Ask The Wolves; Wolf Costumes? Kodi and Val Edition

 

20 Years Later; Ask Omari and Liz; Sam Hain Plans

 

Omari: Oh, we're heading for a weekend stay at the old Hunter Family Ranch.

Elizabeth: Well, not the whole weekend sadly. We do have to cut Sunday short so that I can convine with the orchestra early Monday Morning...*Sigh* Then it's two weeks in Roarope playing in Maris Prance.

Omari: *Chuckles* Only you could make two weeks in Maris Prance sound like a miserable chore my love. 

Elizabeth: Because it's two weeks spent without you, halfway across Animalia. Maris just won't have that same shine without you with me Mari. 

Omari: Then we'll just have to really do up our weekend and Grandpaw and Grandma's to make up for it, won't we?

Elizabeth: And after too...We do have my father's Harvest Feast cooking to look forward to.

Omari: Oooh...*Shakes head, wiping the drool forming on his maw with a paw.* Grandmaw and Uncle Xavier cooking under the same roof for Harvest Feast...there are no words for that kind of treat. Well and far beyond anything Sam Hain could offer.

Elizabeth: *Giggles* Well Sam Hain will still be fun. Getting together with all the cousins, eating all sorts of treats by Grandmaw and Malcolm...the costume contest...

Omari: Which we have in the bag this year, at least in 'our' generation bracket. *Chuckles Smugly* There's no way any of the other Hunter Girls will look as stunning as you do in your corpse bride costume.

Elizabeth: *Blushes* And nor will any of the boys look as handsome as you in your matching Victor costume.

Omari: Well, it's not as sharp as my super mammal costume, but it'll do.

Elizabeth: *Giggles* Do you still have that old thing? How would you even fit in it?

Omari: No, Mom has that. Part of her 'precious pup' collection of trinkets from when me and my brothers and sister were growing up. My first Sam Hain costume is vacuum-sealed as if it were a fine museum piece.

Elizabeth: *Sigh*, I do wish I still had...even a recollection of my first Sam Hain scare costume...though the more I think about it, I'm not sure my birth mother ever took me trick or treating...so my 'Phantom of the Opera' costume that my Dad's let me pick out was probably my first costume ever...

Omari: Oof...what a choice...I mean considering the Phantom's....tragic history?

Elizabeth: *Flicks a paw at Omari* I made the choice myself...despite my own...trauma...I've always been a musical theater girl and...well...I loved that story. It also was...well it was sort of a way for me to...embrace my features...and learn to live with them. I suppose that's why my Dad's didn't stop me from picking it...Still, I loved that costume. I think I wore it from the age of nine to twelve...at least until I couldn't fit it anymore. *Chuckles* It makes it a bit harder to tell from photos just what year it was taken without the old Furbook post date...

Omari: I still can't believe Furbook is limping along...it's so...archaic.

Elizabeth: Our parents and grandparents keep it propped up...and us, unfortunately. Forced to have accounts just to keep connected with the older Hunters. *Snickers* What can you do? Most of them aren't super tech-savvy these days.

Omari: *Pft...* Tell me about it, Mom is still struggling with a standard projector interface. I'm just glad Jabari can field all those 'tech support' calls from Mom, otherwise, I'd be next in line. *Snickers*

Ask The Ruminerds; Horror Film Fears

 

Gus: Melly loves dumb, mindless slasher films, the gorier the better... *Chuckles*

Melanie: Oh hell yeah! Blood! Blood and death! *Her giggling turns into a snort* I'd be hard-pressed to find a slasher movie I didn't like, from the cheapest of trash to the finest of treasures. If I had to pick an absolute favorite....hmmm....*Scratches chin thoughtfully*

Gus: It's going to be weird and obscure isn't it?

Mellanie: I mean, I could go with something like the Saw movies for something new...mostly cause I love the traps, and the saw puppet design...To a real classic like the Freddy Cougar movies...oh and Jason! *Chef's kiss*. 

