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.
Larimar would squeak a bit in surprise at being head-patted by Ralts - seemingly not expecting it. Certainly, he has headpatted others - and trainers have headpatted him, too..! But to be headpatted by a pokemon was new to him; especially when between the both of them, Echo was the smaller of them...! Though, he wouldn't necessarily say that it was a problem; enjoying the attention, even if it was short lived before Echo hopped off to help with the rocks. And Larimar wouldn't be far behind, to help out as well; being as theatrical and extra as always, in helping set up the fire pit.
It didn't take long for the lot of them to have a proper and impressive campfire set up, and for Elliot to return with some water for the pasta. Though Andrew, admittedly, was a little disappointed he didn't get to help with cooking more - it was still interesting, just seeing what all Elliot had planned for a dinner...! Maybe he could use this as a source of ideas, for making his own meals, once he was on his own once more?
He wouldn't mind helping with washing the dishes after all this, either; that was another way that he could help out, for sure.
The Meowth, too, would seem interested as well - if the way he eyed the skewers that Elliot was making was anything to imply. However, whereas Andrew was interested for the sake of curiosity and learning... The Meowth was just eager for a free and easy meal...! Hanging around these two trainers was easy-peasy, when all you had to do was be cute and friendly, and one of them didn't mind you taking a snooze on his head...!
Once the noodles were boiling in the pot, Elliot would begin passing out skewers - for them to hold up to the fire, and cook. Andrew wasn't too nervous at the prospect of helping out with cooking the skewers - he'd handled meat before, so it wasn't like this was completely new to him. Though, not being able to control the temperature quite as precisely as a dial on a stove top was something new; he'd have to keep a careful eye on how quickly everything on these skewers were cooking, so that they cooked nice and evenly and tenderly...!
Larimar made a squeak of disappointment, over not being able to have a skewer to hold, though. Inari, meanwhile, was just watching the food being cooked with visible interest; wondering how long it'd be, before they'd all get to dig in...! Her tails would be wagging, nose sniffing at all the different scents coming from the skewers and the cooking noodles..!
Briefly, though, the noise of something - perhaps a twig - snapping off in the distance would draw her attention. Of the four of them - Andrew, Inari, Larimar, and the Meowth - it seemed that she and the Meowth were the only ones to hear it, no-doubt due to them having equally keen hearing. Both pokemon's ears would swivel in the direction of the noise, though the Meowth was ultimately indifferent; immediately turning his attention back to the food when he didn't hear anything else. Inari, on the other hand, couldn't help but gaze out, towards the distant foliage, for a few long moments.
When nothing seemed to move, and she didn't seem to hear anything else out of the ordinary, though... She'd slowly turn her attention back to the cooking at hand - watching Murex and The Dudes both moved the pot off of the fire. Larimar gave her an inquistiive squeak - asking if anything was wrong, though Inari shook her head. She was pretty sure that another wild pokemon was just passing by, was all... Perhaps in other, more wild routes, this might be of concern; but most of the pokemon, save for perhaps the Binacle or Clauncher, were pretty mild.
The two pokemon would soon return their full attention to the cooking, though, as soon as the skewers were declared finished. Andrew, smiling, would pull his skewers back at Elliot's instruction - looking them over as Elliot went to handle the pasta. "You excited, guys..?" He'd ask Larimar and Inari in a soft voice - to which they'd both give affirming barks, the both of them visibly eager for some freshly cooked meals. Andrew did feel a little bad that his Clauncher wouldn't be able to participate - not unless they found someone to heal the burn - but...
"I'll make it up to you later, when we hit the city, buddy..." He'd next whisper to the Net Ball; smiling sheepishly.
Before long though, the pasta was ready alongside the skewers - allowing for a variety of food for them all to dig into. By now, night was starting to creep in - the veil of dusk casting the route in shadows and a relative darkness, kept at bay only by the cooking fire that they all had set up before. Andrew would get up from his seat by the fire to start dishing Inari, Larimar, and even the Meowth up, with their own fair shares of the food provided.
Only once he was sure that everyone was happy and eating, would he begin to dish himself up as well - grabbing a plate for himself. However....
...
... He'd pause at the sudden sound of something rustling, from somewhere just beyond the reach of the fire's light. This time, even he could hear that there was something out there - and Inari was growing alert, getting up to stand closely and protectively to Andrew. Whatever was out there, though, was hard to see - it was dark, blending in easily with the coming night, with the only thing to imply its presence being an eerie golden glow in the shapes of rings, that peeked through the foliage that was shifting with the movements of the wild Pokemon watching them...
Had it been drawn here by the smell of the food cooking? That was the only guess Andrew would have - glancing down at his plate, and then back to the golden glow that was creeping about the edge of the campfire light. Slowly, but surely, Andrew would make the decision to finish dishing some food up onto the plate, before creeping forwards - towards the source of the glow. Once he reached the edge of the campfire's light, he would set the plate down, and nudge it towards into the foliage, before stepping back to the assembled group.
For a few long moments, things would fall quiet and still, but... Faintly, they could hear the sound of something scuffling - the plate being dragged further away from the light, and the golden glow creeping a short distance further away - and the sounds of something eating quite voraciously. Whatever wild pokemon was out there, it must've been quite hungry...!
Andrew couldn't help but cast a couple more glances towards the golden glow, but would otherwise turn his attention back to their own food - dishing himself up some dinner, and sitting down to eat; occasionally glancing over his shoulder every so often as he did.
