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 Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 2:31 am
It had been a busy week and a half of searching the wild, with two very brief rest stops at her new friend Mako's apartment for a proper rest in the city. Honestly, Aura was quite exhausted from her trek, she was perhaps working a little to hard in searching for her father. And at the moment? She was absolutely soaking wet and miserable... Katarina City was in the midst of a heavy storm. The young woman stood on the stoop of Mako's apartment, staring forlornly out into the heavy sheets of rain that were near blinding to her 'sight', before slowly turning her head back to Mako's door. That apartment inside with silent and cold. Empty. She had knocked... Ten minutes ago. He was obviously not home. And the covering above his door did little to shelter her from the elements... What to do? She hugged her bag closer to herself a moment, before jolting in remembrance. Quickly she undid the straps, turning her back to the rain to press closely to the door. Osmond's card... With his work and personal number. Should she...? He did offer his help, and it would only be until the rain stopped, she hardly wanted to impose on him for long. She bit her lower lip nervously as she debated with herself before she committed his personal number to memory. Surely he could not be working in this weather. Quickly putting the card safely back away, she tied her bag up and slung it over her should before braving the rain to search for a phone. It took her a good fifteen minutes before she found a booth outside the PokeMart, slipping into it. She was quite relieved to be out of the rain briefly, but now the problem of the fee... Well, she'd just have to risk it. A warm dry place was more than worth half the coins she had left! Carefully, she slipped them into the machine, before putting in Osmond's number, bringing the receiver to her ear, and knowing she looked like a drowned rat as she nervously leaned over the video-panel. She clutched a hand to her chest, practically praying as it began to ring through. "Oh, please pick up, please pick up- EPPP!" She squeaked, ducking down to the floor of the booth as a very loud, close boom of thunder and lightning struck.
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Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 2:57 am
Osmond was curled up in bed; half his face curved into the crook of his arm as he stared on to the blob of orange in his vision. Erecting a forefinger, he prodded the orb, and watched it jiggle before it shifted sluggishly and then was greeted by the sight of an exhausted looking Raichu. Marlo yawned, cheeks cackling from the current storm battering Katarina into submission. It was the same whenever the poor Electric-type was made to endure the elements; the spark in the air leaving the Mouse Pokemon at its mercy. Thankfully, Osmond was on his day off, so he was able to be of some comfort to his first Pokemon instead of him suffering alone.
"Aichiiii," the Raichu groaned at the dark-skinned male's touch. His curled ears lowered and he turned away from him.
Osmond allowed himself the liberty of a smile as he forcibly shifted Marlo to his torso. There was another groan from the Electric-type, but he didn't fight him. The Raichu kept his distance for fear of electrocuting his owner, but the officer had grown so used to being a comfort, even bodily, that the slight buzzes that prickled his skin were incomparable to being there for Marlo. A marshmallow-like plushness was held against his chest as he shut his eyes to fall back asleep, but the sudden vibration of his cell phone on his bedsife table flicked his eyelids back open.
Pushing himself to sitting upright, Osmond blinked the bleariness from his eyes and stretched a hand over to his mobile. Who could it be at this hour...? he wondered, glancing out to the crash of rain pounding against the window of his apartment. As he flipped open the phone, Marlo crawled into his lap; whining from being bereft of the male's body heat.
"Hello?" he muttered into the phone with a yawn, but was suddenly quieted when the high-pitched, "Eep!" on the other end made him think it was a mischievous Pokemon calling him out of the blue on their trainer's phone. It wasn't the first or last time he's received such a dial. Still, not one to simply hang up without a proper reply, he said next, "Is... anyone there? Someone human?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 4:46 am
She left out the breath she didn't even realize she'd been holding when she heard his voice come across the phone, both hands having come to clutch the receiver from where she'd pressed herself down into the bottom corner of the booth with it. "O- o-... Osmond... " She managed to get his name out shakily after a moment, taking a deep, calming breath. It was the first storm since the shipwreck, apparently she seemed to be having quite a reaction to it, no matter how irrational she told herself it was... Finally it clicked to her he answered. And he sounded tired. "I-... Sorry. Did I wake you?" She pressed tighter into the corner in worry, shifting her eyes to the plate-glass of booth. The rain beyond hid the city from her sight greatly limiting her range of view. It would be hard to find his home if she would go, but- Another crash of thunder interrupted her thoughts, causing her to whimper into the phone as she clutched it tightly down with her, curling into herself. "Ahh... Sorry about that. It's Uhm, Aura, do you.. Do you remember me? I was... The blind girl you helped about a week ago.." She said softly, feeling much less confident in this plan than before. Now that she really thought of it, just because she had so many reasons to remember him, as her first so very kind human and calming human presence, that didn't mean he had any reason to recall her... He was an officer of the city, after all. Just how many people like her, passing through needing help or otherwise did he meet in a day..? Did he give out his card often? She bit at her lip and very nearly hung up as she shut her eyes, but she managed to clutch the phone, waiting for a reply instead.