Gus: *Chuckles and rolls his eyes*

Melanie: But I'm even into really dumb stuff like Gingerbread Mam', or Jackal Frost...It's just, soo, soo corny!

Gus: I think Chickie sorta falls into that category...although the production value is better than those films.

Melanie: *Snickers* At least at first...but like all franchises, they just get cheesier with each new installment. Of course, I can appreciate that too...though my favorite of all time has to be 'Basket Case'...

Gus: *Guffaws* The one with the dude with the malformed twin brother that he keeps in a wicker basket!?

Melanie: *Nods Briskly* It's just so dumb, but also kinda good...despite the budget. Granted the...rapey scenes are...*Winces*

Joel: Yeah, that was all B-movies from the eighties. A not so tactful, hamfisted way to shoehorn in some bare pelts to hopefully sell more product.

Megumi: I also like Slashers...though less than Kaiju films. The Ring is a good series...at least the Japandese version. *Scoffs* Howlywood ruined it like everything else they try to...what is the word? 'a-adapt'?

Joel: *Nods*

Melanie: Yeah, the North Mammalian adaptation is a little dull....still nowhere near as bad as found footage horror though...that's my least favorite horror film genre. The fad started by the Hare Witch really wrecked horror movies for a while.

Vernon: Much like reality TV shows ruined TV...

Dawn: *Rolls her eyes* Ugh, Reality TV, I could chatter on about the worst examples I've seen for hours...

Vernon: That said we ain't really into slasher films...

Dawn: Not that either of us find them particularly scary...more just dull...aside from a few exceptional meshes of more cerebral films with horror...like The Thing, or In the Muzzle of Madness...

Melanie: OOOH! The Thing's great. Hey, have I shown you two 'Event Horizon'? That one is great!

Dawn: Yes, right after we watched 'chopping maul' on double date movie night. *Giggles*

Melanie: *Laughs* I like to balance out the scarier ones with a goofy one when watching back-to-back.

Joel: What about you Brooms, you've been awfully quiet...

Broomie: We...sorta have a ban on Slasher movies at home...war films too...

Dawn: Really? Why?

Vernon: Is Talia scared of a few cheap jumpscares and blood made to look like chocolate?

Broomie: No...*rubs the back of his neck uncomfortably.* But with her...history, some of that stuff can really...touch some psychological sore spots... *winces*

Gus: Right...her PTSD...I totally forgot.

Broomie: The last thing we tried to watch was Mammalian Centipede, and as goofy as it was, something set Talia off so bad she was ready to tear the TV in half...

Vernon: Geeze...that's-

*Nearby door suddenly busts open, revealing Dom, looking as though he just came from running a marathon.*

Dom: WHO'S TALKING ABOUT MAMMALIAN CENTIPEDE!?

Ask The Foxes; Fried Chicken?

 

Nick: Honestly I don't get where this comes from. You show me one predator, just one, regardless of species who doesn't like fried chicken! Hel, chicken in general!

Val: I prefer hot wings personally...or a roast...My dad makes a killer bird for Yule Dinner...

Nick: But come on, Vernon? What about you?

Vernon: *Chuckles* I like my wings and thighs as much as the next pred. Spicier the better.

Nick: *Gestures toward Vernon* See! every pred likes chicken meat...it's universal...

Val: Even some prey for that matter...those that can stomach it anyway...

Vernon: I know my Honey Lamb was big into wings while she was pregnant...I do miss the freedom of bein' able to bring some home without the smell grossin' her out. *Laughs*

Nick: The thing is, the old stereotype got started because the foxes in Roarope were nomadic, and oftentimes when they couldn't scrounge up enough food for the caravan...they may have stolen some livestock here and there. Chicken was easiest to kill and carry a bunch of...but little did my ancestors know that was going to set a precedent.

Vernon: Ya mean aside from foxes bein' shifty theivin' types?

