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 Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2016 12:39 am
Robin
Tobias
Tobias nodded. "I understand. I will tell Jessica of this and we will leave you a letter as soon as it is good to do so. I cannot be sure that such a day will be fine as she seems to think it would be best to agree to meet and then determine the time after." Their schedules had to have a certain degree of flexibility by necessity, but they also had to work. Neo's larger team might have enabled that for him nicely but Jessica didn't have that kind of luxury, which meant that scheduling would be a complicated task until things settled down. It was better to simply agree to a meeting and get the "when" dealt with afterwards, since it wasn't the case that they could simply agree on a time and have it work without interruptions. "I also believe this would be best as it may be difficult to avoid interruption. She has taken on many simple tasks while we have been unable to do proper missions and there is the risk that such things may make meeting at length difficult."
Air wasn't being ignored, but he wasn't really having attention paid to him either. His actions were observed and noted, but not commented on. They weren't uninteresting but the didn't drive Tobias's passion either, as they were ultimately a weak imitation of Balerd. Such things could be tended to, if he wished it, after he finished speaking properly to Neo.
Though it was alright. Air was a strange man, he seemed to be having fun.
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Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2016 7:22 pm
Neo & Air & Lux & Killian "Sure, whatever's easiest for you," Neo said amiably. Hopefully things would work out sooner rather than later. Guild work had a tendency to be unpredictable, which was more than a little troublesome when it came to arranging meetings between Teams--it had kept him from seeing Sunstrike for longer than he would have liked already. Fortunately, it seemed Team Robin was as determined to make this happen as he was, so Neo took heart in that. "It's pretty rare that none of us are around, so we'll be sure to get back to you quickly, whatever the case. He and Nyx were in charge of major scheduling events, and plans were discussed over meals so that most everyone was sure to be present for them. Though their group was large, they tended to keep track of one another's whereabouts and schedules quite efficiently; it was another of Nyx's peculiarities, he insisted on the whole group being informed of general plans, so no members would end up unaccounted for. Of course, the fox didn't always seem to follow that rule very well himself, but he always left Neo a note upon his various unplanned departures that kept the Meowstic from worrying too much. "We'll do our best to keep things relatively clear in the evenings, to try and help us find a good time."
Air was now bouncing progressively, and it wasn't going terribly. With slight adjustments he bounced forward and back, changing the angle so his bouncing body changed direction. The reason why it couldn't exactly be described as "going well" was because he was still bouncing blind, and without connection to the ground he had less awareness of where other things were in space. It led to a number of bounces onto pillows, which then had to be rolled off of before the Bounce could recommence, since they absorbed any momentum he managed to build up. This did have the positive effect of forcing Air to learn how to start his own Bounce, a terribly difficult process that involved pushing off the ground with his feet, then quickly grabbing them again to reform the sphere in time for the ground to be hit properly. He ended up rolling as many times as he started bouncing, but it was a neat thing to discover nonetheless. If he uncurled himself, he imagined starting a proper Bounce, then shifting to the ball Bounce would work to an incredible effect, but now wasn't the time or place to perform such an experiment. It was, however, important to be able to "ball" and "unball" at will before Tobias left, so that was the Ditto-Hawlucha's next project.
When he found himself caught in another cushion, Air released his feet and unclenched his talons, raising his head from his chest and blinking with surprise at the sudden light that greeted him as he rose to a sitting position. Uncertainly, Air rose to his feet, and was soon pleased to find the fragmented bones supported the frame perfectly well. The Ditto laughed out loud. "That's amazing!" he murmured to no one in particular. Exhaling deeply, Air fell back, tucking his head in, pulling his legs up, and wrapping his arms and talons around himself in one fluid motion, recreating the ball as it had been before. Another laugh could be heard from within the ball and Air began to roll again, this time over to the place Lux sat. The Ditto-Hawlucha popped out of the ball even more fluidly than he'd entered it, standing up out of a somersault-like motion and staring up at the Lucario with an expression of slightly-dazed delight. "How's it look?" he asked eagerly.
Lux smiled. "Excellent," he replied. "You're already starting to get the hang of it." Of course, as far as Lux was concerned, there was little difference between what he'd seen of Balerd's movements and what he could observe of Air's. The latter's movements were clearly less deliberate, lower to the ground, and significantly more halting, but otherwise Air seemed to be having success with the movements, and they'd grown more precise as he'd worked with them--a process he'd been attentive to since he was uninvolved in the scheduling between Neo and Tobias.
Air nodded, beaming. "Yeah, it's so weird! You can't see anything in there so it's a lot of guesswork. There's something more to it, I'm sure; I need a bigger space so I can figure it out."
The Lucario chuckled, nodding in return to humor his excited young friend. "I'm sure you'll get the chance soon enough."
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2016 5:51 am
Robin
Tobias
Tobias, once more, nodded. "You do not need to worry about replying quickly so long as there is time to respond. We will also do our best to create such a time, as it would be very desirable if we were to meet. Such a meeting is sure to be most enjoyable." Tobias seemed quite certain that the friendly gathering would go off wonderfully. But that would be then, and this would be now; first he would retrieve his bags (which were readily accessible but not in his hands, courtesy of the time spent cracking Air) should the situation seem right. "But if things are fine for now I believe I shall depart, unless there is anything else that must be spoken of. It was a tiring night and it would be best if it were to be a quiet day I believe."
Really, there was nothing else for Tobias to do in the room. With Neo's blessing he would give his parting goodbyes to everyone and shove the next RP into place depart back to his own home.((Feel free to segue into a post for the next little bit, or whatever works. Your call. I still have an interim post(s) to do for Maddie at least but you can still do your bit.))
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Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 8:37 am
Neo & Air & Lux & Killian "Ah." Yes, he was doing it again, keeping Tobias for longer than he needed to. Neo felt a twinge of guilt as he nodded in return; it was really inconsiderate of him not to let his friend relax after a long night's mission. At least the Linoone was honest about wanting to get back to other things, so he hadn't run things over too long hopefully. "Yes, everything's fine. You go get some well-deserved rest. I'm sure this'll sort itself out in time." Neo gave a parting wave and Tobias's goodbyes would be met with a set of friendly echoes from Lux and Air. Killian's eyes would follow the Linoone out the door, a dull flash of his eyes serving as an acknowledgment of Tobias's parting, and the Golurk's gaze would linger in the space the Long One Friend had been long after he had left from it.
