Homeless. Literally.

[not_a_puppy]

[What would dear_mun be without adorable furry animals, right?

If you think this guy looks a little lost, you'd be right. This place is really big and weird and his mun didn't even tell him what he's supposed to be doing here or give him a snack for the road, so mean.

He'd really like to go home, please.

No wait.

Can't do that anymore.]

Comments

[beingthecreature]

[Oh heeeyyy, he remembers you. Except something looks wrong.

He kneels down, holding out an offering hand for Pip to come over to him, if he wanted.] Something up, little guy?

Because I've been wanting a chance to use this icon, no lie

[not_a_puppy]

[Here, Chris. Have this face as Pipsqueak comes slowly over to you.

The stories he could tell you.]

Feeeeeels

[beingthecreature]

[Chris only looks more worried when Pipsqueak comes over. He scratches the little Bar-ba-loot on the side of his head, two fingers working behind the ear.]

Aw, it'll be okay...

[not_a_puppy]

[The skritches are kinda comforting, but they can't really fix what he's really upset about.

It kinda won't be okay. Not for, oh...another few decades. Give or take a few years.]

[beingthecreature]

[He's just gonna sit down, giving Pipsqueak a lap if he wants it.]

[not_a_puppy]

[Actually, if it's alright with Chris, he's just gonna sit beside him instead. ...Although he might use Chris's leg as a pillow still.

He's honestly bummed out, to put it mildly.]

[beingthecreature]

[That works for him just as well. He rests his arm around Pipsqueak, holding him close, wishing he could figure out what was wrong with him.]

[not_a_puppy]

[He literally heaves a sad sigh when that arm rests around him too, and puts his paws up to rest under his chin.

Friendships with humans never used to be this complicated, you know?]

[beingthecreature]

[After a moment his hand idly skritches Pipsqueak behind one ear, lightly. And there may or may not be some food-like smell coming from one pocket.]

[not_a_puppy]

[More skritches, yay.

Also, wait, you had a granola bar with you last time. ...Have you got any food on you this go-round? He's a growing Bar-Ba-Loot, you know. I really should start feeding this muse.

That scent is going to get the better of him eventually, even when he's feeling down, and it's not marshmallows, thank goodness so have one Pipsqueak snuffling around your pockets now, Chris.]

[beingthecreature]

[He blinks and looks down, then leans back a bit with his arms up, laughing slightly.]

Hey-ey, what're you doing now? Get outta there.

[not_a_puppy]

[Which pocket, which pocket, which pocket? Excuse him, Chris, while he half-clambers, half-tumbles into and out of your lap to rummage through the pockets on your other side.

And bingo! We have...well, they look a bit like snacks to him. They are shaped a tad like cookies, or pancakes.

Looks like somebody found your creature disks, Chris. Uh oh.]

[beingthecreature]

Wait a second, those are mine! [He makes a grab for the Bar-ba-loot, who ducks out of the way as he totters off to investigate one of the disks. A second snatch attempt is missed when Pip bends down the pick up another one. Chris huffs, then moves to his hands and knees, hovering a hand over Pip's head.

Careful... careful... Gotta get those disks back juuuust right...]

[not_a_puppy]

[Makes it look effortless, doesn't he?

Also, what's yours is his and what's his is...uh well, if it's food, it's probably still his. He's little yet, okay?

And funnily enough, this isn't the first time somebody's tried to grab him by his fuzzy little head. Or that's what it'll look like to him anyway as he actually catches Chris's movements this time out of the corner of one eye.

Aaaaand he scampers off, carrying one of the disks in his mouth still.]

[beingthecreature]

[Chris freezes when Pipsqueak turns his way, and his expression flattens at the scamper. His first instinct is to get up and run after him, but that idea's tossed out after a moment. Who know not!bears ran so fast? Then the remaining power disks scattered around catch his eye-- and give him an idea.

He sifts through them quickly, finding the one he needs and slipping it in, rushing the phrase a bit; each second lost is a second farther away that disk is, after all.] Activatecreaturepowersuit!

[One bright green flash of light later and Pipsqueak now has a gazelle bounding after him.] Hey! Give that back, that's not food!

[not_a_puppy]

[Now that he's actually got it in his mouth, this disk isn't really tasting anything like food. Unless you have to break it open to get to the yummy stuff inside?

