[closed] while the snow falls all around me

[outbounds]

Who: Emmet, Laios, Ingo
What: Play Nice and Exploration: Blue, for now
When: various points in August
Where: Middle Forest, uncharted territory past the Southern Outpost at current
Warnings: Cold weather environmental hazards; to be added if they come up

play nice (for laios)

[ So the guilds are looking to expand! Makes sense. Makes sense if they're intending to scale up operations as the town expands past the immediate area that they've well and mapped out by now. If they are to continue on these tracks then of course they are going to need more members to avoid being spread too thin, possibly on a little more reliable of a basis than 'every other month when strange things start happening.'

That still doesn't mean they know who or what they're looking out for, exactly! What sort of roles the guilds need filled, if there's any specificity in traits or abilities they should be on the lookout for or if they just need to bolster numbers in general. At least that means they have free choice of where to head? ]

It's cleared up a lot here from how it used to be... [ Emmet notes, picking his way carefully across the earth. Every now and then he'll eye the ground a little dubiously, but whatever he's waiting for or expecting to happen never seems to. So, after each of these moments his ears just flick a little as if to dismiss them. ] But anyway. What sort of Pokémon do you want to run into, you think?

exploration: blue (for ingo)

[ Uncharted territory again! It's been a while since they last ventured forth into the unknown. This time ... they are probably more prepared for it? It's a scouting mission, once again, so there is no imminent peril or time pressure.

Being surrounded by trees is familiar enough. What isn't is the drop in temperatures, especially given the season. And soon enough the familiar sight of densely wooded forest begins to give way to thinner vegetation, the few trees remaining growing gnarled and stripped barren. Snow is starting to collect on the twisting branches.

Emmet's ears twitch a little as he tilts his head back to take a look up at the sky above. Snow, huh. Not hail, at least, and not storming, but... ]

Knew it was to be expected, but. I am Emmet. Suddenly I am glad for all this fur.

Comments

[dunchies]

[ Fortunately, Laios doesn't quite qualify for a regular person. ]

Heh. Perfect description. [ His head briefly tilts at Emmet, though he carries on just as the other does. ] I know I should be more careful, but it's pretty cute seeing them get all plump and happy on me. Not like I mind sharing if they know not to overdo it. Most of them seem docile, anyway. [ One of life's simple joys of being a Boltund around here. He sounds especially fond of them despite being actual parasites. ]

I wish I could bring them all to the Canopy with me, but I don't think the rest of the guild would like that much.

[ He hops onto the log, only to hesitate as he jumps back down. There's the faintest of rustling somewhere, but it goes quiet again before he can pinpoint the direction. ]

Mm. That's also true! Even my dogs growing up all had their personalities. It just helped with training knowing how dogs generally are compared to, say, cats. [ His ear flicks. No, that's not helpful. ] Herdiers compared to Meowths, I mean. But is that more common where you're from? Raising Pokémon when they're still young? [ More like pets than monsters, he thinks, but that's neither here nor there. ]

[outbounds]

They're tiny. They don't need much. Even static is fine. Most healthy electric types produce plenty enough for them. [ Not all of them maybe but most. ] Would Ribombee not accept them into the guild? They can't really make that much silk until they evolve, but...

[ It could be useful in the future, considering how much rope and rigging the Canopy seems to use in its construction?

(Rustling? ... No, maybe the wind, maybe his imagination. If he tries to scent the air...?

... Something vaguely familiar, but he can't quite place it.) ]

Aaaand... it varies. Raised starting when they're young— more docile, better socialized, more used to humans [ and the population density of a city ] generally. Possibly less issues dealing with other types of Pokemon. Safer for children or people who aren't comfortable with going into the wild, or all those parts of being a Trainer but who still want a partner. Special programs and licenses for it sometimes. [ Like with a species marked for conservation efforts. ]

But many Pokemon are still met in the wild, even by young or newbie Trainers. Like our first partners. [ He doesn't need to specify who he means by our, right. ] A lot of ours were wild-caught actually. Most of the time that is the most common way for someone to meet a new Pokemon.

[dunchies]

Most of them are more interested in food than helping a guild. At least, according to the ones that have talked back to me so far. [ A possible conflict of interest, as much as Ribombee might want more Bug-types around. ] Maybe I can convince a few, eventually. They seem pretty young, so still plenty of time to learn. [ They've certainly learned that attaching to the strange-looking Boltund is a relatively easy way to get their fill.

