fresh off the boat | mod/lab

[Deleted]

His lips pursed, a shrill tune of seemingly random staccato notes filling the air around him. Another voice answered back in a similar fashion before the rustle of leaves drew his gaze. A Fletchling took flight from a nearby tree, circling around him while singing a similar tune. A grin curled on his lips, and he held out his arm, providing a perch for the small bird. She may still be wary of him, but it was hard to ignore him when he so easily mimicked her song.

With Pyr secured, he carried down the path. He had arrived only yesterday in the region and took the night to explore, thank Xerneas for the ground beneath his feet, and find a suitable tree to sleep in. He would worry about finding proper lodgings after he was more aware of his surroundings.

The Fletchling slowly scooted up his arm, reaching his shoulder after a few moments. She made herself comfortable while Azrael relaxed his arm, letting it fall down to his side. His destination today was the laboratory someone on the boat mentioned as they were waiting to dock. He already had a Pokemon, so he doubted they would be willing to hand him another one. However, they did mention starter items. He may not be some ten year old, but he was considered a budding Pokemon trainer.

His steps slowed as the building came into sight before he turned on his heel, bypassing half of the path by cutting through the lawn. Once inside, his dark eyes took to glancing around, searching for someone to bother. Disinterested in his object, Pyr turned her attention toward Azrael's head. She took one of his thin braids in her beak and gave it a curious tug, eliciting a small hiss of pain from him.

TAG: @ mod
ACTIVE POKEMON: Pyr the Fletchling
NOTE: why steal when you can ask for free items?

[Mod Kurt]

The lab was busy nowadays, just as John liked it.

Pokemon from trainers journeying through the region were waking up, looking for breakfast. Someone’s Cramorant from Route 5 kept trying to fish in the pond with others’ Pokemon, so one of John’s first tasks had been to wrestle the bird Pokemon into solitary confinement until it learned that “fish Pokemon were friends, not food,” while at the Greenberry Lab.

Young Pokemon were usually running amok in the play areas, growing until they were ready for a starting trainer to join. The lab would probably need to visit Gaia Island again soon enough. John hoped that he would get that assignment, always enjoying the trip.

At the moment, he was assigning areas of the Pokemon habitats out back for the others, the assistants around him dispersing as soon as they got their assignments.

“Sylvia, head out to the flying types,” John said, pointing to the woman. “Watch out for Reggie’s Pidgeotto, he did something to his wing yesterday. Eddie, you got the ground types. Don’t encourage the twin Drillbur to race again, okay? Sand and rocks were thrown everywhere yesterday…”

John was on such a roll that eventually he pointed to a young man with braided hair and a Fletchling on his shoulder, about to assign him the fire types, but stopped himself short.

"You're not on the payroll," John said to the stranger amicably. He handed off the checklist to one of the remaining workers, waving them off to figure out themselves where they were going for the morning.

"Name's John Cordue, second only to the good professor herself," he said, introducing himself with a smile. "What can I help you with?"

@azrael

[Deleted]

"No, but I could be." The response came easily as a grin lifted to his lips. He had turned toward the group of people the moment a voice drew his attention, and he watched as the crowd thinned one by one. Perhaps if he had swiped a lab coat, he could have blended in and done whatever job might have been assigned to him for the hell of it. His hands slipped into the pockets of his large hoodie, and he took a few steps closer to the person clearly in charge at the moment.

"Azrael Lyon," he introduced back, the name still feeling foreign on his own tongue. A small jerk of the head motioned toward the bird on his shoulder, the movement causing her to jerk back to avoid his incoming head. "She's Pyr." The Fletchling blinked before twisting her head to one side, yanking on the braid once more. Azrael ignored her in favor of keeping his attention on John.

"I, ah... guess I'm here for advice?" One of his hands pulled from its pocket, lifting to sheepishly scratch behind his ear. "I'm takin' on the league and haven't the faintest clue on where to start." He half considered abandoning the idea entirely, but he should at least make some form of effort to gain a badge or two. He could slack off after.

TAG: Mod Kurt
ACTIVE POKEMON: Pyr the Fletchling

[Mod Kurt]

The laugh came as easily as Azrael's quip about joining the payroll, and John placed a hand on his chin as he appraised the young man.

"Maybe in a year or two if you're looking for a place like this to work at," John said casually. "It can be quite rewarding, but difficult and time-consuming. We have a bit of a turnover every so often due to that."

