Springtime for Union

[bravenewmods]

After an unusually long and cold winter, the land is finally beginning to stir in the anticipation of spring. In the forest, the first flowers are beginning to peek out of the ground, the hum of Bug Pokémon begin to be heard, and of course, the first wisps of pollen begin to incite misery amongst the more sensitive of the population. The sun sets later and later each night, and at the end of a long workday, the prospect of escaping early to enjoy a stroll out in the brisk spring air becomes more and more enticing.

The pall cast by Team Evolution has long faded into little more than a distant cloud on the horizon. Though the mystery of 'Mega Evolution' remains unsolved, it seems inconsequential in the face of the strength that Union itself is gaining. All damage from the earthquakes has finally been fully repaired, production of iron and steel has been greatly enhanced by the discovery of the mine, there were plans to build a new port and to enhance the range of the Signal Tower, Enlightened and Pokémon everywhere were evolving one after another... On the whole, morale was high.

The city takes it upon itself to reflect this.

When the people of Union begin to stir early one spring morning, they will awaken to discover a cheerful city, indeed. All of Union, overnight, has become covered with vines and shrubs and flowers - plant life, everywhere the eye could see. Though the majority haven't yet begun to flower, the rainbow assortment of buds promises a lovely sight to come in the near future. A few citizens, annoyed, set to work removing the intrusive flora from their properties, but the majority simply take the unusual sight for what it is.

And for the particularly observant, dotted here and there among the landscape, the occasional large pink blossom can be spotted already in full bloom...

((You may use this post as an IC mingle if you wish!))

Comments

i never regret. /lift head, sudden sunset, rose petals

[actsmagnificent]

[ ....You know, maybe that's what Haruka should do with the parasol Murkrow stole from an innocent passerby (who freely gave it to him, so Haruka couldn't hand it back). As a token of apology, and punishment for being a bully, Murkrow should give it to Budew. This plan has a sense of poetic justice to it; she will have to deliberate it later.

For now there are Michirus to smile at and Sewaddle to keep a surreptitious eye on. What's happening to Budew? He wants it, too! ] Sewa sewa!

[ Haruka chuckles as Sewaddle makes tentative grabby hands (arms?) for the napkin. ] It's only fair - since you're so popular, and all.

/insert crooning music here

[incousinswithyou]

[there's a slight pause as she tries to figure out what Sewaddle wants, but she'll deftly fold the napkin in half and then wipe the ice cream off his face too.]

Neither has anything to do with the other, Haruka. [not superficially, at least.]

only true adults buy their significant others maid outfits

[actsmagnificent]

[ Oof, that tickles a bit. Sewaddle squirms, but he enjoys the attention. Plus, now he's clean! ] Sewa-a-a-a!

[ Haruka concedes the point by dipping her head and beginning to eat her lunch in earnest. Watching Michiru look after the Pokémon is quite entertaining in and of itself. ] If you say so.

[ ...Sewaddle, that's rude. Don't try to grab Michiru's finger so you can nuzzle "thank you". ]

amongst other things

[incousinswithyou]

[it's probably that maternal instinct acting up.

Sewaddle gets a smile and a pat on the head before she withdraws her hand.] You're welcome.

[Budew beams. Now they're both clean and...that sure is another bowl of ice cream just sitting there on the table.]

d-does she want to know

[actsmagnificent]

Don't spoil him. [ Haruka's noted the familial atmosphere, however, and it's making her smile in spite of herself. She can imagine Michiru surrounded by a million children, beaming away....It's a pretty picture. Especially since it makes such a good joke. As if!

Sewaddle has noticed that second bowl, too. He turns to Budew. What should they do? ] Wad sewa?

[ On the one hand, they just got clean. On the other hand, if somebody doesn't start eating it, that bowl of ice cream is going to make a mess on the table. This is sad. ]

I thought she liked surprises

[incousinswithyou]

[honestly. It's not like they could steal a million babies without anybody noticing. Maybe just one or two.

A smile.] That doesn't count.

Buuu... [she's got her thinking face on. It wasn't offered to them, so there's that. But it's also just sitting there, untouched and going to waste! It's a travesty, right, Sewaddle?

...She'd sidle closer to the ice cream but her trainer is surprisingly sharp-eyed.]

t...rue............(are there frills again)

[actsmagnificent]

Aren't you some kind of super Trainer?

[ This is a tough one. They really shouldn't let it drip. Drips make messes, and messes are bad. But what if they offered some of it for their Trainers to share? It would be okay then, right?

Here, humans use these things, Sewaddle thinks. He attempts to pick up Haruka's spoon and, holding it tentatively between his front legs, waddles over to the ice cream. How does he do this? ] S'wad.

[ This much has caught his Trainer's attention, however. ] Hey...

(wouldn't you like to know)

[incousinswithyou]

You tell me. [heh.

...And her attention is drawn to the Sewaddle walking along the table. What is your bug doing?

Budew, curious about the operation in progress, hops on up to take a look.]

(at least michiru's aesthetics won't let it be ugly)

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka thinks she knows, but it doesn't make this process any less curious. Instead of intercepting, she observes. Can he actually do it? ] That's for humans.....

Sewa. [ Sewaddle swings the spoon down on the ice cream like a kendo stick. No, that's not how to get the food onto it, apparently. He swings it sideways. ] Sewa.

[ Haruka is so full of amused secondhand humiliation right now. Taking a spoon from the next table over, she scoops up a bit herself for a snack while she watches. ] Don't hurt yourself.

(there you go. just keep focusing on that silver lining)

[incousinswithyou]

[Michiru laughs quietly. Maybe he would deserve more ice cream if he managed the feat.

Budew, on the other hand, cheers Sewaddle on! And is otherwise unhelpful due to the lack of grasping limbs, but still. You can do it!]