~*~Insert Magical Time Skip Sparkles~*~ Neo & Nyx & Air & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Killian & Alexandru
"When exactly did Team Robin say they would be arriving?" Nyx's eyes were fixed on the sauce that simmered in the pot in front of him, and he bent down to add new heat to the fire a moment later, clearly unsatisfied by the way the way it had begun to dwindle.
Uhh..." Neo lifted his head from the berries he was sorting, rubbing his hands together to counteract the leeching chill of the icy fruits. "I'm pretty sure we agreed to dinnertime. They might show up a little earlier than that, but I can't be sure." When Tobias was involved, no one could be sure of anything, and Neo didn't know much about Jessica or Jeremiah, or the other new members of the Team they'd requested to bring. He was fairly sure they were expecting six guests...or was it five? He'd prepared for either instance since the letter had been a tad vague.
Nyx sighed, walking over to his cutting board and beginning to dice the herbs that would serve as garnishes. "Next time, I would appreciate a more exact time." Because no matter how much he disliked the thought, the Vulpix wasn't foolish enough to delude himself that his partner would fail to make a habit of holding gatherings like these. The Meowstic was too social and over-eager to treat his friends for it to be otherwise.
Neo nodded, expression softening for a moment as he watched his partner work. "Hey, Nyx?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you again for doing this. I really appreciate it. I know parties aren't really your thing."
The Vulpix looked up, a glimmer of surprise on his face. It was quickly replaced with a mollified smile. "...I'll manage. Playing the host isn't anything particularly difficult." Sniffing the air, Nyx flicked his tails in the direction of the oven. "It seems the bread will be finished soon. Would you mind taking care of that for me."
Neo smiled, making a quick adjustment to his berries before hurrying off to do as he was asked. "Sure thing! I'd be happy to!"
Out in the common room things were similarly abustle. There had been excitement permeating the air all day, and Eliot and Clara were exceptionally giddy with it, keeping Air fully occupied with harmless mischief.
"Air!" Eliot's tail wagged as the name came out without too much trouble. Daddy and Clara had been working on words with him, and while they were hard, it was always really satisfying when they came out right. "Th-Thrrr-Thrrrow!" There was a little more of a growl in the word than he wanted, but he'd said it, and that was what mattered.
Clara clapped her hands from the side, beaming at her brother. "Yes Eliot! Good job!" The past weeks had been very exciting for her. Now that Eliot was finally learning to speak, Daddy had put her in charge of making sure he used his words, and it was the most fun she'd had. It was nice to hear her brother express his thoughts in words for a change, and he understood her more when she talked to him. It had turned out exactly as Neo had hoped: Eliot was learning to speak and Clara was also growing more willing to communicate as a result.
Air beamed as well, his gooey form pulling back as he made to oblige Eliot's request. "Alright, just one more, but then we have to put the ball away. Balerd and Tobias and their Team should be here soon!" Receiving a nod from Eliot, the Ditto pulled his form all the way back and slung the ball almost straight into the air.
Eliot crouched down, took a deep breath and jumped. The height was impressive, and the young Growlithe's jaws closed around the ball only just after it had begun to fall from its peak. He landed on the other side of Air and beamed, turning around to return the ball to the Ditto: as a reward for how good he was doing with words, Daddy had given him something that let him jump really high, and it was more fun than anything.
Air grinned, taking the ball back. "Nice catch! That might be the highest one yet, huh?" Now that Eliot new Bounce too, he hadn't stopped testing it, much as Air hadn't stopped perfecting his imitation of Balerd's Bounce. A few times they'd gone to work on their Bouncing together--it had been a fun, though one or two concerned adults had confused them for an unattended pair of children each time.
"H-Highest!" Eliot parroted, tail wagging furiously.
Clara floated down to wrap her arms around her brother's tail as it settled down. "Soon you'll be the highest jumper of all," she said, beaming back. Eliot could do anything he put his mind to after all.
On the opposite side of the room, Lux rested in an armchair, Alexandru perched by his side. "They are to arrive soon, yes? Your friends?"
The Lucario nodded, eyes shifting about the room as he moved from taste to taste, aura to aura. "I'm not very familiar with the members of Team Robin, but Neo and Tobias are friends, and their children get along well." He glanced over at Alexandru, salted caramel overwhelming the scents of dinner as he regarded the tension in the bat's aura. "While Tobias and his child are strange, it's nothing to concern yourself with. Neo is a good judge of character, you should know that by now."
Alexandru nodded tentatively, listening closely to the sounds about the room for any indication of their guests. "I believe he is, yes. But one cannot judge the character of those he has not met."
Lux shook his head. "Alex, you shouldn't fret so much."
The Zubat adjusted his wings uneasily. "If I don't trust my senses I can trust nothing in the world,"
"And do you sense that something will go wrong?"
"No, but tonight is a full moon."
Lux clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "My friend, dwelling on a prophecy is the one way to ensure its fulfillment." He glanced at Air re-entering the room and inhaled the welcome flavor of vanilla. "The full moon is as much a good omen as a bad one, yes?" He turned to Alexandru, and the Zubat nodded grudgingly after a moment. "Then let's tip the cosmic scales in our favor tonight."
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2016 2:42 am
Jessica & Tobias & Balerd & Jeremiah & Joshua & Madeline
Robin
Tobias & Balerd & Joshua
"You sure you shouldn't knock first?"
"Oh no it is most alright, Neo is a very nice fellow you will see."
"If you're sure...'
The voices at the door would be the only real warning they would receive before it opened slightly and Balerd came charging in to do what Balerd does best. Being Balerd. And being Balerd necessitates a tremendous amount of energy with virtually no guiding direction and limited social comprehension which is exactly what Balerd did. "Hello!" would be squawked joyfully at most of the team, followed by Balerd announcing their names where they were known and remembered. This meant Neo, Eliot, Clara and possibly Air depending on what form he took. The idea of a transforming person was still foreign, no matter how much or how little Balerd may or may not have been directly exposed to the concept in off-screen things leading up to that point.
Tobias, at least, would be courteous if not exactly "normal". Unless "Tobias normal" was "normal", in which case he would absolutely be the most normal one in the room. What he would say would vary depending on who was closest and who opted to greet him, given that the latter happened quickly enough to supersede his own greeting. A hello, a "It is most wonderful to be here" and an appreciative "thanks" would be spoken in varying ways depending on who it was that greeted. "Jessica, Jeremiah and Madeline will be along shortly. Jessica is simply finishing something important. This is Joshua, he has joined our team after the last mission and is a friend of Jeremiah. He is a very normal fellow but I believe you will like him in spite of it."
