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.
Spheals, normally, were quite slow bouncing along like this - rolling being a far faster form of locomotive for them. However, it seemed that Larimar had mastered the art of hopping; and between this and the strength that came with his large size, he was bounding along at a decent click, alongside the assembled group..! It was easy to see that he had plenty of youthful excitement; eyes wide as he gazed upon his surroundings, as though having a new trainer was putting a new perspective to everything around him.
Inari, meanwhile, couldn't help but note Vivi's playful demeanor; her tails wagging in an amused fashion. The vulpix, growing energetic, would trot ahead of Vivi and Elliot a short distance, before doing a play bow to the Eevee..! Did Inari want to play with Vivi, as they walked? Indeed, if Vivi took Inari up on the offer, it would be an impromptu game of tag - Inari gently and playfully nipping Vivi on the shoulder to 'tag' her, before darting ahead a short distance on the path..!
Of course, this play also had the added benefit of keeping Vivi from getting underfoot or tripping anyone up by accident - keeping the play a respectable amount ahead of the pack.
Andrew was unable to help a bright and happy smile at this; pleased to see that Inari was trying to play and make friends, even if Vivi did turn out to be uninterested in Inari's game. Even after the two spent the better part of two years in Cedar Town, Inari was still plenty happy to make new friends, it seemed...
Andrew's eyes would also cast across the stream, as its path turned parallel to the road that they were walking down. He'd quietly and slowly nod to Elliot's words - agreeing that it was, indeed, a beautiful day, as well as acknowledging the young man's words. Andrew didn't think himself much of a swimmer at all; but the stream did seem like it was mild and shallow enough for him to give it a shot, if they ever did decide to do so.
Today didn't seem to be the day for swimming, however; for a certain rival would make another appearance, this time seemingly talking to something in the water below. As the water in question began to swirl and churn, Andrew didn't need to be told twice to be careful - backing away, as something began to burst from the stream...!
As the Starmie hovered just above the surface of the water, Andrew would glance to Inari and Larimar, and gesture them over - away from the evolved Water-type. "O-over here..!"
Inari didn't need to be told twice, returning to Andrew's side with zero hesitation. Larimar, however, initially attempted to be bold; puffing his chest at the Starmie. Hah! A giant starfish; who was he to fear such a gaudy looking pokemon?! He was ready to stand his ground against the bejeweled pokemon...
... Until Inari, having more sense than Larimar, grabbed him by the tail; dragging him back to Andrew's side.
Just how was Elliot going to deal with this new situation...?
Post by Elliot Sunderland on Apr 21, 2020 2:46:59 GMT
Vivi was all too happy to join Inari in playing. Sure, she made a big show about how she rolled her eyes when approached with the idea, but as soon as she started running after Inari she was skipping, leaping, and giggling without a care in the world. Whenever she made a tag she began slowly, smugly trotting away, making it quite easy for Inari to tag her and get the chase started again. Did Vivi think the game was over as soon as she tagged someone? Maybe! Whatever the case, at least Her Highness was enjoying herself! Yet when Inari proved a little hard to catch, she grinned cheekily before reaching a paw up and tagging Joule.
Betrayed by her own daughter! Joule squeaked in mock outrage, but outrage quickly turned into opportunity. She leaped off of Vivi's head and flew towards Echo, ruffling the Ralts' hair some before giving her a gentle tag. She scampered away, expecting retribution, but was surprised to see that Echo just leaned over and tagged Reverb right away. The Gothita froze up in surprise, Echo running away and shooting him a taunting wave. Now the race was on! Reverb scampered after her, his superior speed undercut by the fact that Echo had a knack for teleporting away as soon as he approached. Even when Reverb started trying to tag where Echo would be, rather than where she was, he always seemed to come up short.
It was when Reverb was a hair away from Echo that The Dudes poked out of the ground, having sneaked right between the two. Tag! They were it! The tallest of the Dugtrio looked down at its short-sized companion, hummed thoughtfully, then bopped it with his nose. The short one turned to the middle sized one and bopped them in turn. Finally, the middle one bopped the tall one. Around in a circle they went, giggling excitedly. This game was fun! It sure wasn't fun for the rest of the team, though. Vivi huffed, giving the ground a little stomp in frustration, while Reverb sagged a bit in disappointment. As for Echo? She just did a little victory dance, which was little more than graceless limb flailign and giggling.
The Starmie circled around Elliot, making more mechanical beeps as it looked him up and down. He froze up in shock, clutching Murex closer to his chest. With each second its beeping intensified, and its red jewel had turned a deep, oceanic blue. Elliot could hear the sound of water building up from within the gem's surface. Yet with how quickly it circled around him, Elliot knew it was too late to retreat. Instead he just cringed, wrapping his arms around Murex to protect her with his own body. "Hang on, Murex!" he said, squeezing his eyes shut. "Here goes nothing!"
As he said this, he heard the Hydro Pump fire off, his entire body cringing so he could prepare to endure the blow. Yet even as the sound of high-pressure water rushed past his ears, he felt nothing. Elliot cracked an eye open, only to see the ground directly to his right had been turned into a muddy mess. He turned slightly to see the Starmie in front of him, letting out a series of lighthearted whirrs and beeps. It started to occur to Elliot that the Starmie wasn't trying to attack him after all. Was it just pulling a prank on him?
He didn't have too much time to debate it. Two blasts of electricity suddenly hit the Starmie, causing it to light up like a Christmas tree. Its gem flashed every color of the rainbow before it fell to the ground, smoke rising from it. Joule and Vivi ran over, Joule blowing smoke from her fingertip and Vivi putting on her best intimidating face. A drop of sweat rolled down Elliot's head as he looked from the downed prankster to his protective, loyal team. "I, uh . . . I don't think he meant any harm," Elliot said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Though that wasn't a really funny joke. What'd you even do that for?" The Starmie let out a series of whistles and beeps, yet Elliot and his Pokemon simply looked at each other in confusion.
It didn't seem very concerned by its earlier pummeling, at least. After shaking off the electricity, it zoomed right up to Elliot, looking him up and down with renewed curiosity. The boy was too surprised by a Starmie taller than he was suddenly getting in his face to actually reassert his personal space, stammering back "M-my name's Elliot. Nice to . . . uh . . . beep you?" It was an incredibly lame half-pun. But what else could Elliot do? The poor kid was too awkward to say anything else.
Apparently not too awkward for his joke to land, though. The Starmie's eye flashed as it "blinked", before it promptly started blinking in rapid, high-pitched succession? Was it laughing? Apparently it was, and it was laughing so hard that it actually drifted back out of Elliot's personal space! "Huh. I didn't think it was that funny," Elliot said, shaking his head. "But it's okay if you're . . . star! struck. Get it?"
