015 // action - forest shrine, verdant forest

[actsmagnificent]

[ action - forest shrine ]

Let's get to it.

[ Haruka is in one of her Rhyhorn racing jumpsuits with the sleeves rolled up (though not quite to the scar she got botching her portion of the Sanctuary liberation efforts). She's facing down a member of the Divine Defense Force, light on her feet and ready for anything. If they're going to keep splitting up for missions, she needs an accurate assessment of her whole team's abilities. She can't respect what she hasn't seen in person.

So she's going to try to beat the crap out of them. All of them. One by one.

Passersby are welcome to stay to observe or challenge her, though responses to the latter may vary. The Divine Defense Force, however? Had better not hold back.

Haruka won't, either. ]

[ away from the sparring ]

[ Close enough to reach Trainer telepathically but far enough that the sparring shouldn't disrupt their afternoon, Sky the Beartic has spread a (leaf-embroidered) tablecloth across a tree stump and outfitted it with a variety of goodies for an outdoor tea party. There's plates of Poffins and PokéPuffs, as well as piping hot Berry tea from a fancy china teapot - Passion the Vulpix has accompanied them, and deigned to heat some water for their tea. There's also plenty of teacups, so anyone stumbling upon Sky, Passion, and a very confused World Shaking the Rhyperior is welcome to join their quaint assembly.

A word of advice, however: the teacups (and teapot) are sized for Beartic paws. Come thirsty. ]

[ later - throughout verdant forest ]

[ As the sun sets and the cool evening air wafts in, Haruka can be found on World Shaking's back, eyes half-closed as she navigates the Rhyperior through the trees. They haven't gone on one of these runs in a while, and after the scare she gave him in the caves, he deserved a treat. And she deserves to cool her head, too. They're all right. They passed another test. A respite's been earned.

The fact that she heard a god was spotted in this area from Snor-Lord and his human friends is utter coincidence. ]

Comments

[actsmagnificent]

[ It's been months since World Shaking has taken part in anything remotely resembling a race, and being matched off against someone who's just like him only excites him more. He and Haruka crash through the underbrush, running all-out from the beginning; she'll have to encourage him to ease off soon so he doesn't exhaust himself, but since it isn't an official race Haruka's happy to indulge him for now. Why not run with all his heart if that's how he feels? They have the time for once. They have the company. And they can't go easy on Yuuna if she's testing herself.

Besides, the wind is nicer this way...How much do you love running, Ishikawa? ]

[rainsrespite]

[Ishikawa isn't a racer. She's a little bit shorter than World-Shaking, and Yuuna's trained her differently. She's a warrior, not an athlete, and she's actually likely a bit heavier. That helps with momentum, but she's bad at accelerating, thanks physics.

Yuuna, however, is churning up ground and keeping pace with the larger Rhy-thing, her whole body upright. She's practically a blur, as far as these things go, but it's tough. Really tough. And not just because she has to dodge underbrush. She's not got the stamina yet.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ There is a small, fast thing off to the side of World Shaking's vision. It's not Ishikawa - he can feel Ishikawa behind him, sense her in the ground with her every footfall; she sounds different when she runs than the Rhyhorn and Rhydon he's used to. But that small, fast thing is more interesting. He was not expecting it. And it's holding steady with him.

Haruka gives him the OK to look over - she'll handle steering - and he notices after a moment of examining it that it's Yuuna. Oh. That explains why it is so small. It's a human. A human he likes.

That makes this a very good race. While World Shaking's still looking at her, he snorts; Trainer lets him slow to regain his breath and his own stamina for later. Let's have a good race, small, fast human. Taking turns pulling ahead makes for the most fun races. ]

[rainsrespite]

[Ishikawa doesn't like this. she doesn't like that boss is showing her up! So, she puts on a burst of speed, finally getting her momentum under her. Her feet slam into the ground, very heavy footfalls echoing as her weight starts to come into play. Yuuna's own strides are hard, fast, and she starts laughing wildly as she at last passes World Shaking (thanks buddy) but?

Yuuna can't keep this up and she knows it. So...let's do something about that grumpy Rhyperior. It's not like she can't feel consternation.

So...she leaps up onto Ishi's back as she's running, flinging herself easily up onto the back and loping up to a standing position.]

Good girl! Now! Go!

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka laughs out loud when she sees that, standing up taller on World Shaking, enjoying the wind (and the occasional low-hanging branch) in her hair. Look at them go, knowing their limits but testing them at the same time. Just look at that.

For now, she prefers to observe from behind. So when Ishikawa and Yuuna put on their spurt, she doesn't spur World Shaking on. She just watches. And waits. ]

[rainsrespite]

[The treeline is fast approaching, and with that the ultimate goal. The speed at which they've gone? Probably the Lake Shrine.]

Hah! This...this is ridiculous!

