Sand and Surf [Open!]

[Morgan Porter]

"Be careful with the water," Morgan said as Vivi went a little too close to the edge of the shore. Morgan was a decent swimmer, but she wasn't quite sure if she'd be strong enough to go against the tides if one of her Pokemon thought they could swim.

...Could her Pokemon swim? Perhaps Morgan would take them to a river or Mirror Lake, a place that is a bit more controlled water-wise in order to find out. Or maybe she could invest in a kiddie pool. How did deliveries reach Gaia Island, anyway? Morgan assumed by seaplane or boat, but she wasn't positive about that. She glanced towards Central Port, wondering if that was a silly question to ask one of the heads of the island.

Morgan brought her attention back to her Pokemon, seeing Horos curiously watching Vivi dart in and out to touch the cold seawater. Illume seemed to be at home with the coming night, the Elgyem staring up at the sky that was beginning to be littered with stars. Morgan had done some reading on the species after Illume had joined her team, and supposedly the Elgyem line came from outer space themselves. Morgan wasn't sure if she quite believed it, but it was an interesting thought.

Taking a deep breath of the cool air, Morgan wrapped her shawl a little tighter around her and glanced about, seeing if there was anything else happening on the beach as her Pokemon played in the sand and surf.

Pokemon Happiness: Vivi (1/5), Horos (1/5), Illume (1/5)
Open to all, but also maybe Mod Kris/Mod Kurt at some point for meteor shower shenanigans?

[Deleted]

Nora had been working harder than she remembered ever working in her life, and now her ranch was…nothing fancy, honestly, but livable. That deserved a break, right? And what better place for a break than the beach?

Well…maybe the time of day wasn’t ideal. The start of sunset would be the perfect time to hang out by the ocean, but the stars were already coming out. A night sky could be just as majestic as a sunset, she supposed, but with night came the reminder that she’d need to be in bed sooner rather than later, so she could take full advantage of the daylight tomorrow.

That was how a responsible person was supposed to think, anyway. She’d see if she actually stuck to it. And really, would it be so bad if she took tomorrow off? She’d only be delaying herself, right? And one day was nothing! It might even be better spent playing with her new companions, so they could form a strong bond and work better together later. Daylight didn’t matter for fun and games.

Upon arrival at the beach, she released her Pokemon from their pokeballs. Tempo wasted no time flying toward the nearest Pokemon she could see, the Noibat attempting to fly in circles over her perceived playmates. Fuji the Applin was far less active, contenting himself with rolling across the sand a couple feet and coming to a rest, eyes closed and apparently intending to snooze while his fellow Pokemon played. As for Nora, she studied the trio that had been on the beach before her arrival. An Elgyem, a Meditite, and a Gothita? She didn’t see those species often. They were all psychic types, right? Did they all belong to that woman over there? For that matter, what was her story? She was probably a rancher if she was here on the island, right? She should probably get to know the other ranchers in this community, anyway.

“Hey there.” She approached the other woman, hoping her presence wouldn’t be unwanted. “My name’s Nora Carter. What’s yours?”

---

Happiness: Tempo (1/5), Fuji (1/5)
Morgan Porter

[Morgan Porter]

The bat Pokemon startled Morgan, not going to lie. Morgan hadn't really expected anyone else to be around at this time -- which was silly, in hindsight, considering how teeming with wildlife the island seemed to be, and Morgan was quite aware that she was not the only rancher on the island -- so she more or less froze when she saw a random Pokemon go flying over Horos's head.

Horos, on his part, also seemed to brace himself, but it became apparent quickly that the Noibat -- at least Morgan recognized the species of Pokemon -- was friendly enough, most likely looking to play. The Meditite looked uncertain for a moment before trying to greet the Noibat politely with a little bow.

Vivi was distracted enough by the appearance of the Noibat to not watch the next wave come in and was knocked over by the water. She landed face-first into the sand, taking a second to get up and angrily sputter out nonsense while shaking her tiny fist in the air. Morgan, fearful that her Gothita would be rude, scooped Vivi up and tried to dry the Pokemon off as best she could with her shawl.

Illume continued to look at the stars.

"Hello, Nora," Morgan greeted the other woman, giving her a smile. Morgan tried not to seem flustered at Vivi's actions, and instead focused on meeting someone new. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm Morgan Porter. Are you a rancher as well, or just visiting the island?"

