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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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 Posted: Mon May 02, 2016 3:57 pm
Neo & Nyx & Air & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Killian & Alexandru
Air shifted uneasily under Madeline's scrutiny, claws extending in and out nervously. It seemed like she was unsatisfied with something, but now that Maddie had circled around her, Air was certain everything was right so far as she could see. Unless the Umbreon had particularly unusual paws it should be right, so what was that look for? She'd said it wasn't bad but Air certainly wasn't blind to expressions of disapproval, and she would have asked about it if the Umbreon hadn't barreled ahead, pursuing her other inquiry.
"Oh...no I couldn't here..." Even as Tobias intercepted Madeline's prompting Air shook her head firmly, a sheepish expression on her face. "Yeah, um, definitely not here. You need a lot of space to do the big stuff." Though she wasn't the most perceptive when it came to others' reactions to her transformations, Air knew perfectly well when and where it was reasonable to turn into what, and wasn't about to do something that would cause any trouble--regardless of what others would think, the Ditto could never forgive herself if she caused any permanent damage.
"The smallest?" Madeline had moved on again, not missing a beat. If Air were less unnerved by the earlier events of the evening she might have been able to keep up, but as it was it took her a moment to give an answer. "Well I'm pretty sure if I transformed into the smallest thing I could you wouldn't be able to see me." Generally extremes were avoided because they caused more trouble than they were worth more often than not, but it was kind of fun to think about. Maybe she'd experiment with it later, but for Madeline's purposes... "But I can probably give you an idea." Air closed her eyes and her form began to shimmer, shifting to that of a Joltik. Blinking bright blue eyes, she waved from far below Madeline's nose and shouted upward in a small voice: "This is the normal size of a Joltik, but if one of you would pick me up..." She looked from Madeline to Tobias, waiting for someone to respond to her request and repeating it if necessary. Only when she was safely in someone's possession would she continue with her demonstration. "But I can get smaller than that." The Ditto-Joltik's tiny form began to glow and shrink, smaller and smaller until she was small enough to sit on the tip of one of her companions' claws. "You see?" she said, though her voice was quite possibly too quiet to be heard. "Pretty small, huh?"
Nyx was amidst the process of transferring the fourth pan to the bowl at Joshua's proposition, and the vulpine didn't respond until he'd safely replaced his saucepan on the ground. "Perhaps," he said, looking back at Joshua. "I don't make a habit of teaching, but I don't mind having others around when I cook, provided they don't get in the way." Joshua himself was an excellent example of this. So long as he could commit his mind to the task of cooking without unpleasant interruption, Nyx was generally ambivalent about the presence of others. When he cooked, the world around him was of minimal importance, and that was the way he liked it. "Neo has picked up most of what he's learned by watching. It's possible Jessica could as well." It wasn't quite an invitation, but it was about as generous as the Vulpix was when it came to Pokemon he knew little about--particularly so when they were connected to Tobias. If it weren't for the Poochyena's reasonable nature, he would have assumed they were all of Tobias and Balerd's ilk, but someone had to have accepted such a normal person onto their Team and that someone had to be the Team's leader. "A question for another day I suppose," he said lightly, turning back to his saucepans. "There's little left to prepare for this meal."
He reached for the next pan, but paused before he bit down on the handle. "I take it you prefer other hobbies?" he said, an invitation for Joshua to continue the conversation. It was rather difficult to talk when your mouth was your primary means of moving things, but Nyx was rather appreciative of Joshua's lack of eccentricity. Pokemon like that were easy to deal with, and he was obligated to talk anyway since they were hosting. Besides, if the Poochyena was hiding any strange Tobias-like quirks it was best to find them now. Nyx was understandably hesitant to assume that the Linoone and his child were the outliers when the pair constituted a third of their Team.
Neo laughed, shaking his head in response to her question. "Oh, no, they're just fine," he said. "Eliot and Clara really enjoy Balerd's company, and Tobias has been a good friend. There's never a dull moment when he's around, you know?" At least, he assumed the Linoone displayed his peculiar tendencies around his partner as well. The fact that Jessica had brought it up at all suggested his assumption was correct.
The Meowstic's smile widened at the rest of Jessica's news. "Oh, so she was able to make it after all, good!" he purred. "I'm glad she was feeling well enough to make the trip." He didn't know a whole lot about the Umbreon's ailment, but Jessica had assured him it was under control and he was willing to take her word for it. All the correspondence he'd had with the Charmander so far had suggested she was very much the responsible type, and now that he was meeting her face-to-face he found she had a similarly professional and confident air about her person. "If anything comes up regarding that don't be afraid to let me know if there's something you need, we're happy to help." With any luck it wouldn't come down to that, but the offer stood nonetheless.
That out of the way, the presence of the warm dish hovering beside his head drew Neo's attention again. "It's really nice to meet you and I look forward to talking more soon, but I have to get the table set before things start to get cold." Neo transferred the tray back to his paws with an apologetic smile. "Nyx has been working hard on this meal and he'd be awfully disappointed if everything wasn't served at the proper temperature." He indicated his partner on the other side of the kitchen with a slight nod. "He's just finishing up the sauces now." Neo slipped past her, glancing back, "I'll be in and out if you need me for anything." And he would do just that, beginning the many treks back and forth from the kitchen to the already-set table, adding dish after dish to fill its empty spaces.
Killian wasn't deterred by the Jewel-Eyed One Friend's smile, too wrapped up in the confusing ache that lingered in his chest to really notice. He hadn't been struck by anything, so there was no reason for the pain to be there, but it was and it hurt in a way that he couldn't simply ignore it. Fortunately the Jewel-Eyed One Friend was enough of a distraction that he could focus his attention on something else, but it was still there, like an itch in the back of his mind. Could he talk? The answer to that question was simple. The Golurk inclined his head slowly, raising it back up and never looking away from those bright eyes. He could talk, but he'd been told not to.
"Killian." The Golurk turned his head slowly, surprised to find the Light One Friend Master standing at his side. The Lucario stared at him and spoke slowly in the voice he used when clarifying the order of another Master. "Answer Jeremiah's question. Speak."
The Golurk's eyes flashed in response to the order and his whole body shuddered. Two direct orders clashed, which meant one had to take precedence. Do not speak unless I tell you to. Speak. He was not being told to speak by Felonious, but he was being told to do so by one of his current Masters. The orders reworked themselves in his mind, "I" shifting to "Master" and the Golurk went still, eyes glowing flashbulb-bright in response to the new command. "Yes." Killian's voice echoed from someplace undefinable, surprisingly clear although it couldn't be attached to anything physical. The golem sighed, as though the effort of the word was colossal, and his eyes grew dimmer again.
"Remarkable." Lux stared up at Killian's gray, watching it spiral in motion as it had never before. It had burned golden--his golden--in the moment before the Golurk had spoken his first word since joining the Guild. None of their number had thought to tell the giant to talk, assuming he lacked the capacity, but this ghost who Killian had just met could see something that they'd all overlooked it would seem. "I apologize for interrupting," he said to Jeremiah, dipping his head politely, "Killian tends to require instruction before he complies with requests. I won't intrude on your conversation, but I can tell him to speak with you if you'd like?" Lux knew little about the Sableye before him, but aura did not lie and he knew Jeremiah intended no harm. Killian had already responded excellently to him thus far, and the Lucario was terribly curious to see what else could be coaxed out of the Golurk. He'd certainly be having a conversation with Killian when this was all over, if nothing else.
Alexandru hovered between the groups, listening to the exchanges and saying nothing. Things seemed to be going well, which was promising. Hopefully the rest of the evening would follow suit.
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Posted: Mon May 02, 2016 11:51 pm
Robin
Jessica & Tobias & Balerd & Jeremiah & Joshua & Madeline
Madeline hopped back slightly in surprise as Air's form shifted and contorted into a tiny bug, her instincts having rebelled against the sight in front of her. Surprise bug types weren't the favourite thing of any dark type and Madeline was hardly an exception. Thankfully Tobias, aware of Maddie's instincts or not, quickly scooped up Air and held her high. The resulting little glow and blip seemed to erase Air entirely from world, though in truth she was under the watchful gaze of Tobias. He stared keenly at the little Joltik the was resting atop his claw. It was a strange sight to him. It was a strange sight to Madeline as well, who followed Tobias's own gaze to where Air was. She stepped forward, somewhat uncertainly, before reminding herself that nothing so tiny could ever hurt her. She had to lean in to the tip of the claw in order to get a proper look at Air. "What's it look like from there?" Of course, she couldn't hear what Air had said. Air was much too tiny.
