Set in the original region of Arciel, Legends Rising is a route-inspired, but not strictly route-based, Pokemon roleplay. Pick a faction, pick a class, and strike out into the wild to take on the League, master Contest coordination, research the mysteries of Pokemon and Arciel, and much, much more. Will you be a classic trainer? A criminal? A farmer? Choose your destiny on Legends Rising.
Faolan had debated returning south to take the routes southeast of Birch City but ultimately decides against it. It wasn't that she was hoping to run into a familiar face in Plum - something she had repeated to herself as she boarded the ferry that would take her across the water - but more like the prospect of taking on the Dark Gym leader would be better than her chances with the water gym in Bass. There wasn't really a rule stating they had to go in order, right?
So that's how she finds herself here, riding the ferry west under sunny skies, leaning against the boat railing and letting the sun warm her skin. It's not terribly early, so there's a good sized crowd milling about. The knapsack she has full of her clothes and other essentials rests on the ground near her feet, and Reddy's currently going through it looking for something to play with. Fembra sits on Faolan's other side, her little lizard feet sticking out between the bars as she looks somberly down at the water and the few aquatic pokemon jumping across the waves.
It's been a few weeks since she'd actually seen Lionel in person; they did exchange a few texts back and forth, but schedule conflicts and remembering the last moment she'd spent with him had made her not exactly keen on meeting up again anytime soon out of nervousness, and before she knew it it had been two weeks. She hadn't seen him in Bass either, so maybe their pool of fateful encounters had run dry, especially when she wasn't exactly looking for him - okay, maybe she'd straightened up a little every time she caught a glimpse of tanned skin and blond hair, or seen a Growlithe trotting along before its owner came into view. Maybe. But that didn't mean she was going out of her way to look for him.
Reddy eventually manages to dislodge something - an unused Net Ball - and sends it rolling away from his trainer and across the deck. The bird immediately gives chase, flapping his little wings and squawking up a storm, and before the ball can roll too far away he makes a flying leap and manages to catch it in his beak, sliding across the deck with the momentum of both the jump and the rocking of the boat -
- all the way until his head rests on the leather of Lionel's boot, his beady eyes blinking up at the blond in recognition. Faolan's still got her back turned, her eyes now closed against the sun, fully expecting the bird to return when he's done playing. But Fembra perks up a little and starts looking around for him - and when she catches sight of the massive trainer she looks more lively than she had been a few moments ago.
Lionel, truthfully, was quite ready to go home. Without a bird Pokemon to fly him to and from places with ease, he was a little tired of waddling everywhere, and while he quite enjoyed the thrill of exploration, the last two weeks had been tiresome in some of the best, and worst, ways. So, he was looking forward to a few days spent in the comfort of his little apartment, and that's what's got him climbing aboard the ferry he'd taken not too long ago to get out to this side of Arciel in the first place.
Missy and Samson both follow at his side, though the Growlithe awfully hides the smaller Pokemon's frame as he takes point, so to speak; it's he that notices Reddy first, as they walk towards a seat - it seems difficult to find a spot unoccupied, since he was traveling midday - and he nudges for Missy to move out of the way. He, however, neglects to inform Lionel of the incoming bird-missile, though it isn't hard to notice him when he's cawing as loudly as he could in pursuit of that Net Ball.
Staring down at Reddy, Lionel recognizes him rather quickly. He was a big boy, after all, and he didn't know many Pokemon that actively caused as many problems as he did. So, naturally, he's quick to look for that familiar head of hair, and when he finds it, he kneels down to hoist the bird up into his arms like some sort of toddler. Motioning for his two dogs to follow him, he flashes Fembra (happy thing, she seemed to be,) a smile and a 'shh' gesture with his finger, until he comes up behind Faolan; hopefully he could sneak up, if Reddy would let him. He did have his mouth full, after all?
Either way, regardless of whether or not he'd been given away, he comes to stand behind the girl, speaking up to say, "It's a pretty nice view out here, isn't it?"
333 words | Faolan Byrne | alolan vulpix egg: 1/5 | intimidate: pokemon spawn lvl 12 or higher.