It did. It clattered to the floor, pretty much doubled over in laughter. "Wow, you're really loving these jokes, huh?" Elliot said. "I guess I'm not all washed up yet after all!" The Starmie stared, motionless and quiet. "You know. Washed up. Like I'd be after getting hit by a Hydro Pump?" It gave a few quick pity chuckles, but it was clear this one didn't quite land. Elliot shrugged a little. "Oh well. It was worth a shot, you know?"
That, apparently, got the Starmie doubled over with laughter! Elliot blinked, turning to Joule, who simply shrugged in response. "You know, I don't even know what pun that could've been. But I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth here," he admitted. "Still, I guess we're not in trouble after all! C'mon, Andrew, let's head o-"
Elliot turned around, ready to follow Andrew off of the route, only to walk into the Starmie that had suddenly popped up behind him. He clattered to the ground, the Starmie leaning in closely and curiously. "Or not?" he asked, a little bit of concern in his voice. "Is there something else you wanted to ask me about? Did the Binacle want to tell us something? Do you want to hear another joke?" The last one got the Starmie's gem flashing again, and it motioned for Elliot to proceed.
"Uh . . . knock knock?" he asked, the Starmie leaning in closer. "Net?" The Starmie leaned in even closer. "Net . . . Ball?" The Starmie flew back, laughing up a storm. And as it did, Elliot took a Net Ball off of his belt and tossed it towards the Starmie. Snap decision? Maybe! But if Elliot didn't act fast, who knew how long he'd be a captive comedian for?
Even with Vivi making a show of rolling her eyes, it seemed the two vulpine pokemon were both equally eager to play; running about as they chased each other along the path. Inari's tails would swish like a happy hound, her eyes having a playful sparkle to them as she danced just out of reach of Vivi's paws. Though they both were respectably quick, Inari was just the slightest bit faster; being able to keep just ahead of Vivi, despite the other's leaping and skipping about.
However, though she had an advantage, Inari seemed to know how to play nice - sometimes slowing down just a hair on purpose, so that Vivi would be able to tag her after a good and satisfying chase. And once Inari was it? She'd give Vivi a running start; not that the Eevee ever made good use of it, with her smug trotting. Each time it happened, Inari would give Vivi her fifteen seconds (though it was closer to five or ten seconds) of pride, before coming in to once more lightly nip her - tagging the young Eevee, and starting the game of tag all over again.
This would go on for a few cycles, Vivi and Inari tagging each other, before Vivi seemed to make the decision to tag someone else - this time tagging Joule! Inari, initially, was ready to get moving; electric types were typically fast, and she wouldn't be surprised if Joule was able to outspeed her in this game of tag. However, instead of tagging Vivi or Inari, Joule decided to instead tag Echo.
Who tagged Reverb.
Who then, after a fruitless chase after Echo, tagged The Dudes completely by accident...!
It would be here that the game would end - the Dudes seemingly having the idea to just tag each other, instead of trying to tag anyone else...! Inari couldn't help a bit of a disappointed whine at that - though would still nuzzle Vivi and softly yip, as if to say 'Its okay, we can play again later.' With that, Inari would file back in with Andrew and Larimar; taking the relaxed walk as a chance to rest her legs after the chase of their game of tag.
Andrew, chuckling, would reach down to pat Inari's head - giving The Dudes an amused smile all the whilst. It was good to see that his pokemon were getting along with the others, and that Elliot's own pokemon had their own ways of making fun...
But, then came the Starmie. Similarly to Elliot, Andrew had frozen up with fear; his arms wrapped close around Larimar and Inari both, as he watched the Starmie circling about the other trainer. Surely, Elliot had a plan for this, right? He had something up his sleeve, for dealing with this Starmie, just like how he dealt with the Binacle, yeah..? So...
... Why was Elliot just hanging onto Murex like that, why was he just standing there..? The Starmie looked ready to fire off an attack at any second, and it was sure to leave Elliot hurting - or worse - so... Why wasn't he doing anything...??
At first, Andrew was just frozen up with the shock of the Starmie's sudden appearance and aggressive demeanor; circling about Elliot with a gradually intensifying beep, as its gem built up with water. However, as he realized that all Elliot could do was brace himself, a lump caught in his throat as well. He... He had to do something, right? He had to help Elliot -- but...
But Inari was a fire type, against an evolved Water Type.
But Larimar wasn't made to fight, and was still so young.
But the Clauncher was still hurt, from their first fight.
There wasn't anything he could do, could he...? Not unless he tried to draw the Starmie's attention away from Elliot, and... The most he could muster was a strangled croak in his throat; his voice refusing to rise any higher, frozen just as he was. His limbs felt weak, yet his grasp on Inari and Larimar both was firm and tight - even as his hands trembled.Faintly, he was sure the two would be uncomfortable with how tightly he was gripping, if they weren't frozen as he was.
Come on.
Say something. Anything.
Scream, or shout, or SOMETHING, before he gets hurt cause of you; if there's anything you're even good for..!
As soon as Andrew opened his mouth though, his voice rising up, anything that he could've said would be drowned out by the sound of rushing and crashing water. Almost immediately, Andrew couldn't look - staring down beneath himself, cringing inwards on himself; almost as if he was trying to protect himself physically and mentally, by not acknowledging what the result of the Starmie's Hydro Pump may be. Even as Inari and Larimar both - who were able to see that Elliot was just fine - tried to reassure Andrew, the young man didn't respond or look up; having more or less shut down.
Initially, he didn't react to the distant sounds of the Starmie's beeping, nor did he react to the electrical noises of Vivi and Joule both zapping the prankster. The only thing that would get him to react, was when he heard Elliot's voice - the sound of the other speaking causing Andrew to jolt and sharply inhale, as if he had just come back to life.
Slowly, he'd look up - up to Elliot, Murex, and the Starmie - watching as the other trainer awkwardly interacted with the rather incompetent jokester. They seemed to be interacting as if the Starmie hadn't nearly injured Elliot - or worse - at all, instead seemingly exchanging puns. And suddenly, Andrew began to feel very, very silly for having been scared at all. They weren't even in any danger in the first place, were they?
He'd let go of Inari and Larimar both, suddenly realizing just how tightly he had been gripping them. Both pokemon were worried, he could see it in the way that Inari tried to nuzzle him, and the soft and inquiring squeaks of Larimar, but he'd simply shakily pat them both on the head. "I-I'm alright..." He'd manage out to try and reassure them, cursing himself for the shakiness in his voice. They were okay, weren't they? Nobody was hurt, right..? So he should be okay, too...
