"I can't promise much turnout, but I can publicize your event once things are more certain. Perhaps you're going to recruit Tabby's growing horde to help you prepare the area?"

"Yeah. She's been taking that Superhuman League thing real serious...think we should be worried?"

"I actually feel better about her since she's thrown herself into that. It's a constructive outlet for her energy. And heroes wouldn't turn people who would abuse their new powers, would they?"

"I guess not. And the cape looks nice on her."

"I think I could get one of the old coal plants online long enough to support a big grand fair. Lights and rides, even. Favors for favors though."

"And what would those favours be?"

"Trustworthy help with some of what's left of the internet. Field trips to cell phone towers and the like."

"I can do that!"

"Very good. You'll have a few dozen kilowatts when the time comes, I'll make sure of it."

"Hurray! Anything you need done now ish?"

"I'm good for now, actually. Come back tonight and I'll give you a little minimum training."

"Kay." He heads out into the ice.

Smells like a band of looters is in the general area.

He prepares himself for epic combat and investigates.

These guys would probably describe themselves as scavengers, not looters.

They're dressed in heavy clothes, and dumping various stuff from the abandoned shops into bikes festooned with baskets and bags. One person, a lookout, shouts when he sees Zeke.

Maybe epic combat can wait. "Hello!"

"Hi! We'll be out of your hair in a few minutes!"

"You need any help?"

"Thanks but no thanks. The Acquisitions Department is doing well enough on its own."

"The who?"

"We're a field team for the Acquisitions Department. We go out and acquire stuff. It's the basis for all profit-moving operations."

"Did Nick form a punker squad or something?"

"I've heard of the 'punkers'. The Exchange Department likes them. But we're the Survival Corporation, and the Acquisition Department head is Sherry Ortega."

"Oh, I get it, you're playing buisness! Me and Tabby used to do that. Danny bought me out."

"I wouldn't say we're playing business. The end of the world has created a lot of market space. We have actual factories still running, you know."

"Oh. You should speak to my mummy. She's very interested in society."

"That would be a matter for the Exchange Department. We're just Acquisitions."

He rolls his eyes. "Bureaucracy. Can you at least pass along a message to them?"

"I'll give you the corporate email address..." He reads it off.

"Jack, we're about full here! Time to go home!"

He moves on, still lots of work to do at the commercial district he's picked out. Large, faceless corporations, always pushing out the small Mom, Pop & Nick businesses.

Nothing else looks particularly likely to interrupt him for a while.

...Work is boring. He decides to go and see if the Lupine branch of the Superhuman League needs something to do.

She's acting as a human crane at some sort of construction project. "Heeey, what's up Zeke?"

"I'm setting up a winter fair. Terence even agreed to get a coal plant working for the lights!"

"That'll be fun, I hope! What kinds of stuff are you gonna set up there? This sounds like a job for Event Planner Wolf."

"Well, I'll probably try to get the Bloodsuckers back together. Maybe see if I could drag over a merry-go-round or something. Jo could do a food truck!"

"We need carnival games, more than one food stall for sure. A prize raffle? Face painting. Bonfire!"

"Danny's fantabulous robot display!"

"Those things are creepy, no matter what you two say. You heard of Five Nights at Freddy's?"

"Yes. That night Danny had to sleep in me and Andrew's room. I think he built his robots as some kinda revenge."

"I still don't like them."

"I'm just amazed that game scared him so much. We're vampires! He could probably beat up those singing robots."

"Games like that are about being scared. S'why I don't like them either. When are you planning on holding the fair? Week or two from now?"

"Sounds about right. Should be a bit easier for people who aren't us to walk around outside then."

"I bet someone can rig up a vampire-powered snowplow for you. And since it'll be inside, you can turn on the heat if we can find a little natural gas, eh?"

"Poor humans, can't enjoy the snow as Lilith intended."

"Hey, even I can't stand the cold as well as you cheaters. I have to keep moving to not freeze when I'm wolfy, and I have to wear coats and things still like this."

