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"C'mon, Len! If yer not gonna follow tha beat, at least lemme lead! Backleadin' an' relyin' on me ain't gonna 'elp us win' y'know!"

"Oh goodness, big brother! Just stop, stop it right now!"

The closed position shared by the two teal haired siblings was quickly broken as Lennyka pressed her palm to her older brother's torso and swiftly pushed him away. She wore a sullen expression, the inclined arch of her eyebrows making it evident that she was quite ticked off.

"Wha', wha'?" questioned Sorano next. What the hell was her problem? "Wha's wron', Lenny? Somethin' tha matta'?"

"This." she replied with a sweep of her hands. "This . . . this is wrong! For the passed month I've been here, you've ignored me like a common street stray. Now, now that you are in need of me, you ask for my time and company? Big brother, do you see how wrong this is? Hmm, do you?!"

Sorano's defensive stance quickly diminished as his shoulders slumped and his face contorted to that of a dejected look. This again? Never, who was curled up to the side, was grinning like a pristine fool. He was right, once again. She was going to throw a fit. The servant had warn the jester of the Queen's temper. Since his words were not heeded, he deserved her tongue lashing. Having caught the pearly display on the Flame Pokemon's face, Sorano glared. The smile did not falter though. It just grew wider.

"Sorano, Sorano! Damn it, this is why I can't be here!" yelled Lennyka. "Did you hear anything I said? Or were you busy daydreaming about women again?"

Sorano coughed. Ah, he was traveling on s**t Street now, wasn't he? His own honesty was going to be his downfall.

"Errr . . . no?" he replied to her in a sheepish grin. At that, he received a square slap across the face and the echoing away of heeled feet as the traveled from the storage room and down the hall.

Sorano sighed and glared once again towards his Flareon. " 'Amn it, Neva! Looks what'cha gone an' made me do!" he whined.

The Flareon returned to his original position and flopped away from Sorano in a definite cold shoulder. With a shake of his head, the lanky grunt rested his buttox upon the floor and dipped his head into his hands. He just lost his dance partner for the competition in Camphereon . . . pissed his sissy off . . . and caused his Flareon to be right again for the umpteeth time. Arceus really wasn't on his side, hmm? An other sigh whispered passed his chapped lips as he consider his options. He could ask one of the other girls to dance with him, but time was limited. He didn't have enough openings in his scheduele to teach them the proper turns and footing placements. He could always try and find another partner . . . but to J&J (Jack and Jill, a common phrase used when one is randomly placed with a follower or leader) was not in his tastes. Ugh . . . what can he do?

At the first sense of danger (or rather, the playful antics of an overjoyed bulb), Never whipped upon from his curled stance and took an offensive one. He turned to growl in warning but immediatly hesitated when he saw his opponent to be nothing more than overly content. Softening his twined features, he sat and cocked his head at the Bulbasaur.

"Flaaaaare." he yawned dismissively. That loooong moan loosely translated to a simple, "Hello."

Sorano jumped twenty-four meters in the air when his Flareon yawned (figuratively, of course) as he was too deeply drowning in thought he had not considered his open surroundings. His squinted shut eyes glanced from the Bulbasaur to where it once resided, catching the glimpse of ebony locks in cahoots with puffy cheeks.

" 'ey." he said with a small wave. "Ya new? I haven' seen ya 'round 'ere a'fore."

Never inclined his head to the gesture, clearly confused. He, unfortunately, was not gifted with members capable of shaking the Bulbasaur's offered vine. He twisted his mouth up in thought. What a predicament. Suddenly, a small hint tugged at the chords of his cerebellum. Never lifted his chin to the vine and bit down, om nom noming away at the vine in unusual jest. It tasted like any other piece of vegetation. Of course, the sapidity of the vine rope was not in his favor. The texture sure was something though.

"Oh."

It was all that whispered passed those chapped lips as their owner raised to full standing and turned away from the young girl. She was a trainee -- she could have just stated that from the start. He'd not want to get acquainted with newbies. Dealing with that little s-s-stutter from a while ago was enough for him. One was just enough. A square hand extended towards a portable radio sitting quaintly on a milk crate and pressed the button signified by a small triangle. Placid piano music sang from the piece of equipment and dapper feet moved along with its thrumming. It was hard to practice without a partner, but Sorano will just have to get the hang of it. Time was not on his side.

"E-Eh?"

Somewhere, deeply set within the chasms of the heaven's clouds, Arceus was shining brightly upon him. He was no chosen messiah, but deep within his bosom he could feel the burning light of that gigantic, weird looking horse/dog thing bless him well. Ah, it felt so wonderful to know luck and the almighty was on his side. For him, he hoped, all would be well. From just her sudden statement alone, Sorano knew right away this woman was at least acquainted with the simple steps of elegant dance.