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Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 9:33 am
Another yawn cracked the seams of his lips wide open as he used his free hand to rub the sleepiness from his eye. Osmond was to his feet next, trekking over to the kitchen of his apartment to prepare a cup of coffee; Marlo trailing after his heel for the prospect of food. He listened half-heartedly, the sound of rain hitting glass distracting him for a moment, but when he heard his stammered name and the delicate inquiry of remembrance, the officer's face grew serious.
"Aura?" he said stern, but gently into the phone. "Of course I remember you. It's only been a week... Is something the matter?"
He halted just at the edge of the kitchen and suddenly turned on his feet, Marlo blinking at the swiftness he took to return to his room. The officer started at his drawer, looking for something to throw on in the weather. He didn't like how Aura sounded. "The rain sounds loud on your end -- are you out in this weather? Where are you?" he asked next. "I'll come get you if you need help."
Marlo barked out a small, "Aichi!" upon hearing this, warning his trainer not to brave the rain. His protest fell on deaf words, however, as the officer's mind was fully concentrated on the voice on the other end.
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Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 2:48 pm
She sighed in relief at his remembrance of her as she listened to him move about on the other end of the call, frowning as she tilted her head to peer behind her into the rain once more. "I-... I'm not really sure where I'm at. A phone booth in front of a PokeMart. It was the first place I fount that I could c- call you f- from." Her sentence shook off unsteadily at the end as the sky rumbled, and she was quick to pull the furred hood of her soaking wet coat over her head to try to block out even just a little of the noise. "I don't know what to do... Mako's not home. I didn't... I don't want to bother you but... I don't know anyone else." She said softly, shutting her eyes, and drawing her damp knees up to her chest. "It's really bad out... I can- just wait it out in the phone booth... It seems to be keeping dry... Or, or if you know a shelter... I just don't know how long it will last." She didn't really want to put him out. The clouds were dark and persistent looking. It didn't seem like it would be blowing over in just a few hours. It would be overnight at best. But for all she knew if could be longer... Mako was right, she really needed more than one pair of clothes... She was absolutely soaking, and quickly getting chilled now that she wasn't being pelted by rain. Not that she'd go around changing in a perfectly visible phone booth, but... She didn't feel much like getting sick. Well there was nothing to do for it now. Still, he'd be impossible when proven correct.
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Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 3:09 pm
Osmond narrowed his eyes to himself, slightly angered by her words. "There's no way in all of Zatao I am letting you sit in a phone booth in this kind of weather," he said with a huff. "So you don't need to apologize." He glanced out to the window and tried to peer through the rain-slicked glass. "You said in front of the PokeMart, right? That's no more than a fifteen minute walk from where I am. Stay put. I'll come get you and bring you to my place, okay? You can wait out the rain here and I'm not taking no for an answer." He let this be known as he threw on a pair of pants, topping off his torso with an olive hoodie. Not once did he let his cell phone slip from his ear. "If you're nervous, just keep talking to me. I'm heading out now."
As Osmond said this and strode toward the door, Marlo scuttled over and dumped his bum in front of it. He sneered at Osmond and shook his head; paws folding over his torso as he refused to let the officer go out into the rain. Osmond thinned his lips at the Electric-type.
"I'm only going to be gone for a bit, buddy," Osmond said. "A friend of mines needs some help. So let me through, okay?"
"Aichiiii," Marlo groaned with a shake of his head, sniffling as his cheeks cackled.
"Marlo..."
"Aichi."
Osmond clutched at his temple. "I'll... I'll treat you to some chocolate or ice cream or something tomorrow? How's that sound? I know it's been a month since I let you have anything sweet 'cause, to be honest, you're were getting heavy, but tomorrow can be a free day, okay? You can gorge to your heart's content."
This seemed to appease the Electric-type. Slowly, he inched from the door until fully away from it, and before he could respond in kind to Osmond's offer, the officer was out the door. Marlo's bottom lip jutted out as he slammed the door closed, leaning against it as he felt a hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach. Osmond was scary when he was concerned.
