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.
Post by Elliot Sunderland on Apr 12, 2020 22:43:32 GMT
Elliot smiled as he watched the Dugtrio commune among itself, before finally turning towards him and nodding. He held out the Ultra Ball, the leader of the bunch giving it a merry headbutt. And in 1 . . . 2 . . . 3! The Pokemon had been caught. Elliot couldn't help but grin as he added the Ultra Ball to his belt loop. So far, of all of his wild Pokemon encounters, 3 out of his 4 had been caught without any violence. And even Lord Beerus hadn't been coming at them with genuine violence in mind. As grumpy as the cat may have been, it seemed he was mostly in it to teach the team and make sure they could stand on their own feet.
Speaking of Lord Beerus, he looked up from his slumber at Andrew when the boy approached with a handful of treats. His eyes narrowed suspiciously, but it seemed the boy was ironclad in his conviction. One way or another, Lord Beerus would be approached with a treat. His eyes and forehead gem glowed, and a gentle psychic force would start to lift the treats right out of the palm of Andrew's hand. Lord Beerus may have been too proud to eat directly out of a human's hand, but at least he accepted the treat. He guided them into his mouth, devouring them in a single bite before giving Andrew a curt, appreciative nod. He then returned to his nap, a bit more contentment in his eyes as he eased them shut.
Echo, Joule, and Murex accepted theirs a lot more readily. Echo devoured hers in a single bite, and Murex didn't even bother biting into hers before wrapping a tongue around it and pulling it into her mouth. Only Joule took her time, nibbling on the tiny treat in her hands while her more gluttonous teammates went to town on theirs. She laughed warmly, then scampered over to Lord Beerus to lean against him as she ate. Was the Espeon blushing slightly? He sure seemed intent on turning away from Andrew and the rest of the team as he ate, much to Joule's clear amusement.
All was calm and peaceful. Except, of course, for Echo's giggling as she felt the emotions coming off of Andrew. It sure wasn't the ticklish feeling of his fingers dancing through her hair that got her giggling so much! No, it was the hint of admiration she could feel emanating off of him as he watched Elliot from afar. At the very least, knowing that Andrew was shy, she tried to stifle her giggling with both hands. But the deed was already done.
At least Echo wouldn't be the only thing making Echo nervous. With Elliot's capture done, he was free to turn around and finally rejoin the rest of his party. He walked back over to the group, his smile widening as he noticed the Ralts snuggled up in Andrew's lap. She looked so relaxed and peaceful there, as if it was the most natural duo in the world. Frankly, it took all of Elliot's strength not to gush over how adorable the sight was, a fact that only left Echo giggling harder.
Yet, out of respect for Andrew, Elliot didn't head right over to his side. Instead, he sat a safe distance away, making a note to take a step back and step down as soon as Andrew's normal shyness got any more notable. "Sorry if she dropped on you out of nowhere. Echo's been a bit of a handful since she learned how to teleport," he said, voice calm, gentle, and maybe the slightest bit soothing. "But it means a lot that you looked after her for me. And I can tell from the smile on her face that you did an amazing job. Thank you."
With his piece said, and the jig up, Echo rolled off of Andrew's lap and signaled to the boy with a single finger. She disappeared in a flash of light, then fell out of a psychic distortion into Elliot's awaiting arms. It was as if he had a second sense for when Echo was about to land, and she snuggled into his chest as soon as he caught her. "My name's Elliot, by the way," he said. "And these are Murex, Joule, Lord Beerus, and of course, my Echo. What's your name?"
As Beerus accepted the treats, Andrew would smile warmly; watching as the morsels floated up from his extended hand - the faintest of shimmers around them - and to the Espeon's waiting mouth. It honestly was fascinating, in his opinion, watching these psychic pokemon work their magic. (Or would it be 'work their psychic', Andrew wondered to himself.) "There you go; I'll let you get your rest now." Andrew murmured kindly, visibly happy to see that the aloof feline was willing to put up with his attention, in return for treats.
As Beerus went back to his nap, Andrew would turn his attention to the other three; watching with a smile as he observed the different ways that the three all enjoyed their shares of the treats. He wouldn't miss, either, how Joule would make for Beerus - leaning against him - and he seemingly accepted it (even if he was faintly flustered, if the blush implied anything.) Andrew wondered to himself, briefly, whether the Espeon was more friendly or tolerant than he let on; or whether he simply liked the Dedenne more than the others.
As Andrew sheepishly turned his attention away from Elliot, after having accidentally stared, however… He'd blink a bit, to notice Echo giggling! He did initially think that it was a result of the little Ralts being ticklish, and stopped combing his fingers through her hair as a result; ready to apologize for accidentally tickling her. However, Echo only continued to giggle; something that was quite obvious by the way she shook in his lap, even with her attempts to stifle them.
Though the realization was delayed, it didn't take too long for Andrew to figure out that she must've been giggling at him; either because she noticed him staring at Elliot, or because she sensed the emotions he was letting off…! Andrew's resulting embarrassment would be visible; the flush of his cheeks being obvious against his pale skin, even as he scrunched down slightly - as though he thought that it would hide the embarrassment and blushing. Maybe he should've just waved it off as Echo being ticklish; it would've been easier for him to stay composed then…
… Well… At least he had Inari, who was there to reassure him with a brief nuzzle against his leg. Reaching over to pet the Vulpix, Andrew would take in a deep breath, before sighing heavily. It'd be okay, he'll be alright…
As Andrew heard approaching footsteps, however… He couldn't help but snap his eyes upwards, in Elliot's direction, like a deer caught in the headlights. A lump formed in his throat as he realized that the trainer's attention was suddenly on him; his mind already trying to formulate a hundred potential responses to words that hadn't even been spoken yet, or likely ever would be spoken. What was Elliot going to say? What did he want with him? He-...
Andrew would blink from his anxiety-driven train of thought, as he suddenly realized that Elliot was speaking to him; apologizing for Echo, as well as thanking him for taking care of her. Briefly, Andrew opened his mouth - as though he intended to say something - though he was unable to form any words, initially. So instead, he would close his mouth, and simply nod in response; briefly feeling dumb for trying (and failing) to say anything at all.
As Echo gestured, Andrew would have a delayed reaction to the meaning of the signal - though was able to close and turn his eyes away just in time, as Echo disappeared once more; teleporting into Elliot's arms with a flash. Andrew would watch as the boy caught Echo with ease, the Ralts eagerly snuggling into Elliot's chest; and for a brief moment, he couldn't help the tiniest of smiles - appreciative of the bond they seemed to share.
As Elliot spoke up once more, to introduce himself and his team, Andrew would quietly nod along - trying to maintain eye contact the best he could, even as his gaze kept trying to gravitate to his own lap. Then, there was the question of his name.
Andrew, quietly, would allow his gaze to drift downwards with this; his mouth opening and closing slightly a couple of times, as he tried to steel himself to actually speak up. It would be when Inari - taking advantage of his now vacant lap - snuggled up to him, sitting on his lap and nuzzling against his chest in reassurance, that Andrew would be able to compose himself enough to speak. He would embrace Inari closely, take in a slow and deep breath, before exhaling equally slowly - murmuring to Elliot "M… My name is, u-uhm, Andrew… And this… This is Inari."
His voice was soft, wavering, and barely above a whisper; Elliot likely needed to listen closely to be able to catch it and understand what he was saying. Andrew would pause briefly, taking in another deep breath as he hid the lower half of his face against the curls atop Inari's head, before adding "... It's, uhm, n-nice to meet y-you…"
As Andrew managed to get these words out, Inari's tails would wag slowly but happily - the vulpix lovingly nuzzling Andrew, as though she were trying to praise him for speaking up. Indeed, she was happy to see him trying his best; knowing that interactions like these were difficult for him.