Reddy, for the most part, allows himself to be hoisted up into Lionel's arms without much fuss, and he doesn't even go limp noodle this time around. With the Net Ball to chew on he wastes no time in getting his drool and slobber all over it while Lionel makes his way to where Faolan is standing. Fembra's tail has started wagging when she sees Samson, though it slows when she spots Missy and she retreats shyly behind her master's leg in the face of this new pokemon. That gets Faolan's attention, and by the time she looks behind her to see what's spurred Fembra to hide, Lionel's already towering behind her with the baby bird in his arms.
The surprise on her face melts away into an embarrassed, but pleased expression, and she looks at Reddy chewing on her spare Net Ball and reaches out to pluck it from his mouth. The bird lets it go without fuss, in a better mood since it looks like he wants to be carried this time around, and nestles himself into Lionel's chest comfortably, eyes already half closing with sleepiness.
"Quite," She agrees, and her eyes find his in the moment that lingers after, like she's agreeing with something else instead - before dropping down to the bird in his arms. "... He didn't cause you any trouble, I hope? I'll take him," She says, reaching out for the bird - only for Reddy to nestle in deeper into Lionel's chest, eyes squeezing shut like he would will himself to fall asleep and therefore become unmovable. Seeing this, Faolan let out a huff of breath and returned her attention to Lionel, a small smile tugging at her face.
"We have to stop meeting like this. I gave you my number so you could stop following me around and give me a ring like a normal person, you know."
Last Edit: Feb 24, 2020 23:27:44 GMT by Faolan Byrne
"I think he's causing himself trouble." Lionel says, rather matter-of-factly, though more amused and fond than anything else. Looking down at the bird as he only digs himself in like a burrow, he supposes he's been relegated to baby duty, but he doesn't seem bothered by this fact. His attention returns to Faolan just after, as she teases him for their coincidental meetings feeling almost anything but; and his laugh is earnest, if not only slightly anxious. It hadn't been his intention to make her feel that way, and there's an almost burning shame to his ears, even if truly was by complete accident that they continued to cross paths.
Still, he can't help himself but to remark, "Give you a ring? Isn't that a little forward?" It's spoken in good nature, clearly a tease in return, as he comes to stand a little closer to her, leaning his back against the railing and happily holding this toddler-sized Torchic.
"I didn't think we'd run into each other though, I swear. I just wanted to go home for a few days." Faolan wouldn't have noticed, but his limp was rather prominent this day, and he's certainly favoring one leg over the other even as he just stands there.
Samson meanwhile comes to sit not far from Fembra, canting his head to side in curiosity as to why she seemed to be hiding; Missy closes up the rear, sitting beside Samson and looking interested in the Charmander, her head mimicking Samson's in its quizzical tilt. The Growlithe scoots slightly forward, wagging his tail a few short times - he could pick up on Fembra's caution, it seemed.
"What's got you coming out here?" Lionel questions, looking briefly out toward the shoreline as it grows steadily smaller on one side, larger on the other.
300 words | Faolan Byrne | alolan vulpix egg: 2/5 | intimidate: pokemon spawn lvl 12 or higher.
It's almost embarrassing - almost - until it dawns on her that perhaps some phrases were different in Galar than other regions, so she makes the universal gesture for "phone" with one hand and holds it up to her ear. "In Galar we say 'give me a ring' when we want someone to phone us. I didn't think it was so different, but now you have me wondering." An interesting little tidbit she'd have to look into later, to be sure. Do they say knackered? Chin-wag? She hadn't gotten much reaction from the few phrases that slipped out here and there, but then again she's fairly certain Lionel is the person she's talked to the most since arriving in Arciel.
When he comes closer holding Reddy who seems determined to go to sleep in Lionel's arms, she can't tell if she's imagining the heat from his body or it's the sun or he really is that warm - but it's enough to make a flush steal across her features that she hopes can be written off as due to the sun on her skin, and she quickly half-straightens/half-leans a bit away from him, imperceptibly, as the memory of the last time they'd said their goodbyes flashes into her mind. Her attention is soon drawn to the new puppy he's got with him and a smile breaks out onto her face.
"You really love your pups, don't you?" She smothers a laugh behind her hand and turns to look at Fembra behind her, who's starting to warm up a little in the face of the new pokemon in the form of peeking out a little at a time, but otherwise keeping her body hidden behind her master's leg. "I suppose it's not too surprising. You do seem like a dog person."
At his question she takes a moment to look at him as he looks away, her eyes tracing the line of his jaw, taking in the happy expression on his face ... almost like she's committing this to memory. Shifting to lean against the railing - and maybe put a little more space between them - she debates over what to say for some time before answering.
