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 Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 7:50 pm
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ( т є α м ● ѕ υ η ѕ т я ι к є ☼ T E A M ● R O O M) xxxxx 
Team Sunstrike's team quarters can be identified through a small wooden sign attached to their front door. On it, the team name and symbol (a bright sun) are delicately carved by a skilled claw.
In the center of the room is a large, woven floor rug that feels soft and comfortable under foot and paw. It sits between the door to a small, private garden and a large stone fireplace. While neither are very extravagant, both were requested by the team's captain (Skye) in order to provide adequate heating and food resources.
In the right corner of the room, opposite the door to the hallway, is a large wooden table. Cushioned benches line the walls to provide comfortable seating, and two cushioned chairs sit at the opposite sides. These chairs hide storage underneath, as do the benches.
The other side of the room contains a large shelf, stocked with several baskets for holding essential items such as medicines and food. There is also a section of the shelf reserved for belongings that are shared between teammates, and the shelf as a whole is well-organized due to a team effort between Skye and Vyra.
The final component of the room is a pool of water, walled off by wide flat stones on which the team members can comfortably sit. The water in this pool is cycled through by a series of pipes, and keeping it clean and fresh for cooking, drinking and bathing.
The garden can be found through the back door, and containing both a substantial flowerbed and a large planter for growing herbs and vegetables. These are primarily tended to by Zahra, and several of the plants seem to be somewhat foreign or tropical in nature (from her home forest, of course). There are also several large stones embedded in the ground, perfect for sunbathing and socializing.
The bedrooms are through the hallway to the side, with a separate space for each team member. Each contains a bed and a set of shelves for holding any belongings personal to each Pokemon. Quil's room is the exception to the rule, as his room only contains a series of beautifully-constructed cobwebs and a thickly-woven nest in the far corner of the ceiling.xxxxx ( ☼ т є α м ѕ υ η ѕ т я ι к є ) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 4:58 pm
Skye & Quil & ZahraSkye flicked her white-tipped ears as she lounged by the fireplace, a long woven scarf wrapped comfortably at her neck. The softness of the rug beneath her paws seemed to hold warmth rather well, although it was nowhere near as hot as lying across the hearth itself. On another day, she’d be delighted to do so, but today wasn’t cold enough for such things. Instead, the heat of the afternoon sun streamed in through the open windows, and the glass-paneled doors at the rear of the room had been pulled wide open to allow the excess heat to escape. The fresh breeze made sitting by the fire quite comfortable for her and her fur shimmered like the morning mist in the sunlight.
Quil lay on her shoulder, relaxing into the warmth of her fur as he watched Zahra lie across from them. She was perched on one of the stools, her fluttering wings betraying her curiosity as she examined the freshly-baked berry tarts that were arranged on the table. Skye hadn’t made the tarts themselves, but she’d been the one to bake them by the fire until they bubbled and the crust had turned golden brown. A small cask of apple cider had been also bought for the occasion, resting on the floor near the open doors to keep it cool. Accompanied by a couple loaves of their own homemade flatbread, the day’s purchases from the market would do well to satiate the hunger of their expected guests.
”What flavours did you pick up?” asked Zahra conversationally, resisting the urge to pluck one of the tarts off the table while her captain’s head was turned. She was impatient, but not ill mannered. She could easily wait for Team Essence to arrive. She just hoped that they’d make a good impression on the other team; they hadn’t done a great deal of socializing with other teams yet. Her captains had made a strong start in forming bonds with Neo, and apparently Skye had past experience with the captains of another team, but most of the others were a mystery to Zahra. She supposed it didn’t help to have Vyra with them, as the feisty Vulpix tended to diminish the potential for casual conversation.
Skye’s easy smile melted the tension in the Togetic’s shoulders, her frown softening. ”The red ones are Pecha, the dark are Bluk, and the pale ones are Kee,” she replied, not bothering to lift her head from her paws. She looked exceptionally comfortable, but somehow the Espeon managed to make sprawling on the floor appear graceful. A lesser Pokemon would be jealous.
It didn’t mean she wasn’t surprised, however. ”Kee berry? Those’re supposed to be expensive, aren’t they? What kind of team are you buying for?” she gaped, glancing back to the pale set of tarts at the far side of the pile. They’d been the last to be baked, and now she knew why. Skye had wanted the practice with the Pecha and Bluk before she made them. ”Tell me they’re not nobility, please?” She looked straight at her captain, then, pleading in mock exasperation.
Skye and Quil were laughing, now, the sound of their mixed laughter like bells in the breeze. Quil’s laughter was much quieter, but he still attempted to muffle it under his fluffy forelimbs. ”I’m nobility if you want to get technical, Zahra,” she grinned. Her expression softened as she twitched her ears forward. ”I don’t really know their background,” she explained more seriously, ”but Neo was kind to us. I’ve been wanting to try Kee berries, anyway, so this was just a good excuse to do it.” There was a sheepish sparkle in her bright eyes, and she curled her tail over her ankles.
Quil shifted, seeming to agree with his partner as he blinked up at Zahra. The flying-type fluttered her wings again, grinning widely back. ”Yeah. Figures that you’d splurge for a reason like that. I keep forgetting you’re a princess,” she chirped, arranging the still-warm tarts by flavor.
”I’m not a p-“ There was a light knock at the front door, cutting off Skye’s objection. The Espeon was quick to roll to her paws, though she hesitated to let Quil climb to a safer position on the nape of her neck. Stepping up to the doorway, her eyes glowed brightly as she turned the handle with a finely-tuned psychic.
[[ OoC: Awaiting post for Team Essence. ]]
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 10:27 am
Neo & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Alexandru "We're going out~" Neo's tails swished joyfully as he approached Killian. The captain of Team Essence looked exceptionally happy today, beaming up at the Golurk who kept his usual post at the door. Killian analyzed the Green-Eyed One Friend Master curiously. His eyes were bright and his fur was more neatly groomed than usual, he carried a peculiar container with a towel wrapped around it, and he was followed by a large group of the others. The two Small One Friends, the Light One Friend Master, and the Crimson One Friend Master were lingering just behind, and it was apparent that they were all going somewhere as a group. It was odd, because the Small One Friends didn't often go places, and when they did it was usually only with the Green-Eyed One Friend Master. This time was different apparently. Killian groaned softly, acknowledging Neo's comment with a nod. "You'll be looking after things by yourself for now. If you need us for any reason, we'll be in Team Sunstrike's room. There's a note on the door, so no one should bother you, but you can come by if you need to, alright?" The Golurk's eyes flashed. He understood. "Good~" Neo purred, patting Killian's leg gently. "Well see you later Killian!"
"Bye-bye!"
"Bye Killian!"
The children chirped one after the other before following their father out the door. Lux and Alexandru nodded his way after, slipping out the door in turn and Killian watched as Neo closed it behind them with a last smile. He hadn't seen the Green-Eyed One Friend Master so exuberant in a while.
Neo was, indeed, exuberant, leading his small group through the halls toward a meeting that had been a long time coming. He'd only seen Skye and Quil on and off since their first meeting, never long enough to get a nice conversation in. Now their schedules had finally lined up and he had the chance to introduce them to the rest of his Team, Nyx and Air aside. It was probably for the better, since bringing his whole Team on a social visit would be overwhelming for even the most gracious of hosts, but he still wished he could have introduced everyone. Ah well. It was an excuse to plan another visit in the future at least.
"Dad?" Neo's ears twitched and he looked down to find Eliot peering up at him. "W-What...What's that?" The Growlithe sniffed at his container curiously. It smelled cold, but also sweet, it was strange.
Neo smiled mischievously. "You'll have to wait and see," he said cheerfully. "It's a special treat to share with our friends."
Eliot nodded, a bit disappointed. He wanted to know what the mystery cold-sweet was, but he could wait.
"How does it smell?" Clara whispered in his ear, hovering down so she could speak without their father hearing.
"Tasty."
When the rounded the corner to their destination, Neo turned back to the children, bending down to talk to them. "I want you two to be on your best behavior for Skye and Quil, alright? They're good friends of mine." When he received nods from the children he smiled. "Good. This will be fun!" He straightened and looked back to Lux and Alexandru. "Thanks for coming with you two. I know it was a bit short notice."
Lux smiled, shaking his head. "It's no trouble at all," the Lucario said, "You have a good choice in friends Neo. I always look forward to meeting them."
Neo blushed at the praise. "Oh, it's not like that," he said, laughing nervously, "I'm just really lucky to have met so many great people here."
"You undersell yourself," Lux returned, amused to see Neo's aura quiver with embarrassment. His captain was a humble creature; it was one of his more endearing qualities.
Alexandru hovered at his side, and nodded in agreement with his friend. "Lux speaks the truth. I, too, can sense that this meeting will be pleasant. Luck is on our side this day." The prior evening he'd encountered a gathering of Kricketune holding an impromptu concert, and overhearing Kricketune song was a sure sign of good fortune. As far as the bat was concerned it would be difficult for something to go awry after such an event.
"I'm glad you think so," Neo replied, pleased with his newest Teammate's attitude. Alexandru was a quiet type, who tended to keep to himself. He'd been a bit nervous about how well the Zubat would handle an impromptu social visit, but it seemed like he might even be looking forward to it. With another smile he turned around and closed the distance to the sun-emblazoned door, rapping on it gently with his free paw.
The door opened moments later to reveal a cheerful Skye and Quil waiting just beyond. "Hello!" Neo beamed at the pair delightedly, noting the scarf around the Espeon's neck with some pleasure. "Hope we didn't keep you waiting!" The Meowstic would wait until they were invited inside to introduce his little group. The delicious smell of fresh baked bread and tarts caught the attention of each of the Team members as they entered the room, and Eliot licked his lips in anticipation at the wonderful smells.
"This is Lux and this is Alexandru, two of my members, and these two are Eliot and Clara, my kids." Neo's expression of pride was unmistakable as he introduced each member in turn. "My partner and a couple other members of the Team couldn't make it unfortunately."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Lux said, "Neo's told us only good things."
The Lucario's sightless eyes passed over each of the three members present, sampling their auras. The Espeon, Skye, had a pale aura that tasted of lilac, remarkably similar to the lavender that came from Clara; her partner, the Joltik, Quil, held a burst of sweet clementine in his softly pulsing gold. Their auras mingled closely, almost seamlessly--they were were very close, that was certainly clear. The other Pokemon present had a green that churned with a hint of uncertainty and tasted of sunflower seeds; Lux lingered on the presence for a moment, pondering what it must be like to be on the outside of such a close bond--surely not easy. The group was an interesting combination to say the least.
