Rainy roads are rebarbative but refreshing

[ashesofthesun]

[Sorry this took as long as it did! I had a writers block of sorts, so this took a while and is sort of short, but I suppose it'll work ]

Traveling through the roads in which almost every trainer before him had walked would have been a whimsical and magical feeling to Velasco. The lush fields that surrounded him in a variety of wildflowers and grasses should have brought about a childish sense of wonder, and the chirrups of all the surrounding flying types should have made Velasco cheerful. But it was pouring. All Velasco could see was a muddled impression of his surroundings from a foot away, his favourite dress shoes were making a cacophony of disgusting noises as they sloshed amongst the mud and Velasco could barely make out his own whistling from the white noise that the falling water produced. Naiara carefully treaded from underneath her canopy of tails which she held up in order to keep them out of the mud and use them as an umbrella of sorts. Velasco held up a small umbrella, but it’s only a formality, as being a pocket umbrella, it can’t do much to protect him, providing little protection and plenty of noise as the rain beat down rhythmically on it. He cautiously stepped, avoiding deep puddles.

Velasco’s new Pokémon floated about cheerfully. The rain made her feel more at home and she strayed from the umbrella happily, water bouncing off of her smooth skin. She occasionally would dip enough for its wings to touch the surface of the water before circling back to her owner with an ever grinning face. Velasco had named her Alaia, an albasque name meaning “joyful”. The mantyke was certainly living up to her name, as she found a way to enjoy almost any situation, this one not being an exception.

Velasco couldn’t help but smile at the ironic situation. Traveling down route 1 was almost always a memorable experience for every trainer, but it would be memorable to him for an unusual reason. Sure, he would prefer that his surroundings were as picturesque to him as it was to most of the trainers, but he could still find a strange sort of peace. The rain was flooding all of his senses, but it wasn’t long before it was simply blocking out any other input, sort of like white noise. He was able to just think for a bit. A loud shuffle in the nearby grass took him away from his thoughts and he quickly turned to the tall grass around him, calling Alaia back with a grin. Whether it was a wild Pokémon or another beginning trainer, he would get a chance to try battling. Velasco had always been sort of drawn to the idea of battling. It was an exciting game of chess almost, a battle of the skill and wit.

[Birdybot]

The creature within the tall grass had not been aware of Velasco's presence, being too preoccupied with his business. The sturdy Skiddo was none too pleased with the rain. The trees had provided little shelter, their branches seldom low enough to offer cover for him. Those that did dripped fat drops of collected water onto him. He'd taken to the tall grass, which was damp, but had kept shape when he'd started bending it around. He was working on fashioning a little shelter which he would just be able to lie underneath until the rain passed. Other grass types were glad for the rain, and even the non-grass type Pokémon were largely indifferent towards the weather and carried on as usual. However, he was different in that he strongly disliked the rain and refused to put up with it.

After a particularly loud shove ripped some grass out the ground, Skiddo froze for a moment and looked around. Had anything unfriendly heard that? It seemed safe... no. There was a trainer's voice out there somewhere. He could hear them calling someone called Alaia excitedly. A new trainer, he decided. They were almost always new trainers. They would disturb nothing but his peace. Perhaps if he asked them politely, they would leave him be.

Grumpily Skiddo slowly parted with his work and emerged from the patch of tall grass. He was an average size for a Skiddo, evidently full grown. This was nowhere near as tall as Velasco, but his species were known for their great strength. It might be awkward like riding a too-small bike, but Velasco would be able to sit in the natural leafy saddle on his back and he would be able to carry him easily for good distances. Currently his coarse dark brown and white fur was plastered to his skin by the rain, but ordinarily he would have been quite shaggy. His leafy ruff and back dripped. In no one's eyes would be look happy. It wasn't the trainer, dæmon and Mantyke he was upset with, it was the weather.

"What are you guys still doing out in the open? You should find shelter. This rain's terrible. I've tried making shelter, but I'll admit it's not working out so well," he couldn't make much sense of why the trio would be out, especially since humans tended to like being wet even less than Pokémon. The Mantyke would be happy as a water type, no doubt. Skiddo eyed the umbrella, unsure of the point of something more decorative than functional.

