Welcome to Gaia! ::

Aki looked up from the poffins and gently took the treats from Cal's hand and gave her palm a lick in thanks. "You been a grunt very long? Skye looks pretty good. In good shape, I'm sure he has lots of potential too." Now full, Aki laid back down, his head resting on Mau's boot. He looked up and eyed Mau and Cal as they talked, as if listening to them. "This old coot is almost as old as me. Found him when I was just a kid." He was holding his bowl in his lap, forgetting about his soup for a moment. He suddenly remembered when he tipped the bowl, spilling some broth on his leg. "ACK! Oh yeah!" He laughed before downing the rest of the noodles.

"I think I passed old coot a couple years ago." Mau said, now wiping at his pants with what looked to be a handkerchief. "Mmm, guess Skye just takes longer to trust you completely. At least you're still his main meal ticket. So he has to protect you a little, right?" He asked, looking at the pikachu as it was sprawled atop the poffins. "Guess it's time to set up the tent. Hate doing that in total darkness." He stood, setting his bowl down. Aki moved his head from Mau's foot and squirted water into the bowl to rinse it out as if this was a practiced routine.

Mau had to think about that a moment as he unpacked the tent. "What's one step down from 'A monkey's uncle?' I think I'm there." With Cal's help, it didn't take too long to get the tent set up. They only had one minor mishap with the poles having a mind of their own.

"Geezer huh? I can live with that." Mau chuckled as he cleaned up the rest of the camp, taking the small gas burner and putting it away, letting Cal set up her sleeping arrangements. With the camp in order, Mau set up his own sleeping bag. Aki chose to sleep outside the tent as the first few drops of water started falling from the dark gray clouds.

By morning, the rain had stopped, and everything was glittering with the droplets of water. Aki was already up and running about in the wetness, enjoying himself. He had wandered away from the camp, and returned with a small branch from a berry bush. It was left in the muddy pit that Skye had dug for the burner.

Mau left the tent, grimacing at the cold air of the morning before grabbing a tarp from his bag and setting it on the ground as a dry area to sit and make breakfast. Granola and bacon, the breakfast of champions. Of course seeing how muddy the small pit was, Mau had to forgo the bacon. But the berries were a nice surprise. He glanced around for Aki, but he was still off somewhere.

Mau watched Skye run off and chuckled. Aki shouldn't be too far. The two could get to play before any serious training happened. He heard Cal in the tent mumble something. "Good morning sunshine." Mau called to her. "Breakfast is... uh... getting cold...er."

"Granola. Grounds to soggy and squishy to set up the burner right now." He handed her the dry cereal and a half full glass flask of milk. "Skye ran off, probably to find Aki, or you know, give you a headache. Sleep well?" He sort of wished Aki and Skye hadn't run off. He could have used them to help make tea... or maybe coffee. Cal looked like she needed it.

"Slept like all old geezers. Like the dead. At least Skye kept your face warm?" Mau half laughed.

Aki was out in the field, a good distance away from the camp. He was digging furiously at the ground, on the trail of a pokemon. He was brought here to train, so train he would! Now where had that little pokemon gone?

Aki was so focused on digging, following the scent of a pokemon, that he didn't notice Skye approaching. But when the pikachu burst out of the ground, Aki yelped, and spit water instantly at the supposed attacker. He missed horribly and was in a fighting position before spotting it was Skye.

Training? Aki tilted his head at Skye.

Mau lauged a little. "It's alright. Not a morning person. I'd offer you coffee but... Well. Kind of hard to set up a fire right now."