He detected another presence as well, that lingered on the objects that were doubtless arranged on a shelf in the corner of the room. He tasted bitterness, the flavor of black coffee so strong it forced him to look away. The owner of that aura wasn't even present, yet it was that powerful--it reminded him of a certain Vulpix who hadn't been able to join them. When he'd processed all the auras, he turned his gaze back to their hosts, politely attentive once more.
"It is good to meet you," Alexandru said, his accent coloring the words unmistakably. The Zubat hovered above the others, ears tilting this way and that as soundwaves returned to them, giving him an idea of his foreign surroundings. It seemed somewhat spacious, rather like their own room, and the bat sifted through the scents approvingly, recognizing the flavors of the tarts on the table. It seemed their hosts had spared no expense--Kee wasn't something encountered often in this place.
"Hello," Clara murmured, hands wrapping tightly around her brother's tail at the sight of so many new faces. It was a bit overwhelming to have Daddy show them off like this.
"Hi!" Eliot smiled, wagging his tail. His mouth was starting to water at the smell of so many baked things, but he knew he wasn't allowed to ask yet.
Neo's eyes shifted to the Togetic standing to the side as the members of his Team finished their greetings and he smiled. "Oh, and you must be one of the new teammates Skye mentioned!" he said with a smile, tails swaying gently. "I'm Neo. It's nice to meet you."
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Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 12:32 pm
Skye & Quil & ZahraSkye smiled softly in turn, dipping her head politely as she nudged the door further open to invite Neo and his family into their living room. ”You’re right on time, Neo,” she replied warmly. ”We’re just happy to see you again. It’s been a long time.” Her bright eyes shimmered with psychic energy as she gently shut the door behind the group, and looked up at Neo’s introduction. She turned to look more closely at the company he’d brought with him, curious as to who each of them were, and was somewhat relieved when the two older teammates nodded their heads in greeting. A tall, pale-furred Lucario towered over the group, with a curious Zubat at his shoulder. The other two were unmistakably children, clinging closely to each other as their father named them each in turn. A Growlithe and Drifloon as siblings, and their father a Meowstic. Adopted, then. She smiled welcomingly, her heart warming as she thought of the way her mother’s team had taken in young Pokemon, too.
”It’s lovely to meet you, too,” she answered both Lux and Alexandru in turn, dipping her head again. It was a gesture taken from the formal traditions of the Eclipse family, although the necessity of such traditions had long since dissipated.
The children were greeted with a little extra warmth, as she felt a little nervous that she might make them uncomfortable otherwise. She didn’t dislike children by any means, but she didn’t have much experience with them either. Hopefully they’d enjoy the visit as much as their father would. ”Eliot and Clara, right? I’m Skye, and this is Quil. He’s my partner,” she purred softly, extending a paw for the little Joltik to climb onto. He perched on her wrist, waving hello with a shy claw. He didn’t speak immediately, but his expression was warm as he regarded them.
”Ah, hello there,” He chirped shyly, his voice very quiet in comparison to that of the others. ”You father told us you’d be here for lunch. Are you two hungry?” He tilted his little head toward the table of baked goods, a tiny smile lighting his voice.
Skye merely smiled, offering her paw a little further outward for Clara and Eliot to take Quil from her shoulder. She wasn’t terribly concerned. Quil was small, but he was far from delicate. His own shyness and small stature might help with making Clara feel more comfortable.
Across the room, Zahra hopped down from her stool, looking at the approaching Meowstic with open curiosity. She grinned back at him as he smiled, nodding as she offered a hand to the other team’s captain. ”Zahra. It’s pretty good to meet you too,” she answered, much more comfortable with the casual greetings than her captain was. ”If I’m honest, I was a little worried when Skye said you might be bringing your whole team over,” she laughed, her accent much clearer as the tension left her shoulders. ”If the rest of your team’s like this, though, it might not be so bad.”
The Togetic glanced to her captains, watching as Skye led Lux and Alexandru from the doorway to sit more comfortably at the table or fireplace. Quil, she noticed, was no longer on her shoulder, though she hadn’t noticed where he’d gone. ”There’re usually four of us here, but Vyra said she had work to do.” She did her best to mask the distaste in her voice, though it might not have worked entirely. ”She’s not a big fan of social events, I think.”
Shifting her folded wings, Zahra glanced down at the bundle in Neo’s paws. Her sense of smell was fairly poor, but she imagined from the way he held it that it was food of some kind. ”We brought out some snacks, too, if you want to set that with ours?” She offered, gesturing to the fabric-wrapped container.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 8:34 pm
Neo & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Alexandru "A-Auntie Skye and Uncle Quil!" Eliot said, beaming with pride as he spoke the names Daddy had taught him. That was probably the most words he'd said together all day, and he'd done it right.
Clara lit up at her brother's success, but her eyes were quickly drawn to the tiny creature that scrambled out onto Auntie Skye's paw. A small gasp came from the girl when the Joltik waved, and she stared back, letting go of Eliot's tail with one hand to wave in return. She'd never seen a Pokemon so small and nice-looking. He looked warm and soft, and his smile reminded her of Daddy's. "H-Hello," she whispered back. Her voice was like a breath, quiet like the bug's. He sounded nice.
"Yes!" Eliot's voice was carelessly enthusiastic, undeterred by the softness of the exchange before. "L-Lunch!" His stomach rumbled, as if in response to the statement, and he looked down sheepishly. "Please?"
Clara winced at the loudness of her brother's voice, afraid it might hurt the small Joltik's ears. She noticed Auntie Skye's gesture, and when Eliot didn't move to close the distance she let go of her brother and hovered closer, gently extending her small hands to touch the Espeon's paw, so her small passenger could climb on. When the Joltik touched her hands her eyes widened with surprise at the way it tingled, not in a bad way but in a way that made her feel warm inside. "I-Is this alright, Uncle Quil?" she murmured, raising her hands so he was at eye level. If there was somewhere else he'd be more comfortable she would help him get there at his request.
Lux and Alexandru waited to the side quietly until Skye approached, and the Lucario smiled as she offered to show them to some seats. They were perfectly capable of figuring things out on their own, but it was more practical and polite to accept the help that was offered. Alexandru fluttered down to perch on Lux's head after the Lucario was comfortably seated, and he sighed slightly, feeling the surprisingly soft fabric with his paws. "You have a charming home Skye," he said, turning his gaze to the Espeon to watch her aura as he spoke. "Do you entertain often?" She certainly had the capacity to do so, and she was very well-prepared for their visit it would seem. Alexandru remained silent, preferring to let Lux do the talking for the moment.
Neo shook Zahra's hand, glancing back to see that his children were doing fine before turning his full attention to the Togetic. "Well, I'm glad we make a good first impression," he said with a chuckle, "Personally, I worry that, with so many of us, it might get a little overwhelming." After all, there were three members of their Team who hadn't been able to make it today, and at least two of those were a bit overwhelming all on their own, sometimes all three. "I'm sure I'll meet Vyra when the time comes," he added, tactfully glossing over the hint of disapproval in Zahra's voice, "It's just hard to get everyone's schedules to align. Especially with larger Teams like mine." Neo laughed again, shaking his head. "I keep thinking maybe we're getting too big, but nobody's complained yet so I guess it's fine?" In truth, the Meowstic was a bit conflicted about the whole thing, but when a new face came, asking to join, he had a very hard time saying no.
"Ah, right!" Neo transferred his container to both paws and nodded for Zahra to lead the way. He unwrapped the bundle when they reached the table and a spot was indicated, carefully placing the towel it had been wrapped in down before placing the container on top. It looked, for all intents and purposes, like a ball, but there was a telltale seam along the middle that showed it could be opened. "This is a little treat my family used to make for special occasions," Neo said, voice lowered conspiratorially so the others wouldn't hear. "It should go well with the tarts. I made vanilla since I wasn't sure what we'd be having." He grinned at Zahra, wearing the look of someone who'd learned a good secret. "Have you ever had ice cream before?"
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Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 8:52 am
Skye & Quil & ZahraQuil flushed with humble pride at the new nickname he’d earned. The Growlithe was still quite young, so it was understandable how quickly he’d warmed to him, but it was still pleasing to be referred to with such familiarity. His quiet nature deterred the attention of most children, but it seemed like Eliot was used to this from his sister. The quiet greeting of said Drifloon was returned with an appreciative smile. He’d do his best not to let down the admiration of his young charges.
Crawling delicately onto her hand, he nodded to acknowledge her concern. ”I’m just fine, don’t worry,” he quipped back, maintaining his gentle tone. He wasn’t terribly concerned with startling Eliot, but Clara seemed a more delicate soul. She was a sweet girl, and he acknowledged the thought that both children in some ways were very much like their adoptive father. ”I’m pretty good at keeping my balance.
His small, whispery laugh answered the enthusiasm of a hungry Growlithe beside them. ”I can hear your stomach asking, too, Eliot,” he told him kindly, ”Let’s go to the table and we’ll see what the two of you want to eat. We’ve got some snacks for you, and I think your father brought a surprise, too.”
Now settling in to chat with Lux and Alexandru, Skye smiled modestly at the compliment. ”Thank you. We’ve done our best to make it comfortable, at the very least,” she replied gracefully. Looking around, it was a little tidier than normal. The paperwork was filed away for once, and the floors were freshly swept. The garden outside seemed to have been tended fairly recently, although none of the blossoming flowers were out of place. ”We actually haven’t had many guests before this, sadly. Most of our families live fairly far from here, so it isn’t practical to have them over very often. We really do appreciate having you over; it’s nice to have the company.”
The Espeon’s tone as genuinely warm, though her posture was still firmly polite. ”Neo invited us weeks ago, but we never seemed to get the chance to take his offer. He’s a good captain, from what I’ve heard from other teams.”
Zahra noted his glance back to his excitable brood, but said nothing of it. She was accustomed to the antics of nests filled with Togepi, after all. Even if she wasn’t a parent herself, it wasn’t as though she’d never babysat a friend’s nest before. The need to constantly know where they were was… not uncommon.