[ashesofthesun]

Velasco’s senses piqued as there was a momentary break of noise before the grass began move about again, with its familiar noise filling his ears. Loose droplets were thrown off of the long grass as it swayed and bent around the shape of an approaching creature. Each shake of the leaves was abrupt, suggesting that whoever was inside moved in a stiff motion, clearly taking its time. Finally, something emerged, piercing the former wave of flowing grass. Velasco narrowed his eyes, managing to out the short and stocky shape from behind the thick curtain of rain before him. He had a hard time telling just what on earth it was at first, with its rug of fur tightly hugging against its large frame and distorting the well-known Skiddo form. In a few seconds, the earthy, memorable colours, cloven hooves and thick fur all clicked in Velasco’s mind as being a Skiddo. It wore an utterly bitter expression, resembling a wet Persian. The poor thing looked pitiful, with a lost sense of nobility and appeared to be half its usual size. Big raindrops gather underneath its horns, dripping with an audible noise as though to further accent its condition. Velasco had expected some massive ursaring to come barging through the grass, roaring loudly and throwing up its head before giving a challenging fight, but instead, a tragic grass type grumpily ambled out with a look of utter distain and boredom. The stark contrast between Velasco’s expectations and what happened was somehow incredibly funny to him, and as his tense shoulders sunk down slowly, a small chuckle being released with them. Alaia giggled softly, but in truth, the cheerful laughs of the mantyke weren’t out of place and didn’t stick out too much.

Biting back any further laughs, Velasco looked the Skiddo in the eyes in a greeting before briefly scanning its former path and seeing the makeshift shelter. The grass was bent somewhat skilfully, but still looked clumsy, giving it an incomplete look. Like a regular Sherlock, Velasco deduced that the grass type wasn’t a fan of water. Velasco bit his lip to stop his usual smirk from emerging. One surprise followed another, didn’t it? Here he was, in a storm of firsts, on his first route with his first Pokémon, finding his first battle…. with a grumbling goat finding his footing in the deep mud from in the middle of pouring rain. And to top it all off, his first encounter was a grass Pokémon who didn’t like water. The poor thing was extending its effort to make a shelter that may not be finished before the rain ended.

Velasco began to eye its broad back longingly, knowing the common use for such a Pokémon. Even soaking wet, its back was formed to the shape of a firm saddle, and Velasco had heard stories about how the robust horns that peaked out from the fur of the creature acted as handlebars and could feel the emotions of its rider. Whether Skiddos evolved to be ridden, or humans evolved to ride them, the fact remained that the creature was a perfect mount. Not to mention, this Pokémon would be a great back up for any failures that Mantyke’s typing gave, with resistance to its own type and electricity being especially key. Obviously this Pokémon wasn’t the sort to fight without cause, seeing how it was hard enough of a decision for it to even leave its unfinished shelter, but perhaps he could give it a cause. Velasco put on his smooth talker persona, changing his movements to walk with poise and confidence, closing the umbrella and swinging it around a bit for emphasis as he spoke. The difference was immediately noticeable, with the very ways in which Velasco even placed his feet changing into a drastically different pattern. Alaia was amazed, confused and bemused by his sudden change in persona, floating back curiously.

"What are you guys still doing out in the open? You should find shelter. This rain's terrible. I've tried making shelter, but I'll admit it's not working out so well,"

Velasco even spoke in a silky tone, allowing his accent to lace his words.

“I’m fine, thanks. Yes, the rain is so dreary today, but there’s always a way to lighten up the day. After all, I have to get from point A to point B at some time, and I’d rather not slide through a pool of mud whenever all the Pokémon are out to laugh. It’s a bit odd, that you’ve chosen a rainforest to live by considering you aren’t the biggest fan of¬ rain, isn’t it? You want a way out of the rain, so how about you battle me? If I win, I’ll heal you, but you have to take me to the gym, and then you are free to do as you wish. If I lose, I can personally buy you some permanent shelter, or even move you to a place of your choice. You don’t seem to be enjoying yourself out here, so why don’t we have some fun and brighten up the mood. After all, what have you got to lose? Either way, we’ll get out of the rain. It’s your choice though. ”

[Birdybot]

((Sorry it took me longer than usual to get to this!))

