Shepard held onto Fifi for as long as she remained still. Knowing this was going to be a rough night, when nothing he did seemed to soothe the child. But it was also his second chance to get rest over the past few days. So he continued to gently stroke the princess’ head and backside with his paw. Okay dear... Lucario responded in a calm, yet weary tone. With his severe lack of sleep starting to challenge his withstanding composure. Though unless she happened to hear the subtly elevated pace of his heart or sharpness in his exhale, it wouldn’t be noticed. We’ll talk about it more in the morning. Lucario urged Fifi, before trying to not engage with her further. Because despite Eevee’s repeated efforts to keep him talking; it wasn’t his first rodeo, and he could’ve fallen asleep regardless of whatever she was doing on top of him.

However, there was a bigger obstacle that he couldn’t overcome. Your daddy wouldn’t want you to worry about him, princess. I promise—and I’ll help you find your true family in any way I can. No matter what. Lucario whispered in a kind tone. Proceeding to smile fondly at the sight of her finally dozing off. Sweet dreams, Fifi…have them for the both of us. He thought.

But Shepard wasn’t the only member of their family that hadn’t slept in a while. So Eevee would be the first to wake up in that bedroom, and leave without disturbing the trio. Since the morning sunlight was blocked by Noctowl’s body. With Sceptile’s Sleep Powder still sparkling all over the light-sleeper’s wings, chest feathers and forehead.

Thus, it would’ve been possible for Fifi to look out of the high window. If the princess managed to climb up the hammock’s chains and scale the wall. Otherwise, she’d notice plenty of open shutters in the second floor hallway that illuminated the space, and made it easier for Fifi to find her way downstairs. Albeit, not without being seen by at least one eyewitness. Being the curious Croconaw—who was peeking out from the Resident Medic’s sewing room door. Or at least, she was one who was here the most often.

“Mummy. Mummy. That girl I saved last night is leaving Shepard’s room-” The gator alerted in a hushed volume, after turning his attention back into the room. Proceeding to quickly waddle over to the wide rocking chair that Audino had sat in. “What should we do?” He asked with a concerned frown, looking up at her smiling face.

“You can come up and sit with your mummy.” Her soft loving voice replied, as the Cronocaw beamed a smile and eagerly climbed up into the seat. With his body actually taking up more room than hers did. Before the Audino gave her chubby boy some tender headpats. “Neither you or Shepard has any right to stop the princess from going out on her own.” Audino noted, using the term that Cronocaw had used when telling his grand tale earlier. “And if she wants to go. It’s her choice. Understand, Chomps?” She suggested sweetly. Always seeing the Cronocaw’s eyes twinkle with glee, whenever Audino used the name she had given him. Opposed to how upset he’d get when others called him something else, or changed the name to tease his gluttonous appetite.

“I understand.” Chomps nodded, before he carefully leapt down onto the large rug covering most of the floor. Quick to scamper away into the hall and look out of a back window, where he proceeded to spot Eevee’s heading toward the wooded area. “But I can still follow her, right? Hmm…” He questioned, considering what reason he could use. “I bet Shepard would want me to.” Cronocaw confirmed to himself.

Meanwhile, everyone’s breakfast was already well on its way to being made. As their aproned chef proceeded to carry a silver tray down the hall and inside the stables where the three brothers had slept. “Good morning gentlemen! I brought you two some milk coffee.” Miltank announced in a cheerful manner, seeing the Tauros smiling and his tails casually swirling in circles. A unique habit that made it look like his backside was trying to propel itself off the ground—but it was simply the Resident Workaholic’s usual behavior.

“Oh, you positively spoil us. Sweetheart.” The gruff older voice lauded, as Miltank walked up and set the tray down onto an empty wooden barrel. “You know. Back in my pasture days, I’d never imagined that something could taste this good.” Tauros recalled, in an equally good-natured manner.

“Yeah. You’ve said that before. Many times.” Combusken murmured, with a trying-not-to-be-so-grouchy expression. And our chef knows that. Cuz’ she was there with you, old timer. Combusken thought, after he finished fastening the oat bag to the forlorn Mudsdale’s muzzle.