Slowly, he'd brush himself off, and rise back up to his feet - trying to hide the lingering tail-end signs of his anxiety attack. He forced his breathing to even out, he forced back the wetness in his eyes, he forced the shaking in his fingertips to still and he forced his nerves to settle; quietly watching Elliot and the Starmie, as they interacted. He was okay... They were okay...
When Elliot called for Andrew to come with and move on from here, Andrew would quietly and stiffly nod in response; slowly stepping forward to join the other trainer. But, the sudden appearance of the Starmie in front of them had Andrew yelp and flinch away - hands automatically going up to hug himself. No. No, he couldn't handle this, he couldn't deal with this--
Inari could see the warning signs that Andrew was not in a good state of mind, and immediate put herself between her trainer and the Starmie - protective, ready to make the space that Andrew needed to breathe if it tried to approach. However...
... Quite thankfully, it seemed that Elliot had a different solution in mind; before any need to make space arose, he would throw a Net Ball at the Starmie, in a snap decision to catch it.
Post by Elliot Sunderland on Apr 22, 2020 4:12:40 GMT
As Starmie disappeared into red light, Elliot could clearly say Andrew flinching away and hugging himself. Seeing someone so kind, gentle, and thoughtful of others so clearly pained left Elliot's heart sinking like a stone, and he hesitantly took a step closer to Andrew. At the same time, he hesitated. Andrew was clearly very worked up, and he didn't like people being too close even in the best of times. Would it have been the right thing to do, even if his first instinct was to go over and comfort him? Or would it be more important to inspect Andrew's boundaries now than ever? He stood there, frozen in mid step.
As he did, he blinked. He wasn't looking at Andrew. He was looking at himself. He looked down at his palm, and it was trailing blood. All the while, a Seviper laid at his feet, coiled and unconscious. He remembered just how helpless he felt when he had seen Levy get attacked by the Seviper. How heavily he second guessed himself, wondering if there was something, anything that he could have done differently. How completely and utterly useless he felt when it came to someone that he had grown to seriously care for. He thought about all of those burdens he had put on himself, and how even now they were still weighing on him.
He didn't want to put that same burden on Andrew. Maybe all he needed to do here was do what he needed for himself. "Hey," he said, a soft smile on his face as he looked at Andrew. He didn't dare take a step further. Instead, he let his eyes and his voice communicate any closeness that he was trying to convey, knowing full well that they'd be more useful for him than physical proximity would. "I know that was a lot. Maybe one of the scariest things we'd been through on the road so far. You're really brave for sticking around, you know that? It really means a lot that I could turn back after all of this and see that I wasn't facing it all alone."
He looked down at the Net Ball in his hands, running his fingers along its cross-stitched pattern. He thought for a second, punched a few buttons, then let it fade into a red light. "Don't worry. The Starmie's gone now," he continued, keeping the same warm, gentle tone to his voice. "I don't think they really get people. I mean, most Pokemon are a lot like us, you know? But this one was like . . . almost more like a machine. Or, like, an alien. I don't think it really gets things like faces, or feelings, or jokes. I could tell it was trying, but-" He realized he was rambling. No, no, now wasn't the time for that. "I'm keeping it in the PC. I'll try and reach it later. Maybe teach it a few things. If I'm half as patient as you, who knows? Maybe it and I'll have a breakthrough. But it isn't here now. You're safe. You're okay. And so am I. I promise."
Rather than start walking again, Elliot simply waited patiently for Andrew (or, more likely, Inari) to come to a decision. Some people carried burdens for such a long time that sitting and thinking would leave them paralyzed. Others wouldn't be able to function until they got them off of their chest. Which was Andrew? A runner, or a thinker? Yet nevertheless, he stood there, a soft smile on his face. Why wasn't he afraid? Was it because the Starmie proved its own strange, uncomfortable form of understanding in the end? Was it because he was trying to be strong for Andrew? Or was he simply bad at processing fear and pain when it came to his own person, even if he was very sensitive in worrying over others? There could be a million and one reasons, or there could be no reason at all, yet he refused to let his smile waver. "Thank you.
At first, as Elliot moved as though to take a step closer, Andrew's shoulders tensed visibly. His eyes flickered in the other trainer's direction, but his eyes were otherwise focused on where the Starmie was before; his nerves frayed from the situation as a whole. His body was poised as though ready to flee from an unseen threat, and his fingers were starting to dig painfully into his arms - though he barely noticed the pain, over the buzz of everything else. Arceus, everything around him was starting to feel like it was too much right now. Everything in his head was starting to feel like it was too much.
Inari, too, seemed to react quickly to Elliot's motion; stepping between Andrew and Elliot now. Her gaze on Elliot was gentle and but firm, and perhaps even apologetic; she didn't hold any ill will towards Elliot, and she understood that Elliot didn't hold any ill will towards either of them. However... Andrew needed his room; he was overwhelmed, and scared. She knew this better than anyone, and so she knew that the first thing she needed to do, as Andrew's support, was to maintain that space. Even if that meant possibly hurting Elliot's feelings in the process.
After a few long moments of observation though, once Inari was sure that Elliot understood the boundaries set, her attention would turn towards Andrew; trotting over to her trainer without hesitation. Softly, insistently, she would whine to Andrew - briefly hopping her front feet up, so that she could nuzzle her nose underneath one of his hands, which were gripping at his upper arms. The second thing she had to do, was to try and give himself something else to focus on - to be a warm and comforting presence for her trainer.
This seemed to be enough to jolt Andrew out of his daze; his eyes snapping to Inari, as if he had just been brought back to reality. Slowly, carefully, Andrew's arms would unwrap - a hand stroking over Inari's muzzle and head, to which she'd lick Andrew's palm in an affectionate gesture. Andrew's expression softened at this - though he still looked quite nervous - as he slowly, but surely, went into a seated position; wrapping his arms around his beloved Vulpix. His hands and shoulders were shaking, and his breathing was unsteady and shaky. He felt as though he wasn't entirely here, right now; as if his feet would fall through the world if he tried to move from this spot.
Not that he wanted to move, anyways. A small part of him almost wanted to disappear - to become invisible, if only briefly, from the rest of the world.
Inari would accept this embrace eagerly - half-climbing into Andrew's lap, so that she could lean into him, as a warm and comforting weight that he could focus on. Though his hands stroked over her fur, it didn't seem like a conscious action; appearing more subconscious and automatic, if anything. Even then, Andrew appeared focused on Inari - though it was clear that he was still listening to Elliot's words; quietly and slowly nodding along as he slowly hid his face against Inari's fur.