The halfhearted cooking suggestion would be left for another day, so; ah. Hobbies. He certainly liked chasing girls but that wasn't the sort of hobby you admitted to having. That was especially the case if you were talking to someone a bit prim and proper. Nyx didn't seem like the type to chase skirts. "The Glitter Caves didn't have a lot of 'hobbies.' You spent most of the day working, the rest with friends." Which was part of why he tended to spend it the way he did, not that he hadn't learned from the best in that regard. "If you've ever been then you know it's a pretty boring place. I mostly just ran around passing along messages, never had time to do much work otherwise." When you lived in such a place you typically cultivated skills that were necessary and only skills that were necessary. You learned to fight, talk and do whatever work you needed to eat; if it wasn't that, you usually weren't too good at it. "What about you? Where are you from?" Nyx seemed to come from a well-spoken house which was generally a rarity, especially as far as Joshua was concerned. The caves didn't have a lot of those.
"Yes. He knows how to keep things interesting, for sure." She was very, very much aware of how Tobias was. It was a relief to hear that Neo getting along well with him, and also a little of a surprise given how remarkably normal the Meowstic seemed overall. He wasn't... very Tobias. He wasn't very Tobias at all. Ditto confusion aside the entire team seemed quite normal which was almost alarming, much the way it was alarming to expect a party only to find an empty room. It was a betrayal of expectation and now that she had gotten past the immediate rush and mortifying encounter related, it was a bit of a "something" to wrestle. But, no. She could appraise things later. Talk, for now. "Yes, she's doing fine. She's not better yet, but her poison shouldn't cause any problems. She's wearing shoes and I brought a blanket for her to sit on at the table to make sure it doesn't get anywhere." Shoes was maybe an overstatement but that was that and this was this. "And thanks for that. The same is true for us, don't hesitate to ask if you run into any trouble."
And then came the dismissal, readily enough. She had expected it, and she didn't mind it either. It just made sense. She had only stuck her head in to give a proper formal greeting, not to interrupt the process. "Of course, I wouldn't dream of getting in the way." Really, you didn't get in the way of work. Not even a chef's. "I brought a small gift basket that I'll leave here. Take a look inside if you have a moment before dinner." She would head off to retrieve the basket and return with it, plopping it down near the doorway where it would be out of Neo's way. Joshua seemed fine in here, so it was off into the room proper to say a few hellos.
"Oh! You can talk!" The whole exchange leading up to that had been a very strange one, putting it simply. Killian responded to the question of whether or not he could speak with a "nod" which was a little strange to say the least. And then Lux said some stuff about orders, and stuff, all of which went just a little bit over Jeremiah's head. The idea of another pokemon being some kind of autonomous servant-slave was a foreign one to him and it was one he didn't really understand at a fundamental level. Pokemon were pokemon, they did pokemon things like... have thoughts and feelings and stuff. All he really knew was that Lux had to tell Killian to do stuff, apparently, for some reason, and that's how it was. But the evidence of Killian's speech renewed the smile on Jeremiah's face, though Lux's words afterwards left him uncertain enough as to what to do. "Uh, if he wants to." He was sitting on Killian's knee, but Lux was talking to him, but it was about Killian... It was sort of odd to know what to say or where to look. He didn't want to leave Killian out, it seemed kind of mean to talk about him like he wasn't there. "You look kinda tired, if you wanna rest for a bit that's okay. We can talk later."
Jessica had managed to put the basket down by this point and seek the only available conversation partner, having chosen not to get involved in whatever weird stuff Madeline and Tobias were up to and having recognized that Lux seemed to have some kind of specific intent. The only one left was Alexandru, and thus he was the one who would be spoken to. Jessica would return a handshake if she was met by one, but otherwise she would just keep hands to herself because it was hard to tell with Zubat. "Hello, sorry about a few minutes ago. Lux said your name was Alexandru, right? My name's Jessica, I'm the captain of Team Robin. It's good to meet you, you said you joined just recently?"
The basket left for Neo would be found with various things, most obviously meant for later. A ball for Eliot, a rubik's cube for Clara, and so on. The bulk of the package, meant for the bulk of the team, would be prepared and pressed fruit that had been carefully stored away such that it would last quite a long time. They were explorer's tools and their composition fit that fact, with each one having a small amount of Oran in it to liven up the tired explorer. The one key thing of interest for the moment, whether or not Neo chose to take advantage of it, would be a tool of business. Wine, after all, was an excellent gift for most occasions.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue May 03, 2016 8:31 am
Neo & Nyx & Air & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Killian & Alexandru
Safe on the tip of Tobias's claw, Air relaxed, knowing herself to be well free from the danger of any unfortunate missteps. It wouldn't do any lasting harm to be stepped on of course, but it wasn't pleasant to have to deconstruct one's physical form in a matter of seconds, and the pressure could be painful in the between time. The Ditto-Joltik stared up at Tobias's huge face, marveling at how he appeared larger than Killian from this angle, and turned to look at Maddie when she leaned in to get a closer look. She would have fit on top of the Umbreon's eye. The thought sent a thrill of excitement through the Ditto's tiny form; she wanted to try it, but not at the expense of their guest--it hurt to have things in your eye, especially things with tiny claws.
When Madeline spoke, Air clung to Tobias's claw, the power of the Umbreon's voice enough that it would have blown her off otherwise. The Ditto opened her mouth to respond, but quickly thought the better of it and climbed down Tobias's claw onto his paw to shift back to a more normal size. A glimmer and a few inches larger, and Air was easy to see again, content to rest in the softness of the Linoone's fur as she responded with a more audible voice. "Everything's so big," she said, sounding quite pleased about it. "You two are bigger than buildings!" The Ditto-Joltik looked at Maddie delightedly. "I've never tried getting that small before. It's kind of scary, but fun!"
Everything that came out of the Poochyena's mouth was expected, and that was a wonderful thing. No obsessions with round things, no turning into balls, no staring at him as though he were some sort of puzzle to be figured out; Joshua was just a Pokemon who worked and dealt in small things, and Nyx had never been so appreciative of one of that type before. He continued working away at the sauces while Joshua spoke, getting a few more transferred before the Poochyena's unfortunate questions. They were, perhaps, inevitable, but Nyx had been hoping they could be avoided. Of course, much like himself, Joshua didn't seem the type to ramble on, and that made things difficult.
"Me?" The Vulpix laughed, shaking his head. "I don't know that I could be said to be from anywhere. My family didn't stay in one spot for any lengthy period, and I adopted that habit." It had been necessary for them and for him after. The Guild was a continuation of that practice, since he never had to be in the same place for more than a day at a time. There were things to be learned in too many places to linger at just one for any prolonged time--this was a place to return to, but it wasn't a place to stay. "I believe at this point I've been here at the Guild longer than I've stayed anywhere else in my life."
The Vulpix paused to fill another bowl, glancing at the few remaining down the line. "So the Glitter Caves, you said?" He pondered the name. "I've visited once or twice I believe. There are some marvelous rock formations there if I recall." The crystals that held elemental energy, he'd heard rumors of them and sought them out at one point. "I didn't encounter many Pokemon on either of my ventures though," he remarked, "I found it strange, since I heard they were well-populated." The Vulpix shrugged and dipped his head to grab the next pan. Soon he'd be finished, and the only thing left would be for Neo to put them in their proper places at the table. A stray glance to the side revealed his partner parting ways with Jessica and beginning the table-setting process, so everything was in order--preparations would be finished shortly.
The Sableye was considerate, but that was easy to read in his aura. Lux smiled slightly, shifting his gaze to Killian and watching his aura closely. He did seem fatigued by the effort, but his aura had gained energy in the process: rather than resting motionless, it flickered every few moments. Something in the Golurk had emerged that hadn't been there before. "Killian." He waited for the Golurk to turn to him again. "When a Pokemon asks you a question, you are to respond appropriately with words." He paused, watching the command be processed as gold snaked through gray. When Killian's aura had returned to normal, the Lucario spoke again. "Is that clear?"
"Yes." The word was given again, without hesitation. Killian understood what the Light One Friend Master had told him, questions required words now, regardless who they came from. It was entirely the opposite of how he'd previously been instructed, but new orders took precedence, as was always the case. The Golurk sighed, feeling a weight settle on his chest as he turned back to watch the Jewel-Eyed One Friend expectantly. This small creature had created a good deal of work for him, but it didn't change Killian's opinion about him. The Sableye was "like him" in that undefinable way, and he respected that--not as a Master, but as someone different from the other Ones who filled the world, like the Other One Friend Called Skullbasher.
Lux was pleased. "You're doing well Killian," he said warmly. "And Jeremiah, I do appreciate what you've done for him." The Lucario smiled. "If you need anything else, let me know." With that, he turned and left the pair of ghosts to their discussion, not keen on interfering with their conversation by eavesdropping. Killian was a mystery, and a part of that mystery had just been chipped away. What else could the Golurk be capable of if only he was told? Lux's mind was alive with the possibilities. He paused nearby where the children were playing, watching their auras idly though he kept Jeremiah and Killian in his peripheral vision, far more interested in anything else he could glean from their interaction.
