Wide, Open Spaces

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Isaac shaded his eyes as he surveyed the plains. The sun beat down on him relentlessly, heating the air to shimmer in the distance. Now, more than ever, he missed the clouds he and Petal had been gazing at earlier. He also missed Petal. He was keeping her in her relic for now, giving her a well-deserved rest. He'd grown used to that little flower clinging to his hair or shoulder. Her familiar presence was a comfort in a world full of strange, unfamiliar people. Not that strange and unfamiliar was necessarily a bad thing.

He glanced back at Ashlee, seeing how she was faring. Bruse was walking amiably beside her, letting out the occasional cheerful 'Moo!' He really seemed to have taken a liking to the female trainer. Then again, he was young and impressionable, but even normally Ashlee seemed like she would make friends easily. It was an admirable trait, and it suited her.

He realized he was paying more attention to Ashlee than looking for Natrelmon and jerked his head away, paying intense attention to a large patch of tall grass nearby. It rustled slightly. The wind? Or a Natrelmon?

"So, um... how long have you been training Natrelmon?" he asked casually, circling around the grass.

Subject: Re: Wide, Open Spaces Sun Apr 25, 2010 2:27 am

"Well, I've had Spar- err... Crowire for a while for a while, but I haven't used her in a battle before today. Err... my aunt gave her to me, but for a while I just kept her as a pet." It was odd that Ashlee didn't immediately announce her relation to Aiex, but she didn't really want Isaac to be impressed with her simply because she was related to Aiex. "And I just caught Ebe and Kaeru yesterday and today. So, how about you?"

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Isaac paused in his search. "Your aunt sounds like a generous person," he said, feeling she was holding something back there but not pressing the matter. Everyone had things they'd rather not discuss, and she hardly knew him. "Well... I took Petal in quite a few years ago. I didn't start using her in battles until, well, yesterday actually. I caught Bruse and Grianos just yesterday in succession."

He reached the back of the grass and slow drew a few of his relics, occupied or otherwise, from his pocket. He cautiously moved forward...

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Ack! I forgot to roll! Go, Dice!

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DOUBLE ROLL! ;D

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Isaac got the feeling this was all a game, somehow.

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Subject: Re: Wide, Open Spaces Sun Apr 25, 2010 3:09 am

"Well, it wasn't really an issue for her; she... has an Animikii, and I'd guess another Natrelmon in the Sparwire family to breed it with." Ashlee fell silent when Isaac drew forward; though she had noticed no signs of a wild Natrelmon, maybe he had. When they realized there was nothing there, she continued: "Bad luck. It almost seems like Natrelmon just disappear sometimes... but anyway, you said you took your Sakura in. Where'd you find it?"

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Isaac sighed, shaking his head, but straightened up and surveyed the area again. There was a tree further on surrounded by some tall grass. It was huge, gnarled, and generally seemed to bend the landscape around it. There was an air of age about it that suggested it might have been there since time itself began. More likely it was just a few hundred years old. Still, barring accidents or crude people with axes, it would probably remain long after their time. It looked a perfect place for Natrelmon to live in peace, harmony, and so on. He started toward it.

"It's not really an interesting story... let me know if I start to bore you. There was a touch of bad weather one day and Petal was caught off guard. She was a little thing back then, not even the size of my finger, and she was having a real hard time of it. I took her home to give her shelter from the storm and... well, she never wanted to leave. I guess she got kind of attached to me, heh,"

Bruse let out a 'Moo!' of displeasure as a few flies started crowding around his eye. He nudged his head against Ashlee's side and looked up at her imploringly, the little black insects whining and buzzing as they struggled amongst each other to get at the liquid.

"Sometimes I wonder whether I was the best trainer for it. I mean, I wasn't expecting much since we're just starting out, but we've lost all of our battles so far. Not counting against wild Natrelmon, that is. I start to wonder if there was a... well, a better trainer out somewhere that deserves her more."

Isaac realized he was rambling and shut up. He hadn't told anyone about that before... he probably wouldn't have if Petal was out, either. He didn't want to bother her with his troubles, and he wasn't sure why he was bothering Ashlee with his, now... He hoped he didn't seem foolish or dim or something.

Subject: Re: Wide, Open Spaces Sun Apr 25, 2010 3:39 am

"Don't talk like that! You saved her. You don't even know if anyone else would have found her in time! And you and Sakura work together in battles. It's not all your fault," said Ashlee, surprised by Isaac's attitude. "So... where did you grow up?" asked Ashlee, trying to change the subject. Hiding problems wasn't always the best thing to do, but Isaac's problem came solely from his doubting himself, so maybe just trying to keep him from thinking about it was the best think to do. That, or have him win a battle, but she couldn't really do that.