Probably a rancher. Morgan was certain that there were no more boats going back to Ascua's mainland.

Pokemon Happiness: Vivi (2/5), Horos (2/5), Illume (2/5)
@noracarter, still open if anyone else wants to join and mingle!

[Deleted]

It seemed like they’d surprised the group…oops. Nora cringed as Tempo’s antics ended with the Gothita soaked by a wave and her trainer hurrying to try and dry her. At least the other two seemed more-or-less unaffected, with the Meditite bowing and the Elgyem stargazing. This was technically Nora’s fault, so she hurried over as well, removing the scarf from her head and offering it as a towel. Tempo landed on the shore around then, seemingly unaware of the potential trouble she’d caused. The Meditite had made a curious movement toward her, and she did her best to mimic it.

Fuji, meanwhile, remained settled in the sand, though his eyes opened and he was now watching the humans curiously. In his attempt to snooze, he’d missed the wave, so he wasn’t sure what had gone on. It was fine, though. The humans could handle…whatever it was.

“Likewise. And, uh, sorry about that. Tempo means no harm, but we’re all very new to…well…all of this.” At least the other woman – Morgan, and the name was committed to memory – was being friendly rather than resentful, right? “I’m a rancher too! I just started so I haven’t actually gotten to any ranching yet. It’s just the three of us for now. We’re in the forests of the southwest. What about you? Have you been on the island long?” Was this rambling? Probably, but it was hard to stop herself just now. Morgan had the potential to be a good friend, after all.

---

Happiness: Tempo (2/5), Fuji (2/5)
Morgan Porter

[Morgan Porter]

Morgan smiled as Nora hurried over and offered her scarf as a towel. "Oh, please, don't worry about it," Morgan said. "I was waiting for something like that to happen. I did try to warn Vivi, after all. But sometimes they need to learn on their own, right?" These last few words seemed to be directed to the Gothita, who pointedly did not look at her trainer.

"You've heard this is Vivi," Morgan said. She glanced over at her Meditite, who seemed delighted that the Noibat bowed in return and was ready to play. "That's Horos with your... Tempo, you said? That's a great name! And Illume..." Her Elgyem was still just staring at the stars from a small hill on the beach a few feet away, and Morgan wasn't quite sure if the Pokemon had fallen asleep. She honestly wasn't sure how to tell if Illume slept or not. "There she is."

Nora mentioned how she too had recently become a rancher and was located in the southwest forest. "We're in the north at the base of the mountains," Morgan said. "Like yourself, it sounds, we haven't really done much either just yet on our ranch. I figured I would get used to having more than just Vivi here first, and I've been busy trying to make my new home feel... well, like home. Redecorating and all that.

"We've probably only been here about a week?" Morgan asked more than told, trying to remember. "I feel as if time moves differently on an island, but it could be due to me just being completely new to Ascua. Vivi and I came from Unova. Are you from around here at all?"

Pokemon Happiness: Vivi (3/5), Horos (3/5), Illume (3/5)
@noracarter

[Deleted]

The bow was well-received, so Tempo chirped and bobbed, moving closer to the Meditite. She flapped her wings a few times – hardly enough to help her get airborne again – and splashed around in the surf, keeping her companion’s apparent flightless status in mind. She just couldn’t play with some Pokemon the same way she could play with members of her own species.

“True enough, but I am sorry all the same.” At least things seemed to be mostly fine. The Gothita was grumpy, but her trainer was kind and didn’t seem to blame Tempo for the mishap. She would have to teach Tempo to be a bit calmer when meeting others for the first time, too. Being playful was a good thing, but you could only ever make one impression, right? It was sure to be harder for the Noibat to befriend Vivi now, even if her intentions hadn’t been harmful.

Ah well. Nora would chalk this up as a lesson learned, all around.

Morgan went on to introduce her Pokemon. Vivi, Horos, and Illume? The other woman was much better at naming than Nora was, apparently. And she had three! Nora really needed to get on the ball with catching more ‘mons for her ranch, didn’t see? Some fairy and ghost types in particular, since she was supposed to be specializing in them as well as dragon. Maybe tomorrow she’d make a special trip into the wilderness somewhere, but tonight was meant for relaxing. Also, she’d become a rancher in part to avoid competing with others. It was fine to be a bit behind others, wasn’t it?