The unhappy Skiddo was suffering from wounded pride in addition to the damp, so it didn't help that the trainer he encountered laughed at him. It wasn't a big laugh, and might even have been at some joke he'd missed, but all the same he couldn't help feeling as though things might get worse before they got better. He usually prided himself in his dignity. A respectable Pokémon shouldn't be in so much need of help, nor should they allow a simple matter like the weather to get to them. This was in no way dignified. The loss of the appearance he liked to keep up was unpleasant for him, putting him in altogether a rather foul mood. He could be more friendly when his temper was not so stretched. Presently, he snorted impatiently at the little chuckles. Couldn't they just get on with it?

The sudden change in stance was odd, to be sure, but at least he was being talked to like a normal person. That made him feel a little more at ease. The change in persona was worth considering, however. Was there some specific way the trainer wanted to appear to others? Skiddo supposed most people had an image of themselves they liked best to project, and many would adapt that depending on who they were interacting with. Perhaps Velasco was merely trying to give the best impression of himself rather than wanting anything of him. The battle might have been what he was after, but there was still every chance it was a purely innocent thing to make others feel more inclined to like him.

Regardless of Velasco's intentions, there was the offer of a battle to consider. Skiddo brushed any other thoughts about the trainer aside. It was easier not to overthink things such as these. The young man had a point - he could be better off living somewhere else - but where could he go? He enjoyed being able to run through these plains. The more forested second route had a certain appeal, but you couldn't sprint in a straight line with all those trees in the way. Midsummer Meadow seemed like a nice place, perhaps he would go there. Anywhere that wasn't rainy would be a nice change. If he lost, he would still get healed and have an excuse to leave. It was a win-win situation, really.

"I don't see a reason to decline your challenge. I'll battle you, and I agree with your terms. In addition, I'll admit this close to the rainforest is not the ideal location for me considering the climate. I'm a fan of open plains, you see, as I enjoy running long distances and don't care for weaving in and out of trees. There aren't so many of those where I can be that exposed without running the risk of encountering a Pokémon far stronger than any I can hope to defend myself against," Skiddo tried to explain his reasoning to Velasco. His eyes flickered to Alaia every so often, aware that she was likely to be his only Pokémon and therefore his opponent in the promised battle.

[ashesofthesun]

((hah, I could say the same! I didn't see this for a few days))

Velasco could tell that the skiddo had a wounded ego from his current state. Even though the poor thing was covered in water, he still tried to hold his head high, but the goat’s frustration was painted so strongly onto his expression that it was hard to miss. The grass-type bitterly snorted, which gave Velasco the news that his chuckles had escaped his lips. Alaia hadn’t been half as quiet as her trainer, but due to the fact that her laughs rang through the air constantly anyways, it wasn’t obvious what had made her laugh to begin. For civilized men such as Velasco, self-control was a prized trait. Although Velasco had broken his own rule, he didn’t let it bother him too badly. The second after the man’s last, soft chuckle faded into the air, he had already begun to size up the skiddo.

As Velasco made a smooth but abrupt transition in his persona, he could see a bit of uncertainty pass through Skiddo’s mind, but another thought seemed to soothe it. Velasco was amused at the wave of uncertainty that passed by the Pokémon. While he would have expected Alaia to be startled, he had shown his usual self so shortly before transitioning that he was surprised that the goat noticed. Grumpy as he was, the mount Pokémon had to be sharp to think observe so acutely and think critically. As much as he didn’t like to admit it, the intelligence of others easily masked most flaws, and Velasco grew more eager to capture it.

