New Siblings Abound [open]

[Deleted]

Just as Nitrine had suspected, the first interaction between Cole and the new Sentret was involving a lot of frisking and sniffing. Them getting acquainted. Nitrine smiled. He watched them in the front yard from inside the screen door, close enough to stop any roughhousing from getting too escalated. His older three Pokémon needed a break from the babysitting for at least a moment, especially now that Cole had a playmate about his own age.

Ginger reared up on her tail, giggling. "So you're Cole? Take a look at what I can do!"

Cole danced around his new friend and transformed into a Sentret illusion. True to his current skill, it was perfect aside from his tail, which remained black and fluffy, and too short for him to balance. When he grinned up at her, his pointed fangs shone white. He said, "You can do a cool trick. Whaddya think of mine, huh?"

"That is a cool trick," agreed Ginger. "But can you stand up, like me?"

Cole agilely jumped up to her level and knocked her down with a laugh. "I can bring you down here!" he said. He swatted her in a Scratch attack, but only gently, with his claws pulled back. Laughing, Ginger returned the Scratch attack with her own, which mussed up the tuft of red and black hair on Cole's head.

Nitrine watched from the screen door. He couldn't have asked for a better meeting. They seemed to be getting along just fine.

Happiness: Cole, Ginger - 0 (1/5)
Tags: Kurt Emerson for Kurt, if he's heard the news about Kiwi and Peanut's kid being adopted and/or just wants to say hi. Bryar Glasse because we've been talking. Mod Kris or Mod Kurt because there might be playfighting, which could be good for experience. Aside from those specific people, just about anyone can join, and please feel free to make suggestions since this is such an open-ended thread.

[Mod Kurt]

Cole gained 5 experience points! Cole grew to level 6!

Ginger gained 5 experience points! Ginger grew to level 6!

[Kurt Emerson]

(Tags: @aeranautics because you started the thread. xD Mod Kris for any future experience points to be gained, please and thank you. Also open to everyone else, it seems!)
Happiness: Kiwi - Maxed

A cheery tune was being whistled as Kurt wandered down the island's many pathways. This particular one led him toward the Southeast region, a place that was usually populated by the more mild Pokemon types (of course, any Pokemon could be dangerous, but Kurt was hard-pressed to be truly intimidated by Pokemon that resembled flowers, you know?).

Kiwi was beside him (usually -- sometimes she gallivanted off into the fields for a few minutes before returning to him), the long Furret taking a casual interest in her surroundings. However, she stopped in her tracks as her nose quivered with a familiar scent.

Before Kurt knew what was happening, Kiwi had taken off, racing through the area until she paused at the edge of one of the few ranches in the area. Staring into the yard of the ranch, she spotted the young Sentret playing with a dark-furred Pokemon that she didn't recognize.

That had been one of hers.

"Kiwi...!" Kurt caught up with his Furret and, thankful that she had stopped dashing about, paused a moment to catch his breath. Looking around, he noticed the sign boasting 'Spectrum Fields' and waved when he believed he noticed someone through the house's screen door. May as well show the owner that he was friendly so he wouldn't, you know, get a "Get off my lawn!"

"What's up, Kiwi?" Kurt asked, scratching his head close to the brim of his hat. His smile softened when he too saw the Sentret. He wondered...

[Deleted]

Ginger wrapped Cole in her long, surprisingly muscular tail and flicked it out, sending him rolling across the grass. He laughed, delighted. "You have a really strong tail, Ginger!"

"Why, thank you," said Ginger with a bow. An unfamiliar sound came to her sensitive ears, and by instinct she stood up on her tail to investigate. "Did you hear that?"

Cole's ears swiveled. His gaze followed hers to the edge of the property, where two figures appeared to stand.

It was their body language that cued Nitrine in that they had spotted something of interest—he actually hadn't seen his visitors through the screen. He opened it up and asked, "What's up, guys?" He saw a person at the edge of his property, waving at him. Nitrine waved back before turning to the two young Pokemon. "Let's go greet our visitors."

He set out at a quick pace across the grass, but as per usual, Cole had other plans. He bolted for the property fence as fast as he could, wanting to show off his illusion skills to the newcomers who, as he drew nearer, didn't look all too familiar. He was about to reach the fence when Nitrine called, "Cole! You left Ginger behind!"