"Must make changing really annoying."

"Well, it's less cold to me than it used to be. But yeah."

"Sons and daughters of Samael still come out on top!"

"Too bad not everyone can experience the awesome of being all wolfy."

"Maybe you can turn someone by feeding them your fur or something."

"Your mum said wolves don't turn or get turned. It's only offspring that get it."

"Yeah. Wonder why that is."

"When we're not worrying about kids starving or getting strep throat and freezing we can science at it."

"Just as long as they don't ask for more fingers."

This is a giggle-worthy comment.

"I'm gonna go negotiate the commercial side of things."

"Let me know who you sign on. I'll come look at the place later and start planning what goes where."

He makes a beeline for Jo or Nick. Whoever's closer.

Happens to be Nick, looking more smug than he has in a while.

"Good day shop-cat!"

"Indeed it is. Hehehe. How's things?"

"Planning an ice fair! I've already secured juice for the pretty lights!"

"And it just gets better, since I imagine you will require a significant amount of logistical support."

"Yes....and why are you so happy?"

"I acquired a strategic resource, the nature of which shall remain secret for now."

"Oh, good I guess. I was worried you had found some way of making Tabby quiet."

"Something like that would be much more impressive."

"Hmm...is it a perpetual motion machine?"

"You don't get hints. The world will find out when the time is right."

"Yeah, that's not ominous. So, think you'll have time to help with the fair I between tending to your cauldron of Lilith blood or whatever it is?"

"Sure! As long as I get appropriately compensated, of course."

"I know, I know. We can put you as a sponsor on the posters or something."

"Hm. I prefer something more concrete... Like your help moving around a large amount of concrete mix I found."

"Sure! And is that it?"

"That's all the payment I want. But it's a lot of concrete mix. I'm going to rig up a sled thing for it and we'll need lots of trips."

"Whatcha going to do with it?"

"Build stuff."

"Like Legos but bigger!"

"Working with concrete is hard, though, says those college books. I'm gonna need to order a lot of steel bars from that factory up by Albany. If I can hire those tugboat guys away from whatever else they're doing."

"You are the oldest nine year old ever. And I say that as a twenty-something."

"Oh really? Isn't building a fort a prime nine year old adventure? Usually nine year olds use old lumber and Dad's help, admittedly."

"Touché. Although for a super-strong immortal adopted son of Lilith you sure do hire a lot of manual labour."

"I'm gonna do plenty of it myself too. But economies are built on cooperation, don't ya know."

"I think you told me that. And I'm going to pursue catering. Seen Jo anywhere?"

"Tabby's evil layer, I think. You might be better off just talking to the distro kitchens though, they've got bulk on their side. Unless you're going for variety, that'd work."

"You ever been to a fair with only one food stall?"

"Yeah. It was some stupid lumberjack's trade show that Dad dragged me to, though."

"He's a lumberjack and he's okay, he hunts all night and he sleeps for three hours a day!"

"What. Just... What. Right, so, what sorts of supplies will you need particularly?"

"Know where I can find a merry-go-round?"

"Yeah, actually. There's one in Fort Central Park. And one in Forest Park. And one in Willowbrook park... And more. Parks seem to like carousels."

"Think we could take one apart and put it back together in less than two weeks?"

"Hm... We can probably figure it out if we spend enough time on it, yeah. And I have tools."

"Well, I doubt the Fort kids will like us taking anything of their's, so Willowbrook is probably our best bet."

"Don't know what condition either one will be in, maybe I should take a look at a bunch and pick one that seems mostly functional already for you?"

"That'd be good, thanks."

Nod, nod. "Well, I'll go later today. Expecting a delivery."

"See ya!"

He heads for Jo next.

Jo is busy being a cat in a particularly abandoned area. Good rats here.

"Afternoon, Floofy."

"Myau." She sits on the end of a cargo container and tilts her head questioningly.

"Ice fair, food will be a thing. Think you could manage?"