After all, they were a very strange team. It made more sense than not that they would prefer to befriend other, similarly strange individuals.
"Hey." Joshua, on the other hand, seemed to be at an emotional and social between. He didn't seem thoroughly friendly or especially amicable, but he wasn't oppositional. He didn't seem to be bored with what was going on, nor did he seem to have a deep personal interest in it all. He wasn't happy or sad, angry or pleased, or really much of anything at all. His disposition seemed to be broadly neutral, leaning slightly towards the positive. He seemed like he had been dragged along to something he wasn't willing to fake overt enthusiasm for, even though he didn't regret coming.
Ah. That's probably what he was.((Will append an aura to Joshua tomorrow.))
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Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 7:01 pm
Neo & Nyx & Air & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Killian & Alexandru
And just like that, the evening had begun.
Killian, at his usual post, stared down at the three visitors with his usual vague interest. The Golurk couldn't for the life of him understand why the Long One Friend came and went as he did. No one besides his masters did such a thing, and it never ceased to make his alarm response trigger before he recognized it as the odd Linoone and whatever cohorts he'd brought at the time. This time there was the Colorful-Feathered One Friend and another one. The Golurk stared at the Silver-Furred One Friend as they made their way into the room, observing the only new Pokemon to have arrived as of yet. He didn't seem terribly remarkable, but the Colorful-Feathered One Friend hadn't either, until he'd demonstrated his odd powers of shape-change. Killian had determined it wasn't the same as the Many-Shaped One Friend Master's shape-change, but it still was peculiar. Perhaps this new One held some similar strangeness.
The entrance of the trio would be heralded by a flurry of heads turning in their direction, followed by the expected warm welcome.
"Hello!" Eliot's tail wagged furiously as he bounded over to greet the group, beaming first at Balerd and then at Tobias. His favorite people were here! At least, his favorite people who didn't live with him.
"Hello Balerd. Hello Uncle Tobias. Hello..."--she lingered on Joshua hesitantly until he was introduced--"Mr. Joshua."
"Glad you could make it!" Air said. He remained in his Ditto form for the moment, smiling when he was introduced. They'd had a difficult time aligning their schedules, so this meeting was far later than their Leaders had originally planned for, but at least it was finally happening. "Neo's just in the kitchen helping Nyx, he'll--"
"I'll be out in a minute!" Neo's voice came from somewhere out of sight, but apparently he'd heard his guests arrival.
"Be right out." Air smiled sheepishly as he concluded his sentence, now unnecessarily.
The Ditto's eyes fell on Joshua shortly after when the Poochyena was introduced, and they lit up delightedly at the sight of his coat. "Oh wow!" He turned his attention to their unfamiliar guest, eyes shining with admiration. "Your fur is so unusual!" He liked the way it almost shimmered when the light hit it properly, and in a moment his form began to glow and shift until it mirrored Joshua's own. Air glanced at his work and beamed at Joshua when he deemed it adequate. "What do you think? Am I missing anything?" Generally the best way to perfect transformations was to ask; that, or examine your subject's body in detail, but he knew better than to ask so much of someone he'd just met.
"Uncle Toh--Tob--" Eliot fought with the word, trying to wrap his mouth around it. Tobias was a difficult name to pronounce, with so many different sounds pushed together at the end. Uncle had been difficult too, but he'd learned that easily because of Uncle Lux and Uncle Dru. He whined slightly, looking up at Clara.
"Uncle Tobias," she said softly.
"Uncle Tob--To...by." The Growlithe's eyes lit up as he put the sounds together. "Uncle Toby!" He looked at the Linoone hopefully, searching for a sign of approval. Clara looked too, curious. Eliot hadn't said his name right but Uncle Tobias might not mind. In the end, what Eliot really wanted was to be pet; Uncle Tobias gave excellent pets and he always looked forward to them, but he couldn't ask for something without pairing a name with the request, not when there were so many people here.
Lux and Alexandru approached, the Zubat perched atop the Lucario's head, and the pair offered their greetings just as Neo appeared from the kitchen, fur tousled but a smile wide across his face. "Hello! Come in, come in." They had all congregated rather close to the doorway, given that Eliot had hurried over to their guests before they could get too far. As he facilitated the movement, Neo looked over at Joshua and Air, an expression of confusion on his face for just a moment. A touch of Psychic cleared it a moment later--no matter how convincing Air's transformations were, his Psychic energy remained the same. "Joshua, right?" Neo said brightly, "It's good to have you here." He glanced back to Tobias and Balerd. "And you two as well, of course. You said the others will be joining us soon?"
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 11:53 am
Robin
Tobias & Balerd & Joshua
"Hello little ones, how are you today?"
"Joshua's fine, little lady." "Mister" wasn't really his style.
And just like that, the socialization had begun. Tobias acknowledged the message passed on by Air, but he didn't take his attention away from the oh-so-important children. Eliot, after all, was tremendously enjoyable and Clara was simply second-perfect, after Balerd.
Joshua, on the other hand, was busy dealing with an existential crisis. "Woah, damn. That's..."
"It is interesting is it not?" Tobias looked away from his tiny charges for only a short moment. "Dittos are capable of doing such things and are quite fond of it. In the past I was warned that such folk would steal your person but I do not believe that Neo is the type to consort with such thieves."
"Yeah, interesting." It wasn't like Joshua was upset or angry about it or anything like that. It was just very, very unnerving. Air's duplicate was perfect, at least at a glance, and it was especially strange to suddenly encounter a mirror image of oneself. It was even more so if it was your first encounter with the species, as was the case for Joshua. The Glitter Caves had never had a ditto in it, at least not that he had met. Discomfort and surprise were the feeling of the moment, a fact reflected readily enough on his face. "So you can uh... turn into other people?" "Such things", as Tobias had put it, was hardly a complex explanation.
"Ah, yes." Eliot didn't even need to ask for pets and scratchies because this sort of thing was a given. Still, Tobias had watched carefully as Eliot tried his best to form the words and Tobias would respond by wrapping himself around the puppy in his usual fashion and giving the best scratches and pets. "That is very good Eliot, Toby is fine as it is already a name I have heard."
Scritchy-scratchy petty time would come to an end in good time when Balerd came racing back around, having greeted everyone and likely caused Nyx an aneurysm, only to tackle Eliot and loudly proclaim "Play!" It was sure enough to cause a complete and total dissolution of any nuanced socialization as the two would easily enough revert to the loose chase-and-fight game that they had become accustomed to.