That made the Zorua pause and look back, panting from the sprint. Ginger was scurrying across the property after him, using all four of her legs, but she wasn't moving much faster than Nitrine's brisk walk. Somewhat disappointed, Cole went back to Ginger's side. "You don't move very fast, do you?"

"Not as fast as you, I guess!" she replied. "You've got very speedy feet." She nudged him in her scurrying, inciting an impromptu round of rough-and-tumble that Nitrine had to step around.

Nitrine was able to get a better look at the visitors once he'd gotten to the fence, a young brunet with blue eyes wearing a hat, with a... (Crap, what was it called? Nitrine mused)—Furret at his side. Yes, that was it. He'd been reading information about Sentret once he'd officially adopted Ginger, and naturally that included finding out what she would eventually evolve into. Nitrine said, "Hi, there! Welcome to my ranch! I don't believe we've met before..."

The youngsters finally caught up to Nitrine and paused at his heels. A grin spread across Cole's face, and his eyes darted between the Furret and her master, deciding who to transform into first. Ginger, on the other hand, was wide-eyed and twitchy-nosed, and after a moment, she scampered forward to Kiwi. "Mom...?"

Kurt Emerson Sorry for the lateness. Also not 100% sure how soon after hatching Ginger got sent to the Adoption Center or how long she was there for, so, she recognizes Kiwi but isn't like 'YEAHHHHHH~" Of course, if something is off about that, let me know.
Happiness: Cole, Ginger - 0 (2/5)

[Kurt Emerson]

(Tags: @aeranautics, no worries about being "late!" There is no rush! As for the Adoption Center, I always figured that Kurt donated the Pokemon as eggs -- I can't imagine them hatching then Kurt shipping them off to the center. ^^' I'm guessing the family members would vaguely recognize each other by smell or some instinct.)
Happiness: Kiwi - Maxed

Judging by the way the Sentret and Kiwi were all twitchy-nosed and wide-eyed at each other, Kurt was almost positive that the Sentret had been one of the eggs that he had donated to the Adoption Center after having been in his shop for a touch longer than he was comfortable with. Of course, he'd have to confirm his suspicions with the rancher of the place, but if Kurt was right as to the Sentret's origins, it was wonderful to know that she had a good home.

"Hey!" Kurt greeted the other young man with a wide grin and a tip of his hat before stretching out his hand for a shake. "No, I don't think we have met face-to-face, but I know of you. I'm Kurt Emerson, I help out Kris with main office and all the fun paperwork stuff that comes with the island. I've probably seen the name of your ranch on some form or another, but I'm afraid I don't quite remember your name. Begins with an N, right?"

Kurt glanced around at Spectrum Fields, seeing all the bright wildflowers among the property. "There's no doubt you're taking good care of this place," he said, turning his gaze back to the light-haired man and the young Pokemon before him. "Your kids here look pretty happy."

Kurt asked, "Out of curiosity, did you adopt your Sentret from the center that's off the coast of the Sinnoh region...?" He bent down slowly so that he was closer to eye-level of the Pokemon. Swinging an arm around his Furret, he added, "Kiwi here had a couple of eggs that we had donated there, and the pair seem to know each other."

"Yes, we do," Kiwi murmured, as if Kurt had been speaking to her rather than the other human. With a smile to the Sentret, she added, "How are you doing?"

[Deleted]

Ginger sat up, long tail curled about herself. She said, “I kind of just got here, but I like my new playmate! And my human is really nice, too!” She gestured to them both. “My human calls me Ginger, and my new playmate is Cole, and he’s really fast!”

Overhearing her talking to Kiwi, Cole made his decision and, in a fluid motion, transformed into a Furret illusion. His form was almost perfect aside from being small and a little lanky, with his natural tail. He sat up on his haunches as the humans talked above him, with Nitrine hardly noticing his transformation much, given it was something Cole always liked to show off.