Nick: *Rolls eyes* We did what we had to do. And the cartoons back in the first half of the century didn't help either...

Vernon: You ain't the only one whose species suffered thanks to species stereotypes in old cartoons. *Laughs* Thanks to them, most mammals think wolves are big dumb brutes with the lung capacity of a hurricane who scoop up pigs and sheep to take home and turn into a stew...

Nick: *Chuckles* Okay, maybe those old cartoons weren't all bad...

Vernon: *Huffs* They don't air 'em anymore fer a reason Red.

Val: Pft...that's no fun.

Nick: That said, the fried chicken thing isn't as common as the...egg thing.

Vernon: Oh yeah, I've heard that one...is it true they almost used foxes fer Estara instead o' bunnies cause y'all love stealin' and hidin' eggs so much?

Nick: *Rolls eyes* We don't 'hide' eggs. Ancient foxes used to create 'food caches', essentially scattering bits of food around a territory to eat later. We don't really do that anymore...

Vernon: But do ya like eggs is the question?

Nick: Again, who doesn't?

Val: Soft-boiled, runny yolk, with a pinch of salt...that's the good stuff.

Nick: I prefer a nice omelet, heavy on the cheese. *Chuckles* maybe with some jalapeno mixed in if I'm feeling a little...spicey. *Snickers*

Vernon: I like mine sunny side up and runny...even if the yolk gets all stuck in my muzzle fur. *Laughs* Love soppin' up the excess with fresh toast.

Nick: *Chuckles* Sounds like you got a little fox in you after all Pup...

Val: Shame he missed out on getting to put a little wolf in this fox when he had the chance...Made me have to give up and find a different wolf for that...

Vernon: VAL!

Found Ask; Genderswap AU; Doting Over a Daughter

 

Varun: Didn't we do this? I distinctly remember discussing my interview-

Zelda: Interrogation.

Varun: *Rolls eyes* Interrogation with little Akio. Still, I've made no secret of the fact that I'm at least somewhat protective of my little princess when it comes to boys...I was their age once, I know what boys think about.

Zelda: *Quirks a brow* Do ya now?

Varun: *Blushes slightly* Well...actually I was usually thinking about sports games...or action movies to be fair...I wasn't exactly a ladies' mammal going up...

Zelda: *Flashes Varun a dubious gaze* With such roguishly handsome good looks you expect me to believe ya'll wasn't ladies choice in high-school?

Varun: looks can only get you so far...being socially awkward and...admittedly thick-witted when it came to flirting I was...let's just say for a while my parents though I might have been gay.

Zelda: He's not Mom and Dad, believe me...*Bobs her eyebrows suggestively before giggling like a schoolgirl.*

Varun: *Blushes* Mi Corizone, please.

Zelda: Alright, alright....*Chuckles* As fer me, I haven't gone to hard into the Momma wolf mode unless some strange lookin' boys cast eyes Marigold's way...generally iffin' I catch 'em lookin' her up and down like a piece of slow cooked chicken, y'all better believe I'mma scare 'em off. But with lil' Akio, he seems earnest and genuine with how he's feelin' about Mari...even if he's as socially awkward as my Big Kat here when it comes to figurin' out how he feels about Mari...

Varun: Marigold too for that matter...*Groans* I'm really not looking forward to us having to break that down for her soon...

Zelda: Us? More like me...I'm in charge o' that talk and I'm dreadin' it somethin' fierce...*Whines*

Varun:*Varun wraps his paws around Zelda, hugging her tightly* There, there my Love, we still have plenty of time with Marigold before we'll be giving her away at the altar...We must savor it...and it's not like she'd stop being our daughter once she's tithed.

Zelda: I-I know but...*whimpers*

Varun: Think about your Mother-daughter shopping days...knitting together...going to the firing range.

Zelda: *Wipes a tear from her eye.* Well to be fair, that's a family activity...*Chuckles* And she's a crack shot with a pistol...*Shakes head* Just don't tell Ma or she'll be pushin' fer her to have a law career in no time flat.