Post by Elliot Sunderland on Apr 27, 2020 3:25:07 GMT
Elliot smiled warmly as skewers and plates were passed around, watching as Andrew and their teams began to chow down. Echo barely even waited for the food to cool before she started chowing down, biting into pasta before letting out a yelp of surprise. She fanned her face, Reverb leaning over to blow on the pasta for her. She promptly chirped in approval, before picking up the plate and basically pouring the pasta on herself. One minute, the plate was full of sauce and noodles. The next second it was completely empty, and Echo somehow didn't even have a spot of sauce on her face. Both Vivi and Reverb looked at her, shock in their eyes, but she ignored their reactions to merrily bite down on a skewer.
Reverb ate a lot more slowly and cautiously than his opposite number, taking little scoops of pasta, followed by little bites of skewer. Vivi, on the other hand, ate her skewer so quickly that there was honey all over her fur afterwards! Joule shook her head, chittering affectionately as she started cleaning the Eevee's face. The Dudes each took a piece of meat from their skewer and pulled in different directions, the skewer snapping into three smaller ones as they tried to fight over it. Murex ate the pasta noodle by noodle, using her tongue to basically devour the pasta in a single, continuous slurp. Elliot was so delighted by watching all of this that he didn't even have a chance to eat!
As he continued to watch everybody he cared about, he noticed that Andrew was crouched over the bushes. He left one last plate next to them, then returned to his own to continue eating. Elliot moved to sit by the other boy, smiling softly at him. "Saw a new friend over there?" he asked, glancing towards the plate to show what he was talking about. Sure enough, as Elliot focused his ears, he could hear voracious eating from whatever Pokemon had been perched over in the bushes. He giggled a little as he listened, before sighing fondly. "Oh, Andrew. You're so thoughtful. And, hey! I'm really glad my cooking's so good, you're willing to share it with others."
It was getting darker by the minute, and once he had finished his own plate Elliot knew it'd be time to move on to the next step of camping; actually building the campsite! With the fire still casting enough light for him to work with, Elliot moved a safe distance away from it and began setting up his tent. "Oh! Think I could have a hand with this?" he asked Andrew. "I figure the Pokemon have been doing their best all day, so it might be nice of us to let them rest and do some of the heavy lifting for them this time. Besides, might as well get a preview of our slipping arrangements for the night, you know?"
It seemed that everyone had their own methods of eating, given the variety of personalities, shapes, and sizes; and Andrew's pokemon were no different.
Larimar's eating was, in a way, a bit of an oxymoron; with his large size, he would end up taking large mouthfuls of food from the plate. However, he was also surprisingly dainty about it - being careful that no sauce would end up on his pristine fur...! Inari, on the other hand, would take her time. Her eating was overall rather average, though she had a preference for the meats over the oran berries; on top of this, she would wipe any sauce that got on her fur off with a paw, before licking the paw clean. The Meowth, meanwhile, was even daintier - his small size meaning that he didn't eat big, nor did he see any reason to worry about it; plucking berries and meats off the skewer with his claws, and munching into them without a care in the world.
As Elliot asked Andrew about the plate though, the young boy would jump a bit - not expecting to be addressed so suddenly, and his attention being split between his own food and the mystery wild pokemon. After a short moment to calm himself and process Elliot's question though, he would nod quietly. Whatever wild pokemon was watching them, from the foliage beyond, was likely just here because they were hungry. It'd have been kind of cruel, to not share at least a little bit of their food, with someone who needed it.
Being called thoughtful, though, would still prompt a shy blush from him; nodding bashfully as he continued to eat. He didn't really think it was that big a deal, really...! He just wanted to do something nice, was all...
As dinner began to wind down though - Inari curling up by the fire, the Meowth having hopped up into a nearby tree to doze off, and Larimar patting his belly in a satisfactory fashion - Elliot would call for Andrew's help with setting up the tent; prompting a small nod from the young man, as he got up to help the other trainer out. He wasn't exactly a strong individual - and he wasn't sure as to whether it'd be a problem or not - but he'd try his best, to help out...!
As they both worked on setting up the tent, though... Another rustle, from the edge of the campsite, would prompt Inari to raise her head; and she would peer over in the direction that the wild pokemon had been hanging out before, just in time to see what their little visitor had been..!
An Umbreon - a rather shy looking one at that, if its folded back ears and tucked tail implied anything. It had the plate hanging from its mouth, every last crumb having been eaten up - down to the sauce being licked clean off of it. The timid Eeveelution would creep into the light of the campfire a few paces, and set the plate down - nudging it forward almost expectantly - before warily watching everyone, to see what would happen.
Post by Elliot Sunderland on Apr 27, 2020 4:09:52 GMT
Thankfully, it wouldn't be too hard to put the tent up. A pole here, a strategically-assembled framework there. Sure, sometimes a pole ended up slipping out of the boys' hands and toppling over. But any mistakes were just brief slip-ups, and frankly Elliot couldn't be too frazzled by them. Each mistake was just another chance to try again, and frankly they were making good progress on the tent. Once Echo and Reverb had finished with their food and started stabilizing the trickier-to-adhere poles? It was all smooth sailing from there. By the time he was done Elliot sighed in relief, peeking from behind the tent to check on the fire as it continued smoldering down. "We did good today, A- oh!"
It seemed their shy guest had emerged from the forest! It also seemed that they liked Elliot's food enough to want seconds! Upon noticing it shyly push its plate forward, he broke into an ear to ear grin. "Of course you can, silly," he said, slowly and calmly moving over to the food to avoid startling the Umbreon. He left enough over for him and Andrew to have for a quick morning snack, but surely it'd be fine if he parted with his own portion, right? He de-skewered the honey roasted meat and fruit and put it alongside some of the pasta, smiling softly at the Umbreon as he set it on a new plate next to him. "Here ya go. Eat up, okay? A nice, home-cooked meal's the best way to get big and strong."