"Well... I thought I'd explore a little bit, maybe get some training in, see the sights. And there's a gym in Plum," She adds, maybe too hastily. Her eyes slide away a bit and she's tucking her hair behind her ear again, her telltale nervous fidget. "Ah... that's right, you do live in Plum. I'd almost forgotten." No she hadn't. But Lionel doesn't need to know that.
"I know what you meant," Lionel notes, with a grin; he seems pleased, "But there are plenty differences, I'm sure." Not that he exactly knew many of them, seeing as he'd never visited Galar, but he's sure over time he's heard a couple of those semantic differences between their cultures, at the very least over the radio or television. It strikes him to check it on his phone, but considering he's got Reddy acting the part of a sleepy toddler in his arm, he supposes he'd be better off doing that later.
As her attention turns to Missy, the pup in case looks up back at her, wagging that short, stubby tail in contentment. She struggles to keep her attention split between the Trainer, and the Charmander behind her leg - but she settles for the woman over the other, seeing as Samson's edging ever closer to the lizard Pokemon, curious as to why she felt so nervous? Everything was fine! See, he was still wagging his tail!
"I do. Both of them were gifts, though, and I've gotten pretty attached to them. Plus, dogs are pretty cute, aren't they?" At least, he certainly thought so, and as she mentions him seeming like a dog person, it's enough to keep the smile on his face. Moments pass and as he notices her staring, he does at last turn to her; his expression here, however, dims only slightly as he notices there a tad more space between them as had been moments before. Telling himself not to think anything of it, he moves on to the next topic of conversation.
"Oh, yeah. That's true. I've been meaning to... do something about a gym at some point, but my training's slow going." Shifting his weight from one leg to the other, with a wince, he sighs. "I'm not so good at competition, either. I just like going at my own pace. Slow and steady wins the race, huh? Not always, but. I can take pride in what I manage."
336 words | Faolan Byrne | alolan vulpix egg: 3/5 | intimidate: pokemon spawn lvl 12 or higher.
The wince on his face could just as easily be taken in relation to the thought of competition, or the slow upkeep of training... or even his leg, but she doesn't comment much on it and instead keeps her focus on the man talking. The sun's at just the right angle that color of his eyes is like fire, and it's entrancing in both the best and worst ways. Worst because, when she realizes that she's staring at him and not contributing anything to the conversation, embarrassment pools low and hot in her stomach and she looks away swiftly.
Fembra has scooted out a little to sort of meet Samson halfway, but it's still wary, and she's got a little hand on Faolan's leg like the blonde's a lifeline to save her from something unpleasant. Faolan nudges her along, stepping to the side and, consequently, back to Lionel, closing the distance between them again enough her arm is just barely brushing his. She doesn't focus on this though - she tries not to - and instead strokes the little Charmander on top of the head. That's enough encouragement to soothe her rattled nerves and she scampers forward to properly greet Samson with a little wave of her arms and happy cries of "char, char!". She's probably telling him all about the adventures she'd had during the time they were apart, such as when she saw a commercial on tv about another Growlithe and did they know each other, and how Reddy had eaten a sock and they still didn't know where it was.
"They are rather cute," She admits, her gaze turning to the small one with the stubby tail. "Especially this little one here. A Houndour? I didn't know policemen dealt with this particular species." They were intimidating, so she could make the case for it, but Lionel wasn't very scary at all. As she looks up at him to reaffirm this she's reminded oh yeah, she hadn't moved away, and he hadn't, either, and so she ends up looking directly up at him.
There's probably a longer pause than there needs to be, and she eventually comes up with something to fill it.
"Do you like bread?" Externally, her expression is nonchalant, tone quiet but calm. Internally, not so much. Where had that even come from?!
When their arms brush together, Lionel can't help himself but to look down at the girl, dwarfed by him more than one might've presumed her to be at first glance. But this was the first time he'd been this close to her and while, of course, she was of average height for literally anyone else, he couldn't help but recognize her as small. While she stares at him, he seems rather content to do it right back, for those eyes like fire to stare at the blue ones she had, that just barely reflected the ocean in them.