Varun: *Chuckles* Best grouping I've seen outside of Doreen. And you should see her throw a hatchet.

Zelda: *Ears droop* Y'all went hatchet throwin' without me!? *Pouts.*

Varun: *Chuckles* Apologies, Mi Corizone, but Marigold and I do need some Father-Daughter time too...we can't share every activity. Unless you want to go with us to the ostrich ranch next time because-

Zelda: *Tenses up, pulling away from her mate and looking very uncomfortable* N-Naw y'all can keep the Ostritch wranglin' to just the two of ya...*Laughs awkwardly* I'd prefer not to be anywhere near them birds iffin' the job don't require it thank ya very much.

Varun: Scared of over-sized chickens My Love?

Zelda: More like scared of their raptor claws...*Huffs*

Varun: *Chuckles* What if you had to choose between this and baseball with Mari?

Zelda: *Winces* I'd....I still pick baseball...fer Marigold's sake...But I'd be lyin' iffin' I said I didn't have to think about it fer a hot minute. *Chuckles weakly*

*And for the Doreen and Adrian Follow-up*

Doreen: I got me an inklin'...*Chuckles* I've been hearin' some thangs from the locals about Marigold bein' a crack shot with a pistol from locals who saw her at the range.

Adrian: Doreen...*He says dully, clearly not amused*

Doreen: Now, now, I ain't gonna push...at least not unless Mari shows some interest in wantin' to be an officer like lil' Lily does. I don't wanna be too pushy...the gods know I'm still gettin' shade thrown my way from Vera...

Adrian: That's because she remembers her Puphood Doreen...*Laughs* She's right to wary of y'all...

Doreen: *Shrugs* I suppose that's fair...*Laughs* I just hate seein' natural talent go to waste is all...

Adrian: Anywho, we just fell in love with Marigold the moment we met her. We was ecstatic to have her be a part o' our family. Y'all should know me by now, I don't care what kinda pelt my grandpup has, so long as they're my grandpup.

Doreen: I feel the same way, though granted I didn't express it by pullin' that gal into an almost hour-long hug.

Adrian: *Rolls eyes* It was not an hour-long...*Winces slightly. *Maybe...a little over a half hour, tops!

Doreen: *Snickers*

Found Ask, The Road to Rose

 

Vanna: There was a small part of me that wanted to be sympathetic to Zach regarding his...*Ahem* error. But that was grossly overshadowed by the fact that I was having a kitten at the time.

Zach: *Blushes, a sheepish, awkward grin crawling across his muzzle* She wouldn't talk to me fer the whole rest of the ride...Which meant Marcus was playin' messenger fer most of it to keep the air from gettin' too awkward...

Vanna: Zach would ask me if I was in pain, and I would ignore him, so he'd ask Marcus to ask me, and I'd respond 'Tell your father it doesn't hurt as much as the fact that he forgot his mate who is giving birth to his kitten back at the house as though she were a little more than luggage at an airport'

Zach: *Rubs the back of his head, clearly uneasy* Heh, y-yeah...I uh-.

Vanna: It was mostly hormones at the time if I am being honest. In retrospect I feel bad for putting Marcus through acting as our mediator...it wasn't fair to put that on him.

Zach: And fer me too? Maybe a little bit?

Vanna: *Glares at Zach* No. 

Zach: *Shrinks into his shoulders. Flashing Vanna the puppy-dog eyes.* Y-Ya don't mean that do ya Kitten?

Vanna: *Chuckles, rolling her eyes and touseling Zach's headfur.* If I meant it, I wouldn't have given up the cold shoulder once we got to the hospital Goofball...*Vanna smirks* It's impossible to stay mad at you...

Zach: *His tail starts wagging furiously, and a wide grin spreads across his muzzle* A-Aww Kitten! I love you too!