Yeah, maybe that's it- WOAH HEY, what is that chasing after him now? And why does this thing sound like Chris. ...And vaguely look like him? And maybe he should have been watching his footing because Pipsqueak trip-thuds over his own paws, although he manages to hang onto the disc.]

[beingthecreature]

[He grins a bit when he sees Pip tumble over his own paws. Now he's got him! Just a quick skid to a stop and--

WHAMSKIDTRUMBLEWHUPTHUD

Turns out gazelle hooves are not adept at skidding to a stop. Chris is now several feet beyond Pipsqueak, the back half of his body curved up and over his front half, the hooves nearly touching the points of those curved horns. He groaned, half in pain and half in frustration.]

[not_a_puppy]

[Gold medal winning landing there. Pipsqueak'll be staring at Chris for a moment, head tilted confusedly, holding the disc in his forepaws now.

After a minute or two, he walks slowly over, wide eyes cautious but curious as well, because seriously. You look a bit like Chris. ...Sort of.

He's going to poke at those horns with a free paw and then do a slow circle-round to try and figure you out.]

[beingthecreature]

[There's a good reason he looks like Chris, you know. And he's just gonna grunt a bit as he attempts to right himself, front hooves scrabbling at the ground a bit as the back kick at the air.]

Almost... got it... W-wah-whaa! [THUD. He slips again, but at least gravity tilted him sideways this time. With a twist of his body he's just gonna roll over onto his back and sigh in exasperation.]

[not_a_puppy]

[But why are you this long-leggy, hoofed thing, Chris. He's seen things with long legs before, and he's seen a mule, but you look like you're somewhere in between. And how did you get that way? How do?

Curiousity gets the better of him, especially after Chris stops squirming and flops over again, so he just climbs himself on up to sit on you, amazingly not on the button that would undo the creature power though.

If there's one thing to be said, it's congratulations. Pipsqueak is not feeling nearly so blue anymore with something as entertaining as you to distract him.

He even looks amused. ...And he still has that disc.]

[beingthecreature]

[He laughs, squirming a bit as Pipsqueak climbs up onto his body. He can't help it, the underside is a bit ticklish. Breathing softly, he looked at Pip and sighed.]

I don't suppose you feel like giving that to me, do ya buddy? [Beat. Nope, thought not. There's going to be a failed attempt or two to get the disk with the hooves, but alas gazelles aren't equipped with thumbs. Then he sits up a bit to try to bite at the air and grab the disk that way, which also fails, and he falls back with a whump and a sigh.]

[not_a_puppy]

[But Chris, it's all shiny and it was in your pocket, and you had food in your pockets for him earlier, so clearly this should also be food.

If only it tasted better.

What was that idea he had earlier about maybe the edible stuff is on the inside? Oh right.

Ignoring Chris's various struggles, he's going to take an experimental bite of the disc, just to see if it's something he could chew open. Nope.

Let's see if hitting it repeatedly against something else doesn't work. That something else being the button on your power suit.]

This icon is getting a loooooot of use.

[beingthecreature]

[For a moment he's hopeful that hitting the button will deactivate the suit, until several dinks prove Pip's power just isn't enough. Chris huffs, then blinks and leans up a slight bit.]

Hey, don't break it! C'mon! Aviva would kill me!

[truffulacide]

[ouch.

ignore this awkward turtle in the corner, he's too busy coping with the feels you just punched him in.]

[not_a_puppy]

[What, wait, no. You're not supposed to be here.

He's not going to be joining you in awkward turtle corner because he's going to be busy staying over in his own corner watching you really carefully.]

[truffulacide]

[well. nothing ventured, nothing gained. not sure what there is to even gain from this, but it's not like he can just wish the other away nor does he really even want to.

so he starts taking a few cautious steps towards him, hands up and open so the little Bar-ba-loot can see that he's not holding anything suspicious.]

H-Hey...

[not_a_puppy]

[Noooooo. No no. Nope. Really not ready to handle this. Especially not when he's all on his own.

He's gonna take a step back for every step forward of Once-ler's, ducking his head a little when he speaks.]

[truffulacide]

[come on, you act like he just destroyed an entire ecosystem.

...wait.]