She shrugged off his concern about having so many guests, offering a grin as she assured him it wasn’t a problem. The grin faded slightly as he continued, and she nodded reasonably to his worried admission. It probably wasn’t easy, being captain of a larger team. She didn’t see much of that stress in Skye’s attitude, but she also felt like the Espeon managed her team that way on purpose. She’d already had guild experience before this, after all. ”The guilds have seen way bigger families than yours as working teams. Apparently my captain used to be on a team of nearly a dozen or so, and from what I’ve heard they weren’t the largest, either.” Zahra shifted her wings as she spoke, the habit of a restless spirit. ”There are advantages to larger teams, I’d imagine. It might be a little harder to organize, but it makes the workload a lot easier to deal with.” She hoped she sounded reassuring; comforting wasn’t her strongest skill.
Zahra stepped back as Neo’s attention snapped back to the task at hand, the Meowstic settling the curious package onto an empty space on the table. He unwrapped the towels from around the strange ball, and Zahra shifted to peer curiously at the seam running around the center. She’d never seen someone bring food inside a ball before, but it was certainly going to be interesting. She nodded as Neo explained, and a small smirk lit her face as she caught the mischief in his voice. ”I haven’t, but I’ve definitely heard of it. It’s supposed to be cold and sweet, right?” She was definitely interested in trying it, especially if it was vanilla flavoured. She wondered vaguely if he’d used fresh vanilla beans to make it, though she didn’t know what it would look like when he opened up the ball for her to see.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2016 10:22 am
Neo & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Alexandru
"Okay." Clara's eyes didn't shift from her tiny passenger. She almost wanted to pet him, but she didn't think he'd like that very much, so she cupped her heart-shaped hands together to make a comfortable cradle for him to stand in. Sure Uncle Quil might have been good at keeping his balance, but that didn't mean he enjoyed shifting around to make sure he wouldn't fall all the time.
Eliot nodded. "Yeah! My t-t-tummmmy too." It was making sounds, which meant it was time to eat. Hearing Uncle Quil's suggestion, Eliot followed it and his nose, prancing over to the table where Daddy and the other lady who wasn't Auntie Skye were standing. "Uncle Quil s-says llllunch!" Eliot declared happily. He could smell it, and the puppy salivated a bit as he stared at the many tarts scattered across the table, the still-warm bread, the juicy drink and the strange ball that still smelled cold and sweet. The Growlithe couldn't wait to try all of it.
His sister followed behind him at a slower pace, drifting along with her small passenger in her hands. She hesitated by the tableside, looking from Daddy to Uncle Quil to the lady who hadn't been introduced yet uncertainly. They were going to eat something apparently but Daddy had said they might have different rules for things like that here, so she didn't want to assume anything about it. The Drifloon, too, looked out over the colorful array of treats, eyes lingering on her father's odd ball-shaped dish for a long moment. "It looks really good..." she murmured, looking down at Uncle Quil with a small smile.
"I sure hope so!" Neo replied. He was comforted by Zahra's assurances, to be sure. He hadn't really discussed these concerns with many Pokemon--they were the biggest Team in the Guild as far as he knew, so he hadn't expected anyone else to have helpful insight on the matter. The idea that there could have been people here who were members of the Guild before had never occurred to him. "But Skye was a member of the Guild before? Wow, I never knew!" His eyes shone with admiration. "They came back after the system was disbanded for so long, huh? That's amazing!" He'd definitely have to ask about that later.
"I take it you're not from the old Guild though, huh?" After all, she'd just mentioned her captain. He briefly wondered if Quil was too. "I honestly thought everybody from back then was gone. I only heard that there had been a Guild before after joining, but it seemed like something that would've been more widely heard of--you know?" But he didn't know a whole lot about that in the end.
Before he could answer Zahra's question about the ice cream, he was cut off by the eager voice of his son, who'd bounded up next to him suddenly. "Oh he did, did he?" Neo rubbed the puppy's head fondly. "Well then, you'd better listen to Uncle Quil, don't you think? Look at all the nice things he and Auntie Skye and Auntie Zahra made for us. I'm sure if you listen real good he'll let you know what to do so you can have some."
"Okay!" Eliot chirped. A moment later he'd turned around to sit and stare at the Joltik in his sister's hands, eyes bright and ears perked attentively.
Neo chuckled lightly and turned back to Zahra with a smile. "Yes, that about describes it." The Meowstic said, picking up where he'd left off. With a careful paw, he held onto the bottom of the ball and twisted the top until it came off, revealing the top of a smooth sphere of creamy, white ice cream that rested within. Neo beamed, clearly pleased with his work. "We'll need a spoon to serve it with," he said to Zahra, "But there you have it!" The smell of ice cream was one of the smells of summer to the Meowstic, and it was surely there now, mixing beautifully with the warm smell of pastries that lingered in the air. It was enough to make even Neo's mouth water with anticipation.
Lux nodded understandingly. "Ah, yes. I understand." He smiled. "Neo often talks of such things as well. Most of us come from very far, as I understand it. I once lived by the sea, myself. Neo left behind a large family of his own that he talks about inviting someday as well, but until that day comes we do have each other." The Lucario leaned back on one paw, pondering the idea for a moment. "It is nice though, that we can fill the gaps for one another," he said, sounding quite contented. "I would say some friendships we make here are as strong as family bonds." He winked at Skye with a chuckle. "I'm sure you'd know a thing or two about that, seeing how you and your partner get on."
Lux accepted the compliment to his captain with a smile. "Ah, Neo's been making a name for himself?" The Lucario looked pleased. "I'm happy to hear it. The praise is well deserved." He meant every word. Neo was a good captain, and one who did the best he could with what he had, which was all any captain could be expected to do. "Neo speaks highly of you and your partner as well," Lux added. "Everyone's heard the story of how you helped him upon your first meeting. We're all very grateful for your kindness, his partner especially." It was, perhaps, the only situation where Lux had seen Nyx demonstrate the desire to meet other members of the Guild--he'd expressed genuine remorse over missing today's get-together. "I think you and your partner left a lasting influence on him, so I owe you thanks too, since the Neo I met wouldn't be the same if it weren't for you."
The Espeon was being formal, going through the motions of propriety, and that was fine. Lux didn't mind indulging her in that, but the Lucario was clearly relaxed and at ease, inviting her to act the same. Alexandru, on the other hand, seemed a bit tense, perched rather rigidly atop his Lucario friend, but he wore a polite smile. The Zubat had yet to meet a member of the Guild outside his Team before this get-together, and he was determined to make a good first impression. Fortunately, Skye seemed pleasant enough; Alexandru simply didn't share Lux's laid-back attitude. However, he knew well enough to chime in after his friend: "Lux and I don't mean to overwhelm you with praise, but even I have seen that of which he speaks in my short time of being here." The bat's accented voice lilted softly, as he inclined his head in the Espeon's direction. "I cannot read others as my friend can, but I do know that, whatever the situation, Neo thinks most highly of you." The Zubat smiled. "It's a privilege to meet someone who inspires that manner of appreciation in another person, especially one's own captain."
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Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2016 9:29 am
Skye & Quil & ZahraZahra grinned back at Neo, pleased by his enthusiasm. It was a lot more difficult to get that kind of reaction out of her teammates, given their more reserved personalities, so it was a nice change to see those wide open emotions. ”I know, right?” she chirped back, watching the expressions shifting on his face. He was really a curious conversation partner, especially if he really was this interested in other people. She supposed that psychics were like that in general. Either they were openly curious about everything or they just had the instinctual drive to find out for themselves.
”Nah. I’m from the southern forests. Maybe if I was old enough, I would’ve, but I doubt Poppa would have let me fly that far on my own anyway. He was always like that. I think some of the Togekiss from other flocks might’ve gone, though,” Zahra replied thoughtfully. She hadn’t really considered much about the Guilds in the past, but now that she thought about it she could definitely remember what an event it was whenever someone came home to visit from far away. How many of those visitors, if any at all, had been coming from the Guilds? It had never been members of her flock who went, as far as she’d been told, but perhaps there were things beyond her understanding at the time.
”Skye said they was always a big affair around here. The Guilds, I mean. She talks about it like there were more than one, and she said that they had a royal family like eight generations old.” Zahra’s voice was a little hushed at this, not wanting to draw Skye’s attention too much from her conversation with Neo. What she was saying wasn’t exactly private information, but there always seemed to be a little tension in Skye’s shoulders when she spoke about the past. She had to be careful about what she said, at the very least to avoid unsettling her captain. ”Her cousin was apparently the next in line for the throne before the Guilds were disbanded. Skye was one of the back-ups, I think? She always looks a little strained if I start asking too many questions. I don’t think she’s allowed to talk about it much.”
Shortly afterward, there was a voice at her elbow, belonging to a bright-eyed young Growlithe. She lifted a wing a little, as if to peek underneath it and see him more clearly. It wasn’t an entirely necessary gesture, but she figured that kids better understood body language if it was made more obvious. Exaggerated gestures and tones of voice worked pretty well, from her experience. She grinned even more as she watched the puppy just about tremble with excitement when Neo gave permission for lunch, trying not to laugh at the straight-forward enthusiasm when he turned to Quil for instructions. Kids were hilarious.
Although, she was a little startled to be called an aunt at this stage of the game. Was it just for ease of memory? She didn’t know how closely he knew Skye, but apparently she’d made a decent impression if he was willing to commit to family labels like that.
Quil, sitting quietly in Clara’s heart-shaped hands, smiled back up at the Drifloon when she spoke. He could still catch the anxious glimmer in her eyes as she looked between the food, her father, and Zahra. She was hungry, but too polite to voice it. Especially in front of a stranger. He could remember being that shy, at one point in his life. At his size, you either grew into it or you grew out of it, and he felt like sometimes he was a weird mixture of the two. ”This is Zahra, Clara. She’s been excited all morning about meeting everyone,” he whispered kindly, hoping to emphasize her similarities to her father and brother. It would help to make her more at ease, if she could recognize things about Zahra that were familiar. ”She flies, like you do, and grows pretty flowers for us.” Well, not exactly like Clara. She was a little less reserved in terms of speed and style. He could see the lopsided grin on Zahra’s face, now, although the snowy white Togetic managed to make that expression attractive. He wasn’t particularly fond of birds by instinct, but there were definitely exceptions. How someone as stubborn as Zahra suited the appearance of a delicate ‘flower’, he’d never quite understand. At least she appreciated the humor in his unspoken teasing.