And where did he pick that up from?

...watch sewaddle level up from this

[actsmagnificent]

You're asking me? [ Yeah, she's Sewaddle's Trainer, but even if she took advantage of the bond to gain access to his thoughts and emotions (something she rarely does - her Pokémon deserve their privacy) she doubts he'd make sense. Though from the way he's going at this thing like the spoon's a sword, he may have been paying more attention to her stage fencing than she'd thought....

No, wait. He'd watched her take that bite. You can practically hear the gears turning. ] Sewaaaaaa.....

[ And then, it dawns. He scurries down the spoon a bit and picks it back up so that there's less of a lever between him and the head. Now he can scoop! ] Wad!

achievement unlocked: spooning

[incousinswithyou]

Buu. Dew? [Budew is perplexed, really. Why would anybody bother to include an extra step between getting food and putting it in their mouths? It's all going into the same place eventually. Why complicate matters?]

At least he hasn't discovered leverage. [that blob of ice cream would land somewhere inconvenient. Given Sewaddle's luck, maybe another bird Pokemon.

Still, those powers of observation, however brief and sporadic they may be, could lay the foundation for much more interesting tricks.]

just one grown-up activity he can learn from the humans

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka watches the ice cream make it onto the spoon with buried trepidation. ] Don't jinx him.

[ Sewaddle has not quite reached the level of awareness where he questions the wisdom of intermediate tools. He is, however, so incredibly excited that he got the ice cream onto the spoon that now he doesn't know which human to offer it to. He loves his Trainer so....but his Trainer's Trainer ordered the ice cream.

Yet Haruka has already helped herself, so Sewaddle figures she can fend just fine. Time to carry this spoon very carefully over to Michiru and see if she wants dessert. And then, she will be so impressed, she won't mind if he and Budew share!

Look, Michiru. Ice cream. ] Sewa waddle?

--Hey.

the only one, hopefully

[incousinswithyou]

[that gets a laugh out of Michiru.]

Well, well. How gallant. [she carefully plucks the spoon from Sewaddle's grasp and takes a bite] Thank you.

he's a bit young yet, yes

[actsmagnificent]

Waddle wa! [ He was praised! That doesn't happen often! Sewaddle looks over at Budew, proud of himself. Budew, he did it!

Haruka has such a wealth of potential targets here it's hard to know where to begin, but for some strange reason she picks Sewaddle. ] No one likes a ladykiller.

either that or it's paying bills and having responsibilities

[incousinswithyou]

Buuuu!! [aww yeah! Budew is so happy for you, Sewaddle! At least Ralts isn't here.

Michiru neatly places the spoon on the edge of her plate.]

You would know, right?

but wait. these ladies don't do either of those things.

[actsmagnificent]

What's that supposed to mean?

[ ....Don't answer that. Sewaddle watches that spoon and ponders. Dare he hope lightning will strike twice? Maybe he better just put a leaf on this plate and call it a day. ] Wad.

[ It's a masterpiece. ]

...they probably *technically* do

[incousinswithyou]

[Haruka just gets a smile.

She glances down at her plate and pauses.] Art, is it?

[Budew, on the other hand, is busy eyeing the ice cream. Yup. It's definitely starting to melt.]

when they feel like it....

[actsmagnificent]

Sewa. [ A nod. See what a perfect accent it makes against the white of the plate and the pink of the ice cream over there? Sewaddle likes that this human always takes him so seriously. It makes him feel good about himself.

Haruka snakes a hand around the artist and his critic, however, scooping up a bit of that melting ice cream. She silently deposits the treat in Budew's dish, then takes a second spoonful for herself. You saw nothing. ]

[incousinswithyou]

Dew! [Budew beams at Haruka and almost nearly learns Sunny Day and immediately takes a bite. Sewaddle gets a nudge. Hey look!]

So much for not spoiling them.

[actsmagnificent]

Your ice cream's melting. [ What a lovely catchall reply. It both indicates to Michiru that she'd better get some before it's gone, explains away Haruka's softness, and teases her partner simultaneously. Haruka takes another bite of ice cream for herself - then relents and offers the next one to Sewaddle. You did all right with the spoon. She supposes. ]

Waddle! [ Daddy His Trainer noticed him! Sewaddle grins at Budew, too. Don't we have wonderful humans? ]

[incousinswithyou]

[her eyes drift toward vault of the blue sky above, but her small smile belies the eyeroll.

She'll give you that.]

Bu, budew! [yuup. Both of them are great. Now she knows who to ask if she wants extra sweets.

Michiru takes a couple of spoonfuls for herself and then starts feeding Budew a spoonful at a time, ensuring that there will be less ice cream facial masks that way.

It won't be more than a quarter of what remains of the ice cream, at least. Don't want to let the Pokemon get tummy aches, of course.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Of course not. This is why if Sewaddle wants more ice cream he will have to fetch it himself.

That, or be patient as Haruka casually slips him half-spoonfuls every so often between her own bites (though she deposits them in the Pokémon's bowl for him. She refuses to spoon-feed). He slurps away happily, mandibles clicking.

Haruka grins. She should probably start paying him a little more attention if she wants him to fix his bad habits.

Later, though. Right now she's dipping her spoon in the ice cream and knocking it against Michiru's on purpose. Spoon fencing is totally a mature thing to do. ] 'Scuse me.

[incousinswithyou]

[she pulls her spoon back, keeping it hovering in midair.]

Am I getting in your way? [would you like to take over?

Budew is eyeing the spoon. C'moooon...]

[actsmagnificent]

It's contested property. [ She takes her bite and sits back. You're making that plant sad, though. What a cruel woman.

Now everyone at this table is watching the spoon - even Sewaddle, whose cheeks are still full of his own portion. Where's that headed, Michiru? ]