This would free up Tobias to properly respond to Neo, as though Joshua would acknowledge it he was likely still busy being mildly disturbed by Air. "It is most good to be here and yes. Jessica and Jeremiah are completing some preparations and will be along shortly with Madeline. Joshua and I came early as it seemed silly to wait for no reason."
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Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 1:46 pm
Neo & Nyx & Air & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Killian & Alexandru
Air was thoroughly pleased by Joshua and Tobias's response to his transformation, not noticing the Poochyena's discomfort at first. "Yep!" he affirmed cheerfully, smile never dimming, "It's what we're made for." He rocked back and forth on his Poochyena's paws, tail wagging gently behind him. "There aren't many of us actually," he said thoughtfully, "so I don't know about stealing anybody's person. I've only met two others like me in my life." They really weren't a common species, and finding them were difficult since, as Air knew well, it was less pleasant to keep their natural form than to adopt another's. "But we're all like this."
Joshua's question would be met with an eager nod, the Ditto-Poochyena eagerly latching onto the curiosity, however polite it may have been. "Absolutely!" he replied. His form began to glow and shift again, shrinking and shifting to a bipedal form. When the transformation was complete, Air stood in his much-practiced replication of Balerd, significantly shorter than his Poochyena companion now. "Pretty good, right?" he chirped, spinning around for Joshua to examine. "I've been working on him lately. He's a bit unusual." With a quick glance over at the bird to make sure he was occupied (it was difficult to get away with a Hawlucha transformation without Balerd insisting on a wrestling match) Air quickly began the transformation process again. This time, when the glow faded, Air wore Clara's form, and when the Ditto-Drifloon spoke Joshua would find the voice to be somewhat different--definitely still Air's yet distinctly feminine. "I can do anyone you like," she said, smiling down from where she hovered above Joshua. "So long as I know the Pokemon, I can copy it, and I've done a lot of studying."
Eliot was blissfully happy. He'd said the right words and was rewarded in due time. Uncle Tobias was pleased, and that made Eliot very happy. The puppy went mostly limp, whining happily as all the right places were tended to by the Linoone's practiced claws and responding with puppy kisses of gratitude. A moment later his relaxation was brought to an abrupt halt by an unexpected tackle, and the Growlithe huffed as he was pushed into the ground. Growling a friendly challenge to his bird friend, Eliot pushed off of the ground and set off in hot pursuit of Balerd, who had been quick enough to move out of the way already.
Clara stared after the boys for a long moment, torn between seeing what they were doing and lingering with the adults. The boys were always so loud and rambunctious, so she couldn't exactly play with them, but she was supposed to be looking after Eliot.That, and she didn't really want to be made to talk to all the older Pokemon, which would probably happen if Daddy saw her lingering by herself. That left one option. The Drifloon turned and floated over to join the dynamic duo without further ado. Maybe they'd get into a jumping contest, those were always fun to watch.
"That seems fine to me," Neo said, nodding. "It's certainly giving the kids a chance to burn some energy, so that's good." He glanced back at them with a smile before turning back. "I have to get back and finish helping Nyx, but it shouldn't take long. In the meantime," the Meowstic turned to Lux and Alexandru, who still lingered nearby, their attention on Air and Joshua. "I don't believe you've been Alexandru yet, have you Tobias?"
The Zubat's ears twitched at the sound of his name, and he fluttered over to join them. "Did you have need for me, Neo?"
Neo chuckled. "I was just going to introduce you. Dru, this is my friend Tobias." Introductions made, the feline ducked out, hurrying back to join a rather frazzled Nyx in the kitchen.
"It's a pleasure to meet you at last," the Zubat said, his voice soft and accented. "I've heard many stories about you from the others. You leave quite the lasting impression."
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 8:12 pm
Robin
Tobias & Balerd & Joshua
"I also believe it is most desirable. Balerd would probably not stay still for very long if we did not do so as there has been a great deal of excitement for this visit." The finer points of the get-together were obviously lost on Balerd, but a big exciting gathering with a lot of people and friends was plenty to be excited about. Then again, Balerd got excited about a lot of things a lot of the time. You could simply not keep that bird calm, it could not be done. "It is not a problem if we must wait as we knew we would have to when we arrived, it is better to be early than later after all. But I must speak to you and Air at a later time as I have been asked to inform you of a matter of supposedly great importance though I do not understand why that is the case." Or, more simply put, he was supposed to tell them something and he didn't understand why it mattered. But that matter could be tended to later and Tobias was quick to refocus his efforts on Dru.
"Yes, I have learned that that is the case." Apparently, he stuck out just a bit. "You yourself are much the same, I am surprised to meet a Zubat from a far away place. I was once told that your kind is rare to leave their homes." And, also, that they were to be avoided at all costs but that was that and this was this. Regardless, Alexandru certainly had at least as much of an impact as Tobias did; though he seemed to be utterly normal in behaviour, the sight of a soft-spoken red and black Zubat was not to be understated. "But it is good to meet you, as a friend of Neo's I am sure we will come to like one another most easily." He might have shaken Alexandru's hand, but Alexandru did not have hands.
Meanwhile, Joshua was dealing with his own conversation. And by "dealing with" it is of course meant that he is handling a slow set of minor existential questions and a general sense of unease. Ditto were weird and disturbing for a number of reasons, a fact that was readily apparent to everyone who wasn't Air or Tobias. He looked as if he were about to speak for a moment though his passively bewildered expression didn't suggest importance and as Air transformed into Clara, the moment had passed. He was left a little unsure as of what to say or what to do, because Air was quite possibly the worst match for him socially. "Naive and friendly" was the one kind of personality type that Joshua couldn't easily address, at least as long as the consequences of doing so mattered. Telling someone to "go away" in one sense or another was easy but social tact compelled him to employ a more benign response.
Which was pretty hard, because Air was a bit of a freak and he was doing something more than a little unpleasant even if he didn't realize it. "Don't uh... Don't worry about it. I'm gonna go say hi to the rest of your team, learn some names before dinner starts." It was the best excuse he could come up with and he would follow up with it by wandering towards the kitchen and sticking his head in. He had gone over the names before and had a rough idea of who was who, but from what had been said moments before the blue one was Neo and the other one in the kitchen was Nyx which made things a great deal easier. The biological makeup of the Glitter Cave had been pretty consistent and the simple truth was that, though practically minded, he wasn't exactly knowledgeable. But Vulpix he knew and, according to Tobias, Nyx was most strange, though I believe you will find him agreeable so it seemed the preferable course of action.