Once that was all said and done, he returned to Andrew, smiling teasingly at him. "You've sure got a knack for getting friends to tag along with us, huh?" he said, giving Andrew a playful, gentle nudge with his elbow. "You should chat with them a bit once they've settled in and finished eating. Might be nice having a chance to bond with a nice, quiet Pokemon, after all of the chaos we put you through today." Well, at least Elliot was in good spirits about how crazy today had been! Whether good crazy, like Larimar, to worrying crazy, like Starmie, to adorable crazy, like Echo making her grand debut in the first place. It had been a long, high-energy day, maybe more than Andrew had ever experienced before. Yet with how happy the boy had seemed, Elliot didn't feel too guilty.
Still, a chance to bond with a nice, quiet Pokemon like Umbreon might have been the wind-down Andrew needed. After all, once they were done with this, it was time for them to share a tent. It'd take all of Andrew's newfound social stamina to survive the night!
Putting up a tent was something new to Andrew - quite new. Perhaps, it was a blessing in disguise, that he was getting to help Elliot with putting his tent up - allowing him to have some practice in handling these things, for when he was set off on his own with his own personal tent...! Much like Elliot, he couldn't exactly be mad over their slip-ups; in fact being unable to help a brief chuckle, as he had to duck over a rope that was sent swinging at one point...! Whoops; maybe he shouldn't have pulled so hard... Thankfully though, it wouldn't take too long to set the tent up - especially once Reverb and Echo were both able to come over and help out.
And by the time the tent was ready, a certain Umbreon would have emerged for seconds...! Even with Elliot's slow and careful movements, the Umbreon would watch him quite warily - even shying backwards a few paces, when he approached to put down some food for her. Her eyes would glance to the plate, to Elliot, and then back down to the plate - taking a second before she would slowly, but carefully, creep forwards to the plate - eating once more. Larimar and Inari, though they watched the Umbreon, would keep a respectable distance - whereas the wild Meowth was just completely zonked out by now.
The teasing and nudge from Elliot would make Andrew smile sheepishly though, as he glanced towards the timid Umbreon. Though he didn't expect to try and catch yet another pokemon after already having found himself two new pokemon today, the idea of having an Umbreon on his team did seem interesting... And even if he didn't decide to catch the Eeveelution, spending some time with a quiet and mild pokemon also sounded nice. It'd make for a nice breather, after all the chaos, like how Elliot put it.
Slowly, and carefully, Andrew would circle around the edge of the campsite - sitting down a comfortable distance away from both the other gathered pokemon, and the Umbreon herself. He was careful to not face the Eeveelution directly - thinking back to articles he had read about approaching wary feline pokemon - and instead would make sure that his side was facing her as he sat down, keeping a calm and somewhat disinterested demeanor about him, as he pulled out his phone. Too much focus on the Umbreon was likely to spook her, even if he kept his distance, after all; and sitting down like this would hopefully make himself look smaller and less threatening.
Meanwhile, the Umbreon would practically scarf down the meal - visibly appreciative of the meal itself, even if she was unsure about everyone else who was present. She was well aware of Andrew's presence - if the way her ears twitched a bit in his direction were apparent - but he was far away enough to not alarm her too much. Instead, she'd simply cast occasional glances at the boy - who was still keeping his eyes glued to his phone - as she cleaned up the plate, finally feeling full after what must've been far too long.
Andrew, side-glancing at the Umbreon, would smile a bit; happy to see that she was getting a full meal. When their eyes would happen to meet, Andrew would respond with a calm and slow blink - a signal that he meant no threat - and would slowly offer the Umbreon his hand, a single finger slightly extended. He was still not facing the Eeveelution, and he'd still pay slightly more attention to his phone than he was the Umbreon - remaining calm and composed.
Though the wild Umbreon originally intended to leave after the meal, the gesture would make her pause a bit - as though rethinking her intentions. The boy, out of the lot, seemed rather quiet - and also had been the one to offer her some food first, even when the other pokemon seemed on the alert... Slowly, carefully, she would creep towards Andrew; occasionally freezing up and becoming as still as a statue as she'd watch for any signs of danger, before she'd relax just a little more than before - coming closer bit by bit...
By the time she was within arm's reach, Andrew would remain still as well; casting occasional glances as she sniffed at his finger and hand. Gosh, this Umbreon was such a beautiful pokemon; he wondered how she'd do on the stage, if she would even be interested in such an environment. Eventually though, Andrew would be broken from his thoughts as he felt a nudge - the Umbreon gently, and carefully, bunting against his finger. It was only then that he'd move - carefully and gently scritching along the Umbreon's cheek. "Hey there, fella.." He'd speak softly and calmly - offering the Eeveelution a smile, and another slow blink. "Do you have a name?"
Though the Umbreon, at first, flinched a bit at even the movement of a single finger, she would relax a bit - Andrew's body language reading as calm and welcoming to her. She'd relax into the touch of the gentle scritches, though remained where she was; sat on her haunches, right at arm's length. His gentle voice would make her ears twitch a bit as she met his gaze - returning his slow blink with a hesitant slow blink of her own - as he asked her name. Though she considered the question a second, she would shake her head; she was a wild pokemon, through and through - and she never did get a proper name from anyone, as a result.
Andrew, slowly, nodded in understanding. He'd continue to slowly scritch along the side of her head, being mindful of the Umbreon's body language, and spoke up softly once more; introducing himself. "My name is Andrew, and it's nice to meet you. It's okay if you're shy, or nervous... I know how it feels. You don't have to stay here, if you don't want to."