Alexandru heard Jessica's approach, turning to face her when he sensed her approach. "There is no need to apologize," he said, hoping she hadn't been dwelling on the misunderstanding all this time. "Yes, my name is Alexandru, but it is trying on the tongue. Most of my Teammates call me Dru; you are welcome to also." The Zubat dipped his head, the closest thing he could give to a handshake. "I joined quite recently yes. This is my first time meeting any member of your Team, though I am told Tobias and Balerd make frequent visits. My time with the Guild is better counted in days than weeks as of yet." And, of course, the obvious follow-up. "Your Team is similar to ours in size, so you've been here for some time yourself I presume?"
Neo was busily moving through the hum of conversation and activity around him, intent on his work. It was dinnertime and with all the wonderful smells mixing in the air his guests would be hungry soon if they weren't already. He noticed Jessica's basket and moved it carefully to the table on one of his return trips, but he wouldn't check its contents until the last dish had been brought out. Nyx was taking his time with the sauces so Neo had the chance to look through the basket Jessica had brought them. The Meowstic looked over each present with delight, touched by the Charmander's care and thoroughness; she'd put a lot of thought into her gifts and it showed in the best of ways. Making a mental note to thank her for her generosity later, Neo removed the bottle of wine, turning it over in his paws to look at it. Nyx would know best what to do with this. Hopefully it would pair well with something they were having this evening, but it was best to defer to the chef on such matters.
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Posted: Tue May 03, 2016 10:45 am
Robin
Jessica & Tobias & Balerd & Jeremiah & Joshua & Madeline
Tobias watched the whole exchange with analytical interest. It was quite clear now why he had been warned of Ditto in the past. Air, if she had the desire to do so, could have done a lot of terrible things quite easily through the theft of both faces and skills. And there was apparently little to the way in limits of such an activity, aside from perhaps the need to study. They were fearsome creatures in a way that most were not. Not that Air would ever be a threat to Tobias; the plausibility of such an outcome aside, Air was simply too earnest to do such things. The blobby little creature was, by choice, about as dangerous as a puddle. But, still, it was something to consider for the future. Perhaps he would inquire about such things some other time. Dittos likely had a weakness so Air would receive such a question at some point.
Madeline closed her eyes for a moment to try to think about it. After a moment, her brow would furrow slightly and she would abandon the idea. She couldn't imagine being that small, it was just too weird. "What's it like? Being able to do that?" She was still a bit uneasy about Air, not because of the transformations but rather the fact that bugs. They were weird and every part of her body rejected them, something about them just made her uneasy. Another thought occurred, given the meaning of the gathering. "What do you eat?"
"Air, it would be wise I think if you were to assume a shape more suited for a conversation." Tobias spoke the words quietly but with a calm meaning. Air, you're making your guest uncomfortable. Goodness. Just turn into a dog or something. Join the puppy club, Air.
"Hm." It was a bit surprising to hear that Nyx had been wandering around for most of his life. He didn't really seem the wandering type. He seemed more like the kind of guy to sit in a single place and do one thing surrounded by a lot of different people, but without him himself ever changing. But, some people took well to that sort of life and if it was the life he had lived then that was how it was. There wasn't any point in questioning it and, aside from the thought that it seemed counter intuitive to Nyx's person, Joshua didn't think about it at all. "They used to be packed." Or so he had heard, anyways. He didn't remember a whole lot from back then. "But everything near the entrance that was any good got taken. There's no stones left unless you're willing to go deep, which is where you'll find most of the people there. Good or bad. There's some miners down there that still work away, finding gems and evolutionary stones which they trade off to the Sableye for food." The miners worked and the Sableye bought the gems off of them, to eat or... whatever. The evolutionary stones made their way out into the broader world, where they were inevitably used for one purpose or another. "There used to be more, but the deeper you need to go the less worthwhile it gets. So some folks have been headed out. If you can't find one otherwise it's probably the best place to go for a stone but don't head down there alone if you want to make it back out." It was a fair warning dictated by both courtesy and caution. Nyx had certainly gone down before for a fire stone, not a "rock formation", and if he went down again he'd want help if he wanted to come back out. The team would probably manage, but only as a team.
Jeremiah, once more, watched the exchange without really understanding the nuance or subtleties of any of it. He wasn't really sure why Killian was being given so many orders, especially for stuff that was so obvious, but he didn't seem to be doing it otherwise so maybe that was just how it was? He also didn't really understand what he had "done" for Killian, aside from having said hello to the lonely looking guy in the corner. But that was just what any decent guy would've done. "Uh, no problem?" Jeremiah was smart in his own way, which wasn't this way. He refocused instead on Killian, since Lux didn't really seem to make a lot of sense. "Where're you from?" A pause, a moment, and the realization that Killian had never actually said if he still wanted to talk. "If you still want to talk I mean! It's okay if you want to rest instead." Unlike Lux, there was no aura that Jeremiah could see. All he could see was the vague flickers of the soul that clung to the body and the very, very vague feelings they gave off. It was a much less definite thing for him.
Jessica hadn't been dwelling at all, it was simply the courteous thing to do. Jessica replied to the soft nod in kind and listened to everything Alexandru said with the attentiveness one would expect from her. "I can say Alexandru just fine if you prefer it." She had spoken a great many names here or there and, while appreciated, the concern wasn't needed. Alexandru was just another name on the pile. "Yes, we've been here for a while. Some things happened and it unfortunately took us a while to get out and working properly, but our team is growing as we take on work." They hadn't been there as long as Essence, she didn't think, but they'd been there long enough. Balerd had unfortunately slowed their professional action a great deal, but that had been dealt with and she was glad for it. "Neo, Tobias and the kids became friends and your captain has been a great help to us, but this is our first time meeting up properly." Too many things had gotten in the way here and there.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue May 03, 2016 12:36 pm
Neo & Nyx & Air & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Killian & Alexandru
It was far too difficult to discern Madeline's discomfort from Air's vantage point. The Umbreon had jumped when she'd first changed to a Joltik, but Air assumed this was nothing more than residual surprise at the shape-changing. Thus, when Tobias made the soft suggestion that she should change shape, Air thought nothing of it. "Oh, is it too hard to hear me?" she asked, "Sorry." The little Ditto-bug made her way off of Tobias's paw and jumped, a bit of silk parachuting behind her to slow her fall. Only when she had landed safely did the Ditto's form shimmer again, shifting and changing into something new for Maddie's benefit. When Air was finished, she stood before them as a Buizel.
"There, hope that helps." Her voice was a normal volume now, so that was one problem solved. "Um, so you asked what it's like, right? It's...it's just what it's like to be me I guess." It was a question Air had gotten before and one that she was certain to get again, and every time the answer was the same. "Everybody's shape feels different, so it's really fun to try out new ones. Plus you get to learn how all kinds of Pokemon can do what they do. Like Buizel!" She gestured to her current form excitedly. "This bit around the neck, if you breathe in right it inflates!" A demonstration shortly followed. "And their tails can spin super fast! It helps them swim, and I heard once that it can help them fly too, but I haven't tried that yet." The Ditto's enthusiasm was evident as she beamed at the pair. "Oh, and, uh, I eat anything I guess." The comment was added as an afterthought, because Air didn't really see how it related to the topic of interest. Besides, there were much more interesting things to discuss, like Buizel, or Linoone, or Umbreon. Ditto could be any of them, sure, but as far as Air was concerned it was the ones who were stuck in one form that were remarkable; Pokemon were fascinating.
"My preference is whatever suits yours," Alexandru replied smoothly. Names were important, yes, but he'd already adjusted to three, so whatever Jessica liked was fine with him.
The bat listened to her explanation quietly, the motions of his ears reflecting his attentiveness where eyes could not. "I'm glad to hear things have been going smoothly recently then," he returned, "I imagine it was difficult to face a delay like that, but it seems your work has been treating you well." The more members of a Team, the easier it was to divide the work among them; Essence was in the habit of determining these things on a nightly basis, never missing a day of work as a Team, though there were always those left behind. Alexandru himself had yet to participate in a large-scale mission, due to their work being predominantly daylight-oriented, but he'd been given a few night assignments and they had gone well enough. He hoped to continue to be of use, but his position certainly allowed him to emphasize with the regret in Jessica's voice at the thought of lost job opportunities.
"Ah, yes." Alexandru nodded at the mention of the reason for their mutual Team relations. "I've heard the stories." There were a great many things a bat could gather by keeping his ears open, and Lux was willing to elucidate him on the remainder. "Well, it seems a stroke of good fortune then, their meeting," he said, "Neo has certainly taken much from this as well. He enjoys the company you see. He mentioned once that he grew up surrounded by a variety of Pokemon--I imagine large gatherings like this remind him of home."
Killian didn't understand the Jewel-Eyed One Friend's flustered comments. "Want" was not a word in the Golurk's vocabulary, he did what he was told and that was all there was to it. He didn't know how to acknowledge the things after the question, so he glossed over them to deal with what he knew how to address. "Ice," the Golurk said, his voice clear yet somewhat slower than it should have been, as though it was difficult for him to process what he wanted to say. "I am from...the Place of Ice." It was the best answer he had to the question. The first thing he could remember was the ice and the feeling of numbness. Before then there was nothing. After there was Ice--the Fiery One Friend Master--the First Master and the Fire--the Loss--the Journey that brought him to his new Masters--Here.
