starlightcafe | Traveled down the road and back again

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Traveled down the road and back again

There was a time when the Other Duckburg had been a crutch for Lexi - something she'd depended on more than was healthy. Now, though, she was fifteen years old, and had really learned that, though she loved her extended family here, this world wasn't all she had going for her.

Of course, that didn't mean she'd stopped visiting! And sure, usually it was still to visit Unca Scrooge, but sometimes others - and sometimes, she just wanted to wander through the city and take in its old-fashioned charm. Today was a day for that last one.

With a to-go cup of coffee (mostly cream and sugar) in hand, she strolled through the streets of the Other Duckburg. The leaves had turned, and many where starting to fall, leaving them to crunch pleasantly in her wake as she walked.

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Lexi wasn't the only one out enjoying the fall atmosphere. As she nears part of the park, sounds of what seems to be a very large dog will reach her ears. If she stops to look, she'll see what looks like a great black, shaggy wolf underneath a collection of orange and yellow trees, bouncing about like anybody's joyful pet. He takes a few moments every now and then to race around the trees at full speed, though he spends most of his time jumping up at the falling leaves and snapping at them, not caring whether he actually grabs them or not.

Honestly, he probably would be someone's giant dog let loose in the park, if he wasn't so familiar...

Lexi did stop to look, and when she caught sight of that particular, playful monster of a dog, she couldn't help smiling. Daniel was a fun guy, and seeing him play around among the leaves was just - well, nice. Even kind of had a warming effect as a chilly wind passed through the park.

After a few moments of watching, Lexi headed over to Daniel, waving to get his attention - and then, with a slight smirk, she patted her knees and whistled, as if calling over an actual pet.

He paused and looked up, head perking and ears going straight up. Then, full over Happy Dog body language, his muzzle split in a canine grin and he trotted over, tongue lolling out. Before Lexi can really stop him he's gotten a few good licks over her face, even though his size easily outclassed hers. Then he flopped down sideways in the leaves and rolled over for a bellyrub, tail wagging.

"Aw, man, hey-!" she laughed, half-heartedly protesting the licks - that said, she didn't hesitate to lean in and run her fingers through Daniel's fur, tickling him. She giggled, again, as she stated, "You're a good boy, you know that?"

He bhoofed a few 'barks' at her, wriggling happily with the tickles. After a few moments he rolled back over and shook himself, which did nothing to dislodge the leaves that'd gotten stuck in his fur, and gave her another couple licks.

Then, on stepping back, he tilted his head and whined a question, paws dancing a little to one side. Walk?

Lexi gave an amused snort. "Sure, let's go."

Before she started heading off, though, she ruffled the fur behind Daniel's ears. You know, for good measure.

That got a very happy doggy smile, eyes closed and panting softly. As they started walking, Daniel dropped back a few steps, though he caught back up quickly enough in his proper werewolf form now. He remained on all fours, though, to keep closer to Lexi's level.

"So, what brings you to our neck of the woods today?"

Lexi shrugged a bit, smiling over at Daniel. "It's a nice day, and this park's way better than the one at home. Bigger, more open..." She stretched her arms out over her head. "I love all the modern conveniences of my Duckburg, but this place being kinda old-school has its perks!"

"I feel the same about Duckburg and Birchpointe. I love the big city feel, and there's always something to do whether hanging out with my cousins or doing Sentinel stuff."

Just for giggles he snapped at a falling leaf, missing it by a mile.

"But Duckburg really reminds me of the town I grew up in. I'm a country mouse in a city mouse's world, so to speak."

"Huh, I guess that makes sense, since you grew up in a place like this." Made sense to a degree, anyway. Lexi never really longed to live in the marina again, but... That was still part of Duckburg, after all. "I'm definitely a city girl, but even I like to take a break every now and then."

"Thus, the visit today." He chuckled some, a wolfish rumble deep in his throat.

"How goes the magic training?"

"It's going okay. I mean, it's a lot of work, which... Ew, but I gotta do it, you know? And since I'm doing it with Unca Scrooge, it's not all bad work."

"Yeah, I expect Uncle Scrooge makes it a lot easier. Do you guys take like, victory laps after a good session or anything?"

He's grinning teasingly, but you never know.

