action; Jean and Eren at the Lake Shrine (forward dated to like... Friday)

[stahlflugel]

[The Lake Shrine is a pretty good hike from the eastern gate of Union. It's even longer when Eren, in Skarmory-form, makes pit stops to chase rattata out of the bushes (he only manages to catch one) and pluck juicy hibernating Wurmple and Caterpie from the trunks of trees and from dense underbrush. He was hungry after the whole cavern exploration!

Of course he gets several weird looks from Jean, but none from Apollo or Blitz]

What? While I'm out here, I'm gonna get some fresh food! Pokémon eat pokémon, Jean, it's a thing.

[they reach the Shrine without incident and Eren tilts his head]

Definitely weird. I've been here before, about six months ago, and this definitely wasn't here then. [he shakes his head, then taps at the ice with a talon. It's not completely frozen and what little ice there is, is quite thin. No shoving Jean out onto it, then...] We should split up to explore. I'll go around the right, you go left, and we'll meet at the river?

Comments

[stahlflugel]

[Even after Jean leaves to look on his side of the lake, Eren pauses, staring out at the shrine.

It's... weird. He feels something, in his chest. But it's less like a real feeling, and more like the sensation that something is missing. That he SHOULD be feeling something, but he's not. Blitz catches his staring and stands up on Eren's back, whining a bit.

"You're staring. Are you ok?"

Eren shakes his head and turns to grin at the Eevee.

"I'm fine," his words coming out as chirps. "Let's get moving. Do you want to walk?"

"Savior no, don't you see all that snow down there?!"

Eren has to roll his eyes. He loves Blitz, but damn, is he ever spoiled. He makes his way around the edge of the lake, keeping his head high and his eyes alert. But he's totally smiling because the outside world! The air is different out here.]

It is pretty out here, if nothing else...! I'm ready for Spring, though.

FOR THE POKE-CATCHING

[sturzflug]

[ Despite some initial bitching, Jean and Apollo, his Fletchling, do in fact split up for a bit, of only to cover more ground. The lake itself is quiet, for now, which gives Jean a moment to appreciate the sight. Jean doesn't exactly hate being outside the walls, but it's... not safe. And yeah, he brought a weapon just in case, but... ]

Don't freak out if something shows up, okay? It'll suck, but we'll be okay. Probably.

[ Apollo kinda doesn't like fighting, being more on the timid side, but he knows Jean wouldn't leave him on his own. It's not much of a consolation, but it's something. And hey, with no one else around, Jean can show his concern like a normal person instead of an asshole. ]

[bravenewmods]

[Drip. Drip. Drip. There's water dripping onto Eren's head]

[stahlflugel]

[It takes him a while to notice. Because metal and all. But then he does, and he stops]

Is it raining?

[he looks up]

[bravenewmods]

[Above Eren is a wild Lotad. It is staring off into space with a thick stream of drool sliding down it's mouth.

Drip drip drip. Right into Eren's face.]

[stahlflugel]

[that

sure is a weird little blob in a tree.

Drooling.

On him.

He moves out of the path of the drool and calls out in POKÉSPEAK]

HEY! Watch the waterworks there, blob!

[bravenewmods]

[The Lotad slowly sits up, slurping up its drool.

It then blows a raspberry at Eren]

[stahlflugel]

[oh no it didn't. Eren didn't come all the way out here to TAKE YOUR SASS, little blob creature. Eren carefully sets Blitz down in the snow (and he protests loudly), then walks back the way they came about three yards.

He turns back around, snorts.

And runs at the tree at full speed, ramming it with his metal skull with enough force to shake the tree and leave a large divit in the wood. Eren learned IRON HEAD!]

[bravenewmods]

The Lotad wobbles in the tree before falling out of it. And landing on Eren's head, before bouncing off. It looks a bit surprised.]

[stahlflugel]

[Eren is totally unfazed by the soft blobby thing landing on him. He glares]

Well? What do you have to say for yourself? Are you always so rude to pokémon that might EAT you?

[Blitz gives Eren a look. "You're not gonna eat that, are you?" Eren gives him a negative response through the warp band. He has no interest in eating this weird little... lilypad blob. But it doesn't need to know that! ]

[bravenewmods]

Hey man, most of us actually have a sense of humor, not like you joyless shifter-types.

[stahlflugel]

SPIT IS NOT FUNNY!! I'll have you know I'm a member of Union's Guard, so I'm not to be messed with!

[way to ruffle his feathers, Lotad. LITERALLY. Look at him all puffed up]

Tch... I haven't got time for you anyway.

[he picks up Blitz by the scruff of his neck and deposits him back on his, well, back]

[bravenewmods]

Oooh Union Guard. Big man picking on a poor little leaf.

[stahlflugel]

[Eren just huffs and continues walking the shore. Blitz turns around and pulls a shit eating face at the lotad]

"He's ignoring you, gross drooly leaf! Bye! Enjoy living out here in the cold!"

[bravenewmods]

Your human's kinda uptight. He looks like he could use a vacation.

[The Lotad is wafting through the woods following them]

[stahlflugel]

"Mmm. A big green Pokémon killed his mom. He's been like that ever since. But he's a good human! I like him. "

[Eren growls]

Could you maybe NOT tell random strangers my life story?!

"What? That's the reason!"

You are hopeless.

[bravenewmods]

Ouch, that's rough. No wonder he doesn't have a sense of humor.

[stahlflugel]

I do TOO have a sense of humor! [Eren is bad at ignoring. He turns and puts his hands... wings? on his hips. Kind of. It's a very funny pose] It just doesn't involve thinking SPIT on my HEAD is funny. Your sense of humor was funny when I was 9!

[bravenewmods]

Prove it.

[stahlflugel]

I....!