If he was honest, he didn't feel brave. He froze up at what could've been a very, very dangerous moment - he didn't act when he should've, Elliot could've gotten hurt, Murex could've gotten hurt, anyone here could've been hurt really badly..! Even now, despite his attempts to steer his brain away from all of this, his mind was worrying over the many ways this situation could've gone horribly, horribly wrong; replaying that scene over and over again, each one with a different variety of conclusions or results.
He felt like dead weight, in a sense. Elliot was far stronger than he was, after all. Elliot was the one who had been acting, to try and protect a teammate that he thought was in danger. Andrew, however, wasn't even able to move a muscle. Still though, he continued to listen, as Elliot continued to speak. Having other things to focus on, besides his panicked brain, seemed to help him relax a bit - and though he already knew that the Starmie wasn't here, that it wasn't going to scare or hurt anyone anymore...
... Being told that they were okay, seemed to bring tears to his eyes, that even he couldn't quite identify. Was he still scared? Was he relieved? Overwhelmed? He wasn't sure - perhaps it was all of it at once; but he'd still nod, harder this time, as he let out a soft and shaky hiccup. He was okay... They were okay... He seemed to be slowly but surely coming down from the scare, even if tears were trailing down his cheeks.
Though, curiously enough, then came Elliot's question - the question as to what he could see. Andrew, initially, didn't understand the question - and he certainly didn't have the willpower to bring himself to answer it. Despite this though, he'd lift his head from Inari's fur - sniffling a bit and wiping at his eyes - so that he'd be able to see his surroundings.
He could see Inari here, in his arms.
He could see Larimar - the young Spheal having worriedly set himself at his side, though seemingly unsure of how to act.
He could see Elliot, and for a moment, he couldn't help letting his gaze linger for a few moments before he moved on.
He could see Elliot's pokemon - Vivi, Murex, Joule, Echo, Reverb, and even The Dudes....
And beyond that? There was the route around them; the trees, the bushes and tall grasses, the stream, the occasional buildings, the road stretching on ahead...
He could even see that the sun was rising above; the pale hues of the early morning having long-since disappeared.
Before Andrew even knew it, he was startling to feel a little more 'himself'; his breathing steadying, save for the occasional hitches and hiccups from his emotional state. His hands began to stroke at Inari's fur with more purpose, and he even would stretch a hand out to stroke at Larimar's head, pulling the large Spheal a little closer.
Inari, seeing this as a good sign, would nuzzle Andrew quite affectionately, before turning her attention to the others - to Elliot, and his team. Briefly, she'd gesture with her tails - an invitation to come closer, if they so wished; she could tell that he was starting to feel better, and certainly was better enough for the presence of others.
Perhaps, she faintly hoped, this would even be a way for Andrew to feel a little more comfortable and confident around Elliot.
Last Edit: Apr 22, 2020 5:43:06 GMT by Andrew Wynn
Post by Elliot Sunderland on Apr 22, 2020 21:36:33 GMT
At Inari's invitation, Elliot kept his steps slow and gentle. He knew that even his initial probing step had set Inari into her usual protective mode, not that Elliot could ever blame her for it. The poor guy was a mess of fears, thoughts, and emotions and needed his space. She was just doing her due diligence for Andrew as a service Pokemon, and Elliot didn't take it personally one bit. In fact, even now that Inari was urging him forward, Elliot took each step one at a time, checking with the fox to make sure his approach was still acceptable before advancing. As soon as she retracted the invitation Elliot would stop, whether that meant being by Andrew's side or a healthy distance away from him.
The grounding trick seemed to work. Andrew hadn't verbalized it, but he took a clear and obvious look around his surroundings. Each sweep of his eyes seemed to steady him a little bit more, and soon he was even reaching out to give Larimar some affection. He was slowly but surely coming out of his panic, even if he still clearly wasn't doing a ton. Once Elliot had approached the limits of Inari's invitation, he sat down in the grass and looked towards Andrew. "See? You're right here. Right now," he said softly, so glad to see that Andrew had found a tether back towards himself. "And we're all here, too." As if for emphasis, Echo teleported onto Elliot's head, flopping down on him and shooting Andrew a brilliant smile. Joule scampered up to Elliot's shoulder, her own smile warm and patient. Murex eased her shell open, tongue drooping outside of it in her own attempt at a smile. The Dudes churned their way up to Elliot's side, each flashing Andrew a wink, and Reverb nestled himself into Elliot's lap before giving Andrew a smile. Even Vivi, despite trying to look disaffected and aloof, kept glancing over her shoulder to see if Andrew was okay.
Elliot sighed softly, the smile on his face fading some. He debated sharing his own experience with Andrew, but . . . would it be comforting, knowing that he wasn't alone here? Or would it just scare Andrew off, especially when he had just started a journey of his own. Ultimately, Elliot decided it wasn't worth the risk. Even though his smile had dimmed slightly, what it lacked in pure strength it made up for in genuine warmth. "Take all you need. It's okay," he said, voice soft. "We'll hit the route again as soon as you're ready. And I'll be right there with you. I promise."
Andrew would peer over to Elliot as the other trainer slowly and carefully approached; the lower half of his face still hidden against Inari, and his eyes visibly wet and puffy, though he didn't tense up at the other. He'd take in a deep and shaky breath - still sniffling and hiccuping, but calming down - and wrap his arms around Larimar and Inari both a little tighter; just wanting to enjoy the proximity of his teammates. He felt drained and tired, but at least he was able to tear his brain away from panicking.
As Elliot finally sat down, and softly spoke, Andrew would quietly nod in response; letting out a heavy sigh as his shoulders drooped and relaxed, repeating Elliot's words to himself, in his head. They were okay. They were here.
Elliot's pokemon, too, each would show their own forms of reassuring smiles and concern; gathered with their trainer. Even past his emotional and mental exhaustion, Andrew couldn't help but be endeared by it - a new rush of tears welling up as he smiled to them, and gently laughed. He'd reach up a hand to wipe at his eyes - which Inari seemed to take as a chance to go around to Andrew's bag, and retrieve a bottle of water from it...! The Vulpix would present the water bottle to Andrew with an insisting yip, which only made Andrew laugh harder; nodding wordlessly as he ruffled Inari's curls, and took the bottle.
