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[child_of_luv]

[Minako could be found just outside town. She and her Pokémon had long since recovered from the encounter with Sakina and her insane training methods. Now, instead of fight and fitness training, Minako was contest training. In other words, she was working on their crowd appeal.

The only two that seemed remotely interested in the idea were Rico and Eros. Artemis wanted to go back to battle training, Bugsy and Aaron couldn't be bothered with any of it, Weedsly was busy trying to look tough, and Belle was hiding in Minako's hair again. Minako was still trying to decide how to deal with Myrna. Most of her Pokémon were ground or could fly in some way. Myrna was her first that pretty much needed to be in water.]

Comments

[actsmagnificent]

Woooop! [ Oh, is he ever! Do you want to hear his favorite idea for a program? His Trainer keeps just staring at him when he recommends it, so if you want to use it until he gets a chance to, that's fine. See, there's this character. And he sings and dances in the rain.

...That's it. That's all he's got. He smiles at Persian. That would make a good show, right? ] Woop woop woop.

[child_of_luv]

[Artemis developed a large bead of sweat on his forehead. Whaaaaat...? He shook his head at Minako. No... she didn't want to know!]

But he looks so excited.

[No! It was a nothing idea!]

[actsmagnificent]

[ The human is interested. Wooper, encouraged, sits up a bit straighter. He could sing and dance for you some more, if you'd like. To see if it inspires you. ] Woop....

[child_of_luv]

[Minako chuckled.]

Are you going to show me? Go ahead.

[This was amusing to watch, and really cute!

Artemis rubbed a paw down his face.]

this is my only umbrella icon

[actsmagnificent]

[ Wooper shakes his head to clear it of the dizziness, fin-whiskers wobbling. Okay! Two, three...

He does a little hopping dance step, singing just off-key enough to be noticeable. But there's no denying his enthusiasm. ] Woop woooooop woopwoop woop woop! Woop woop - woopwooop woop wooooopp...

[ What a glorious feeling. He's happy again. ]

but it's a cute one

[child_of_luv]

[She laughed and then clapped encouragingly. Gosh, he was cute!]

Great job! You should be in the Contest!

[Artemis laid down behind her, flicking his tail in boredom.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Applause. This must be applause. Wooper stands on tiptoe, transcendentally pleased. Or should he bow? Maybe he should bow. ] Woop.

[ Yeah, he's completely forgotten you were trying to rehearse, yourself. He doesn't mean to be selfish, he's just....absentminded. ]

[child_of_luv]

[That was okay. She smiled and stood up now that Eros was feeling a bit better from the poison skin contact. He shook his head and stretched his front legs a bit like a cat.]

Do you get to perform a lot?

[As cute as it was, Minako could tell he didn't rehearse often.]

[actsmagnificent]

Woop woop. [ Never formally. He'd only just learned singing and dancing was a thing one does on a stage, from his Trainer, who apparently does that a lot. Wooper shakes his head to indicate this, hopping down from the stage. Trainer. Hm. That reminds him of something...

....oh, it's that he's misplaced his Trainer. Hm. He grins at Artemis. Guess he'll just hang out here!! ] ....Woop.

[child_of_luv]

SIAAAN??!!

[Whaaaat?!

Artemis was on his feet, fur standing on end. He was staying???

Minako laughed.]

What's all the fuss? I don't mind.

[actsmagnificent]

[ All smiles, Wooper hops over to Artemis and dances in a circle around the big cat. Nice to meet you! Good to hang out with you! ] Woop woop woop!

[ Living in the city is so fun. ]

[child_of_luv]

[Minako laughed as the Persian twitched his tail in annoyance.

Why him?]

Well, I'm sure Artemis wants to get back to our training. Do you have a trainer nearby?

[actsmagnificent]

Woop? [ Nearby. Near. By. Wooper leans to the side as if that will help him think about this better. How near does someone have to be to be nearby?

....Something in the underbrush is making thumpy running noises. ]

[child_of_luv]

Hm?

[She turned towards the noise. Eros, in his excitable way, ran for those very bushes to "greet" the newcomer.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Hope you don't mind a bit of wind, Eros! A tiny Rhyhorn plows through those bushes, headed straight for a tree on the opposite side.

Wooper perks up. There she is! ] Woop!

[child_of_luv]

[Minako squeaked a little in surprise. She hadn't expected a Rhyhorn.]

Sylveon!

[actsmagnificent]

Dodge!

[ And there's a voice from the forest just as Rhyhorn's about to hit the tree - it swerves, to its credit, and ends up trampling into a bush instead. But it circles back soon enough, apparently done with training for now.

And here comes its Trainer, noticing this area is populated. Even hiking in the forest, Haruka looks pretty much impeccable. ] Sorry about that. She didn't hit you, did she, Skitty?

[ Rhyhorn comes back to its Trainer, all proud of itself. The tree was dodged! She did it. ]

[child_of_luv]

Nope. Just a little surprised. [Minako stood up. She picked up Eros, who had managed to dodge as well, but seemed a little stunned at the sudden appearance of the Rhyhorn. The Sylveon wagged his tail a little bit.]

Are you guys training for racing?

[actsmagnificent]

Sort of. [ The small Rhyhorn is now running in circles around Haruka, which makes it difficult for Wooper to approach his Trainer. So he jumps up and down to get a better look at her instead. ] Woop! Woop! Woop!

[ ...oh, hey. ] You've been making friends.

[child_of_luv]

Yeah. He sort of just showed up and almost got himself whacked with one of the moves we wanted to use in the performance.

[Minako chuckled.]

I don't think he realized he was stepping into a rehearsal.

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka wonders about that. Still, it looks like no harm was done; she steps past her Rhyhorn and lets Wooper fall into pace alongside her. From the adoring way he's staring up and still "wooping" for her attention, Wooper's Trainer has been found. ] Preparing for your debut?

[ Here comes Haruka, all careful solicitation. She intruded somewhere that wasn't her business. This must be corrected. ]

[child_of_luv]

I guess you could say that.

[She poked her fingers together.]

I'm not sure how that'll work out, but it can't hurt to try.

[actsmagnificent]

[ It won't get anywhere without confidence, Skitty. Now. How can she make this up to Minako...? ] Sounds interesting. I wouldn't mind seeing it.

[ Invited by a new Rhyhorn, Sailor Tsunranus, complimenting obliquely. ]

[child_of_luv]

Yeah?

[She smiled.]

Well, I hope to show you soon! But, I need to make sure it's perfect before I do it.

[actsmagnificent]

[ That's fair enough. Haruka grins. ] Does that mean you'll hold off on auditioning for the next play?

[ If your intended debut is in Pokémon Contests.....she's messing with Minako, really. But she's curious, too. ]