She runs off and comes back after a few seconds, clothed. "That really depends. How many people? What kind of facilities are there gonna be?"

"I figure most of the kids at the distro, and Terence says he can supply some power."

"I mean like, if there's an abandoned and only kinda-looted fast food place near where you're holding it, I can use their cooking stuff. The power is good news though."

"There's a KFC full of delicious, nutritious rats."

She makes a quiet pleased 'eee' sound. "Well, cleaning up the vermin is pretty important, isn't it?"

"Yes, for humans do not appreciate the taste of the noble rat."

"Disease and stuff too. But mostly I'm after the yummy rats, you're right."

"Speaking of rat appreciators, have you seen Tabby anywhere?"

"She went punker-herding a couple miles north, I think. Something about a bridge."

He remembers something. "Oh. I should probably check on her. You wanna come?"

"Sure!"

They head north until they catch Tabby's scent.

Tabby, decked out in her fur cape and battle crown, is discussing something with the leader of what Zeke had taken to calling the bridge trolls.

"And people have been telling me you're being mean."

"Oh really? Well, you have to be tough to lead in times like these. But what exactly are 'people' saying about me?"

"That your toll is too high, and you're not letting some people through even if they can pay."

"You met Dennis, then. I knew him before the bug, he's a huge bully. No way am I letting a bully on my bridge."

"And that you're not letting people leave."

"Huh? I let people leave. Let Rush leave, your brother knows about that. It's trying to leave with my stuff that I don't let happen. That's theivin'."

"Um, Rush said she had to be sneaky."

Shrug. "She took one of the brooming spears with her. Maybe that's why. But I let it go as, like, back pay."

"Would you at least consider lowering the toll?"

"We keep the peace around here, you know? Drive off raiders for the next four blocks. If you don't want to pay a really modest amount for safe crossing, you can go to the Tappan Zee a couple miles north. Or try to wade one of the tunnels. Then again... If I got supplies from somewhere else, I wouldn't need to take tolls."

"If you lowered the toll, less people would detour around your bridge."

She scoffs. "The numbers don't support that. We have a bunch of regular customers doing trade and deliveries and scavenging in the inner city. They can afford it. But if I lower the price for feeling sorry... Then everyone else invents a sob story, and the trader gets mad that his toll's still the same, and it's a disaster."

"Everyone's an economist these days," Zeke mutters to Jo.

Jo splorfles.

Marla insists, "The world is new again. Carpe diem! Isn't pursuit of money, like, an American right?"

She's showing remarkable courage, standing confidently in front of three vampires.

"My family's German." Okay, so her mother just happens to be from Saxe-Coburg, but who's quibbling?

"Suure. Anyway. Miss Resplendent Vampire Queen, are you going to kick me off my own bridge and take my stuff and not charge tolls? Or can we find some kind of compromise? 'Cause asking me to reduce my income without offering some supplies or some security is kind of bossy."

"Fine, fine, I'll talk to Nick about it. But he'll probably want like, free access or something."

Being responsible suuuuuuucks.

"Nick's the other vampire? The one that's not here? He's got a good head on his shoulders..." She looks a bit wistful.

She's annoyed, but she's not sure why.

"Yeah, he does. Probably why he has a shop and not a bridge."

"Society doth not consist of one business alone, Your Resplendence."

Jo has just acquired teasing material and she's really trying not to show it.

"I bet he only uses bridges out of social responsibility."

"Maybe he doesn't want to look like a crazy Punker queen."

"Crazy punker consort."

"Oh, you have a cruuush on him? Gonna marry him? That's why you got so mad at Marla just now, isn't it?"

"Yes! Okay, yes! I picked him from the herd, I get dibs!"

"Knew it~! Now you just have to make him realize it."

"I think he does realise. Would explain why he's so easy to fluster."

"I'm still here," Marla says, rolling her eyes. "So - I get solar panels and hydroponic stuff or something else about as useful from someone, or I don't lower the toll."