Post by Elliot Sunderland on Apr 13, 2020 1:59:48 GMT
Andrew was definitely the quiet type, huh? Elliot needed to strain a little in order to hear him, but he tried not to be too obvious about it. That'd just make the poor boy feel even more on the spot. Instead, he kept his social distance (topical!) and accepted that he'd have to listen a bit more carefully than usual. "It's nice to meet both of you , Andrew," Elliot said, the smile on his face warm yet gentle.
The boy didn't really seem like much of a talker, so Elliot was perfectly content to let him be. However, he could also tell that the other boy was putting up quite the effort to respond. He wasn't disinterested, he was just shy! Elliot pondered for a second, looking into the sunlit distance as he tried to figure out how he could best help Andrew out of his shell. Or, at the very least, demonstrate acknowledgment of the other boy without leaving him feel trapped and cornered in a conversation. Noticing the fox snuggling up to his chest, inspiration flashed in Elliot's eyes.
"And you as well, Inari," Elliot said, smiling. As he did, he fished a two-toned egg from his backpack, wrapping it in his arms to keep it warm. Echo dutifully snuggled up to it as well, rubbing her tiny cheek against the shell. With how it vibrated against them, Elliot knew it'd hatch at any moment. "You seem like such a loyal and well-trained Pokemon. Where are you from?"
As Elliot smiled to Andrew, the young man would try to smile back - it showing in the gentle squint of his eyes, even if the lower half of Andrew's face was hidden in Inari's curls. Elliot seemed really nice and pleasant, overall; and it made Andrew feel bad that he couldn't properly formulate a response without his brain trying to set off warning bells. The fact that the other trainer was being so patient and accepting though, on top of having a variety of friendly pokemon, seemed to help Andrew relax a bit; sighing gently against Inari's fur. He wasn't completely lax yet; but...
As Elliot turned his attention to Inari, Andrew would be watching as he pulled an egg out of his backpack; holding it close, and keeping it warm. Inari, too, seemed curious about the egg; her ears pricking as she watched it shake, almost as though she could hear the pokemon inside - whatever it may be - fussing about. Andrew wasn't sure if it was actually the case - though he honestly wouldn't be surprised if she really could!
Despite the duo's visible interest in the egg however, Inari would still be listening to Elliot's words; seeming to be quite attentive as necessary. The other trainer's praises would have her tails wag happily, and she would at first respond with a bark - "Aouu!" - as though he could understand her. When she remembered that he couldn't though... She would pause for a second, thinking, mulling over how she was going to convey it.
It took a second for Andrew to realize that this - in a way - was an indirect attempt to talk to him; shifting the subject to Inari, in a way. Andrew would think for a second, trying to formulate his words as he brushed his hand over Inari's fur, eyes briefly gazing over partner, egg, and trainer alike.
Once his eyes fell upon Elliot, though... He'd take in another deep breath to steel himself, before speaking up; his voice a little more audible this time, though still soft and shy. "She, uhm..." He'd pause for a second, as though reconsidering his words. "W-we live in Cedar Town, but... Inari was, well, b-born in Plum City." He'd murmur- gently scritching at Inari's fur, until he felt a seed that they had missed while Echo tried to groom her. Ah... As cute as Echo trying to groom Inari had been, maybe giving the Vulpix a proper combing and brushing was in order...
Andrew paused for a second as he took his backpack off his shoulders; but as he began digging through it - his face no longer obscured by Inari's curls - he would speak up once more. "She, uhm, w-was raised by a breeder there. Her m-mom's a Ninetales, and her d-dad is, well... An A-Arcanine." Once he got the comb and brush out, he'd turn to Inari - asking her softly "C-can you sit pretty for me? Good girl..."
Inari, her tails wagging in anticipation for the grooming, didn't even need to be asked - already climbing off of Andrew's lap, and sitting right in front of him. Once she was seated, she would tilt her chin up slightly, so that Andrew could go over the fur on the front of her neck and under her chin with the comb; his movements careful but methodical. It took a second for Andrew to remember that he was talking to Elliot - his eyes blinking briefly and a hair owlishly as it clicked - though when he did, he'd continue speaking.
"Mom, got... well... She b-bought Inari from the breeder, a-as a gift... A b-birthday gift, because, uhm... The breeder, they, uh, specialize in... S-service Pokemon." He'd explain, a hand gently cupping Inari's cheek, so that he could carefully tilt her head one way - and then the other - so that he could comb out the fur on the sides of her neck; slowly working his way up towards Inari's face.
Inari, all the while, had her eyes closed and her tails slowly swishing in visible bliss; clearly enjoying all the attention. The comb and brush through her fur always felt like heaven, during grooming sessions like these; and she rarely ever paid much mind to Andrew fussing with her like this.
Once the front and sides of the neck, as well as Inari's chin - were combed out, Andrew would carefully tilt Inari's head back down, so that he could work on getting out a couple of seeds that were stuck to the fur on Inari's muzzle. He'd murmur faint praises as he worked, being careful to not poke anything sensitive as he quickly went over Inari's face and ears. Though he could go over the curls now as well, he preferred saving the curls and tails for last; he used the brush for the longer and thicker fur on those portions.
As he moved on from the face to carefully go over the fur on Inari's ears, Andrew would speak up once more; no longer needing to focus so hard on not poking anything. "Inari, uhm... S-she started as, well, an emotional support pet for... F-for y'know..." For his anxiety, the obvious conclusion to the sentence was. Andrew would pause for a short time once more; this time working down the front of Inari's shoulders and her chest with the comb. This portion seemed to have the most seeds stuck in her fur so far, but the thin and closely-packed tines of the comb were perfect for plucking them out.
Briefly, as Andrew worked the comb down towards Inari's front legs and paws - carefully taking a hold of a leg to lift it up, so that he could better comb it - he realized that he was verging on more or less rambling, and perhaps oversharing a bit. His cheeks would flush a hair in embarrassment, deciding that he had said enough on where Inari was from. Elliot pretty much had the gist of it all by now, anyways.
He would speak up one more time - this time wrapping things up - as he murmured "Inari, u-uh... She's... g-good, at helping me stay calm, cause of... Of all this. I, well... I d-don't think I'd be able t-to have left home, o-or town, on my own like this if i-it weren't for her..."
Switching to the other leg, Andrew's voice would be surprisingly even, as he took in a deep breath, and stated "She's... Very dear to me. I care about her a lot, and... I'm thankful towards her for a lot."
Asking for a Dex skillup, for ~375 words worth of grooming!
Post by Elliot Sunderland on Apr 14, 2020 0:35:55 GMT
Elliot sat back and listened, making sure to keep eye contact with Inari all the while. After all, that's who he was talking to, right? Not the nervous trainer who was already having a hard enough speaking, but his stoic, brilliant fox. Andrew was simply answering on Inari's behalf. It wasn't a conversation. Or, at least, it didn't have to be, if Andrew didn't want it to be. At any moment, Inari could yip out an answer, and Elliot could leave the poor boy be.
Except, Andrew didn't stop, did he? And so long as he was talking, Elliot would give him his undivided attention while sparing him his nerve-inducing focus. It'd be best for the other trainer that way. And it'd let him come as far out of his shell as he wanted to, without putting him on the spot.
When you went out of your way to understand creatures who couldn't directly make their wants clear, you tended to pick up a few social tricks or two.
While he paid attention to Inari, that also meant he was getting a direct look at how Andrew treated his Pokemon. The boy was beyond methodical, delicately going over every inch of the Vulpix-Growlithe mix's fur. Sure, she didn't look much different from a normal Vulpix, but the fox's demeanor so far backed up Andrew's words to the letter. She leaned into Andrew with all of the trust of your usual canine companion, all as Andrew made some of the most ginger and delicate moments that Elliot had ever seen before. Even Isaac, who could be surprisingly careful when push came to show, was way less ginger than Andrew was right now. Every single motion was so planned on Andrew's part, too. There were no stumbles, no mistake, no improvisation. Andrew was cleaning Inari so naturally that you'd think he was a certified Pokemon groomer, not a nervous teenager!