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Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2016 9:23 am
Neo & Nyx & Air & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Killian & Alexandru
Alexandru dipped his head in acknowledgement of Tobias' words. "You have heard correctly," the bat replied, "Most of my kind are reluctant to leave the familiar. There is much danger waiting in the world for Pokemon with our particular physiology." Blindness and a necessary aversion to sunlight didn't make living easy for Zubat. This was part of the reason they tended to flock to the stronger, evolved members of their kind--evolution gave them access to the world that birth did not, but evolution was exceedingly rare among them. Alexandru hadn't witnessed an evolution in his lifetime, and he hadn't been a child for many years. "As for myself, I sought something different than the others. Leaving seemed to be in my best interests, and my time since then has been good, if brief." The Zubat offered a polite smile. "I assume that's what draws most Pokemon to this place. I've noticed the views of those who walk these halls seem to share a common...uniqueness, if that is the proper term."
"Oh, alright~" Air's voice was light and unperturbed as she watched Joshua move on. "It was nice to meet you!" The Ditto-Drifloon swung her dangling hands from side to side, swaying gently in place. Spotting Lux nearby, she glided over, a smile on her face. "He seems nice, don't you think?"
Lux nodded absently, his eyes on the dull-orange aura that was headed across the room. The bite of pepper on his tongue was strong, but the Lucario was more attentive to the way the Poochyena's churning aura settled down as he distanced himself from Air. Poor fellow; nothing could really prepare one for a person like Air. "I think he's a well-mannered fellow, to be sure." The Lucario turned back to Air, senses flooded by the contrast in flavor between the two. "A word of advice, however," Lux raised a paw and patted Air gently on her head. "When you speak again choose a single form to wear, for his sake." The Lucario chuckled softly, seeing Air's aura spark with confusion. "You may overwhelm our new friend if you try to educate him all at once."
"Ohhh..." Air's aura shifted and a moment later reassumed the Ditto's base shape. "Was he really overwhelmed? He seemed really interested, like he'd never seen anything like it before."
"I'm sure he hadn't," Lux replied. "I wouldn't worry too much just yet. Work with him slowly and he'll warm up in time." Perhaps. Air wasn't the type to give up on someone however, so that was the best advice to give him.
Air nodded, pausing for a moment before his figure changed again, this time adopting that of Neo. "Alright. I'll do my best!" He ventured outward with his mental senses, testing the emotional atmosphere. There was some tension there, Lux was right, but now that Joshua was gone he wasn't sure just how strong it was. The Ditto-Meowstic bit his lip, tails flicking slightly as he made up his mind; for the rest of the evening he'd try to do better--he really wanted to get along with the members of Team Robin.
Back in the kitchen, things were busy as ever. Although he'd only just left, Neo was already re-buried in the task of plating the dishes Nyx had made, carefully arranging them as the Vulpix had instructed. Nyx himself was pulling a baking sheet from the oven with his teeth, enjoying the heat of it against his muzzle. A few steps later the sheet was transferred to the low table, and the Vulpix peered into the pair of bowl atop it, smiling slightly at the warm scent of roasted nuts rising from within. One side was sweet, the other savory, and each only needed to be mixed with the proper coating. He turned around, intent on fetching his spices, but paused at the sight of an unfamiliar Poochyena peering into the kitchen. One of Tobias's teammates no doubt, unless it was Air, wearing the form of some new Pokemon that caught his fancy. Given the circumstances, the former was far more likely. "Good evening," Nyx said cordially, pausing to dip his head to their guest before continuing intently along his path to the spices.
Neo's ears twitched at the phrase and he glanced back, surprised and pleased with who he found there. "Oh, Joshua! Just a second." The Meowstic turned back to finish arranging the parsley atop his most recent project to complete it, sliding it to join the rest of the plates he'd finished with shortly after. "Uh, Nyx? We're probably going to want to start getting things on the table pretty soon. I'm running out of room." He received a nod from the Vulpix, who had returned to the nuts with a number of spice shakers in mouth, and looked back to the Poochyena with his usual slightly-overwhelmed-yet-pleased expression. "Sorry about the hold up. Did you want something?"
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2016 2:36 pm
Robin
Tobias & Balerd & Joshua
"Evening." He already liked this better. He didn't have much to say in particular. He had really just been looking for an excuse to get away from Air and the kitchen seemed like a good place to do it. He didn't regret the decision either. "Smells good in here." was said as a simple, implicitly complimentary remark. Neo took notice of him, but there wasn't much at all that Neo needed to do; Joshua was just inside the doorway and was nothing more than an observer for the time being. "Nah, don't worry about it. I'm just poking around a bit, don't let me hold you up." There had been the inclination to confirm that the person in front of him was Neo and that the person further back in the kitchen was Nyx, but he knew the species well and was confident enough in his memory to match the identity. If they needed an elemental stone, Joshua knew them. More than a few Vulpix had braved the depths of the cave in hope of finding a stone.
"Hm... that is understandable. I have also come here to experience and know something different from my home and I do not regret this decision." And it had been quite different indeed in a great many ways. Much of it was hard to understand, but that was fine too. Learning was simply a part of it all. "So I think you are right. Work such as this is not the pleasure of most folk." Though he wouldn't call them inherently abnormal, it was certainly the case that they were something adjacent to the concept. "But it is a good thing I think, I do not think that we would be well here were it not for that uniqueness as you have called it."
Jessica & Jeremiah & Madeline
A knock knock would be followed quickly enough by the door handle turning and the door being bumped open. "Oh don't be silly, Toby's already inside they won't mind~" The Umbreon who was wearing small, makeshift cloth shoes and was known non-exclusively as Madeline would make her way in, seemingly unbound from any desire to present herself formally. "Hello everyone! We're here now~"
Jessica came in right after her carrying two baskets while looking extremely hurried. This wasn't exactly how she had wanted to make her entrance but it had already happened and she would have to make the best of it. She quickly put the baskets down near the door, shut it behind her after Jeremiah stepped in and then set to work trying to repair any social damage that Madeline had caused. The first step was to quickly greet Killian, who she aptly presumed to be a guard. "Hello, sorry about the sudden entrance. I'm Jessica, Team Robin's leader. The rest are friends."
After that was, of course, to make her way towards Neo, with Madeline just behind her, who she identified easily enough. "You must be Air," Jessica had positioned herself somewhat between the two groups and gestured towards the Zubat first as she spoke, then the Lucario and finally the Meowstic. "Lux and Neo, right? I'm Jessica, I'm sorry for our... sudden entrance. Madeline's here with us as a guest and she kind of jumped in ahead of me."
