabbing at the object with my other hand in confusion. The fuzz afront my vision shifted along with it, as if the thing obscuring my vision were part of my body, rather than crust from a night's sleep gone wrong. On top of that, new fuzz had joined the mix, as if… "Wait…" I pulled my hands back, only to come face to face with the furry little digits of an animal's paw. Two of them! "Paws?" I exclaimed, pulling my arms back reflexively. Sure enough, the paws soon followed, offering me a close-up of the plush pads of an animal. The paws…my paws rather, were blanketed in an impossibly soft layer of white fur. The color had a strange dream-like feel to it, whites displaced ever so slightly by pink and purple tints, as if the fur had been deliberately stained. The pads were a soft, blue-tinted grey that matched the fur beyond my paws which, on closer inspection, tapered out at the ankles, as if I were wearing gloves.

"These are…mine?" I willed for my fingers to move. Sure enough, one of my paws flexed in response, the three digits shifting apart from each other in the same manner as a cat's before a good clawing. "N-no way!" I stammered. "Turning into a…fox?" I whirled about, examining my form as best I could without falling. "How is something like that possible?" I sat down with a long sigh. "Come to think of it, where am I?" A wave of anxiety gripped at my heart, causing the poor thing to pump faster and faster as I whipped my head around to examine the rest of my body once more. Plush, silver fur continued out along my flank until it reached a…tail. The tail in question arched upward in the center, resulting in a large mass of fluff that drooped downward and brushed lightly against the dust-covered ground. A part of me wanted to rescue the fluffy appendage from the soil. The part of me that was no longer human! "A tail too?" I sighed. "Please let this be a dream." I raised my forepaws above my head, confirming the presence of two large, fox-like ears that bent at the slightest pressure my paws provided. The vulpine limbs were covered in a delicate, plumb-colored fuzz that matched the tip of my tail perfectly.

"Screw it! I need water!" Abandoning the thought of my newfound animalistic features, I descended upon the shallows of the river once more. Without thinking it over, I dunked my furry head beneath the surface of the river and allowed myself a few gulps. At the very least, the water was clean. The coolness of the river's gentle flow soothed the remainder of my headache, and soon I found my heartrate begin to decline as well as I pulled myself from the depths. "Alright, come on! Calm down and think." I sighed, plopping down on the dry side of the riverbank. "Let's see, my name… Nickie! Check." I shook my head and stared blankly at the river water below me. The face of some unfamiliar fox creature stared back at me. The color of the creature's eyes matched up with my own at least: a light, blue-ish green. Mint! That was the term!

I groaned and flopped onto my back. "I used to be human, that's for sure, but what am I now?" I pondered, wracking my brain for answers that simply didn't come. "Just that, then…" I sighed and flipped back onto my paws, staring longingly down the length of the river. "I…guess it couldn't hurt to look around." I stumbled forward on wobbly legs, almost tumbling back into the river in my haste. "If I can figure out how to walk first." I sighed. "Follow the river, Nickie. Follow the river…"