His smile didn’t fade as Eliot turned back to wait on instructions, but his attention was abruptly distracted by Neo opening the curious spherical package he’d brought with them. It was a creamy white inside, almost to the point of being a little yellowed, and had tiny flecks of dark brown mixed throughout it. Unlike Zahra, he recognized it instantly and his tiny face lit up with elation. ”Oh! Did you make this?” he asked Neo hopefully. ”Ice cream will go perfectly with all of this, thank you Neo.” He couldn’t have much ice cream, because of his size and typing, but he knew a certain psychic who adored it. Still, he had to manage the rest of lunch first.
”We have silverware in the cupboard,” Zahra quipped, politely excusing herself to grab spoons for the ice cream. She hopped lightly from her stool and fluttered her wings to stay aloft for a moment as she headed for the shelves. The bottom shelves were hidden behind cupboard doors, which on opening were revealed to be neatly-organized inside. She pulled a bunch of metal spoons from one of the baskets, shut the door and fluttered back to Neo’s side.
”Would you mind setting me on the table, please, Clara?” Quil asked her softly, already stepping down of his own accord. It was more realistically a light jump, using near-invisible strands of silk to ease his descent. He looked down at Eliot and back up to the Drifloon, and waved a small claw timidly toward benches. ”You two should come sit on the benches to eat, that way you get the most comfy seats. We’ll get lunch ready for you.” He gently ushered both children to sit down, and crawled closer to the warm bread.
Zahra was already wielding the bread knife, cutting out a thick slice for Eliot and Clara to share. She split it in half, considering that she didn’t want them to fill up on bread before they’d even gotten to the best part of lunch. Beside her, Quil picked up a much smaller knife between his claws. It almost looked like a razor blade because of its size, but he wielded it expertly and carefully spread fresh butter across the warm and fluffy bread slices that Zahra was sliding his way. With melted butter added and each bread slice on their own plate, he quickly began to add the little fruit tarts to each of the plates. They were small enough that even the children could finish one of each flavor and each one smelled sweet and fragrant. Then, with a bashful and polite smile, he lined each finished plate for Neo to set a scoop of ice cream onto.
Skye smiled with equal contentment as she mulled over Lux’ words. ”I think I’d have to agree with you, there. My family is made of my parents’ old teammates, from the time of the old Guilds. I was literally born into this line of work, so I suppose my perspective on team dynamics might be a little jaded,” she considered quietly.
Lux’s sudden compliment caught her off-guard, and there was a slight widening of her bright eyes as she regarded him with disbelief. Her expression relaxed a little as he explained his meaning but she was still quite startled by the idea at all. That such a small interaction had made such an impact on Neo was almost confusing, but perhaps it was true that they were the first Guild team he’d met. A first impression could make all the difference in changing someone’s perspective on new people and situations. ”I don’t think that we did as much as it seemed to him,” she admitted bashfully, so as not to dismiss his compliments. ”-but it means a lot that he’d think that highly of us. I know that if our situations were reversed, he’d have done his best to help me.”
She hesitated, choosing her words carefully to prevent from preaching to Pokemon who might very well be older than herself. ”Being from separate teams doesn’t mean that we don’t all work for the same goals. A Guild is meant to work together to help others, so I’d imagine it makes little sense not to help each other as well. It’s only the second side of the same coin.” Her mother wouldn’t have abandoned Neo, either. Nor would anyone else in her family, as far as she could surmise. They’d all have reacted differently, but none of them would have left the Meowstic to suffer. It was amazing that she and Quil had earned such praise and recognition from Neo’s teammates, but it was also rather humbling to consider that their role could very easily have been replaced by another team. They hadn’t done anything of particular merit.
The Espeon considered Alexandru’s words, too, feeling her skin flush with heat beneath her fur. Their politeness and restraint seemed only to make it more embarrassing that they would praise her so openly. Neo must talk about them fairly regularly, to earn this sort of reaction. Her blush didn’t fade as she dipped her head. They made it very difficult to maintain direct eye contact, though considering their blindness she was not sure that they’d much mind. ”I’ll do my best not to let you down,” she assured the Zubat with equal softness, feeling some of the formality slip away. ”I know that we think fairly highly of Neo, too. More than just hearsay from other teams, he’s always been considerate of us when we meet. Meeting you, it’s fairly clear that he really is a compassionate person. He’s worthy of as much respect as you treat me.”
Quil would be happy to hear of all this, when they had the chance to speak privately afterward. She could feel it in her soul that the tiny Joltik would take every word to heart, and she felt her appreciation for their kindness grow at the thought.
The clatter of silverware drew her attention from their conversation, and Skye’s ears swiveled to catch the sound more closely. She caught a glimpse of Neo and her teammates preparing lunch, the two children watching from their places on the bench beside the table. ”It looks like the others are ready to eat,” she noted more conversationally, gesturing out of habit for them to join the group. ”Go ahead and join them, if you’d like. I should help serve everyone.”
With that, she rose gracefully to her paws and trotted across the room. A shimmer of silver and lilac swirled around the belly of the small cider cask by the open doors, lifting it into the air without a hint of strain in the Espeon’s expression. Her psychic energy supported it as she transitioned to stand near the table, and she propped her forelegs on the top of a nearby stool so that she could better see when she settled it on the table’s edge. She tugged the cork free from the top of the wooden cask, and cautiously pulled some of the empty glasses from around her working teammates. She considered them for a moment, before returning to the far side of the room and returning with two carved wooden cups. They’d be less likely to break if one of the children bumped or dropped them.
Shortly afterward, a plate of fresh sweets and a cup of cool cider was slid in front of each present guest. Their hosts pulled their own meals closer to themselves where they sat around the table, although the arrangement felt much more comfortable than formal. Each of the Sunstrike hosts seemed to radiate with ease and happiness, feeling more familiar with the situation now that everyone had food to supplement the conversation.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2016 9:43 am
Neo & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Alexandru
Clara listened to Uncle Quil's words silently, staring at Auntie Zahra with wide, uncertain eyes. She didn't know what to make of the bird, but it seemed like Uncle Quil liked her, they were teammates after all. Generally, Clara had a number of reservations about birds, thanks to a certain friend of her brothers. They had sharp claws that they couldn't retract and they made her nervous because of it--she was a delicate creature, moreso than Quil in some ways, and hyper-aware of it. Still, Auntie Zahra didn't really look like the birds she'd seen: she had feathers, but she also had hands and feet that didn't have any pointy talons, and her wings were very small. She liked the thought that the Togetic grew pretty flowers too; flowers were delicate, which meant they needed delicate hands to tend to them, so Auntie Zahra was probably safer than most birds, especially if Uncle Quil said so. "Hello Auntie Zahra," Clara murmured, averting her eyes from the Togetic so she wasn't staring, and because she was too shy to meet her eyes. "Your flowers sound nice."
The pair of children were quickly distracted by the actions of their father, staring with wide eyes as the strange ball he put on the table was revealed to have a creamy white stuff inside. Eliot moved a bit closer, smelling the strong flavor of cold-sweet and grinning. "It looks tasty too!" he reported, glancing over his shoulder at his sister as his tail began to wag again.
"That's because it is tasty!" Neo rubbed his son behind the ears with a playful roughness that earned a whine of pleasure from the boy. As Eliot pressed himself against Neo's side for more, the Meowstic obliged. "This is one of the treats my Daddy made for me when I was little," he said, looking up at Clara as he spoke. "It's pretty hard for Nyx to make, so we haven't had it before, but I'm sure you'll like it." He released Eliot, who gave him a kiss of gratitude before turning back to Uncle Quil and Clara again, looking quite content. "I'm so glad it suits the meal so well!" Neo said to Quil delightedly. "I figured of all the things I could bring, it was hard to go wrong with homemade ice cream!" Most everyone seemed to enjoy the unique flavor it had to offer, and Neo liked to think of himself as somewhat of a skilled ice cream maker, since he'd been doing it since he was a child. This ice cream had been made late last night, after the children were in bed, so it would be fresh for their gathering and a surprise for everyone.
As Zahra slipped off to collect the spoons, Neo watched Clara hover down toward the table, where Quil sprang from her hands with a practiced ease, landing safely near the myriad of homemade treats. As the Joltik turned back to instruct the children to sit down, Eliot nodded eagerly and made to bound over to the table, but paused after a few steps--nearly tripping over himself in the process--and looked back at his sister. "C'mon Clara!" The puppy raised his tail towards her, and his sister smiled, grabbing onto it with a firm grip. Smiling, Eliot trotted over to the benches, his pace somewhat less reckless than usual, and clambered up onto one. Clara let go of her brother once he had settled in, and hovered down to be at his eye level, wrapping her stringy arms around herself so she'd be ready to use them to eat when the time came. Neo stared at his children and felt a burst of pride swell through him--they were such good kids, he couldn't have asked for better.
"Ah, wonderful!" Neo gladly accepted the spoons from Zahra's outstretched hand, admiring the designs on the metal utensils for a moment. "Thank you!" While Zahra and Quil began the process of carefully filling everyone's plate with appropriate portions (a task that Neo was very familiar with himself) the Meowstic prepared himself to serve the ice cream. He'd come prepared, pulling a rather unique utensil from the folds of the towel: it was like a spoon, but with a top that resembled half a tennis ball. Quil lined the plates up for him and Neo dipped the ice cream scoop into his creation, adding near-perfect scoops of ice cream to the plates of those for whom it was appropriate. When it came to Clara's plate, Neo used a normal spoon, scooping out about half of a normal scoop for her since the girl was unlikely to finish all the food on her plate in the first place, given Sunstrike's generous offerings and the girl's picky eating habits and small appetite. As for Quil's, the Meowstic shot a glance at the Joltik and at the servings already present on his plate and scooped out a small amount of the treat--not even half a normal spoonful--placing it carefully beside the assortment of tarts. He placed the two scooping utensils next to the ball, screwing on its top again for now, until seconds might be called for, and procured four spoons, placing them atop Clara's, Zahra's, Lux's, and his own plate, then proceeded to carry the children's plates over to them, murmuring a cautionary "Wait" to Eliot before returning for his own. Neo sat down to his son's side when he returned, assured that Clara would be able to manage just fine.
