Welcome to Gaia! ::

"How're you feeling?"
Tone tinged with worry, the trainer lowered himself until he was at eye level with the growlithe, crossing his arms and resting them over his knees. Given how sunny it was, he had decided to leave his signature fur-lined coat in storage, although even he was aware of how silly he looked. As usual, Shou didn't have much of a choice-- he simply did whatever his Pokemon wanted, and as his umbreon and persian were warring about what he absolutely had to wear, he had ended up with a million layers.

So much for staying cool.

At least, the two felines had tired themselves out. Now resting in their pokeballs, he was left with the much more docile growlithe, and while the redhead adored Yune and Kazuya, he did appreciate the down times when he wasn't getting ripped a new one for so much as breathing.

"Do you want to go home?"
He wasn't at the park for the bug catching contest. In all truthfulness, Shou didn't have much interest in collecting Pokemon. He was a ranger on the days he felt like it, but mostly he was a mercenary. Unlike regular trainers, catching, collecting and researching were of little interest to him. As far as he and his current team were concerned, they had all the partners they needed.

With a sneeze that blasted a small stream of fire, the canine shook its head, cream-coloured tail swiping over the ground lethargically. He had refused to go to the pokecenter earlier, and the fire-type was also refusing any kind of medication. As such, the best Shou could do was sit with the young growlithe, just barely visible in the tall grass. Reaching a hand over to rhythmically pet his companion, he observed the space around them, spotting a scyther in the distance and closer to them, a girl with what seemed to be a fluffy Whimsicott.

Out of reflex, he pulled Ares to his lap, holding the canine there as he would if the growlithe was his umbreon. Small and cute things never fared well around Shou and his crew.

x

Now, Karissa Darling never thought she would see the day where not only did she venture out of her hometown, but also entered her first Pokemon contest. All on the same day even!
She was very nervous. She had heard such horrible stories of the people who lived outside her quiet little birthplace. She hoped, hoped with everything she was, that her family and friends had made it all up to "keep her safe" so to speak...//gulp
Karissa looked down to her Vaporeon Ariel and took a few deep breathes.
Ariel looked up to her trainer and nudged her head against her leg, she could feel the nerves radiating off her and it was worrying. Ariel knew she could protect her, but being outside of the place they both grew up she could understand the thick worry in the air...some of which might be coming from herself...
Karissa bent down and hugged Ariel.
"Thank you dear friend. Sorry if I made you worry."
Karissa jumped up from her bent down position and pointed in the direction directly ahead of her.
"Let's go Ariel!" "Let's go find us some new friends!"
While heading off Karissa thought: 'I hope my face doesn't get in my trouble here...like back home...'

Glancing up when he felt someone approach, Shou held his breath until he could spot the young girl approaching. Holding still in the same manner, he made no motions of telling her to watch her step, merely flashing the other a cheeky grin when ViktoriaQuinn seemed to catch her own mistake.

"Hello!"
Cheerful, the sometimes-ranger-full-time-slack leaned back, holding the puppy in his lap. He didn't mind the fact that ViktoriaQuinn was standing-- or that she hadn't bothered to either apologize or say hello. If he cared, he might have rose to his full height, most likely standing at eye level with the Whimsicott on the other's head. But given that Shou was Shou, the redhead merely continued to grin, his expression the practiced, flawless mask of friendly stupidity he was known for.

Without warning however, he pulled the other girl down to his level, holding her close in order to keep her quiet. Where Halcyon had directed her trainer's attention to him, Shou in turn directed ViktoriaQuinn's attention to the scyther that had been grazing nearby. It had come closer while the girl had been standing, and he had no desire to scare it off.

"There-- you're here for the bug catching contest, right? Do you have your sport balls?"

Taking note of the other's reaction but not quite easing her discomfort, the boy bit back a sadistic grin. Instead, he masked his expression with flawless concern, gaze sweeping over to the bag ViktoriaQuinn had indicated. Letting her go, he released his growlithe, allowing the puppy to retrieve the carrier. Picking it up when Ares was close enough, he handed it to her.

"You'll probably win the contest if you catch it."
With a smile, the ranger leaned forward-- up onto one knee until he was crouching, one foot planted on the ground. Speaking softly with in a murmur, his voice carried just far enough to be heard by the girl beside him.

"Think you can?"