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As quiet as Ren was, there was no fooling the little ghost pup. He was on his way back to his room, homework assignments safely tucked in a messenger bag slung across his chest, when it hit him.

That scent... After minipet class, Jove thought he would never get that terrible scent out of his nostrils. The acrid burning odour of FEAR gone terribly wrong, it had wafted over to his table making him gasp and choke, and now it was once again wafting downwind towards him, getting stronger and stronger... It was like a terrible recurring nightmare.

If his sensitive ears hadn't picked up Ren's approach, the reeking scent was a dead giveaway. The ghostly pup clamped one hand over his mouth and nose as he whirled around, and threw out his other hand in a dramatic "Don't take another step closer!" motion. He was already very fond of his new friend, and wasn't put off in the least by his change of hair colour, but that stench...!

Jove shook his head frantically, no, Ren was definitely not allowed to casually saunter over smelling the way he did! He didn't smell bad, he smelled terrible! He waved his hand as if to reassert his desire, but with no luck.

His eyes widened as he realized Ren was not going to listen, no matter how much hand-waving he did. What was the gryphon thinking, grinning like a loon and drawing closer despite smelling so Jackdamned awful? The pup's face would have been a complete mask of horror if it wasn't covered by one hand.

He took another couple steps backwards as Ren continued to approach, and then finally turned on his heels and booked it in the opposite direction. Hopefully his friend wouldn't feel hurt over his reaction. But even so, it was his own fault!

Jove heard the exclamation of surprise from behind him, which clearly meant Ren wasn't too upset... And then he heard Ren call out to him again. From even closer behind him.

The pup glanced over his shoulder, one hand still firmly clamped over his nose, and his brows furrowed into a glare that clearly read "Stop chasing me! You smell bad!" But desperate times called for desperate measures, and his poor nose was telling him things were indeed desperate!

He veered towards the campus dorms, in what initially looked like an attempt to run home and lock himself in his room. Instead of taking the curving path to the cemetery gate he cut straight across the field and hurdled the low graveyard fence in one fluid motion. Maybe that would slow Ren down a little, he hoped... But he didn't hope too hard, Ren was much bigger and taller, and had his wings to help him out.

Although it had started as a rather friendly game of chase, Ren had gotten real close in a hurry, and Jove found himself suddenly overwhelmed with a panicked sensation. It turned serious for the pup in a hurry. He couldn't bear it, the thought of being caught, and... and something, always that terrible something that lingered just out of sight and threatened to destroy him. The little ghost only knew he had to run for his life, despite having already lost it.

He sped up, his body reacting to his fright completely of it's own accord, and instead of dashing into the dorm he jumped onto a nearby tombstone and used it as a stepping stone to launch himself towards the building in the center of the little cemetery. He grabbed the eaves with both hands, and pulled himself up onto the mausoleum's roof with deceptive strength for one as small and scrawny as himself. The entire hop and leap was executed as smoothly as he had hurdled the fence, and he barely lost any speed at all as he dashed across the roof.

Jove's non-existant heart leapt up into his throat as he felt the tug and he thrashed violently against Ren's grasp until it became clear he wasn't getting away. Right now the smell was nothing compared to the fear coursing through him. A frightened growl rose in his throat and his ears lay flat, but even in his panic-driven state he couldn't quite manage to bare his teeth at his friend. He was not a wild dog, just a terrified pup.

After a few seconds of being held the panic loosened it's hold over the little ghost, and he started to tremble all over. He glanced up at Ren with a shell-shocked expression, confused and frightened and for once completely laid bare without all his scowls and snorts to draw attention away from his weaknesses. What was wrong? Nothing, and yet everything if he had thought the gryphon was someone he had to fear even for a moment.

Being grabbed was by far the more frightening result for the pup, having sent him into a mindless panic, but being caught by Ren was better than the alternative. He might have gotten lost by the time he found a place to hide, and had to rely on his nose to lead him back to the school, or he might have just kept running until his legs gave out and he couldn't run any farther. At least this way he was safe. Scared, but safe.

Jove's little legs felt all wobbly as he came to his senses, and he slowly leaned into the hug until he was dead weight in Ren's arms. Not that he would ever weigh that much, with his child's body, and a ghostly body on top of that. His fluffy ears relaxed, although still laid back gently in his growing shame for having freaked out. But Ren was right, he was okay...

Except for that smell.

The biggest sign that Jove was once again more or less himself was clamping one free hand over his nose as he leaned against his friend. His displeased scowl was weak and unconvincing but it was there. However, he was still loathe to push away from the embrace, or even stand up under his own power.

With his face covered, being close enough for comforting wasn't completely unbearable, and Jove could relax into the sensation of being petted. If he wasn't so distraught he might have shoved Ren away, preferring not to be seen in such a compromising position while still struggling to assert his independence. He wasn't sure what it was about being stroked on the head that brought on such feelings of safety and security, but he wasn't going to worry about other students seeing him cuddled right that instant.

Jove nodded, he could probably stand without Ren's help... But it wasn't until the gryphon's earlier comment hit him that the pup did stand on his own. And it wasn't just standing, his eyes widened and he gave his friend a forcible shove towards the ghost dorm. How could he smell like that, and then not even take a Jackdamned shower?! There was no way he was going to let Ren continue to walk around without so much as attempting to fix that horrible smell!

Although Jove was in no way capable of moving the gryphon if he didn't want to move, the pup tried his hardest anyway. Then, a horrible thought hit him, and he changed directions so he was attempting to push Ren towards the monster dorms. If he made Ren bathe in his room, his room would smell disgusting FOREVER!