"Just call me Maddie~"
Jeremiah, on the other hand, was left standing near the doorway. He stood there, staring at Killian, perhaps seeing some kind of oddity that only one attuned to spirits and souls could witness. Or, maybe he was just staring at the giant bloody golem sitting in the corner of the room.
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2016 10:44 am
Neo & Nyx & Air & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Killian & Alexandru
"Oh, alright then. Make yourself at home."
It was a little odd to linger in the kitchen when your hosts were preparing a meal, particularly without offering to help, but neither of the heads of Team Essence seemed to care all that much. Neo turned back to his project at Joshua's assurance that he was fine, pulling another platter from the shelf above and beginning to fill it with steamed vegetables from a nearby pan.
Nyx, if he had an opinion on Joshua's presence, didn't state it, but perhaps it was because he was engrossed in his task. The Vulpix had taken one of the bowls down from the sheet and had another, smaller dish to the side, which had been filled with cinnamon and sugar, which were being mixed together with one of his long tails. With practiced care, Nyx bit down on the handle of a measuring cup and tilted his head slightly to drizzle melted butter over the nuts. Returning it to a safe place, he proceeded to pick up the sweet mixture he'd created and pour it on top. When that was finished, his paws entered the bowl to ensure it was spread thoroughly across the nuts, and he stopped about a minute later, nodding with satisfaction. A trip to the fountain and spice cabinet later, he began a similar process with the other bowl. This time an assortment of spices were mixed in with the remaining butter, rather than being applied separately, and Nyx extended a claw to sample the topping before adding a bit more salt and repeating the dousing-and-mixing process.
"These are finished," he reported on his way back to the fountain. The Vulpix dipped his paws in to remove their spicy coating then channeled his body heat so the water evaporated as quickly as possible. "Did you take care of the salad already?"
"Yep!" Neo nodded, adding some cinnamon of his own to a bowl of steaming baked apples. "I only just took it from the icebox, it should be the perfect temperature."
"Excellent." Which left him to deal with the main course. Given that he didn't know his guest's preferences, Nyx had planned accordingly. The main dish was relatively bland, but he'd concocted a number of different toppings that would give it a distinct flavor. He walked back to his array of simmering saucepans, taking the time to smell each one and determine if it was progressing right. He paused at the end and frowned slightly before turning to look at Joshua. "Tell me, what sort of flavor do you prefer?" He would wait for a response before continuing. "Would you mind sampling something for me?"
Provided the Poochyena assented, he would be brought a plate with one of Nyx's creations on it, applied with the appropriate flavor, or mix thereof. When the Vulpix set the plate down he stood attentively by. "Do you find the flavor too strong or too mild, or is it to your preference?" He would've asked Neo to help, but the Meowstic was preoccupied; besides, Poochyena had excellent noses, which made them generally good taste testers, and it was good form to cater to the guest's preferences.
Alexandru gave a soft sound of assent, and perhaps would have said more if it weren't for the knock that came at the door. "Ah." The Zubat's gentle exhalation of surprise would follow the warm sounds of greeting that came from the door being opened. These strangers were quite willing to come and go as they pleased it would seem. "Hello."
Air and Lux turned back to the door from their conversation, both prompted by a sudden change in atmosphere that came with the new arrivals. The Ditto-Meowstic blinked with surprise to see the door pushed open yet again, but he put on a smile and waved to the Umbreon and her companions regardless. Neo was always telling people to make themselves comfortable in their home, so the Ditto assumed the members of Team Robin had simply taken the invitation to heart even the ones who had yet to meet Neo for themselves. Lux, on the other hand, was drawn to the scene by the flicker in Killian's aura, and his gaze snapped up to the Golurk, who had stiffened, his usually stagnant grey growing brighter and flickering slightly with alarm. "Killian." The Lucario took a few steps forward, aiming to soothe the startled giant, but before he could do so an overwhelmingly sweet grape flavor burst on his tongue as the bearer of a vivid red and purple aura burst into the room, stopping his progression short. Their other guests had arrived with as much warning as the first set.
The grape-flavored ball of energy was swiftly followed by the tang of salt, coming from a slightly-hassled but generally business-like green-orange auraed individual who Lux had no doubt was the leader of Team Robin even before she spoke to confirm it. Another, slightly more familiar, blue aura lingered behind even as the others approached, confirming that all of their absent guest had joined them. So that was everyone. He raised a paw in greeting as they approached, but said nothing, allowing Jessica to make her introductions.
"Ah."
"Um."
The Zubat and Ditto-Meowstic spoke as one, both looking rather flustered when the Charmander pointed them out.
"You'll have to forgive me, Miss, but I'm afraid..."
"Actually, uh, sorry about the confusion but that's..."
Once again Air and Alexandru spoke over one another, both trailing off to allow the other to finish resulting in an uncomfortable silence between them. Fortunately, it wasn't allowed to grow, for long before Lux stepped in because the Lucario was apparently the only one who knew how to handle difficult social situations well.
"What my Teammates mean to say is you're slightly mistaken," the Lucario said, his tone quite understanding. "I am Lux, yes. But these two are Air and Alexandru."
"I'm sorry!" Air's Meowstic form immediately begin to glow and change until he stood before them as himself, the Ditto's face red with embarrassment. "It's my fault, I should've chosen something else." First he'd caused Joshua to run off and now he'd made Jessica make a mistake; his first impressions were really working against him tonight. "Neo's in the kitchen with Nyx, they're just finishing getting dinner ready." The Ditto's body wiggled restlessly in response to his shame. "I'm Air." There wasn't really another good way to segue.
Alexandru fluttered forward, dipping his head to Jessica. "I am still new to this Team, so it's hardly surprising my name hasn't been mentioned. I've only just now met your partner, Tobias. It is good to meet you as well." He gestured back in the Linoone's direction with a wing, smiling slightly. It was an easy mistake to make--Air was simply too good at what he did for other Pokemon to be expected to keep up, especially those who hadn't met the Ditto. Even those among their own number did it from time to time, though after living with him for a while he grew easier to identify by voice alone.
Killian stared back down at Jeremiah, glowing eyes locked on the Sableye's own. He'd had a difficult time with the arrival of this new group, but everything had been sorted now and he was left to deal with the small ghost in front of him while the others sorted through their issues. His task had been to let the six Pokemon from Team Robin in, something which he hadn't been allowed to accomplish, but was complete nonetheless because they'd all arrived. That left him with nothing to do but gauge any other, unexpected visitors who might show up. Well, almost nothing.
When Team Robin comes, be nice to them, alright? These are friends, we want to make a good impression.
