Owner	Pose
Pippi	Sometimes you need that moment in your life to focus. Sometimes you need to get away, to prepare yourself for what you must accomplish, the building of something new or renewing your spirit.     Pippi, the red-and-white canine mutant was takaing a few minutes of time, centering herrself, concentraiting... balancing...     ... attop a reclamed bookshelf leaning against one of the kitchen chairs, braced by the special punching 'bag' that Donatello hooked up for her, atop another chair, atop a three-legged stool carefully braced against two books and a discarded three-ring-bindeder announcing a very important business meeting sometime in 2020, and atop all that Pippi was on tip-toes, attempting to change out a burnt-out lightbulb.
Alopex	To which, a voice asks, "Do .. you need a hand?" If looked toward, Alopex is looking on, with at least a little bit of surprise, with a bag of SMELL-GOOD in one hand and nothing in the other. "I also brought dinner. .. It isn't pizza." sin.
Pippi	Burgers... burgers followed by french fries and the scent of A-1 and --     "Hi Pex!" Pippi cheerily states, holding one rm out as her body swoons a moment, her tail swinging to adjust. "Nope. I think I got it... just need -- a little... more--"     And the binder slips out, causing the stool to tip back. Pippi gives an 'eek' sound, and goes to correct her balance, over-corrects, gives a 'yipe!' cry, and seems to dangle in mid-air as her tower of foolhardy and illbalanced advising crashes down.
Alopex	Things... start to collapse. Oh dear. Dinner is quickly put aside and then Alopex is rushing the stack, despite the way its haphazardly toppling over. Her focus, however, is just to make sure there is a chair or stool under the 'dangling' Pippi.
Pippi	CRASH! Down comes Pippi, out goes the stool, two chairs and book case.     The lightbulb -- the wrong one for that fixture anyway -- tumbles down as well, the pooch looking no worse for wear as she's semi-buried beneath the rubble of her hubris-laden attempt to change a lightbulb.     "I'm okay!" comes the call as the dust settles.     Pippi rubs her noggin, looking embarrassedly to Alopex.     "Maybe I shoulda waited?"
Alopex	"It wouldn't have hurt if you had, but that's alright," Alopex offers, along with a hand, once all the crashing has finished up. A glance is given the fixture, the bulb, and then if her hand has been taken, she'll help haul Pippi up. "I'm... not sure you have the right bulb, I can fix that however."
Pippi	Pippi picks up the two chairs in one hand, and the book case in the other, and goes to set them back in their place -- and soon it's mostly the same as it ever was in the training area, and Pippi rubs the back of her head a moment. "How'd I be able to tell what lightbulb it takes?" she questions, looking to Alopex with a worried expression.
Alopex	"Experience, honestly.." Alopex is quick to point out. "There's a lot of different kinds, and you aren't alone in having trouble with them early on. I did too," the fox admits. "Don't worry about it too much. Once you remember what they are around here, it won't be such a problem." Smile. "Hungry?"
Pippi	"Yes." Pippi replies enthusiastically, splutting down into her W-shaped sit, and she takes a deep breath, rubbing the back of he rhead.     "Hey, Pex, what other trouble did you have when you were first dealing with... being different?" she asks.
Alopex	The bag is retrieved, offered over to Pippi, and then the fox takes a kneeling position on the floor. She is fairly certain Pip can sniff out which one is hers and which one the fox got for herself. "A .. lot of things, to be honest. Learning all the things the humans have to make their lives easier takes a long time. It's a pretty long list... but I'll admit my earlier problems dealt with electricity a lot.. much like your lightbulb."
Pippi	"Mmm. I have a leg up on that one -- I learned how to turn them on when I was normal." Pippi replies, and she rubs the back of her head as she weighs her words a moment, and she takes a deep breath.     "S-so... Leo and Donatello found out that I do have some trouble with stuff."
Alopex	The fox gives a sound that is more an acknowledgement than anything else, allowing the pup to fish her dinner out if she so chooses before responding more appropriately. "Ah, well, that's to be expected. You haven't been ... this way as long as I. Is there something I can try to help you with..?"