The Umbreon would tilt her head a bit - noting the boy's name. Andrew... Had she ever been told a trainer's name, before? She wasn't sure - she tended to stay away from humans, but the food here had smelled so good, and she was so hungry at the time... The mention that she didn't have to stay here, too, was new - and though she had debated taking this human up on the out he provided, well...
... Instead, she'd take a few steps closer; laying down nearby, much to Andrew's delight. The young man would smile a bit more brightly, though he remained as calm and relaxed as could be; instead briefly turning his attention back to his phone, and letting a pause hang in the air, like a breather for the shy Umbreon. All the while, he'd continue to scritch the sides of her head, as well as on top of her head and under her chin, too; slow but steady progress being made. When he did finally speak up again, he'd glance towards her a bit more fully - mentioning softly "That food was pretty good, huh...?"
The Umbreon glanced up to Andrew - taking a second to respond as she mulled over the question - before nodding, slow, gentle, yet also with a hint of eagerness. It was definitely delicious; being very different from the meals she usually scavenged or hunted for on her own. She'd never thought to put together the foods that these humans had, and it admittedly had her wondering of all human food was this good...
The nod would make Andrew's smile light up a little more, visibly endeared at the hint of energy in the Eeveelution's response. He'd take a second - mulling over his words - before deciding to make an offer to her, mentioning "If you want, you could come with me. I wouldn't mind sharing more food like that with you; and... I think we both could bond, over a lot of shared traits."
This seemed to bring a hint of uncertainty to the Umbreon's expression - and Andrew would be quick to clarify, adding "It's your choice. I don't mind if you even tail us for a little while longer before leaving, or if you decide to leave tonight. But I think that we could get along, and I think that my Vulpix over there - her name is Inari - might get along with you, too." Slowly, and carefully, Andrew would unhook one of his pokeballs - setting it down in front of the both of them, and nudging it just out of his arm's reach.
"I don't mind if you need to think it over." Andrew reassured the Umbreon, turning his attentions back to his phone. "I'll just sit here with you, and I'll be here to listen if you want anything."
OOC: Befriend catching this Umbreon with a normal pokeball, and I'd also like a Charisma skill-up for Andrew's coaxing the timid Eeveelution closer and attempting to befriend her!
Post by Elliot Sunderland on May 2, 2020 17:44:06 GMT
The Umbreon seemed rather timid when even one human was in close proximity to her. Better not to push her luck by having two people linger around. Elliot shot Andrew a gentle smile as he made his way over to the other Pokemon, then turned to start working on the last bits of preparation for their campsite. After all, he and Andrew wouldn't be the only ones sleeping here! Elliot whistled his team over, the spectacular six looking up at hum curiously as he squatted down to talk to them. "Well, guys, looks like we're setting up camp for the night," he said, smile soft. "Echo, Joule, Murex, I know this isn't your first rodeo. But with the majority of us here being new to the whole camping out thing, I figure we should probably plan out sleeping arrangements, y'know? So! How would you guys like to do this?"
The Dudes looked at each other, nodded, and promptly burrowed underground. The tallest of the trio nudged dirt into a little mound over its shorter cousins, then ducked down to join them. "Oh! That was easy," Elliot said. "So that's the Dudes accounted for. How about you, Reverb?" The Gothita, similarly, let his actions speak for themselves as he grabbed Echo by the hand. The Ralts giggled in response, but didn't seem opposed. "Good! A cuddle buddy always helps with making sleeping nice and easy. Murex?" The Shellder promptly dribbled water on the dirt to make an impromptu mud slick, then buried herself underneath it. "Business as usual. Gotcha," Elliot said, doing the rounds to help round out The Dudes' dirt mound and help bury Murex under her mud-pile. Echo kicked up a bed of psychically powered leaves, which promptly clattered to the floor as their psychic energy dissipated. Echo squeaked with joy as she bundled herself in the leaves, Reverb sitting by her side and gently brushing her hair. All the while, Joule remained perched on Elliot's shoulder, chittering advice to him on how he should best set up each "bed."
All was peaceful, and with that Elliot turned to Vivi. "And how about y-" he started, only for Vivi to pretty much full force tackle into him. Clearly, the idea of spending the night alone was enough to worry her out of her usual aloofness, and Elliot held her close as she worriedly snuggled him. "Alright, alright, I get the picture," Elliot laughed, softly stroking her fur. "You can join me and Joule, okay? We're here to protect you. I promise." At the mention of the word protect she huffed, but nevertheless gratefully nuzzled into Elliot. Joule scrambled from his shoulder to Vivi's fur, playing with her hair to help continue to soothe her. Together, they were going to be a-okay.
Now all Elliot had to do was start setting up the bedrolls, and camp would have been all set up!
As the Pokeball was set out, the Umbreon would quietly regard it for a few moments - as though uncertain. Andrew had put emphasis on how this was her choice, indeed; but...
... After a short while longer of being scritched, the timid Eeveelution would decide to make her decision. Slowly, she would stand and stretch out her limbs - yawning somewhat anxiously as she did - before casting a glance between Andrew, Elliot, and the other assembled pokemon. Too many people, too many scents, too much hubbub - this wasn't really her cup of tea. Perhaps if things were a little quieter, perhaps if they meet again, though she didn't want to make that plunge now.
Bunting against Andrew's hand one last time, she would finally turn away; slinking towards the foliage beyond the dimming light of the dying campfire, and disappearing into the darkness, save for the dim glow of her markings. Andrew didn't stop her - figuring that this was her prerogative, if she'd rather remain a wild pokemon. However, soon... Even the glow of her markings would disappear as well, as the Umbreon returned to the wild beyond the beaten path.