Killian had developed a good idea of what "being nice" was supposed to mean. It was still foreign, certainly, but he knew it entailed being attentive to other Pokemon when they were attentive to you. So this One. The Jewel-Eyed One Friend. He should do something to be nice to this One. There was other reason for it too, because this One was different from the other ones, rather like the Balloon One Friend and the Fiery One Friend Master were different. Ones like that, and Ones like the Light One Friend Master were Ones that he felt a connection too that he could not explain.
The Golurk sighed, a soft sound for one so large, and crouched down until he was not quite sitting, but had lessened his height considerably. One hand rested on his knee and the other extended out to the Jewel-Eyed One Friend palm up, stopping about a foot away from the Ghost. It was up to Jeremiah where things would go from there.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2016 3:04 pm
Robin
Jessica & Tobias & Balerd & Jeremiah & Joshua & Madeline
Joshua was, honestly, simply going to stick his head in, say hi, look around for about 15 seconds and then leave. It had just been an excuse to avoid any further existential disturbances caused by Air. But now that he had the opportunity to watch Nyx cook, it was something interesting and worth watching in its own right. The Vulpix's control over his tails was extremely deft and well-practiced, a fact that would be impressive to most people; Joshua was no exception.
"Spicy, but nothing that smells too strongly." Spiciness was his preference but it was liable to make him sneeze if the aroma were too strong. "Sure." He didn't mind waiting a minute for Nyx to put it together, such was his interest in the Vulpix's careful cooking process. You didn't see a lot of talented cooks when you lived deep in a cave; variety was often a slim thing and the varying environments of the cave could make it hard to store things for long. The tasting process itself was something done with suitable care and suitable time as, given the Vulpix's general disposition and method of carrying himself, it was obvious to Joshua that his more usual manner of eating would be out of place. A typical period of sniffing was followed by a somewhat careful eating. The results were as expected. "It's good" The best he'd ever had, in all likelihood. Not that he would say that, he wasn't the type to lavish others with compliments. "You cook a lot before coming here?" If he did, it showed.
"Oh! You're that ditto I heard about~ What can you turn into?" Madeline wasn't perturbed in the slightest by the confusion or the sudden transformation, or if she was she didn't show it. Instead, she was very much interested and very genuinely at that. She leaned forward and down far enough to come face-to-face with Air, in order to have proper and engaged eye contact with him. "Could you turn into me?"
"Air can. He is able to transform into many things, so long as he knows them." Tobias shifted slightly away from his now-interrupted conversation in order to speak with Madeline and Air, though Alexandru was certainly welcome to join in on things as well. It wasn't that the conversation with Alexandru was uninteresting, as Tobias had seemed rather engaged, but something else entirely.
"Anything, huh? What's the biggest thing you can turn into?"
Jessica, who had apparently been freed from any kind of conversation, was happy to make a quick apology and vacate herself. She was glad that she was already a red colour to begin with, otherwise the embarrassment would have shown quite readily in her face. "Don't worry about it, it happens. It's good to meet all three of you, I'm going to go say hi to Neo and introduce myself properly. I'll be back after that." God, that was mortifying. Jessica would lightly slap her own cheeks in order to "refresh" things a bit before sticking her head into the kitchen, at this point having entered after any comments on Nyx's part. If Neo were available, and if greeting him would not be disruptive, she would wave to him and beckon for him to come closer before introducing herself. "I'm Jessica, it's good to finally meet you Neo. Tobias has told me a lot about you."
Jeremiah, of course, would do what was obvious enough given the gesture: he would climb on. Killian was about six times his height and with massive, clunky hands this was actually a feat in and of itself that required a small amount of scrambling. From there, it would depend on what Killian did next. But whether that meant Jeremiah being raised, or simply hopping up onto Killian's knee on his own, he would arrive there. "Hiya." He watched Killian once more for a moment, observing carefully with a vision that only those of his kind had, before speaking again. "Something happened to you huh?"
Balerd was still playing. Balerd.
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2016 9:01 pm
Neo & Nyx & Air & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Killian & Alexandru
Air looked considerably baffled at the apparent interest of the Umbreon. He'd just done something wrong again, right? But she was fine with it. Jessica had run off, but Tobias and Maddie were looking at him, the Umbreon leaning down to look at him directly, causing him to shrink back even further. "I...uh...I can..." He hesitated, eyes darting to Lux for confirmation that it was alright. The Lucario looked back at him after a moment and smiled, subtly gesturing for the Ditto to go ahead. "I...uh, yeah." Air straightened up a bit, still looking a little uncertain. "I can do pretty much anything you like." He stared at the Umbreon for a few lingering moments before his form began to glow again, and when the light cleared Air wore Maddie's form.
The Ditto looked at her new body nervously, hoping that she'd done it well enough. Negative experiences made Air second-guess herself like nothing else. "That's...pretty much it, right?" Her voice bore its feminine timbre again, and she offered a shy smile. "I could, um, do the boots too. If you like. But it's a little strange to imitate Pokemon and the things they're wearing at the same time." Objects were strange in general, since they were made necessarily biological by being a part of her physical form, but combining them with the normal Pokemon involved an odd layering of the body that was a bit straining to maintain. It was much easier to choose a form better suited to the environment than to wear or form attachments suited to a single form. "A-As for the biggest thing? Probably a...Wailord, right? I haven't really tried to see how big I can get, but I'm sure I could do it."
Nyx smiled, satisfied with Joshua's assessment. "I'm pleased you think so." A second opinion was always useful, particularly when that opinion was one that mattered. The Vulpix swept back to his saucepans and began to remove them from the flames one by one, suppressing the fire with his tails as he moved between them. He acknowledged Joshua's question with a glance and murmured a quick, "one moment," between pans. If he left the sauces on for too much longer they could heat past their prime, and that would never do. When the last fire was suppressed he turned back to Joshua and addressed his question.
"Yes, as a matter of fact. I was taught to cook when I was quite young." Taught was one word for it anyway. "It's proven quite the useful skill over the years, though I never would have imagined just how useful until I ended up here." Cooking was never quite so extravagant when one wasn't cooking for multiple people--there was little need to dress up a meal for one.
"We'd be in a tough spot without Nyx, that's for sure." Neo chimed in, having quietly listened through the whole exchange, pleased with his partner's initiative. He'd just finished preparing the last plate, so he had his thoughts free for a moment. "He's definitely the best cook we have--I knew some stuff before, but he's taught me a lot." Really it was incredible--his partner didn't even have the advantage of being bipedal, but that didn't deter him. There was little regarding a meal Nyx couldn't do, Neo really only helped by making some things more convenient.