Perceptive. "I wasn't looking for stones." Nyx's expression was strictly neutral, staring at the last, now-filled bowl pensively. "I was looking for the crystals." The Vulpix looked back at Joshua, tails curling around his paws. "I heard they held residual energy from the evolutionary stones that formed around them, and I went to witness that phenomenon." Nyx shook his head. "I had assumed a place so well-mined would be a poor place to hunt for stones, I don't tend to stake my faith in such gambles. If you believe it would be a worthwhile trip however, perhaps I will reconsider." It wouldn't help him of course, but it was interesting to hear that there were still worthwhile veins deep into the mines. A native would know after all.
"Nyx!" The Vulpix looked up to find Neo headed towards him, an unfamiliar bottle in his hands. "Sorry to interrupt, but I need your opinion on this wine. Jessica brought it along--do you think we could serve it with something?"
"Hm." Nyx took a look at the label then swept across the kitchen, returning with a corkscrew. "If you'd do the honors?" After his partner removed the cork, the fox straightened, sniffing the top of the bottle and finding it to be properly sweet. Dessert wine: an excellent choice. "Yes, good. Pour a bit into a cup for me, if you would." Neo complied and Nyx tasted the wine slowly. "Yes. This will pair with dessert nicely. Cork it up and put it in the icebox. It would be best if slightly chilled."
"Sure thing!" Neo hurried off, pausing halfway across the room to turn back. "Oh. Everything will be ready as soon as I get those sauces on the table. Just so you know."
Nyx smiled. "I'm pleased to hear it." He glanced back at Joshua. "If you'd like to find a spot at the table you're welcome to. Neo and I will be only a few more moments." There were cooking dishes to be cleaned up and Neo still had the bowls to carry out in the meantime, but they would be gathering the rest of their guests for the meal shortly.
It didn't take long for Nyx and Neo to emerge from the kitchen together after that, exchanging a few words then splitting off to alert their various guests that it was time to eat. Nyx would approach each of the small groups of adults, informing them in brief but polite terms: "Dinner is prepared now, if you would care to find a seat at the table." He would introduce himself to those he'd yet to meet as well, but it would be short and formal, and he'd quickly excuse himself to see to the next group. Neo went over to gather the children, giving Lux a quick nod in the proper direction as well. The Meowstic brought with him a damp towel, which he used to clean Balerd and Clara's hands and Eliot's mouth, before bringing them back to the table. The members of Team Essence would allow those of Team Robin to take the seats they liked for the most part, but Neo led the kids to one side of the table so he could sit with them to help them through their meal with greater ease. Eliot would be to Neo's left and Clara to his right, and Balerd was brought back to his own father's waiting paws to be positioned as the Linoone preferred.
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Posted: Wed May 04, 2016 12:14 pm
Robin
Jessica & Tobias & Balerd & Jeremiah & Joshua & Madeline
Madeline breathed a deep breath as Air reverted to a more normal form. That was much better. Creepy little scritchy-scratchy bugs were not her favourite kind of thing. She didn't have a single complaint about Air turning back. In her usual emotive way she stepped back slightly in surprise as the yellow tube around Air's neck suddenly puffed up, but the real surprise came with what Air said well after that. "Anything." She repeated the word, trying to imagine it. Did Air just... turn into the pink puddle again and surround it? Could she really eat anything? If she watched Air long enough would the Ditto just wipe a rock out of existence? How did they work? Madeline nearly asked where does it go? when the call for dinner came, causing the Umbreon to take off in a joyful hurry.
"Alexandru, then." A nickname wasn't a bad thing, but it seemed good to use a formal name on such occasions. Perhaps there would be a shift at another time. Home... She could understand the nostalgia. A home-like life was always a good one. It wasn't a deep sense of nostalgia that she herself had, but she supposed that was because of the fact that they were very different people. This was the life for her. Neo lived with a much more idyllic drive and it was the sort that, she thought, likely demanded a return to "normalcy" from time to time. "Neo seems the type to make friends with everyone if he can." The strange crew he had assembled under him was a sign of that. "I'm a little surprised as to how it happened since I never expected Tobias to make friends so quickly, but..." Tobias was an odd one and the notion that he had made fast friends was met with shock. "Not all surprises are bad, right? I'm glad things are working out the way they are."
"Ice?" Ice? The place of ice? Where the heck is that? But as Jeremiah thought about it, it became somewhat apparent that Killian probably didn't know. Why else would he answer that way? There were a lot of places of ice, so that didn't mean a lot. But that was fine too, he guessed, since it was more just friendly conversation than anything else. He didn't need any kind of deep answer. Which meant it was on to the other subjects he guessed. The Golurk wasn't very talkative, and it was at that point that Jeremiah realized that he had never actually introduced himself properly. "Oh! Um, my name's Jeremiah. I'm a part of team Robin which I uh, guess you already know. I help out by doing... Sableye things, I guess. Your name's Killian, right? What brought you here?" There would be enough time for Jeremiah to receive Killian's answer before the call for dinner, at which point the two would part ways for the time being unless there was something particularly important to say.
Crystal formations... It sounded like bullshit to Joshua. They existed, but nobody ever went to look at them unless they were weird as hell. Then again, it seemed like basically everyone here was weird as hell. "Generally. There's not a lot of alternatives." If you wanted a stone with the strength of the forest you could go into one, or a fire stone in a volcano, but you wouldn't have a good time doing so. Pokemon who needed those stones tended to gather where they were formed and seeking a stone out in that area meant attempting to cut through a closely guarded area, likely with little help. There weren't a lot of pokemon who could brave the kind of places fire stones usually formed and Nyx wasn't likely to be able to go it alone. "Most of the business they do down there now is with the sableye, they don't look for stones so much. If you're willing to head as deep down as you can, you'll find some." It got riskier the deeper you went, but that was true for most places. "If you head down, do yourself a favour and keep quiet around the Sableye... they're not the helpful type. But feel free to throw my name around a bit if you run into a group of fairy types or whatever, they'll point you in the right direction as long as you play nice."
Dinner announcements would come not in the slow and courteous method of Nyx's preference but instead rather suddenly after he spoke to Tobias, Madeline and Air. "Jessy! Jerry! Time for dinner!" The loud and upbeat announcement would move the team into action quickly enough as everyone cut their conversations short and set about both preparing and seating themselves. Madeline would grab the second basket, left by the doorway, and pop it down near the table in order to set herself to the contents with the help of Jessica. Inside were several soft but worn blankets that looked to be destined for disposal, as well as few pecha berries and a few extremely rough looking gemstones. The blankets were laid out for Madeline to sit on and the berries were consumed by her as well. The gemstones were Jeremiah's, and were kept with him to be eaten with his meal. As a Sableye, typical food didn't fill him properly. It helped, but it was mostly a pleasure thing.
By the end of it, the team would be in three specific groups. Tobias and Balerd would sit adjacent to Eliot, Jeremiah and Joshua would sit together as friends, and Jessica would sit next to Madeline in order to keep an eye on her condition. Their position relative to one another and the rest of the gathering would vary depending on how Team Essence sat, with an obvious preference towards sitting near familiar or likeminded individuals.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed May 04, 2016 3:48 pm
Neo & Nyx & Air & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Killian & Alexandru
The Jewel-Eyed One Friend had asked a question, but Killian didn't really know how to respond to it. "Yes. Ice." It was a place with lots of ice, that was all he knew of it. Then the Ghost said a number of other things, most of which the Golurk already knew, and then another question. "The name I was given is Killian, yes. I brought myself here. I came to find the one who was my new Master." That seemed like it answered the Sableye's questions enough. Apparently it had, because the Jewel-Eyed One Friend slipped down from his knee shortly after, when he was summoned by the call to "dinner," one of the many times the others gathered around the table to eat and talk with one another. Killian watched him go, then straightened up, and resumed his usual position of staring at the wall in front of him. This was something familiar at least, if only it wasn't accompanied by that dull pain it might have been pleasant. Instead Killian found himself tired and filled with thoughts. He wasn't supposed to have thoughts like this, at least, he didn't think so.
Nyx bit his tongue hard enough he tasted blood, staring at Madeline for a moment before he found the words he was looking for. "...Thank you for the assistance Madeline." The Vulpix swallowed his displeasure and dipped his head, turning around and to make his way to the table and taking his place at its head without another word to anyone else. He wouldn't be talking to the Umbreon again anytime soon, that was certain.
Neo sidled up next to him, smiling as he guided Clara to sit between them. "Mind if we sit here?" he said, chuckling. "You and Maddie took care of things pretty quickly, huh?"
"Quite."
"He is that sort of person, yes," Alexandru agreed. "And it seems to have been for the best." Madeline's cheerful announcement came shortly after and Jessica excused herself, leaving the Zubat to his own devices. He turned around, seeking out the familiar sound-shape of Lux and hovering over to the Lucario, who was taking a seat toward the end of the table.
