01 [Action]

[withcourage]

[After discovering the sudden disappearance of the foreign plant life, Aster is out and about investigating! ...Not that he still has any clue as to what made it all disappear. His only guess would be that, well...something or other did it. After all, strange plants don't just suddenly appear, reappear when gotten rid of, and then disappear altogether a few days later!]

[The pokemon researcher is currently wandering aimlessly around town, trying to see if there is any plant life at all remaining. Thus far, he's had no luck, and his pokemon aren't really helping. Tonitrus the Eevee is on his shoulder, looking around the area and yawning. The other two were left back at his home because for some reason getting up early to investigate the town did not interest them. What strange pokemon they were.]

I can't believe that it's really all gone. It doesn't make much sense, but none of those plants are left. And all of those pokemon are gone, too. I guess I shouldn't complain about the lack of sneezing, though. I'm definitely glad to be done with that!

The weird weather's gone, too, boss.

[Aster grimaces.]

Oh, don't remind me about those incidents, Tonitrus.

[The Eevee seems to smile proudly at the "pain" induced in his trainer.]

Comments

[unreined]

... Absol. What about you?

[withcourage]

Aster. It's a pleasure to meet you, Absol!

[His eevee then puffs up his chest and speaks.]

And I'm Tonitrus!

[unreined]

An "Aster", huh...? [She squats down to get a better look at Tonitrus.] And you're an Eevee, right?

[withcourage]

[The Eevee nods proudly.]

Yep! I'm an eevee, and the boss and I have been together since he was little-er! You can call him "idiot," if you want, though!

Hey!

[Tonitrus snickers at his trainer.]

Well, you can't tell me you haven't done some stupid things!

W-well, no, but...

[unreined]

"Idiot"? [Sorry, can't suppress a smirk at that.]

[withcourage]

Yeah! I mean, he's done stuff like gone out into the woods without food...

Tonitrus...

Forgotten other things he's needed for his research at home...

Tonitrus.

And he's done dangerous things without a thought to his well-being. He's a grade A idiot!

And I'm still doing okay!

[His attention is finally brought to the cut on his arm. He grabs a bandage from a pouch, wraps his arm, and ignores it again.]

[unreined]

[Absol can't help but laugh at that, even if it's more like a snigger.]

Well, if nothing else, you just proved how "resilient" humans are after all... even if it's because you're still standing despite all that.

[withcourage]

As we sometimes say: what doesn't kill you makes you stronger! Even if we face a lot of trouble and danger, if we can get through it we'll come out better than before!

[He grins.]

I'm glad, though. We're not perfect, and some of us humans really are bad, but I'd say we're not nearly as weak or bad as some people consider us to be! That just depends on the individual to decide that for him or herself! I don't know if I'd call myself a shining example of humanity's strength, though. I'm more of an intellectual, after all.

[unreined]

Mmm... [Absol turns away, popping another Oren Berry in her mouth and chewing away at it. He was making an annoying amount of sense for a human, not that she would ever admit that to his face.]

Listen, you. I won our fight, so give me one of those "maps" you mentioned and maybe I'll consider us even.

[withcourage]

[Aster chuckles and produces one from his same pouch. He offers it out to her.]

Here you go! Have you ever used one before?

[unreined]

It shouldn't be too... [She actually opens it up and looks at it.] ... urgh.

[withcourage]

It can be a bit overwhelming if you're not used to it. I'll explain about how it works!

[With a smile, he begins explaining what each symbol means and would describe to her what any building or area is if she asks.]

[unreined]

[Absol sits and listens, but it soon becomes clear that she's having a really hard time getting her head around how the map works. Maybe she's the kind of person who learns things faster in practice instead of theory?]

[She is grateful for the explanations of Union's buildings, though.]

This human nest has... a lot of things in it.

[withcourage]

That's for sure! There's something for whatever anyone needs.

[He does pick up on her predicament, however!]

Would you like for me to give you a tour to get a better idea of things?

[unreined]

I'll figure it out on my own... [Sorry, your Affection level is too low for Absol to accept your help.]

This city... I will not let it defeat me so easily!

[withcourage]

[He nods, not really put off in the slightest. What are Affection levels? Aster doesn't seem to have much differences in them. Doesn't help that he doesn't really have friends outside of his pokemon, so he doesn't mind being nice to others and making more friends.]

Well, good luck with it! I'm sure you'll figure it out soon enough! If you ever have questions or something, you can seek me out. I live...

[He proceeds to fill her in to where he lives in the residence area.]

[unreined]

[A physical description of where he is in the residence area relative to landmarks is enough for her. I'm not saying she's going to break in through the window and sleep on your couch if she needs to but...

Right...

[Awkward pause.] You're not so bad.

[withcourage]

[It's okay, he'd be confused at first but probably shrug it off and be like ohai what's up, Absol.]

[He grins.]

Thanks! I'll take that as a compliment, too!