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Isaac felt ashamed as she scolded him. Of course she was right. He shouldn't let a run of bad luck make him so insecure. They did well enough against wild Natrelmon. Perhaps the other trainers he'd battled were simply of very high caliber, or maybe they'd had luck like he'd had in catching Bruse and Grianos. He felt better at the thought, though he got the feeling he was making excuses. Still, what harm did that do? So long as he tried harder in future battles, did it matter whether or not he felt cheerful now?

This line of philosophical thought was interrupted by Ashlee's comment, though he didn't particularly mind it. It had been a satisfactory closing point for that line of inquiry, in any case. "Well, I was born in Relin, but my family moved to Sakura a few years later. It was beautiful there, at least compared to the snow I'd grown used to all that time. Not that I have anything against snow, that is," he added, suddenly conscious of the fact Ashlee might be from a frosty climate herself. "And yourself? If you don't mind me asking,"

They'd come much closer to the tree at this point, and any Natrelmon in it or the surrounding tall grass would soon be aware of their presence. Bruse nudged Ashlee's side more desperately now as the number of swarming flies increased.

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Subject: Re: Wide, Open Spaces Sun Apr 25, 2010 4:40 am

"I've lived in Armkfish my whole life... up until a few days ago. I liked it a lot there, but it is nice to be some place new. I just came here because I heard about the tournament they're hosting. I'd guess you came here for that too?" asked Ashlee, not knowing that this might cause him to return to the subject about his not being good enough for Sakura.

As they were approaching the tree, Ashlee decided to call Crowire out, though she didn't really know why.

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Isaac nodded, remembering his one and only tournament battle. That one steel type trainer... Luke Destroy, was it? Something like that, anyway. He'd been... rather cold and sharp, rather like the Natrelmon he trained, that huge steel spider. He didn't seem that friendly at all. Had he become like Petal in their time together? The small pink flower... had he become... soft? A pushover? No, that didn't bear thinking about. He was who he was, regardless of his Natrelmon. Not to say Petal wasn't a big influence on his life, but not to that extent. Luke had seemed more friendly away from the tourney, anyway. More human. Maybe he was just delirious from the tough night he'd had.

"Yeah," he said after a moment. "I came out here for the tournament. I lost in the first round to a Nakumo trainer, though. That spider was vicious! Still, I don't regret making the trip. I caught some Natrelmon and met some interesting people..." He coughed. "Ah, so... how far are you going as a trainer? Just tournament battles, or are you going to challenge the gyms?"

Bruse let out a desperate 'Moo!" and nudged Ashlee again, this time with enough force to make her misstep, possibly. He was getting delirious from the prickly feeling in his eye that he couldn't reach. It was maddening. If this didn't work he would probably just start rubbing his face into the ground... anything to alleviate the irritation.

Isaac paused beside the grass, peering inside, and then up at the branches above. Surely there must be something here? Still, if there was, he certainly didn't see it.

Subject: Re: Wide, Open Spaces Sun Apr 25, 2010 5:12 am

"Oh..." said Ashlee, regretting bringing up the tournament to Isaac. "I think I'm going to challenge the Arenas, too... and maybe some day the Elite Triumvirate. So, I'm heading to Toran after I get finished with the tournament, I think. The weakest Arena is there, so I figure that's where I'll start." Again, Ashlee directly avoided mentioning her relation to Aiex when many others would. She wasn't going to hide it from anyone, but she also probably wouldn't tell anyone without reason.

Ashlee began to absentmindedly scratch Bruse's head as they walked, noticing the Natrelmon's pleas for attention. She thought it was quite cute with the way it 'moo'ed. She had also heard that Bruse was a fairly good Natrelmon for combat, though she had never seen one fight herself.

Crowire flew beside Ashlee's head, a bit puzzled as to why she had been called out, but happy to get the exercise nonetheless. She was still getting used to her new form, especially her higher weight and the increased length of her wings. Evolution, in the Natrelmon sense, was such an odd process.

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"Oh, um..." Isaac suddenly seemed unsure of how to say something. "When were you going to leave? We could go together... I mean, there's wild Natrelmon and such, and it could be, er, dangerous... Not that I don't think you could handle yourself..." He lapsed into silence, blushing, suddenly taking an intense interest in the grain of the tree in front of him. Funny how the mind works. It doesn't want to think about one think, so it focuses entirely on another, even if it's completely irrelevant to what's going on.

Bruse visibly relaxed and leaned into Ashlee's hand, almost seeming to try to purr. Not that bulls can purr. If a bull could purr, though, it was certain that this one would be. The flies scattered in the proximity to the trainer's hand, buzzing a little way's away... where the Bruse's tail whipped them out of the air. Revenge was sweet.

Isaac glanced at the branches of the tree, sizing them up. The first was just over six feet up. Not undo-able. The other branches were more spaced, but wide and sturdy, looking easily able to support someone's weight. This was one of Nature's Climbing Trees.

