bravenewworld | So Two Mice Go to a Grove... [OTA]

[Matthias had been more than happy to make the food, it just made him happy that he could bring the same smiles to their faces that Methuselah's food had brought to his. The traveling though...he'd scarcely been out of Union his whole life, save for a few trips to the forest where his father had collected some of his ingredients and once to see Yuuna and her new Jigglypuff.

This...this was something wholly new. He was traveling now. In earnest. He was out on his way to see the world and he'd honestly never felt this excited before.]

Wow...it's strange how a change in circumstance can change your perspective as well. I don't quite remember the grove being this...vibrant before.

That may have something to do with it being spring.

[He laughs as Boldred flits ahead, chatting with Tiria about the maps he needed to make when he got home]

Let me know if you suddenly smell something very good? I'm looking for a Pokémon called a Spritzee as well as Eevees today.

A Spritzee?

[Matthias turned his head a little as he walked, his gaze furrowing for a moment as he shuffled through the list of Pokemon he'd seen run through the habitat. Finally his eyes lit up and he smiled, giving Martin a nod.]

Well, the Flower Grove is a good start; they're naturally drawn to floral aromas, though they do make a habit out of eating berries and the like. As avian Pokemon, mayhaps we should find a tree line near bushes?

[He forgets that Matthias basically grew up in the Habitat and knows more about Pokémon than anyone else]

If there's berries near flowers, I think that would best. But where would we find Eevee?

An Eevee? Hmm...

[Now that was a trickier proposition. He'd only ever seen people come through the habitat WITH Eevee's or a few that had once been with trainers but were more or less left on the habitat's doorstep overnight. That wasn't to say he knew nothing, but he was worried the information he did have would be less helpful.]

Well...that's complicated. An Eevee isn't so much bound by it's own instinct, rather...it's more inclined towards it's evolutionary instinct. Eevee's often tend to gravitate towards areas where it can most easily evolve to the form it is most inclined to. Here? You might find one, but it would most likely be more inclined towards a Leafeon evolution. That said, they do share a trait with being fairly skittish, so...tall grass and tree lines near anywhere it can get at berries, seeds, and small insects would be your best bet.

Or their Fairy-type evolution, with all the Fairy-types around.

[He is so helpful. Martin finds a spot near some trees and water that looks safe for a campsite and heads towards it]

Are you looking to bond with any other Pokémon while we're here?

B-bond?

[The question caught him rather off guard. On one hand...he'd been really focused on planning for the trip that he hadn't really thought about anything past that. On the other...he'd never really...given thought to bonding with any other Pokemon than Basil. It had always just been...well, the two of them.]

I...I suppose? I mean...if I find any willing Pokemon while we travel...I don't see why I couldn't try?

[Did you forget the part where he doesn't people well? That extends to Pokemon too.]

[Matty you grew up in the Habitat. You should be able to Pokémon]

You're bound to find someone out here, and I would be happy to help you if you need it. You've only ever bonded with Basil, haven't you?

[Matty should be able to a lot of things that his shyness keeps getting in the way of.]

I...yes. I've always just been so...focused on what I've been doing at any given time that...I've just never considered anything beyond that. I suppose this journey will do wonders to open my mind from such a narrow world view.

[Yeah...tunnel vision will do that to you. It's about time someone took the blinders off.]

We have a name for that in the Swords, you know. Tunnel vision.

[He smiles and chucks Matthias's shoulder]

It's part of the reason I made sure to visit people and help where I could before my accident. I didn't want to get so absorbed in my job that I forgot the world.

[Matthias sighed and nodded. He'd been a fool to let himself get so absorbed in the minutia of things that he forgot the bigger picture...but it wasn't something he could dwell on. The past was where it was and to focus on it would just be a continuation of his bad habits; he needed to push past that and focus on the whole wide world in front of him.]

You're right...I have a chance to amend the mistakes I've made on this journey and I'll be taking full advantage of that. I guess...bonding with another Pokemon would be as good a place to start as any.

Exactly. I'll even help you look for and talk to one.

[Kuvira's taken her new Shroomish out here to train. Initially, anyway. They haven't had many challenges today, so she's taken off her armor and is in the middle of a dance routine out here in the meadow, with said Shroomish trying very hard to practice with her. It's round and little and has fewer limbs, but it can spin pretty decently, grouchy-faced the whole time.

Meanwhile, her Ralts has set a thin board into a hole in the ground and is enthusiastically punching it.]

[It's not Martin or Matthias who finds Kuvira, but Noonvale, Martin's newly bonded Spritzee, who is utterly delighted at the dancing and chirps, trying to imitate Kuvira.]

Oh.

[Kuvira pauses and, catching a sudden rare fancy, directs a melodramatically deep and sweeping bow at it. She's a little flushed and sweating from practice. Go hard or go home. Shroomish doesn't imitate the bow but squints up at Noonvale.]

[She chirps and flutters over.

And then promptly starts sniffing Kuvira with a gusto.]

[Have the very raised eyebrow.]

Pardon me?

[Her new Shroomish makes a grouchy hmp! noise.]

[Sniff. Sniff sniff sniff--]

Noonvale?

[And here comes Martin. The Spritzee is hardly fazed as she keeps sniffing. Martin sighs]

I'm sorry about her. We only just bonded and she seems to have a...an invested interest in smelling everyone she meets.

[Noonvale then chirps and sprays Kuvira lightly with some of her perfume--vanilla and plum]

...and then spraying them with perfume.