"Fine, sure. And try to be nicer to people." The last part is layered with a little compulsion.

Marla makes a sarcastic 'heh' sound at this, but she does look thoughtful.

"Super-Punker-Queen, away!"

Jo follows her, somersaulting and grinning.

Poor Nick is being bugged a lot by his fellow vampires.

Well what if he shuts his doors and asks them to go away?

The second half of today is a me-day.

"Huh," she says once they're out of earshot.

"I don't think it means anything. Sometimes you just want to be alone."

"I know. Hey, anyone you want to pluck out of the herd?"

"A few people, kinda. My brother still doesn't want it though."

"I'm sorry about that. Still, any boys who are not your brother?"

"Hm... That's classified. You'll have to spy to figure it out."

"Will do!"

Of course, she plans on leaving false trails. "Let's go heckle the video-gamers back at the shelter, that's always fun."

"Their peace and happiness must be disturbed at all costs!"

"...And that's why using GPS tracking alone is not good enough for this. You need a backup system."

"This'll really save on mail-vampires."

"Not everything can be replaced by these drones, though."

"Yet."

If there was a camera, it would probably be slowly zooming into Danny's face right now while scary music plays.

"No. Not 'yet'. Let's not build Skynet, the humans won't like it."

He giggles. "Humans don't know what's good for em."

"While this is frequently true, it still won't do do completely disenfranchise them."

"Okay, okay, they can keep toiling."

"I think the upcoming fair is a good time for a learning experience with high voltage. So long as you promise to be careful..."

He grins and salutes. "Yes sir!" 

Well he has some test equipment over in this corner... Terence enjoys proper, advanced mentorship a lot more than leading the shelter's basic programming classes...

And Danny kind of enjoys having a sorta-but-not-really-but-that's-okay dad. 

Time marches on.

'Loner' kids have it tough - moving from place to place, hiding out. For everyone in an established shelter there are others who, for some reason, have gone it alone or who keep moving from base to base with a small group. There's even some strain in the distribution center when it's 'discovered' that quite a few children are 'hoarding'.

Tabby has had to break up a lot of fights. Somehow, kids aren't quick to accept a swirling, hyperactive embodiment of anarchy as an authority figure.

"We need a court to handle this or something. So it seems fair. Everyone's anxious, you know? ...The ice fair will be good for that, relieve some tension."

"Hope so."

The ice-fair does eventually roll around. Held inside a refurbished shopping mall, mostly chosen for the presence of an indoor ice skating rink, Zeke has done a fairly admirable job. Sure, it's probably roughly equivalent to a decent county fair pre-Bug, but standards have changed since the Bug. He even managed to drag over and assemble that carousel. 

With a lot of help from Nick.

Who is selling ice skates.

Meanwhile, Danny is holding a robot display. While dressed as a carnival barker. 

"Come one, come all, step right up! Behold, Daniel Lennox's marvelous machine creatures!"

A lot of the smaller children, 7 and under, are interested in the show. But a few of the older ones appear to be there only to learn what he's cooked up now and if it's dangerous.

Mostly automated farming equipment, although there are some show models designed to resemble the sci fi ideal of robot servants.

Farm robots are a little bit boring. But they're still robots.

There's a decent mix of older geeks here. Including Dennis, bassist and the guy who showed him Portal. He keeps asking technical questions.

And Danny is rattling off terribly sophisticated answers. 

"....and if Terence thinks they're alive, he smashes them with a hammer."

"Then stop doing machine learning. Static algorithms are probably just as good half the time."

"True. Also, if the machines go all scary robot skeleton on us, paint your hideout with lots of lines and complex patterns. It'll be harder to find you."

He's just repeating it in case Dennis didn't see the billboards he's put up.

"Wouldn't a place painted with lines and patterns be more obvious that something's hiding there, even if it's hard to see?"

"Shoot. Better repaint that one later."

"Just don't give any of them GLaDOS voices..."

"Or cover them with fur. That makes them angry."