Subject: Re: Wide, Open Spaces Sun Apr 25, 2010 3:24 pm

"Well, I was going to try to stay until the end of the tournament... or until I leave it... but if it takes too long to get going, I might just leave regardless. I want the reward, but I don't want to have to stay here forever to get it... and I don't even know what it is. But I was actually thinking of taking the train between Lifan and Toran. It's a pretty good price, and it'll take a lot less time than walking... but you could still come with me!" Ashlee didn't want to alienate Isaac, but the long walk to Toran could get quite arduous and tedious, even if someone whose company she enjoyed was there. She had never been on a train, and riding one actually sounded fun as well as convenient. Ashlee also had plenty of money to spare, so she might as well take the train. Talking about it sort of got her excited to head to Toran. There would be new Natrelmon there, and hopefully some Water types to help with the Arena, and there would also be the Arena, of course. At this point, Ashlee was fairly confident in her ability to deal with at least the first Arena.

Though he probably didn't need it as much now, Ashlee continued to absentmindedly scratch Bruse's head; after all, there wasn't really a reason not to, and he was enjoying it. Plus, Ashlee was amused by the way Bruse was trying to make a purring noise.

"You're not thinking of climbing it, are you?" asked Ashlee, noticing Isaac's eying the tree and also somewhat concerned for his safety. Though he probably would be fine, Ashlee had never really liked climbing trees and was sort of projecting her dislike onto him.

Crowire landed on the ground beside Ashlee and looked up at the tree. She could probably help look for Natrelmon in the tree... but only if she was asked.

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Isaac smiled, reaching up with one hand to take the low branch of the tree, barely getting his fingers around it without jumping. The bark offered excellent grip for the prospective climber, and also potentially for any Natrelmon that lived there. So, there was a train... He hadn't heard of that. Perhaps it was new? Then again, he hadn't really been looking for information on trains. He'd assumed there weren't any. Well, there he went and demonstrated what they said about the word 'assume'. More likely it had been there the entire time and he just hadn't noticed. He resolved to pay more attention to those sort of details in the future.

"Well, I figured," he said, jumping slightly and heaving himself up with the one arm, walking his feet up the trunk. His other hand still held his briefcase which he seemed loathe to part with. Ashlee might have noticed by now that he'd had it by his side ever since she'd first seen him. "that if I could get up to that higher area," he continued, pulling himself up on the limb properly and sitting up, rising carefully to his feet. "I'd have a better chance of seeing a Natrelmon," he finished, putting a hand against the trunk to steady himself and trying to judge how far he'd have to stretch - or jump - to reach them.

"You sound like you're uncomfortable about climbing?" he asked casually. Bruse slid to the ground, leaning against Ashlee's legs, exhaling. There was a bovine expression of contentment on his face. Ashlee had made a very loyal friend in the bull.

Subject: Re: Wide, Open Spaces Sun Apr 25, 2010 6:24 pm

"Well... like I said, I grew up in Armkfish, and the forests around there can get pretty scary. I went exploring there once with... my aunt, when I was little," said Ashlee. "Never want to go back there again. There were quite a few vicious Natrelmon. Luckily my aunt's... a decent trainer, so she was able to protect me." Again, Ashlee intentionally avoided revealing her aunt's name and title. "...but yeah, I'm not very fond of trees." Ashlee noticed the briefcase and thought he would have trouble climbing with it in his hand. "Do you want me to hold that for you?" she asked, not aware of how protective he was of it. It didn't fully make sense to her why he carried a briefcase and not a backpack or messenger bag like Ashlee had. Still, it was his choice.

Subject: Re: Wide, Open Spaces Sun Apr 25, 2010 6:26 pm

Rolling...

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Isaac glanced down at Ashlee, and at his briefcase a moment later. He'd gotten that briefcase when he was just a little kid, and he'd taken good care of it since. There were a few scratches on the reddish wood finish, but more had been sanded out or otherwise removed. Down at the lower right corner was, in a tarnished, slightly peeling print, his name. It had been his most prized possession for as long as he could remember. He... he didn't want to give it up to someone...

But... it did make sense. The briefcase was making things more... more difficult. It made sense to hand it off.... and if he was going to hand it off, at this point, Ashlee would be the person he would want to trust with it. Besides, it would only be for a few minutes, at any rate. "Um... yeah. Thanks," he said, a reluctant tone to his voice, but a smile on his face. He crouched down on the limb, careful to maintain his balance, and held out the briefcase toward her...

Bruse was the first to notice it. His eyes widened and his nostrils flared, and he let out a warning 'Moo!' as if trying to ward off something, rising to his feet. The grass rustled and a jackel-type Natrelmon slowly poked his head out, staring at the Bruse hungrily. He moved slowly and cautiously, keeping the Crowire and Ashlee in its vision, apparently not noticing Isaac yet. Anuret, the poison/fighting type.

» Walking through the streets of Toran [Open for battling or just casual roleplaying]