bottlecaplogs | April Catch-All

[ Funnily enough, Perrin is not very perceptive. PE 3, baby. But he was a looming Dragonite, tall for his species, who almost seemed to be trying to stand even taller.

It was not that Perrin meant to loom. But he kept his good eye focused, eying up the other - noticing that one of their eyes was different. Not sealed shut with scarring like his own, but not all injuries were physically like his. But when he spoke - in his smooth voice - he seemed oddly calm for a moment, as he looked down. ]

Oh, yeah. My name's Courier Six, and--

[ Before, a beat, averting his own gaze. ]

Wait. Uh-- pronouns? Y'give 'em t'me instead of... [ well, gender? Because Perrin, too, had noticed it was hard to tell a Pokemons' gender by just seeing them, or listening to their voice. Then again, he was the Dragonite walking around with what, to those who knew them, would know were top surgery scars. ]

Instead of...?

[It takes Siffrin a long few moments to understand what Perrin is asking, but then their scrambled mess of memories dredges up a whisper about some of the more isolated places they traveled to. Maybe Courier Six comes from somewhere like that.]

Oh, um. Instead of gender?

There's so many cultures out there with different genders, and they don't always have one that matches yours. [Especially in another language.] Or. Other ones think gender is too personal to share with strangers. [And a lot don't even line up genders and pronouns one specific way, like Vaugarde! But one thing at a time.]

So if you're traveling, [or in a location where a lot of cultures interact,] it's just... easier? To tell people which pronouns to use.

[Siffrin did notice the top surgery scars, but Courier Six has some other surgical-looking scars, and Siffrin's used to people using Body Craft - which doesn't always leave signs behind. So they can't really draw a conclusion from those.]

[The Shinx sniffs the air, trying to pick up the scent of mushrooms. They want somewhere damp, they know, but everywhere in the forest is damp. The easiest spots directly under the Canopy have already been picked clean, so the two of them will have to do some searching.]

[ It is not often that Courier Six is silenced into deep thought. Usually, if such happened, it was a dangerous thing. From what people see as a dangerous person. Perhaps he'd be thinking about how to take out people, or choosing to do the wrong (or right) thing.

But this time, he was thinking over what he'd learned back home. When he'd been taught he didn't need to be a girl, so he'd become a boy. It hadn't quite felt right, either, but-- there's more genders? Not just guys and girls?

He tries to hide his amazement, his shock, and his deep thoughts under a laugh. Courier Six tried to shake his head. ] Well, guess I'm, uh. He/him? F'now.

[ For now was said a bit quieter. Because he had more thoughts to have about it, and concerns about if he can even do such at this age. He clearly looks like he wants to ask more, but... well.

His focus is now on foraging, beginning to flap his wings to push plantlife around slightly. ]

[Siffrin watches Courier Six out of the corner of their eye, also thoughtful. Whatever conclusions they're drawing, though, they don't comment on them.]

He/him it is! Nice to meet you, Courier Six.

[It really is nice to get a proper introduction. They don't have to worry they're messing up someone's pronouns and people aren't correcting them out of politeness.]

[Speaking of foraging: Siffrin circles the shadier trees they come across, sticking their head under roots and inspecting dark little alcoves. It's Courier Six's flapping wings that finally uncover something, though - a flash of several lumps of a lighter shade, underneath a mass of undergrowth that's getting blown back and forth.]

[Siffrin dives into the tangle, wriggling their way through the branches of some shrubs, and determinedly starts digging. It's not long before the Shinx is tossing mushrooms out to where Perrin can grab them.]

[ It's good. And Perrin is slowly wondering how much he can ask - but then again, it might lead to questions about his home which he can't joke though.

Later. After mushrooms. As they're tossed to him, Siffrin would be able to notice a flash of a serious look in his eye. Like he's had to check over mushrooms before. There's a soft sniff, before he scratches at one, checking under the skin of the mushroom. ]

[ [survival:] ] Yeah, these look healthy. If somebody eats too many, though, they might get a slight tingle. 'course, that's only a risk for the small Pokemon here. Somethin' like you, I guess. I mean, that's what I've read up on.

It's sorta helpful havin' the Lum Archives to study.

[Siffrin scrambles their way back out of the undergrowth once they've gotten all the mushrooms they can find. The close quarters and brambles have left their fur sticking out in odd directions - they shake off, sending loose leaves flying into the air, then instinctively start licking their shoulder and chest to smooth fur down.]

[Two seconds later they stop, self-conscious. That's weird! Their fur will just have to stay like that.]

[They trot up to the mushrooms to give them a close-up sniff, taking Courier Six at his word about their effects. Siffrin's also had experience foraging, but the mushrooms here are all unfamiliar...]

I wasn't sure if anyone from the other guilds was allowed to check the Archives themselves. Polteageist seems kind of... protective?

[That's definitely the description they were thinking of, right from the start.]

[ A little snort, as he notices them stopping their behaviours. Hey, when in Rome. He says, before looking away, looking to the skies a little. Shoving down his own desires, with the wings he flapped with, to just take off. He doesn't even truly know how to fly.

But is the sky not the most freedom one can have? Fleeing from who you are? Another thing that he had to keep buried. Before he gave a small smile, placing some of his mushrooms in his side-sachel. ] Yeah. Bit of a smart bastard, trustin' those who he took in - you know, I think he'd let [ allies? friend? No, not friends. His true friends are back home. ] people comin' with me to check 'em.

[ He seems to be keeping it together. ]

[Siffrin watches Courier Six for a bit longer this time... but then looks away, ears swiveling back and forth. It's not their place to ask. Courier Six would tell them if he wanted to.]

[They start scooping some of the mushrooms into the gathering bag draped over their back.]

Maybe I'll come visit, then! [They're thinking about it, anyway. For foraging in particular, it'd be easier to learn from one of the more senior Cheri Berries than from a book, but...]

What else is in there to read about, besides mushrooms?

Well. There's history. [ His voice is quiet, as he leans down a little now - dropping onto all fours to give a slight sniff, before standing again. Can't smell any others. And still nothing that'd give him that high he missed. Being clean was hell.

A sigh. Speaking of history seems to make him look a little lonely for a moment. ] As well as just, well. These guys want to preserve everything. From common knowledge to weird incidents. And how to actually be a Pokemon. 'course, readin' something and doin' it isn't the same thing.

[That all makes sense, but now Siffrin's sensing something missing...]

Any stories...? Like the kind of stuff that gets told to children? [Or maybe that counts as common knowledge. But then: literature, plays...?]

[The Shinx looks up and nudges the remaining half of the mushrooms toward Perrin - he should also get credit for these! Or maybe they're wanting Courier Six to help carry them. One or the other.]

April Catch-All

cw: gender ignorance

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cw drug mention

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