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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
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 Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 10:40 am
Neo & Nyx & Eliot & Clara He was absolutely saying the balls were perfect, don't kid yourself
Eliot was nothing but pleased to when Tobias began to interfere with his playing: this was a game that he knew! The trick was to make sure that the round things the older Pokemon was hitting at him didn't get in the way of the round things that he was rolling. Of course, this was extremely difficult, considering the fact that the young Growlithe was hitting five or so balls at a time and he never knew when to expect the balls to come from Tobias, which led to his attempts failing rather miserably. More often than not the balls would collide with one another and one of them would go rolling off in the wrong direction, prompting Eliot to chase after it; when he got back with that one, sometimes there would be extra balls waiting there that Tobias had tossed into the mix and sometimes just when he'd finally collected them into a movable pile another ball would roll past him and he'd have to go fetch that as well. In other words, it was the most fun Eliot had had since they'd come outside. The puppy eagerly scampered back and forth, chasing after the balls and sometimes even hitting a few back in Tobias' general direction when he needed a moment to catch his breath. He never rested for too long however, possessed as he was by the tireless energy of an excited child. At one point he was so excited to return Tobias' most recent toss to him that he ended up bounding into his own ball pile, yelping with surprise as his paws gave out under him, and he fell on top of the balls, sending them flying in all directions. Eliot gave a huff of disappointment, but took the opportunity to lie there for a minute, tail wagging all the while.
Clara had been pleased enough playing on her own--so much so that she didn't even notice Balerd's approach until he chirped at her. Eyes widening with surprise, the Drifloon missed her own catch as she shied back, staring at the ball that lay immobile where the Hawlucha had dropped it. She stared at him for a long moment, wondering why he didn't do anything with the ball, and then it occurred to her that maybe he didn't understand that it wouldn't bounce. In truth, the girl didn't know how she knew that her own ball would bounce--it came from the odd knowledge that came from some place she didn't understand, and without it she wouldn't have expected the results she did at all. Glancing up, she spotted Daddy's eyes on her and she looked at him curiously, only to find him nod toward the bird who stood before her. Clara sighed, understanding the cue from the number of times she'd seen him use it with Nyx and Air and Eliot and...well everyone really. The Drifloon turned around and sought out her own bouncy ball, finding that it had rolled a little ways away, and picked it up between her hands carefully. Floating back over to Balerd, the girl stared at him silently and swung her arms forward gently, releasing the ball to allow it to bounce over to the peculiar Hawlucha. She continued to watch him quietly, wondering what he would do now that he had something that bounced; she didn't want to give up her toy but she was being nice, like she was supposed to.
Neo beamed proudly from the sidelines as he watched Clara engage with Balerd, pleased that she was giving him a second chance. Turning his gaze back to the predicament that Eliot had gotten himself into, Neo chuckled to himself, turning his gaze to his partner contentedly. "See, isn't this great? Look how happy they are."
Nyx glanced around the scene, gaze neutral as he oversaw the scene. "They do seem thoroughly entertained," the Vulpix said, providing Neo with the reply he was searching for.
"They sure are!" Neo replied, pleased with the response, "See, this is good for them. They're making friends and so are we."
Nyx glanced at his partner for a moment before turning his eyes on Tobias, having felt the Linoone's eyes on him yet again. "Indeed."
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Posted: Fri May 29, 2015 12:12 pm
Robin
Tobias & Balerd
Tobias didn't actually recognize what kind of game Eliot was trying to play nor did he particularly understand the rules that were within the Growlithe's head. He did, however, do his very best to respond according to expectation. He was ever so terribly pleased about how it had all turned out; he had been hoping for little more than an idle walk through the park and he had found not only a friend but four of them for himself and Balerd and it seemed that, for the most part, they all loved balls. That was a simply wonderful thing. To not only find Balerd friends but likeminded ones! It was a rare and wonderful gift. He was intent to fully capitalize upon such an opportunity and he did so quite happily. When Eliot finally collapsed to the ground, Tobias was quick to note the location of his misplaced balls as he zipped over towards the puppy who he treated very much accordingly; somewhat rough (though not violent) and vigorous (but not aggressive) pats and scratches were in order. Whatever the case, they were certainly affectionate and well-meaning. Eliot was another ball-lover so of course that was the case.