“Kurt, of course!” Nitrine said, taking his offer of a handshake. “I think I've gotten update emails from Kristen with your name tacked on somewhere. Yeah, I'm Nitrine, Nitrine Knight,” he introduced himself. He went on, “I can understand how we haven't met. It's been awhile since I've been to the main office; I've been so busy here trying to make sure the barn is clean, I know how to properly care for the land and all my Pokémon, the works. Though if you're a rancher, you must have your own place, too, right?”

Breathing a sigh, Nitrine looked down at the transformed Cole and said, “What I really need to do is get back into training. I've had Cole here for some time but he has no battle experience with me yet… And I can tell my other Pokemon have been getting a bit restless, too.”

When Kurt remarked that his youngest two were looking well, Nitrine chirped, “Thanks! I'm doing my best. And yes, I did; lucky guess! I filled out an application for her on the center’s website, and they got back to me in a couple of days. Today she and Cole were getting acquainted, and they seemed to hit it off right away.”

He crouched down with Kurt, feeling a little awkward to still be standing tall since all the Pokemon present were on the smaller side. He patted Cole’s head between brown ears, causing his Furret disguise to fade in an instant. Cole pouted a bit until Nitrine stroked his head again.

“Oh, so, Ginger is one of your Furret’s babies?” gushed Nitrine. “Wow, what a small world! Well, I can tell you that Ginger is in good hands here.” Nitrine grinned at his Sentret, who seemed to chatter about him positively with her mother.

His expression turned serious, his smile falling a bit, eyes holding curiosity as he addressed Kurt again. “Did you say you donated her as an egg?” he asked. “Was that hard on your Furret? Kiwi, right? How do you think they remember each other?”

Kurt Emerson Also, if we go by the anime, Pokemon in eggs can have memories of events happening outside the egg before they hatch sometimes (Ash’s Larvitar), so I'm sure Ginger and Kiwi recognizing each other by smell isn't too out of the question.
Note to lurkers: this thread is still open!
Happiness - Cole, Ginger 0 (3/5)

[Kurt Emerson]

(Tags: @aeranautics, sounds good to me!)
Happiness: Kiwi - Maxed

Kiwi made a chittering sound, almost like a purr. "I'm glad to hear that--" The Furret jumped when Ginger's playmate abruptly transformed into a Furret himself, albeit with the wrong kind of tail. Kiwi blinked and tilted her head in confusion. "I'm sorry... What kind of Pokemon are you?"

Kurt had nearly jumped as well when Cole appeared to have morphed, but he laughed in delight at the trick. "That's awesome!" he said. "Kind of reminds me of a Ditto."

Nitrine rambled about how well he was doing on his ranch, and Kurt listened with a patient smile. He always enjoyed hearing about how well others were doing with their Pokemon.

"Ah, at least we've met now," Kurt said with a grin. "Totally understand how busy having a ranch can be. Been doing it for a few years myself, first on the smaller Gaia Ranch when it was back in Sinnoh and now at my own. My ranch is Riverrock Acres over on the east side of the island. It's mostly Water- and Ground-types, but I have a few other kinds of Pokemon from my trainer days." He scratched the back of his head. "I'd say come over anytime, but I'd appreciate a call or heads-up first, only because I have a Pokemon that's a bit sensitive to strangers. You may be fine, being a guy and all, but just in case.

"I can understand getting a bit restless," Kurt agreed with a knowing nod. "My Pokemon, especially a few of my older ones, tend to battle practice with each other. Got 'em a few targets to help them, but most of them are already broken." He rolled his eyes in good humor.

"Glad they're hitting it off," Kurt said when the talk turned back to Ginger and Cole. "And that Ginger is in good hands, of course." Kurt flashed a grin at Nitrine.

At the question regarding donating the eggs, Kurt's grin faded into a soft smile. "I think it was a little harder on me than Kiwi and Peanut, my Donphan who sired the litter," he said. "Think it's pretty instinctual for the Pokemon to live their own lives after hatching. Young ones don't tend to stay with their parents for too long.

"Kiwi and Peanut had a good-sized clutch of six eggs," Kurt continued, "and I know where most of them have ended up. One Sentret hatched early, so Reuben, as I call him, is running around and causing trouble on my ranch. Kris adopted a Phanpy, who I think she's calling Ollie, and Professor Elm in the Johto region bought a Sentret and Phanpy egg each for new trainers. When two eggs were left, I think they had a better chance at the Adoption Center than in my shop. It at least worked for Ginger!"