Pippi	"Well..." Pippi begins, and then sets her burger down, and she rubs the back of her head.     "Donnie called it This... Lecks... ia. Dyslexia. I can't read." she admits, and she gives a huff out, feeling her shouders sag down as she loses her appitite. Far from wanting to let the fox be disappointed in her.     "They tried teaching me at the labs, but... it didn't go."
Alopex	There's a bit of a pause as Alopex considers, processes, and then blinks when it dawns on her just what Pippi is saying. ... Suddenly a LOT of things make a lot more sense. Even not knowing the right lightbulb could be a part of it. "Ah, Pippi," she can read the fact that the pup isn't really proud of this fact. "First of all? Everyone has their flaws, and I'm not about to lecture you or come down on you just because you can't read. Second? I'm not... sure what Dyslexia is, however, it hardly matters that you have it. You are still you despite it." By this point, the fox has actually slid around to Pippi's side, sneaking an arm around if she's allowed. "I told you before, I'm not going to be upset at you for things. This is especially true for something entirely out of your control. It just means there are certain things we have to do a little differently, and that is OK."
Pippi	It was a surprising move from the fox. Pippi ordinarily didn't like being hugged -- more that she was so scared of hurting someone if she hugged back. Her ears go back a moment as the Fox takes a seat, her eyes going wide, 'brow' like markings drawing down a little before the fox puts an arm around her... and Pippi leans against the fox lightly, then adds her weight a little more, leaning into Alopex's hug even if she doesn't dare hug back.     "It's... kinda like instead of seein' something sit still, all the letters look like ants running around... at least that's kinda how I see them?" Pippi states, and she exhales.     "It's... it's just bad. 'Cause they couldn't get me to read commands and so they..." Pippi frowns, and she turns her head, and just puts her forehead against Alopex's shoulder.     "Leo offered to help me. I got mad and yelled at him, 'cause I think that's why they got rid of me. If I learn to read or get it to work, will they come after me? I don't wanna put you guys at risk any more than I do."
Alopex	To be fair, Alopex wasn't sure what Pippi's response would be. When the snug is allowed, even leaned into, it relieves the fox. She'd remember it for later. "Mmm, well, I'm not where you came from, Pippi, so I can promise you, I will figure out how to work around this rather than be angry with you," she repeats, insistant. She'd not treat Pippi like some sort of tool to be used. That wasn't how this relationship was going to work.     ".. H-huh?" Get rid of? "NO, no no no. You don't have to worry about that. You have all of us here to help you, just like you help us. There will be no turning on you, and there will certainly not be anyone taking you from us ever again."
Pippi	Pippi is quiet for a few long minutes, and she just keeps he rhead against Alopex's shoulder. Foxes have a particular smell, and Alopex additionally smelled of steel and leather and very neutral shampoo -- gotta keep dat fluff clean. Pippi quietly replies.     "Thanks, Pex. You really are my best friend." she sniffles.     "I'm sorry for yelling at Leo."
Alopex	That earns Pippi another gentle hug before the fox gives a nod, "I wouldn't want to be any other way, and .. well.." she hrms, "I can't accept that apology, you will need to tell him that.. but I appreciate that you said it. I'm sure he will too."
Pippi	"... nn-nn." Pippi gives a negatie, shaking her head a moment as she draws back, her ears flicking bakwards and turning pink on the insides. She's embarrassed, and she scoots a little away as her tail curls.     "I've... I've been following him on patrols. And shadowing him in practices. I'm sure he's figured out by now. I mean, we fought the dinosaur together twice, and the metal-covered-guy once."
Alopex	"Hmm?" Embarassed? ... Adorable, but Alopex isn't going to point it out. "Leo's pretty sharp, I imagine he may have. Though.. I think my vigil over Winterfall has been keeping me out of the loop with a few things. I .. heard about these two but I haven't ran into them yet."
Pippi	"Yeah, but what if he's so focused on being worried because of Gotham and New York and all the other stuff--" Pippi motions with her hands spreading wide, "-- that he forgets and then he gts to forgetting that I'm trying to be good and then he gets to hating me because he gets tired of worrying and then he doesn't want me following him around and then something bad happens and everyone blames me?!" Pippi asks, "Because I got mad that I can't read?!"