“That is Tempo, and thanks! Your names are adorable too.” She looked around for her other companion and then – spotting him resting in the sand – reached down to give him a few gentle pets. He could be napping, and she didn’t want to ruin that, but it was good to check on him from time to time. Just to make sure. “This little guy is Fuji. You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen an Elgyem in person before.” They were really…still, weren’t they? But Nora supposed psychic types had a lot to think about.

Morgan and her Pokemon apparently lived at the base of the mountains. That was an interesting pick, too! And she was also new to the area. Nora nodded along to the other woman’s words – made sense to her! “You gotta make your space comfortable, right? Otherwise you can’t really de-stress properly. A week sounds about right – I haven’t really kept track of the days very well, with all there is to do to even consider my new career started.”

And she was from Unova? People really did come from all over, didn’t they? As for Nora herself… “Sort of? I’m just from Ascua. Congrats making it here from Unova, though.

---

Happiness: Tempo (3/5), Fuji (3/5)
Morgan Porter

((Really sorry about the length.))

[Morgan Porter]

Nora formally introduced her own Pokemon, and Morgan chuckled. "I didn't even see Fuji over there," she admitted. She got a little closer to the Pokemon, careful to still keep a respectable distance so she didn't disturb it, and asked, "What kind of Pokemon is Fuji? I don't think I've seen one before. He's adorable!"

Horos seemed to be having a grand time with Tempo, the Meditite darting in and out of the surf and kicking up some of the sand. Morgan put Vivi down, nudging her to join the pair. The Gothita seemed to huff but did as Morgan said, moving over towards her teammate and the Noibat to join in on their fun.

Nora mentioned never having seen an Elgyem in person before, and Morgan mentioned, "I don't believe they're as common as other species of Psychic-type Pokemon. I knew of them because they were around where I'm from. Illume, though, I actually received from Kris and Kurt, along with Horos. Both Pokemon were found around the island and, since Psychic-types are one of my specialties, Kris and Kurt figured they'd be fine in my care."

Morgan just hoped that Kris's and Kurt's confidences weren't misplaced.

"Vivi is actually the only Pokemon I brought with me," Morgan said. "I'm still actually really new to all of this. Did you arrive on the island with Tempo and Fuji?"

Nora mentioned how one needed to make their spaces comfortable. "Oh, I agree," Morgan said. "That's why I picked the base of the mountains. It's a little chilly at times, but it reminds me of Icirrus City, my hometown. Ice-types are another one of my favorites. Just gotta find some for my ranch," she added with a laugh.

"Ascua seems beautiful," Morgan said when Nora mentioned that she was from the region. "I haven't gotten the chance to explore much of it at all, but I figured a couple of day trips to the port cities will be in order when my Pokemon grow a little more. Do you have any spot in Ascua that's your favorite? Any place that you can recommend?"

Pokemon Happiness: Vivi (4/5), Horos (4/5), Illume (4/5)
@noracarter, no need to apologize, ! Allow me to apologize for the delay in responding.

[Deleted]

Morgan chuckled and commented on Fuji, and Nora grinned. “Thanks! He’s an Applin, and yeah - he’s pretty tiny right now. I think that might be normal for his kind, though.” Carefully as she could, she picked the tiny dragon up, and one eye opened briefly before promptly closing again. So she’d disturbed him, but apparently not enough for him to give up on sleep. She’d return him to the sand eventually, but Morgan had never seen one of his kind before, so this was the perfect opportunity.

Tempo chirped in delight at Horos’ antics and quickly joined him in kicking up sand. She liked this Pokemon – this Pokemon was nice! They’d have to come to the beach more often if this was the kind of thing she could expect! Fuji should really be getting in on this, too. Then this would be a proper party!

…Where was he, anyway? She looked around, only to get distracted by the reappearance of the Gothita. She flicked her ears and bobbed the head, watching Vivi curiously. Did she want to play? Tempo hoped so, but she didn’t wanna get in trouble, so she’d wait to see what the Gothita did before she continued kicking up the sand or changed games.