An amused snort from Lexi. "What, like swimming in the Bin? No, but I should suggest that to him."

"Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't already. From what I've heard you seem to drop more in the Bin than you do in the Manor, whenever you show up." He snickered. "How you manage it I don't know, but if anyone could, it's you."

"Hey, I can't give away my secrets," Lexi joked. She had no idea how she managed it, either - maybe it was sheer willpower and wishful thinking.

He snickered again. "Something else Uncle Scrooge has taught you, I'm sure. Either of them."

"Maybe they both taught me," Lexi said slyly, before pulling a disgusted face. "Okay, but if I ever sound that much like Dewey again, you have to hit me." A beat. "Or... Bite me, I guess? Except... Please don't do that."

"What? You don't want to be a wereduck?" Just for good measure, he gnashed his jaws a couple times, then laughed. "I hear tell Uncle Scrooge had met one a ways back. Nice fellow, if shaggy. Didn't sound like a bad life, especially once he hit the movie monster circuit."

Lexi shook her head with a chuckle. "Really don't, no. No offense, man - I just think there'd be too much upkeep with all that fur," she teased.

"What? Fur upkeep?" And he ruuuuubbbed all alongside Lexi as he walked ahead of her, even adding on a last flick of his tail. Leaving behind several strands on her clothing, of course. "What fur upkeep?"

"Great. Thanks, Daniel," Lexi said flatly. She wasn't really upset with him, of course, but what fun was being friends with such a troll if you couldn't act bothered? "You'd better not have just given me fleas."

"I don't have fleas." Said as he sat down some steps ahead and scratched behind his ear a good few times.

Lexi smirked and rolled her eyes. "Very reassuring." She walked up alongside Daniel again, and gave him a light shove - not that it needed to be a light one to be absolutely meaningless.

He exaggerated a sway from the shove, and laughed as he got up and started following her again.

"Fine, I promise not to bite you. But that says nothing about slobbering on you."

Which was the cue for another looonnng lick, that'd practically pick her up off her feet for a moment.

"Hey!" Lexi wiped her face with her sleeve once she'd regained proper balance. "Come on, Daniel, this is my third-favorite hoodie," she laughed fondly.

"Okay, well now it can be a carrying harness, because I just thought of somewhere to go."

With that he stepped behind her and snared the back of said hoodie in his jaws, being careful to tense it more around her midsection as he lifted her up and started trotting off down the path.

"Oh wow. This is fun. You know, telling me where to go was an option, too," Lexi snorted. "...Although, actually, not walking is always a plus. Yeah. I could get used to this."

He rolled his eyes with a grin, then paused and flipped his head, throwing Lexi up onto his back. Once he felt her relatively settled, he started off at a quicker pace.

Lexi grabbed a fistful of fur in each hand - gently - to keep herself steady, and laughed. "Still not having to walk. Daniel, this is why you're cool."

"Yeah, I figured if you're anything like your mom, you'd enjoy the express trip."

He grinned over his shoulder, then slowed his walk until he came to a stop. Shifting some, he got into a runner's position, as a glow passed over his fur. Once he'd changed into his- slightly -smaller wolf shape he took off again, a trot moving into a full speedy lope, long strides carrying them out of the park and down the sidewalk, kicking up leaves all the way.

Okay, being in physical contact with someone as they transformed was kind of weird, if only because it was less weird than she'd have suspected it would be. For all the sense that made...

She smiled as she watched the leaves being kicked up. "They really look nice," she said, letting go of some fur with one hand so she could idly scratch Daniel behind one ear.

He growled happily, leaning his head up into her touch some. Glancing ahead, he bounced through a large pile of leaves that'd been blown up against a fence, kicking up a "spray" around them as he continued through.

Lexi giggled, and swatted at a few of the leaves playfully.

"Man, this is pretty great," she sighed. "My mom did mention you guys running around Duckburg once or twice - was it like this?"

He glanced back and nodded, barking once. Looking back, he bounced one way and the other on the sidewalk, giving Lexi a playful jostling before they slowed down to a rapid trot, as they started getting to a more populated area.

Lexi shrugged one shoulder. "Huh. Cool."

As they started to be around more people, Lexi couldn't help smirking at the occasional puzzled look, just responding to them with little nods.

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Traveled down the road and back again

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