He nodded as introductions were made, and John said, "Pleasure to meet you both," being sure to give Pyr a little attention as well.

"The league, huh?" John's gaze shifted to Pyr momentarily before he continued to speak. "Well, it doesn't seem like you're in the market for a starter Pokemon. I'm sure your Fletchling will do just fine growing with you as a trainer. Did you just catch her around here? I know they're spotted at Route 2, but I haven't seen too many close to Greenberry Town itself.

"I'm guessing by your accent and the fact that you haven't the faintest clue to start -- your words, not mine -- that you're not from Ascua. Am I right?" John asked. As such, he motioned for Azrael to follow him through one of the side thresholds. The next room was smaller, a little more cluttered, with shelves lined with storage boxes and a small table in the middle that seemed to be a catch-all when it came to paperwork and supplies.

"Professor Cypress is a fan of helping new trainers get on their feet," John said as he reached up to rummage through one of the storage boxes. "It's one of the main reasons why Greenberry Labs exists. And to take on the league, you'll want a team of Pokemon with plenty of backup teammates, just in case. Are you connected to Ascua's PC system?"

John guessed not, but Azrael came to the right place for that.

@azrael

[Deleted]

He couldn't just walk in and apply for a job at the local laboratory? He supposed he would need one of those... fancy paper things and an interview. Did they take education into consideration? If so, he had absolutely zero chance of being hired on the spot. Azrael shrugged, jostling the Fletchling that used the braid in her beak for support. "Well, if you ever need someone to chase down a Tauros, gimme a call." He could not boast about his own intelligence and knowledge, but he knew his own capabilities with Pokemon handling.

"Pyr's a gift from my uncle," his grin widened, proud of that fact, even if she had been forced upon him. He turned his head toward the Fletchling, and the bird leaned the opposite way while pulling at the braid like a worm in the ground. Reaching up, he gently ran his knuckle down Pyr's red and gray feathers. Sufficiently distracted by the touch, she released the braid and chirped.

"Mhm~ from Kalos. Dahara City, to be exact." His accent was a mixture of Kalosian and the regional dialect from Dahara, the former only thanks to his time with the woman that took him off the streets. Azrael trailed after John, glancing around to scope out the room before entering the other room. He dropped his hand as the Fletchling pecked at his finger, done with letting him pet her.

He could only blink at John as he spoke, waiting a moment in silence before finally shaking his head. "'Fraid not." He's never touched a computer in his life, and he slept in a tree the night prior. Xerneas help him on this journey.

TAG: Mod Kurt
ACTIVE POKEMON: Pyr the Fletchling

[Mod Kurt]

"If you still have that energy and strength in a few years," John said, chuckling at the Tauros comment, "then we'll probably have a place for you."

The assistant's grin grew when Azrael proudly mentioned that the Fletchling was a gift from his uncle. "That's wonderful! I'm sure she was caught with special care, then. Her final evolution, should you choose for her to evolve, can be quite the powerhouse. Talonflame are known for their speed, too."

Kalos, then. "Ahh, Kalos," John said, seemingly turning wistful. "A beautiful region. Rich in history and architecture. It's one of my favorite places to go on assignments."

At Azrael's shake of his head, John found the packet he was looking for in the storage box and again motioned for Azrael to follow him. Out of the storage area, they crossed the original room again to enter another room that was distinctly neater but had the gentle hum of computers in the air. The open windows helped against the heat of the machines, even in these morning hours.

"No worries, we'll get you set up," John said and patted a chair in front of one of the computers. He brought a second chair over and helped Azrael input his information to connect him to the Greenberry Lab's electronic storage system.

"As a trainer, you're only allowed six Pokemon with you at a time," John explained. "When you catch more, they'll automatically be transported digitally to us here at the lab. They'll be well taken care of until you need them again, in which case, all you have to do is call us up from a PC -- the Pokemon Centers all around the region have them -- and we'll switch out your Pokemon.

"Now, you'll probably need a few supplies." John handed Azrael the small packet that he had fished from the storage box. It held a couple of potions, two antidotes, and five pokeballs. "It's a standard pack that we give all starting trainers to give you a little helping hand. Do you have any questions that I can answer before you head out?"

@azrael

[Deleted]

Ah, yes... 'Special care'. Azrael was not about to let him know what kind of people he associated with in Dahara City. It would likely make this transition to Ascua smoother if he did not let his past slip. That and he would like to keep Pyr by his side; stating she was likely stolen would mean risking having her confiscated. "I'll let her evolve if she wants. She's a perfect fit for my shoulder right now." How big did Talonflame get, again? He could not recall ever seeing one, likely because the coast was too humid for them.