Freeing up both hands, Andrew would twist the cap off to take a few gulps of water, before slowing down his intake to an idle sipping. Once more, he'd nod to Elliot's words; feeling a bit bad that he was holding up the trek, though definitely knowing now that he still needed a minute before he was good to go. He'd let out another heavy sigh, this time pulling out a small pocket-pack of tissues, with which he wiped his eyes and blew his nose inbetween sips from the water. He, additionally, seemed to have some aspirin on him; taking a couple to abate the headache that he was already starting to feel the beginnings of.
Inari, meanwhile, was patiently resting; her front half sprawled on Andrew's lap. Larimar would let out a soft squeak to Andrew - as if asking if he was okay - to which the trainer smiled gently; patting the Spheal's head.
It'd take a bit of time for Andrew to fully calm - tears no longer streaking down his face, his breathing more or less steady, and the headache held back from the aforementioned aspirin. The plastic water bottle, by now, would be empty - used tissues shoved into it to keep things clean and tidy and the cap twisted back on - as Andrew put it into a side compartment on his bag; figuring he could toss it once they got to town.
As though she sensed that Andrew was feeling better, Inari's tails would wag happily as she trotted forward a few paces; peering back to him, and waiting patiently for him to follow. Larimar, too, would nuzzle Andrew, before making a valiant-seeming squeak and pose; no more accursed stars shall haunt Andrew, while this Spheal still stands..! ...
... Or can hop, Larimar corrected himself mentally.
Though a certain degree of tiredness was still clear in Andrew's expression, he'd smile nonetheless; slowly standing and brushing himself off. He'd glance aside to Elliot, quiet for a few moments - as though finding his words - before softly murmuring "I... uhm... I'm s-sorry, for all that..." Taking in a deep breath to try and soothe himself, he'd murmur "I'm okay now, I t-think..." ... "... Thank you."
Softly, Andrew offered Elliot a genuine and warm smile, before stepping forward; at least... Until he felt something under his foot. Glancing down quizzically, Andrew would briefly sift aside a bit of dirt with his foot, as he saw something gleam in the sunlight; a round object of sorts. Leaning down to grab it and dust it off, he would be greeted with what almost looked like a marble; light green, with striking stripes of red and dark green.
Briefly, Andrew wondered what exactly it was; something about it gave off a thrumming sensation underneath his fingertips that he couldn't quite identify, and it gleamed in the sunlight in an almost mystic fashion. Inari and Larimar, too, both seemed curious - though neither of the two pokemon could make sense of it, beyond it being a strange marble of sorts...
Though Andrew had a few hunches, he didn't want to make any assumptions; instead putting it in his pocket for now, before moving on. A lucky find, he supposed; it was quite pretty, and he almost wondered just who was dropping Net Balls and marbles on this route.
Could be anyone, he figured, given the urban nature of this route... OOC: Dark Incense is active, 4 rolls left.
Inari the Vulpix - Level 6 - 4/5 Energy Deadeye Claude - Level 3 - 2/5 Energy, Burned Larimar the Spheal - Level 2 - 5/5 Energy
Last Edit: Apr 22, 2020 22:43:03 GMT by Andrew Wynn
Post by Elliot Sunderland on Apr 23, 2020 1:22:28 GMT
Elliot grinned softly at Andrew. "Hey, it's okay," Elliot said. "You don't gotta be sorry for anything, you know? Your feelings are important, so feel them as much as you need. And you're my friend. Of course I'll wait up for you." He could only hope that those reassurances would help ease his friend a little as they continued along their journey.
That said, it seemed like Elliot's words wouldn't be the only omen coming Andrew's way. As he got back up to start moving, the boy had stepped on what seemed to be a shimmering green marble. Elliot wasn't quite sure what it represented either. Sure, his father had been a fervent battler who had taught him many things, but he had never actually shown Elliot a Mega Stone up close before! As far as he knew, this was just a really nice marble. But sometimes, a really nice marble could be all it took to get your head back into the game, as weird as it sounded. "Huh! Nice little good luck token for the journey ahead, huh?" he asked. "Maybe this means we'll be seeing some cool Pokemon up the road."
And, sure enough, they did! The stream started to diverge from Elliot and Andrew's path, but not before a Mantine gracefully leaped through the skies. Then another one. Then another, and another, and still one more! They leaped one after the other, making it look like a constant stream of Mantine were breaching from the stream. They sailed through the air gracefully, the leader of them making a content droning noise as it looked towards Elliot and Andrew. After a solid half a minute of gliding they dove back down into the river, before breaching again in another, shimmering splash. They seemed perfectly content minding their own business, so Elliot didn't make a point of pursuing them. However, he did look over to Andrew, as if to see whether he was interested or not.
As he turned aside, he didn't even notice the Ultra Ball sailing towards his head. Boom! Direct hit! Elliot stumbled forward, stars and birds spiraling around his head as he looked up at the sky in a daze. Fortunately, either it was a light toss or Elliot had a hard head, because he was able to shake it off with little more but a comedic bump on his forehead. "Sorry!" a voice called out, Elliot noticing a sporty-looking trainer rising up from the bushes. He paled a little as he saw that it was a human his ball had hit, not a Pokemon. And a young one, too! "I was trying to catch one of those Mantine, but the wind they were kicking up must've sent it your way.
You, uh. You can keep that if you want. Sorry. C'mon, Kecleon, maybe we can catch 'em at the next bush!" The lizard by his side nodded, and within seconds the two had stalked back off into hiding. Frankly, Elliot was a little bit baffled. But, hey! Free Ultra Ball! "And I guess this is my good omen! Though I wish it warned me first," he admitted, a shy smile on his face.
At Elliot's mention of the mega stone potentially being a good luck token, Andrew couldn't help smiling a hair more brightly; laughing gently and nodding to Elliot. "M-maybe..." He mumbled in a hopeful fashion, rolling the stone between his fingers briefly before he pocketed it. He seemed a little more comfortable speaking up this time, even if he was still shy and stammering somewhat. "I, uhm... Do like green...!" He'd mention; smiling shyly in Elliot's direction. The fact that this Mega Stone was such a beautiful green made it quite the pretty find, on top of just being a nice good luck charm...!
And just as Elliot said - it wouldn't be long before they found some cool pokemon. As the stream diverged from the road, Andrew would initially be startled, at the sound of a splash..! For a split second, he did tense - the back of his mind wandering towards when the Starmie had appeared. But, thankfully, this anxiety was quickly abated when he actually caught a glimpse of just what was emerging; which was a herd of Mantine, leaping out of the river...!
Visibly awed, Andrew would stare upwards to watch the sea pancakes sail by, gliding through the air; a bright and amazed smile spread across his face. "Beautiful..." He couldn't help but breathe, his voice soft. He could forget completely about the rougher encounters that the two of them had, to instead simply watch this majestic sight.
