Ghosts'Ghoul Gang

Pets

While most- if not all - ghouls were asleep at this hour, one found himself awake at any odd timing of the night. Paranoia and insomnia were at the least of his ailments, but still plagued him nonetheless, even in his years as a ghoul he was subject to unrest. He'd pack in a few hours where he could when he needed to, he was lucky if he slept 4 solid hours at a time; but it never drove him more mad than he already was.

And while he despised being alone, there wasn't anything he could do when every other ghoul wanted to rest except try to keep himself company by flooding his ears with sounds. The multi ghoul yanked an earbud after hearing a light knocking noise he suspected wasn't from his music; checked the time and sighed as he read 9:55 pm. Another full sleepless night, and surely at this time no other ghoul would be awake. Swiss decided he was hearing things, and was so close to putting his earbud back in when he heard it again, the light two knuckle knocking. Swiss tossed his laptop aside, slid on his mask, and went to open his bedroom door. To the ghouls surprise, outside his door dressed in outside clothes, was the Cardinal.

"Eh-hello- or Morning rather, for you." Cardinal smiled, still awkward, "I wish I could say I'm surprised to see you awake. I hope I didn't wake you."

The tall multi ghoul shook his head, extended an arm in towards his room and held the door open more. Cardinal thanked his ghoul as he accepted the invitation, Swiss took note of the thick soled shoes Papa came in wearing as he closed the door. The ghoul reached for his boots from where he stood, lacing them tight as the Cardinal looked upon the ghouls tossed room.

"I need your help." the shy Papa explained, "Your eyes mostly. I don't think it'll be too long, if we're quick then you should be back for breakfast."

The multi ghoul finished lacing his boots, double checked his helmet strap was fastened, then grabbed a rather thick hoodie from his closet. The Cardinal led the way out of the room, swiss made sure his door shut all the way before following Papa up the basement steps. The small Papa was surprisingly quick, practically speed walking down the halls, the tall ghoul had to stride to keep up; usually the Papa didn't walk with such haste. But the Papa also didn't explain any further until they had both safely snuck out of the front doors; Swiss wanted to enjoy the cool night air, but Papa motioned for the ghoul to follow as they started to walk the perimeter.

"What are we-" Swiss started

"Oh! Right! " cardinal hushed and spun to find his ghoul, wrapping an arm around Swiss' shoulders and bringing the ghoul in closer, "See, technically Sister Imperator thinks i left all of the rats back there, but i asked a Sister to contain a few in a cage, and she tucked him in the hedges. I was supposed to get him earlier....but i got distracted playing video games" and at the look his ghoul gave him said, "I had to make sure i set it up correctly and it worked, technology is too hard now to understand." and flicked his fingers before releasing the ghouls shoulders.

Swiss sucked in a breath and focused; he wasn't the best at this, but he would have more of an advantage than the Cardinal. The multi ghoul walked forward, kept going until he turned a corner of the building, then felt it like a pin prick. A small pitter patter of several heartbeats; their warmth was enough to feel them out, with each step Swiss could hear the blood running through their tiny bodies. A step or two more and they both could hear them, the small gentle squeaks, the 'tink' of the cage when they moved around. Swiss knelt to the ground, pulled out a small metal cage from a hidden hole in the hedges, counting only four rats as he passed the cage to the waiting Papa, watching as Cardinals smile softened looking down at the cage.

"Oh-" the Papa hushed, " I'm so sorry to have left you out for so long. You must be so scared and cold." Papa looked at Swiss to ask, "Is it just this one?"