He glanced between Kiwi and the younger Pokemon, his Furret apparently enjoying chatting with the Sentret and Zorua. "Scent, perhaps," Kurt answered when Nitrine asked about Kiwi and Ginger remembering each other. "Instinct could be a part of it as well, and Ginger may remember Kiwi's sounds from when she was still an egg. They're amazing creatures, aren't they?"

[Deleted]

Ginger laughed at Cole’s transformation abilities, and how her mother and Kurt reacted to them. She said, “That's something neat that he can do!”

Anticipating his owner to answer for him, Cole nodded up at Nitrine as he explained to Kurt, “Yeah, it's something Zorua can do. They transform into other Pokémon to spook them or trick them so they—the Zorua—can get themselves out of danger; except maybe transform isn't really the best word? They give the illusion of transforming, but it fails with a touch.” Nitrine again patted Cole's head, for emphasis. “So kind of like a Ditto, but not really. And he's not perfect, but he'll get better with practice and training.”

Cole nodded proudly at Kiwi. “Someday I’ll be able to turn into you and not even your trainer will know the difference,” he declared, grinning in full confidence.

“Oh, yeah, the old Gaia Ranch,” Nitrine said. “Bryar told me about it once; it seems like a few of the ranchers there, like you and him, came here to the island. Said you chose to come help Kristen run the place, which is probably why I often see your name on some of the important emails I get. Is it nice having your own ranch after being on the smaller, old Gaia Ranch?” At Kurt’s request that Nitrine call ahead, he gave a bob of his head. “I’ll keep in mind to do that, especially because I haven’t explored the eastern side too much yet and might be inspired to visit your ranch in my explorations. I wouldn’t want to freak out any of your Pokemon. My own tend to do that just fine when they wander off, to be honest.” He chuckled at the last bit.

“Targets? Now that’s fancy. Your Pokemon must be pretty strong if they’ve broken your targets already,” Nitrine remarked. His gaze fell to the grass for a moment in thought. “I don’t think my Pokemon have ever had battles with each other to train, but maybe the idea never occurred to them. Maybe they think going out to train is more fun.” Nitrine looked at his Sentret and Zorua and said, “I’ve gotta take you both out training sometime, too.”

“Yes!” both the youngsters enthused in unison.

He grinned when Kurt remarked that Ginger was in good hands. “I’ll do my best to raise her to be strong and healthy,” he assured his fellow rancher. Nitine had to admit that, although he didn’t know Kurt, the fact that he had adopted a Pokemon from another rancher on the island made him feel a bit pressured to take extra-good care of Ginger, as if he might fail Kurt’s expectations of him as a breeder and rancher.

“You think so?” he asked Kurt, about young Pokemon not staying with their parents for very long after hatching. “I guess you would know more than I would, since you’ve been a rancher longer. I can tell you that I got Oxana when she was very young, but not as an egg, so maybe some Pokemon don’t mind if their breeders hang onto their eggs a bit longer? I’ve also heard that some Pokemon raise their young, but maybe things are different for wild Pokemon when there are no people around to care for them.” He shrugged. “I’m new to the world of Pokemon eggs, so I guess I’ve got some learning to do.

“It’s great that you’re able to know basically all your eggs went to good homes,” Nitrine said. “Sometimes, when I think about talking to my Pokemon about eggs, I worry that they’ll have a clutch and nobody will be interested in buying. I guess the Adoption Center isn’t really a bad place; I just want to know they’ll go someplace where someone will want and enjoy them. Heh, I guess all of us want that for our eggs, huh?”

After listening to Kurt’s theories for how Ginger and Kiwi seemed to remember one another, Nitrine nodded in agreement with his last statement, saying, “They are really amazing, and there’s still so much about them that we don’t know. I guess that’s the adventure of working with them. Do you think Kiwi would mind if I pet her?”