Lux was amused by Skye's modesty, a fact that showed from the wry smile that rested on his face. "I'm sure he would have," the Lucario agreed, "but, as with most things, what really matters is how it did happen, not how it could have." Lux raised a knowing eyebrow. "Sometimes even the smallest of actions are enough to move mountains, my dear. You don't have to change the world: small kindnesses are more than enough." Skye's heart was echoed in her aura and her words--she held similar ideals to Neo, it was no wonder they'd made such fast friends. Lux admired Pokemon like those two: young and vibrant and still able to hold fast to idyllic beliefs. Skye was somewhat different though, he could taste it in the lilac of her aura. Neo had yet to see much of the sadness of the world, so it was easy for him to believe in things most Pokemon would dismiss as childish dreams; Skye though--her aura held a wisdom and experience that Neo's lacked. The Espeon had been witness to great darkness, but she seemed to radiate with a hope that the world could still be shaped into this warmer image she spoke of. Lux hoped that one day, Neo would be the same: Skye and her Team would be good friends for the Meowstic to have.
Alexandru dipped his head in response to Skye's words. "Of course," he said, offering a small smile. "As you say, we are as much one as we are separate Teams. There's no greater pleasure than to strengthen the bonds we share with those who cast their lots with ours."
At the instruction to join the others, Lux nodded and rose to his feet. "We'd be happy to," he said with a smile. The food smelled exceptional, so he was perfectly willing to comply.
The Lucario made his way to where he saw the others gathering, auras mingling as they sat close to one another, and he took a seat on the bench across from Neo. Alexandru spread his wings and fluttered down to perch to Lux's left. Neo was quick to rise and put their plates in front of them. "There's a spoon for your ice cream to the right of your place Lux," he informed his teammate softly, before slipping back to his seat on the other side of the table.
The adult members of Team Essence murmured comments of appreciation when their cider was placed before them, while the children simply watched delightedly, enchanted by the way Skye's light-colored Psychic differed from their father's somewhat deeper, purple one. Eliot drooled at the marvelous smells in front of him, but waited to be told it was alright, Clara unraveled her arms and poked at the tarts curiously, and the adults waited patiently for a signal from their hosts that it was time to indulge in the wonderful afternoon meal that had been placed before them. When Skye and her Team started eating, Neo and his would follow suit, the Meowstic giving a gentle nod to his son when the time was right.
Naturally, Eliot was on his food in an instant, the lack of hands not deterring him in the slightest. He wolfed down the bread in remarkable time, savoring the butter that dribbled down his muzzle as he licked at it furiously, trying to capture all the salty flavor before he moved on to the tarts. He took the first one in his mouth and chewed it, tasting the familiarity of Pecha on his tongue and grinned. Next he licked at the cold-sweet stuff, flinching back when he found it was so cold it stung his tongue, but it tasted sweet and creamy, like milk but better, so soon he was working at it again, attacking the scoop with small, cautious licks.
Clara examined her plate curiously, ultimately reaching for her wooden cup before any of it. She recognized the color of Bluk berries in one of the strange tiny treats, which was one of her favorites, so she knew she'd save that for last, so she could have a good flavor on her tongue in case anything tasted icky. She sipped the curious amber liquid in front of her and found that it was good, so she took another drink. It was appley and cold and that was nice. Feeling a bit braver about the rest of the things on her plate, she pulled off a piece of her bread and popped it in her mouth, finding it warm and savory. A smile crossed her face and she tore off another piece, pleased that everything tasted good so far. She was still nervous about the tarts and ice cream, but she knew it was better to try them sooner so she could get it over with.
Neo, Lux, and Alexandru enjoyed their meals at their own pace, happy with the company and the comfort of homemade food. Although Nyx often served extravagant meals, Neo and Lux especially were just as happy with simple fare.
Neo examined his tarts, picking up one that was pale pink, bordering on white. "What sort of flavor is this Skye?" he asked, curiosity tugging at the words. The Meowstic took a bite of the tart and his eyes widened with surprise and delight. "It's really good!" He'd never tasted anything quite like it.
"If you're speaking of the tarts, I believe it's Kee berry." Alexandru was perched on the table, sipping at his cider, but a look at his plate would reveal the Zubat had already taken a bite out of his own Kee tart. "It's not often served around these parts, due to its expense, given that it's grown in climates that differ drastically from our own." He turned his head toward the Espeon, listening to the echoes of sound that rebounded to his ears to find her. "They've been baked beautifully," he added, "It's very easy to overcook a berry so particular, but these are delicious."
Lux chewed his bread and butter thoughtfully, closing his eyes and bowing his head to savor the taste--avoiding others' auras was the only way he could truly experience the natural flavors of foods, and occasionally he liked indulging in that experience. The bread was freshly-made and delightful, and the Lucario looked quite pleased just to be there, enjoying the warmth of the atmosphere around him.
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Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2016 1:55 pm
Skye & Quil & ZahraSkye mulled over Lux’ words, surprised by the similarities between his perspective and her partner’s. It wasn’t an idea that came from nowhere, but rather a philosophy that usually required a lot of introspection and reflection to internalize. Quil had managed it through his own path to understanding his role in the world, particularly with how small and fragile he was physically, but it appeared that Lux had done something similar. There was more to the Lucario than was obvious on the surface, but his complexity would be something she’d likely learn in time. With how strong their ties were to Neo, they would be spending a considerable amount of time with Team Essence in future and she hoped she’d have more to learn from Lux.
At the very least, she imagined that he’d make pleasant company for her partner when Quil finally got the chance. The tiny Joltik was current engaged in helping Neo’s children assert themselves in the new space. He was small and unintimidating in possibly every way, and his friendly way of speaking seemed to have easily charmed even the nervous Drifloon enough to bring her happily to the table with the others.
Zahra smiled warmly at Clara from across the table, shifting her wings so that they were folded politely behind her back. The little ghost was still quite flighty, but she seemed more secure with familiar faces nearby. She didn’t meet Zahra’s eyes when she smiled, betraying her fear, but the Togetic seemed to understand. Even the shyest fledglings would spread their wings eventually. ”I sure think so,” she told Clara kindly. ”We can go see after lunch.”
Taking her spoon in her hand, Zahra went first for a small bite of the ice cream that Neo had made for them. She’d never tasted the sweet frozen dessert before, and she too had a little jump as the cold sensation settled along the edge of her tongue. She felt the short, downy feathers rise on the back of her neck, but quickly settled as she began to taste the subtle bitterness of vanilla bean and the sweet thickness of cream. It was definitely a unique dessert, and for the Togetic it was an entirely new experience. She’d never tasted anything like it and she decided that she wholeheartedly liked it. She took a bigger spoonful the next time, her smile widening. ”You’re a pretty good chef, Neo!” she complimented, her dark eyes bright with enthusiasm. ”We’re gonna have to have ice cream more often, if all of it tastes like this.”
Skye smiled at her teammate, pleased that she was enjoying the ice cream as much as their guests seemed to enjoy the drinks and desserts. The Espeon turned her head as the other team’s captain took a delicate bite from one of the tarts and offered a radiant smile as his eyes widened in surprise. ”The pale ones are Kee berry,” she agreed with Alexandru, though her smile seemed to shift modestly as the Zubat continued on to praise her cooking.
”The Emboar I bought them from was really helpful,” she admitted. ”Normally he bakes them himself, but he made an exception for us. I’m just happy they turned out so well; it would’ve been a shame if I’d burned them.” Skye tipped her head, her psychic wrapping around one of the tarts and lifting it gently into the air so that she could take a bite of it herself. The balanced flavor of the Kee melted over her tongue, with a little bit of sweet and bitterness clinging to her throat as she swallowed it down. The shell was warm, soft and flaky, and she had to agree that she’d done fairly well in baking them. Her expression brightened a little as she finished off the delicious treat.
Quil sat between Lux and Neo, his tiny body settled right on top of the table so that he could more easily reach his food. There was no possible way for him to finish entire tarts, so tiny pieces had been cut from Skye’s food to settle on what was clearly a much larger plate than he needed. His usual tiny plate must’ve been overlooked when setting the table. Unperturbed, he set his eyes on the little scoop of ice cream Neo had given to him. Still several times larger than a standard portion for a Pokemon of his size, he eagerly crawled onto the plate to try a bite of his food.
A delicate claw touched the ice cream, scooping it onto the side of the pointed appendage and drawing it into his mouth. The sharp chill of ice cream made his fur rise on his back, but it tasted sweet and refreshing. He quickly balanced it with a nibble of warm Pecha tart, and did his best to eat from the edge of his plate and avoid the line of melting ice cream that was creeping across the middle. He didn’t say much of anything as he ate, though equally enchanted with the food as the others.
A small teaspoon was set beside him, a rich amber liquid settled in the hollow of the spoon. The scent of spiced apple washed over him. He waved an appreciative claw at Zahra and stepped over to start scooping small droplets of apple cider into his mouth.
”You said you have other teammates, right Neo?” Zahra chirped conversationally, not paying much mind to her vice captain while he enjoyed the drink she’d passed him. ”What are they like?” She seemed a little awkward about starting on the topic, but she was too forward to look properly bashful about prying. She wanted to know what the psychic’s team was like. There was even an idle curiousity about how they all got along, although even she knew not to voice that particular question. Asking whether or not she got on well with Vyra would’ve annoyed her enough, so she supposed that she shouldn’t bring the same emotion out in someone else.
Skye’s ears twitched and the Espeon shot her Meowstic guest an intrigued look. ”If you don’t mind, I’d love to hear about your partner. I still haven’t had the chance to meet him, but you’ve said such kind things in the past.” Her voice was soft and supportive of Zahra. She supposed that couldn’t sense emotions as keenly as the Lucario at the table, but her empathic abilities were honed enough to catch the emotions that drifted across the table. There were some mixed feelings about the un-introduced Vulpix, on both teams, but she felt that she’d asked somewhat sensitively and Neo seemed elated at the prospect of talking about his team.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 11:16 am
Neo & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Alexandru
Neo's face reddened at the compliment, though he was clearly very pleased. "Thanks Zahra," he said, smiling. "I like to think that I'm alright, but you should see the stuff my partner makes." Although he was pretty good at cooking, his skills were minimal when compared to what Nyx could do. Just being around him when he cooked was a sight to behold--the fox was a genius around food, no question. Since that was the case around home, it was rare for him to be complimented on his cooking: getting an affirmation of his own skills was surprisingly pleasant. "There are actually a lot of different flavors you can make your ice cream, so it can taste like all sorts of things. But it's always creamy and cold and sweet, you can count on that!"