He then does a pitch perfect imitation of a certain kill-screech from a certain game.

People are mostly confused, less unnerved.

Dennis throws a popcorn kernel at him.

He giggles.

Meanwhile, Tabby's horde is providing security. Mostly involves telling people the time. And sniffing people for contraband as they come off the buses. 

The average quality of bus-goers is pretty good. They all seem to behave, and while some are reluctant to go without their weapons almost none of them make a fuss.

The average quality of those who arrive by walking or driving in from the surrounding area is a lot more varied. At least one group is going from stall to stall, looking for things to steal.

And Tabby is following them, smiling beautifically. 

If it's any comfort to the children who relinquished their weapons, they were all given a number for reclaiming them when they leave. 

After buying a few slices of apple pie from one food stall, one of them walks off with apple pie and a bag of flour in his backpack...

"Could I see your backpack, sir?"

"Uh... How about no? It's my backpack."

"Really? You're trying to fool the superpowered vampire? I hear your heart beat faster."

"I'm not gonna let you look at my stuff, you're not a cop."

"No, cops have rules."

"You're just trying to bully us. They call you madchild you know."

"Yes, I can hear them. And if you just give me the flour, I won't even kick you out."

They have a quiet, not-nearly-hushed-enough debate.

Just give it back, not worth it, says everyone except the guy who actually did the stealing.

That guy makes a run for it.

She is in front of him. Smiling.

He tries to shove Tabby out of the way.

The bag of flour goes flying in the ensuing collision.

"You just had to be dumb, didn't you?"

"Lemme go can't do this!"

"I'm willing to be lenient. A day or two of community service at the hub? I'll even escort you home afterwards."

"Unless you go put food in my dog's belly for me I'll just keep trying to run away, punker!"

"Why'd you even think this would work? There's like, nearly eight vampires here. And a werewolf! And her nose is better than ours."

"I don't care!" There's definitely some crying in between the rage. "Cooper's... A good dog. Let me go!"

"We have dogs at the distro, you know."

"But none of them are Cooper!"

"I was trying to suggest you could move in and take your dog. Then you wouldn't have to try and steal from the super-people."

"......I don't think he'll wanna leave the house. He still waits by the door for Dad to come home."

She seems sympathetic. "I could help him. I'm good with animals."

He's more scared than angry. Though still smells defiant. "Even though I stole from under your nose? That's what life's like for people outside your center now, you know..."

"Because if people can't be nice occasionally nothing will get done, and I might as well just turn everyone I like into vampires and leave the rest of you to the wolves!"

She looks over at Yvonne. "No offence!" 

"Rawr! But seriously... Bring your dog to the shelter, do your part of the work. If you don't keep doing screwy things, it'll be a much safer place than trying to hole up in your house. We're farming."

The thief has a thoughtful silence.

"Also, miniscule but not non-existent chance of of immortality and superpowers. Very small, like a speck."

He snorts sarcastically at that. "Unless you can give that to Cooper, not interested."

"I think you'd outlive your dog either way, but your choice. Well, not really, we probably weren't going to offer it anyway, but you get my point."

"I'll just go give the flour back, and a Survival Corp chit for what I spilled, and think about it..."

"Just flash the Tabby symbol if you need me!"

"...The Tabby symbol?"

'Torches on strategically selected buildings. Or you could give me your address."

He recites his address in a Tabby-only whisper.

His friends have scattered. "They never really liked me, you know. Don't blame them for my stealing?"

"You humans aren't that hard to tell apart."

"You know what I mean."

"Joke. Now go forth and sin no more!"

"...Roger that."

Good deed for the decade done, she decides to take a short break. Or at least, make sure the area surrounding Nick is secure. 

"You were human pretty recently, why do they do silly things?"

"Many, many reasons. That guy's story sounded fake to me... But if you didn't smell him lying, I guess I can believe it."

"See, that's what I mean. Why try stealing right in front of a vampire?"