Nora nodded along to Morgan’s explanation of Elgyem, eyes widening at the mention of Kris and Kurt. Huh…so how did they—never mind, Kris had told her they traveled a lot. It shouldn’t surprise her for them to have any species of Pokemon, and she already knew they gave some away to help people get started.

“Kris gave them to me, actually. I’m afraid I didn’t have my own Pokemon until then. I do need to see about getting some fairy and ghost types eventually, though. Can’t quite say I specialize in something I don’t actually have.” Soon, she promised herself, but she had time. She was still getting started, and that was okay!

It was also okay that they seemed to have different ideas of comfort. She was rather attached to her forest at this point, but she could see the benefit to a home by a mountain. And the fact that it reminded Morgan of her hometown made it all the more understandable. “I bet you have some amazing views just a short hike away, too.” Not that an uphill hike would ever feel short, but…she didn’t know, maybe it would if the person in question was used to it.

“There are quite a few lovely ice species, aren’t there?” Nora smiled at Morgan’s words. So Psychic and Ice? Those were good choices. She couldn’t remember meeting anyone that had ice as a favorite type, but she could see the appeal. She had some unusual preferences of her own.

When Morgan commented on Ascua, Nora nodded. “It is, though I can’t claim to have seen the entire region. Not even close. I’m partial to Pinewood City, since I’m from there.”

---

Happiness: Tempo (4/5), Fuji (4/5)
Morgan Porter

((Not a problem! ))

[Morgan Porter]

"Do Applin evolve? I wonder if he'll get bigger at all," Morgan mused and proceeded to coo quietly over Fuji, conscious that the little Pokemon seemed to be trying to snooze. Perhaps he was young enough that the time was getting a little late for him...

The Noibat seemed to be having no such problems. She seemed to have even helped Horos get Vivi in on the fun. The Gothita was staying away from the surf (no doubt due to her impromptu bath a few moments ago) but Vivi was game to begin building up some sort of sand structure. It looked more like a blob than anything recognizable, if Morgan was asked, but she wasn't going to say anything to the Pokemon lest she accidentally discourages them.

"So, Tempo and Fuji are rehomed Pokemon, too?" Morgan said when Nora mentioned that Kris had given the Noibat and Applin to her. "That seems to be one of the main operations of this island. Kurt mentioned that he and Kris explore a lot, rehabilitate hurt Pokemon if they find them... Perhaps some are too young to go back into the wild.

"I was told Horos had been hurt in the Apricorn Woods," Morgan added, her voice a little hushed so they didn't disturb the playing Pokemon. "I've no idea if Meditite are supposed to even be around there. Illume was, supposedly, all alone around the mountains and didn't seem inclined to go back into the wild." Morgan hoped that Illume was comfortable with her. The Elgyem didn't appear to mind her new home, at least.

Morgan grinned when Nora mentioned the views around the White Tops. "Oh, they're beautiful," she gushed for a moment. "Even from my ranch, the sunrises and sunsets have been amazing. One day I'll wake up early enough to hike up the mountain a bit to catch a sunrise from up top, but... Well, I'm quickly realizing that tending to ranch land, even just cleaning it up right now to prepare it, is tiring." Her grin turned sheepish. "I conk out at night and have yet to get used to waking up earlier than nine.

"What about the woodlands?" Morgan asked. "I haven't ventured down there yet, but I'm sure they're beautiful too. Do they remind you of Pinewood City?" She paused. "Admittedly, I haven't visited Pinewood City, but it sounds like there'd be forests or trees nearby...?"

Nora mentioned Fairy and Ghost types, and Morgan glanced back at Tempo and Fuji, neither of which seemed like Fairy or Ghost types. "Fairy, Ghost... What types are Tempo and Fuji?" she asked. Tempo could easily be Flying type, or at least partially, but Morgan thought that Fuji was Grass.

"Ice Pokemon are lovely," Morgan agreed. "Guess my hometown influenced me. Psychic, Ice, and Steel are going to be the main Pokemon of my ranch. Always figured they'd be the cool, calm, and collected types, but I definitely do need to continually research all three types. Like yourself, I need to go off and find some Pokemon of my other two so-called specialties. Any species in particular you're looking forward to adding to your ranch?"

Pokemon Happiness: Vivi (5/5), Horos (5/5), Illume (5/5)
@noracarter

[Mod Kris]

Morgan Porter/@noracarter, some meteor shenanigans, should you wish to go investigate.