Tags: Kurt Emerson; open
"post quick reply" suggests the button as I post a reply I've been working on for like two days lmao
Happiness - Cole, Ginger 0 (4/5)

[Kurt Emerson]

(Tags: @aeranautics)
Happiness: Kiwi - Maxed

"Illusions, huh?" Kurt smiled at Cole. "You part Ghost-type, buddy? Sounds like something a ghost can do. It's pretty cool."

Kiwi chuckled along with her trainer and Ginger. To Cole, she gave him a light smirk and simply said, "We'll see. Even if your looks may fool Kurt, your personality may not."

"Bryar's pretty cool," Kurt said. "Haven't visited him a long while, actually... I should probably do that. Maybe go and bother Raphael and some of the other ranchers too. How many other ranches have you seen?

"It is nice," he answered, "but I definitely miss the controlled chaos that was the old Gaia Ranch. We had one house with, like, a dozen people living in it at one time, and so many Pokemon running amok, I loved it! My own place is great and I have my Pokemon with me, but I have realized that I started talking to myself more often. Not sure if I should be worried." He gave Nitrine a lopsided grin.

"The eastern side of the island is beautiful, in my not so humble opinion," Kurt said. "There's a lake and, if you're able to, you need to see it when the sun rises. There's no words for how gorgeous it is."

He chuckled with Nitrine as the other remarked how his Pokemon tended to wander off. "As long as they always return," Kurt said.

"Not too fancy," Kurt admitted in regards to the targets. "They were these cheap, inflatable things. Although I had hoped they'd be a bit more sturdy, I wasn't that surprised when they broke. I probably should have let my Pokemon battle train with each other, especially those who had been on my main team when I used to travel." He reached out and threaded his fingers in Kiwi's fur atop her head.

"I know you will," Kurt said with a simple smile when Nitrine promised to care for Ginger. At Nitrine's remarks about eggs, Kurt said, "It may be different for different species, I suppose. Kiwi kinda dotes on Reuben, but he's also got her flair for trouble, so that could be why. Peanut cares too, but he tends to watch from afar and let Reuben do his own thing. I'd like to think that our Pokemon trust us with their eggs. In the wild, Pokemon may teach their young as quickly as possible on how to survive. Then there are pack-like Pokemon, like Poochyena, ya know?

"The Adoption Center is great," Kurt said. "They're safe, they'll never abandon any Pokemon, and they're accessible from all the regions, so they have a large cliente that they run background checks on. I know what you mean about wanting to be sure the eggs go with someone who will love them, but I'm confident the Adoption Center loves the Pokemon, even if they never get picked up by trainers."

Kurt smiled at Nitrine's words, then scoffed at his question. "Of course she wouldn't mind, she's an attention hog." He earned a smack to the arm by Kiwi's tail before she sidled up closer to Nitrine. She made sure to stay crouched down a bit considering she was almost taller than the other rancher if she stood to her full height.

[Deleted]

“Hm, that’s a good point…” muttered Cole, before declaring, “I’ll have to learn how to be extra sneaky, then.” Ginger chuckled at his confidence.

Cole’s proud look became even more proud when Kurt complimented his Illusion ability. Nitrine joked, “Careful, if you make his head any bigger, it might pop!” He laughed at his own remark before continuing, “Honestly, I don’t know what I’d do if Zorua were Ghost- and Dark-type…” In a lower voice, he added, “since I’m low-key afraid of both types…

“I like Bryar; he is pretty cool,” Nitrine agreed. “And I see a lot of him, since our ranches are so close. In fact, my wandering Pokemon is the reason he and I met in the first place—when I first got Kellen, he snuck out of my house at around midnight and danced over to Wildrose Orchards without a care in the world.

“They also helped me meet another rancher, Corbin; she’s from Bubble Brook, more to the east.” Nitrine gestured vaguely in the direction of her ranch. “Cole was running away from bathtime and DJ was the only one of my Pokemon fast enough to catch up with him. They ended up stumbling on her brand-new ranch, and I mean brand-new. She was still unpacking her stuff from boxes in her house when I met her.”

Nitrine rubbed the back of his head. “Whether or not they return is a real question. Both times I’ve had to physically go and get them myself. So far I’ve only been to Bryar’s and Corbin’s ranches, and Silverstone Valley, run by Morgan, but I discovered her ranch on my own. I really don’t think my Pokemon would wander so far away.”