For a few moments, Andrew's gaze lingered on where the Umbreon disappeared from view, a sense of disappointment welling up in his gut. He had really thought that he'd be able to befriend the Eeveelution and relate to her on some level - though... He supposed that even pokemon wanted their space, and time away from people. He didn't blame her for that, though - and he wouldn't dwell on it for long. Perhaps, some time in the future, they might meet again?
Sighing simply, he'd just get up, brush himself off, and see what Elliot was up to. Which, as it turned out, was helping set up all the pokemon for bed..! That did remind him - how did Larimar and Inari want to arrange themselves, tonight..? Glancing down to the Spheal and Vulpix in question, the two pokemon would glance to the others, to each other, and then up to Andrew - seemingly having their own ideas, even without his prompting.
Larimar, bouncing up to Andrew, would return into his Dive Ball - enjoying the quiet and enclosed space of it. This way, this also meant that the 4 foot ball of seal wouldn't be taking up too much space..! Inari, meanwhile, would remain at Andrew's side; bunting against him briefly. Andrew couldn't help a chuckle at this, kneeling down to pet Inari. He guess this meant that she wanted to sleep next to him? It wasn't surprising; they always snuggled together back home, after all...
Well, with that figured out, he would glance over to Elliot; approaching the other trainer. "Uhm..." He'd begin softly, glancing between the other pokemons' beds, as well as their tent that they were sharing for the night. Assuming that the soft noise was enough to get Elliot's attention, he'd fidget and take a second to put together his words, before murmuring "Do you, uhm... W-want some, well, h-help...?"
With how accommodating Elliot had been all night, between making them all dinner and allowing the both of them to share the tent, he wanted to at least pull his own weight somehow...!
Post by Elliot Sunderland on May 3, 2020 2:18:12 GMT
Elliot smiled softly as Andrew returned. Even as it started getting dark out, the other boy was visible in the light of the dying fire. "Hey, welcome back!" he chirped. "How'd it go?"
As he awaited Andrew's response, he began pondering the other boy's question. Was there a ton left to help with? Most of the Pokemon were able to handle their own affairs when it came to sleep, and the two of them had already teamed up to put the tent together. At this point, setting out bedrolls was really the last thing to do. "Think you could help me out with the bedrolls?" he asked. "Once those are all set up, we should be good to go sleepingwise. I mean, we'll need to put out the first first. But a bottle of water should be more than enough to settle that."
Elliot hummed as he dug through his backpack, trying to find the bedrolls he was talking about. Fortunately enough, there were two of them! Thank goodness he picked up a spare, just in case. It'd still be a cramped sleeping situation, but it wasn't quite as awkward as it could have been. He offered the bag over to Andrew, letting him peruse it at his leisure. "Feel free to pick out your favorite. I haven't really used either of them a ton yet, and I'm not too picky on preference," Elliot said. "Oh, and, Andrew?
Thanks again for sticking around today. I don't think I've ever spent a whole day on a route with someone like this before. It was a really nice change of pace, compared to the usual."
Upon being asked how it went, Andrew would pause for a second - frowning faintly - before shaking his head in response. He didn't get the Umbreon - she had left pretty recently, after their brief interaction.
Instead though, he'd focus on the bedrolls that Elliot had indicated - taking a second to pick one out, before he helped unfurl it out in the tent. He didn't exactly have any preference, either; so he simply picked the first one that caught his attention first, figuring that they both would be the same otherwise. They seemed as though they were the same brand and whatnot anyways, at just a glance.
As he got to work setting his bedroll up though, Elliot would eventually speak up to him once more - calling his name. The young man would pause a bit, glancing in Elliot's direction; just barely being able to make out the other trainer in the dying light of the campfire, like an outline. Elliot thanked him for sticking around, and mentioned how different this all has been - and... For awhile, Andrew didn't respond; instead quietly mulling over the other trainer's words as he worked on setting the bedroll up.
What other sort of people has Elliot met, on the road?
What other sort of people would he end up meeting, himself?
Was this going to be the last time, that he spends a night, camping out with someone he had practically only just met...? Or was this only the start?
Would he be able to deal with interacting with someone else, in the same way that he had dealt with interacting with Elliot..?
He, briefly, would have to fumble a bit with the straps - the dim light of the dying campfire making it a bit difficult to see where he was supposed to undo them. However, once he had the bedroll unrolled properly, and once the fire was put out, he'd let out a brief sigh; setting his things down, so that he could flop against the bedroll with an audible fwump. It'd been a long day, and it was only now that Andrew was starting to realize just how weary he'd gotten. Inari, close behind, would curl up with Andrew - her tails arranged underneath his head like a makeshift pillow, as she nuzzled him affectionately.
Though Andrew couldn't help a chuckle - briefly petting Inari's fur - he knew better than to leave Elliot without a response. And with having had the time to think it over, it would come surprisingly easily. "This... It's, well... All new to m-me, too.." He'd murmur softly, his eyes focused on Inari, even if he couldn't see her in the darkness of the tent. "It's... b-been an experience..."
Briefly, he recognized that his eyes were watering - emotions welling up, from the day at large. He didn't fight it, however; thankful that the only person who'd likely be able to notice was Echo in the darkness. It'd been a roller coaster of emotions today, and everything he had dealt with had been so new and intimidating for him, but... "... I... I don't regret sticking with you, though..." He'd find himself speaking, without even thinking twice. "You're... really nice. Your pokemon are, uhm, really nice... And e-even spending time with you has, well, uhm... It's been r-really nice, too."
For a few long moments, silence would hang in the air then - Andrew relaxing with a heavy sigh, as he got comfortable in the bedroll, snuggled up to Inari.