"Would ya . . . ?" he asked and offered her a hand. " . . . I-I'm jus' interested, is all. Alls ya hafta do is follow . . . I can lead."

Never blinked with a clueless expression. Yet, the light touch of the saliva covered vine to his ear tickled his senses and made him jump a little.

"Flare." he murmured out, which loosely translated to a hummed, "Hmm?"

This gesture . . . was it another thing done by humans? How interesting of a mannerism.

"I 'member when I nearly broke me arse durin' a Paso Doble." he mused, mostly to himself yet he spoke his thoughts aloud. "Too quick of a turn with me partna made me fall backs. I've neva 'eva forgiven meself fer that mistake, haha."

In a respectable manner, Sorano inclined his head. His chin dipped downwards towards his chest in a light bow and he curved his fingers over her hand which he detailed as almost being child-like. He'd never danced with a partner this small before. Would it be like dancing with a stuffed Teddiursa? He did that once. Yet, to his chagrin, the cotton filled partner was not much of a dancer. It was quite stiff but still oh so very snugly after such an ordeal.

"Fer um, I was firs' practicin' tha slowfox. Not me cup o' tea, I a'fer speedier steps but can' fight 'gainst tha judges fer tha' comp I wills be enterin' soon. I jus' didn' 'pect slowfox ta be in tha' first 'round, ugh. It's yer basic slowfox with a featha', a'verse turn with a featha' finish, three step than natural turn. Watch tha' heel pull . . . I dunno if it 'ight be tough with those kinda boots. Had a partna who could only do it in 'eels. Hopes ya can manage." Sorano paused to nod slightly than continued. "Than comes anotha' featha step." Another hesitation. "Am I goings a lil' too fast? Bah, what am I sayin'? Ya seem experienced. Lemme jus' see what ya can do."

Sorano met her pose with his own, fitting his palm under the juncture beneath her forearm. He began slowly, inclining forward slightly in a signal that Aila should follow backwards. Come the movement, he arched his back up and turned. From it all, his throat hummed the gracious tune from memory. His eyes, though always closed, were arched down rather than up in thought. Within his mind came the low drone of the singer's voice. Bongos set the beat and the blanch of an orchestra would sound every three to four bars. There was even a trumpet solo, though that was at the very end and no where near the part Sorano and Aila were dancing in the song.

Three step. Natural turn, watch the heel pull. Second feather step. Reverse turn, feather finish. Natural tur- no! Sorano faltered. He'd forgotten the three step and remember his mistake a little too late. Sized feet tangled with each other and caused their owner to topple. He went crashing and unfortunately, brought his dance partner with him.

" 'amn it! Oh Arceus, I be sorry! Are ya 'urt?" he asked suddenly, distress in his voice. "Arceus . . . "

In the audience, Never was rolling with laughter. He wanted to say, "Way to go, idiot!" yet the only thing that spouted from him were giggles. Ahahaha!

"I be fine-" A small hesitation stapled Sorano's lips shut as he watched her jerk away suddenly. Why the sudden shift? Was she really hurt?

Than the sudden realization hit him like a brick to the forehead.

He picked up her wavering shoulders as they danced. He found it to be peculiar -- yes -- yet paid it no brain power (not even exact change!). It wasn't worth the thought in his head than. Yet, became the number one piece of evidence towards her sudden awkward actions later. Shifting his square hand into the crease of his pocket, he fished out a pale yellow handkerchief with the letters "SID" etched on a corner in orange. He offered it to Aila and turned away, a grave nod following his gesture.

" 'ere, use this." he said with a smile. "I won' ask what's tha dealio . . . but if ya needs ta talk 'bout it, I am ears. Not 'eally a'course . . . but yea, ya gets what I mean I hope."

A soft chuckle escaped passed that grunt's lips are he rose in unison with the trainee.

"There be no need ta apolagize." he replied fully. If someone needed to snivel and sob, he'd let them do so until they were lax. One's feelings should never be held back.

"Ah, I sees." he added afterwords. So that's the source of such mastered steps: her mother. He never would have guessed. Sorano learned from his best friend's sissy back in Johto. She had two left feet but knew definitely how to teach. It's no wonder she went on to become a kimono dancer.

"Yer momma, she be a good 'erson, eh?" Most mommas were good people -- most. Yet, he wanted to dig a little and find what was upsetting the poor girl. Hell, her small face did not deserve to be salt-stained with tears. Maybe having her talk a little would heal any sudden wounds that might have been reopening.