With how much trust there was between them, and how expertly Andrew was able to care for her, Elliot could tell that the two's bond was ironclad. No, it was even more than that. It was true from the heart. If Andrew had any doubts about his ability to go on an adventure, Elliot knew this moment would dispel any and all worries. If only he could see it from Elliot's perspective.
Heck, it got Elliot thinking back on his bond with Echo. Was this how others saw them? Maybe he was better at this than he thought . . .
That was when Andrew revealed why he had gotten Inari in the first place, and how Inari was the driving force behind his journey in the first place. This got a small, almost nostalgic smile spreading across Elliot's face. He hadn't expected the boy to share something that deep, and as much as he wanted to be a passive listener here he knew he couldn't just ignore something so heartfelt. "We're a lot alike that way, you know," Elliot said, voice so soft and light that this time Andrew might have been the one who needed to strain to hear it. "Being honest? It took a pretty drastic leap of faith to even get me leaving home in the first place. I'm honestly amazed I even got this far. But I look at Echo, and the rest of my team, and I know I wouldn't take it back for the world. I owe them a lot, too. Even you dudes." Elliot drew his freshly-caught Ultra Ball from his belt as he said this, smiling down at it.
"Honestly? With how good you are with Pokemon, I think you're going to do great."
As Elliot said this, the Eevee egg in his arm hopped up and down. Joule didn't even miss a beat, practically charging across the field to run over to the egg. Her whiskers swiveled back and forth as her tail stuck out straight, a few long and short beeps following each swivel. She then leaned against the egg, practically freezing up as she waited.
And waited.
And then, she heard a few beeps back.
Joule leaped into the air, chittering excitedly as she ran back and forth in circles. She immediately grabbed Lord Beerus by the paw, scampering as the Espeon rolled his eyes and followed after her. Murex followed after the duo, desperately hopping to avoid getting left behind. And Elliot even let his Dugtrio out, whispering "Be good, and I'll teach you three another song. This one's called a lullaby." The Dugtrio nodded, freezing up so rigidly that one would think they were saluting Elliot. Pretty much all of them crowded around to watch the egg as a few tiny cracks spread along the surface.
Echo held up a hand again, teleported to Andrew, and booped him on the nose. She then teleported a little above Elliot, sitting on his head to free up a space in the circle. It seemed like she didn't want him to miss this!
Andrew, briefly, couldn't help but wonder if he said too much as he groomed Inari. Talking at all was a drain on his social batteries - which were typically quite low in energy as it was - and he, admittedly, sometimes had a hard time of gauging when he said too much or not. It was a bad habit he had on the internet, and it was a bad habit that he was pretty sure that he was displaying here. His brows would furrow slightly - both in concentration on the task in hand, as well as being a hair frustrated at himself for his believed oversharing.
But, even past that frustration... He faintly realized, that this was also the most he'd said to someone besides Mom, or a pokemon, in a long while...
...
As Elliot spoke up, Andrew's methodical movements would slow a bit; allowing him to split his attention between grooming Inari, and listening to the other trainer. Andrew listened as Elliot mentioned how the two of them were alike - though he indeed had to briefly strain to hear it - as well as how Elliot explained where they were similar, in the leap of faith that the other trainer had to make, to leave home. This would make Andrew briefly pause, mid-grooming; having started working on Inari's torso with the comb, by then.
For a moment, Andrew had wanted to try to say something - anything - in response to Elliot, over the other boy confiding in him like this just as he confided in the other. He couldn't really bring himself to speak up, however; already somewhat drained socially. But... Perhaps... This didn't exactly need a response, either. Andrew, glancing over to Elliot, would quietly nod in acknowledgement; attempting to smile back, even if it was a shy and somewhat tired-looking smile.
And in glancing over to Elliot... Andrew would also get to see, as the Eevee egg in the other's arms hopped! This would prompt a surprised blink from Andrew and Inari both - the two watching intently, to see if the egg would hop again. While the egg didn't immediately begin moving again, someone else was certainly on the move - Joule darting for the egg, and letting out little beeps that had Inari's ears twitching curiously as she did!
As the motherly Dedenne finished beeping, silence would follow for a short handful of seconds - each second like an eternity, as they waited for something to happen (not that Andrew or Inari immediately understood what Joule was waiting for, beyond perhaps for the egg to start hatching.) They, too, would wait as Joule did - on the alert...
... Until Inari's ears pricked up, at the sounds of a few beeps in response - so faint from here, that Andrew didn't hear them - from the egg. Joule, near-immediately, was in an excited tizzy; running in circles, and even grabbing Lord Beerus to usher him over to the egg..! The excitement and energy going on about them had Inari's tails wagging; and even Andrew couldn't help a slight giddiness as he smiled, watching Elliot's pokemon gather around the egg.
When Echo teleported in front of Andrew, he couldn't help a slight startled sound from being broken from his focus on the egg - Inari making a startled half-bark of her own - and blinking owlishly, as he was booped on the nose. It seemed even the Ralts was excited about the momentous occasion, and wanted Andrew in on it...!
Though it took a second for Andrew to put two and two together, it wasn't hard for him to notice that there was an open space in the gathered circle - one that he could fit in, alongside Inari if she sat on his lap..! (Disregarding the fact that she wasn't exactly a lap dog, as far as size went, that is.) With this in mind, Andrew supposed that the rest of the grooming could wait until after the egg had hatched - cleaning any shed fur off of the comb, and putting both it and the brush back in the backpack for now.
Moving over to the assembled circle, Andrew and Inari would take their seats - watching with visible excitement and anticipation, as tiny cracks began to form in the surface of the egg.
Post by Elliot Sunderland on Apr 14, 2020 3:01:43 GMT
Elliot's first hatch, Echo, was a very shy one. The girl stayed hidden in her egg until enough food was placed to lure her out, and even then Elliot was worried she'd end up hiding on him again. As Elliot balanced the egg on his lap, he wondered if this egg would do the same, or if it would have a completely different hatching experience.
His question was answered near immediately, As soon as the first few cracks started spreading across the egg's surface, the Pokemon inside pushed their way through the shell. She just couldn't wait to be hatched, it seemed! She was an Eevee, and a rather tremendous one, too! Elliot was almost amazed that such a big head had pushed through such a comparatively tiny head. So, too, was the rest of the party, scrambling back to give space as the egg unfolded into two whole feet of Eevee. "Whoa there, how'd you even fit in there?" Elliot asked, stroking the Eevee's surprisingly soft and velvety fur as she giggled away.
It was Echo who broke the respectful distance first, squealing over how adorable the Eevee was as she practically rolled from Elliot's head onto her back. She snuggled into the Eevee, who immediately took on a bemused look as Echo fussed over her. With the initial snuggles given out, Echo took a few steps back, hands on her hips as she proudly smiled at the Eevee. "I think Echo's ready to be a big sister," Elliot joked, the Eevee rolling her eyes in response.
Yet she wouldn't be rolling her eyes any longer once Elliot reached into his backpack, fishing out a flower crown. "Welcome to the world, Vivi," Elliot said as the Eevee looked up at him. Her eyes widened in surprise as he tied the flower crown around her head, all smiles. "Here's a little gift for you, from your new family." A huge smile broke out across the Eevee's face, and she looked between all of the people and Pokemon in attendance of her hatching. She practically vibrated in excitement from how much she enjoyed this new gift!
Yet, as soon as Vivi realized what she was doing, she promptly bit her tongue on her excitement. She closed her eyes and turned her nose up, looking almost haughty as she picked a more acceptable way of "modeling" the flower crown. Both Elliot and Joule found themselves snickering at the resemblance to a certain Espeon, who blushed brightly and turned away in the exact same fashion when their gazes fell on him. The only difference between the two was that Vivi kept cracking an eye open, as if checking to see whether everyone was still admiring or not.
