in my mind... [mod/open]

[Puppet]

Graham walked along the pier, the early hours lit by closed down attractions and sparkling stars. They were few and far between here, the pollution of human light nearly blocking out their glow entirely. His lonely eyes traveled among them, feeling lost in the world of man. A light blue barely traced along the horizon, promising the sun's soon return. But in the quiet of the morning, the trainer strode on those worn planks and listened to the song of the lake birds.

However, the young teen was never alone. Beside him stalked his partner, a Stantler named App. Muscles rippled beneath his tawny pelt and his crown of antlers was held high. The two were never seen apart, and together they moved as quiet as the wind.

In Graham's pouch were the rest of his team. Recently, the group had multiplied in size. They were taking on so many members, the boy didn't have a clue how he would make time for each of them. They were all special, and deserved unique attention, but with so many...it was going to be a challenge in itself.

He was particularly eager to meet App's children, Fee and Eva. The two eevee's had a hatched in his very hands, and the wonder of their entrance into the world still twinkled in their eyes. Baal's and Leff's children came soon after; the eggs added eight new members to their team alone. Not to mention some others who were caught in the wild. Graham's pouch was getting awfully crowded, and so he was forced to give away some of the newborns. A persistent guilt gnawed at his gut for the act, but he tried to justify it by assuring himself they would have better homes now.

App watched him closely as they neared the edge of the pier, and stood to watch the horizon slowly brighten. The world was hushed in wonder as the sun peeked over the edge of the treeline, bringing a spot of warmth to the chilly autumn morning.

[Jay]

A tall muscular man was making his way through the city at a slow and rather even pace followed closely by his two Tyrogue. They walked past person after person looking for any sort of facial recognition to whom they were looking for, yet there appeared to be none. Tai, one of the Tyrogue with Ieri, was looking around rather ecstatic as they walked while Rogue, the other Tyrogue simply rolled his eyes and sighed wondering why they were there again. Of course there was an answer to why they were there, yet Rogue didn't want that answer. He was tired of that answer. He hated that answer. Shaking his head, the Tyrogue grumbled to himself as he walked.

[Puppet]

The pair stared into the sunrise long after it breached the tree tops. It was nearing breakfast time, and a growl rumbled defiantly in their stomachs. Graham glanced over at App a bit haplessly. They weren't in the woods, and so it would be impossible to forage. Though he had some fishing skill, it was minimal at best to spearing a magikarp or two in the river when the tide was down. All stores were kept back in the cave they called their home, stocking up for the approaching winter months. What were they doing here, anyway? They needed to be preparing, like little Pachirisu's running about as they gathered nuts. Maybe he could put his large team of pokemon to work, so they could all gather food through the chilly autumn season.

Though the sunlight was providing some warmth, the boy was already shivering as the fall winds bit through his ratty clothes. He pulled a fire stone out of his poket, rubbing it between his hands to keep them warm. The stone's inner flame burned bright, it's warmth radiating into his skin. The Stantler's coat was beginning to look a bit shaggy, the winter tufts thick against the cold.

So, cold and hungry, the pair ventured into the crowds that were forming along the pier. Covered in mud, his messy blond hair looked practically brown, and his skin quite a few tones darker than the pale pink underneath. His dark eyes shown unwaveringly bright, however, as he scowered the mass of people for something to steal. Releasing his Taillow, the little bird arched above the sea of heads. Blue wings angling, she pointed out a hefty woman, trundling a overloaded basket of warm bread. Graham whistled a high pitch tune, a song Low had been taught as their plan for attack. The hardy bird swooped in, feeling no fear as her nature had taught her, and began battering her wings and screeching shrill cries at the woman's mound of hair. As the lady turned to swat a hand at the bird, Graham snuck in, smooth as a snake, and snagged a couple of loaves from the basket. Before she could even start in surprise, he was gone again, riding through the crowds on the back of his stantler. Low hovered above them until they broke free again of the morning crowds, and back to their secluded spot along the pier.

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[Jay]

The shouts of the woman had drawn Ieri's attention quickly and then his Tyrogue's as a result. All three had caught sight of the thief. Rogue growled under his breath with his fists clenched. He was going to go beat some sense into that kid! With that, the Tyrogue was already off on the trail of the boy. Ieri watched in surprise and then looked towards Tai who crossed his arms and sighed a bit sweat dropping a fraction much like his master did, actually. Ieri turned and paid the woman for a few loaves of bread and a bit extra mostly out of what had been stolen even without her noticing. Starting after Rogue, Ieri walked followed closely by Tai who carried more loaves of bread with him.