The cold sting of rain pelted into his face as Osmond raced across the water-slicked streets to the PokeMart. Instead of taking fifteen minutes as he said, the elements lengthened his travel to twenty-five, but he was finally standing in front of the establishment searching through the rain for the enclosed box Aura was supposed to be in.
"I'm here," he said with a slight pant into his end of the phone, casting silver eyes this way and that before locating the booth. "Do you see me? I'm approaching you now."
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Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 3:27 pm
"Thank you, Osmond..." She said softly, burying herself in the damp material with the phone pressed to her ear. She didn't hang up, but she didn't speak much either, only the occasional soft whimper, or louder sound of fright escaping her depending on the intensity of the thunder rumbling around them. Truly, she was incredibly relieved that the officer himself was coming to retrieve her. She was beginning to believe she'd actually lost the will to leave the corner of the floor of the phone booth that she'd curled herself into by this point... It was horribly embarrassing to face him like this but... Well, he saved people for a living, didn't he? If there was anyone she could be weak in front of without feeling TOO bad about it, she supposed it should be the kind officer... No. Still absolutely embarrassing. She lifted her head just enough to peek past her arms when he said that he'd arrived, dull blue eyes peering out of her cocoon of coat and limbs to pick out his approaching aura past the rain-slicked plastic. He was rather hard to miss, a dark beacon in a sea of blinding, flowing white. "I see you..." She murmured softly, eyes slipping shut in relief and pressing her forehead to the phone a moment before slowly bringing it back to her ear. "I'm still in the booth..." She slowly frowned down at her shaky legs. "I-... I may need help up..."
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Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 3:32 pm
Touching a hand to the door of the booth, he peered inside, and saw the petite form of the girl he had assisted just a week before curled up on the floor. Osmond let out a sigh of relief. It was good to see her unharmed, though her shakened state did have him mildly concerned again. Tugging open the panel, Osmond flipped his phone shut, and bent down to her level. "Sorry for the wait," he apologized gently. "It took longer to get here than I realized. The rain's really coming hard." He smoothed his hand over hers. "I'm gonna pull you up now, okay?" As he hauled her up, he added, "Lean against me if you have trouble standing."
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Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 3:56 pm
Her head tilted back to peer up at him as the booth opened up, still buried in her soaked coat as much as she could be, but she was more than happy to accept the help as it was offered, her cold hand curling around his larger one as she was pulled to her feet. Her shaky legs were most definitely unsteady, and it only took one fumbling step for her to be leaning against his larger side, her free hand clutching at his hoodie. "Sorry you had to come out in the rain like this... But thank you so much." She said sincerely, offering him a weak smile. It vanished quickly however at another thunder strike, the young woman pressing her face into his side."Ahh!" She held on tighter to the officer until the rumbling passed, before her grip slowly loosened, a dark blush on her cheeks as she slowly moved her face from being pressed up against him. " Ah-... Uhm-.. We should.. go.. get out of the.. rain now.. " She said haltingly, absolutely not mentioning the fact she had just clung onto him in such a manor. Not even to apologize. "You live nearby you said?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 4:28 pm
Osmond cleared his throat as he slipped his arm about her shoulders; tugging at the tip of his hood -- the lack of a officer visor to shift instead feeling awkwardly uncomfortable. "It's no problem, really," he said stiffly in reassurance. "Just doing my duty." The officer tried to justify this in his mind, but losing himself to thought wasn't the best option then and there when they were standing in the rain. Aura's words pulled him from his thoughts.
"Ehrm, y-yea. Well, here we go..."
With that, Osmond began to march back in the direction of his apartment with Aura; using his body to try and shield her from most of the rain and wind. Whenever they reached to his abode (the time since his departure and their return was unknown to Osmond), the officer was greeted at first by a concerned wail from his Raichu, but it shifted to one of curiosity as the Electric-type sniffled in the direction of Aura.
"Aichi?" he blinked with a tilt of his head. Was this Osmond's friend? "Aiiichi." The only thing he knew was that she smelled sweet, like sugary delights, but probably wasn't his trainer had in mind for him to gorge upon.