Elliot turned to Andrew, smiling sheepishly. "I swear, my team keeps finding the fussiest Eevees," he joked, before looking down at the Eevee again and smiling. "You know, there's a grooming expert here who I bet could really bring out the sparkle in that flower crown. Would you be okay with letting him see you for a bit?" That seemed to get Vivi's attention. She perked up a bit before composing herself, giving Elliot a single, regal nod.
Andrew had to admit... This was the first time that he'd ever seen a Pokemon egg hatch in person. Certainly, there were always the Pokemon documentaries that he and Mom would watch on TV - and there certainly always were the forums he'd sometimes browse through out of boredom and curiosity, with the occasional breeder showing off a video of their latest clutch of eggs hatching, but...
He never actually had the opportunity, to watch an egg hatch in person, until now. Nor did Inari, for that matter.
As a result, both of them would watch the egg with a quiet awe. Their excitement and anticipation alike were visible; both in the way that Andrew was chewing his lower lip, hands fidgeting slightly as he ran his fingers through Inari's fur, and in the way that Inari's tails were wagging, and that her front paws were fidgeting in place, shifting her weight back and forth. This was a new experience for the both of them, and they wanted to commit this to memory...!
The two couldn't help leaning in just the slightest bit, as they saw the cracks spiderwebbing across the surface of the egg - no doubt a sign that the pokemon inside was working hard at breaking out of the shell. It seemed to be a relatively fast hatch, compared to the things Andrew had seen online and on TV - a fact that was supported by the Eevee within, when she would proceed to practically shove her head straight through the shell...!
Andrew was unable to help a startled laugh as he scooted back, so that the Eevee had her room - and Inari, too, let out an excited soft yip as she hopped off of Andrew's lap, and trotted back a bit. So that's what was in the egg... It made sense to Andrew, given that the markings on the egg resembled the ruff of fur around the Eevee's neck. Smiling giddily, Andrew would giggle softly to himself as he watched Elliot and the Eevee interact; visibly happy to have been able to bear witness to a new life being welcomed into the world.
And Echo seemed keen on quite the exuberant welcome, herself..! Andrew and Inari both watched as she would first begin squealing over the Eevee, before practically rolling and diving onto the foxlike pokemon's back! Thankfully, the newborn seemed to accept Echo's affections - the two snuggling close until they had their fill, and Echo backed off with a proud smile. Inari giggled at Elliot's joking, a paw crooked against her mouth, and Andrew's smile took on an amused hue.
As Elliot took out the flower crown though, Inari and Andrew both took notice; visibly curious about the gift that the Eevee - now Vivi - was about to recieve. Inari couldn't help but wonder, though; just how the flower crown kept its shape in the backpack. This would be when Andrew and Inari both would notice, though; just how much Vivi was trying to act like a composed adult, as opposed to an excited child. Andrew couldn't help a slightly amused smile, not sure if he was able to draw the same connections between Vivi and Beerus - but still amused at Vivi's almost hot-and-cold personality.
As Elliot glanced to Andrew, mentioning how they kept finding the fussiest eevees, the shy trainer would slowly nod a hair in acknowledgement - watching as Vivi kept trying to make sure that she was still the center of attention. She already seemed like she'd be a handful in the best of ways, in his opinion - and if he was honest, he was curious to see how she'd grow (and evolve, for that matter) as time went on.
... Though... That'd mean having to meet Elliot again, right? Andrew's expression seemed to somber the slightest bit, as he realized this. As nice as Elliot was, Andrew... Wasn't sure, if he had the confidence for that. Talking like before had already been a bit draining for him, after the fact...
He wouldn't have a chance to ponder it any further, though, as he realized that Elliot was still talking; this time to Vivi. Being called a grooming expert would make Andrew's cheeks flush a hair, visibly sheepish at the compliment - and the fact that Elliot would wink afterwards didn't help, the young man quickly averting his eyes. "U-uhm..." Oh dear... He... Was being put on the spot a bit, to groom Elliot's new eevee now, wasn't he...?
He... He guessed this was alright, at least. Definitely preferable to talking to someone, and Vivi seemed to be looking forward to it; judging by the way she perked up. Smiling nervously, Andrew would scoot back a hair so that he and Vivi both had room; coaxing the Eevee over by patting on the ground in front of him. "C-could you... Sit pretty for me? Like Inari is?" He'd softly request, nodding in Inari's direction to indicate the Vulpix - who was posing just as she had been before, to show Vivi what Andrew meant.
Even if this grooming session was a surprise to him, he did admit that grooming an Eevee would be a new and interesting experience...
Post by Elliot Sunderland on Apr 14, 2020 17:24:05 GMT
Vivi scampered over to Andrew, her big, bushy tail wagging at light-speed as she tumbled towards him in a tangle of fur and limbs. Nevertheless, despite her rather graceless flop, she did her best to stick the landing in a dignified fashion. She turned her nose up again and finished her walk, trotting towards Andrew and daintily sitting in front of him. Elliot couldn't help but smile as he saw the little princess of an Eevee try to preserve her ego like that.
Nevertheless, it was hard not to feel like he had thrown Andrew under the bus a little. Shooting him a sheepish smile, Elliot cupped a hand to stage whisper towards him. "You don't actually have to groom her, by the way," he said. "Pretty sure you could just wave your hands over her and she wouldn't be able to tell the difference. But with how much you seem to love Pokemon? I knew you'd never forgive me if I didn't give you a chance to see a newborn up close and personal. So I lured her out for ya." How many little tricks had Elliot been playing since the start of this day? Those innocent eyes of his were hiding quite a bit of guile, weren't they?
Sure enough, while Vivi didn't even know what a grooming was yet, she sure was excited to receive one. The girl was pretty much bouncing in place from the anticipation, stopping only to daintily adjust her flower crown as she did so. Was her fur actually starting to spark from the excitement? Joule certainly took notice, turning towards Elliot and shooting him a proud smile. Her weary eyes sparked with a more youthful excitement than Elliot had ever seen her display before. "She's really something, huh, Joule?" the boy asked, his Dedenne nodding almost dreamily in return.
The Dudes, who still didn't really know much of what was going on, churned over to watch the grooming play out. Their eyes narrowed, almost judgmentally, as they waited to see what Andrew would do. As they did so, the tallest of the trio began sliding back and forth between the others, hovering behind them and nudging their glassy hairstyles with his nose. Now what on earth was he doing?
As all this played out, Elliot and Echo simply sat back and enjoyed the peacefulness. She snuggled into his lap, reclaiming her spot now that Vivi had temporarily vacated it, and he softly stroked her hair. There was nothing like a day such as this to make this whole journey feel worth it.
Andrew had to stifle a gentle laugh as Vivi scampered over, tripping over her own paws. He supposed that it was to be expected, that even a newborn pokemon - who come out ready to fight - would need at least a little time to figure out their sense of balance. Her attempts to be composed and dignified would bring out a warm and endeared smile from Andrew, who would retrieve his comb and brush once more.
If he was to be honest, he wasn't even sure where to begin in approaching grooming Vivi; given the fact that he had never groomed an eevee before. Until now, the only pokemon he really ever got a chance to groom was Inari! And it didn't take a genius to figure that a Vulpix and an Eevee had very different types of fur. Already, he could see that Vivi - though she lacked the curls that Inari had - had a thick collar of fur, as well as an overall fluffier and somewhat longer coat.
He took a second to think over how he wanted to groom Vivi, glancing down between the comb and the brush, before deciding to start with the brush. He wasn't going to be grooming Vivi's face; the only reason why he had combed thru the fur on Inari's face was to get the seeds out, after all. However, everywhere else probably was going to require a brush, for him to really get those tangles out and make Vivi's coat nice and smooth.