Of course, it does get a little silly, maybe, the way they sat and had this strange moment. In the back of his mind, he thinks he should peel away, and with great reluctance does he, to watch all the Pokemon interact, and to peer at Reddy, who may actually have fallen asleep now? "Officers don't usually work with Houndoom, no. But, the breeder we'd get our Growlithes from bred fire-types in general. She wanted to send me off with a gift of her own, and since the Precinct got me Samson, she gave me Missy." Gently nudging her with his foot, she looks briefly surprised... and then just sits on his foot. Alright, Missy.
She returns to watching Samson and Fembra, who are now 'chatting' happily with one another, though it's the Charmander who carries the conversation more than anything. This is not to say that Samson looks bored, or uninterested - it just seems he's a quieter individual, than Fembra. But he's very intent on listening, his puffy tail showing as much.
"Do I--" Confusedly, he looks to Faolan, and considers the way that she wasn't moving away from him - and he didn't do the same. In fact, he was rather comfortable. "Do I like bread?"
Thrown off as the man may be, he lets out a faint, earnest laugh and says, "Yeah, yeah I like bread. Nanab Berry bread, though I never got to have much. They're rare over in Unova." Moving a hand to lightly thread through the bird's feathers, he says, "And baguettes. They're pretty good."
358 words | Faolan Byrne | alolan vulpix egg: 4/5 | intimidate: pokemon spawn lvl 12 or higher.
For some reason, him pulling away hits her with a feeling she can't identify right away, and she's quick to pull away herself, moving more than a few steps away from him while he looks down at Reddy in his arms. She's not sure how far along the ferry's travelled at this point, but it looks like all around them there's nothing but ocean as far as the eye can see. It's a little scary, but she's quickly growing used to it - moreso since Fembra and Samson seem to be having a great time behind her, showing just how comfortable her own firetype is despite being surrounded by miles of water.
Realizing that Reddy had left her bag open she takes the opportunity to crouch down and collect her things together, storing and rearranging them in her pack neatly before zipping them all up. While she's doing this, she realizes the feeling she couldn't identify before was disappointment, of all things, and that confuses her even more.
"Baguettes are pretty good," She agrees, trying not to appear too disinterested by the change of subject she was responsible for. "I've never had Nanab Berry bread before - if it's sweet, I don't think my mother would have approved it." She stands, returning to the same position she'd been on the railing when he'd first walked up to her. "But baguettes... I've had a lot of baguettes."
She can't decide if she delivers that revelation better or worse than Lionel admitting he had puzzles for "when he was ready" but hopefully he won't say anything about it.
Watching as Faolan kneels down to start rummaging through her bag, he's quick to let his gaze move elsewhere as he lets himself do more than just watch - it's a bit closer to staring. Between the way her hair fell over her shoulder, and the curve of her legs, he was letting his mind wander almost dangerously, and it's with a clear of his throat (that might rouse Reddy,) that he's looking elsewhere and away.
"Ah, yeah. It's pretty sweet." At the mention that her mother wouldn't have approved, he hums thoughtfully - though it makes sense. Most parents didn't really want their kids getting cavities or an insatiable sweet tooth, though judging by what he'd gathered about Faolan, he suspected it ran a bit deeper than just superficial health concerns. "Maybe I can find you some. Nanab Berries aren't quite as rare out here, I think."
"Baguettes though, huh?" Smiling, he mentions, "I think they're pretty good with sandwiches. Or, like... making little crostinis." Making a circle with his thumb and forefinger, he approximates the size of one, and then finds himself rather hungry. Looking down at the girl, he thinks to ask a question, but as he looks at her, it's a bit lost in the moment, slipped down from his mind and dropping into the ocean with a million other things people have ever left unsaid.
Humming faintly, in thought, he trails off just in time for the backpack he wore to start... making noises, and shifting, and... hm. Is it making noise?
255 words | Faolan Byrne | alolan vulpix egg: 5/5 | intimidate: pokemon spawn lvl 12 or higher.
The way he clears his throat doesn't catch her attention, but it does rouse Reddy from whatever fitful sleep he'd been having. Although the bird doesn't move, the next time Lionel looks down at him he'll be met with beady little bird eyes looking right at him, which is perhaps more alarming than if Reddy had simply squawked himself awake.
As he continues on, talking about bringing her some and then crostinis - what are those, really? - she finds herself momentarily lost in thought, her mind turning towards home and how many weeks had it been? A month even? And there's no one here to look for her, truly. It hammers home the fact that maybe her father was more comfortable with letting her go than she'd initially thought. Maybe he expected her to fail and come crawling home, no longer given that line of support (re: credit card line) to fall back on. But she wasn't failing, not really, and the fact that she's here and has her own pokemon is proof enough of that.