"Didn't realize you were there. Thought it was a fake story. Thought you were weaker than the story says. Wasn't thinking."

"Yeah, because everyone would decide to tell the same story about the dread punker queen who can bend steel bars with one hand."

Shrug. "Want a pair of ice skates?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Maybe 'cause you have to pay for them. I'm doing good business, here."

"Poor humans with their sensitive feet."

"It's more slide-y if you have the skates."

"Okay, what's the price?"

"Six bullets or equivalent value for a pair."

"Highway robbery!" She fishes the required sum from her pockets anyway.

Nick looks at her feet for a moment, 'hmm's, and fetches a pair of ice-skates. They have decorative flame decals on the plastic case.

She pushes through her still strong loathing for footwear, and slips them on, heading out onto the ice. She's awkward and unsteady....for about a minute. Then she's gliding across the ice with unnatural grace and speed.

Quite a few people decide to record her acrobatics!

After a few minutes Nick appears with skates of his own, and seems intent on outdoing her. Faster, more spinny, whatever.

She will keep up by making it into a dance! Somehow!

"Aren't you worried about kids taking your skates?" she asks while circling around him. "Where'd you get them anyway?"

"Not really." Backflip. "And secret!"

And suddenly they're both being held by the arm and escorted out of the ice rink. "That's enough, you two. You're scaring everyone. If you're going to skate, be tame about it."

Tabby squirms. "Yeah, the people with their phones out were real scared. And the humans don't have to be tame."

"As much as it pains me to use such a primitive argument... I'm older than you and know better. Nobody else will skate, especially not if they're novices, while you two are careening around."

"There was no careening."

"We weren't going to hit anyone. And you're not that much older than me."

"I have to go back to utilities. Don't make me fetch your mother."

...Nick disappears back to his skates-booth.

Tabby follows. "Stupid grownups," she mutters.

"We can try it again later."

"He was right you know!" calls out Danny.

"Suck-up!"

On Terence's way back to utilities, he's approached by a vampiress who looks and smells very, very similar to Winona. "Terence Johnson I take it?"

"The elusive Agatha, mother of a certain technologically-inclined individual, I take it." Small sigh. "I may have to run off suddenly, just letting you know. Electricity can be dangerous stuff."

"That I am. And that's fine. I saw how you handled my niece and her friend on the ice. Quite admirable."

"Sanity and a shred of responsibility is admirable nowadays?"

"We live in a world populated by children. My niece is among the oldest people left on the planet. Damn straight it is."

He sighs slightly. "I suppose. I miss the days when I could call Dell with a list of part numbers and have a box on my doorstep the next morning, I'll tell you that."

"But at least you can corral Tabitha. And you've really helped by son come out of his shell."

"A lot of these small vampires are rather brilliant in their own ways."

She fails to suppress a smile. "The one my niece turned amuses me. It's like a little boy playing shopkeeper. Well, it's exactly that."

"I've heard of that. Never dealt with him directly so far - our interests don't quite connect."

"I was a little surprised Tabby got so attached."

Shrug. "He's a bit of a sneak. Just a bit, and in a way I haven't found necessary to correct."

"You know, I was dubious at first about how much time Danny was spending around humans."

Terence has walked back to a row of dials and readouts by now. "Why? Also is the - nevermind." He darts to another machine and checks something.

"They're all so....breakable. I worry they'll break his heart someday."

Sigh. "Children need friends. And unbreakable immortal vampires are kind of a small pool of friends. When they get older, perhaps moving him to a new city will help. Like changing schools."

She laughs a little. "Danny once tried to get me to send him to school. I doubt it would have ended well."

"Emu on the roof, fire in the bathroom, and a group of exorcists by lunchtime."

"I remember he once spent a year watching some children in a human family. I allowed it once it became clear he wasn't planning on eating them. He was amazed how big they got."

"I really have no perspective on the kind of perspective problems you and he face - I'm forty-three and I was human when I was forty-two, after all."