[She ends up getting her hand in the way so it doesn't sniff anywhere more sensitive or embarassing. And then blinking at the puff of spray.]

It covers up the smell of sweat, I suppose. [Not that she sees anything wrong with that.] Spritzee are... very scent-focused then, I guess. Do you know anyone else with one?

Only one other, but I don't know if all Spritzee--

[Noonvale gets up in Kuvira's face, asking if she liked the smell]

Noonvale, get down! If she liked the smell, she will tell you.

[The sudden intrusion startles a laugh out of her. It's hard to feel threatened by a little beaky pink Pokemon nosing around. Her Shroomish grumps off to practice more twirls. Grace is serious business.]

I suppose so. It's not the kind of scent we use in Caldera. New places, new... smells, though.

[Kuvira holds her head out to one side to look around Noonvale at its trainer, her braid hanging down.] It was Martin, right?

Yes. You were asking about the Swords, correct?

That's right. It's good to meet you in person.

[Her Ralts Teleports closer to... hide behind her leg, making her startle. Not dramatically, though. She's big on self control.]

Honestly, Anik... He's shy.

I know the feeling. Noonvale, leave the poor Ralts alone. I doubt he wants to smell like...whatever you'd spray him with.

[Anik squeaks. No smells! He's tough!]

I swear, they're all more colorful than my old team, or most of the Pokemon on my partner's teams. I'm sure part of that's youth.

No, trust me, that's just Pokémon. I've had my Doublade, Boar, since we were both young and he's still the same piggy, trolling, caring sword he was then.

[But the smells might make you smell tougher!!]

Well... hopefully some will mellow, anyway. My Gardevoir was, probably still is very relaxed. I have to wonder if she wasn't more excitable when she looked like this guy.

[...how much tougher.]

That or it came from his father.

Edited 2015-04-30 02:17 (UTC)

[Maybe a lot tougher! It depends on what smells will go good with you. If nothing else, you'll smell clean! Clean is good.]

Or he's just an excitable little guy. I don't think personalities run in families....do they?

[can he smell like a Machamp? they're so cool he wants to be a fighting type]

I don't know. [Certainly she hopes she doesn't take after her own parents. Though she did leave 'home'. mm not a good thought.] It might be that he's spoiled, too. -yes, you absolutely are.

[she doesn't let him fight. :<]

[...probably not Machamp, but maybe something tough! Can she sniff you?

Martin laughs]

That might have something to do with it. Savior knows I spoil my team something awful and they're all incredibly aware of it.

[he's not spoi-led! ...okay but if it's flowers she'll be sorry. somehow.]

It's too much trouble to discourage them anyway. Except when their quirks are dangerous, I mean. [a hint of rolled eyes. Her Scyther and blind flailing!]

[Yay! She goes to town, sniffing the poor Ralts. Martin rolls his eyes. Another quirky one]

You had the poor Scyther, right? Is she any better?

We had a little accident when I first started training her, yes. [Kuvira unwinds some of the linen wrapped around her forearm to show a healing red line, then rewraps it.] It did at least impress her with the fact that she can be dangerous. I'm not sure she knew before.

She's still clumsy, but we're progressing.

[Eventually, Noonvale sprays the Ralts with a sharp burnt pine-y scent with the barest hint of whisky]

A lot of Pokémon who aren't used to humans don't understand why they can't do things they did before, I've noticed. I think there are places that offer help with training, if you need it.

[well, Anik's happy. He goes running after the Shroomish, Sundar, to see what he thinks.]

It makes sense. A lot of them seem to have been more solitary before. It's probably good they do as well as they do.

The dojos, right?

Yes. It can't hurt to ask them for help with your Scyther and your Ralts.

[If you like it, she'll sell you bottles for ten dollars!]

I'm... not really training my Ralts for battle. He doesn't seem - [She pauses to phrase it] He likes the idea, but he wants to punch things.

[and his punches are weaker than kneading dough. Meanwhile Anik would absolutely buy it but has no money. Kuviraaaaaaaa!]

-we're on a budget, Anik.

...Noonvale, you can't charge people for your perfumes!

[She flounces and twirls. They need to make money somehow!]

Both Matthias and I are paid by the Swords.

[...more money!

Martin sighs]

I am so sorry about her. So very sorry.

Has she actually made any sales?

[She observes the Pokemon steadily.]

...I probably should put more effort into my Ralts. He doesn't make it easy, though. I think we've gone as far as punching things will take him.

We only just bonded--literally, just a few hours ago. We haven't been to Union yet.

[He has to hide a smile at the image of a Ralts punching things]

Perhaps get a Fighting type to train him?

Wow. She must have been planning this.

[very deadpan.] He may be the most built Ralts ever. I don't think he can get any stronger that way without evolving though. It may be time to try bribes for special attacks.

Or work on evolving him. If he likes to be strong, he'll be easy to evolve.

Well, yes. I think I'll have to try and get him to be more rounded for that, though. Ralts aren't built to be bruisers.

[...she doesn't want to give him the ten dollars for perfume though. isn't there some other bribe.]

Male Ralts can evolve into Gallade, a Fighting/Psychic type.

I've heard of Gallade. They do look like part of the line... hmm.

He'd still have to become a Kirlia first, right?

I think so, yes. But he can become a Fighting-type, or at least half.

So Two Mice Go to a Grove... [OTA]

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