Alopex	That's a tirade. Yup. The fox reaches out with a single finger, pressing it to a nose and muzzle almost like a boop, but more like a shh. "He won't. We were invited into their home, and all of us, me, you, the brothers, Splinter, Nemean, we are a -family- Pippi. And one thing families do not do is leave anyone behind. You will -never- be left behind. All those what-ifs? That's all they are."
Pippi	Boop. Pippi's eyes cross, her muzzle wrinkles a little at the boop but she does halt her tirade, and when Alopex speaks up, her ears draw forward, lifting, her tail giving a slight wag.     "... like in Lilo and Stitch?" she inquires.
Alopex	Blink. Those names don't seem to hold any meaning, "I.. maybe? I'm not sure what that is, to be honest."
Pippi	"I dunno. Movie Mikey was watching, had surfing in it and the importance of family and a blue squeaky space-dog." Pippi gives a helpless shrug, with a wince "He watches weird stuff?"
Alopex	"Heh, well, if they highlight the importance of family? I'm pretty sure that I'd agree with it."
Pippi	"And the importance of big sisters." Pippi points out with a cheeky grin, and play-punches at Alopex's arm. Very gently. And slowly. With great care taken in not pushing very hard at all.
Alopex	That earns Pippi a laugh at which point the fox finally reaches in for her own dinner to nom on. "Ha, well, if that is my role to have, I accept it gladly."
Pippi	"Well, you fed me, so you're kinda stuck with me." Pippi points out cheerily, recovering her appitite and nomming away. OMNOMNOM bugarrrrr.     "Speakin' of --" she states, mouth full, "when do I get to pick out weapons?"
Alopex	"Once I'm satisfied with control of your strength. Keep at your training, Pippi, you'll get there." Nomf.
Pippi	"Awwrrrrgh." Pippi swallows. "But what if I get like, really, really good within a week? Then can we break out the nunchucks? Is there a personality test? .... not a written test?" Pippi suddenly looks fairly intimidated by the idea.
Alopex	"There's not going to be a written test, I promise. It is just a matter of control, prescision, and paitence." Nomf. "And I'm not sure nunchuks would be a good starter. Unless they're made of metal."
Pippi	Pippi gets a far off look in her eye as she looks out over the training room, accross weapons racks and punching bags and free weights...     "... Pex?"
Alopex	More nomf. Pause, "Hmm?" A glance goes around the room, then lands on Pip again, "What?"
Pippi	"... I think giving me full metal nunchucks might be a bad idea."
Alopex	Hmmmmmmm. "Probably. However, you'd likely break wooden ones. So.. maybe not an ideal weapon choice, hmm?"
Pippi	"... Probably not." Pippi admits, and leans back, stomach full now. Her legs are still in a W. She just tilts herself back until she's flat out.     "... I tried a staff. Well. It was a broom. I hit my nose a lot."
Alopex	The fox is not far behind in the food nomming department. "Hmm.." last bite nomfed. "I'll put some thought into it. There's a lot of weapons to choose from, well beyond what just the brothers and myself have. We will find something for you.... once you are ready."
Pippi	"But wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen." Pippi whines, playfully, and looks up at the ceiling.     "... oh hey, that light's working again."
Alopex	"Once. You. Are. Ready." The fox re-iterates before glancing up.     "... So it is."
Pippi	Pippi waits a whole minute and a half, looking up at the light before inquiring, in the most joking of voices:     "What about now?"
Alopex	By now, the fox had settled back into a similar position to Pippi. Relaxed, sprawled, mostly just gazing up at the roof. "Mmm.... nope."
Pippi	"... you're adding weeks every time I ask, aren't you?"
Alopex	Long silence. "Maybe. Maybe not. That depends on how well your training goes."
Pippi	"That's fair." Pippi agrees, continuing to stare up at the ceiling. "Hey, 'Pex?"
Alopex	Pause. Breath. Beat. "Hmm?" It gets her to look over this time.
Pippi	"Thanks. For being my family." Pippi states, not looking at Alopex, but continuing to stare up at the ceiling. "And thanks for bringing me with you."
Alopex	"You're welcome. I really wouldn't have it any other wy, Pippi."