As Andrew turned to Vivi, he would hear Elliot's stage whisper; prompting him to glance in the other trainer's direction with a quizzical expression. So this was... Elliot's attempt, to get Vivi to let him get a closer look at her? Andrew blinked a bit, briefly unsure of how to feel, but... He'd shyly smile to Elliot, and quietly nod, before turning his attention to Vivi. Even if Elliot said that she probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference, Andrew didn't want to decieve her; especially not with how excited she was, at the prospect of getting prettied up!
"A-alright, Vivi..." He'd begin - his voice soft and low (likely too soft for Elliot to make out his words, though likely still easy for the Eevee to pick up with her keen ears.) "Can you... Take a deep breath, and s-settle down, for me?" Andrew asked softly; blinking a bit, at the way her fur was sparking from her excitement. He... He hoped that she wasn't about to accidentally shock him, mid-grooming! He also couldn't help but wonder; could Eevees even learn an electric-type move...??
Inari, too, seemed a bit unsure of what to make of the sparking; not expecting it from a normal-type pokemon. Was it because of her parents? Inari had an inkling that Beerus and Joule both were Vivi's parents, given the similarities Vivi's scent bore to theirs; though she never expected for the eevee to inherit her mother's electricity at all!
After a brief pause from the faint surprise of Vivi's fur, Andrew would take a second to find his words; continuing "It'll b-be easier for me, if y-you hold still; I'll let you k-know with gentle touches like this - " As if to show, he'd reach out to gently pick up Vivi's paw, before putting it back down. " - if I, well... If I need you t-to move at all, to reach someplace. Okay?"
Last Edit: Apr 14, 2020 20:00:52 GMT by Andrew Wynn
Once he was sure that Vivi understood his explanation, and that she was calmed down some, Andrew would smile gently; taking the brush, and getting straight to work on Vivi's fur...
First things first, Andrew figured the best place to start would be the ruff of fur around Vivi's neck; which he'd carefully and slowly run his brush through, making sure to gently work out any tangles that might be in her fur. Once he was confident that there were no more tangles, he'd speed up running his brush through it a few times - briefly styling the ruff, so that the fur flowed naturally around Vivi's neck and down her chest. "Good girl; just keep holding still for me, okay...?" Andrew would softly praise as he worked; seeming to visibly relax, now that his focus was on a pokemon.
Once he was satisfied with the collar of fur, Andrew would briefly go over the fur on Vivi's throat and neck above the ruff, before working his way down her chest below the ruff; humming gently to himself, all the while. It was curious, noting just how different Vivi's and Inari's fur was, between the two pokemon; Inari's fur being shorter but silky-smooth, whereas Vivi's fur was somewhat longer but extra soft and fluffy to the touch.
He imagined that Vivi would make a great snuggle buddy, if she ever deigned to let Elliot or the others snuggle up to her! Soft and cuddly, and Andrew had no doubt that Vivi would be warm to snuggle with as well - especially during colder seasons, when she'd likely have a winter coat grown out!
"Alright, gonna start working on your front legs now." Andrew would inform Vivi; his voice still as soft and low as before. He'd carefully hook one of Vivi's front paws, lifting it up so that he could carefully brush out the leg and paw; briefly wondering if the eevee's nails would need any clipping. Since Vivi was just born, Andrew didn't think that they'd be anywhere near long enough to require any clipping - though he'd still carefully part the fur at the tip of her toes to check.
Once satisfied and sure that Vivi didn't need any clipping, Andrew would repeat the motions on the other front leg; offering Vivi a pleased smile, as he did. "You have such soft fur, y'know; and with your cute flower crown, you'll be the envy of other Eevees, for sure." He'd compliment Vivi, chuckling softly as he continued to work. "How does this feel, by the way? I know Inari loves the feel of the brush and comb personally, but I'd like to know if you like it, too."
Meanwhile, as Andrew and Vivi were seemingly focused on eachother... Inari would glance to The Dudes, one of whom appeared to be... Nudging the other duo's hair with his nose? The Vulpix would tilt her head in a quizzical fashion, approaching the Alolan Dugtrio, and giving them a yip of inquiry, asking them what they were up to! Her tails would wag in a calm and friendly fashion, it being clear that Inari - above all else - was feeling curious! Another dex skillup for a post of grooming, please!
Last Edit: Apr 14, 2020 20:16:58 GMT by Andrew Wynn
Post by Elliot Sunderland on Apr 14, 2020 21:27:32 GMT
Vivi did her best to follow Andrew's instructions to the letter, even if she was still a little bit jumpy from the excitement. All of her movements, while obedient, would be maybe a touch more animated and bouncy than Andrew would hope. But at least her settling meant that her sparks would start dying down. She let out deep, satisfied sighs as Andrew worked his magic on her coat, and within seconds the excitement gave way to what was basically an Eevee pancake. Being so young, her coat was still very soft and pliable. Andrew would find it very easy to get what few knots there were untangled, and it would take on quite the natural bounciness as Andrew worked through it with his comb. The praise certainly did the trick, too. Another yip or sigh, absolutely laced with pride, would follow each kind word that the other trainer said.
Not that Elliot could hear these kind words. With how low Andrew's voice was, all Elliot could really hear were contended Andrew noises. But Elliot didn't really mind. Contented Andrew noises were really his goal here, so if he was hearing them he was happy. Echo evaluated the boy, rubbing her chin thoughtfully, then turned to Elliot and bent her hand. It took him a little bit before he realized she was trying to give Elliot a thumbs up. Where did she even learn how to do that? Elliot couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. "Knew it'd be a good idea," he said, his voice little more than a contented hum as he continued playing with Echo's hair.
The Ralts smirked mischievously, then nodded her head over towards where Andrew was sitting. Yet Elliot just shot her a quizzical look in return. "Huh? Oh, trust me, he's got that under control. I'm pretty sure I'd just get in the way," Elliot told her. "Don't get me wrong, grooming her sure looks fun. But we'll get plenty of chances, you know?" Echo simply huffed, crossing her arms and puffing out her cheeks. In response, Elliot let out a gentle sigh, ruffling her hair. "I know, I know. You want to spend more time with him. But give him a chance, y'know? He's not reall the type for excitement. I don't want to wear the poor guy out," he whispered, shooting Echo and understanding smile. She was still a bit huffy, but ultimately un-puffed and relented, flopping against Elliot's chest.
The Dudes were a lot less willing to passively sit back and watch. The taller of the Dugtrio's members continued nudging the hair of his counterparts, brushing them into place with his nose and mouth. Occasionally he looked over at Andrew's technique, shaking his head before making a few adjustments. The Dugtrio's style was a lot more brusque and bold than that of Andrew's, his flowing, methodical motions contrasted against the Pokemon's practically nudging his companions' hair into place. Yet the Dugtrio seemed to be getting a surprising amount of work done despite his complete lack of limbs and his rather unorthodox technique. How did he do it? Perhaps the fact that Alolan Dugtrio hair was strong as steel meant that such forcefulness was needed. Once he was done, he turned around, the other two Dudes promptl getting to work on adjusting his luxurious, flowing locks.
Lord Beerus felt a soft body landing on his own, and prepared to snarl in irritation before looking over his shoulder and seeing that it was Joule. The Dudes wouldn't be the only ones getting in on the grooming action! She chittered affectionately as she scampered across Lord Beerus' body, using her mouth and forepaws to give his fur a deep cleaning. Every ruffle was getting smoothed out of the Espeon's thin, silky coat if she had her way, and any dirt or scuffs she'd see from his love of battle would get rubbed away after a lick of her paw. While Lord Beerus wasn't exactly happy, he laid down in the grass and accepted it, letting his ears fold back to a natural state relaxation and his tails coil around his body.