Balerd did exactly what Balerd had done before, though only in spirit and not strict function. What had happened before was little more than an awkward attempt at mimicry. Clara was nice, balls were nicer and Balerd was more than happy to interact with a floating ball with less animated balls. Balerd had stared uncertainly back and forth at both the ball and Clara for a moment before chirping strongly and doing what Clara had done, albeit much more clumsily and with more strength. Hawlucha were naturally stronger pokemon in general and that was especially true in their arms which were strong out of a necessity for both their flight and their combat. They were underdeveloped but easily strong enough to send the ball bouncing high enough to reach Clara.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2015 6:52 pm
Neo & Nyx & Eliot & Clara Eliot dissolved into happy yipping when he found himself jumped on by Tobias, squirming and fidgeting in response to the petting he was receiving. The puppy was delighted to be on the receiving end of such affection, and he decided he quite liked their new friend. Tail wagging cheerfully, he shifted himself so that he was facing the long Pokemon and began to lick at him vigorously, expressing his affection for the friendly Linoone. Not only was he fun to play with, he knew all the right places to pet and scratch, just like Daddy and Air did. Yes, he definitely liked this one: he was glad they'd run into one another out here in this new place.
Clara watched Balerd bounce the ball mutely, surprised at how much strength was behind his throw. The surprise quickly grew visible when the Drifloon realized that her companion's strength and the lack of purpose to his throw had sent the ball careening to the side instead of directly to her. With a sharp exhalation of breath, Clara's body was thrust to the side and her arms trailed behind grazing against the ball enough to hit it further sideways. Eyes widening, the girl's cheeks reddened in embarrassment at her mistake and she looked away from Balerd sulkily as she went to fetch the ball from where she'd hit it. She drew up short when she came to a set of hedges, which she'd seen the ball roll through and frowned, turning and heading back to the others. Sweeping past Balerd, she floated over to Neo and wrapped her arms around his quietly, tugging at him gently. "Daddy..."
Neo had turned from his conversation with Nyx immediately upon Clara's arrival, looking up at her curiously when she spoke to him. "What is it sweetheart?" he asked, glancing over at where she'd left Balerd curiously. The girl tugged at him wordlessly and he followed compliantly shooting another glance at the boy Hawlucha as they passed him by. She released him when they reached a set of hedges that edged the path, and Neo looked at her curiously, following her gaze to where it trailed low to the ground. Crouching down, the Meowstic found the ball Clara and Balerd had been playing with caught under the prickly shrub and gently pulled it out, taking the ball in his paws carefully. "Oh this is what you were after," Neo said with a laugh, transferring the ball to one paw and taking Clara's hand with the other. He led the girl back to Balerd and let her go, forming a circle between the three of them and tossing the ball to Clara with a gentle underhand throw. "Come on. We can all play together." The girl caught it between her hands and turned to Balerd, making a soft sighing sound to get the bird's attention in case he'd been distracted in their absence. As soon as she was certain he was watching, she tossed the ball to let it bounce gently to the Hawlucha, more confident to try playing again now that Daddy had joined in.
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2015 12:36 am
Robin
Tobias & Balerd
Tobias responded to Eliot with the very same actions that had prompted the response. Licking was met with licking, both of Tobias's own paws and of Eliot himself. The Growlithe's fur seemed like it could use a bit of work. It wasn't terrible by any means but the condition it was in was hardly immaculate, if at least because of the fact that he had only so very recently been stumbling about and playing. It was absolutely dreadful compared to Balerd's but of course Tobias took such careful care of his own that that was hardly surprising. Still, he had no problems extending such affection and care to Eliot for the time being. He doubted that Neo would mind.