"Yes, I--Did the wolf smell just get stronger?"

"I believe it did. Great, there's more of them after all."

A pair of red haired children move through the crowds. They're fairly normal looking, if cute specimens, aside from the odd choice of tunics in winter.

Tabby sniffs as they walk past her and Nick. "Do they smell kinda...Yvonne ish?"

"Oh, you didn't know? Yeah, there's more werewolves here and there. I think they've only been around here recently, but I go looking for things in Pennsylvania sometimes, I've smelled 'em before."

"And you didn't tell me?"

"Uh, sorry? I don't tell you a lot of things. Information advantage is a strategic habit, don't'cha'know."

While Nick and Tabby have their traditional evening argument, the two redheads stroll up to Yvonne. "Hello."

"Uh huh. And who are you two? Ain't never smelled you before."

"I'm Angie."

"I'm Joey."

"And we're pretty sure you're our sister."

"I'm pretty sure I don't have siblings. Not since The Bug."

"Nose says otherwise. Also--"

Floof!

Double floof!

"Not what I meant. Whoever my dad is, he's not really my dad. He didn't stick around."

The white cub reverts to Joey-hood. "But he didn't know you were...." He looks for a way to put it. "Us."

"Put clothes back on, you doofs. Also, doesn't matter. He at least could've sent some money. He pretended I don't exist. I'll return the favor, yeah?"

Joey throws his tunic back on. "But we're here now."

Angie also chooses about now to return to human shape. "And we didn't know you existed at all till yesterday."

She thumps her head against a nearby wall. "Clothes. I'm trying my best not to get all mad and bitey. You know how hard Mom had it?! How much my uncle had to help her? You don't."

"But things are different now!"

"How?! How are they different now? What astounding new circumstances makes up for like ten years of being completely disappeared? How did you even find me, huh?"

(There is at least one vampire watching the unfolding scene, wondering if he'll have to intervene.)

(Three)

(Four)

(And another, who's acquired popcorn)

"Daddy says you can't just have wolves running around without a pack. Especially if they start hanging around with...." He looks around at the various pale figures amongst the crowd. "Lilith's other babies," he whisphers. 

"Well, daddy can come and get me if he even can!" And she throws a (slow, human-style) punch.

He dodges, unsurprisingly. 

"Don't hit! Why are you hitting?"

"I am not your sister! I belong right! Here! And I don't care what my biological father thinks about it!"

"So....we can't, be,"

He starts crying.

"It stinks, but... No. I don't want anything to do with him."

"What if we tried, just being, you know, friends? We can not even mention Daddy."

She gives something between a laugh and a sigh. "It's not like you two did anything to me, but I hate you anyway. Sorry."

"That's not fair!"

"Your dad's not fair!"

"We're not our dad!"

"Wanna bet how long till this turns into a puppy brawl?" Tabby says to Nick.

Nick just shrugs. 

"So? I don't wanna talk to you. Go away."

The wolf twins storm off into the crowd, clearly upset.

Tabby is quickly at Yvonne's side. "You okay?"

"Yeaaah not really. I'm gonna go - uuuugh, I don't even know, hit something."

"Do you need to be alone?"

"I - no. But, you think... He's not really my dad, right? Whoever put me in my mom. He disappeared and left her alone, that's all I know about him. So I'm not being crazy psycho now... Right?"

"No, you're not. It's kind of like me and my dad, really. But at least him and mum knew he wasn't going to be around from the start. What your not-dad did just sucks."

"Yeah."

And now there's a wolf pup curling up at Tabby's feet.

It is joined by a kitten.

And the wolf pup will howl sadly, almost drowned out by fair-noise and machinery.

Meanwhile, the two wolves are looking for someone or something to vent at.

Food stalls! Game stalls! Singing! A giant merry-go-round! Nothing really jumps out at them as a threat or target, they might have to pick at random.

They will skate, very angrily! They got to pick out some ice skates.

"No charge if you bring them back when you're done. Just don't break 'em, yeah?"