Realizing that she should perhaps give him an answer instead of making it seem like she were ignoring him, she turns back around and - his bag is moving? And what's that noise?
"I think," She says, recalling to mind the coffee date they'd had that felt like ages ago now. "We have an unexpected guest."
As he starts to notice the sudden arrival of an unintended guest (or completely intended, but regrettably forgotten about,) it takes him a few seconds to truly register what it was that was happening. But a kick of someone's leg inside the bag slaps into the back of his head and with a yelp it takes all of him not to drop Reddy on the ground. With care, he sets the sleepy bird on the deck, and quickly shifts his backpack until it sat strapped around his front, rather than his back. "Oops," is all he can say, as he unzips it, and a white, fluffy head pops out from its depths.
Vulpix, just hatched, if the egg-piece still on its ear was anything to go by, blinks slowly in the light of day, and Lionel can't help but feel bad. "I... I wasn't expecting the egg to hatch that soon," he admits, sighing, "Maybe all the talking made it want to get here faster." Amusedly, he lifts a hand up to rub at the baby's ear, and it coos in contentment afterward.
"I visited Alola once, when I was on vacation. Real, real pretty place; so when I came across a Breeder looking to rehome an egg, I knew I had to get one." Smoothing his hand over its head, he hums. "I don't know about a name, though. I'll figure it out. Or..."
Looking to Faolan, expectantly, he asks, "You got any ideas?"
245 words | Faolan Byrne | intimidate: pokemon spawn lvl 12 or higher.
Once Reddy's set down on the deck he sits right down and sticks his little feeties out, looking for all the world like a sulking toddler. This is immediately dispelled, though, when he takes notice of another baby coming into the world and he's immediately scrambling forward to run circles around Lionel's legs, a proper greeting for a little baby just entering the world on a boat. Certainly not at all confusing, no.
By the time the little fluffy white head pops out Faolan has also come forward in interest, and with great care does she pluck out what remains of its egg on its body, smiling at it like most people smile at puppies and kittens. That's basically the same thing, right?
"It's very pretty. Very beachlike, a lot of sun - which is strange that a variant like this comes out of that area," She muses, rubbing the little fox under the chin. Reddy is looking up from below and hopping, like he could simply fly up there to see the other baby for himself. When that doesn't work he squints in an attempt at a glare, though it really looks more like a pout than anything, and wedges his body between Lionel's legs so he can't walk very far. That'll show him.
When Lionel asks for her input she pauses, looking from the Vulpix to him and then back down again. Her expression takes on a thoughtful look and she hums, debating... and then finally settles with, "How about... Lily?"
Last Edit: Feb 26, 2020 9:35:01 GMT by Faolan Byrne
The little Vulpix releases a sound not unlike a coo as Faolan pulls the egg bits out of his fur, his paws coming up to rest against the edge of the backpack so he can pull himself up, nudging into her hand. Lionel watches it happen, wearing a faint smile, and his head cants slightly to the side as she suggests her name. Lily was a sweet, cute name - but as he tiiilts his head back, he finds himself quite sure it's a boy.
Of course, he kind of likes it, and he certainly rather likes Faolan, and to rain on her parade felt unfair. Cruel, even. So, he nods a few short times, raising his own hand to gently scratch at the Pokemon's ears, and as he lowers his hand, his fingers brush the woman's, however only briefly. "Lily it is, then. Kinda cute."
His eyes turn to her as he says this, though, but he doesn't let himself linger for long, distracted by the way Reddy was squeezing himself between his legs in what he can only presume is a manner of tantrum at having been put down, and the spotlight taken from him. Huffing out in amusement, Lionel turns his gaze back to Vulpix, now named Lily, and finds a Pokeball in the depths of his bag to put him inside. He goes without a fuss, leaving Lionel quiet as he zips his bag back up and returns it to its former position.
Ultimately, try as he might to look elsewhere, the older man eventually finds his gaze gravitating back towards Faolan, and it's his turn to ask something spontaneously now.
"Do you want to get something to eat, later? Like, after we're off the boat?"
289 words | Faolan Byrne | intimidate: pokemon spawn lvl 12 or higher.