*The wolf goes in for a hug, only to get wrapped into a playful headlock by Vanna. Zach laughs and pretends to struggle as she nuzzles against the top of his head and chuffs affectionately.*

Vanna: As for Marcus worrying over holding Rose...while I couldn't exactly feel what he was feeling, I could definitely see on his face what I could feel was on my face when I was first allowed to hold Paige. 

Zach: *Struggles a bit more before Vanna finally let's him free, in response the wolf playfully swats back, chuckling as he does.* Poor pup looked like a deer in head-...*Zach pauses, scratching his muzzle.* Wait, is that offensive to say?

Vanna: *Shrugs* Perhaps, unlike Vernon getting a pass of sheep puns, you aren't dating a deer, so I don't think you have an out Goofball.

Zach: Alright...well he just went all pale and wide-eyed. *Chuckles* Prolly looked like me in the delivery room iffin' I'm honest...but at least I didn't faint like Ol' Puppy did...*Chuckles*

Vanna: *Tries to stifle a laugh while shushing Zach*  Still, once Rose was in his arms, all that fear and anxiety just melted away...he just...it was like he was in awe...

Zach: We all were at that point. Rose just got all quiet, starin' back up at Marcus with them big beautiful eyes o' hers...and everythin' was just so quiet...it's like they was connected right then and there. He was her big brother, and she his lil' sister. It was one o' them universal, inherent truths Ully is prone to talkin' about.

Vanna: When Marcus finally managed to speak...it was...*She wipes a stray tear from her eye* I was just so...*sniffles*

Zach: He just, all he said was that he promised he'd be the best big brother ever. And I...*Sniffles* I ain't ashamed to admit I was bawlin' like a newborn pup myself...

Vanna: *Sniffles* Honestly, I wasn't much better...

Zach: Though to be fair, ya was still dealin' with the hormones at the time...*Tries to chuckle through his sniffling*

Ask the Author: A more Lighthearted Post Apocalypse Bellhunterverse AU

 

Wasty: Yeah, that was pretty grim. So I'm up for taking another shot. That said, I probably wouldn't go full OOo, or however you say it. I do prefer these sort of scenarios to be just...a teensy bit more grounded. Whereas the world of Adventure Time is all over the place in terms of rules and what one can stumble across. I prefer to keep my wild and broken nonsensical worlds to realms one step above single solar systems. (Aka Multiverse and Beyond)

That said, I could definitely jive with an Animalia that was preceded by humans. And humans being, well humans, destroy themselves in atomic hellfire, or maybe it was something entirely beyond their control...perhaps something from space that wiped out humanity and stimulated the cells across the remaining mammals to evolve to a human-like state over time. It depends on how much I'd want to go with a 'Don't make the mistakes we did" angle with Animalia's former civilization.

That said, despite the options provided, there's just something so alluring about the idea of Dawn and Vern being ancient dungeon delvers. Digging deep within the submerged and buried cities once inhabited by humans to find valuable treasure to sell off to the highest bidder. Is it sketchy? Probably. Morally grey for sure. But I can see them regularly getting wrapped into the mystery of the ultimate fate that befell the humans, and eventually becoming more transfixed with what became of them over the treasures themselves. There would also be all sorts of little micronations around Animalia, from simple one-mammal despots who lord over a commune holed up in an old human casino, to actually established kingdoms. I could easily see the aforementioned despot contracting Dawn and Vern to retrieve a treasure for him, only for the misadventure to end with his dictatorship toppled and the treasure scattered to the winds.

It would definitely have a bebop feel, with Dawn and Vernon being more heavy on the snark when it comes to chatting back and forth, but still just as in love. That said, I don't think they'd have kids for quite some time, as that would require settling down for a while, which is something neither of them would be ready to do. After all, Adventure Awaits!

Found Ask; Genswap AU; Finding Marigold

 

Yuki: Considerin' Adamo's trick laugh was kickin' up durin' the whole thang, it probably scared the girl that much more...

