Dust and Sand Clouds (Mods/Open)

[Raphael Green]

Usually the heat felt great to Raphael, but standing in one place directly under the sun -- even with a hat and a bottle of water at the ready -- could make anyone uncomfortable. Raphael half-wished that he had brought Rio along, but with his luck, the Floatzel wouldn't just make it briefly rain to help cool them all down. He'd take it as a challenge and create a tidal wave. At least the two eggs Raph had strapped to him could appreciate the heat, he was sure.

Raphael was sitting on the sidelines of the battlefield that had been created on this side of the island. Rocco and Scout were sparring together, something that Raph figured would help both of the more stubborn and aloof newcomers to his ranch. Rocco brought up a Protect just in time to prevent any damage from Scout's Double Kick, and then tried to retaliate with a Headbutt. Scout nimbly jumped out of the way.

The pair weren't trying to go too hard (at least, Raphael hoped) and their trainer was content to let them get their energy out. Spyro and Dixie were running around the area playing together, Raphael only able to know where exactly they were by the small dust and sand clouds that trailed behind them. He wasn't worried about them.

He would probably need to get a Fire Stone for Spyro soon, lest the Eevee grow too fast to learn any good Fire-type moves once he did evolve. For that, Raphael needed money...

Pokemon Happiness: Dixie (Maxed), Scout (1/5), Rocco (1/5), Spyro (1/5)
Meditite Egg: 4/10
Vulpix Egg: 1/20
Open for anyone! Mod Kris/Mod Ninja/Mod Ava for basic exp. points please, and can also spawn wild Pokemon or items, if they want.

[Morgan Porter]

Maybe it was too hot to be doing this...

Morgan was prepared and had brought plenty of water bottles -- okay, so she brought two, but she wasn't going too far into the desert-like part of the island -- for herself and her Pokemon. Still, Vivi beside her had turned her walk into more of a trudge, dramatically protesting the heat. Morgan was doing her best not to feed into the theatrics, even when the Gothita reached up to hold onto the hem of Morgan's dress in order to help walk.

Morgan had heard that there was a battlefield out by the desert, and she thought it would be the best -- rather, safest -- spot to let her Pokemon practice their own moves. Thena was the most experienced and would hopefully help her other Pokemon get a little more comfortable with their own moves.

Not to mention control. Pocus's inherited Psychic attack broke one of Morgan's vases the other day.

"Goth!" Vivi was absolutely affronted when a pair of Pokemon darted by, kicking up sand and dust, just as the battlefield came into view.

Morgan paused, realizing that there was another already using the battlefield. Rather, a pair of Pokemon that were unfamiliar to her were using the battlefield, and she glanced around until she spotted Raphael sitting by the side. Evidently, she wasn't the only one who had the idea to use the battlefield today.

Pokemon Happiness: Vivi (1/5), Horos (1/5), Illume (1/5), Thera (1/5), Pocus (1/5)
Raphael Green, open!

[Raphael Green]

"Dixie, Spyro, watch where you're going!" All Raphael needed was for his energetic Pokemon to accidentally blind someone with a makeshift Sand Attack. His Raichu and Eevee slowed down somewhat at his call, but then Spyro tripped over his own feet and knocked into Dixie, who took that as a sign to keep playing, and the pair were off again.

Raphael rolled his eyes as Dixie and Spyro went back to their own world and he brought his gaze to Morgan. "You alright?" he asked, hoping that she and her Pokemon were indeed okay.

Scout and Rocco barely paused in their own spar, evidently figuring that since Raphael wasn't talking to them, then they were good to keep doing their own thing. Raphael got to his feet, careful of both eggs, and trudged over to Morgan and her Pokemon. "Sorry if my Pokemon got sand all over you," he said, mostly to the Gothita. The little Pokemon didn't seem pleased at all.

Pokemon Happiness: Dixie (Maxed), Scout (2/5), Rocco (2/5), Spyro (2/5)
Meditite Egg: 5/10
Vulpix Egg: 2/20
Morgan Porter, open!

[Morgan Porter]

Morgan would only admit to herself that seeing Raphael -- who was one of the tallest, broadest men she had ever met -- laden with two Pokemon eggs and talking to a couple of other young Pokemon threw off her initial perception of the man. Obviously one of the eggs was the Meditite egg he had bought from her own stall, but his appearance was more of a strong, silent type of guy rather than someone willing to cater to baby Pokemon.

First appearances were usually deceiving, Morgan supposed.

"Oh, we're alright," Morgan said, answering for both herself and Vivi. Vivi seemed inclined to disagree -- crossing her little arms and pointedly not looking at either of the humans -- but Morgan knew the Gothita was just dramatic. "No harm done. Your Pokemon seem like they're having fun."

Raphael had mentioned what types he catered to when they had met, but the Pokemon he had with him was an eclectic group nonetheless. They were rather rare species, actually.

"Forgive us for interrupting," Morgan said. "We just had a similar idea as to you, actually. I was going to try to have Vivi and my other Pokemon practice a little with their moves. They're all rather young. We'll use the battlefield when you're finished, though. I hope your team and yourself are all doing well."

Pokemon Happiness: Vivi (2/5), Horos (2/5), Illume (2/5), Thera (2/5), Pocus (2/5)
Raphael Green

[Raphael Green]

"Fun, right," Raphael deadpanned as he looked back around to see Dixie and Spyro now just somersaulting and rolling around in the dirt together. "We'll see if they think bathtime later is just as fun..."

He had no idea how Spyro would react to a bath. Dixie usually wasn't too bad, but... Well, water and electricity didn't mix well. Raphael really wasn't looking forward to that.