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Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 4:53 pm
She kept close, letting him shield her as best he could as they made their way to his apartment. When they arrived, and walked through the doors, she felt herself relax almost instantly, shoulders sagging as she let her bag slip down from her shoulder to her finger tips. A shiver passed through her at the change in temperature and she reached to carefully remove her drenched coat, long locks of jet-black hair, free from her usual style, falling in wet waves to her waist. She curiously sought out the electric type's aura when he spoke, a soft smile coming to her lips as she shifted carefully to crouch down. "Hello there, I'm Aura. Sorry to intrude." She introduced herself to the Raichu, slipping open her bag. "Do you like berries?" She asked as she offered one of the candy-sweet pink flower looking Kasib berries she had. A bit of a peace offering for invading his space. It was a habit she'd taken up when she needed to share space with wild pokemon. It tended to be a bit hit and miss with them. She wasn't sure with trained pokemon. Honestly she hoped Osmond's friend didn't run her out. She was cold and shaking as it was, and the walls at least partly muffled the sound of the thunder. She really didn't want to go back out there.
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Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 5:05 pm
The Raichu sniffed at the procured fruit with a tilt of his head and then dipped his head furiously; a string of drool suddenly dripping from the corner of his lip as his eyes sparkled. "Aichi, aichi!" the Raichu cheered, plucking the Kasib Berry from her palm and stuffing it whole into his mouth while chewing delightedly.
As Osmond tugged down the zipper to his hoodie off and threw it onto a nearby chair, an amused smile spread on his face. It took only food for Marlo to make friends with someone. If only there were some humans like that. "Don't indulge him too much," the older man said. "He should be on a diet since he doesn't know his own limit sometimes."
Marlo shot him a narrowed glare that was a cross between, "How dare you," and, "Food is meant to be eaten, what is wrong with you?"
Shaking his head at the Electric-type, Osmond looked back to Aura again, and he took note of her trembling. Clearing his throat again, he said, "I-I know this is a bit forward of me, but you look drenched to the bone. Would you, erm, like a change of clothes? I have nothing for women but, um, I can lend you a shirt and pants or something." Arceus, I sound so frickin' awkward. "I'll leave when you change too, so you don't have to feel uncomfortable..."
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Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 2:31 am
She giggled softly as he took her berry and ate it down so quickly,a bright smile on her lips as she watched him. She shook her head at the diet remark, finally standing, and carefully sliding out of her boots by the door to avoid tracking anything more than water into the house. "He seems to disagree on that just a bit..." She chuckled out, picking up on the cute mouse's aura even though she had her eyes off him now, hopping on one foot, then the other to slip of the heavy soaked leg warmers. She set them by the door with her coat, not at all sure what to do with them and looking up in surprise at his offer of something dry to wear. His own clothes. " Oh, uhm... " Arceus, why did they keep getting into these moments? She blushed slightly, pushing long black locks of hair out of her face. In the end being dry over-rode the embarrassment. "Yes, please, and a towel if it's not too much trouble?" Though she wasn't at all certain any pants he owned had any hope of fitting her. He was both a good bit taller, and quite a bit bulkier than herself. Still, she'd give them a try and if they didn't fit she supposed she could just wear the shirt. After all, he was, again, a good bit taller. His shirt would probably drop as far as her dress did. It would be a good enough substitute. More than good. Bending down she finally stripped away her thigh-socks so only her dress needed to be changed when he brought the clothes. She was still damp but feeling a little warmer out of most of the soaked items. "I really can't thank you enough for this, Osmond. I don't know how to repay you."
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Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 10:16 am
"Right, right. Clothing, towel. Right."
Osmond didn't act readily; having stopped in place to probe his subconscious for whatever daft thought left his mind then because it was occupied by something else. The last person – well, female – that wore his clothes so casually was Cetus and that was after some intimate detailings that did not seem appropriate for the moment. He flushed a bit as he marched off in the direction of his drawer, cursing his musings while shifting hands to the back of it for some of his older clothing that were smaller in size.
When Osmond moved to the bathroom next, Marlo found it in his duty to entertain their new guest – sick or not. First, he trundled over to the officer's bed and retrieved a numerous set of things that may interest her: a bouncy ball, a single sock, that one magazine Osmond told him to touch no matter what (especially when they had company over), and a Talonflame feather. All of this was piled onto the blanket atop it because Marlo lacked the dexterity to carry them all at once. Dragging it to Aura and in between cries of, "Aichi, aichi," and sniffles, the Electric-type waved around each item and explained their significance.
One could only imagine Osmond's expression when he returned with the towel to see Marlo holding up the magazine; its contents unfurled to the centerfold where Miss February was comfortably reclining on a fold out chair before a pool. His stunned silence was perpetuated by a twitching brow.
Oh s**t, oh crap, M-Marlo!
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