Adamo: Hey, c'mon Babe! Youse know I cackle when I get noivus! And what's more noive-wrackin' den dealin' with a new species...I had no idea what we was dealin' with...I was just dankful she spoke Animanglish...

Zelda: We were all...beyond surprised really...

Doreen: I think a lot of us...fer some reason had it in 'er heads that Leon was probably the last of his kind...at the very least from a species so rare we weren't gonna see in Zootopia again fer the rest of our lives...

Vera: And the fact that she was livin' out there fer weeks...like some sorta sav...*Glances and Don and sweats slightly, clearing her throat.* some sorta cavemammal save fer the clothes on her back and some meager supplies...

Mellivin: Not to distract from the emotional weight of the conversation. But yes, Undyne and I were the first to discover her...though sadly not the first to discover humans in general.

Undyne: Hey, we proved King Blackwool had a tryst with Erika Düclaw, and a hybrid of their own...so we do have one under our belt.

Yuki: What exactly were y'all doin' out there anyway...more hippy crap?

Undyne: Well, I was trying to work on my Astral projection and remote viewing. I have a stronger connection to the woods we grew up near than anywhere else and I-.

Yuki: Yeah, Hippy crap. *Rolls her eyes*

Mellvin: I was primarily there to make sure Undyne accidentally provoke any animals while communing with nature. *Holds up paw as Undyne appears about to object.* And before you say anything about being able to commune with animals on a spiritual level, remember literally every other interaction you've had with animals you're whole life. 

Vera: From Grandma Karen's crow, to the field macaques...not to mention that time we went to the Zootopia Central Zoo and that python got loose and-.

Undyne: Yes, well...all of those animals had very negative chakra. It is not my fault that our souls failed to connect in peace and understanding.

Vera: *Shakes head* Teeth to tails...

Don: *Ahem* Let's change to subject shall we? *Whispers to Vera* I think we can all agree trying to rationalize with Undyne will get you nowhere...

Winnie: Don's right you know.

Vera: *Huffs, crossing her arms*

Don: Anywho, yes, we were quite excited to hear about Marigold...although our first real...initial excitement was more surrounding the prospect of learning more about Humans to better care for our little Leon...

Vera: O'course that was a'for she ended up becomin' a Hunter...And a'fore humankind decided to make 'emselves known to all of Animalia...*Chuckles* Now were up to our ears in all the info we could ever want on Humans.

Don: But more importantly we were just delighted to see Marigold adopted to Zelda and Varun. She's such a sweetheart, and I don't think I could have picked out better parents for her myself...

Zelda: *Blushing as she waves Don off frantically* Aww, hush you!

Varun: Thank you Don. That means a lot to us. 

Don: For all she's been through, she's just such a little trooper...

Varun: She's got the heart of a tiger, and the stripes to match.

Doreen: Bold too...as yes, she did try to pose as a boy, and over eighteen. *chuckles as she lifts her sheriff's hat and scratches her scalp with a thumb.* I'll admit, it was an admirable try. She even put on her best 'deep voice' to try and pull it off...Guess she was hopin' we'd just turn her loose iffin' she was an adult.

Adrian: Well, I suppose iffin' she had managed to pull off a bold-faced lie like that one, she could pull off anythin'... *laughs*

Found Ask; Genderswap; Daughter Experience

 

Zelda: Oh it's just...it's indescribable...I just...it's like now I understand everythin' my Ma and Pa used to tell me when I was growin' up...

Varun: The stuff you used to turn your snout up at?

Zelda: *Giggles* And say, 'Havin' pups sounds gross! I never wanna have a pup!' to! *Blushes* Granted, I did get outta' havin' to carry one myself...one way er' the other...*Giggles* Or at least I thought I had...

Varun: Yes, Ryan was quite a little unexpected surprised...our own little miracle. *Chuckles*

Zelda: Though I think it made Vera a lil' bit cross with me...*Giggles* Thought I was takin' the shine off the miracle she had with lil' Petey.