[Puppet]

Low flitted around their heads eagerly, twittering in delight when Graham would toss her a pinch of bread. The boy was seated, clutching one loaf in both of his hands and the other in his lap, back against the wooden railing along the pier's edge. App stood close, reaching down to pull off a bite or two before chewing slowly and thoughtfully. Graham tried not to eat too much at once, as his stomach wasn't used to grains, which had a tendency to expand after eating them.

App's ears flicked back at the sound of someone approaching, and had just turned as the tyrogue rounded the corner. Lowering his antlers, he quickly readied into a battle position and gave the pokemon a threatening glare. The taillow soared above him, shouting down her trill songs of warning. Graham scrambled to his feet, stuffing what was left of one loaf into his pouch, but the other was too big, so he was forced to hold onto it. Not that he minded, the smell was inticing enough to make his mouth water.

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[Jay]

"Rogue! Ty-rogue!" Rogue called out with an irritated voice something along the lines of thieves shouldn't be aloud to live. However, in another moment, the Tyrogue found a hand on his shoulder. Tai had caught up with him, and soon followed Ieri. "Enough, Rogue," the muscular man said aloud looking at his Tyrogue before looking towards Graham. For a good moment, Ieri simply looked at the younger man. "Thievery is dishonorable...." Ieri said aloud. "You could have asked for something instead of stealing it."

[Puppet]

Graham was fine and dandy around pokemon, but people just weren't his strong suit. At the sight of the older man, especially at the scolding end of one, he locked up pretty fast. His body went rigid, fingers digging into the crust of the bread he held without even noticing. App seemed to swell in size, puffing out his chest as if his words were a challenge. Low's cries didn't die down as she landed on the wooden railing and stared sharply at the two fighting types. Her nature had her barely on edge, ready as the stantler was to charge forward and start something up.

Graham, silent as the grave, stared at the boards of the pier. His mind worked at what to do about the situation, when Leff broke out of his pokeball and stood before him. His dark eyes watched the spider expressionlessly as it challenged the fighting types alongside his comrades. "Who needs honor?" he muttered, eyes meeting the mans.

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[Jay]

Ieri sighed dryly at the comment. "The world needs it," he answered back shaking his head and crossing his arms in front of himself. "I already paid for what you stole, and I don't ask for any retribution." With that, Ieri slowly sat down not far off from Graham and took one of the loaves that Tai had been carrying before taking a careful bite of it. He was a calm man not prone to any sort of outrage in any situation. Rogue kept his eye on the other pokemon and felt hismelf tense a bit. Tai watched Rogue tense and tensed as well. "Enough, both of you," Ieri said aloud, and in another moment, both Tyrogue looked back rather dumbfounded on the situation. However, Ieri was unmoving in his calmness, and after a moment, both sets of eyes simply returned to the other pokemon.

[Puppet]

Graham stood, unmoving as the other sat and began to eat. He didn't call his pokemon off as the other had, because he still felt as little trust in the newcomers as they did. However, after a few moments of stiff silence, App raised his head and Low fell quiet. The three pokemon merely stared back at the other two, unwavering, yet unrelenting in their mistrust.

The boy watched the man eat, and his arms crossed as he mentioned retribution. The guy probably thought he was doing him some sort of favor, but paying for him and not holding a debt. However, he was simply an intrusion to an otherwise peaceful morning. Graham would have gotten away with the robbery, and still had no debt. He was in no different a situation now than what he started with, aside from having some unwanted guests around. "What do you want then? Just to dish out moralities?" Graham could taste his own biting tone, but with his pokemon, he felt little threat in the situation.

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[Jay]

"Not really anything, really. I was more interested in questioning why you'd steal in the first place, but even that's lost my interest at the moment," Ieri answered back with his mouth half full and a rather sharp look that vanished in another instant as he bit into the bread again. Tai looked at Rogue who looked back at Tai. Neither said anything for a moment before they both looked back at Graham's pokemon again neither one moving forwards. "Now I'm just here to enjoy lunch." Ieri finished after another moment.

[Puppet]

Graham snorted, turning away from the trainer. Adults were all selfish and arrogance, no point even taunting them. The most pleasure they could get was by bossing around anyone younger, and he was done being the target. Taking out a couple pokeballs, he recalled Low and Leff, both disappearing silently in a beam of light. App cast a glance at the two tyrogue, then trotted over to the boy's side. He climbed onto the stag's back, and they moved on down the wood planks. Graham was malnourished and stunted enough to hardly slow down the Stantler at all. The clattering of hooves echoed down the pier as the sun beat down, beginning to warm the morning.