Post by Elliot Sunderland on May 3, 2020 3:21:23 GMT
Rather than depend on the dying campfire himself, Elliot reached into his pocket and passed his phone over to Joule. The Dedenne flicked it on with surprisingly little issue, then aimed its flashlight down at the bedroll so Elliot could see what he was doing. The electric light was a little harsh at this hour, but it meant Elliot had little to no issue with getting his bedroll set up. She turned to offer Andrew the light, too, but upon seeing he was nearly done decided not to startle him by suddenly offering him a bright light. Besides, albinism tended to come with light sensitivity, as Echo had learned the hard way earlier. There was a reason why Elliot was using his body to block the light as much as possible, making sure he could benefit from it without leaving Andrew with a wicked headache.
Once he was done setting his bedroll up, he clicked the light off, turning towards Vivi and smiling. "Think you could give us a hand with the campfire, Vivi?" Elliot asked, the Eevee yapping in response. Joule gently guided her to the campfire, muttering hushed assurances under her breath to help keep the Eevee calm in the dark. Once they were over by the campfire, all it took was a Sand Attack or two to smother whatever remained of it. As soon as the light was out Vivi let out a startled cry, running towards Elliot and burying her face in his side. Slowly, softly, Elliot stroked her hair. "You did perfect, Viv," he assured her, voice warm and even. "It'll be bright again in the morning. And while it's dark out, you'll be too sleepy to even notice. So just close your eyes, okay? Tomorrow's the start of a brand new day for you."
With Vivi calmed down, Elliot turned to listen to Andrew. The boy had finished meditating on Elliot's words and was now speaking up himself, even in his own quiet, hesitant manner. His words were so sweet, soft, and earnest that Elliot could feel a blush spreading across his face. As he laid down in his own bedroll, he did so with a big smile across his face. "That means a lot. Coming from someone who's really, really nice himself," Elliot said. "It was great spending the day with you. And I'm really glad that I could help you feel comfortable and at ease during the start of your journey. You're a natural with Pokemon, and I know the more time you spend getting used to the road, the bigger and bigger of a splash you're going to make on your journey. Make sure to keep in touch, okay? I want to make sure I can cheer you on along the way.
As Vivi returned to the tent with Elliot, after having put out the fire, Inari would briefly bunt against Vivi - licking the top of her head, after a bit of nosing to actually find the top of her head in the dark. She'd yip softly and in praise - tails wagging slowly and carefully, so as to avoid knocking them into anything. Vivi did wonderful; and once she got used to using her nose and ears - both of which were sure to be quite keen on an Eevee - the dark wouldn't be quite as unknown and scary anymore.
Once Elliot and Vivi were both settled down in their bedroll though, Inari would snuggle up to Andrew proper; clearly ready to settle down, and get some sleep. Which then left Elliot's and Andrew's conversation - Elliot having much to say, about today, and his own thoughts on Andrew's journey thus far.
Andrew, once more, couldn't help falling quiet at this. Being called nice with so much emphasis had him flushing as well, though the darkness thankfully hid it from Elliot - in the same way that Andrew wouldn't be able to spot Elliot's own blush. He mulled over the other trainer's words, about just how he was a natural with Pokemon and how he was sure to make a bigger and bigger splash with time... Though...
... For a brief moment, Andrew couldn't help but wonder whether or not he really wanted to 'make a splash'. Certainly, Elliot surely meant 'make a splash' as in diving straight into new routes - but... He couldn't help but think of making a splash in the air of drawing attention from other people; which felt like a rather overwhelming concept, given his social anxiety. Just adventuring, doing contests for fun, and perhaps even doing the rare gym felt like it'd be enough for him; though then again... Surely, he could unintentionally draw fame from doing those as well, right..?
Well... Either way, the praise was encouraging nonetheless. Andrew, unconsciously, would nod in response to Elliot's mention of keeping in touch - blushing a bit harder at the idea of already having someone cheering him on in this way. However, when he remembered that neither of them could see each other, he'd manage a soft and somewhat awkward "Y-yeah," in response.
"... Goodnight, um, Elliot..."
Wrapping his arms around Inari, the two would snuggle closer to each other - the young Vulpix pulling the covers up over the both of them. Slowly, and surely, he would drift off to sleep - listening to the soft and steady breathing of Inari, as well as Elliot and Vivi. Were he more lucid, he'd think that it would've taken longer to fall asleep, and yet...
... For as new as this whole situation was, exhaustion was a great way for getting to sleep quickly - and he couldn't help but admit, that he was starting to feel quite comfortable around the other young man...
And before he knew it, young Andrew would be fast asleep - Inari curled up against him.
Post by Elliot Sunderland on May 3, 2020 21:45:10 GMT
Elliot snuggled into his own bedroll, Vivi curling up against it with a massive yawn. As a rather light sleeper, this wasn't the easiest thing in the world for Elliot to wrestle with. Normally, he would've just teleported over to Levy's house by now, talking her ear off about everything that happened and eagerly listening about her own journeying. Instead, he was roughing it outdoors, sleeping around more people than he had ever shared a night with before. Despite all of this? He couldn't be happier.
Fortunately, the night was quieter than he had expected. Did all of the hustle and bustle of the sleepless Bass City leave him forgetting that most of the world slept at night? Maybe it had. Maybe he was just awake late enough to appreciate it for a change. Whatever the case, Elliot let the sounds of chirping crickets, gentle nighttime breezes, and the route's many winding streams ease him to sleep.
Of course, that didn't change the fact that even in his sleep, Elliot was rather fidgety. The poor boy pretty much tossed and turned throughout the night, unable to keep to one spot no matter how hard he tried. At times, he might have even found himself brushing up against Andrew! Vivi and Joule, in contrast, slept like logs. They continued to curl up where Elliot's back had once been, not even noticing that by now he had long rolled away from it. Frankly, with how restless he was, they wouldn't have been surprised if he started sleepwalking!