Velasco broke into a pleased grin when the skiddo agreed, excited and hopeful for the upcoming challenge. Velasco hadn’t ever really battled, and he hadn’t really studied it extensively. He knew the basics, such as typing and conditions, but the concept seemed otherwise, impossible to study. Every aspect of fighting had to be tailored to his team and the enemy, as well as in this case, the weather, and he couldn’t research every scenario. Not to mention, battling just seemed like something that couldn’t be taught by anything but pure experience. Perhaps brawling would become a new game of logic for Velasco, or perhaps he would miserably fail and hate it. It would be better to figure out now if he liked it, before trekking several miles and wasting the time of a gym leader. But before any sort of fight could begin, Velasco needed to do one last bit of convincing. In order to break any sort of doubt that Skiddo would have about agreeing to their deal, Velasco would have to think of an ideal destination for the irritable Pokémon to go to, should Velasco lose.

In a business that was centred on making long distance connections, Velasco had a descent grasp of every corner of enera, as well as the important areas in other regions. The town he would be heading to anyways, Aniford was plenty dry, being next to a dessert. Furthermore, the entire gym and parts of the city of Aniford were specifically tailored towards being a suitable environment for grass Pokémon. Even if Skiddo wouldn’t be taken in by the leader herself, Velasco was confident that he would appreciate the mild climate. Another area to consider would be Midsummer meadow. The place was remarkably gorgeous, flat and pleasant, and the normal and fairy types that lived there were usually amiable. Unfortunately, the meadow was a long distance, and Skiddo would be travelling with them for a while. Velasco wasn’t one to back out of a contract, especially considering that he wasn’t sure whether or not Skiddo would think that the journey to Midsummer meadow was worth it or not.

In the brief silence where Velasco had been thinking, Alaia fluttered about eagerly, barely noticing the eye contact of her potential foe. Having come to the same conclusions as her human, Naiara was the first to speak. Unlike Velasco, she didn’t talk very differently than usual, since the Daemon’s flouncing ways were not easily tainted by those whom surrounded her.

“Aniford would be pleasant, as would Midsummer meadow, despite the walk. It’s up to you, really.” Naiara paused, her tails fanning out ever so slightly from masked enthusiasm, “I’d rather get the battle over with before any sort of speculation, though. There’s no rush to choose a destination. After all, our kind don’t fall back on our deals.”
The ninetails said “our” with reference to the albasque people, particularly Velasco. Velasco would steal, lie, cheat and harm in the name of kin, but he never failed to succeed in his part of any bargain.

[Birdybot]

Skiddo considered his options, thinking Naiara's suggestions both rather appealing. He trusted them to keep their side of the bargain, just as he was prepared to keep up his. A deal was a deal, and any respectable person should not break their word if they wanted to maintain that respectability and trustworthiness. Exceptions could always be made in extreme circumstances, of course, but he failed to see any such situation here or potentially in the near future. There was little for him here. Leaving would do him good, whether that be to start a new life on his own or with this trainer.

Aniford was less attractive a possibility to Skiddo than Midsummer Meadow. The town would be full of people, and he didn't like crowds much. Living on the streets didn't seem like an option, although he hoped a ranch would take him in or else he might find a place on the town's outskirts. Midsummer Meadow was larger, had plenty of flat land for him to run to his heart's content, and had far fewer humans about. "I'd prefer Midsummer Meadow, but could we not simply take a train or some other human transport system once we reach a town? That could take us to a town near the meadow and it might not be so far from there," he suggested hopefully. He didn't know where things were in the world but did know that humans had extensive train connections linking all major towns and cities.

Shaking out his sodden fur, Skiddo stood in a more assertive position, legs further apart for more stability. His head was raised, rain already dribbling back through his fur and into his eyes. A soggy fringe had developed from the fur atop his head, flopping down in front of his eyes. He looked at Velasco, then Naiara, then Alaia, wondering which would take action first.

"I'm ready for battle when you are," he announced, not wishing to attack before Velasco had even had a chance to send his Pokémon out. He assumed it would be Alaia, but there was no telling for certain - the young man might have had other Pokémon in Pokéball he couldn't see for all he knew. He was excited but a little nervous at the same time. There wasn't a lot he would lose, but he wasn't certain how happy he'd be having a trainer so was mildly concerned that he would lose and Velasco would turn out to be unable to make him happy in life. Just as well, a battle itself was exciting.