He hesitates taking another step, craning his neck to look back. Nothing there, and yet— ]

Oh, so that's how it is. It's more of an alternative than a replacement. Not that rearing a Pokémon from the start wouldn't be as exciting, but there's something about catching them that seems way more thrilling.

[ As much as he can't picture Emmet and Ingo as humans, he can imagine how fun it must be, to find your first Pokémon out in the wild, to catch them and build your trust enough to be partners. Kind of what this whole exercise is meant to be, though things start to skew when you're a Pokémon yourself. ]

Actually, who was your first pa—aah! [ Laios stumbles back mid-sentence. Something just tried to fly past them undetected in the fog, but instead smacked itself right in his face. He paws at his nose, looking down at whatever it could be, only for his eyes to widen. A small, bird-like creature, desperately trying to get their bearings again to slip away. Laios doesn't recognize what Pokémon they might be, but all the same. ]

Wait, you... [ He hovers over the creature now, ears perked all the way up. ] We've been looking for you. [ They don't seem to like what that could imply. ]

[outbounds]

Huh. Wonder where their parent Galvantula might be, then. Nutmeg was always pretty fussy over her broods when they were that young. That is not an uncommon trait for Galvantula. Maybe it is just different here? [ It takes a village to raise a child ... or horde of Joltik, apparently? ]

But mmm. Finding them and catching them. In some ways. It feels more earned, right? They don't need us. We shouldn't need them, either. But the combination of us drives us both to greater heights than if we were alone.

[ The way things apparently are where and when Ingo is ... it just sounds sad to him. It sounds lonely. It feels like something would be missing. It's difficult to imagine a time or place where so many Pokemon were things either to be feared or revered or both when they're so very integrated into society in modern times. A world so divided... That's apparently changing now, but all the same.

But anyway, that sense of vague familiarity in the scent he's been picking up peaks as Laios quite literally runs into—

Oh. ]

Oh! [ says Emmet, rearing back up onto his hindlegs in surprise (and, perhaps, unintentionally making himself loom over the diminutive bird). ] Little passenger, you must be more careful! Are you all right? What is an Archen like you doing out here, and in such a hurry?

[ Actually. Yes. That is ... a fossil Pokemon? Alive and well in whatever the current era here is? Hello?

(They very much do not seem to like the fact that now both canines are standing over them. Oh dear.) ]

[dunchies]

... So little. Yeah. [ Things not to say to a small, slightly terrified creature for 1000. His smile starts to grow as he looks the poor thing over, sharp teeth now unintentionally poking out as he does. So small. So cute. A feathered Pokémon, vaguely reminiscent of a dragon or even a reptile, but distinctly not. It's hard for him not to marvel with eyes sparkling in utter delight (RIP Laios, you would have loved dinosaurs).

But speaking of mothers and their broods, Laios begins to wonder if this little one is missing from their nest. His ears quickly perk up, hearing Emmet call them by their name. ]

Oh, Archen — and all by yourself, too. Are you hurt? Lost, maybe?

[ Between the questions coming from both canines, the Pokémon tries to push themself away, still on the ground. N-no, please! P-please don't... I'm sorry, they suddenly start to stammer, trembling all the while. Based on their reaction, one could assume an answer to Emmet's question might be that they were trying to find a way to get past them, undetected. They cover their face with a wing, expecting the worst. The Boltund simply tilts his head.

So it's help they need, Laios thinks. ]

... Maybe we should take them back. Deal with them there. [ Perhaps Mightyena might have wanted them to find someone of a... different disposition and size. But the Zoroark's words from just before echo in his mind. Leaving them alone in the forest simply won't do, not when there's a whole community of different Pokémon working together. ] You're familiar with this species, right? Easy enough to handle?

[outbounds]

[ RIP Laios you would adore all the not-dragon but still reptilian fossil mons indeed. Emmet, at least, is a little bit more conscious of how he might appear than Laios, considering that he (or at least his species) is on record as having terrified or being terrifying, present tense, to some of those in the bay, but that doesn't necessarily mean much. ]

Might be easier outside of the mist, yep. Less than it used to be, but maybe still sort of disorienting or confusing? Zephy wasn't really so shy... high energy, cheerful, strong prey drive, wanted to chase a lot of things. [ Again, it's particularly fond— which is to say that it's only faintly so, at least in his tone, and easy enough to miss for most. ] But yes. I am verrrrry familiar. They are quite little, but actually...