Both of these features promptly stuck up in surprise as Lord Beerus felt a lick roll up his entire front half. He scampered back in surprise, Joule trying (and failing) to hide her amusement as they saw Murex had sneaked up on the duo. Her tongue, now with some lavender hairs dotting it, lolled out of her mouth. It seemed she didn't want to get left out! Yet Beerus didn't really care. He picked the Shellder up with a shimmering psychic force, moving her a nice, safe distance away from him.
Perhaps right over Elliot's head. That'd do the trick!
Fortunately for Elliot, he was used to Lord Beerus' shenanigans by now and reached up to catch the Shellder. He set her down next to him, giving the outside of her shell an affectionate scratch that left her sighing in relief. As he relaxed with his Pokemon, he continued watching Andrew get to work. By now, Vivi was surely almost done, and he couldn't wait to see the result!
Andrew was unable to help a chuckle, at seeing just how relaxed Vivi was. Hopefully she didn't doze off, from being so relaxed; he'd need her to stand up, once he got to work on brushing out the fur on her belly and hind legs..! Her bounciness, as well, sometimes meant that he'd lose his place - leading him to sometimes re-brushing a portion of Vivi's body, and thus taking longer than he probably otherwise would've. But, she otherwise was very well-behaved; and she didn't look like she'd mind that much, if Andrew ended up brushing a portion that technically didn't need any more brushing.
By now, Andrew would be working on Vivi's shoulders as he eyed the top of her head - briefly thinking to himself. "... Would you be okay with me setting your flower crown aside, for just a second?" Andrew would ask the Eevee in a gentle tone, as be paused in his brushing. The gift seemed like it would be rather special to Vivi, and he didn't want to just touch it without her okay..! "I'll need to move it for just a second, so that I can get the top of your head - but I'll put it back on right after, and it's okay if you don't want me touching it. Alright?"
Patiently, Andrew would wait for Vivi's response. If she agreed to letting Andrew touch the flower crown, he would move it to his lap - where it wouldn't get dirty or messed up - while he brushed out the top of her head, before putting the crown back in it's place. Otherwise, regardless of whether or not he was allowed to brush Vivi's head, Andrew would next start working his way down her spine - brushing out the fur on her sides and back.
Inari, meanwhile, was watching The Dudes with visible curiosity; briefly wondering if this was how most Alolan Dugtrio groomed themselves. Certainly, for having a lack of proper limbs, the trio seemed to have a certain technique down - as unorthodox as it may be - for the way that they arranged the wiry locks every which way with just their nose and mouth! Inari was briefly tempted to give grooming them a shot as well - maybe she could use the practice to learn to groom Andrew back? - though eventually decided against it. That wiry hair probably wouldn't feel good against her tongue!
She would then notice how Joule - and for a brief moment, Murex - would be grooming Beerus, slowly (given her comparatively small size) but surely sorting and smoothing out the haughty Espeon's fur. At least, until Beerus tried to drop poor Murex on Elliot's head, that is..! Everyone was grooming someone now, huh..?
Inari would think hard for a few moments, before glancing over to Andrew and Vivi - noting that the comb wasn't being put to use, since the brush was better suited for Vivi's comparatively longer fur. After a few more long and hard moments of thought, Inari would eventually make the decision that she wanted in on the grooming-fest - coming over to grab the comb, and run over to Elliot, Echo, and Murex!
Upon approaching the trio, Inari would sit down - tails wagging - as she offered them the comb. Did Inari want one of them - or even any combo of the three of them - to groom her? She certainly seemed eager for some attention from them; the Vulpix letting out a muffled yip from behind the comb in her mouth!
Meanwhile, Andrew would have nudged Vivi up into a standing position and scooted to the side of her; allowing him to reach under and brush out the soft fur on her belly, as well as the fur on her back legs. "Remember to stay still for me, okay Vivi?" He'd softly remind the Eevee - smiling gently. "You've been doing really good so far. If you can stay still for just a little longer, I'll give you a few treats as a thank you, okay? Just got your tail left to do, and then we'll be done..."
Indeed, once Andrew had more or less brushed the entirety of Vivi's torso and hind legs, all that was left to brush was her fluffy swishy tail. Andrew would scoot once more - nudging Vivi to sit down once more - so that he could have the tail across his lap, while he brushed it out. He wanted to make sure that the fur kept the puffed but tapered shape that was characteristic to most Eevee, and he was careful with the fur at first - just like with the ruff. He figured that the fur here probably tangled just as easily as the ruff - and so he wanted to be careful that the brush wasn't gonna suddenly yank on anything, until he was sure that there weren't any tangles left to work out.
Before long though, Andrew would've put the finishing touches on brushing Vivi's fur - as far as he knew, he had gotten the few tangles she had in her fur, and it was free of debris that she might've gotten from tripping about on the dirt road or stray egg shards from her hatching. But, even as she was done... "... Hang on, I've got an idea." He'd murmur to Vivi - digging through his backpack once more.
Before he had left, he packed it with a variety of things - from some clothes, to his grooming tools, and his supplies for sewing and arts and crafts. Among those sewing and arts and crafts supplies, were a handful of spools of ribbon, and a pair of scissors. Taking a second to pick out a spool and to pull out the scissors, Andrew would pull out a length of a thick orange ribbon, and use the scissors to snip it off of the spool!
Now that he had a ribbon picked out, Andrew would turn his attention back to Vivi - gently tying the orange ribbon in a bow at the base of her tail. "There we go; that looks cute on you," Andrew hummed with a warm smile, nodding to himself in approval and satisfaction as he gave Vivi one last lookover. As he pulled out a couple of treats for Vivi, he'd offer her the treats, asking "What do you think, Vivi? Do you like the ribbon?"
Post by Elliot Sunderland on Apr 15, 2020 4:06:37 GMT
Elliot looked down at the large fox as she approached. Amazingly enough, she was even bigger than Vivi! Elliot was fairly certain that, if Inari really wanted, she could pick him up and just walk away. Yet instead she excitedly sat down before him, holding a comb dutifully in front of him and his Pokemon. At first he was a little confused, but the way she nudged the comb forward caused realization to spark in his eyes. "Oh! Of course! I'd love to," Elliot said, smiling softly as he took Inari's comb. Unlike Andrew, he wasn't as naturally practiced of a groomer. In fact, everything Elliot had learned so far came from Joule's dutiful assistance and Lord Beerus' constant preening of himself. Yet what harm was there in trying?
For the most part, Elliot kept his comb strokes long, slow, and gentle, not wanting to risk suddenly hitching on any tangles in Inari's fur and hurting her. Yet Elliot was in luck, too. Andrew had only recently stopped his grooming of Inari, so the fox's fur was already in immaculate condition. Really, this grooming was almost more to avoid feeling left out, wasn't it? It was a feeling Elliot could easily understand, and was why despite the Vulpix already being so hygienic Elliot pledged to do the best job grooming her as possible.
"That's perfect. You're way better at sitting still than my team," Elliot mused. "Jeez, I don't even need to talk you through this. You probably know how to sit better than I do." For the most part, Elliot would follow the natural alignment of Inari's body and the lead of her behavior. If she shifted position so he could access a new spot, he'd shift focus to that spot. If she presented her hair or tails, he'd focus there (albeit handling the curlier tail and head hair with the utmost caution!) And Echo would be quick to nod along if she was detecting calm from Inari or shake her head to warn him of any mistakes.
As he sunk into the rhythm Elliot allowed himself to hum slightly, only stopping himself from closing his eyes in contentment so that he could properly see while grooming Inari. Echo was quick to join in on the humming, her own Lucky Chant causing the air to sparkle and shimmer around her as she did so. Elliot felt emboldened as her hum harmonized with his, feeling far more confident in his grooming ability. What started as shy acceptance of the task had quickly become an eager enjoyment, and he could only hope that Inari was enjoying her care as much as he was enjoying providing it.