Turning on his heels, Azrael waited for John to exit before he followed after him. He hesitated as they entered the next room, eyeing the computers. His smile strained for a fraction of a second before it disappeared. Sitting himself down in the chair John singled out, he stared blankly at the screen. Thankfully, a certain someone was there to guide him through the entire process. If he had to touch another PC after this, he was going to need to latch onto someone to make them do everything for him.

Or, maybe he could stick to six Pokemon and never have to bother with the PC again.

John was saying a lot of words, and Azrael could only blink at him, slowly nodding every once in a while to act like he understood everything. He would have to figure out everything the assistant just said later, probably through trial and error.

"Ah, thanks," he mumbled, still failing to wrap his head around the explanation he had been given. Pyr did him a favor by yanking on another braid, bringing him back to reality so he could take the packet handed to him. Azrael swiveled around in the chair before standing up, pocketing the packet of items. "Yeah~ where's the best place to eat around here?" A lopsided grin curled on his lips. After that mental exercise in electronics, he was very hungry.

TAG: Mod Kurt
ACTIVE POKEMON: Pyr the Fletchling

[Mod Kurt]

John noticed the glaze of confusion that he usually saw in starting trainers, albeit ones that were younger than the one in front of him. John was curious as to why Azrael was getting a late start but didn't pry. Regardless, John was patient as he explained everything about the PC system and figured that Azrael would get the hang of it whenever he tried it out himself.

Whether Azrael got anything out of the spiel on the storage system or not, the question he asked was about food rather than heading off on his Pokemon journey. The question was so unexpected that John barked out a laugh.

"It's a little community here," he said, "so there's no fancy restaurants or anything if you're used to that. We do have a lovely farmers market that sells fresh produce and a nice shop that specializes in teas, coffees, and a few pastries.

"Otherwise," John said, standing up himself and leading Azrael back to the front room of the lab, "most folks take the boats to a few of the other port cities or take a day trip through the woods to Falldale Town."

Making it back to the main room, John stuck his hands in the pockets of his lab coat, his posture relaxed. He wouldn't kick Azrael out -- instead, he opted to wait until the new trainer felt ready to walk out the door and start his adventure himself.

@azrael

[Deleted]

A farmers' market! Was that like the street vendors of Dahara, only with fruits and vegetables instead of falafel and arayes? An apple was easier to swipe than something hot, making a farmers' market the perfect place for him to grab a quick bite to eat. Though, he may want to use some of the pocket change Uncle Amani gave him, at least until he was out of Greenberry. A small town meant everyone knew everyone, and he would rather not end up on the blacklist just yet.

Azrael felt his grin widen, his feet automatically carrying him after John. "Good to know." Swing through the farmers' market and then head through the woods to Falldale; that sounded like a plan to him. He would rather avoid boats for the time being. The two months to get to the Ascua region was two months too long to be on the open sea.

There was another tug on one of his braids as the Fletchling perched on his shoulder tried to hurry him along. She was getting restless from being inside for so long, and she would rather be pecking at an actual worm instead of his hair. "Alright, alright," Azrael shook his head to free his hair from Pyr's beak. "Thanks for the help," he turned on his heels and started slowly walking backwards toward the exit. "Call me if you need an extra pair of hands around here," he turned toward the door before adding, "or if you get lonely," and threw a wink over his shoulder.

Without another word, he left.

TAG: Mod Kurt
ACTIVE POKEMON: Pyr the Fletchling

[Mod Kurt]

John hoped Azrael would have good luck on his journey. He seemed to have the confidence to do well, or at the least the mentality to fake enough confidence to figure out his way through most trouble. Sometimes it was harder for the older starting trainers to get going -- they didn't have the enthusiasm and the curiosity to just ask for help like most of the younger ones. Instead, the older starter trainers seemed to have this feeling that they should have everything together, all the knowledge they needed, despite being beginners too.

Sometimes asking for help was the most difficult thing to do.

Azrael thanked him and gave a wayward goodbye, startling John enough with the wink that John raised both his eyebrows after the trainer and didn't have a quip ready before Azrael fully left. Instead, John chuckled to himself and went back to work.

Wait until he told his husband that he still had it.

@azrael, great starting thread!