Skye spoke up then, following Alexandru's answer to the question he'd asked. "Kee berry, huh? Neat!" Neo spoke through the end of another mouthful of his tart, looking a bit embarrassed at the muffled sound of his too-eager response. Swallowing his bite, he smiled apologetically at his host, though he didn't regret the delicious after-taste in his mouth. "How do you know it, Dru?"
The Zubat dipped his head. "The leader of my collective was never one to settle for anything but the best," he said, fidgeting his wings a bit in discomfort. "Although he wasn't the most respectable of leaders I was exposed to a great many tastes because of him--tastes that few others may have the privilege to experience in their lifetime. In that, I am most fortunate."
Neo nodded, not pressing the matter further. Alexandru always seemed a bit uneasy when it came to his past, so the Meowstic didn't ever pry; the bat was a very reserved creature, but he was warming up little by little. Turning back to Skye, Neo added. "An Emboar, huh? Sounds like somebody I should meet, if he makes such great recommendations!" Unfortunately, he was so preoccupied with managing Guild work and his children he rarely took on the role of running errands, which meant the many shopkeepers and citizens of the town were mostly unknown to him. When the children were older, perhaps they could take walks around town and he could get to know the non-Guild members in the area.
Center of attention as he was, the Meowstic barely had a chance to take a bite of his ice cream, shivering delightedly at the taste that overwhelmed his senses, before Zahra was asking him another question. Fortunately, Neo thrived under these conditions, happy to indulge the curiosity of his friends. "That's right, there are three members of my Team who couldn't make it today. There's my partner, a Vulpix named Nyx, a Ditto named Air, and a Golurk named Killian. Nyx and Air are taking care of some Guild work--just some routine meeting stuff--and I thought it better not to bring Killian since he's so big. Plus, he doesn't talk that much." The Golurk had an interesting story--all of them did--but Skye chimed in shortly after, asking about Nyx.
"Well let's see..." Neo took a sip of his cider to whet his palate. "Like I said, Nyx is a Vulpix, but it's a little hard to tell by looking at him. His fur is starting to go white and he has nine tails, and he doesn't have that curl on his head most Vulpix have--it's like he's almost a Ninetales but not quite. We had a bit of a rough start because of this really weird thing that happened on my ribbon retrieval mission, but we became friends pretty quickly after that." That covered the basics. "Nyx is...pretty much the best partner I could have asked for," Neo said, eyes soft with gratitude. "Our very first mission he saved my life, and he's made it pretty clear that he values our Team and partnership above most anything else. Pretty much anything I might have to do, he's already got it taken care of by the time I bring it up to him. He's an amazing cook, and makes us these extravagant meals pretty much every day; he keeps everything tidy around our Team Room and is great at organization; he handles paperwork like it's second-nature to him; and he goes out to do fieldwork almost every day." The Meowstic tapped his spoon against his chin thoughtfully. "Really, the only things he doesn't have going for him are that he's pretty introverted--social situations really drain him, even though he's good at handling them; he's not good with kids at all really, so he avoids Eliot and Clara and they avoid him generally; and he can be kind of quick tempered when he's stressed." That seemed like a good synopsis. Neo could have gone on, but any more than what he'd said already would seem excessive unless he went into a story--better to take the opportunity to eat, which he eagerly did, picking up his bread and butter and biting into it happily.
Alexandru and Lux chose not to contribute to the discussion of Nyx, though the Lucario smiled at Neo's description. His captain certainly painted a rosy portrait of Nyx, but there was no need to contradict it. Everything Neo had said was true, but it was certainly a glossier description than any member of the Team would give him. Alexandru sipped his cider with a serene expression on his face; he'd only recently joined the Team, a few days prior, so he couldn't speak much about the peculiarities of his fellow teammates, particularly Nyx who he'd seen so little of since his arrival.
Eliot was oblivious to the adult's discussions, his other two tarts now gone and his tongue clumsily lapping at his wooden cup of cider. His ice cream was getting melty now, and easier to eat, but he still lapped at it in small, careful licks in between drinks, the memory of that initial chill, fresh in his mind. His plate was getting to be sadly empty--soon he'd be lapping up the crumbs and cream until he'd licked the dish clean.
Clara was feeling somewhat emboldened by how delicious everything else tasted, so she reached for the strangest tart, the one that Daddy had said was so good, and weighed it in her hands. It was a funny color, and it smelled a bit odd, so she really wasn't sure about it, but everyone else seemed to like it. The Drifloon lifted the tart to her mouth and took a bite, closing her eyes tightly in anticipation of something she wouldn't like. Her eyes widened with surprise as she chewed the tiny bite she took, frowning at the strangeness of it. It was bitter, but it was also sweet in a way that she really didn't understand; the complexity of the dessert was a little overwhelming for the girl's inexperienced palate. Setting it down, she took a sip of the nice-tasting cider and looked down at the tart unhappily. Too bad it couldn't all be tasty.
"Do you want this tart Eliot?"
"Yes please!"
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Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2016 8:58 pm
Skye & Quil & ZahraZahra looked long and hard at Alexandru for a moment, a soft frown on her face. Having had a fairly pleasant past and family herself, it was a little startling to hear about someone else having so different a history that they’d hesitate to talk about it. The confused Togetic risked a glance around the table, checking the expressions of the others beside her. A few of them seemed to take rather prolonged sips of their cider to avoid the need for further conversation on that topic, but they all looked very understanding of the matter. She realized that Skye, too, refused to talk much about certain aspects of her past. Maybe it was something they’d grown used to.
Feeling a little more at ease, Zahra allowed her smile to flow back onto her face, finishing off the rest of her own Kee berry tart. It really was a tasty tart, if a little complex. Clara didn’t seem as taken with that particular dessert, though, and Zahra stifled a laugh as the Drifloon dropped her Kee tart onto her brother’s plate.
The Togetic leaned over slightly to the younger girl. ”Kee berry’s kind of a weird one, huh?” Zahra allowed herself a friendly grin, though she was careful to keep her voice low. The Drifloon seemed like someone who’d startle easy. ”Why don’t we get you an extra Pecha tart instead? It’s sweet like the cider and ice cream. They’re Quil’s favourite, anyway, and you two seem a lot alike.” Reaching out with a pale hand, she plucked a ruby red tart from the center of the table. She offered it out to Clara, leaving it up to her if she was comfortable taking a replacement treat. They were just small tarts, so it wouldn’t be too overwhelming or heavy in anyone’s stomachs if they had more or less than the amount they’d been served originally.
Skye was instead drawn into Neo’s explanation of his teammates. His team was twice the size of her own and admittedly a little reminiscent of her mother’s team when she was small. ”A Golurk and a Ditto? You’re certainly building a strong team, looking at everyone you’ve drawn together,” the Espeon complimented. His team was incredibly versatile, even based on species alone. ”I suppose Killian wouldn’t fit at the table, but you’re welcome to bring him sometime. We do manage to fit Frost in here when he visits, and he’s only a couple feet shorter.” Skye’s voice was bright and full of mirth at this, remembering how the Arcanine had purposely assigned her to a flat with a large door and open living space. They’d never been on Team Stormcloud at the same time, but that didn’t mean that the now-Guildmaster didn’t have a soft spot for his captain’s daughter.
Quil smiled a little as Neo began about his partner, listening politely. His appearance was unusual enough, he supposed, but Neo’s explanation was incredibly thorough. The little Joltik realized belatedly that Neo was perhaps the opposite of his partner. He loved to talk, especially about other people, and seemed to take a lot of pride in his team’s capabilities. It was indeed a pretty picture that Neo painted, and Quil felt himself warm a little to the Vulpix he’d never met. He wasn’t as good with children as he’d like to be, either, but quiet ones like Clara were just fine. Neo’s kids were just careful enough not to be dangerous to him.
”We’ll have to meet him sometime,” Skye offered politely. ”Nyx sounds like he’s got a lot on his plate right now, though. We’ll have to wait until he’s had a break.” She took a long sip of cider then, thoroughly enjoying the sweet richness that flowed down her throat. It was just enough to be flavourful, but somehow still thin enough to be refreshing. She was pretty happy with all of their choices in food so far, even if the Kee berry tarts seemed to be a bit of a polarizing dish.
Quil by now had cleaned his plate. Not one to chatter, he simply enjoyed listening to the conversation around him. That, and his stomach and serving size was considerably smaller than that of everyone else at the table. He stepped closer to his little dish for his cider and lifted it with careful claws to his captain. ”Would you mind refilling this?” He asked her softly, his large eyes bright and expectant.
Skye was observant enough to catch the movement out of the corner of her eye and smiled, carefully lifting a couple tablespoons of cider from her own cup. The blob of amber liquid floated in the air for a moment, shimmering with mist-like magic as her psychic carried it over and settled it smoothly into the Joltik’s extended dish. Pouring him a drink separately would have been a lot more difficult than sharing her own, given the size of his cup.
”Thank you,” he added before stealing another long sip from his cup.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 8:59 am
Neo & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Alexandru "Oh, I don't know about that," Neo said modestly, waving a paw. "Right, Killian and Air. You did ask about all of them after all," he said with a nod to Zahra.
"Killian wouldn't fit at the table no, but that's alright, he doesn't actually eat. Did you know that Golurk function completely off of the energy inside them? There's so much of it that it practically makes their bodies burst. There's this seal across their chests"--he indicated the spot with a paw--"And if you remove it their bodies can't handle the sudden influx of energy. It's really fascinating." Since Killian's arrival he and Air had done a lot of research on the creatures, because there was no real way to figure out if the Golurk needed anything otherwise. "But the biggest reason I wouldn't bring him is, uh, he's kind of a peculiar case." Neo rubbed his arm uncomfortably, trying to find the words to articulate things properly. "Nyx is the one who met him first, out on a solo mission. Apparently Killian was working as a kind of bodyguard for this weird Claydol that Nyx ended up having to deal with. When Nyx came back, Killian apparently hunted him down because he showed up at the door the next day."