She wouldn't be the only one. Vivi was pretty much in paradise as Andrew went over every inch of her fur with a (metaphorical and literal) fine toothed comb. Not even her loner's guise could hold up as she let out blissful yips and sighs, pretty much pancaked against Andrew by this point. About the only thing that she did take issue with was the removal of her flower crown. She whined and rumbled in protest, but after a few moments bowed her head and let it roll off of her. In exchange, it was Andrew's finishing ouch that got her most excited of all. She turned around, seeing the orange bow tied around her tail, and pretty much did a backflip from excitement. It was more like a clumsy bellyflop, but hey. At least she tried! She gave Andrew an excited headbutt, then scampered over to Lord Beerus to excitedly wag the ribbon at him. He seemed a little puzzled by the ribbon, but Joule immediately started gushing over it! And why wouldn't she? It matched her fur color perfectly!
The two chittered at each other, Joule's cheeks and whiskers sparking a little from the excitement. So, too, did Vivi's fur start to spark. Except unlike Joule's cheeks, Vivi's fur kept continuing to spark, until she released a series of high-velocity sparks in every direction. Pretty much every member of Elliot's team scrambled back in surprise as Vivi pretty much exploded, except for The Dudes. Undaunted, they just kept grooming each other.
It was Lord Beerus who recovered first, walking in circles around Vivi as if sizing her up for the first time. A shimmering field formed around her, and soon she was lifted clean over Lord Beerus' head, as if he was holding her up for the whole world to see. Elliot tried to stifle a squeal as he noticed the proud grin that was spread across Lord Beerus' face. A similarly proud grin spread across Vivi's. When Lord Beerus set her back down, she promptly fell in step with him, trying to match each of the Espeon's haughty, deliberate footsteps.
Elliot looked over at the duo, grinning broadly before turning back to Andrew. "You did an amazing job," he admitted as his hum died down, giving a few last brushstrokes to Inari. "You're such a good girl, Inari. And your coat's so smooth. Here's hoping I did as good of a job for you, too." He gave the fox's hair a final few strokes, before leaning back to see the work he had done. It wasn't on par with Andrew's talents, but he was pretty proud of what he was able to accomplish!
Inari's tails would wag eagerly as Elliot agreed to the grooming; already taking her place and sitting pretty for him, so that he could comb out her fur. Though Andrew had managed to groom most of her, he never had a chance to finish - meaning that a few portions of her fur still had a couple seeds stuck here and there. Elliot's long and gentle strokes with the comb were more than enough to dislodge the seeds, however; and from there, the grooming was mostly just Inari being indulgent, and wanting to spend time with her new friends.
Elliot's praise would have Inari's tails wagging - a clear sign that he was doing just fine, even if he didn't know what he was doing with grooming her. Her tails would still only if Elliot touched them - making sure that she was holding still whatever portion of her that he was trying to comb at the time. Between the soothing motions of the comb, and Elliot's and Echo's soft humming? Inari would let out a relaxed yawn, paired with a content sigh as she laid her head down on Elliot's knee - being careful to not crowd Echo.
Andrew, meanwhile, couldn't help a fond chuckle as Vivi practically became a pancake underneath the brush - pleased that the little foxy pokemon was enjoying all the attention that she was recieving. Even if she had been briefly fussy over the flower crown's removal, Andrew made sure to not take too long in grooming her head before he placed the crown back on her head. "There you go... Thank you for letting me do this, Vivi; you're being such a good girl, for cooperating..." He certainly understood the feeling, of not wanting to let go of something so precious to you; but the fact that Vivi was willing to trust him enough to let him touch her flower crown made him happy.
The excited back-flip - or, at least, Vivi's attempt at it - would bring a startled but happy laugh out of Andrew, the young man unable to help smiling widely. As she came in for the excited headbutt, Andrew would blink a bit - surprised - before sighing softly; petting a hand along her side. "You're welcome, Vivi." He'd murmur - interpreting the excited gesture as her little way of saying thank you - before watching as she ran off to show off to her parents.
As Joule and Vivi started chittering, Inari would slowly and half-sleepily raise her head to peer over at the duo - watching daughter and mother alike gushing to eachother over Vivi's newest accessory. This would bring a smile to the Vulpix's face - her tails slowly swishing - at least... Until Vivi's fur started sparking.
And didn't STOP sparking.
Vulpix and trainer alike were both initially a bit concerned on whether Vivi's fur was supposed to do that - slowly backing away... Only for them both to yelp and scamper back, as Vivi practically exploded with electricity! Were it not for the fact that they were more focused on not getting electrocuted by the overenthusiastic Eevee, Andrew might've found it quite the dazzling lightshow for sure...!
As the electricity and surprise died down though, they would - one by one - gradually recover and regain their composure. Inari couldn't help but briefly shake herself out - letting off the stress and frazzled nerves that the surprise gave her - before settling back down with Elliot, watching as Beerus interacted with Vivi. Andrew, similarly, couldn't help but roll his shoulders a little as he eased back down from the surprise - chuckling a hair nervously to himself. Geez, that was one heck of a surprise...
Elliot's last handful of strokes with the comb would do well to help settle Inari's nerves once more, though; and she would wag her tails at him, and briefly lean in to give him a quick lick on the back of his hand in gratitude for the grooming session. Even if Elliot wasn't as good at it as Andrew was, it still felt nice, in her opinion! With that, Inari would take the comb back so that she could trot over to Andrew - handing it back to him with a happy yip.
Andrew, smiling over to Inari, would scritch the top of her head - murmuring a soft "Thank you, Inari." as he took the comb; putting both it and the brush back away in his backpack. "Did you enjoy getting combed, over there?"
"Yip!" Inari would confirm with a happy yip, her tails wagging.
"Hahaha, atta girl..." Andrew laughed in response, ruffling her curls briefly and lovingly.
It seemed as though the both of them had had a nice time with Elliot and his pokemon, overall. Even talking to Elliot - though it was a bit draining for Andrew - wasn't so bad! Though... Andrew wasn't sure if he wanted to stick around and continue to socialize, either; he figured that he had fulfilled his social obligations here, right? As nice as Elliot was, Andrew didn't think he'd really have it in him to continue talking to the other young man - and so, he was going to pick up and backpack to prepare to leave...
... Until the grass, just beyond the edge of the road, began rustling and... clicking?
Indeed, there was the frenzied sound of something clicking together in the grass - and Andrew and Inari both would still as they stared at the rustling grass, trying to figure out just what, exactly, was making those strange noises.
The answer would quickly come in the form of a Clauncher; the crustacean pokemon scuttling out from the grass, continuing to click its claws together in an... Aggressive? Fashion? Neither Andrew nor Inari were entirely sure - watching as the Clauncher glanced around for something, before its eyes fell on Joule and Vivi. The wild pokemon would approach them - scuttling over as its claws raised in the air, continuing to click in what might've been an aggressive display, though sounded more like its attempt at imitating castanets.
Did Vivi's little lightshow draw this Clauncher's attention?
Andrew, keen on avoiding any altercations, would intervene - jogging over, and crouching down inbetween the Clauncher, and the other pokemon. "H-hey there," He'd speak softly; briefly unsure of how to handle a wild pokemon that was clearly looking for a fight. "Eaasy there, how about we take a second to talk it out before we start picking fights like this?" Trying to help set the mood for the crustracean to calm down, Andrew would reach out with his aura - a sense of faint calm settling over both the crustacean, and the other pokemon nearby.
The Clauncher, however, appeared unconvinced; glancing up to Andrew, and beginning to angrily click its claws at him instead..! It began scuttling up to him, and once it got close enough, it would level its larger claw at him - letting loose a Water Gun...!
Andrew, thankfully, was just quick enough to see the warning signs and duck out of the way - visibly alarmed. "H-Hey now, c'mon, I don't want to fight..." He'd continue to try and persuade the lobster - slowly standing and backing off.