I'm not gonna hurt you. See...? [nothing in his hands, especially not an axe. although he could give you a marshmallow; he still has one in his pocket from earlier today. you know, because that worked so well the last time.

he reaches inside and takes it out. then, not expecting Pipsqueak to come to him, he crouches down and rolls it over to him.]

[not_a_puppy]

[And you also used him. You know, to further your own PR? That kinda wasn't nice either.

He's still watching guardedly, although at the marshmallow he gives a blink. ...Seriously?

When it's rolled towards him, he backs off even more. He's actually really hungry, but he does not want that. And he really does not want it from Once-ler.]

[fluff_and_stuff]

Why, exactly, can you not go home?

[not_a_puppy]

[He can't tell you, but he'll try to show you.

Pooh, I hope you've been practicing interpreting pantomime because he's going to weave you an elaborate story about this tall, skinny fellow who came to Pipsqueak's home and seemed really kinda nice because he sorta saved him from going over a waterfall and gave him sweets, then turned into a tall, skinny monster with scary axe machines who pretty much destroyed everything badly enough that he and all his family and friends had to leave.

The end.]

P-please forgive this...

[dechu]

[Hey, someone smaller than Monomi!

That means he's probably weaker than her, too! And that means he probably won't punch her in the face like her big, mean brother does.]

Hey, dechu! You can be my servant, dechu!

Why would you do this, why?

[not_a_puppy]

[He might be small, and he might still be young, but he's not stupid. You might look like a bear-ish thing...sort of, and he may or may not have understood what you just shouted said, but you're giving off all kinds of "stranger danger" vibes.

He'll be heading in the opposite direction now, kay thanks bai.

[notsogrannynorma]

Oh, you are so cute. Are you lost, little one?

Omigosh, yay

[not_a_puppy]

[Does it still count as lost if you don't really have a "home base" to get yourself back to?

If so, then yes, he's quite lost.

He's also still trying to figure out which humans are trustworthy and which ones are not, so he's going to sit where he is for a moment and observe you carefully.]

Hiiiii o/

[notsogrannynorma]

[Aww poor thing. You can come live with her.

That's okay, Norma has no rush. She sits on the floor too, not really caring much if her clothes get stained. She wants to be at his eye level.] I'm Norma. Are you a barbaloot? I've heard about those.

You play young Norma that is the beeeessst

[not_a_puppy]

[You're kind but it just wouldn't be the saaaaaame as living in the valley though.

His ears perk a little at the word "Bar-Ba-Loot". Whether or not that's actually a name he uses in reference to himself or not, it is definitely a word he recognizes as something he's been called before, so he nods a little.

Then he half-hops, half-pads a little ways over to her, still not quite within arms' reach or anything, but definitely much closer than he was before.]

Idk what I am doing XD There was a serious lack of young!Normal so I had to do it :3

[notsogrannynorma]

[No, it won't be. Norma remembers the trees too. It makes her sad that there's no more around. She smiles at him, glad he understood her. Baby steps, but still some progress.

Norma waits, smiling but not moving because she doesn't want to scare the poor beast by accident.] Are you all alone?

There is a serious lack of Norma like...in general. What gives d_m? XD

[not_a_puppy]

[One look at the big soulfully sad, puppy dog eyes he gives Norma should be answer enough.

His mun doesn't have any other Bar-Ba-Loots, or even Swomee Swans or Humming-Fish in her headspace, and he hasn't seen any other Truffula Valley animals here. Or even the Lorax. It's really lonely.

He's going to take a few steps closer and then sit himself down despondently in front of Norma.]

True, true..she's mostly a fandom OC that must be it :3

[notsogrannynorma]

[Aww that is a really sad look, you need to cheer up.

That is even more sad.] I am alone too, I don't have any sisters or brothers and most of the people I know are rather boring.

[She opens her arms.] Would you like to keep me company for a bit?

I don't think I've seen even a Granny Norma either though and that...that just isn't right. XD

[not_a_puppy]

[Wow, that...that's really sad. He at least had family back where he was from, although the whole Valley dying kinda puts a damper on things. Still though, he did have company.

He's a little hesitant about it, but eventually he nods then scrambles cautiously onto her lap.]

Granny Norma is too awesome to handle, clearly

[notsogrannynorma]

[She does have parents but, yeah...no much more family than that.]

[Have some pettings, Pipsqueak . She scratches her ears from time to time too.] Your fur is very soft.