[ What are they talking about? Easy to handle? Take them back, deal with them? To where? Are they being kidnapped? Are they going to be eaten by these strange Pokémon?

With a terrified chirp that sounds more like a squeak, they decide that if sneaking past these two has failed, then the only thing left for them is to try to fight their way through. An abrupt bolting, a sudden hop and a flutter brings them just high enough on a tree, just far enough to give them room to—

Emmet recognizes the motions even before the shimmering grey light of Rock Slide solidifies into the actual stones, eyes going wide, and— ]

Break! [ He barks out, right as a sharp downstroke of a wingbeat sends the sharp rocks hurtling at the two of them. ] They are much stronger than you might expect from the size of their cab!

[ He. Sounds less concerned about this and more delighted. And even proud, almost, which he really has no good reason for being. Look at the cute baby birbtile with 112 base attack, aren't they adorable. So dangerous, so tiny and small. He misses his so much. ]

[dunchies]

[ (Somewhere, a small rat shudders, remembering just how terrifying Emmet can be, for no particular reason at all.) ]

I see! So they are a raptor species, then. I figured as much with those talons and snaggleteeth. Does this one look pretty young? Maybe the little guy lost his nest. Could be why he's so scared... [ Because surely there's nothing else that could be setting them off.

Full attention on Emmet, back turned, tail wagging — a perfect target now. A seasoned adventurer like him should definitely know better, but the urge to hear more from the expert has him entirely preoccupied on the wrong thing until, suddenly, the fluttering of wings has him craning his neck back. His eyes go wide just the same, impressed at the quick movements from such a little thing. ] Are those—? [ Rocks. Those are indeed rocks, if Emmet's warning is enough to go by. ]

No way! A Rock-type? [ The Archen seems a bit flustered that neither seem to be as threatened by their attack as they hoped. Laios, meanwhile, stays watching until those rocks tumble a bit too close for comfort. He bolts to the side, though a few still manage to pelt him as he does. As he shakes it off, their little friend seems to be building up a Tailwind next. ] E-Emmet... we have to bring them back down.

[ Perhaps a Roar could knock them off their perch. He's going for it. ]

[outbounds]

Young, probably! I am actually surprised to see one at all. Where I am from— the species does not really exist anymore outside of [ de-extinction,,, ] conservation efforts to bring back and reintroduce them. We do not really have wild populations of them left.

[ Blueberry Academy has a controlled ecosystem and preserve for certain species, he knows, but the Archen line isn't really one of them... There's tell of a couple of small wild populations of various fossil Pokemon over in Galar, apparently, but given what else has come out of Galar fossil-wise ... hmm, don't know about that one! They might not be minding all their safety checks. Verrrrry careless. ]

The evolution, Archeops. They are intelligent. Will cooperate and hunt in flocks to catch prey! [ Unlike many raptors, which can be more solitary or limit themselves to just the pair bond. ] So I am verrrrry surprised to see this one on their own!

[ Plenty of yap for Laios to be distracted with before the Archen opens battle, yes? This probably helps contextualize why Emmet does start looking a bit more concerned as the Tailwind builds and the Archen starts climbing a little higher, a little unsteadily, claws beginning to faintly gleam— Dragon Claw? ]

They cannot really fly yet, it will be unsafe if they go too high— go ahead! Reroute them!

[ As his own shadow starts snaking up into the branches of a nearby tree, just in case the Archen intends to try to lose them in the trees. ]

[dunchies]

[ He's certainly distracted, but not in the way one would usually think. Conservation. His head tilts. That's what Lusamine said she worked on, didn't she? For a moment, no questions come to mind as he silently wonders to himself if she was familiar with these sorts of Pokémon too. Not that Emmet would have the answer to that. She probably would have liked to meet one in the wild regardless, just like this. His ears fall back. Anyway, Galar continues to be not quite right in the broader Poké-world. ]

All alone without their flock. They might overdo it trying to fight us off. [ Unless they manage to convince them otherwise, but they've already crossed that line, it seems. ] Actually, some of the older Pokémon here were trying to get away from humans, right? Maybe that included an Archeops or two. [ Hardly a sustainable population, though. It's a bit of a sad thought. ] We'll have to ask them wh—woah. [ That wind is really picking up now. ]

... O-oh, that's right. On it!