[ashesofthesun]

When Skiddo’s eyes flashed with thought and interest, Velasco knew that the frankness of his daemon had worked well to convince the goat. He seemed to make up his mind soon enough and immediately shared his thoughts with the two, his face flickering with a hint of excitement.

“I'd prefer Midsummer Meadow, but could we not simply take a train or some other human transport system once we reach a town? That could take us to a town near the meadow and it might not be so far from there,"

Naiara thought that he would choose to live in Midsummer meadow, considering that Midsummer meadow was basically guaranteed to have a milder climate and more peaceful neighbours unless Skiddo was lucky enough to join a ranch of some sort, which even then wasn’t necessarily the life he would desire. As soon as the goat suggested that they went by train or another mean of transportation, Naiara’s gaze curiously washed over her human. Velasco wore an intrigued but slightly embarrassed expression; In truth, Velasco had completely forgotten such an option. Obviously Enera was developed enough to have an intricate web of transportation systems, and being in the business industry, he frequented all sorts of transportation. Velasco far preferred trains to any other mode of long distance transportation, as he felt the atmosphere of a train to be serene and welcoming. Not to mention, the darkness and silence of subways made him feel almost claustrophobic and planes had a massive cost despite their speed and he was easily airsick. Despite having enough cash, Velasco hadn’t thought of it a first. He had made a deal to himself that he would travel to each gym by foot and wouldn’t be tempted to simple take a train from town to town rather than seeing harper firsthand. This was an exception of course, but even if it weren’t, Velasco would have still jumped on the opportunity to take a train one last time. Besides, he could only imagine the reactions people would make seeing a goat on the trains. Velasco slid his phone out from his pocket, fingers rapidly tapping the screen as he searched the train routes and prices. He found a nice pair of tickets just in case and reserved them just in case. It didn’t take long at all though. Velasco knew all the tracks and routes like the very veins in his body, seeing as he had travelled most of them at some point.
As Velasco looked up from his phone, he noticed Skiddo had widened his stance for a firmer position and wore serious eyes that met his own before remarking,

“I’m ready”

Taking his cue, Velasco backed up in order to make more room for the upcoming battle, standing tall, and concentrating through the curtains of rain that hung in the air. Alaia’s pokéball flew into the air, twirling and spinning several rounds before opening up to release the young Pokémon. Alaia bounced slowly in the air in an eager, concentrated mannering looking back and forth between her trainer and her foe excitedly as she listened for an upcomming command. By the time he ordered the tickets and took his position on the battlefield, Velasco had already thought up a very basic plan with his currently limited move pool. For now, he’d use a straightforward attack.

“Alaia use tackle!” On cue, the water type caught air under her stubby wings and flew up a bit to gather momentum before hurling herself at Skiddo.

[Birdybot]

Skiddo watched Velasco take out his phone, but didn't have a clue what he was doing. The wild Pokémon didn't understand technology that well, having not been around it much. He just assumed the trainer was texting or looking some information about battles or Pokémon up. Whatever its purpose, Skiddo wasn't so interested. He was more focused on Alaia and the upcoming battle. Since he'd waited for Velsco to send out his Pokémon, it made sense that Velasco should move first. He saw the Tackle and was ready.

Reasonably fast and concentrating hard, he could have perhaps managed to dodge the attack. The Mantyke wasn't slow herself, however, and he wasn't able to predict the movements of a new opponent very well. Realising that he wouldn't be able to avoid the hit after a tentative attempt at sidestepping too early, Skiddo braced himself and let the Tackle hit. He winced and took a step back to steady himself against the impact, but this early on and in full form he could take the attack. Raindrops cascaded out his thick fur where they had been dislodged from their clingy damp grip by the force of the tackle. Annoyed, he shook them out, saving them the trouble of dribbling uncomfortably down his legs.