[um. How does one... prove it...

Nope can't think of a way. DEFLECTION]

I don't have to prove anything to you.

[Awesome]

[bravenewmods]

[Probably is a safe assumption.

Oh, did we say safe? We mean foolish. There have been stories about a vengeful spirit haunting the lake shrine. Maybe. Sounds legit.

As Jean is investigating the Lake Shrine, sun just about ready to set, a light appears, slowly flickering to life before floating about, then dying out again. It's getting closer, floating through the air, disappearing and reappearing again and again.]

[sturzflug]

[ Unnnfortunately for Jean, he's about as 'sensitive' to that sort of thing than a... well, a normal type. Apollo is perched high on high on his head. He's not as much of an idiot, but he burrows further into Jean's feather-riddled hair. ]

[ Wait, what was that? Nope, Apollo definitely saw that. ]

'Pollo? What's up?

[bravenewmods]

So I'm right.

[stahlflugel]

[Eren shifts back to human form (because he needs thumbs for this) and grabs up the little lotad so he can look it EYE TO EYE]

Look here, lotad, SOME OF US can't just come up with jokes on the fly! Ok? It's cold, you spit on me, and now you won't go away! I have nothing witty to say about this situation! Now. [setting it back down in the snow so he can fold his arms] Don't you have somewhere to be?

[bravenewmods]

[The lights flickered again, this time a bit closer, accompanied by a faint, eerie hum.]

[sturzflug]

[ Oh. Shit. Jean stops in his tracks. He looks up at his fletchling, trying to play it cool but-- fuck, who is he kidding. ]

...Did you hear that? I heard that.

[ Apollo VIGOROUSLY NODS. Do you know Peck yet, Apollo. If so, I am retroactively putting as much exp into you so that you can have a non-normal move. Because otherwise this might not end well. ]

[bravenewmods]

Nope! Tell me a joke.

[bravenewmods]

Vvvvvvvvvvvvol...

[The light gets larger as it gets closer, still flickering in and out. As it gets closer, however, what might have looked like a vengeful spirit hovering through the air appears more... drunk-like?

Hey, weren't there some half-eaten old berries left as an offering by the shrine?]

Vvvvvvvoooool...

[stahlflugel]

[Eren rolls his eyes]

Fine. Um... how do you keep an idiot in suspense?

[sturzflug]

[ Have you been eating berries, weird pokemon. What is going on. Did they spike your berries. Are you berry drunk. Wow I'm hilarious. ]

Wh-what is that...?

[ Apollo's got no clue, either. Weird lights. Weird noises... At the very least... well, Jean readies his sword. Guards have swords, right? Or a baton or something. Really, you're probably better off with peck. Or you could try and be friends...? Haha, right. ]

[bravenewmods]

[ARE YOU JUDGING ITS LIFE CHOICES, JEAN?

As it comes closer, it becomes more apparent what this thing is. It's a Volbeat, humming to itself and occasionally stopping to hiccup. It has yet to notice you, Jean.]

[sturzflug]

[ O-oh. Well, it's kinda... cute. In a huge bug sort of way. Bigger than Apollo, that's for sure. Jean could probably try and walk past without bothering it... but he's got too big a mouth not to say anything. ]

Looks like somebody's having fun, at least.

[bravenewmods]

[Oh, hello there humans! There are two of you, right? Are you two twins? You look like twins.

Volbeat is going to float very close, looking extremely content. Yeah, someone hit the berries preeeeeetty hard.]

[bravenewmods]

Don't let him know when you're about to drool on him again!

[Oh hey. Drool.]

[sturzflug]

[ Wow, this is going a lot better than expected. Jean was all set to go, but now... he packs his sword away shrugging at Apollo's cute little birdy head. ]

Does this thing look drunk to you?

[ Is this the part where he bonds with him, because honestly, Jean kinda just chuckles. Anyone else he'd probably say something about being annoying, but he's lenient towards Pokemon, ok. ]

[bravenewmods]

[Whoa how did you humans do that, you talked at the same time but only one voice came out! ARE YOU MAGIC? YOU ARE AREN'T YOU!

Volbeat is very curious about this. Inquiring minds want to know. I mean you kind of have wings growing out of your... what do you call that? Volbeat would just call it its shiny bits, but yours aren't shiny. WHAT IS THAT? You're weird. Let's be friends?]

[sturzflug]

[ Oh no, they can bond over... butts... This is wonderful terrible. ]

[ Jean, uh... Jean goes ahead and aims his warp band on Volbeat, zapping the little (drunk) dude with some of that cool 'let's be friends' vibes. Really, Jean is pretty excited to meet new pokemon, he's just kinda baffled cause he's probably never seen one this drunk. And now he can probably tell he's drunk, no less, since sharing feelings and all that. ]

[ Well, it's worth a try. ]

[stahlflugel]

Ha ha. Very funny. No, the answer is, "I'll tell you later".

[bravenewmods]

[The warp band flashes and Volbeat glows with it. Oh yes the humans do have a shiny, they just keep it on their arm! Makes total sense!

Hiccup.

Congratulations, you have successfully bonded with Volbeat. It is level 6 and its stats, nature and characteristics may be determined at your discretion.]

[bravenewmods]

OK!

[Lotad's going to follow you until "later". And by later I mean he's not leaving ever. Congratulations! You've bonded with Lotad! Kinda! It is level 6, you may determine all other statistics.]

[stahlflugel]

[JFC Lotad FINE. WHATEVER. After an hour or two of being followed, Eren will just offer his warp band because it's apparently never going to leave. ever.

a beautiful friendship]

[sturzflug]

[ Excellent! Jean made a friend, yay! Everyone's gonna be so jealous.

Maybe Jean oughta keep him off the berries for a while, though... ]