[ He darts forward, barking up the right tree in an effort to keep them from climbing up too far from their sights. Despite their speed, the Archen seems to freeze at the noise, only to be entirely spooked by the encroaching shadows. Before Laios can manage to Roar them off their perch, they've made up their mind to flutter back down quickly, ready to unleash that Dragon Claw while they still have the high ground. With Emmet being the taller one of the two, looks like they might be aiming for him first! ]

[outbounds]

Bottlecap's residents were fleeing humans. Still are, with some of the ones showing up at port even now. But I do not know about the Pokémon who were already here.

[ It can't be that they've— done all this before? In differing yet repeated cycles? Doing it all over again, and again ...

Well! That is neither here nor there. Now is not the time to wonder about the settlement's oddities, or the strange things they hear sometimes when doing missions. Emmet is the one being aimed for, but there's no one behind him he has to protect; he can afford to let go of his physical form and vanish into a shadowy rail-and-crosstie for a moment to dodge the attack. Archen's momentum sends them sailing a bit far past where Emmet was as a result, but perhaps surprisingly they manage to recover and convert the dive into a little bit of altitude, albeit with a somewhat ungainly flutter. In fact, with the way they're loop-de-looping...

Aerial Ace, coming at Laios— though Emmet, coming out of his Shadow Sneak, is prepared to intercept if it becomes necessary. That said... ]

Ah— we should probably slow them down. They cannot maintain this pace for too long— once they have taken enough stray hits they tend to be a lot less willing to fight. Not the sturdiest, so be careful! [ Their entire game plan is 'hit hard, and hit fast'. ] Do you have any moves that might cause paralysis?

[ Or lower speed? Did Siffrin ever show Laios Electroweb, or might Emmet have to figure out how to manage an impromptu Icy Wind? ]

[dunchies]

[ His tail flicks, remembering the stories from the local residents, remebering the ominous thoughts from one particular quest: No, no, not again—

What kind of Pokémon were here first, exactly? It's something to chew on later, at least, when not in the middle of a fight. With Emmet safely in shadow, Laios keeps focus on the Archen. An excellent pivot in the air! He'd say as much too, if he wasn't focused on the oncoming attack now directed at him. There's no time to dodge with that speed. Instead, his fur begins to bristle with electricity. But, before he has a chance to unleash it, Emmet re-emerges with a note to consider. ]

—hn. [ He hesitates. The build up stalls. Discharge is a widespread move with only a chance of paralysis, that much he knows. The Archen flies right at him with no initial counter. While Laios stumbles back from the blow, he handles the hit well, enough to quickly snap back into action.

Unfortunately, the EDM trick he learned from Siffrin is not a viable move in these conditions, but it did help him figure out how to better hone in his energy. His nose twitches before he leaps right at the Archen, pinning the Pokémon down while he's still close. He lowers his head, going in not for Bite, but a Nuzzle. A smile crosses his face despite the Archen's obvious distress. (Such rough feathers... they really are a Rock-type.)

A bit distracted now, Laios doesn't manage to stop them from finally pulling away. They try to flutter back up — albeit a bit more awkwardly, a bit more slowly — shuddering all the while. ]

Did that—? [ With enough height and distance, they try for another Rock Slide this time. ] They're still going for it!

[outbounds]

Then we match them! [ Determined little thing, isn't it? Emmet can't help but grin a bit wider despite the fact that it's probably partially responsible for why the Archen is so spooked to begin with, but, well. It's charming; it's endearing. ] Dragon Claw from earlier— means they do have a decent amount of experience in battle!

[ A surprisingly high amount, actually, to still be unevolved. Personal preference, or something else? And they are on their own...?

(What happened to the rest of their flock?)

Emmet darts his way through the hail of stone in a way similar to Laios earlier, though he also doesn't quite manage to avoid all of it. As he does, his smile grows fanged, gaze sharpening while (is it a trick of the light?) the air around him seems to grow a bit darker. Specifically focusing on the moments of when it was responsible for a badly timed flinch, or when it'd missed at a critical juncture... Rock Slide is, perhaps, not known to always be the most reliable of moves, and there's enough remembered feeling there to fuel a burst of Spite. His eyes flash, the malicious energy briefly taking form with a faraway, echoing cackle that doesn't quite sound like anyone in particular. ]

Very well done so far, but! No more of that, little passenger!

[ If the intent is to try to fight despite the paralysis by staying at range, allow him to close off those particular tracks and limit their options! They appear daunted enough, between that and the worsening struggle to stay afloat, visibly steeling themselves with a deep breath —

and letting it plume out toward the two canines on the exhale in a stream of bright, blue-purple draconic flame. ]