"I'm glad to hear it gets the Lionel seal of approval." It feels warm where his fingers touch hers, large as they are, and she's surprised enough that her hand twitches a little at the sensation. She feels... sensitive whenever his skin touches hers, but it's like she's more hyper-aware than anything. Regardless, he doesn't let it linger, and soon enough he's pulled away and taking the warmth away with him. As he tucks the newly-christened Lily away into a pokeball her attention is drawn to the Torchic between his legs and she feels a smile tug at her lips at how childish he's being. For being such a large pokemon, Reddy acted more like a baby than anyone else by far.
She doesn't catch the way Lionel looks at her, but if it's anything like how she's looking at him now while he puts the newly-hatched Vulpix away, they're probably in the same boat (metaphorically speaking. Literally too, of course). But then he looks back up at her, and it makes her give a little start, and although she makes to look away again his question draws her attention back face him. Get something to eat? Is he asking her out to dinner or something?
Faolan thinks of the sparse money she has tucked away in her wallet. She was already staying in a pokecenter hostel, and they were generally free but she wasn't sure if that would hold true in a city as large as Plum. Going out to eat was nice, but she wasn't sure if she could afford it...
But she looks at him, waiting for her response; her eyes fall on the mess of his hair, the softness of his eyes and how, even like this, asking her out to dinner, he doesn't throw his height around to try and intimidate her into agreeing to him. Not like most of the other people she knew.
She could get jobs in the city, maybe, for more money. What was a little treat for herself every now and then?
"What did you have in mind?" Maybe he meant a fast food joint or something. Quick, cheap stuff.
It's just as well that neither of them actually notice one another staring. Judging by how awkward the two of them tended to act in those moments, this comfortable silence was best left unmarred by silly, tender acts - even if they seemed awfully earnest. Looking down at Reddy as whatever small moment they seemed to have had passes, Lionel does as any good Trainer shouldn't and hoists him back up into his arms, gently tucking him against his chest as he leans back against the railing once more.
"Well, all the talk of baguettes had me wanting a sandwich. I know this pretty good place in Plum that makes 'em the size of your head." Raising his hand up, he gestures his large hands the shape of Faolan's head, with a smile. "I can get you one. Hopefully you'd like it."
He knew that look in her eyes, even if she was trying to pretend it wasn't there. That young 'I don't know about that' sort of concern. But Lionel wasn't like that anymore; he was established, he had money. He could buy her a sandwich, and that's what he makes known - that it would be him buying it, not her.
"I mean, if you're hungry, that is. I just, uh... I'm thinking it'd be nice, grabbing a bite to eat. With you." This time he does stare at her, letting his fiery eyes meet her blue ones and there's a warm, sweet sort of look to them, undercut with a clear interest that he couldn't hide if he wanted to. "I can probably get something for the Pokemon, too. I think they've got a little menu for them." Either way, he only holds her eyes (or tries to,) for a few seconds longer before he looks away, smiling to himself as he does.
304 words | Faolan Byrne | intimidate: pokemon spawn lvl 12 or higher.
Reddy, for his part, looks completely happy and immediately perks up when he's hoisted and pulled into the other man's warm chest, his eyes closing like he's going to sleep right then and there. His wings fluff themselves up a little as if to make it even cozier for himself, and in no time the bird has gone utterly still save for the steady rise and fall of his chest.
Faolan peers at the little bird and the... swiftness with which he seems to fall asleep. It's almost unbelievable, and she has half a mind to see if the bird is pretending or not before she's drawn back to the conversation she's having with Lionel, more specifically the matter of sandwiches as big as her head? His head? Any one of them would be incredibly large, and she can't help but to laugh a little at the mental image of Lionel trying to eat one of those.
"I'm... not against the idea of sandwiches, but..." She begins, trailing off when the second half of what he'd said hits her. He'd get her one? Like he would pay for it? She looks up in time to catch the look he gives her, and the heat from his eyes practically radiates through her entire body in such a way that leaves her chest a little more lighter, her pulse a little more quicker. There's a look she isn't entirely unfamiliar with, and seeing it with such earnestness in Lionel's eyes makes her simultaneously want to flee but also...
And then he looks away, and just like that the spell is broken - but just a little. She looks to Fembra, who looks at her with mild concern, and then to Samson and Missy, respectively.
"... Yeah. Yeah, I think I'd like that." She eventually settles with, and turns a soft smile of her own to him. "So long as you can find me some of that Nanab Berry bread to try sometime, too."