With how many stars were in the night sky, the star growing in size and brightness may have easily been overlooked.

However, Illume, with a questioning and slightly-alarmed beep, noticed the approaching star. The Elgyem shifted from her spot on the beach to cling to Morgan's leg, getting her trainer's attention and gesturing at the growing cluster of starlight.

Rather than stars, it appeared to be a meteor shower. Bright colors and lights streaked through the night sky, putting on a beautiful show. It was over in a few short moments... but there was a crash heard around the bend of the beach, a soft thud as something landed in the sand and surf.

[Deleted]

“They’re a branched evolution, if I’m remembering right,” Nora replied. “Both item-dependent too, though I don’t remember what the items are off-hand or how to go about getting them. I have the information saved somewhere, for when I need it, but he seems content to be what he is right now.” At least…she thought he did? He wasn’t as active as Tempo, though, and maybe she should be more worried about that, but she knew that Pokemon had different personalities just like humans did, and figured that active versus passive was included somewhere in that.

She should at least monitor his sleeping habits, though, shouldn’t she? Just in case…

Vivi had no interest in the water, apparently. Aww, that was no fun. But…wait. What was the Gothita doing over there? Tempo bobbed her head to Horos and hopped over to Vivi’s structure to examine it. That…did look kind of fun, to be honest. She started piling sand nearby, a mix of wet and dry because she didn’t quite get the process, or really care what she was building. She was just looking for ways to play with her new friends.

Nora nodded at Morgan’s question. “They’re quite noble, aren’t they? But yeah, Tempo was apparently a rescued orphan, and Fuji had been swallowed whole by a Cramorant. I can’t imagine what that would have been like, for either of them, but I’m glad they were saved.” Or for that poor Cramorant, really, but she didn’t have a personal connection with that particular Pokemon. Now that she was thinking about it, she wondered if it was also under the care of Kris and Kurt. Next time she saw Kris, she’d have to remember to ask about it.

Morgan had also explained the backstories of her own Pokemon. To be young and alone in the wild… She was glad the Pokemon had been rescued. Maybe she’d get the chance to rescue some Pokemon herself, someday.

Morgan confirmed that the view was beautiful where she lived, and Nora nodded as she spoke. Nora’s own home was quite beautiful itself, at least in her mind, but she had to admit that she didn’t have a very good view of the sky. Just a lot of leaves and a nice stream. She couldn’t help a giggle at the tiring comment, or Morgan’s schedule. “I can definitely relate to that. I keep telling myself that the set-up is the really hard work and that it’ll get easier once things are clean, built up, and organized.”

Morgan then asked about the woods and if they reminded her of home. She hadn’t really thought about that, distracted as she was by getting her ranch set up and everything else, but recalling both her current and former homes, she found herself nodding. “A bit, now that you mention it. The woods are dense and dark, but it’s sort of a comforting dark, you know? There are differences, of course. My ranch has a stream running through it that’s great for relaxing by.”

Morgan then asked about her Pokemons’ types., after repeating the types she’d stated. Yeah…that probably was confusing. “Oh! They’re both dragon types – with Tempo also being a flying type and Fuji being a grass type.”

“They really are,” she agreed when Morgan brought up ice types. She considered the types that Morgan listed as her specialties. That was also an interesting mix. “Glad I’m not the only one without Pokemon of all three of my types. For fairy, umm…I would honestly love to find at least one Eevee, for Sylveon, and there’s a variant of Vulpix that’s ice and fairy, if I remember right. A Ralts would also be lovely. For ghosts…I have a bit of a soft spot for Yamask and Honedge. I should probably try to find a Dreepy, too. Most dragon types are pretty rare from what I’ve heard, so I’d just be happy to find more at all. What about you?”

Then she was distracted by the Elgyem, who clung to her trainer’s leg and gestured. Following the movement, Nora spotted the cluster of starlight, and her eyes widened. Was that…a meteor shower? Huh, a really colorful one. Tempo glanced up at the sky at around this time, and even Fuji opened his eyes long enough to watch the show.

It ended far too quickly, but not without a bang. Or…well…crash. It sounded like something landed nearby, but what were the odds of that? She turned to Morgan, wondering if the other woman had heard it as well.