Balerd had been far from still as Clara and Neo got down to business. There was no time for such stillness, no reason for such inactivity. Balerd had chased after the ball as it bounced off wildly after Clara had failed to catch it but alas the ball was simply unattainable. A gentle "poke" of the shrub was all that was necessary for Balerd to abandon such a notion and to run back in favour of looking for other balls. This wasn't exactly a trial of any significant magnitude as, well, the balls were everywhere. There was the ball that Balerd had tried to bounce to begin with, all the balls that had been scattered about when the bag had been let loose and of course all the balls that had been sent every which-way courtesy of Eliot and Tobias. Such an interest in lesser balls was abandoned just as quickly as the original bouncy ball had been when it was returned. Balerd eagerly caught the bouncy ball and held it quite closely, originally somewhat confused as to what to do; before it had simply been Clara but now it was both Clara and Neo. Fortunately enough, Balerd got the general idea and threw the ball at the ground towards Neo. It was no less rough than it had been before but for the much larger and much better equipped psychic type it would be surprising if he had any troubles catching it in spite of the somewhat imperfect direction.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2015 5:01 pm
Neo & Nyx & Eliot & Clara Eliot only fussed mildly when Tobias began to groom him, not minding it except when he was made to stay still for any amount of time. The puppy was filled with energy that demanded motion, and had no desire to make the Linoone's attempts at cleaning him easy. He was a well-behaved child for the most part, but it wasn't bath time, it was playtime, so he wasn't quite sure what his new friend was trying to do. The Growlithe watched Tobias with wide, curious eyes as he licked his paws in between the licks spared for Eliot himself, and made soft inquisitive sounds when the Linoone touched his fur in deliberate ways that were vaguely familiar (though often accompanied by soap and water rather than licking). With a curious bark, Eliot licked at one of Tobias's paws and then drew back, looking at him questioningly; he wasn't familiar with this game that felt like cleaning more than playing. It didn't feel bad though, just different--he was just curious what the other Pokemon was doing.
Neo smiled when Balerd bounced the ball to him, quite pleased that the child had caught on so quickly; the Hawlucha was a smart one, even if he didn't have a good grasp on language yet. The ball bounced a bit higher than he'd anticipated, but Neo had positioned himself deliberately for that purpose--a touch of psychic energy drew the ball to his outstretched paw like a magnet, making for a successful catch. "That's the way!" Neo encouraged cheerfully, bouncing the ball gently over to Clara, who caught it without any trouble. A slight smile appeared on the Drifloon's features at the sound of Daddy's words and she turned to Balerd much more eagerly than before, swinging her legs to give the ball a good bounce to get over to the Hawlucha: Clara was finally beginning to enjoy herself. Assuming Balerd would continue to participate, they'd continue passing the ball around for a while: Neo was happy to play with the children and Clara loved watching the ball bounce between each of them, finding the motions of throwing and catching to be quite relaxing.
Nyx continued to watch the various members of the group without much investment in the situation, increasingly bored by the interaction. If he could've gotten away with it he would have slipped away, but with Neo and Tobias shooting intermittent glances in his direction it was clear his absence would be noted. With a sigh, the Vulpix surveyed the situation, spotting some balls that had gotten rather far from the group and made up his mind to return them to their proper location. It irked him to think that they might be kept longer because of any misplaced balls that needed to be found, and while he had no desire to make things easier on Tobias, Nyx knew his partner well enough to be certain that Neo wouldn't leave until they'd helped their new acquaintance retrieve his belongings. As such, the Vulpix circumvented the others and began to pick up the balls one by one, returning them to the relatively centralized pile: he didn't roll or bounce them, loathe to invite the children's interest in such a way, but carried them in his mouth, taking several trips to accomplish his task.
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2015 10:58 pm
Robin
Tobias & Balerd
"Oh. Well then." Apparently Eliot wasn't quite in the mood for such affectations at the moment which was fine enough. There was more to be done for the little Growlithe's fur, which included mentioning to Neo that he shouldn't be using soap unless it's necessary to remove something like mud, but it would have to wait until a later date. Eliot was simply much too enthused and much too aware for such a thing to happen for the time being and it simply wasn't right to try to calm the ball of fur down when he was clearly so excited simply to be alive. Instead, Tobias opted to very carefully pounce on him and to get him with a gentle tickle on the underbelly. If Eliot wanted play, it would be play that he would receive.
Balerd was very much complicit in the matter. There wasn't enough complex thought in the little bird's skull to really understand what was going on but there was a simple capacity for pattern recognition and the basic degree of mimicry that all children engaged in. That was enough to cause Balerd to hop up slightly to catch the ball, in an exuberant fashion not very much unlike what Neo had done as he had reached out to catch it, and then throw it towards Neo. It was simply the right course of action. Neo had thrown it to Clara, Clara had thrown it to Balerd and thus Balerd must throw it to Neo. The one who threw it threw it to the one from which they had not received it. It was an easy enough concept to understand, especially in a world where an innate understanding of such concepts was a necessity to survive from birth. But it was clear enough that Balerd was still much more enthused with the ball itself as it was never let out of sight even for a moment. Pattern recognition was one thing but a nuanced understanding of other people as complex entities was still quite a ways away. Clara was simply "good round thing that made good things happen" and Neo was simply "not-round okay thing that made good things happen."