"Ah, Alex. Enjoying the company?" The Lucario settled into his seat and the Zubat perched at the place beside him, furthest from Nyx.
"Indeed. My conversations thus far have been quite pleasant."
"I'm glad to hear it."
Air hesitated when she was left alone, looking around the table where the others were taking their places. In the end, she slipped into the last available place, across from Alexandru and next to Tobias. She folded her paws in her lap and stayed quiet, waiting for the meal to begin.
Neo was quick to get things started once everyone had taken their seats. "Thanks for joining us tonight everyone, we're all so glad to have you with us tonight." The Meowstic's gaze ran along his guests, and he smiled at each of them. "Nyx, did you want to tell them about the main course before we get started?"
The Vulpix nodded, gesturing to the table's centerpiece, where a sizable bowl of buns sat, still steaming with warmth. "I've made a non-traditional dish this evening, something I hope you'll all find to your liking. It's quite bland on its own, but you'll notice there are several bowls of sauce surrounding it. Each sauce will flavor your dish differently: the red is spicy, the blue is somewhat dry, the pink sweetens, the green adds a touch of bitterness, and yellow is tart, somewhat sour. There's no proper way to eat them, but the sauces can be mixed to achieve the taste you desire." Everything else on the table was self-explanatory.
Neo nodded. "If you have any questions about it, just ask Nyx or me and we'll help you out." It was a rather complicated series of instructions for something as simple as eating after all. "That's all I've got," he finished without prolonging things further. Help yourself everybody. Enjoy!" And the Meowstic followed his own words as well, reaching for the nearest dish and beginning to fill his children's plates and his own.
The serving process could be a chaotic one, but anything that was asked for would get to the one requesting it, Neo listening carefully for such things and lending a helping Psychic to the process without hesitation. As promised, the two captains of Team Essence would help out with the sauces as well, Neo turning to Nyx for advice when it came to recommending a flavor or combination. With time, everyone would receive the food they wanted and the group would reach the cheerful contentment of indulging in a delicious meal with friends. At least ideally, but when did anything ever happen ideally with this lot.
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Posted: Thu May 05, 2016 6:01 pm
Robin
Jessica & Tobias & Balerd & Jeremiah & Joshua & Madeline
Ideally was actually the word for it, at least as far as the proceedings went. Jessica would place herself next to Nyx, with Madeline beside her. Jeremiah would sit down beside Madeline and Joshua would take up the last spot, putting him adjacent to Lux. Nyx's talent as a cook aside, the members of Team Robin were not especially fussy creatures; Madeline least of all, a fact well shown in the rainbow slurry of colours that marked her plate. Jessica had helped serve her, as Jeremiah would help Joshua, with a great deal of skepticism as she requested every single sauce in slightly-more-than-normal quantities. Jeremiah was similarly indiscriminate, but much more focused in his choices as he chose to make use of only one or two sauces at a time. Joshua and Jessica both would trend towards spiciness, while Tobias opted for milder flavours and Balerd was forced to take a somewhat less sweet combination than preferred.
Team Robin would speak both while serving themselves and afterwards, taking fair care to be polite while not being terribly disruptive or withdrawn. Regardless of what one thought of them, individually or as a whole, each and every one of them had some semblance of manners. Joshua was perhaps the worst of the lot, but even he knew to practice due patience and wait until people had either served themselves or made it most of the way through the process. The fact that everybody else was waiting was likely the tip-off.
"No no, thank you for having us. This looks wonderful, you've outdone yourselves. I'm glad we could finally get together. This has been a long time coming." It was a somewhat measured response from Jessica, but it was hardly insincere and it was a sentiment echoed by the rest of the team in their own words. She was really happy to be here and she didn't regret the visit in the slightest, it had been nothing but positive thus far and she was beginning to see why Tobias was so trusting of the team. If they were as good as people as they were as hosts, then the Linoone's judgment had been a justified one. "I hope we can continue to be good friends and work together in the future. You've already been a big help to us and I hope we can do the same for you."
"Hey~ This looks great! Don't mind if I do~" Madeline's words would be non-directed, but as joyful and energetic as everything else she said. Her gleeful utilization of sauces, though not a proclamation, was something worthy of discussion on its own.
Tobias and Balerd, of course, were much more focused on one another and the food rather than the table itself. Although not unresponsive, beyond an agreeing "Yes, it is most good to be here." the pair would tend to one another. Balerd required more explanation than the rest of the table did as nuanced concepts needed to be explained in a sense of "likeness". "Tart" didn't mean a lot to Balerd.
Jeremiah glanced back from time to time uneasily as he helped Joshua be served. There was a great deal of obvious uncertainty in his expression and actions, but the reason why would become apparent enough shortly after they had finished serving themselves. Jeremiah looked towards Neo, the team captain, and asked the question that was obvious to him. "Is Killian coming?" The idea of a pokemon that didn't eat was a foreign one. He needed to eat gemstones now and then, but he still enjoyed "normal" food. Killian seemed resigned to standing in the corner, which was just a bit odd to Jeremiah. Killian could talk so he could probably eat, right?
Joshua, being his somewhat social-but-not-driven self, opted for the easiest route: staying quiet. He didn't really know anyone there. He knew Air, who he didn't want to talk to terribly much. He knew Nyx, who he had nothing to say to or ask about. And he knew his team, who he knew better than to engage in deep conversation as a guest. So he stayed fairly quiet, but not unreceptive; if there was a conversation, he would jump in on it.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 9:42 am
Neo & Nyx & Air & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Killian & Alexandru
The serving process was a practiced one among the members of Team Essence, much as it was with those of Team Robin. Neo tended to Eliot and Clara, well-experienced in their tastes and the proper portions, occasionally asking them which sorts of things they'd prefer, allowing and encouraging the pair to sample the unfamiliar. It wasn't until nearly all the others had full plates that the Meowstic was just beginning to fill his own, though he was accustomed to that sort of thing. Further down the table, Air assisted Lux and Alexandru as much as they needed. The Lucario could generally handle things on his own, but he needed to be directed to the locations of the different foods. Alexandru, on the other hand, required significantly more assistance, lacking any appendages aside from his wings. Air reached across the table and took the bat's plate to help fill it before returning to her own plate, but this was a significantly shorter process than filling a child's plate, since Alexandru was able to give much clearer and well-informed input on his desires. Naturally, of all the non-bipeds at the table, Nyx was the only one who didn't accept or seem to require any assistance with obtaining his foods. The Vulpix would request what he wanted then utilize his claws to help fill his plate, never touching his paws to the food at all. When it came to more difficult things like the sauces, the fox performed a rather impressive feat of balancing on his hind paws and tails, and holding the bowl between both front paws to tip it and lightly drizzle the sauces over his food in the proper amounts. It wasn't done to show off, it was simply a matter of pride for Nyx: after all, what sort of chef was incapable of preparing his own meals?
The preparations finished, the lull of conversation settled over the group.
Nyx, who was deliberately ignoring the blatant disregard of care Madeline had taken in requesting her sauces, though he had certainly noticed it, watched Jessica with measured interest as she served her Umbreon Teammate. He noted the expression on her face as she continued to add sauce after sauce to the mix, pleased to see she seemed less-than-approving of Madeline's choices. He didn't know much about the leader of Team Robin, but at least she seemed to realize how unreasonable her teammate was being. There was the matter of the wine too... "I've been told you are Jessica, yes? Team Robin's Leader?" The Vulpix waited to address the Charmander until after Neo had acknowledged her words and returned to his children. "My name is Nyx, I'm Neo's partner. Forgive me for not introducing myself sooner." He dipped his head cordially, since a handshake over food was ill-advised. "I wanted to thank you for the wine you brought. It should go quite well with our dessert this evening."
Neo had just finished filling his own plate when he caught Jeremiah's gaze, and the Meowstic blinked with surprise at his question. "Killian?" He shot a glance toward the Golurk in the corner curiously. It seemed that someone had introduced him then, that was good. Most of the time the giant tended to fade to the back of their visitors' minds, but apparently Jeremiah had taken an interest in him. "He doesn't usually join us, no," the Meowstic said, shaking his head slightly. "His species doesn't eat after all, and he seems happiest when he has a job to do." The Golurk didn't talk, and when he did communicate it was always very slow and laborious, so Neo didn't forcibly incorporate him into things. There was a time when Killian was first living with them that the Meowstic had to adjust to the strangeness of it too, but he'd come to terms with that by now.
"Ah, Neo!" Lux chimed in from further down the table, having picked up on the Golurk's name. "Speaking of Killian, Jeremiah has gotten him to talk."