Morgan mentioned that she was there because she thought of using the battlefield, much like his Pokemon were. "They can take a break now, if you would like to use it," he said. "I just kind of brought them here because they were trying to spar a little too close to my house earlier this afternoon. Those two" -- he pointed to Dixie and Spyro in the distance -- "just have no off switch, so can't do anything about them.

"Hey, you said you deal with Steel-types, right?" With a gesture to his Jangmo-o, he asked, "Is he one? I don't really know much about him."

Pokemon Happiness: Dixie (Maxed), Scout (3/5), Rocco (3/5), Spyro (3/5)
Meditite Egg: 6/10
Vulpix Egg: 3/20
Notes: We can bother Kris or Ava for experience points by the end of the thread.
Morgan Porter

[Morgan Porter]

Morgan wasn't sure if Raphael was serious about giving his Pokemon a bath later. She imagined he was serious about getting them clean, but she wasn't sure if it was appropriate to giggle at his deadpanned delivery. Morgan settled for allowing a crooked smile on her face, half hidden behind her hand.

Her grin grew wider when he mentioned that his Raichu and Eevee had no off-switch.

"Oh, I wouldn't want to have them stop," she said when Raphael offered for his Pokemon to take a break from the battlefield. His two Pokemon using the battlefield seemed as if they also had plenty of energy to let out. Glancing down at Vivi, who didn't seem inclined to use the battlefield anyway, Morgan added, "We're not in a rush."

Raphael then asked about one of his Pokemon, the scaly-looking one, and Morgan needed to shake her head. "I'm sorry, but that's not a Pokemon I'm familiar with. Are you certain he's not a Dragon-type? Where did you get him?"

Pokemon Happiness: Vivi (3/5), Horos (3/5), Illume (3/5), Thera (3/5), Pocus (3/5)
Raphael Green

[Raphael Green]

"If you're sure..." Raphael trailed off, his gaze on Rocco and Scout as they continued their spar. Rocco was puffing himself up with Work Up, but it was interrupted by Scout's Quick Attack.

Morgan, unfortunately, didn't know the Jangmo-o species, but she did suggest that Rocco was possibly a Dragon-type. Raphael blinked. "I didn't even think of that," he admitted. "I honestly don't even know what region the species may have originated from. Certainly not Kanto..."

He'd probably have to ask some of the other ranchers on the island. Surely someone would be able to help him figure out what Jangmo-o was.

"He came from the Safari Zone on Route 9," Raphael said. "With the exception of Dixie, my Raichu, they all did, actually. Wanted to bolster my ranch a little. You ever been there?"

Pokemon Happiness: Dixie (Maxed), Scout (4/5), Rocco (4/5), Spyro (4/5)
Meditite Egg: 7/10
Vulpix Egg: 4/20:
Morgan Porter

[Morgan Porter]

Raphael seemed a little bewildered at the idea of the Jangmo-o being a Dragon-type rather than a Steel-type. He confirmed the Pokemon species wasn't native to Kanto, and Morgan said, "I don't recall seeing or hearing that species around Unova, either. If none of the other ranchers know, I'm sure Professor Cypress and her assistants could help."

Those at the Greenberry Labs seemed amicable enough, anyway.

"No, I haven't been to the Safari Zone," Morgan admitted, finding herself a bit in awe at the idea. "I actually haven't explored much of Ascua itself. I'm glad that it appears you had good luck at the Safari Zone, though."

Pokemon Happiness: Vivi (4/5), Horos (4/5), Illume (4/5), Thera (4/5), Pocus (4/5)
Raphael Green

[Raphael Green]

"That's an idea," Raphael said when Morgan mentioned Professor Cypress and her assistants. He was sure someone around here had to know what the heck the Jangmo-o was. Hopefully, whichever typing Rocco was, he'd be fine on his ranch.

Morgan admitted she hadn't been to the Safari Zone -- or much of the region itself -- and Raphael said, "It wasn't a bad time at all. Lots of interesting Pokemon around there. I saw a Skarmory, which seems to be up your alley, at the very least.

"I honestly haven't seen much of the rest of the region either," he admitted. "I got here to the island, got my ranch land, then realized how much I wanted to bulk up my ranch, so I went straight to the Safari Zone." Raphael paused. "I would recommend it only if your wallet can swing it."

Pokemon Happiness: Dixie (Maxed), Scout (5/5), Rocco (5/5), Spyro (5/5)
Meditite Egg: 8/10
Vulpix Egg: 5/20:
Morgan Porter

[Morgan Porter]

Morgan listened with interest as Raphael briefly described his time in the Safari Zone. "I'll have to make plans to go sometime," she said. At the very least, Raphael was right about the Skarmory. That species would do well on her ranch.

She did giggle when Raphael mentioned the state of their wallets when it came to the Safari Zone, and she promised to remember that. However, Vivi wasn't as amused at this conversation and tugged rather hard at the hem of Morgan's dress to get her trainer's attention.

"Alright, alright," Morgan murmured. "I know, it is rather warm out." To Raphael, Morgan said, "It was nice talking with you, but I think I'll head home with my own Pokemon right now."

Or even towards the beach. Maybe training there wouldn't be so bad.

Morgan actually scooped up Vivi so the Gothita didn't have too much more to complain about, and gave Raphael a wave goodbye. "See you around!"

Pokemon Happiness: Vivi (5/5), Horos (5/5), Illume (5/5), Thera (5/5), Pocus (5/5)
Raphael Green, realized this thread was literally started a year ago,