Seemingly, Lionel doesn't seem to notice the way he'd looked at her, or the way she appears a Deerling in the headlights for the briefest of moments, and he moves forward with their conversation with little else by way of flirtatiousness, at least, not outright. In truth, he had leaned over again, until his shoulder had just barely ghosted past hers, so he could talk to her - surely over the sound of the waves, the water, the breeze? Nothing else.
"I'm sure I can. If anything, I can probably look up a recipe and make it. Hopefully, you don't mind a few crispy edges." Still wearing his smile, he looks down at all the Pokemon, and then to Reddy, who had, indeed, fallen asleep once more; or was so comfortable, he was damn near close. It's almost a point of pride that Lionel could manage as much, especially considering how when he'd held him in the coffee shop he'd had a look of anger in his beady little eyes.
Bringing a hand up, he smooths his palm over the top of the bird's head lightly, and he says, "Either way, alright. Sandwiches..." And then he trails off, because that's how you end a conversation? A topic? "What kind do you like? Like, so I can tell you if they've got it or not." Nice save.
Missy meanwhile takes up the place that Reddy had put himself at prior, sidling herself between his legs and tilting her head back against his knees, basking in the sun; it was a bit of a chilly day, what with winter coming to a close and all, but she looks rather happy here. Samson, meanwhile, has once more lowered himself to the ground, his large body making itself comfortable in an attempt to soothe some of her anxiety.
303 words | Faolan Byrne | intimidate: pokemon spawn lvl 12 or higher.
"Hmm, I don't know..." Her tone is far more teasing this time around, despite their closeness; or maybe it's because of their closeness that she's teasing him, if only to try and get over the way she feels at the warmth radiating from his body. It's not altogether unwelcome, but she's still in that weird sensitive state of mind where everywhere he touches is tingling - maybe because she hasn't ever been this close to someone she's liked before? and she has to admit, she does like him - and so she tries to disguise the sudden tensing of her body through other means. "Having just met you, I'm not sure if I should trust what comes out of your kitchen. I'll only allow it if you have a frilly little apron to wear while I'm there, supervising. For you, of course."
Reddy looks so sleepy in Lionel's arms and it looks for all the world like he's right where he belongs. The bird kicks out a little foot at the pets, but otherwise doesn't rouse - at least as far as she could see - and Faolan refrains from ruffling his feathers in turn, her attention going back to the conversation. What kind of sandwiches? There weren't that many, right?
"You could always surprise me." She says after a moment's thought. "Or... whatever you have. I'm not terribly picky." She seems a bit more comfortable with the thought of him buying, though; at least, she hasn't fought it any, so she might just be planning to sneakily pay for the both of them? Or for herself? Who knows.
Fembra looks at first Missy, then Samson, and then back up to where Reddy's being held by Lionel. What shyness and timidness she'd held before seemed to melt in the face of the coziness between the group, and she reaches out a hand to lightly pat Samson, her hand tiny against his huge head.
Smiling, Lionel is pleased with the way she seems to stay comfortable, or mostly comfortable, with their close proximity. The smile is easy and content, the way his eyes linger on her something rather affectionate, as opposed to anything else; he liked her, rather simply, and he liked that she wasn't afraid to tease a man well over her height - even if only to joke that he probably wasn't a very good baker. She'd be right, of course, but he wasn't going to go down without a metaphorical fight.
"So, you're inviting yourself to my place now?" He asks, his tone airy enough, despite that his deep voice. All the same, he says, "Frilly apron I can probably do. I can even ask my mom to send me one of hers, and she's a pretty small woman."
It amused him, how he was speaking like he was earnest about it, like he really would wear a tiny, frilly apron just because a girl said he should - and really? He probably would.
Looking down at Reddy's little footsy as it kicks out into the air, and it makes Lionel huff out a quiet laugh. When he was asleep, the Pokemon was awfully, strangely adorable. "They've got a BLT I like - I can get an, uh, smaller one for you." He notes, paying brief attention to the differences between their heights. "Or you can, I don't know, take half for the road. Works just as well."
Samson, meanwhile, seems elated at the headpat. Army-crawling forward a few inches, he almost flattens himself out upon the floor, and lets his tail wag, thumping briefly on the ferry's deck. He looked pretty happy.
279 words | Faolan Byrne | intimidate: pokemon spawn lvl 12 or higher.
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