Neo's eyes widened and he stared at the Ghost in surprise. "Really? The Meowstic's awe shifted to a delighted grin. "Wow, that's wonderful! I didn't think he could talk." Neo looked over at Killian again, an expression similar to Lux's intrigue on his face. "That's really incredible Jeremiah--Killian hasn't talked to any of us before; he pretty much just stands around and only does what he's told." He looked at the Sableye curiously. "How did you do it? Does it have something to do with being a Ghost?" The Meowstic had tried a lot of things, but he had a similar disposition to Jeremiah, meaning it had never occurred to him just to tell the Golurk to talk.
Alexandru listened to the general conversation around the table quietly, his figure growing increasingly tense the longer he listened. The bat was coming to a sudden, unpleasant realization about the number of Pokemon present, one that he confirmed quickly, scanning the table with inaudible clicks. Oh no. It was as he'd feared, with the addition of their guests the group shared an unholy number--thirteen. The number that should be avoided at a gathering at all costs. Thirteen was unlucky to a fault, but it was particularly grim for social gatherings.
When thirteen guests are gathered whole
around the dining table, full:
before the year has faded, aye,
the first to rise will surely die.
The bat knew the old adage by heart, and now it made his wings grow weak.
"Dru, are you doing alright?"
The Zubat could sense the concern in the Ditto's voice but and he heard her shifting in place. "I...I'll be fine. Don't trouble yourself about it." His head pounded fiercely, and he began to feel the stirring of an unwanted sensation in his throat. No. No no, this couldn't happen now. He knew this full moon had meant bad luck; despite what Lux said he could sense these things. Alexandru sank his fangs into an icy berry and felt its juice linger tastelessly on his tongue. What was there to do? If he stepped out now he was doomed--if not he condemned someone else. They were trapped in a terrible place, but the others...given Lux's reactions to such things he imagined they would be similarly skeptical. The last thing he wanted was to allow someone else's blood to be spilled because of this. The bat chewed the flesh of the berry numbly, and felt the taste of dust in his mouth. This had been a very bad idea.
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Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 4:03 pm
Robin
Jessica & Tobias & Balerd & Jeremiah & Joshua & Madeline
"I am, yes. It's good to meet you Nyx, Tobias told me a bit about you." She returned the dip with one of her own but glossed over the apology, recognizing it for what it was: it was often social convention to apologize for such things, even if it was implicitly (or explicitly) obvious that both parties understood or that if it was really nothing at all. Nyx and Jessica simply hadn't had a moment to introduce themselves to each other yet, it was hardly an err on either of their parts and as such the apology (and any response in kind) was superficial. Which was fine, that was just how people tended to be in such matters. As they relaxed, especially with dessert, the formal veneer would fall away and such matters would be done away with in favour of a more frank and personal chatter. But it would take time to reach that point, especially as they would begin as little more than friends-of-a-friend.
Not that Jessica intended to engage in such formalities more than was necessary. She responded to his thanks with a genuine smile. "That's great! I was hoping it would, I wasn't sure what would be best so I tried to pick something easy to work with." Much like Nyx, she had hedged her bets and gone with something easy to match and easy to enjoy, even if it meant ignoring some of the more interesting or pleasurable choices. On first meetings it was always better to risk a somewhat drab result than an outright poor one. If they had an experienced drinker who found it a bit boring then that could be reconciled in time, but it wouldn't do to offend the tongues of someone who preferred a simpler drink. She had considered bringing something for Eliot and Clara, but she had veered away from that on principle; there was no tactful or easy way to present something to children without potentially putting Neo in a bad spot if he didn't want them to have it. "I take it you're experienced with wine?" Quite a few pokemon had had it now and then, but "experienced" was a relative rarity.
He didn't need to eat. That was weird, as far as Jeremiah was concerned, but if that's how it was he guessed that that's how it was. He wasn't going to go too deeply into it, it wasn't like they were playing a trick on him so even if it was weird it was probably true. It was all still very confusing to him since Killian seemed to be antithetical to everything that Jeremiah knew to be true of others, but he wasn't really sure what to say or do about that. "Oh, uh, yeah." He did, in fact, get Killian to speak. Sort of? He wasn't sure why this was such a big thing, Lux had made a big deal out of it and now Neo was really happy about it too. "I talked to him a bit, and then I asked him if he could talk, and then Lux told him to talk, and he talked." It had all been a very strange process to Jeremiah and apparently to him only. But since Neo mentioned ghost... "But he does look a bit weird. Did something happen to him?" It was something that only Jeremiah, and those like him, could see but it was certainly there. Killian seemed to be an abnormal being.
"You sure you're okay over there?" Joshua leaned back slightly to look past Lux and over to Alexandru. He didn't know the Zubat's name but whatever it was it looked like the guy was going to chuck what he'd just had. Air had brought Joshua's attention to the problem but it was pretty obvious to anyone at the table if they cast a glance in the direction of the Zubat, which of course most wouldn't since they were too wrapped up in their own affairs. Tobias had glanced towards Alexandru but said nothing while Jeremiah and Jessica hadn't torn themselves away from their conversations, if they'd even noticed. Madeline probably couldn't see if she tried. The same likely went for most of Team Essence. Anyone casting a glance could notice it, but very few would.
Tobias, of course, was busy tending to Balerd. Madeline was enjoying her food as well, though she looked around from time to time without much to say.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 7:56 pm
Neo & Nyx & Air & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Killian & Alexandru
Nyx offered an easy smile in return. "It will indeed. I find Fairy's Shade wines rather versatile, if a bit less refined than Precipice and its kin." It had been some time since he'd talked wine with someone, it wasn't a particularly common subject, since it was such a specialty. It took a certain type of Pokemon to be able to talk about it knowledgeably. "Yes, I've had a fair bit of experience with it," the Vulpix replied. "There was a time when I was expected to serve it regularly, so I grew well-versed in the particulars. It's nice to exercise the skill again from time to time." It was easy to lose the ability to detect such subtleties if it wasn't carefully nurtured, and wines were so constantly appearing and disappearing it was most necessary to keep up or fall behind. "And you? Clearly you have some familiarity with the subject as well."
Well, that was straightforward. "Huh, so he just had to be told..." The Meowstic took a bite of his bun, chewing thoughtfully. "I guess that makes sense." Killian was strange--there was little more to be said about that. "Did something happen...?" Neo frowned, considering the question. "Well, to tell you the truth, I don't know much about it. Killian showed up at the door one day after Nyx completed a mission, and Nyx said he'd been working for a pretty malicious Claydol when they encountered each other, along with another Golurk. I don't understand it completely, but apparently he wasn't really anything more than a slave and doesn't know how to do much more than that. When he showed up he 'marked' us, at least that's what Lux called it, which apparently made us his new Masters? I filled out the paperwork so that he could join the Team after that, because he needed somewhere to stay, and I gave him his name. He's really not any trouble, but he also doesn't do anything unless you tell him to." The Meowstic shook his head. "I don't know if we'll ever really know what happened, but it must have been pretty bad to leave him like he is now. Nyx might know a little more than I do--he seemed like he was familiar with it somehow." His species line was particularly attuned to that sort of thing after all.
Alexandru flinched as he heard Joshua move, wings rustling as he made to beat the Poochyena up, but fortunately he paused before rising to his paws. The Zubat swallowed his bite painfully before responding. "I'll--I'll be fine. Just please, whatever you do, don't get up." His voice was strained and uncomfortable, and he didn't seem even remotely fine.
"Alex?" Lux had turned from Jeremiah and Neo's conversation back to his friend at Air's words, and he found himself unsettled by what he saw. Something had changed about his friend's aura, its usual blue had altered, and its edges were a biting, sharp red. The Lucario touched a paw to the Zubat's forehead, brow furrowed with concern as he felt the clamminess of the bat's skin. "Alex, you're not fine at all. What seems to be the matter?"
"Please, I'll be fine so long as no one leaves." The bat took another bite of the berry off his plate to prove a point, though he looked as though he'd rather have spit it out than swallowed. "No one must leave the table or there will be terrible consequences."
"What?" Air's brow furrowed in confusion. "Dru, maybe you need to rest for a while. Everything's fine, really. We're just having dinner--what sort of terrible consequences could come from that?"
Lux stared at the bat's aura, watching the red seep into it slowly. He'd never seen anything quite like it before, and it made him uneasy. "Alex?"
The Zubat ducked his head. "Thirteen is a cursed number," he said quietly. "Once thirteen are met, the first to leave the group is doomed to an early death."