Well, thankfully, he wouldn't. But who knew where he'd end up waking up as the morning sun poked through their tent?
Throughout their sleep, Andrew and Inari were far less prone to tossing and turning in the night; perhaps partially thanks to Inari being an anchor, given her large size. As a result, they were pretty much in the same place for a majority of the passing night. Being a heavy sleeper on top of it, Andrew would end up not even stirring all that much from whenever Elliot's tossing and turning led him to brushing up against him - though Inari, briefly, would stir a little before she fell back asleep just as quickly.
As a result of Andrew's heavy sleep versus Elliot's fidgetyness, though... Antics - albeit unintentional antics - were sure to ensue.
Come day, the light filtering in through the tent would prompt Andrew to stir and awaken; eyes squinting as he yawned widely, a hand over his light-sensitive eyes as he stretched out his limbs, and adjusted to the sunlight.
The light of the morning sun was thankfully dimmed into a dim green glow cast over everyone within the tent, by the (as you may expect) green canvas that it was made of. However, without his glasses, everything in the immediate vicinity (which consisted of the entire tent, more or less) was mostly blobs of color - given that he was quite farsighted, without his glasses. The world was a vivid green beyond his squinted eyes, as a result; with orangeish hues from Inari being tinted more of a brown, and blueish hues from his own sleeping bag being tinted teal.
As Andrew moved to stretch and awaken, though... He'd notice a warmth and weight against his back and waist - causing him to freeze in place, blinking a bit blearily as his sleepy mind tried to figure out just what, exactly, he was feeling. Was... That Vivi? Perhaps; he couldn't exactly make out much, without his glasses on, though - so he'd begin to reach about next to his head, looking for the object in question as he tried to avoid disturbing Inari, and whoever it was behind him.
It didn't take long for his fingers to brush against his glasses, though; them more or less being just where he left them. He'd carefully pick them up and put them on, yawning a second time as he did, before opening his eyes more fully; blinking as he adjusted now to the dimmed lenses, and actually being able to see. He could see Inari, who was starting to stir and wake up as well; the Vulpix softly grunting and yawning. And, if he glanced over his shoulder....
... He could see Elliot, still fast asleep, and very close to him; the weight on Andrew's hip was the other trainer's arm, slung over it...!
More or less instantly, Andrew would freeze up like a deer in the headlights; his cheeks flushing a bright and vivid red. Oh dear; maybe... Maybe he should, uhm, try to shimmy his way out from under Elliot's arm, before the other trainer woke up? Being at the opposite edge of the tent though, with Inari between him and the wall of the tent, he didn't exactly have much room to shimmy anywhere, not without risking Elliot waking up..!
Hopefully, Elliot would roll back over in his sleep soon...
Post by Elliot Sunderland on May 4, 2020 2:42:13 GMT
Unfortunately, Elliot wasn't rolling over anytime soon. His restlessness seemed to evaporate once he had something in his arms, even if that something was an unsuspecting Andrew. Who would have thought that if someone just gave the kid a stuffed animal, years of sleepless nights could have been spared? Unfortunately, though, that wouldn't be much comfort to the situation that Andrew had found himself in. He was too polite to jostle Elliot awake, and Elliot was too oblivious to know what was going on. How long would it even be before he had mercy on Andrew and rolled over?
Fortunately, the morning sun proved to hold the answer. As light hit Elliot straight in the face, he let out a pitiful grumble. "Hey, no, c'mon, five more minutes," he protested, his consciousness slowly fishing itself up from the depths of sleep. As his senses slowly reasserted themselves, he realized that he felt different from normal. Warmer. Softer. What in the world was going on. He shook his head a little, trying to push through the drowsiness, and looking around to try and get a sense of his surroundings.
That's when he realized that he had spent the night merrily snuggling up to Andrew. A deep flush hit Elliot's face as he practically shot away from the other boy, tripping over his bedroll and falling on his butt in the process. All the while he kept his hands held high, holding them up as if hoping the gesture would show that he wasn't trying to get grabby. "OhmygodI'msosorryIdidn'tmeantosleeponyoulikethatareyouokayohnoohgod?" he stammered, all in a single, breathless ramble.
Amazingly enough, Vivi and Joule were still asleep through all of this. Just how strong were these sleepers?
As Andrew laid still - perfectly still - alongside Elliot, Inari would be unable to help a hint of amusement at the ultimately harmless situation. She could tell that, while the situation was quite awkward, Andrew wasn't too stressed or uncomfortable out over it - simply flustered and embarrassed. Still, perhaps she should help him out of the situation. Slowly but surely, she would carefully back out of the tent - giving Andrew a little bit of room to shimmy away from Elliot - and stretch her limbs; eager to enjoy a bit of morning sunlight.
With the room to properly move, Andrew would slowly - carefully - try to pry himself out from under Elliot's arm, so that he could pretend that none of this had happened at all. However, the work was - indeed - as slow going as one might expect; Andrew trying to avoid from disturbing Elliot's sleep... Only for the young man to begin mumbling in protests, as he begun to stir. Once more, Andrew froze up; briefly wondering just what he could do. Could he pretend to be asleep, to avoid freaking Elliot out? Could he slip away before the other trainer noticed?
Either questions' answers appeared to be a big 'no', however; Elliot more or less tripping over himself as he shot away from the young man...! Andrew's face would be cherry red now, as he adjusted his glasses to slowly sit up; only casting quick glances in Elliot's direction as he rambled near-incoherently in apology for this whole situation. For a brief moment, Andrew couldn't even be flustered or embarrassed - unable to help a tiny and brief laugh, impressed that Elliot was able to stammer it all out in one breath.