Varun: It isn't like we were trying to get pregnant, we just won the birth lottery as they did...granted although we did have lower odds without the whole 'night howler' exposure with Don helping to boost their chances. *Laughs* She also asked you never to call him 'Petey' If I recall.

Zelda: *Pfft* I think it's cute...sides' I'm his aunt, I get ta pick a pet name fer 'im...Vera's just bein' a lil' snooty like she can get from time to time.

Varun: Well, Peter is her pup after all...she should get some say in nicknames for him...and I understand she's concerned with 'Petey' following him into adulthood...Being a hybrid he will already have it quite hard as is...

Zelda: She's just over frettin' is all. Vera's always been the more emotional of us gals...takes after Pa somethin' fierce...

Varun: *Quirks a dubious brow, holding a prolonged and judgmental stare at his mate.*

Zelda: What?

Varun: Are we trying to rewrite history today Mi Corazone?

Zelda: *Suddenly grows flustered* Are y'all sayin' I fret over Marigold more than Vera frets over Pete and her other pups?

Varun: *Varun gives his mate a dull glare* You thought her little group of friends were a gang of troublemakers and stalked them with police equipment in an effort to prove it. Not to mention the incident with the trail cam. Even my little interview with Akio pales in comparison your H-.

Zelda: *Flashed Varun a harsh, Hunter Family Glare* My what? 

Varun: *Sighs and shakes his head* Alright, I will move on...

Zelda: That's better.

Varun: *Ahem* As for your actual question... I'd say Marigold straddles the line between being a "Daddy's Princess" and a 'Mommy's girl". Though regretfully I don't get to spend as much time with her as I'd like compared to Zelda.

Zelda: Well, that'll change once my maternity leave is up. *Giggles* Sides, I'm...kinda goin' a bit harder in the paint with Mother-Daughter time to make sure Marigold don't feel neglected with Ryan in the house...I think I broke the bank a bit on shoppin' fer clothes and baseball gear...

Varun: *Chuckles* Well, that's largely your and Micha's funeral when it comes to the baseball gear...I tend to only bruise from Marigold's 'dangerous lumber', whereas you and my brother...

Zelda: *Hisses through her fangs.* Ooh, yeah...how is Micah's arm?

Varun: Still in a sling...thankfully he'll recover, and it won't affect his gymnastic abilities. As much as he's worried about future injuries jeopardizing his Animalympic career, he refuses to miss an opportunity to bond with his niece.

Zelda: Yeah, Micah has really taken to Marigold. Maybe even more so than yer folks...which is sayin' somethin' cause they love her to death.

Varun: I think Micah sees a lot of himself in Marigold. He was...I mean he grew up feeling quite out of place in his own hide, being a rather small, svelt, almost feminine-looking tiger which isn't very common for males of our species...to top things off he had me as his brother, who is built like a brick wall...

Zelda: *Squeezes Varun's pecs* I'll say...*giggles*

Varun: That fostered jealousy in Micah, and it strained our relationship for a long time. *Shakes Head* It's only really thanks to having Marigold that we've managed to come to terms with one another and become closer because of it. That said, he, more than anyone else in the family doesn't want Marigold to be discouraged when it comes to...well anything...and he told me that 'If that means I wind up in traction, so be it. I refuse to break that little doll's heart'!

Zelda: Awww....Micah's such a sweetie. 

Varun: Still, I'd prefer my brother doesn't get permanently maimed practicing with Mari, He's worked quite hard at his career, and he's slated to be in the Animalympics next year. He deserves a win.

Zelda: I'm sure we can get the rest of the family to fill in fer him durin' the lead up to the summer games...

Varun: *Laughs* If only it were so simple...no he made me promise I'd do what I could to keep him from playing with Marigold for at least three months prior to the games...

Zelda: Keep him? *Laughs* He's that determined?