“Thank you, lad.” Mudsdale uttered in a somber tone, as he started to stand back up again. As Combusken gave the draft horse a brief reassuring smile for his sake.

While Miltank smiled proudly, and waved her hoof dismissively. “Oh-ho. You flatter me dear.” She commented, not intending to make Tauros stop. As Miltank had brought him over a large steamy bowl of her coffee, to assist Tauros in slurping it up.

“Mmm. Yes, delicious as always. Thank you chef.” He acknowledged, before looking over to Combusken. “Hey bucko. You really should drink yours, before it gets too cold.” Tauros declared, as the fire chicken rolled his eyes and walked up to his mug.

“Things don’t get cold around me.” He retorted, proceeding to heat up his coffee further to the point that it was scalding hot. Each one too busy to overhear Chomps scampering out of the back door.

It wasn’t too long when Fifi passed out by ‘the large river’ that was more akin to a shallow stream past their backyard trees; that Croconaw tripped and fell at least twice in his attempt to follow her lead.

“Nobody—saw—me.” Cronocaw uttered aloud between breaths. Waddling himself over to Eevee’s body, as he couldn’t help but be nervous at the sight. Uh-oh. She didn’t drink the water, did she? It has poisonous algae growing at the bottom of it. So we haven’t used it for anything. The gator thought, with a long worried stare. Hmm...her face isn’t purple- Cronocaw noted, before getting on all fours and leaning his head near her chest. Trying to listen to her heartbeat, as he only then noticed the tears in Fifi’s eyes. “H-H-hey…princess?” Chomps stammered, with a sad look on his face. Not very good at seeing others crying, as he tried again. “Princess?”

Fifi slowly awoke to the gentle prodding and voice of chomps, the Cronocaw she met at the barn the night before, and spoke softly as she rose up in a hazy confused sleepy state. "Da...daddy? did you find me?" she asked aloud, her thoughts still of her father figure even now as she only just awoke, but as she quickly returned to her senses she immediately noticed the concerned looking Cronocaw that was watching over her. After a mere moment, Fifi remembered that she had met him the night before and quickly hopped up onto her two back legs and lent forward to rest her front legs on him, standing upright balancing on him as she gave him a tight sudden hug. "YAY! You escaped too!" Fifi spoke misunderstanding the situation "Are you try'na find your parents too? ooooh! We can look together and be a team! But you have to promise to never leave me! And if you promise that then we can be friends, ok!". Fifi then suddenly turned her head around, not dismounting off him as she forcefully kept the hug going, and nodded her head towards the stream next to them. "I think-y that if we can cross this huge river then we can find our parents! But I dunno how to cross it, I don't like getting wet and the river is tooooo huge to swim".

Fifi's belly then loudly rumbled from hunger which caused her to feel a little shy, shy enough that she abruptly ended the hug and hopped off of him and looked down to the floor wistfully "hehe... Mornings are hard... always hungry, and my belly goes ROAR until I find food. Hmmm... Wanna see if we can find food as a team?". It would seem Fifi has already designated Chomps as her friend and teammate before even getting an answer from him about his parental situation whatsoever, and as she looked back up to him she smiled empathetically, as if he was the first friend she felt she had in a long time "Thank you for helping me... no one ever believes I will find them and it makes me sad! But now we can find them as a team, and when I find daddy he will find yours too! Promise! My daddy was taken by those meanie nasty GRRRR HUMANS! They are soooo mean! They took my parents away but we will find and save them and oh oh, I bet those meanie humans did it to you too! PARENT STEALERS! Bu...but my parents are not meanies, my parents are the only nice humans that give lots of cuddles and tickles and food... I never have food now as those meanies... Hmmm... ok ok, I have an idea! we can find food and our parents! OK?". This time Fifi actually waited for an answer from her new friend, and she even sat down as she waited for him to speak, gazing trustingly into his eyes seeing him as the first friend she could travel with. Of course this dream of her's would not come true and she needed to be convinced to head back somehow as the farm was miles away from anywhere else and without food or safe drinking water her stable but undernourished condition would get worse.

