XXXI. Puppy Panic

The air was growing colder around the manor. Autumn was coming to a close. Maxwell felt the acute chill as he strode through the hallways of the manor late into the night. The cold draft had extinguished most of the candles and Maxwell was relighting a few of them as he went. His candelabra lit the hall in front of him, but not too far. He didn’t know why he was wandering really, it was dangerous with the crypt servants about and no one was really using these candles anyway. He just couldn’t stand to be in his room alone and he couldn’t sleep. At least he could focus on something else here. A shiver racked the stufful’s body, he should have brought a jacket. 

Maxwell turned another corner. His mind was scattered, just keep walking, one foot in front of the other. In his haze he didn’t notice the eyes lingering at the edge of the light. It was only after he reached the end of this hall that Maxwell realized something. The manor was silent. No scratching from crypt servants, no screams, nothing. He had been here long enough to know that the manor was much like a forest, hearing nothing is the worst thing to hear. He was being stalked, he knew it. Was Roth here to take some sort of revenge? Did he anger a murderous tenant? … Did staff members become crypt servants, did crypt servants hold grudges? He started to walk faster, then burst into a run as his heartbeat sped up, he could forget lighting any more candles.

That was a mistake. Maxwell tripped on a rug and his candelabra went flying. The hall was thrown into pitch darkness. It was only a moment before he felt something upon him, rushing over him, consuming him. He felt himself give up…

…but there was no pain, in fact there was barely any pressure at all. Maxwell used flash and was met with the sight of hundreds of Rockruff, Shinx, Skitty, and other small Pokemon flooding the hallway. They were all dark grey in color and instead of faces they had a singular eye, much like an unown. Maxwell couldn’t help but stare and many of the Pokemon stared back… “What the hell…”

...

It was early in the morning, around 4am when Maxwell went down your hall, knocking on all the doors. He looked like a mess, his clothes disheveled and covered in little tears. Strangely, the bellhop was carrying a grey Meowth with a giant eye instead of a face. He didn’t pause to greet anyone before speaking and as soon as his mouth opened, his sentences fell out on top of each other in a muddled haze.

“Okay I know this is absolutely ridiculous! But I think-I think that the unown servants all spawned? Puppies? Kittens? Maybe they turned into them? I don’t know.” He stammered as he walked down the hall. Maxwell pinched the bridge of his nose and he laughed a little out of stress. 

“I haven’t been able to find Weston and these things have been making a mess of the manor. Tearing up books, I saw one with seven revival herbs in its fur. I-I pulled a Glameow out of one of Seth’s soup pots an hour ago! W-We need to get this under control before the rest of the staff wakes up and sees what is going on. Please I’m begging you, I can take all of these… things to Oasis after the sun comes up. Just, please help.” With that sentence, the Meowth in his arms jumped onto the floor and started running to the end of the hall. Maxwell merely hung his head and followed it out.

Welcome to the Puppy Panic event! Aren't all these abominations just the cutest?!

This event will be active between December 1st to December 31st!

All art submissions must include at least one lined(or lineless) half-body, with either color or shading to be counted for the prompt bonuses.

All literature submissions must include at least 750 words to be counted for the prompt bonuses.

Each piece can only complete one prompt!

Make sure to tell us what prompt you are completing in the description of your art or literature so we can reward you correctly!  

Prompts

And with that all said... have fun in PKMN-WOE and beware The Watcher...