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka wishes she could contradict that, but Yuuna has a point. Besides, if there's one thing Michiru has taught her, it's that pretty much everything about herself is ridiculous. And that's just fine.

Besides, there's more important things to do right now. She can see her goal. ] It's about time.

[ That was to World Shaking. Who is having his focus directed at that lake. Get to the lake first. He can do that.

His horn bends low. And he charges. ]

[rainsrespite]

[It's a bad day to be a sleeping Lotad. It's a really bad day for it. The two rocky titans come bursting out of the treeline and towards the lake making such a ruckus that no Lotad ever could miss it.

The race itself? Well, World Shaking is the better racer, and he's got a slightly longer drill. However? Ishikawa's Trainer is trying something out. She kicks off, vaulting over her Rhyperior's head and thanks to force and momentum sails way out ahead of him, soaring above and diving into the lake with a bare minimum of splash.

Do trainers extremities count? Because when she surfaces, she's grinning (and looking at least a little less scruffy)]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Yeah, but Haruka got her Rhyperior to turn on a dime in order to avoid stepping on a newly-awakened, terrified Lotad at the water's edge. And he didn't even get his feet wet. So there.

She grins the grin of a good sport at Yuuna all the same. Not gonna admit anything, no sirree. ] You're a danger to the environment.

[ Or would be if they hadn't just discharged you. Haruka has given Gold a bath. She has seen things. ]

[rainsrespite]

[Ishikawa doesn't turn well, but she skitters to a stop just at the water's edge. Fancy that. There may be some wet toes though...

Yuuna though...]

You say that like the environment is any less prone to trying to eat me than usual.

[Which, good point. Swimming back towards shore.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Careful to avoid this Bidoof daydreaming at the side of the lake here, Yuuna. She hadn't even started for a Rhyperior, she is so doof lost in the same longing daydreams she's had for months. Her sweet Brad. She wonders where he is now...

By the time Yuuna reaches shore, Haruka has dismounted. She'll offer a hand if it looks like Yuuna needs one, but she has a feeling the other woman will be fine. ] May I feed her?

[ Speaking of eating. It's just that she has a bunch of Berries here that she'd been saving to thank World Shaking for wandering around looking for gods with her all day....but if both Rhyperior restrain themselves, there's room for two. ]

[rainsrespite]

[Yuuna doesn't need it, easily slipping out of the water and nodding. She taps her Warp Band again and calls out her Golurk again. Kuroshi knows what to do, holding out his hands and spraying air on his boss, basically jet-drying her.]

Go right ahead. She's kind of a bird-like eater though.

[Which never really computed for Yuuna, not really. Was it a weight thing?]

[actsmagnificent]

[ That's convenient. Splitting her Berries evenly between her two hands, Haruka holds them out in her palms for the Rhyperior, first holding them up where they can see she has something in her hands and then lowering those hands to mouth level. She doesn't mind risking being nibbled. World Shaking has chomped on her before. ] To each their own.

[ Hopefully these are Berry types Ishikawa likes. World Shaking seems satisfied by his portion. ]

[rainsrespite]

Yeah.

[Ishikawa snuffles in and takes a bite, nodding in thanks. She's polite! And gentle. Haruka is nice! She wont' hurt you, nice other!trainer.

While Yuuna dries off, one of the afforementioned Lotad waddles up and chirps at her indignantly.]

Heh. Hey little guy. I'm sorry. Didn't mean to disturb you or anything...

[actsmagnificent]

[ Look at this beautiful, delicate, elegant lady, huh? It's too bad Ishikawa missed that tea party. Haruka smiles at Ishikawa while the Rhyperior eats. ] She holds her own in sparring?

[ Oh, sorry, you were apologizing to Lotad. Haruka will wait; they did make a bit of a fuss. ]

[rainsrespite]

She's a monster. I've been training her the same way I would a dragon type and she keeps up.

[Kneeling, she reaches into her belt and pulls out a berry of her own, offering it to the little guy. It wolfs it down and pointedly nibbles at her finger, getting a small shock in return.]

Weird little things. But cute.

[actsmagnificent]

They are. [ World Shaking finishes his Berries. Haruka silently informs him the ones in her other hand are Not For Him. He stops looking at them.

If Lotad looks over, it'll get a wink! ]

[rainsrespite]

If the house wasn't so full already, little guy...

[Yuuna runs a finger along his rain bowl head...and it nuzzles her finger a bit]

[actsmagnificent]

[ You're making a friend. Maybe Haruka should look into that, herself....Ferrari recently moved out of the theater. But, then again, it's not like they don't have plenty of Pokémon there already. ] You can visit. Nothing saying you have to take action now.

[ That's something she needs to work on, too. Pacing herself. She knows it's important, but without Michiru reminding her.....well, she's better at telling World Shaking when to slow down than she is doing the same thing herself. ]