Inari and Larimar, too, would both be watching the stream of Mantine closely - both of them being awed in their own ways. Larimar, being the show off that he was, wanted to try and glide along like the Mantine were - surely it couldn't be THAT hard, with how easily there were doing it! Letting out a determined bark, as he attempted to use his Water Gun to propel himself up to the Mantines, and fly alongside them...! Inari, amused, would follow after Larimar from below with a playful yip; her tails wagging as she watched the Spheal ascend.
However, it seemed that Spheals were simply not made for flight, in the same way that Mantines were. Before long, Larimar would be unable to maintain his Water Gun for any longer; and though he did manage to nearly reach and follow along with the Mantines above, he would be forced back downwards by the whims of gravity...! Much like the last time he fell back down, Larimar knew to use Defense Curl to avoid getting hurt - though it also helped that he would fall into the stream below with a little 'sploosh'..!
Andrew and Inari both would move for the edge of the stream; wondering if Larimar was okay, even with these two factors in mind. When the Spheal - humbled, but perfectly okay - emerged from the stream with a disgruntled squeak, the two would begin to chuckle; Andrew leaning down to pat Larimar on the head. "You did great," He'd softly praise the Spheal - adding "Maybe we could see about learning more moves, that'd let you fly like that?" in suggestion.
Last Edit: Apr 23, 2020 2:35:49 GMT by Andrew Wynn
Larimar, his bruised pride seemingly soothed by the suggestion, would nod in response; squeaking an affirmative. Yes! Perhaps today, the flying pancakes evade him; but let it be known that he shall one day fly like no other! And then all can bear witness to his glory..!
By now, the Mantines would dive back into the river - eventually breaching again in another leap. Though Andrew indeed found the Mantines quite fascinating and beautiful to watch, he didn't exactly want to disturb this herd or catch any of them. They seemed perfectly happy, just doing their own thing, after all...! He'd still take his phone out to record them, however; wanting more memories that he could look at another time.
This observation and recording would go on, until - suddenly - he'd hear a 'clonk', from Elliot's direction..! Glancing over to the other trainer, Andrew would watch as Elliot stumbled around in a daze; immediately causing concern, as he and both Inari and Larimar came over to the young man's side, to make sure that he was okay..! Thankfully, it seemed as though Elliot was able to shake it off quickly; all that was left being a little red bump on his forehead.
Elliot's remark about the Ultra Ball being his good omen would make Andrew chuckle faintly; though his eyes would still be focused on the red bump - and he couldn't help but imagine that the spot must be quite sore. Perhaps it was a sudden moment of boldness, or perhaps it was Andrew's kind nature winning out over his shyness; but he would - slowly but surely - reach out a hand towards the bump without too much thought.
A shimmer - the same shimmer from when he had attempted to heal Murex's wounds - would come from Andrew's fingertips, as he brushed them against the bump. Where they touched, there was a warm and soothing sensation - one that Andrew hoped would help ease any soreness that the other trainer must've been feeling, from the impact of the Ultra Ball. However...
... Just as soon as Andrew healed the bump, he would also realize just how closely he was standing to Elliot now. He'd blink once, then twice, and then thrice as red spread over his cheeks; an obvious shade against his normally pale skin. "I-uhm-u-uh..." He'd stammer as the realization struck him, stumbling back a couple paces. Oh, Arceus, what was that??? What was he doing??? He'd pull on the drawstrings to his hoodie - hoping that closing the hood more tightly would hide just how bright his cheeks were - and just barely managed to stammer out an "I-I'm sorry???"
Even then, though... The tone came out more a question - as if even he didn't know what he was apologizing for - more than it did an actual apology...!
Larimar would be unable to help snickering a bit, and Inari was a bit amused; though still nuzzled against Andrew's leg to try and calm him down a bit. She always did know that her trainer was a bit hopeless in this regard, but seeing it in action was still somewhat humorous.
It took a few seconds before Andrew would find some semblance of composure - even if his cheeks were still a bright red - as he spun in place somewhat stiffly, facing towards down the road. Rubbing his cheeks, he'd start walking; seemingly unable to look at Elliot now, after the awkward situation he just caused for himself...
... Hopefully, whatever they'd run into next would help with that..! OOC: 3 rolls left on my Dark Incense. Let's hope for an actual dark type... =<=;
Inari the Vulpix - Level 6 - 4/5 Energy Deadeye Claude the Clauncher - Level 3 - 2/5 Energy, Burned Larimar the Spheal - Level 2 - 5/5 Energy
Post by Elliot Sunderland on Apr 23, 2020 22:58:29 GMT
Elliot's team, too, watched as Larimar sailed into the sky; Joule with a slight wince of concern, The Dudes withe wide-eyed curiosity that got them to stop their usual bobbing, Murex with a vacant spaciousness as her tongue lolled from side to side, Vivi with the slightest hint of judgment in her upturned nose, Reverb with a jealous huff and reserved curiosity, and Echo with absolute bright-eyed excitement. They all followed the path of the Spheal's ascent, leaning forward with interest as he rose only to sigh with disappointment as gravity took its inevitable toll. He was so close, too! Joule and The Dudes scampered over to check on the fallen Spheal, Joule fussing over him from the water's edge and The Dudes zooming right up to give him a few hands-free high fives.
Yet it seemed Echo and Murex had a bit of a different plan in mind. The two turned to each other, Echo chittering excitedly and Murex responding in hesitant, nervous agreement. Reverb and Vivi sat back, watching them curiously, as Echo picked up the bivalve and started shaking her up, down, and all around. By the time Echo set Murex back down on the ground, she was hopping up and down like a coke bottle full of pop rocks. She looked down at the ground, focused a high-pressure burst of water, and then rocketed high into the air! Echo looked up at the ascending Shellder, cupping a hand over her eyes to watch without blinding herself, then smiled softly. She ran over to Reverb, grabbing him by the hand, and teleported away before he could even react.
After appearing atop Murex's shell, history repeated itself. Echo swung Reverb in a great big circle, his alarmed cry surely translating to "Not Again!", before flinging him as far away as possible. As he sailed off, she sat down on Murex's shell, teleporting them back down to the safety of the ground. She turned back to Larimar as she slid off of her dizzied companion, letting out a chirp of challenge. It seemed she was trying to beat the show-off Spheal at his own game! Whether she did this the regular way, or in another, much more roundabout, one, was up for debate.