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[Jay]

And to think there are more people like that around here than ever before. Just a product of the times I guess... Ieri sighed outwards as he thought on this before finally finishing the bread that he had had and then looking towards his two Tyrogue that were watching as the boy was walking off. Rogue, probably from his own immaturity, was seething at the other human showing such disrespect to his trainer, and the fact that Ieri was doing nothing about it at that point in time only seemed to stir in him more. Tai seemed to read Rogue's emotions and knew what the anger was directed at. With that, he directed his own anger off towards the boy.

[Puppet]

After they had moved far enough along the city's edge that they could no longer see the other trainer, Graham began munching on his breakfast again. He rode on App's back until they reached the back of an abandoned store. The two exchanged a knowing glance. If any pokemon lived in the city, their central hub was probably in these closed down shops. Since Graham needed to train some of his newest team members, it seemed like a likely place to start.

In a burst of crimson light, the little shiny Shikijika appeared. It was a petite little doe, looking quite dainty and feminine next to App in his fully grown glory. The stag smiled down kindly to the fawn, who looked away bashfully. The boy held out his hand, stroking her along her long snout. "I hope your ready Sooh, it's time we got you trained." The little deer met his gaze with a strong spark of determination in them. Nodding once, they turned back towards the building. App lunged himself forwards, antlers lowered to pummel the back door open. The trainer stood back and hoped they could find something more than a few rattata.

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[Prince Pony Age]

There was indeed a Ratatta in the room, though only one. It and the three different Pichu that were in the room scattered as the door was broken open. However, two Pokemon were still left in the room: a Slowpoke who had barely noticed the intruders, and a Vaporeon who looked like she'd just been woken up, and was obviously quite frightened.

[Puppet]

Graham ignored the pokemon inside, and directed App silently to block the other exit. With the trainer baring the broken door and the Stantler no guarding the set of stairs, the abandoned store had turned into an arena. Sooh padded forward tentatively, her eyes riveted upon the frightened Vaporeon. "Jump Kick." the boy whispered, and the little doe only flicked an ear in acknowledgement.

Suddenly, in a blur of orange, the Shikijika was in the air in one bound. Her forehooves stretched out in front of her, she aimed to land on the water pokemon and lash out with the fighting attack.

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[Prince Pony Age]

The Shikijika startled the Vaporeon with the sudden attack, and hit her before she even realized she was in battle. She was knocked back and off her feet from the attack, but got back up quickly. Now that she KNEW there was battle to be done, she wouldn't be caught off-guard again.

Hoping to cause similar (or more) damage, the Vaporeon used Giga Impace on the orange fawn Pokemon.

[Puppet]

The Shikijika prepared herself, but not to dodge. Once the Vaporeon had drawn near, she spat out Leech Seeds, managing to get them all out before she was bowled over by the massive tackle. Shaking her head to clear it of it's mists, the little doe staggered back to her feet, glowering at the water type. Though she was hurt, she could already feel the seeds sapping energy from her foe, and restoring some strength.

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[Prince Pony Age]

The Vaporeon didn't even notice the Leech Seeds until she stood back up after the attack. She was tired and would have to recover for a few moments just because of her attack, and then--she felt her strength sapped away, rather than restored, with resting. Wha--and then she saw the seeds stuck to her body. Oh, Arceus.

She still couldn't move quite yet, though.

[Puppet]

Sooh stood a little taller, seeing the Vaporeon crumple as the doe was only growing stronger. Taking advantage of her foes weakened state, she opened her mouth wide. In it formed a glowing sphere that seemed to draw it's power from the sunlight that filtered through the boarded windows. When it had grown large, she released the Energy Ball, a formidable grass move.

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[Prince Pony Age]

<sup>[[Sorry I've taken soo long! ;3; I've gotten busy and distracted and forgot about many things.]]

[[...Also, I've started using battle-boxes because I realized I'm not good at estimating how much damage a move should do, etc. It keeps battles fair because all I do is run numbers :3]]</sup>

Despite the move's advantages against the water-type foe, the Vaporeon was hurt by the Leech Seeds quite a bit more than the attack. However, it still definitely hurt, and all the Vaporeon wanted was some peace; so, she let out a Roar, hoping to scare the orange fawn away.

[Weather: Clear]

Vaporeon ♀ [Hydration] [Item: none] [no stat mods] [Status: Seeded] HP: 796 [84.0%]
	Shikijika ♀ (Sooh) [Serene Grace] [Item: none] [no stat mods] [Status: Healthy] HP: 583 [87.5%]