Welcome to Gaia! ::

Cody didn't really know how to answer the girl's question. "Honestly," he started. "I don't really think we're doing anything. We're just kinda b.s.ing." The boy chuckled to himself and started stroking the fur on the back of Poochy's head and behind the pokemon's ears. "You're more than welcome to join us," he mentioned, and motioned to the empty seats with his free hand.

Reaper snapped back out of the trance he was in and looked around, having lost track of what was going on.

Reaper blinked and looked over at Cody who asked him a question. "What? Oh, uh, yeah, if not training, we all just hang out." He chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

Cody laughed at the combination of Reaper's half-cluelessness and Squirtle's response to Abigail's statement. "A lot of people have asked me that, to be honest," he started. "However, between Axew and Poochy, I feel pretty blessed to have a really low-energy, laid back, low-maintenance team, to be honest. Even as tykes, they really have pretty much been the same way." He looked up to Axew breathing heavily in his ear as he slept on his shoulder, then down to Poochy who looked up to him in adoration and shifted positions to get even more comfortable than he already was. "Now, that's not to say I haven't had my troubles with these guys, but it's never been anything a stern look and a snap of the fingers can't fix. Having obedience issues?"

Cody took a mental note of her Squirtle's response and nodded understandingly. "It's all about respect. As much as you may love each other, your Squirtle needs to know who the pack leader is," the trainer commented. "I'd be glad to help sometime, if you want." He scratched from the back of Poochy's neck up to behind the pokemon's ears. He was grateful to have such an awesome family of pokemon.

In hearing Abigail's second question, Cody sat back in his seat a little bit more. "I'm not really sure," he lied. "I remember receiving a mysterious message to meet in Lilycove yesterday evening, and the next thing I knew, I grabbed my friend Maddy and we were on our way." This lie was coming out easier than he expected, but he knew it probably wasn't nearly as believable to others as it sounded to himself.

"I'm glad you think so," Cody responded with a smile. "Keep in mind, we're not looking to change his personality, and I'm certainly not doubting that he's a good pokemon by any means," the boy reassured. "I just think that your abilities as a team would skyrocket if you better understood the roles you each play in your relationship as trainer and pokemon."

Cody looked down at his Poochyena for a long moment before looking back up at his, what seemed to be, new friend. "If you don't mind, do you have a reason for joining Aqua?"

Cody looked her up and down and replied, "Typical sheltered child, huh? I can see it," he joked. "But seriously, looking to start an adventure and you join a trouble-making gang? Are you sure you're not in over your head?" He sounded concerned. What would Archie want with 'your typical sheltered child'? What could he really be planning next? After being prompted with the question earlier, Cody's curiosity on the matter had only grown.

Abigail immediately frowned; her face changed to one of exasperation and annoyance. "I am not in over my head. I may not have much battle experience, but I've got just as much drive as anyone else in this place." She was trying to convince herself more than she was trying to convince him.

Meanwhile, Squirtle peered from his position on the couch over at Corphish, who he had taken an interest in. He stuck his tongue out in a playful fashion.