Varun: My brother has determination in spades. *Chuckles* Much like you with your crusade to dig up dirt on Marigold's friends, he will not turn down a game with Marigold come hell or high water. *Shakes head* I'd warn Mari not to ask him, but knowing Micah, he'd propose a game himself, especially if Mari seemed to need cheering up.

Zelda: *Giggles* Well I'm sure my 'Brick Wall' can keep him at bay...

Varun: I don't know...not only is he small, but he's agile. I may need the rest of the Hunter boys for a task that great. *Laughs*

Found AU Yuri's Ballgame Tickets

Zach: Really decided to tempt fate on that one huh?

Yuri: *Seated with an ice pack on his groin in his and Ada's apartment, staring up at the ceiling kind of disoriented.* How was I supposed even begin to guess the was havin' a 'fan at bat day?' *Groans* "Let alone that out o' every mammal there Marcus would get the winnin' ticket..."

Ada: *Walks into the room, passing Yuri a fresh ice pack, which he proceeds to swap with the old one and pass it back to her.* Luckily we was aimin' to adopts anyway, cause I tink dat one took da factory offline entirely...*Chuckles*

Yuri: *Let's out a groaning, strained but sarcastic laugh.* Yeah, gettin' his in the pup factory is so funny, just like the cartoons and what not, totally harmless...

Ada: *The Hyena drops the amusement, looking genuinely sympathetic and concerned.* Still dat bad huh? I'm sorry, I was just tryin' to kinda ease da tension is all...

Yuri: I know Darlin'...*groans* I know...it's just....

Ada: Maybe we should head down to da emergency room? *Winces uncomfortably* I mean, I did 'check' dem and all, and I don't tink youse got a rupture but...

Yuri: Iffin' it's still this bad in a half hour I'll take ya up on that Babe....*hisses as he shifts in his seat.* Cause it's still blindin' right now...

Vanna: We are so sorry...

Yuri: I-I'ts fine....Just...iffin' we have to head over to the ER, tell Marcus...I 'unno...we went to get groceries er' somethin'...er Lance needed us over his place to help with somethin'...*Groans* Last thang I wanna do is ruin the boy's day...

Zach: I mean, it's not like Marcus isn't already worried about you...despite you tryin' to 'walk it off'....

Yuri: Yeah, but it'd probably devastate 'im iffin' I end up going to the ER and he found out...don't want the boy blamin' himself...even if he's dangerous lumber like Wade was... 

Ada: Aww...Mookies...*She cooes sympathetically, petting Yuri's forehead.*

Zach: Yer a good Uncle Yuri...*Zach chuckles, shaking his head* And a good brother...

Yuri: *Flashes a smug smirk.* Tellin' me what I already OW-! *Cringes visibly, clenching his teeth as he shifts on the couch.* A-aw forget it...*Huffs*

Zach: Ya can tell it's bad when Yuri can't even get a good jab or self-congratulations in. *Chuckles* As fer how the rest o' Marcus' uncles felt about the ballgame, and the...incident after the fact...well, only some of them were a little cheesed off...They didn't care fer Yuri gettin' one up on them in the fight fer favorite Uncle.

Vanna: Not that they have...all that much room to argue considering at this point they've all gone a little...over the top trying to bribe Marcus' favor.

Zach: So them tryin' to call out Yuri fer bein' 'sneaky as usual' don't hold as much weight compared to their own bribin' attempts. *Chuckles*

Vanna: That said, they almost all unanimously changed their tune when they saw Yuri *Ahem* catch Marcus' pop-fly on tv. It was pretty much all sympathetic calls and check-ins after that...

Zach: Honestly, I did expect a few of them to say Yuri deserved it, and laugh at him...but I guess either we're all startin' to finally mature, er' it was just that bad of an injury to garner nothin' but sympathy from their side o' thangs.

Yuri: Yep...*Laugh turns into a cough* Nothin' like a possibly ruptured testicle to bring out the brotherly love.