He gave a small laugh when Kurt mentioned how much quieter it was having his own ranch. “I guess that means I should pay you a visit sometime, give you someone to talk to,” he said, in good fun.

When Kurt talked about the targets, Nitrine said, “Oh, I was thinking they were wooden targets or something. That makes more sense. You sound like you’ve traveled some, so I have no doubt that your Pokemon from those days are really strong. Is Kiwi one of them?”

Listening intently to Kurt talk more about eggs, and about how Kiwi and Peanut treated Reuben, Nitrine placed an absent hand on his own chin. “That’s really interesting, but it would make sense that different species have different behavior towards their young. And, whether or not they’re wild is probably a factor. I have a question about eggs, though: How do you know when your Pokemon is getting ready to have eggs? Do they start building a nest? Do they tell you? Or do you just walk into the barn and surprise, they’re holding eggs?

“That is true,” he agreed, on the topic of the Adoption Center. “I guess even if they don’t end up going to a trainer, there are probably enough people at the Adoption Center to love and care for all the Pokemon there, regardless.”

Nitrine grinned in excitement when Kiwi drew near and, gentle as can be, he stroked her head with his hand. “Wow. You’re so long! I can hardly tell where you end and your tail starts.” He looked at Ginger and told her, “You’re going to look like this someday.”

Ginger’s eyes lit up. “That is so cool! Isn’t it, Mom?”

Tags: Kurt Emerson
Happiness - Cole, Ginger 0 (5/5) +1

[Kurt Emerson]

(Tags: @aeranautics)
Happiness: Kiwi - Maxed

"Oh, I'm sure your trainer will love that," Kiwi said with a mischievous grin.

"Ah, well, confidence can be a good thing," Kurt said with a chuckle at Nitrine's words. To mostly Cole, Kurt added, "Arrogance is not. Be careful, buddy." Kurt caught a bit of Nitrine's softer words and gave the other man a sympathetic smile. "A warning to you, then. Near Apricorn Woods, a new ranch just went up, Crescent Grove. It specializes in Ghost-, Dark-, and Poison-types, if I remember correctly. I'm sure the guy is nice, though, haven't formerly met him yet."

Kurt listened to Nitrine speak of the other ranchers he had met. "Yeah, Bryar's a good guy," Kurt said. "Haven't gotten a chance to really know Corbin or Morgan, yet. Kiwi and I will probably keep walking in a bit, see who else we can get acquainted with.

"Yeah, she is," Kurt said, smiling warmly at Kiwi. "She was my second ever Pokemon. She caught herself as a young Sentret, actually. One of my easiest captures, ha! She figured she'd get food on a regular basis with a trainer, and that was enough to convince her to join myself and Peanut, my Donphan, then a Phanpy. We took on the Johto Gym Challenge and made it all the way to the second round of the Elite Four. Instead of trying again, we figured we'd keep traveling and ended up in Sinnoh at the old Gaia Ranch."

Nitrine asked about eggs, and Kurt's reply was, "Have a Psychic Pokemon tell you that they're carrying." With a chuckle, he added, "I have a Xatu, Apple, and she woke me up one morning telling me that Kiwi was going to have eggs. Gave me the exact date and everything.

"Even if Apple hadn't been inclined to warn me," Kurt continued, "I did see some signs from Kiwi. She started nesting, stealing some of my sweaters and blankets and dragging them to her spot in the barn. Peanut was much more attentive to her as well. Although I think it's probably a bit different between species, those slight differences in behavior are fairly universal. Being more protective of their territory or nesting area, maybe more aggressive towards strangers or even annoying teammates, can be other signs... Of course, they can also be signs that your Pokemon is sick, so..." He trailed off with a small shrug.

"There are," Kurt agreed regarding the Adoption Center. "The other eggs had been sleeping in the heated container for my shop for a little while before I had decided to give them to the Adoption Center. Figured they had the better shot there if they hadn't had any takers around here after a while.

"Yeah, she's all tail," Kurt said, giving Kiwi a smirk. "I trip over it all the time."

"That's the fun part," Kiwi said, winking at Ginger and Cole.