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
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Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2015 8:02 am
Neo & Nyx & Eliot & Clara The play continued in a whirlwind of fun for Eliot and Clara both. The Growlithe was much more eager to play with Tobias than be groomed by him, and engaged in the mock tussle with plenty of vigor that reflected the boy's enthusiasm. He would keep the Linoone on his toes for as long as the game continued, nipping at his friend and batting him away whenever the long Pokemon got too close or managed to tickle his belly for too long. Occasionally he would "let his friend win" (or so he thought, though Tobias would probably have been able to dodge his playful strikes with ease and still manage to get to him) because he liked the feeling of the tickles for a little while, until the yipping laughter it got out of him made it hard to breathe. Then he would struggle against the Linoone and attempt to push him off, only to get to his feet and pounce forward onto the long Pokemon, much like Tobias had done to initiate this little game.
Clara, meanwhile, was really beginning to appreciate Balerd as a playmate, her terror from before mostly forgotten. She liked playing with him and Daddy, and Daddy really seemed to like Balerd too, so the girl allowed herself to be a bit more trusting of the small stranger with the pointy fingers. They continued to toss the ball around for a good amount of time, particularly since Balerd seemed to enjoy the game so much. Neo was aware of the boy's fascination with the ball, but Clara just assumed he was enjoying the act of throwing and catching like she was--he was even starting to throw a little straighter the longer the game went on. The Drifloon was eager to continue playing, but, having the least physical capability of everyone present, she began to tire rather quickly, after about only ten minutes or so. She continued to succeed in her catches, since Daddy was really good at throwing straight, and her throws continued to bounce straight to Balerd, but they were slower and slower with each successive pass as her eyes began to droop. After so much excitement and physical exertion, the girl was mentally and physically drained, but she didn't want to say anything to stop the other two from having fun.
Neo noticed Clara's behavior from the moment it started, taking great care to make sure his throws would go straight to her arms. Throughout the game he'd occasionally had to alter the ball's path between himself and Clara or Clara and Belerd, to ensure the success of a catch, but it had been nothing too major; now though it was beginning to drag, so it was clear that the time had come to draw things to a close. If Clara was tired, then Balerd and Eliot would tire soon, if they weren't tired already, so it would be best to get them home where they could rest.
Catching Balerd's throw one last time, Neo held onto the ball with one hand and smiled. "That was fun!" he said brightly, smiling at the kids, "But now it's getting a bit late. It's probably about time we all headed home." Neo extended his free hand out to Clara and she readily hovered over and wrapped her arms around him, content to be led by her Daddy for the rest of the trip. When he was sure she had a good grip, Neo transferred the ball over to that hand and made his way over to Balerd, scooping up the boy and holding the Hawlucha against him with one paw until he could transfer the bouncy ball to the bird's claws, and then cradle him gently with both as he made his way over to Tobias and Eliot: it wasn't fair to give Clara a ride and make Balerd walk after all, regardless of whether the boy was as exhausted as she was or not. "Eliot, Tobias!" he called across to them as he approached. "I think we're going to get ready to head home--some of us are getting pretty tired."
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Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2015 7:07 pm
Robin
Tobias & Balerd
"Hmm, yes. I believe that would be a suitable choice." Clara wasn't the only one ready to call it quits. Balerd's consciousness had completely collapsed in favour of a light but easy sleep. It was sort of enviable how easy it was for a child to fall asleep, being so blissfully unaware of the world, the dangers and the obtuse conventions it held. It was hard to imagine such a simple and wonderful existence. Tobias disengaged from Eliot easily enough by petting him gently and then simply backing away. Balerd was, with Neo's help, placed in the still-present harness on Tobias's back and well secured. He could have used a slightly more involved method to take Balerd back with him but this was by far the easiest and safest after all. The little bird would rest easily on his back, still clutching onto the ball that they had been bouncing around not long before.
After that was clean-up, which itself was a very quick and short process. He had noted Nyx gathering the balls, though he had missed just a few, and it was quite a pleasant surprise indeed. Tobias quickly returned them all to the sack and then went to thank Nyx personally, though without the hand-shake that he had (and would) give Neo. "You have my appreciation, Nyx. I do not know if you are a friend though I hope that is the case. However as a word from one who is hopefully a friend I would suggest you act more... earnestly. You would find it makes you happier."