“N-no. I’m not—my name is Chomps.” Croconaw introduced himself, still sounding and looking concerned at how Fifi was behaving. Oh no. The poison is making her act loopy- Chomps theorized for a moment, until he found himself being squeezed tightly by the rowdy Eevee. “No I. Well I guess I am, but…” He stammered out to explain. Finding himself rendered speechless and in awe by the river of noise that continued to flow from the little fox's maw. Wow. The princess could probably match the old man in a talking contest. Chomps thought, not really absorbing much of what Fifi said. Since the gator was too focused on wriggling backward in vain to escape her clutches.

Soon rescued by the sound of her roaring stomach, as he stood back up and tilted his head in confusion at her next question. Immediately envisioning how many crops were sprouting all over the fields near his house; as he realized that she managed to travel in the most dangerous direction first. I-I don’t think she’ll survive out here on her own. Croconaw noted, with another thought. And if she was hungry. She coulda’ at least waited to leave after- Chomps pondered, as he frowned at the realization and held onto his plump belly. Breakfast! Aww man. I haven’t eaten yet either... He whined.

But the uneasy feeling in his stomach would only get worse, when Fifi finished speaking about her missing parents, and how much she didn’t like other humans because of it. “Wait. I know what we can do.” Croconaw suggested, with a confident smile. Feeling the passion in her hopeful stare, as he pointed in the direction of his house. “You’re looking for your parents in the human village, right?" Croconaw asked her, pointing backward a few more times for good measure. “Well, I know how far it is to travel by foot. So I have a friend who can help us get there salac-duper fast.” Chomps offered, trying to sound as smart as possible. Despite not having a single clue what the outside village was even like; since he had only heard stories about it from their Resident Transport. “And somewhere with plenty to eat too.” Croconaw added, with his own stomach gurgling mere seconds later.

When Chomps first pointed back towards the direction of the house Fifi had only escaped from this morning, she titled her head in confusion unsure as to how returning there could help progress her personal quest to find her parents. But as Chomps continued to explain his plan in a confident manner, Fifi found herself nodding in agreement liking the idea of befriending someone that could quickly transport her to places that her parents may be, additionally she misunderstood chomps point about getting food at the village and assumed he meant scavenging together for food that humans tend to wastefully throw away, an easy misunderstanding for Fifi to make since most food she eats are scavenged scraps she finds when searching human settlements. Fifi's tail began to quickly wag as she excitedly said "Yeah! Ok! Follow me!". She then began running towards the direction of the house enthusiastically for about 20 seconds before immediately halting in her tracks, as she realized that she didn't know who Chomps was referring to nor exactly where they'd be, and so she turned around with a bashful look on her face and walked up to Chomps shyly. Fifi's mind was often battling a complicated emotional conflict, as she deeply desired companionship and friendship but simultaneously her own insecurities compel her to always try to be independent or at least attempt to be the leader of whatever group she finds herself in. Currently the emotional conflict manifested itself into Fifi's clingy but demanding behaviour, as she deeply wanted to befriend and be liked by Chomps which is why she so eagerly added him as part of her new 'team', but at the same time she felt compelled to prove herself worthy as his new leader by taking charge of every single thing that she possibly could.

So, as Fifi realized she had gotten ahead of herself and would need ask Chomps to lead for now, she stood in front of him bashfully finding it almost impossibly difficult to find the right words to admit that she needed him to lead rather than do it herself. "I... no you, I....I dunno where to go... you... have to show me" she finally admitted defeatedly as her feelings of worthlessness flared up, and she felt the impulse to run away from the situation to try to escape her negative feelings, only willing herself to stay with Chomps as she considered it her best option to finding her parents and finding food. Fifi then tagged along behind Chomps as he moved towards the house, with Fifi staying a noticeable distance behind him "Don't... don'cha worry, when we get to the human place I will know everything and then get us all the food and find both our parents super fast! It will be so fast that I will be like ZOOOOM ZOOOOOOM ZOOM ZOOM ZOOOOOOOOM!" she said, yelling the last bit to help muster up her own confidence a little as well as reassure Chomps of her abilities.