[Deleted]

Cole tilted his head quizzically at Kurt, who spoke again to Nitrine, about the new rancher near the Apricorn Woods. Nitrine stifled the urge to frown. He wasn't inclined to trust a guy who raised Dark- and Ghost-types; in his experience, those kinds of people were edgy teens, malicious gangsters and, in his father's case, ruthless businessmen who needed their property guarded. Still Nitrine agreed, "Yeah, he probably is. Maybe we'll run into each other sometime." After all, Cole turned out fine, even as a Dark-type. Nitrine figured he'd be best of meeting the new rancher before passing judgement.

"Both Corbin and Morgan are really neat," he said. "I think if you run into Corbin, she'll appreciate having another new friend here."

Nitrine listened to Kurt talk about how Kiwi captured herself, and their accomplishments in their travels. His eyebrows rose, and he said, "That's impressive! You've really done a lot since becoming a trainer. When did you start traveling? Most kids from my city started at ten or twelve-ish."

There were advantages to owning a Psychic-type, evidently! Luckily Kurt also offered wisdom on how to tell if eggs were due in the absence of a Psychic-type Pokemon. Nitrine said, "I'm making mental notes so I can keep that in mind, so I know what to do if Oxana starts stealing blankets and clothes from me." He chuckled a little, joking, even while his heart pounded with excitement of the idea of his very first Pokemon having eggs of her own.

Ginger and Cole both laughed with Kiwi, and Nitrine said to Kurt, "I can totally see that happening!" To his Sentret, he added, "Guess I'll have to keep my eyes peeled once you evolve so I don't end up face-planting when I'm working in the barn or something!" This sent Ginger into another fit of laughter.

A loud bam! from the nearby barn made Nitrine and his two youngsters glance over in its direction. "Are they sparring...?" he muttered under his breath. There weren't any other sounds, though, aside from another bam! To Kurt, Nitrine said, "Excuse me, I'm going to go see what that ruckus is."

"Ooh, I get to meet more Pokemon!" Ginger exclaimed to Kiwi, touching her nose with her mother's before scampering off after Nitrine and Cole.

Nitrine opened the barn door to find Oxana alone in the barn, preparing for a running start for a Headbutt against the barn wall. Up on a high shelf dangled her Skitty's-tail toy. She glanced over at Nitrine when he and the others walked in, her expression straight. Alarmed that she was alone when she shouldn't have been, Nitrine asked, "First of all, what are you doing? Second, where are DJ and Kellen?"

"I threw my toy too high," answered the Snubbull, pointing, "so I'm trying to get it down. As for your second question..."

Nitrine emerged from the barn just two minutes later, having withdrawn Oxana, an exasperated look on his face. As he approached Kurt again, he said, "It looks like two of my Pokemon have snuck off while I was out here with Ginger and Cole." He heaved a haggard sigh. "I'm sorry to have to run, but, you know..."

"Busted," snickered Cole.

Kurt Emerson Left it open since there's quite a bit left that you can reply to; afterwards, we'll call it done.
Happiness - Cole, Ginger 1 (1/5); Oxana - 0 (1/5)

[Kurt Emerson]

(Tags: @aeranautics I'll lock and archive this, but I left it a bit open-ended, so if you are continuing the search in another thread and would like Kurt's help, feel free to tag me! )
Happiness: Kiwi - Maxed

"I'm sure," Kurt said, smiling, regarding the new rancher. "Kris said he seemed to be on the quiet side, but maybe we can draw him out a bit."

Nitrine asked about when Kurt started traveling, and he scratched the back of his head, trying to remember. "Think I was around twelve? So, I've been training for about half my life. Man, that makes me feel old, haha!"

Kurt and Kiwi both jumped at hearing the crashes from Nitrine's barn, and Kurt frowned. He nodded as Nitrine excused himself, and Kurt's frown turned into a brief smile when Ginger said goodbye to Kiwi. Kurt waited for a moment, curious if Nitrine would need help, when the other rancher emerged from the barn.

"Everything alright?" Kurt asked. Nitrine explained what had happened, something that happened often enough with Nitrine's earlier words.

"Finding your Pokemon is more important," Kurt said, waving off Nitrine's apology. "I can help, if you'd like."