Elliot wasn't able to pay witness to these shenanigans, unfortunately. He was a bit busy getting some medical attention from Andrew. Elliot wasn't sure what to expect from the shy, nervous boy, but suddenly stepping into Elliot's personal face and setting his hand on the injury certainly wasn't that! Elliot's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden closeness, and Andrew's soft, gentle touch left him turning a neon red. It wasn't very long, and among more touch-happy friends it would've been barely anything to think about. But between the gingerness of the gesture, its unexpectedness coming from Andrew, and the aura-directed warmth pulsing through Elliot's entire body, the poor boy's heart nearly skipped a beat.
Yet it undeniably did its job. As Elliot's blush deepened, his pain started to pass, until soon the bump on his head had been replaced entirely by a lump in his throat. The two just stood there, blushing in utter shock, until Andrew returned to his nervous, stammering norm. As if on cue to help snap his friend out of it, Elliot nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "H-hey, it's no problem. I mean, I'm feeling better now. So it worked," he said, smiling softly. He averted his eyes, his blush reddening one last bit, as he continued. "B-besides, no need for sorries, remember? A-and I can't say I really minded . . ." Did he seriously just say that? Yeah, Elliot was biting his tongue on this one.
Fortunately, a distraction came just in time, Elliot feeling a tug on his pant leg. He looked down in time to see Echo, who looked up at him curiously. "Oh! Echo! Hey! Everything okay with the Pokemon?" he asked, turning around a bit too quickly and a bit too nervously. She shot him a knowing, almost smug smile, before shaking her head no. "Huh, really? Hold on, let me take a headcount . . . Vivi, Murex, Joule, Donnie, Ronnie, Bonnie, you of course . . ." Oh. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose a bit. "Echo, where's Reverb?" he asked. The Ralts pointed into the treeline.
"Did you throw him again?"
Echo looked at Elliot, tilting her head curiously, then broke out into giggles. He smiled slightly in return, but with how he glanced back into the treeline it was clear he was a bit worried. "Come on, come on, let's go find him," he said, the Ralts happily taking his hand. "Sheesh, poor guy. The things he does for love, huh?"
~~~~
Deep among the trees, perched right by a lake, a Cramorant triumphantly plunged her head out of the water. A pair of Chinchou lures flailed from within his mouth, the aquatic flying type bobbing her head victoriously all the while. She had done it! She had caught the mysterious light! It kinda stung, and tasted like burning, but who cared? Now she, too, could light up the seas! And who knew what other sorts of Pokemon she'd discover with the help of this newfound light? Why, she could already see the possibilities. Even bigger Arrokuda than ever before! Undersea friends, like Huntail and Relicanth! A Gothita, hurtling right towards her!
Wait, what?
Cramorant's internal monologue was promptly interrupted by Reverb striking her like a meteor, sending the Chinchou flying and the bird bouncing across the river. Miraculously, Reverb hopped right back to his feet, completely unharmed. He dusted himself off, then began trotting around the lake to get a sense of his surroundings.
The attention from both Joule and The Dudes seemed to be a balm to Larimar's bruised pride as well, the Spheal turning his nose up in a proud fashion as the motherly Dedenne fussed over him, and The Dudes came for some high fives. (Which, seemed to just be them bumping foreheads together, given Larimar's stubby flippers and The Dudes' lack of hands.) Yes, yes; as you all can see, he is quite unharmed! Not even gravity can pierce the stout armor that is his Defense Curl and thick blubber...! Perhaps today, the Mantines above were beyond his reach; but they will one day know his true glory as well...!
(... And it helped that he also had the stream to cushion the fall; but details shmetails!)
However, it seemed that Echo and Murex wanted in on the fun. As the two began scheming, Inari would watch them curiously; her head tilted somewhat quizically. Just what were they planning, over there...? Her interest piqued much as Vivi's and Reverb's were, she would pad over to the duo - sitting down a short distance away to watch. Much to Inari's concern, Echo would suddenly pick Murex up, and beginning to shake her about...! The large Vulpix couldn't help but wonder, just how healthy that was for the poor Shellder; surely, that had to be quite nauseating...!
Well, regardless of Inari's worries, it seemed that the shaking fulfilled whatever it was that Echo needed; which, as it turned out, was a high-pressured burst that sent Murex rocketing up and high into the air..! Inari, startled, would yelp a bit as she danced away from the resulting droplets of water spraying down everywhere; her tails flicking as she licked off what drops did manage to hit her fur. She certainly didn't ask to get a bath - and she was sure the others nearby didn't, either...
As Murex ascended higher and higher into the sky though, both pokemon would watch as the bivalve rose up high; even higher than Larimar did..! Inari, while impressed, was honestly unable to help but wonder if this was too high - Murex had recently gotten her shell beaten up, after all, and she wasn't sure of just how good Andrew's healing had mended it up...! Surely, there'd still be fragile spots on it, wouldn't there?
Larimar, though, initially puffed his cheeks in envy. This Shellder was showing him and his Water Guns up! She was surpassing what should have been his glorious acension...! The sassy Spheal would, initially, let out an outraged squeak; clearly displeased that someone else was doing what was his thing, but better...! However...
... Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in Larimar's head. That move that Murex was using - was it even a Water Gun? What if he asked her to teach him whatever move it was that she was using? Surely then, he could simply learn to use it even better..! Then he'd be able to one-up the Shellder right back, and show everyone just who was the king of the skies...!
Inari though, watching Larimar laugh at seemingly nothing at all after having been frustrated only seconds ago, would tilt her head a little. Was... Was he okay...?
Regardless of the mental state of any seals present though, Echo would be watching Murex's ascension as well. And this Ralts seemed to have an idea, it seemed; going over to Reverb, and disappearing in yet another teleport...! Much to Inari's concern, Echo was once again spinning around Reverb - the poor Gothita letting out an alarmed cry, as he was sent sailing off into the trees beyond...! Is... Is he going to be okay...??
Now that Echo and Murex both were safe on the ground, Inari would go up to the Ralts, and let out a chiding bark - as if lightly scolding the other for her recklessness. Reverb might end up hurt, depending on where he ends up landing..! Even amidst this though, Inari wasn't angry. She just hoped that Echo would be more mindful of Reverb's safety, next time she tries this.
And a mother (or motherly pokemon, in this case) hoping that you will improve is, perhaps, more damning than a mother's anger.
Larimar, meanwhile, seemed to disregard Echo's challenging chirp - instead being focused on the poor dizzy Murex! He'd hop up to her and squeak questions and comments to the Shellder. How did she get so high up? Could she teach him? What move was it that she used..??? Without Andrew or Elliot to keep their pokemon under control, it seemed that chaos was for sure.