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Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 12:39 am
Robin
Jessica & Tobias & Balerd & Jeremiah & Joshua & Madeline
"The versatility is why I'm fond of it. The Florges who manages the vineyard does an excellent job, they have a drink for anyone's tastes and they're hard to hate." Jessica rarely aimed for "the best", since doing so was typically a lofty and unattainable goal. It was better to aim low enough that you would be sure you didn't stumble. She blinked slightly in surprise at the notion that there had once been the expectation for Nyx to serve it regularly; that was an extreme rarity and even fairly well-off groups didn't indulge in it the most often. The cost was manageable, but most viewed it as a pleasant treat rather than a regular occurrence. It was to be drank generously but only at times of generosity, usually. She nearly asked where it was they he had come from for such skills to be in demand, but Nyx quickly poised the very same question to her. She instead tucked the thought away to be asked later. "I'm not exactly new to this kind of work. Before joining up, I worked on my own which often meant jobs driven more by a person than an idea." The guild was relatively wishy-washy in comparison to what she was used to but she could manage. It had been a bit strange to take on work that was more "selfless" in intent, but it was working out fine. "Every once in a while that meant trying to broker something for someone, or trying to turn an enemy into a friend. Wine is always a good way to open a negotiation so I made sure to learn enough about it that I could use it to my advantage. Whether or not they're naive to alcohol, there's not a lot of pokemon who won't get just a bit more helpful after a drink and a bit of friendly conversation." The ones who were guarded against it tended to respect what it as a gift in spite of it and, aware or not, nobody was really immune. "Though you always had to be careful not to get someone to agree to something drunk if they would fight it while sober. Wine just got your foot in the door, it was never the solution." She spoke positively but frankly about her past experiences with it. It wasn't a shameful thing to her. Giving someone a gift to curry their favour was normal and she never did anything she was ashamed of. To her it was ultimately exactly what she had said it was, a tool for getting your foot in the door. Getting someone completely blasted would have you labeled a thief or a con artist the next day, and any deals you had set out would be broken. It was a wonderful tool of diplomacy, but like all tools it had a limit.
"Oh, that's awful!" Being kept as a slave sounded terrible, not that Jeremiah had even the slightest inkling of the depth of it. Some led fairly meager lives in the Glitter Caves but slavery was unheard of, at least by Jeremiah. Everything else in Neo's explanation was just a little confusing and most of it went over Jeremiah's head. The idea of someone being "programmed" was the chief source of the disparity: no matter what Neo said, Jeremiah wouldn't be able to comprehend that Killian didn't think of himself as a person. It was too foreign a concept, a fact that left Jeremiah to "chew" thoughtfully on one of the gemstones he had brought. "I'm not sure if he's a ghost. A uh... normal one I mean. It's kind of like he's stuck inside his body and he can't do anything. He doesn't really look right, normal pokemon tend to keep their souls inside and ghosts usually control where it goes." Jeremiah grabbed his arm and wiggled it slightly, showing off his less-than-physical form. "We're part physical but part not so we can do stuff like this. Killian looks like he got stuffed inside or something." It was a hard thing to explain. He knew that other pokemon didn't see like he did, but he didn't know how other pokemon saw things. But to him it was all very strange and mildly disconcerting. He had to wonder what was wrong with Killian and if he was okay, since he'd apparently had to be a slave and he seemed like he was sick and he was very weird. There were too many things that were too complicated for Jeremiah to deal with all at once, but he knew one thing: it sucked. He hoped that Killian got better. From whatever was wrong with him. That thing.
"What?" Joshua wasn't sure what was going on, at first, and then he was. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Oh come on, you buy into that sh..." Children. Children. "stuff. Stuff." That's better. "That's just a bunch of ghost types playing pranks on you, you've gotta calm down. They're just messing with you for fun." He had seen that sort of thing plenty in the Glitter Caves. The normal types and dark types were left alone due to being mostly immune to the antics of ghosts, but the fairy types couldn't manage. Rumours of this curse or that curse spread among the stupider fairy types like wildfire and there was always some new way to get yourself killed according to them. It was nothing but a bunch of bullshit and whenever one of them came true it was usually just the Sableye ******** with them for laughs. Otherwise it was something even stupider like one of the idiots tripping and blaming it on a curse. God, he kind of hated those fairy types. Dumb as a brick, most of them. Joshua promptly lifted himself slightly, backed up slightly, stepped back forward and settled down once more. "See? No problem. You're not gonna get cursed just for getting up." You had to piss off a ghost type for that, usually an especially powerful one. It took a real strength to cast a lasting curse, which is all the more reason that the paranoia was so insane. Even a ghost that was thousands of years old wouldn't be able to curse every single table in existence, it just didn't work that way.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 8:53 am
Neo & Nyx & Air & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Killian & Alexandru
Nyx nodded agreeably. "You're quite right. There's few I know who will turn down their wines. The touch of sweetness they're so famous for generally makes it easy on the palate, so even those unfamiliar with the taste find it appealing, as I'm sure you've found as well." Jessica seemed like she knew what she was talking about, so he wasn't inclined to condescend. The Charmander was so drastically different from her partner, and the Vulpix was both pleased and baffled by that knowledge; in Jessica's place he would have filed for a change in Team long ago.
As the Charmander went on to explain her history, Nyx found himself unable to keep the hint of a smile from his face. He knew the tactic she described well, having used it himself. "A well-tested tactic." The Vulpix looked pleased. "Courteous and refined and worth its price in information. And few Pokemon are familiar with the drink, making it all the more potent." Nyx chuckled softly. "That's certainly something I'll drink to." The Vulpix paused for a bite of his dinner, allowing his guest to do the same before he continued. "I, too, did a fair bit of negotiation in my time before the Guild. It's a prosperous market that's often overlooked, fortunately so for those of us who realize there are profits to be made off of Pokemon who can't or won't communicate directly." If you were willing to travel between places as others were not, all manner of possibilities opened up to you. "It sounds as though you had an excellent method," Nyx continued, "What made you decide to come somewhere such as this, and give up your personal practice?" And accept a partner like Tobias, and a child like Balerd, and a...guest like Madeline.
Neo nodded sympathetically to Jeremiah's reaction, taking a moment to check on his children while the Sableye processed the information. Clara was quietly picking at her food, and the Meowstic raised a gentle paw to rub her head fondly, bringing a smile to her face. He felt bad for isolating her on the end of the table, but she understood that it was the easiest way for him to manage both her and her brother. "Don't worry, love, you're being a very good girl," he murmured to her. With a glance down the table, he plucked a Bluk berry from the set and sprinkled some sugar atop it before transferring it to his daughter's mouth with a soft whooshing sound that caused her to giggle. Clara tended to, Neo glanced back at Eliot to find the boy was watching him expectantly, muzzle wet with colorful sauces. Laughing, the Meowstic lifted the napkin tied around his son's neck to wipe his face. "You want some more?"
"Yes!" Eliot's tail wagged excitedly.
"Alright, alright," Neo replied, reaching to prepare another bun. "Just be sure you save room for dessert, alright?"
"Yep! Dessert!"
Neo shook his head at Jeremiah as if to say oh kids, but he listened closely for the Ghost's next question even as he restocked Eliot's plate with food. He also shot a glance down the table, where he sensed a kind of disturbance, but it looked like Lux was tending to it, so he dismissed the issue for now.
"Really?" Neo passed his work off to Eliot with a brief reminder to "chew", before he returned his full attention to Jeremiah. Again the Sableye was asking about things that were really Nyx's specialty but... "That's pretty strange," the Meowstic said, frowning. "It kind of makes sense though, if you think about it." Neo looked to be giving a lot of thought to the matter. "If the Claydol he worked for forced his soul into his body, maybe that's why he only follows orders, because he can't do anything else since his soul is trapped. It was complete speculation on the Meowstic's behalf. He could see emotions and thoughts but he couldn't see souls. "I figure you can't be born like Killian is, so he probably was made that way. ...Can you force a soul into something?" The cat and the jewel ghost were masters of completely normal dinner conversation.
Joshua's skeptic words did nothing to ease Alexandru's tension, in fact the bat grew even stiffer in anticipation of what was coming next. He knew that tone of voice and the common acts of those to follow. "Please, please don't--" Too late.
The moment after Joshua rose to his paws, Alexandru had lifted off from the table, but he hadn't been fast enough--it was much easier to push off from the ground than to force one's way into the air. The Zubat went pale and murmured something under his breath in a language unknown to his companions and rose up higher. "If you'll all excuse me, I...need some air." He didn't wait a second longer, turning and flying out toward the door, which Killian opened for him when he saw the bat coming. The Golurk shut the door behind the bat and Alexandru was gone, leaving the rest of the group to their much-safer total of twelve.
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Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 7:57 pm
Robin
Jessica & Tobias & Balerd & Jeremiah & Joshua & Madeline
"Yes, yes that's exactly why they're perfect. I've never run into someone who would turn it down as a gift, even if they don't love it they'll drink it just because it's being offered. It always frames whatever comes afterwards favourably." She was enjoying the conversation with Nyx. He was very formal, which was a little odd given the usual run of the membership, but it wasn't a bad thing. It was a nice experience to be able to chat with someone who operated on a similar basis, the guild overall was a bit less... professional than she liked, not that it was a dealbreaker for her. "Well, I did more than just negotiate friendships and deals. I'm sure you know this yourself, but lots of pokemon have enough to their name to make a journey for something they need but they often can't afford to leave. Every once in a while it meant going somewhere that wasn't the type of place to wander through. Requests started to get a little drier and people started to get a little more aggressive, so I decided to make a change before it was forced on me. I ended up here to look for a steadier and safer approach and so far it's working out." It hadn't all been as safe as she would have liked, but the occasional risk was a part of the job. It had been worth it in the end anyways even if it had attached a permanent headache to her side. Besides, the rewards had been good; the wealth was to be expected, but the rarities were unusually good. Even if she ended up leaving later on it would be as someone a great deal more powerful and better prepared for the world around her. She wasn't wearing it at the time but the Fire Gem she had received hadn't been a meager prize. "What about you, Nyx? Cooking, wine, brokering... you've got quite the skillset yourself, what landed you here?" Like her, Nyx was something of an oddity in that he fit in with the place a little too well. He knew how to speak, he had rare talents and he carried himself well. He wasn't amateurish at all which set him apart, he seemed more as if he belonged in a strict organization than the somewhat fuzzy construction of the guild.