But when it came to actually responding, it was as though he remembered that he was supposed to be flustered; his cheeks a bright red, as he cast another quick glance in Elliot's direction, before murmuring softly "I... I-it's okay." in response, as he began slowly getting up from his bedroll. "I, uhm, k-know you - uh... D-didn't mean it.."
Hopefully, things wouldn't stay so awkward for too much longer...
Post by Elliot Sunderland on May 4, 2020 23:00:20 GMT
Fortunately, Andrew's response was just what Elliot needed to calm down some. The combo of his quick little laugh and reassurance that he knew Elliot didn't mean to snuggle up to him was proof that he didn't need to take this as the worst thing in the world. "Y-yeah," he stammered, working up a small, shy smile. "Thank you for understanding. As long as you're not, like, super uncomfy or anything, then I'm glad everything's settled." He eased himself back onto his feet, just in time to notice Echo poking her head through the tent. She was giggling up a storm; just how much of this had she seen? A mud-covered Murex poked
Nevertheless, Elliot forced the remaining blush off of his face with a quick cough. "Good morning to you too, Echo," Elliot said, smiling softly. "You two sleep okay?" She nodded, letting out a happy chirp. Murex popped out from behind her, bouncing up to Elliot and giving him a muddy snuggle. The Dudes were quick to follow, popping up right in front of Elliot's feet and sending the boy jumping back in shock again. "Woah there! And how'd you rest, Dudes?" Elliot asked, 2 out of 3 of The Dudes chittering in agreement. The Dude at middle height, in contrast, seemed like he still needed a nap. The poor thing yawned, grumbling about the early morning that his companions had subjected him to.
All of the fuss got Vivi and Joule starting to stir. Vivi yawned surprisingly loudly, shaking the flaps of the tent from the sheer force of her waking up, only to crack her eyes open in dainty fashion after the fact. Joule snickered warmly at the sound, ruffling her daughter's hair as she woke up. "And I already know you two had a great sleep," Elliot joked, Vivi looking quite bashful over the tease.
"So that leaves one more . . . where's Reverb at?" Elliot asked. Echo giggled in response, snatching Elliot by the hand and dragging him away. She shushed him on the approach, then pointed to the bed of leaves that she had set up for them. While she had woken up long ago, Reverb was still snuggled up in leaves and sleeping like a baby. Elliot couldn't help but chuckle a little in response. "He's one heavy sleeper, isn't he? Maybe I should give him a rest, though. He's been through one hectic night.
Speaking of a lot, how are you feeling this morning, Andrew?"
Quietly, Andrew would nod and offer a shy smile of his own in response. It was... Admittedly, awkward and odd for him; definitely not being used to someone being so up close to him, like that. But, it wasn't hugely uncomfortable, given that Elliot didn't mean it. And with how quickly Elliot was able to shake it all off, Andrew would do his best to forget it as well - even if remembering the warmth against his back would make his cheeks flush again. And hearing Echo giggling up a storm at the entrance to the tent didn't help much in matters, either!
He'd be quick to turn away before Elliot or Echo could see the flush on his cheeks, though; instead working on rolling his bedroll back up so that they could put things away. He'd glance back briefly - seeing Echo, Murex, and even the Dudes interact with Elliot - before being unable to help a fond smile, clearly endeared at the antics of the assembled pokemon. There was never a dull day, it seemed, whenever Elliot's team was involved...!
And, it seemed that Andrew and Inari weren't the only ones waking up. Out from his diveball came Larimar; the Spheal being so extra, as to even pose as he awoke and came out from the pokeball! Yes, indeed, the glorious Larimar has awoken; the Spheal in question squeaking out a monologue once more, as he posed quite smugly. Let even the day itself be dazzled, by his glorious prese--
... However, this would be as far as the Spheal got, before he was interrupted by Vivi's massive yawn..! Larimar would squeak briefly in surprise - gazing to Vivi with large eyes - and even Inari would be left wondering just what the sound was, peeking her head back into the tent...! Andrew, meanwhile, was unable to help a startled laugh of his own; helping roll Elliot's bedroll back up, and gently patting Vivi on the head. "Morning, guys." He'd murmur to Elliot's pokemon as he passed by them in his work; smiling warmly.
Once both bedrolls were ready to be packed back up though, Andrew would follow Elliot outside - stretching his arms above his head, as he squinted his eyes to adjust to the sunlight. Larimar and Inari, too, would both step outside alongside him - the duo seemingly ready to enjoy the warm sun of a clear day. And they weren't the only ones, it seemed.
The wild Alolan Meowth, from before, was back! The tiny feline would yawn and stretch from where he was perched on a branch above, before slinking back down - plopping himself right atop Andrew's head once again. Andrew, laughing gently, would reach up to scritch the top of the Meowth's head - murmuring "And morning to you, too.."
However, even with everyone enjoying the sunny morning day... Reverb wasn't quite so ready - still being fast asleep, on the bed of leaves that Echo had made for the both of them the night before...! It was quite a precious sight, Andrew had to admit - nodding along to Elliot's observations about the little Gothita being a heavy sleeper. Perhaps they could hang around for a little bit, to let Reverb catch a few extra z's?
As he was asked about how he was feeling though, Andrew would blink a bit - glancing in Elliot's direction. Admittedly, he was still waking up a hair - but he was quite lucid and functional otherwise, and he was feeling good, so... He'd quietly nod to Elliot, flashing a quick thumbs up and a shy smile.
06
04
00