---

Happiness: Tempo (5/5), Fuji (5/5)
Morgan Porter
((Really sorry to have held this up. x.x ))

[Morgan Porter]

Pokemon evolution always fascinated Morgan, especially Pokemon that evolved with items. What made any item special enough to give a Pokemon enough energy to evolve, to change forms, to grow stronger?

She listened intently as Nora detailed Fuji's evolution process and said, "Branched evolutions are so mysterious... If you evolve Fuji, are you planning on breeding him to perhaps raise an egg into the other evolution at one point, too?"

The three Pokemon Morgan had right now were fairly straightforward when it came to evolving. All three needed to just level up and, eventually, they'd reach their final forms. Gothita, in particular, did take a while to reach their next evolution, though. Morgan supposed she should start on some sort of training regiment for her team.

Morgan watched as the Pokemon on the beach seemed to have all switched to making sandcastles (or... something out of the sand). Vivi was frowning at her own, for some reason, and Horos was going back and forth between the Gothita's and Tempo's creations. Horos seemed to be the most meticulous of the lot, trying to carve a few details into Vivi's before she shooed him away, then going to help Tempo by splashing more water onto the sand to make it all hold together.

Morgan's eyes widened as Nora revealed that Fuji was almost swallowed whole by a Cramorant. "Oh, my... I know there's the circle of life and all that, but..." She shuddered and looked over at the snoozing Fuji. "I can't imagine that at all."

Nora explained the views at her own ranch, comparing them to her old home in Pinewood City. "I'm glad your new surroundings are working out for you. That was one of my worries, actually. I was presented with the map of the island, told to pick somewhere to put up a ranch and home, and I was afraid I would ultimately not like where I settled. Obviously, Kris and Kurt wouldn't force us to stay in one place, I'm sure, but it was still a fear that I would put in all the hard work to start up a ranch and ultimately just... not like it."

She was still a little nervous about it, truth be told. She could still be in the honeymoon phase, but Morgan doubted she would change her mind after gathering more Pokemon to look after. She'd be too tired to think of moving again.

"Oh, Dragon!" Morgan nodded, although she still couldn't really imagine Fuji being part Dragon. She wondered who classified Pokemon into what types. "Dragon, Fairy, and Ghost... That sounds like a powerful combination of Pokemon."

She listened as Nora listed off a few species she'd like to add to her ranch and then turned the question on Morgan. "The Alolan Vulpix? I've heard of them and they look beautiful! I'm hoping to add that to my ranch as well. Espeon and Glaceon, too, if we're speaking of Eevee evolutions. I've never seen a Sylveon in person, but I've seen pictures. They look adorable.

"There are species from Unova that I would like," Morgan said, "like Swoobat or Bisharp, but I've been looking into other region natives. From Galar, for example, have you ever seen a Frosmoth? Or Copperajah? Or the Galarian variant of a Rapidash? They seem fascinating.

"When I save up a little more, I'm going to see what Kris and Kurt have available for their breeding services," Morgan continued. "Ralts is a species I'd like too, and I know Kris has a Gardevoir and Gallade. I think she has a Honedge as well. That's the sword-like Pokemon, right--Oh, what is it, Illume?"

Illume had toddled over to Morgan and pointed to the sky, and Morgan was in awe at the impromptu light show they were treated to. Morgan hadn't heard anything about a meteor shower happening (granted, she wasn't sure how she would have heard such a thing anyway -- she should probably pay more attention to the news or invest in a radio or something), but it was a pretty sight indeed.

And then something crashed around the bend, by the sound of it, and Morgan nearly jumped out of her skin. Vivi did jump and accidentally knock over whatever she had been building in the sand and pouted before kicking over whatever had been left standing.

"What was that...?"

Morgan's question would not be left unanswered if Illume had anything to do with it. Once the meteor shower officially died down, the Elgyem maneuvered around the humans and started to head off around the bend to where the crash happened. It was almost as if Illume had been drawn to it, and Morgan briefly remembered the rumors of Elgyem being from outer space.

"Illume, wait!" Morgan double-backed, grabbed Vivi and called to Horos to follow, before taking off after Illume. "Nora, are you coming?"

Pokemon Happiness: Vivi 1 (1/5), Horos 1 (1/5), Illume 1 (1/5)
Mod Kris, @noracarter, no worries at all!