Any Pokémon built for carrying heavy loads had to be strong, and Skiddo was no exception. He had stamina and strength, but wasn't able to lessen blows very easily and was more vulnerable to attack because of it. He wasn't really sure how to play to his strengths, but he would do his best to hold out until victory greeted him. Even more limited with regards to the variety of attacks at his disposal than Alaia, he first chose to boost his attack power. For a moment, his leafy ruff seemed to grow and his whole body seemed bigger before returning to normal - this was the move Growth. That done, he then mirrored Alaia's tackle, dashing forward. He put as much of his weight as he could into it, trying to make the attack as strong as he could.

[ashesofthesun]

Velasco didn’t expect for the Skiddo to be badly hurt, especially this early on, but a hit was a hit. However, it was quite interesting that the goat had taken the attack head on rather than trying to escape. It was likely for the better. A concentrated attack, especially at an odd angle, mid run, could hit hurt in specific ways. Alaia could have only managed to hit him square in the head, which would be damaging. Even having braced the hit, droplets from Skiddo’s coat went flying into the air and gathered even more on the tips of his fur until he impatiently shook them off. The dramatic movement of the water around her made Alaia feel some sort of prize, as it seemed as though her first attack hit well enough. She looked over to Velasco eagerly seeking praise for her small success. He only wore a satisfied for a few seconds before his serious expression wore through. It was no time to be celebrating though; The battle had barely begun, and Alaia had yet to be attacked yet. Who knew that Skiddo wouldn’t hit back twice as hard?

Alaia took the cue, turning back to see Skiddo preparing his attack. His expression had hardened and for a brief moment he appeared almost fuller. He expanded only momentarily before returning to his previous size, but his horns seemed sharper nonetheless. Velasco quickly caught on to his opponent’s move, but before he had time to act, Skiddo’s broad frame lowered to the ground, weight shifting around him before he threw himself onto Alaia. Beads of sweat mixed in with the pool of tears on Velasco’s forehead. He didn’t have much time to act or think, so he simply chose to continue his previous line of thought.

“Alaia, stay put.”

Alaia had been prepared to try and dodge, but she cut off her instincts to listen to her trainer and spread herself out. Velasco’s had reasoned that an uneven hit would be detrimental to a Pokémon comprising of only wings and a face, so it would be better to keep her head low and let the hit take her while she was prepared. A loud thud sounded in the air at the impact of the two Pokémon. Alaia grunted loudly as she took the hit. It was a powerful clout, charged by both Skiddo’s will and his previous move. Alaia’s light body might have gone flying but she held her ground, not too injured at this point. With Skiddo close, Velasco decided to move in for a quick rebound to hopefully lessen the chance of another attack landing.

“Sonic Boom, Alaia!”

Velasco commanded, and as a willing subordinate, Alaia screeched.

[Birdybot]

Skiddo wasn't really the sort to look on the bright side, but in his present situation he was happy to have at least gauged Alaia's strength by being hit by the tackle. His conclusion was to not be hit by things. Hopefully he would be able to tell how much weaker an attack would make him and so when it was vital to dodge, but it was always best to just avoid being hit anyway.

The feeling of relief when his attack hit was great. He'd been worried that his first attack would miss, putting him at an immediate disadvantage. It was far easier to catch up to the number of hits Alaia had made now than later on in the battle when he would be weaker and less capable of hitting hard. The damage would have been decent, he presumed, because of the growth. There was no way of telling for certain of course. Tackle was the only damaging attack he knew, so he would just have to keep going. Taking a few light steps back, he watched Alaia carefully for her next attack while he tried to make distance between them for a run-up.

Before he could get very far, Alaia attacked again. She'd recovered faster than he thought her able to. This time he made more of an effort to dodge the fast-moving waves, since the attack wasn't a physical one so there was less risk in possibly letting it hit at an odd angle. He jerked to the side, but was too late. From such a close range, he hadn't had much hope of avoiding the attack. It clipped him on the hind leg, but to his surprise hurt just as much as he imagined it would do had it hit him full-on. That had been a sonicboom, right? Hang on... yes, those were the ones that always dealt the same amount of damage irrespective of type, stats, and what have you! Of course. He'd have to watch out for that one.

Wishing he had a more colourful moveset, it was all Skiddo could do to take another few steps away, then accelerate towards Alaia as quickly as possible for as fast a Tackle as he could manage.