He doesn't want a confrontation.

He kinda does. "Okay."

Danny meanwhile has headed over to where Terence and his mother are. "Um...should we do something?"

"We should probably meet their parents. Or get Winona to. I think Yvonne is in the right, anyway. She wants to stay here, and she will. But it could be a mess."

"How odd it is they send their children."

"I don't think they're actually sent here. Or possibly this 'father' decided to try and get off on a good foot."

"I suppose 'shiny new' siblings stood a better chance of getting on her good side than than 'Father wants you now because you turned out how he liked'."

"Benefit of the doubt. At any rate, I'll make sure they don't come to trouble if you go inform Winona what's going on? Or vice versa."

"Sounds wise." 

She speeds off in as dignified a fashion as possible.

Terence continues to... Observe, suddenly feeling very tired.

Danny decides to go find Gren.

Her display of crop science is sadly under-visited.

"People are weird," he says without preamble. 

"Most people don't think they're weird. You already know all this, right?"

He does. He definitely does - it's almost trivial to Danny.

"Yes, yes, you've already said. You heard the puppy-spat?"

"Heard about it. There's more than one Yvonne now?"

"She has a brother and a sister now, or at least two kids made by the same guy."

"Well, that's certainly a reason for a fight to happen."

"It kind of sounds like how it works with my family but....wrong."

"How does it work with your family?"

"Our dad made a deal with our mums to have us. He sometimes stops by every few years. But you know, we were rich, so Mum and Auntie Winona were all right."

"Bit of a strange thing to me, but your mum's got the right to choose things like that."

"I don't think Yvonne's mum chose it."

"Most humans wouldn't. You have to marry when you have kids, that's the thought, mostly."

"Is it wrong I feel sorry for the Cubs?"

"Nah. I feel sorry for all three of them. It's bad all 'round. Yvonne's right to follow what she wants, but the cubs are right to feel sad about it too."

"Hope their dad doesn't turn up."

"I just hope their pack doesn't eat our crops."

This makes him smile a little. "Yeah, that's Yvonne's job."

She laughs, a little.

"I'm going to go and take pictures of the wolf-kitten crossover cuddle. What's left of the internet will thank me."

"If they don't attack you for taking pictures. Good luck."

He leaps to the ceiling and gets his phone out.

Wolf is no longer cuddling, he is too late. "Sorry ya missed the show, boiii."

"You have denied the web great happiness."

"The web can try and fail to bite my fuzzy tail, me being wolfy is allll mine, not the internet's."

He's sure he's missing something here.

"...Fine. I'll explain. It's... My not-dad's a wolf, right? My not-siblings are wolves. If I'm a wolf too, I maybe gonna get lumped in with them. People will pester me all the time, oh you should play together, you would be cute, packs stick together. I don't want that, not one bit. So I'm cutting it off at the source, yeah?"

"Oh, I think I get it. Still, I think everyone knows you're a wolf by now."

"I can at least slow it down by not being obviously wolfy in public as much. Which sucks that I have to do that, because being wolfy is great, but what am I gonna do, huh?"

"Careful. I heard it can turn off if you don't use it."

"Yeah, I'm gonna play in the woods some. Just not like right in the middle of the shelter or this fair. Speaking of this fair, I think there's some food stalls I still haven't tried... So, bye for now!"

He curls up on an air vent and considers things.

The werewolf cubs leave soon in a huff. The rest of the evening goes quite well. Once everyone's left, Nick and Tabby have the ice rink to themselves, Zeke providing a soundtrack to their dance. Whether they like it or not.

"It's not a dance it's a contest! Which I'm winning!"

"Your awfully synchronised for people having a contest."

Somehow, he worked that into the rhythm.

This criticism has no effect on his Spirit! And Determination!

All this weaving about is great practise for the punker vs. punker clash a few days later. 

"This can all be settled peacefully!"

She's kind of hoping it can't be, but it seems like the sort of thing her mother would like to hear from her.