"Really, really strong ghosts can I think." He had heard that once, that they could do that if they were old enough and strong enough. "Ghosts that are powerful enough can do a lot of things, I've heard they can even curse others to death or keep them alive when they should die. But there's not a lot of ghosts who can do that, because when you do that you have to reach out and touch the other person. If you're not a lot stronger than they are at that kind of thing it usually ends really badly, since if you're a ghost your whole body is just your soul and if it gets messed up it doesn't end well." Cursing someone meant manipulating their soul which was an extremely dangerous proposition for a ghost type. A wound or a mark upon someone's soul would heal while it rested in the body, but a ghost that failed to manipulate someone else's soul risked dissolving entirely. At least that's what he'd been told, and that's why he had never tried it. "But Sableye aren't very good at... ghost, stuff. So I'm not sure. But I think probably if you had someone that was really good at it, you could, they'd just need to be good enough to contain it and something to shove them into." Jeremiah wasn't sure how to feel, given that he had only ever really had one body of his own and it wasn't really a body at all. It was just his soul, manifesting as a physical existence upon the world, centered around a few static things. He looked back at Killian and wondered. Had Killian been shoved into something? That seemed like it was a bad thing, but Jeremiah didn't know why. Of course, the obvious thing to do in such situations as when you seek knowledge is to ask the only person who might have it. "Killian were you made by somebody? Did somebody put your soul in there?"
Joshua stared blankly, having been struck by the unexpected. Usually when he did that sort of thing he just got a look like he had pissed in somebody's cereal but the stupid conversation got dropped. Instead here it looked like he gave the guy a panic attack over having apparently gotten up out of his seat. Christ, that was unreasonable. Dru, or Alex, or whatever his name was, needed to calm the hell down. But it still put him in the bad position of having not really done anything wrong, but having still apparently done something terrible. This was a fact hit well home by Madeline leaning back to stare at him like he'd done something terrible along with the subtle, but seemingly critical, gaze of Tobias. "Nnngh god fine, I'll be back in a bit. I need some air." Joshua quickly grabbed as much as he could to eat and strode out the door with it slowly working its way into his mouth. Alexandru, no matter where he went, couldn't avoid giving off a smell. Joshua could track the bat easily enough and would do so, provided Alexandru hadn't gone to some impossible-to-follow place.
Tobias watched Joshua leave and, to a certain point, was impartial as to what had happened. Neither, he knew, had born any ill intent. Balerd's initial rush into the food had slowed somewhat; it had originally consumed much of Tobias's attention as he attempted to coax and manage the child through the entire meal without any unnecessary problems. It wasn't clear when Tobias himself had even had time to make it through any of his own plate, but he seemed to have done so. Since things had calmed down a bit on his own end, he saw it fit to speak to Lux if only to voice his curiousity. "Lux, is it the case that Alexandru is of the superstitious kind?"
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2016 11:19 am
Neo & Nyx & Air & Eliot & Clara & Lux & Killian & Alexandru
He knew the idea of being unable to afford to leave well, though relating to it was another story. Nyx was a creature who made sure he had the means to obtain whatever he needed wherever he needed it, making the need for a base of operations something he didn't particularly empathize with--it didn't mean he didn't take advantage of it however. In the end there were people who needed to remain motionless, otherwise there wouldn't be things like wine in the world; the Vulpix simply didn't have the time to spare for standing still, at least not yet. "Mmm, I understand." Nyx's tails brushed against the floor beneath him. "It does seem that, for whatever reason, Pokemon have grown more disagreeable lately." He tapped his claws against the table thoughtfully. "The rumors of the madness that we're intended to address. I find they often help to spark that sort of hostility." He smiled tightly. "Perhaps it's for the best that few Pokemon travel alone these days."
And, of course, the return question. He'd been anticipating it. "As it would happen I found myself in need of a partner," the Vulpix replied, not missing a beat. "The Guild System of old was notorious for pairing together certain individuals they thought to be compatible, and when I heard rumors of a new one stemming from old roots it seemed this would be the easiest way possible to remedy that need." Nyx chuckled softly. "Of course, I did a bit of scouting prior to the selection process. I needed someone who possessed certain capabilities that I lacked. Vulpix are not the most versatile of creatures I'm afraid." He didn't mask the hint of bitterness in the last remark. "But as it happened I was assigned to an excellent match. I couldn't have asked for a better partner than Neo, and although our ideals can differ from time to time, I've found that his partnership has allowed me to accomplish more over my time with the Guild than I could have accomplished in a number of years on my own." Yes, Neo had served him well. For all the Meowstic's naivety and excessive friendliness, Nyx had not once considered leaving him for another--no other Pokemon would serve as a replacement for Neo, nor even come close.
"Hm..." Neo considered Jeremiah's comment, brow furrowed. It seemed like the Ghost knew what he was talking about but there was one problem with it: Claydol weren't ghosts, and Nyx had been very specific that they'd been answering to a Claydol. The Meowstic raised an eyebrow as Jeremiah shouted across the room to Killian, who was still standing by the door, and glanced over just in time to witness Alexandru's departure. The feline blinked a number of times before redirecting his gaze to the group further down the table. "Um... Is everything alright with Dru?" A moment later Joshua excused himself to follow, stuffing his mouth full of food and heading toward the door, which Killian opened for the Poochyena in kind, and Neo continued to wait for some sort of explanation.
Lux tapped his paws together, staring after the faded aura trails of the absent pair. "I believe it will be fine Neo, Alex was simply upset by a superstition, as Tobias puts it. You know how he gets sometimes." There had been a day when the bat refused to leave their room, insisting that too many evil spirits were lurking around the Guild's perimeter; other than a fierce thunderstorm however, there'd been nothing else to suggest he'd been right. "When he's sorted his thoughts out I'm sure he'll be back. If Joshua doesn't find him and help the process along first."
The Lucario turned his gaze back to Tobias. "Yes, Alexandru comes from a place where superstitions shaped his life, at least from what I have gathered." Lux rubbed his arm thoughtfully, glancing back at the aura traces that lingered where the bat had been with concern. "For one reason or another, he seems to believe in a number of odd things, and not just out of harmless caution but religiously, as though the consequences truly are life or death in nature." He shook his head slightly. "I'm not certain it's possible to convince him of their falsehood--his beliefs are very strongly held. They don't usually prompt such a violent reaction though."
"Well, uh,"--Air cut in hesitantly--"if he really, honestly believes it, then Dru probably thinks that Joshua's going to die now, right?" The Ditto-Buizel tapped her paws together nervously. "If I thought somebody was gonna die and I could have done something to stop it, I'd be pretty upset too."
Having nothing further he could contribute to the problem further down the table, Neo turned back to Jeremiah. "Sorry, uh, Dru can be a bit touchy." The Meowstic glanced back at Killian, who was staring their way expectantly. The Golurk knew he wasn't to move during meals, but he'd also been given a pair of questions that he was supposed to answer. The former imperative only took precedence because it had been given earlier and enforced far more frequently. "It probably wouldn't be best to bring him over to ask him yet," Neo said apologetically. There had been too many unpleasant experiences involved with the Golurk moving around when fragile things were about, and Nyx seemed to be almost enjoying himself for once, so Neo was even more determined not to break that. "Killian, you can--" he began.
"I do not know."
Neo paused, eyes wide with shock at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. There was no one's it could have been but Killian's, yet it sounded as though it was coming from between him and Jeremiah although the Golurk was across the room. "Killian?"
"Yes." The Golurk's eyes were on him, despite the distance between them.
"You don't know if you were made? Or if your soul was put in your body?"
"Correct."
Neo felt a thrill of excitement run through him from head to tail. Killian was talking! Eliot and Clara both stared down the table in confusion, looking for the source of the mysterious voice, but Neo beamed at Jeremiah. "Wow, he really can talk!" The Meowstic sounded like a child who'd just been told a particularly exciting secret. "Do you know where your soul is Killian?"
The Golurk paused, then slowly raised a hand to rest over the patch across the glowing gash in his chest. "Here." His eyes flashed once, and he felt its pieces mixing with the energy that hummed inside him. His soul was to stay inside him at all costs, otherwise he would be lost.
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