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"Eh..." Was the only sound from Skyler as he tried to reach the mallet for the whack-a-puppy game. Three miniature tournaments at the booth he was at had gone by and he was losing his patience with it. He wanted to play too! There wasn't even a stool for him to sit on, the game clearly designed for teens.

He wished the black hammer was tied onto the machine. What sort of morons don't tie their weapons down so people won't steal them?! He was fascinated by this game in particular. He never thought of using a hammer to hit something besides a nail! That was clever.

"Eh!!!" he grunted. Reachhhhh....almost...He was pulled up on the front of the game, showing off his pant-clad bottom to the passing crowds, feet kicking the air. He strained, knuckles turning white as he groped for the hammer, supporting his short body fully with his free hand. FINALLY! His fingers seized his prize and he dropped down, panting. Victory was his.

He smiled proudly, readying his weapon as the game lit up, plastic puppies popping from the holes, some giving obnoxious barks and beckoning yelps. They were ASKING to be hit! But Skyler's face fell as he realized the truth, which should have been obvious when he strode up originally. He was too short for this game. If he couldn't reach the mallet, he sure as sugar couldn't hit anything.

Tears blubbered in his eyes. He dropped the mallet on the ground, whimpering and hugging his tail, suckling on its fluffy tip. His ears drooped and big, fat tears leaked down his face, which he desperately tried to wipe with a free hand before they hit his dress.

"Sorry, little dude." A clearly inebriated teen- some sort of fish boy by the scales in his neck- muttered. He had a tag on his shirt and an apron for change. He stooped and pointed across the way. "But there's pony rides and a rubber ducky game over there."

Skyler listened to authority and nodded, getting up and blubbering the whole way to the little duck game. It was easy- grab a duck, look at the bottom and that was the prize he got. But he didn't WANT to play with the duckies or ponies. It was boring! He wanted a weapon! Some real fun! And as he angrily snatched the first duck he saw and pointed at a stuffed goldfish, he debated going back to his papa.

Pablo had said Clubs might be fun for the little guy and this was a real treat, as they didn't have much money. He let Skyler have free rein as he set up another game stall elsewhere. He was running some sort of plate shooting game for adults only and had shooed his son off when Skyler wanted to take a shot. He was too busy to help the eevee reach the best games and the eevee didn't want to show that he wasn't having any fun...

So Skyler took his prize and wandered with it, looking for something more fun than the whack-a-puppy. And then he saw it! Another shooting game! It had a stool and everything. Though it only shot water, it seemed to be some kind of race, the more jets of water on target contributing to how fast the plastic camels at the top would run across the backdrop desert. He eagerly ran over and- after about a minute of getting the attendee's attention and paying, he clambered up onto the chair, wiggling and testing the sights on the metal tilting spray gun.

And then, he waited. There was no-one else here TO play with him, but he glared with steadfast determination and looked around the crowds. There! A boy in a green hood walking all alone. He put two fingers to his lips and whistled once, sharply, trying to get his attention, motioning with his free hand for the other to come over.

He'd be damned if anyone didn't want to play this with him.

Skyler was overjoyed as the other approached and sat easily on the chair next to him, tail wagging. "Thank you!" He said in a tiny voice, the attendee shrugging. It was only two to play, so he flicked the switch and annouced the countdown.
"Go."

Skyler stood up on the stool from the sheer fire in his eyes, sticking his tongue out as he worked the dual triggers, spraying a constant stream from the end, hitting the target that was painted to look like a camel. Heart shots made the camel run extra fast.

Squirt, squirt, squirt. He was sure he was on target! But he was untrained, unlike Zale's precise hands. And when the winning light rang above Zale's chute, Skyler's face fell.

"Pick your prize, kiddo." The game runner muttered to Zale. "You want a monkey? A sheep?" He pointed at the prizes hanging above them.

Skyler's eyes were still welled up and he gave a little whimper of distaste. He HATED losing. He was almost going to leap down and run off like he usually did when the sheep was thrusted at him.

"Ah.." He blushed. He didn't talk too much and looked at the sheep then the other. For true? It was his? He slowly reached out and took the stuffed sheep and held it close to his chest, forcing a tiny smile.

"I-its okay. I-i like the sheep. Its s-soft and warm." He nuzzled his cheek on it and blushed at the other. "Um..I..." he looked from behind the long bang of his hair. "I'm Skyler." He jumped. "O-oh! And thank you!" He held the sheep under one arm and the fish under the other.

"Um..so are you from here?"

Skyler beamed. "It must have slipped my mind. But no, I am from the best faction." He twirled a piece of his hair shyly and held his sheep plushy even tighter. "I'm from Spades. My Papa owns an arms smithing store! We make guns, grenades, flamethrowers, knives, um, um..." He thought, trying to think of more weapons, his tail wagging. "scopes...molotovs, that kind of stuff!" He padded after Zale, smiling shyly and gently taking hold of his tail.

Briar was happy to be going to the Clubs with his father Dmitri. He was never asked to accompany the elderly Shiftry as he went to the faction in order to make a delivery of produce and herbs. The Leafeon sat on the wooden cart with his legs kicking about with joy and humming a small tune the moment he hear the music of the festival playing. Dmitri stopped the horse that pulled their cart and leaped off. He moved in front of his son and grabbed him up in to the air and set him down. "Go ahead and play Briar while I work out some business here. Don't go off too far, all right?" He nodded with glee as he received some money to pay for the games and food. "Okay Papa!"

As the Shiftry went off, Briar looked around seeing all the games and food that surrounds him. He was unsure of what to do since there was so many things around. However, his bright green orbs caught the sight of two familiar children which made him beamed happily; Zale and Skyler, though oblivious to the changes of his dear Treeko friend. "Hey!" The blonde called out cheerfully as he ran up to the two and ended up hugging the two at once, nuzzling his head up to their cheeks. "I'm so happy to see you two here!"

Zale sighed lowly. He wasn't given an answer, and he hated that. He was about to turn around and leave when suddenly someone rushed at them. Quickly his hand swiped out, grabbing the infant around the neck, releasing when he saw familiar eyes. He jerked backwards, shocked not only by his reflex but to see one of his friends.

Briar.

No. He didn't want to see Briar. Not Briar, not Malo, not Isaac, none of them. He couldn't. He didn't want to. His eyes widened, and then once more narrowed, head turning to the side.

"Sorry." He mumbled, mentioning the choke grab he had performed seconds ago. His mind almost resembled that of Isaac's, grumbling curses and profanity inside the infants mind.

Skyler was still taking deep gulping breaths, sweat beading off his forehead. "F-fine. Doing fine." He said, rubbing his arm sheepishly. "Um...I got a sheep." He held up his stuffed sheep with a small smile.

To be honest, he didn't really remember Briar either. He had been very distracted that whole trip, taking deep breaths through his nose. "Um...I'm skyler." He greeted, extending his hand lightly.