"It's nothing," Nyx replied, though he didn't hide his smile at the compliment. "Neo, a hand with the bowls if you please?"
"Sure." The remaining bowls on the shelf were hovered down with the Meowstic's Psychic, one positioned next to each of the pans. Nyx nodded his gratitude and headed over to the line of sauces, beginning the long and careful process of transferring them to their serving dishes.
His partner's request handled, Neo turned back to his prepared plates and reached for a bigger one, taking it into his paws and turning to head out to the table. That was when Jessica walked in. "Oh, hello!" Without a thought, the Meowstic transferred his plate to rest in the air beside him and headed over to join her, extending a paw to shake her own. "The same to you, Jessica!" He beamed at her. "I'm glad we were finally able to work things out to meet. I'm sorry we had so many delays." It wasn't anyone's fault of course, as Team Leaders they both understood that, but it was the polite thing to say. "I've heard about you too, and some of the other members of your Team. It's nice to finally have faces to put to the names."
Killian watched closely as Jeremiah clamored onto his hand. The little creature hardly felt like anything, but then again there were few Pokemon who did to the massive Golurk. When the Sableye found himself successful, Killian transferred the small ghost to his knee, eyes never leaving him. There was the greeting, which Killian responded to with a single flash of the eyes, then the more interesting question. Something happened? The Golurk stared into the Jewel-Eyed One Friend's eyes and tilted his head to the side slightly. He didn't know anything about what Jeremiah was speaking of, but even if he did there wasn't much he could say about it. Still, what the Sableye had said resonated with him. It felt like something had been hurting, and suddenly the pain died down a little. Killian groaned, a hollow, sad sound, and his eyes seemed to dim slightly. Addressing an unknown wound could help it, but it also brought that wound to the attention of its possessor. Something happened? Had something happened? ...Why did something inside him ache?
The Golurk's emotional turmoil did not go unnoticed by Lux, whose gaze lingered on the pair in the corner despite his other obligations. Something strange was going on between those two. Killian's gray was quavering, responding to the way the blue aura atop him was reaching out to him. The Lucario frowned, eyes narrowing slightly as he saw tendrils of blue snake themselves into the Golurk's gray, tiny bolts of electricity splitting the usually motionless aura. This was different indeed.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun May 01, 2016 1:26 am
Robin
Jessica & Tobias & Balerd & Jeremiah & Joshua & Madeline
"Hey, not bad~" Air had done a good job with the transformation as far as Maddie was concerned. There was a brief moment of displeased glancing as she circled Air, followed by several glances back at herself, that Air was sure to take poorly out of his own paranoia rather than any significant social implications. Maddie was actually simply thinking I'm not that fat. Clearly Air had gotten something wrong and it wasn't the fact that she had been enjoying the local cuisine a little bit too much or anything like that.
Clearly.
"Oh, a Wailord? I heard about those, aren't they really big? Lets see!"
"Madeline..." Tobias took the time to interrupt. Someone on Essence likely would have done so, but it was still needed. "Wailord are much too big. It would most certainly destroy the room."
"Oh. They're that big?" Tobias nodded. "Dang, that's big." Maddie whistled slightly. The room around her was quite big and it was beyond her imagination that a single pokemon would be unable to fit inside. The guild could accommodate all but the very most extreme of sizes, a fact proven by Killian's presence, but a Wailord was out of the question. "What's the smallest then?" She had wanted to see Air turn into something really big, mostly just to see it happen, but if that couldn't happen then you went in the other direction. "What's the tiniest little thing you can turn into?"
"It shows, you had a good teacher." Nyx's hidden problems and complex burdens were invisible to most, including Joshua. The food was good, he enjoyed taste-testing it, he looked forward to eating more. Nyx was, as Tobias had said, agreeable. Neo was also alright too, a fact that Tobias had been rather insistent upon in much stronger terms. Joshua opened and shut his mouth slightly as his tongue did its work to keep his mouth clean. It probably wasn't the most... Nyx-like habit, but he wasn't overt about it and it wasn't like he had much of a choice. He was a quadruped. "I can believe it." Nyx seemed like he was quite talented at what he did. He'd be a godsend to have around. "It'd be great if you could teach Jessica sometime." Although it wasn't a truly serious suggestion, it wasn't an aimless one; Jessica's style of cooking was what most people would reasonably call "practical".
"No, no, it's the same here. I'm sorry our work interfered so many times." Jessica had taken Neo's handshake readily and met it with a practiced, solid grip; a strong handshake was overrated but a weak one was a plague to be avoided. "I'm glad to be able to say the same. It's good to finally meet." She was a much more professionally driven person than Neo was and that fact was reflected in her behaviour, especially when mirrored against his own. But that didn't mean that she wasn't genuinely happy to be there. She was quite happy to be there and if not for her frazzled entrance she would've been suitably relaxed as well. "I hope Tobias and Balerd haven't been giving you too much trouble?" Anything else on the matter didn't really need saying, at least not until the immediate greetings got out of the way. If Neo didn't say much at all, or if it were appropriate, she would elucidate him on the matter of Madeline. "We've brought Madeline along as a guest like I wrote that we might. She has some special considerations, but she shouldn't cause any problems while she's here." Jessica, of course, had written ahead on the matter of Madeline. They weren't about to bring a pokemon with Maddie's issues into someone's home without apprising them of the issues first. Speaking of the matter was simply to assure Neo that it was fully under control.
Jeremiah watched Killian with care, his head tilting with Killian's own, as tried his best to understand what the Golurk was thinking, doing or feeling. Killian was... weird, to put it mildly. It was like he was a ghost, but he wasn't. Most creatures had their souls locked up good and tight, hidden away under their breast or shielded carefully from the outside world. Killian's was... simply out there. It wasn't deep inside like a normal pokemon, but it wasn't contained like a ghost. It clung to his body. It was really weird, not that Jeremiah thought any deeper on the subject. It was just kind of helpful because it made it easier to understand the naturally stoic automaton. Expressions did something, but seeing the sadness was really helpful.
"You'll be better eventually. Just hang in there." Jeremiah smiled brightly, oblivious to the fact that it was a scary smile to most. Though then he wondered, his expression changing quite obviously as he did. Could Killian talk? He didn't have a mouth. He hadn't talked so far, so maybe he couldn't. But then again lots of pokemon didn't have mouths and they managed to talk anyways, so maybe Killian could. Why wasn't he? "Can you talk?"
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