The Clauncher simply continued to make angry castanet sounds in response, seemingly waiting to see if Andrew would retaliate or not.
Inari, by now, would already be moving to Andrew's side - clearly displeased that this Clauncher dared to aim an attack right at her trainer. She was quick to dive into the fray with a snarl, letting loose a gout of Embers at the Clauncher, that the crustacean was just barely able to dodge away from...! The protective Vulpix-mix would put herself in front of Andrew protectively, growling at the Clauncher with her ears folded back to her skull, hackles raised, and her tails splayed out - as though to make herself appear even larger than she already is! She wasn't about to let it just get away with attacking her trainer!
The Clauncher, knowing a challenge when it sees one, would turn its attention to Inari - clacking at her aggressively in turn.
It appeared that a fight was on, between the two pokemon - even if Andrew had been more keen on trying to calm things down.
Post by Elliot Sunderland on Apr 16, 2020 1:12:30 GMT
Elliot laughed as Inari licked the back of his hand, shooting the Vulpix a wave as she trotted away. "Glad you liked the grooming!" he called, looking over his team with proud eyes and a soft smile. This had been a nice rest stop, true, but soon it'd be time for them to get going again. He grabbed his walking stick, bracing himself against it as he started raising himself back to a standard position. Echo helpfully scampered off of his lap, instead sitting on Murex's shell to help give him some space.
However, before Elliot could call his team over, a Clauncher came scuttling out of the blue. It scuttled towards Vivi and Lord Beerus, claws clacking in an attempt at a threat display. Vivi let out a yelp, scuttling behind Lord Beerus for protection, but Lord Beerus brought up a shimmering pulse of psychic energy to block her from getting behind him. Instead of letting her hide, he simply sat up straight on his haunches, waiting to see how Vivi would react to her first threat as a new Pokemon. She turned towards the Clauncher, eyes nervous but sparks starting to pop off of her fur. Could she let off another blast, or was she too young to even muster up the energy?
Fortunately, he wouldn't even need to know. Andrew intervened, Vivi sighing in relief (and Lord Beerus sighing in disappointment) as the human quickly took the Clauncher's interest. Vivi was quick to dash over to Elliot's side, the boy protectively holding her close. She snuggled into his chest, only to realize what she was doing and sharply pull away. The brief display of affection got Elliot laughing, only to laugh harder when Echo launched herself at Vivi to give her those snuggles she clearly wanted. Vivi flailed, letting out a groan as her attempt at looking cool crumbled around her.
It was as Echo buried her face in Vivi's soft fur that a high pitched keening rang out from the bushes. A small, doll-like Pokemon leaped down from a nearby tree, a hand flung back dramatically as they landed in almost superhero-like fashion. They stood up to their feet, dusting themselves off, then pointed dramatically at Vivi with a harsh look in their eyes. Vivi tilted her head curiously, Elliot taking the chance to scan the mysterious aggressor in his Pokedex. It was a Gothita, another young psychic-user with a love of people watching and a tendency to see things that others couldn't fathom. How long had it been observing the group?
Seemingly, long enough to know what it liked. The Gothita leaped up, landing on Vivi's head and reaching down towards Echo. His eyes softened, a smile spread across his face, and his cry became a lot softer and more gentle. Was he offering the Ralts his hand? Echo stared at it, raising a hand to her chin curiously, but she didn't have long to consider his offer. Vivi bucked in irritation, the Gothita tumbling off of her back. She turned around to yap at the goth, who grit its teeth as he peeled himself off of the ground. He waggled his finger back and forth, the Eevee following it with her eyes, then snapped it. The Eevee's eyes rolled to the back of her head, and she crumpled to the floor in a loudly snoring pile. With the interloper handled, the Gothita turned back towards Echo, crossing an arm over his chest and bowing low to introduce himself. She giggled a little, only to look up at a shadow looming over the two.
It was Lord Beerus. And he was not happy about his daughter getting taken out in a single Hypnosis. He picked the Gothita up by the scruff of her bow, recognition sparking in the Gothita's eyes as he looked the Espeon up and down. The weakness of the Eevee compared to the Ralts. The shared typing. The way he snapped into action to defend her. Everything made sense now.
Gothita knew what he had to do to win Echo's notice.
He clapped his hands in front of Lord Beerus' face, causing the Espeon to flinch. This brought Gothita just enough time to hit him with a drop kick, sending himself bouncing back and Lord Beerus sliding across the floor. It was a cheap trick, but an effective one. This was the first blow that, to Elliot's knowledge, had ever dealt Lord Beerus a significant hit. He coughed a bit, glaring up at the Gothita, but a cheshire cat's grin was quick to spread across his face. He raised his hindquarters and perked up his ears as he hunkered down into a fighting stance, glaring at the Gothita as it triumphantly landed a good distance away. It was time to finally get the fight he had been itching for!
Or, was it? The Gothita seemed to be in a fighting stance at first, but he was quick to instead start stepping from left foot to right foot. His arms swung freely at his sides, and after a few struts like this he was quick to hop back and finger gun at the Espeon.
Between an amorous Gothita and a fight-happy Clauncher, it seemed both Elliot and Andrew had their hands full...! Andrew would glance between Inari and the Clauncher, as well as back at Beerus and the Gothita; briefly noting that the smug Espeon had taken a big hit from the Gothita's attack (likely a Feint Attack, though Andrew didn't necessarily know that.) This all was quite sudden, really - and though he was a bit concerned for the psychic-type feline...
... The sound of a snarl from Inari, as she charged into the fray, reminded him that he had his own battle to worry about..!
With the passing time, the sun had long-since rose over the horizon; but even beyond that, it began to seem as though it was shining a little brighter and hotter on the battlefield, as Inari's fighting spirit rose..! Andrew had to pull his hoodie up over his head to protect his skin from the bright sunlight that shone down; no-doubt Inari's Drought ability had activated. And as a result of this, the protective Vulpix's Ember burned brightly as she used it on the Clauncher!
The crustacean pokemon, being a water-type, was able to take the attack somewhat alright; bringing his claws up to brace himself against the flames that licked and burned against his carapace. Not about to be an idle fighter, Clauncher was quick to retaliate - leveling his larger claw at Inari, and letting loose another Water Gun..!
Being the sharpshooter that he was, the resulting blast of water would slam into Inari's hip - causing her to yelp and stumble from the attack! Even with the warmth of the sunlight softening the blow from the water attack, it was still quite super-effective against a fire type Vulpix. "A-Are you okay, Inari??" Andrew would call - a hair worried. Inari, glancing back at Andrew, would simply nod - before turning her attention back to the Clauncher.
Andrew would think hard for a second - his mind racing, in the midst of what was his first true fight. Clauncher was a water-type, and easily displayed that he knew a water-type move to match. With this in mind, it was likely that the crustacean had an advantage - and that the second that Inari's Drought ran out, those Water Guns would really be hurting. So maybe...
"... Inari, use Disable!" Andrew would call out - trying to give the both of them the upper hand in the fight.
Inari, the loyal vulpine that she was, complied immediately; darting in close to the Clauncher. Though he attempted to use the proximity as a chance to let loose a point-blank Water Gun, Inari was faster; her eyes taking on a sinister and otherworldly gleam to them, as she stared into the Clauncher's own. The second their eyes met, a pulse of psychic energy washed over him that would make him flinch; and though he had been prepared to use Water Gun, the larger claw leveled straight at Inari...
... Only a few drops of water would drip out of his claw, harmlessly hitting the dirt beneath them.
"Yes!" Andrew cheered, grinning a hair giddily. So far, so good..! "Good job, Inari; let's back off now!" He'd praise - to which Inari would yip excitedly, darting back to avoid whatever attack the Clauncher might've had up his sleeve.
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