"Killian is not like most Pokemon," Lux inserted himself into the conversation smoothly, allowing Neo a bit of a break from talking, which the Meowstic took gratefully. "His spirit has suffered some level of harm, you see. For some reason, he does not act of his own volition but only responds to orders given to him by those he has marked." The Lucario sipped his cider thoughtfully. "We've been trying to find out more about him since he first arrived, but we've made little progress. He doesn't speak at all, and only responds to commands involving actions. We've discussed finding a specialist to consult about the matter, but have yet to do so. Killian seems perfectly functional and content to some extent. He shows emotional responses very minimally." It was hard to explain Killian to someone who hadn't met him, and the subject was a troubling one for many. There had been some rather lengthy discussions in the past about finding some help for the creature, and Lux knew it was Nyx's doing that had kept it from happening. Neo had seemed keen on the idea at first, but had begun to reject it shortly after; the Lucario had his suspicions that a certain Vulpix had been whispering in his captain's ear to influence that outcome.
"Right," Neo said with a nod. "So maybe it would be better if you came to visit Killian for yourselves sometime. We're hoping he improves over time. We've seen some progress, so it seems promising!" Killian understood things he'd never understood before coming to the Guild, and he was really a lot more responsive to certain ideas, so that was definitely progress of a certain kind. Neo was a little worried about Killian honestly, for the Golurk's own sake, but Nyx had mentioned that the giant might be declared unsuited for Guild work and taken away from them, which Neo didn't want. Killian had chosen them, imprinted on them even; if he was taken away from them, it could be really bad for the big guy.
"Then there's Air." Neo took a bite of his ice cream and smiled. "Air is a bit of a character, and the first one to join our Team, after the very first mission Nyx and I took together. He was causing some trouble around the Ruined Castle you see, although we didn't know it was him at the time, and we ended up having to deal with the consequences." What was the best way to put this... "Air has...a really hard time reading social cues, and that makes things difficult for him. When I say he was causing trouble, what I mean is he'd Transformed into something that was making a bunch of the locals uncomfortable. He'd taken on the shape of an Unknown A, and the colony of Unknown was thrown out of whack by it. Apparently if there's more than one of any kind of Unknown in a given colony, it messes with their Psychic energy a lot. So they wanted us to deal with Air, who had only taken on that shape because he doesn't really feel comfortable approaching other Pokemon without understanding them in the way that only Transforming helps him to do." At least, that was how the Ditto had put it.
"Since he came here, Air's gotten a bit better. He still has to be told a lot of the time when people are feeling uncomfortable with what he's doing, but he's really a great Pokemon." Neo smiled fondly. "He really wants to help in whatever way he can, and you've never seen anyone get so excited about Pokemon the way he does. No matter who you are Air will talk about you like you're the most fascinating species in the world, and he loves to share his knowledge with everyone else too." The Ditto really was charming, once you were able to adjust to the social ineptitude and constant shape-changing parts of him.
"Air sends his regards as well," Lux said with a smile. "He looks forward to meeting you soon." It would be an entertaining meeting to witness, that was certain. What their hosts wouldn't be expecting was just how familiar Air was with Skye and Quil's forms in particular. He'd helped Neo with the fitting for the pair's scarves after all, so he'd done some low-profile scouting of the duo in the past to get their attributes just right. Lux took a bite of ice cream, smiling at the vanilla so reminiscent of Air's own taste. "My best advice is to be gentle with him. For all his naivety, Air truly means well, and he takes criticism to heart. Our young friend is a misunderstood genius, as it were, but he's too inexperienced to recognize that for himself." It didn't take much to make Air retreat into his own self-doubts, but Lux had faith that Sunstrike would be good to the youth when the time came.
Further down the table, Clara's face that reddened when she was addressed, the girl embarrassed that she'd been caught being impolite. Daddy always said eating everything on your plate made you a good girl, and she wanted to be good really, but she didn't like to eat things that weren't tasty when you had a small appetite like she did, it was awful when you were full and your mouth had a yucky aftertaste from weird food. "Th-That's alright, really..." she said uncomfortably, too polite to directly reject the offer.
Eliot glanced at his sister and back to Zahra before realizing what was going on. "A-Auntie Zahra?" he said, "Clara d-d-dooooesn't really like to eat mmmmuch." Unlike the Growlithe who loved to eat just about anything. "I'll take the t-tarrrrt though. Can I have s-s-seconnds?"
Clara continued to look terribly embarrassed, almost like she was about to cry. Her voice was hardly above a whisper when she spoke up again. "I'm sorry..." she said miserably, feeling like she wasn't just letting down Auntie Zahra, but Uncle Quil too but refusing the treat. "You have really good food, really, I just..." She whimpered slightly and, further down the table, Neo picked up on his daughter's distress. "Sweetheart?" The Meowstic peered down the table, eyes wide with worry. "What's wrong?"
The Drifloon sniffled and her brother piped up again. "Clara di-didnnn't like the K-K-Keeee tart." He said it matter-of-factly, though he struggled over the word. "I th-thiiiink she's full."
"I'm sorry Daddy..." Clara seemed to deflate, putting her hands to her face. "I didn't want any more tarts. I just wanted to eat what I had on my plate."
Neo raised a paw to the back of his head, rubbing it sheepishly. They were kind of making a scene weren't they? And it was over something pretty small, all things considered. "That's nothing to get upset about Clara, just use your words like you do at home. Nobody wants to make you sad, they just don't want you to feel left out. If you don't like something that's okay, but it's better to just let other people know what's bothering you. Now go on. Tell Auntie Zahra what you want."
The girl sniffled and looked up at the Togetic across from her, still feeling miserable. "Auntie Zahra...I don't want another tart..." The Drifloon looked up pitifully, tears in her eyes. "My tummy isn't very big and I can't eat it all. I do like Pecha but Bluk is my favorite, but I don't even want one of those because I'm getting pretty full and I'm sorry I didn't like the Kee it wasn't bad it was just weird and I wanted to have room for everything else because it was so tasty and I'm sorry!" Clara's breathing was loud and shaky as she tried to stifle her sobs. She didn't want to cry, she wasn't going to cry, she just couldn't cry--not in front of Daddy's nice friends! Winding her string-like arms together, she hugged herself anxiously, biting her lip and trying to keep calm.
"Clara." To perhaps everyone's surprise it was Alexandru's voice that broke the tension of the moment. The Zubat faced the girl from where he perched, kitty-corner to her across the table, ears swiveled in her direction and face set in a calm expression. "Slow your thoughts, my dear." If he had eyes, the bat's gaze would have been firmly fixed on the girl, and she stared back, stunned to silence by his words. "Listen to my voice. Listen to your breathing. Can you hear it?" The Zubat tilted his head. "Focus on it, child. The air that moves through you. It's calming, is it not? When the sound of your breath matches your heartbeat, open your eyes." How Alexandru had known Clara's eyes had slowly fallen shut was a mystery, but the girl nodded as she floated gently, doing as she'd been told.
The bat's pause left a serene silence in place of his voice that no one was willing (or perhaps able) to break. As he'd spoken, all the members of Team Essence had watched him, spellbound. Alexandru had never spoken so much in front of an audience before, and the bat's tones were smooth and resonated deeply with something in each of them. Eliot's eyes were drooping, the puppy's head lolling on his paws as he stared across at Alexandru; Neo blinked a bit more than usual, green eyes feeling somewhat heavy--the Meowstic found himself engrossed in Alexandru's tone, wishing that the Zubat would say more, his voice was so soft and pleasant; Lux's expression clouded a little in confusion at the heaviness that tried to tug at his paws, brow furrowed as he looked down at the bat beside him--he wanted to say something to his friend but the words died in his throat, it seemed important not to stop whatever was happening from its completion. Everything was quiet and still until Clara slowly opened her eyes, blinking as though she was taking in her surroundings for the first time. Alexandru's expression softened into a gentle smile. "There's a good girl. Now, let's return to lunch, shall we?"
With those words, the spell was broken, and everything seemed to return to normal. All of the members of Team Essence blinked several times as they were brought back from their personal hazes, but the thoughts that had been running through their minds moments ago seemed just out of reach, beyond the edges of their memories. Where had things left off? Clara had been upset and Neo had told her to apologize, then the girl did apologize and...that was it wasn't it? And Alexandru...he'd just affirmed what Neo had said. Yes, that was it.
Remember, Clara, it's always best to use your words. It was the most important lesson my father ever taught me.
Yes Uncle Dru, I understand.
Lux frowned, trying to collect the words that were trickling through his paws despite his best efforts. "...Alex?"
"Yes, Lux?"
Was there something in the bat's tone, some unusual depth to it he hadn't noticed before? No, that didn't make sense. "Your father...You've never mentioned him before."
The Zubat nodded slowly, lowering his voice so the children wouldn't overhear. "No indeed. My father taught me a great many things, but I wouldn't say learning from him was a good experience." The bat grimaced. "You understand."
Lux nodded slowly. Something still tugged at his mind, but it seemed less important now. Ah well, he'd remember it later if it proved relevant. "I understand."
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Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 12:58 pm
Skye & Quil & ZahraSkye’s expression quickly changed, her curiosity piqued by the nature of Golurk physiology. The idea that a Golurk was entirely self-sustained was almost unimaginable, but it certainly sounded like a benefit in terms of feeding such a large Pokemon. The grocery bill alone would be substantial. ”That’s fascinating. I wonder how they generate that kind of energy? Solar, or perhaps mechanical generation? Ghost types tend to have fairly alternative physiology as it is, anyway,” she replied conversationally, enjoying the conversation much more now that she could actively engage in it. Neo’s partner sounded lovely, but there wasn’t much she could say to a description of his personality. Physiology, at least, was something she knew well enough to have a say in.
She frowned a little at his secondary description, though, and opened her mouth to ask a question when Lux intercepted to further explain. Damage to the soul sounded distinctly familiar, but the complex qualities of the Golurk’s nature were probably hard to explain in detail. It wouldn’t be polite to ask much more, but she could understand why the subject was sensitive. Having someone who couldn’t function without the orders of another being would probably feel akin to treating him as a slave or servant, even if the context and intentions of his masters was much different from that to start with. ”That’s quite sad, in a way,” she replied tactfully, though she wasn’t particularly concerned for his immediate wellbeing. She knew that the Golurk was in good hands, given the team surrounding him. ”It sounds like it’ll be some time before he’s able to start acting independently, if he’s so thoroughly conditioned that way. I know it’ll have to be a fairly slow process to do it properly, but I think a close team environment like yours will do a lot of good for him. If you’d like us to visit at some point and help expose him to new people, we’d be happy to do that, too.” Skye’s voice was soft and considerate, her bright eyes glancing between the two guests.