Tobias slipped away from Nyx with the bag of balls clenched between his teeth. It was only put down for the obvious reason; saying goodbyes. Neo would be on the receiving end of another forceful, vigorous handshake though much less so than the first one as it would simply not do to wake Balerd. He couldn't stand up on his back legs, necessitating the use of only one paw. "It was most wonderful to meet you all. I did not think I would have the good fortune to encounter a group who loves balls as we do, especially not in such great number or so soon. Should you ever feel it right, you are very much encouraged to come visit my team room at any time. I would be most welcome to have you in my home." Tobias turned towards Eliot and, carefully, stroked and lightly scratched his cheek. "I shall see you again in time little one."
With all that said and done, Tobias would simply zip off and disappear unless a member of team Essence had something to quickly say that would halt him in his tracks.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
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Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2015 8:15 pm
Neo & Nyx & Eliot & Clara Eliot had turned immediately upon hearing his father's voice, so Tobias would receive very little trouble in parting with the enthusiastic young Growlithe. The boy panted quietly as he stood to the side, looking at Clara and Balerd curiously, wondering how they could possibly be tired--there was still so much left of this place to explore and so many things to do with their new friends! But Eliot was also still full of adrenaline that hadn't had the chance to die down; it was often this way with the boy--he wouldn't realize he was tired at all, but when he stood still for too long he'd be asleep in a heartbeat. So, with a slight whine of protestation, Eliot made his way over to Daddy, reluctant to go but realizing that Clara was in no state to play with anymore. He watched Daddy help the long Pokemon with curious eyes, wondering what the straps were for, but he kept his distance from the contraption since it was clearly not a game but something else. Instead, he waited obediently enough, looking after Clara who had been passed over to him by Daddy so that he didn't have to worry about her arms getting tangled in the thing he was doing. He received a fond scratching behind the ears for his efforts, when Daddy had finished and their friends had gone off to get the other balls, which made it all worthwhile.
Nyx was utterly relieved when he saw Neo and Tobias preparing to leave: this gathering had gone on far too long and absolutely no good had come from it. Neo and the children had made friends yes, but not any sort of friends that the Vulpix approved of, considering their peculiar habits. As such it was nothing short of pleasant to see things drawing to a close--or, at least, the closest thing to pleasantness he'd experienced since his partner had dragged him out here in the first place. He was quite astonished to find Tobias approaching him once he'd finished gathering together the balls that Nyx himself had left behind, and listened to the Linoone passively, inclining his head to the other Pokemon. "Farewell Tobias," was the response he would receive for his efforts. The words were peculiar for the Vulpix to hear, but hardly enough to distress him: if anything it made him less inclined to act as the Linoone had suggested--if the other Pokemon remained unaware of his hostility towards him then Nyx considered all to be right with the world. Being earnest was not a quality that the Vulpix cared to embrace, since it did nothing to serve his purposes, and it didn't seem lik=]-uyct that fact would change any time in the near future.
When Tobias returned Neo would be waiting for him, affectionately rubbing Eliot on the head with one hand and holding on to Clara with the other. He brightened when the Linoone extended a paw and shook Tobias's hand with cheerful vigor (though not with the hand that held Clara now that he was familiar with his new friend's style of handshake). "It was great to meet you and Balerd too," Neo said, full of the earnestness that his partner was lacking, "I'm glad we all got the chance to make some new friends today." Smiling brightly, Neo nodded, "The same goes for you, feel free to stop by any time: we'd love to have you!" He smiled down at Eliot when Tobias gave his farewell to the boy, and the Growlithe yipped happily, tail wagging in response to the long Pokemon's goodbye. The boy hoped they'd see each other again soon. "Wave goodbye to Tobias and Balerd," Neo said to his children, prompting the sleepy Clara to drift back and forth, and Eliot to sit back and raise a paw in mimicry of the Meowstic's own parting wave.
Neo didn't turn until Tobias and Balerd were out of sight, and then walked back to Nyx with a warm smile. "Thanks for helping Tobias out back there Nyx, I'm sure he really appreciated it." Nudging his partner gently on the side, Neo chuckled, "See, it wasn't so bad after all, now was it?" Nyx's skeptic expression spoke volumes for the discontented Vulpix, and Neo couldn't help but laugh again at the sight of it. "Well it's over now anyways," he said, shaking his head and wondering how his partner could stand being such a kiljoy, "So there's no need to be all bent out of shape about it anymore." Beckoning his partner to follow, Neo nudged Eliot on and began to walk toward the park's exit, taking his time so as not to disturb his tired passenger with any sudden movements. "Come on," he said brightly, reflecting on how successful the outing had been with quiet pleasure, "It's time we got these two home."
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