And neither of them were exactly present, when they were busy being flustered messes.
'Norm' was probably a generous way to describe Andrew's current state; completely flustered by the situation just as much as Elliot was, if not even moreso..! He had no clue what had just gotten into him with that sudden bout of boldness - and he, frankly, was almost afraid that he had overstepped something with just how speechless Elliot was as well...!
However, before long, Elliot would speak up - reassuring Andrew, even past his own stammers. Andrew, shyly, would turn his glance in the other trainer's direction; his cheeks still quite flushed, over the whole situation that had just occurred. He'd nod a little stiffly, opening his mouth as though to say something, but... Elliot's admission that he didn't exactly mind the touch, would have Andrew's face growing a bright red once more...! Oh, Arceus, his heart wasn't going to last the rest of this trip...!
... It... was still something, though, that Andrew would nod to; quietly noting it in his head.
Before long, Echo would return to Elliot's side, and they would come to the realization of just what had happened, in the short amount of time that they had gotten sidetracked.
Echo had, once again, thrown Reverb!
Andrew blinked a little owlishly; wondering just how much arm strength Echo had, to have thrown the poor Gothita into the treeline. Regardless, it seemed they'd have to go look for him; already gesturing for Inari and Larimar to follow after, as he stepped into the small grove of trees...
And Inari was on the case, it appeared - running ahead a short distance, and sniffing about for any sign of Reverb's scent..! If anyone was to hear or smell any sign of Reverb, it likely would be Inari, with her keen nose and ears...!
Post by Elliot Sunderland on Apr 24, 2020 0:49:48 GMT
Echo wilted under Inari's disappointed momly stare. She sat down in the grass, poking at it with a stick and letting out sad murmurs in response. For as much of a firecracker she could be when worked up or around those she cared about, that timid side of hers still came out when she was called out on her nonsense. Nevertheless, after a bit of time to meditate on her actions, she turned to Inari and shot her a shy, guilty smile. She toddled over to the fox, giving her a few soft, gentle pats on the head. It was her own form of an apology.
Murex, meanwhile, looked over towards the seal that had approached her. She tilted her head curiously, as if wondering what Larimar was about to say, before perked up upon realizing the nature of his question. She hopped a few feet away, charged up another Liquidation, and then launched herself right into the air! The differences between the move and Water Gun were clear. Rather than a stream, like the Water Gun kicked up, this was more like a single high-pressure burst. It certainly wouldn't be usable for long-distance attacks like a Water Gun was, which Murex promptly demonstrated by firing another off into the air. It basically puffed out in a single explosion, so close that Murex'd have to be in kissing range to actually do any damage with it. The second difference was that water seemed to erupt around Murex's shell as she used the attack, making it look like she was wrapped up in a thin, high-pressure bubble. If that bubble hit with as much force as the initial launching did, it was no wonder the move was so strong!
A pity she didn't have time to show more. It was go time!
Inari had taken the initial lead on this trip, but it wasn't long before Vivi and Joule had caught up with her. The Eevee was quite fast, and Joule's own keen nose and ears let her do her part to help her keep the search going. Together, they were an unstoppable searching duo! However, any duo paled in comparison to a trio, and pure speed meant The Dudes were a trio to look out for. They blasted ahead of the entire pack, but may have missed some of the subtleties of this plan. Whereas Inari and Joule were searching, it seemed like The Dudes were just charging and hoping they'd find results. Who would win out on the end? Careful diligence, or raw speed?
Whoever took the lead, hopefully it would be path. Another panicked cry from Reverb echoed across the treeline, Vivi and The Dudes turning their path to head in its general direction. Elliot, Echo, and Murex would be right behind them, running as quickly as they could. Even with Elliot's bad leg, he'd be pushing himself to his limits here to find the source of the cry!
Whoever arrived first would find Reverb running in circles, flailing wildly as he tried to avoid swoops from the curious Cramorant. They were making quite a few laps around the lake, Reverb not noticing the friendliness to the Cramorant's chirps, all while the Chinchou lazily looked back and forth between them. It could have escaped from its former captor any second now, but what would be the fun in that? This was quality entertainment!
As Echo apologized, Inari's demeanor seemed to soften greatly; affectionately nuzzling her in response to the pats, so as to reassure her. Inari wasn't mad at all, after all - Echo just needed to learn to be more thoughtful, about how her actions affected others. However, she would also yip softly as she did, as if reminding Echo of something - pointing out that though she appreciated the apology, Reverb probably needed it more.
It'd be a shame, if Reverb's affections for her only got him hurt, after all; an apology would likely be a good start to turning things around - in Inari's opinion - as well as learning to give him a heads up next time Echo decided to become a football player. That, though, could wait until they actually found Reverb. Inari would gently nudge Echo in Elliot's and Andrew's directions, figuring that they'd have to let the two trainers know what had just happened, and start a search for the poor Gothita.
Larimar, meanwhile, was quite curious about Murex's Liquidation attack; watching with wide and curious eyes, as the Shellder launched herself up into the air once more..! Indeed, this move was quite different from Water Gun - and for a moment, Larimar was afraid that he wouldn't be able to mimic Murex's move at all...! After all; the two moves seemed to function in completely different ways, even if they were both water type moves...! However... Then he realized - he did know a move, that was similar to how Murex's worked!
His prized Aqua Ring...! Of course; how could he be so daft? This was his key to flight like none other...! Once more, the eager Spheal would conjure a few rings of droplets around himself - seemingly keen on trying to form them into a bubble. Perhaps, if he just did Aqua Ring lots and lots, it'd make the bubble he needed for this..! However, even as he made more rings....
And more rings...
And even more rings...!
... It seemed that Larimar was missing a key to the puzzle, as well as just exhausting himself a little trying so hard. Maintaining this many rings was hard, and wasn't getting him anywhere closer to making a bubble, even if it was good practice...! One by one, the rings would begin to fade; the Spheal making a soft 'hrmph' to himself, as he tried to figure out just what, exactly, was missing here.
Indeed though, much like how Murex wasn't able to show him more, Larimar wouldn't have a chance to go any further with this - the hunt for Reverb was on...!
As Inari sniffed about, her ears twitching every which way, she would note that she was not alone in this hunt. Vivi and Joule soon followed after, the two tag-teaming this search, it seemed..! Inari, with a brief gesture, would direct Vivi to stick to the left side of the road, while Inari stuck to the right - keeping pace with the Eevee as they searched. This wasn't a race, after all; and if they split the work between the both of them, they might be able to find Reverb even faster...!