Skye’s broad smile returned as Neo spoke of Air, however, and her ears pricked forward with interest. ”He definitely sounds like a quick learner,” she agreed. ”I imagine he’ll figure out how to read social cues as he’s exposed to more and more Pokemon. It might be hard for him, since he has to understand language and communication from so many different species at once. Still, the more you talk about your team, the more I want to meet them!” The Espeon’s voice was brightened, and she curled her tail around her paws as she sat perched on her stool. She stole a quick sip of her cider again in between sentences, enjoying the cool sweetness on her throat. The afternoon was certainly warming up; the sunlight streaming in through the nearby doors was lighting the whole room.
Zahra smiled understandingly as Clara politely looked to turn down her offer. She was terribly nervous about it, as though she thought she were transgressing some sort of rule, and her brother quickly piped up to help her save face.
The Togetic kindly settled the tart onto Eliot’s plate without a second thought, having no problem with offering the spare tart to another when Clara seemed reluctant. Pressure wouldn’t do her any good, given how timid she was. ”Sure, Eliot,” Zahra reassured him. ”You asked so nicely, I don’t see why you can’t have the extra.”
Clara seemed upset, though, and the little Drifloon’s voice began to waver like she might cry. The Togetic was a little taken aback, having misread just how fragile her psyche was, but she quickly recovered and extended a very cautious hand to stroke the top of Clara’s head. It was as non-threatening as she could manage, letting the Meowstic and Growlithe around her speak for a moment.
There was a moment of rather severe stress for Clara as she tried again to explain, but Zahra didn’t have a chance to react before something rather strange came over her. It was like a wave of calm, and she didn’t seem to think much of anything for a few short moments. Then, she blinked and rapidly returned to her usual state of mind. The Togetic awkwardly shifted her wings, hands already back at her sides again as she tried to recollect where they’d left off. She remembered the tart, and Clara being upset, but not much following.
”Don’t worry about the tart, Clara. We don’t mind at all if you say no once in a while. You’re our friend, right? So it’s okay to tell us how you feel.” Zahra was being particularly tactful with the Drifloon, a step apart from her usual casual demeanor. ”Besides, your brother sounds like he needs the extra tart to fill his belly.” She gave a playful wink, grinning up at Eliot who was slowly remembering that there was an extra tart on his plate. What good luck for him!
Quil was a little dazed, taking longer to slip out of the hypnotic state than the Pokemon around him. He was much smaller than the others, and though Bug-types were typically resistant to Psychic abilities, his stature certainly amplified the potency. Unsure about what had caused his momentary lapse in concentration, the Joltik awkwardly returned to his food, trying to catch up with whatever aspects of the conversation he had missed. The others seemed to be calm, now, although the last thing he remembered was worry over the state of Clara. She seemed better now, though, and the others had a reasonable handle on the situation. ”We will always listen to you, Clara. That is what a family does, even if we’re not as close as your father and his team.” The small voice of the Joltik was surprisingly firm, drawing an expression of subtle surprise from his Togetic teammate.
Skye simply smiled knowingly, already understanding his tactful wisdom firsthand.
Despite the smile, however, her gaze still shifted back to Alexandru. She studied him in silence while the others’ attentions were drawn from herself. She couldn’t tell precisely what he had done, but she was perfectly aware of the end result. He had used Psychic abilities to influence the emotional state of the Pokemon around him, including his hosts. There had been no ill intent, but it still felt a little invasive to someone as acutely aware of her psyche as she was.
There was a subtle glimmer of the white gem on her forehead, and her gentle voice would echo in Alexandru’s head a moment later. ’I suppose that was your doing, given the state of everyone else,’ she noted silently. There was no anger in her voice, but merely curiousity. ’I’m guessing it was to help calm Clara, right?’
Skye’s posture didn’t seem quite as relaxed as the others, given that she hadn’t become as sedated as the others around her. ’I’m not angry or anything, but I would appreciate it if you controlled some of the overspill a little more carefully,” she broached tactfully. ’Quil and I would completely have understood if Clara needed the extra help to calm herself, but we likely don’t need the sedation ourselves. It does feel rather strange to have my mood changed without my complete awareness.’
’…You were very kind to Clara. I’m not sure if she understands all of what you did, but I’m sure she appreciated the effects.’ Her last comment was a little hesitant, but there was some genuine feeling in it. It sounded less perturbed than her request that her mind be left clear, though that hadn’t been terribly aggressive either. Skye had always been a fairly quiet, attentive person and that hadn’t changed in recent days. She was particularly comfortable with the unique nature of Psychic abilities, given how integral they were to her own life from day to day.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 9:04 pm
Neo & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Alexandru Things had certainly calmed down, regardless of the peculiarities that had taken place. Eliot wasn't really sure what happened, but he watched the Pecha tart slide onto his plate with wide, excited eyes. "Thanks Auntie Zahra!" he yipped, consuming the tart in a single bite. The sweet taste of Pecha made his mouth water and a soft contented sound formed in his throat. The food was warm and nice, and he felt a little sleepy, but really he was more hungry. Nobody'd said anything about getting him seconds though, so he looked around at the others curiously, wondering who he should ask. In the end he peered around his father to look at Auntie Skye, since Zahra and Quil seemed distracted by his sister. "Auntie Skye," he said, head tilted to the side, "C-Can I h-haaaavvve sommme more?"
Clara, on the other hand, found herself surrounded by a lot of attention suddenly. The girl wasn't fond of being on display like this, but a calm had settled over her that wasn't so easily shaken. She felt light and peaceful, like a summer breeze. Even all of the less-than-familiar voices and figures talking at her weren't so bad--the soothing feeling made her certain that they meant well, even if she felt a little embarrassed about it. "You're right," she said, somewhat dreamily. "Eliot probably should get some more. He gets pretty hungry. Daddy says it's because he's growing so fast."
Her gaze grew a little more focused as she looked down at Uncle Quil, smiling to hear his small voice despite the firmness in it. "We're...family?" Her voice grew steadier, and her mind less hazy as she found herself latching onto the words. After a moment, the Drifloon's expression broke into a small smile. "We're family." She weighed the words in her hands and in her young heart. She liked how it sounded, and how warm it felt; Auntie Skye and Uncle Quil and even Auntie Zahra--they all thought of her as their family, and that made her feel like her whole body was being wrapped in a hug. "Thank you," she murmured, blushing slightly from the warmth she felt, "I'll remember." She felt better now. Auntie Zahra and Uncle Quil weren't like Uncle Tobias and Balerd, they listened in a different way, a way that let even her soft voice be heard. It was nice.
She looked over to spy Daddy smiling at her, and smiled back. "There now, what did I say?" The Meowstic winked at her. "All you had to do was be honest. Everything else sorts itself out after." Neo's eyes were soft as watched Clara sitting there, feeling a tentative confidence thrumming from her. "I'm so proud of you, sweetheart," he purred.
Her father's praise made Clara positively glow, and she dipped her head modestly, rubbing her arm in manner strikingly like her father often did. Daddy was right, it wasn't so bad after all to just say what she was feeling.
As Clara began to nibble on her food again, Neo turned back to his own food and sighed, pleased that the clouds had drifted by fairly quickly. Still, the feline's ears twitched slightly as he felt an energy in the air, and shot a sidelong quizzical glance at the Espeon. Was something troubling her?
Across the table, Lux bit into his Bluk tart, keeping his gaze low. Something odd was happening with Skye, and something odd was happening with Alexandru. The Espeon's aura sparked with an unusual hint of tension, as did the Zubat's. Everything seemed fine with the others, but those two felt slightly off-balance. It was very unusual, especially because Lux hadn't the faintest idea what could have caused it. Usually it was so easy to determine what burrs caught in the midst of conversation, but this...it seemed to have come out of nowhere, and to only effect a rather peculiar pair.
Alexandru, for his part, showed little reaction to the sudden presence that brushed against his mind, aside from a subtle flinch that he allowed to slide off him like an errant raindrop. That? The Zubat's thoughts were calm, with a somewhat puzzled tinge to them, until she finished her statement. Ah, what I said to Clara. Alexandru sipped his cider silently, pleasure at the taste tinging his thoughts with warmth. Sometimes she needs to be reminded of her options, that's all. As do many who forget they have a voice. The Zubat seemed nonchalant about the whole thing, only Lux was able to detect the stirrings of the bat's aura that prickled with unease at the evidence of his oversight. What I do not understand is your...mood being changed? Alexandru seemed genuinely confused. I believe Neo and your Teammates did more to attend to the matter than myself, but is there a reason your mood would shift dramatically based on my assurances to my captain's daughter? The bat was covering his tracks, and using his phrasing very carefully. I understand some find my voice to be soothing but sedation...I'm not sure I understand your turn of phrase.
The Zubat tilted his ears in Skye's direction subtly, though his posture remained the same otherwise. This was far from an ideal situation, but the bat did what was necessary to keep himself from suspicion--he'd been doing it for years. Skye had formed the Psychic bond between them, so he could feel if her thoughts continued to evade the persuasion that he spun carefully into his mental words. If she seemed mollified, accepting the suggestion he'd crafted for Lux, he would be satisfied and quite forgiving of her peculiar assumptions. It would be simple enough to cloud things over enough to break her focus, and when she'd retreated from his mind she'd hardly recall their telepathic chat at all. But Skye was tenacious, and Alexandru was well-aware that mental persuasion had its limits, even with Psychics. If she didn't take to his suggestion he'd have to do something more drastic. If her suspicions grew high enough to prompt anger or distrust of his motives, Alexandru would provide her with an addition phrase, accompanied by a turn of the head: If there is something troubling you, I would be happy to talk with you further, but this is a conversation to be had alone. He didn't particularly like the thought of getting a potentially normal friend caught up in everything, but there was little choice if she couldn't be soothed by normal means.
Neo's eyes fell on Lux, whose sightless eyes shifted between Alexandru and Skye. Yes, something was going on here but what exactly was something of a mystery. Everything had been going so well too...hm. The Meowstic took a bite of his Pecha tart, frowning to himself for a moment. He didn't really know what to do here--much like Lux he found himself in the unusual situation of having no idea where things had taken a turn toward tension. Clara's troubles had been handled so easily, hopefully Skye and Alexandru's could be too. The Meowstic just wanted everyone to continue having a nice time, that was how it should be among friends.
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