[attr="class","technoscroll"]
❝
Quentin stifled a yawn, a hand covering his lips as he squinted, his sneakers stopping their tracks in the grass as he looked out to the side of the route path to the sparkling blue waves of the ocean. It was a great view, with something soothing and relaxing about the steady swish of waves as they rhythmically lapped up onto the shore and receded away again. Sighing, he moved a ways into the grass and off the main path, smiling as clumsily his growlithe bounded after him. Slinging his bag gently to the ground, he gingerly let himself down onto the ground, sitting down cross-legged and leaning forward, propping his elbows onto his knees. Growlithe tumbled over behind him, white fur bright amidst the green grasses. A ways away from the lab now, Quentin recalled finally the thought he had had when he had first chosen Growlithe, and he hummed in recollection and thought.
"Ah, thats right... a name. You still need one don't you?" Growlithe barked quietly at him, placing her paws on the boys leg, pale hands obligingly rubbing their head and scratching their ears.
"What name to give you...." Petting growlithe, Quentin watched the ocean for a few minutes in silent thought, listening to the waves and the rustling grass.
"Siegfried" He said at last, a faint smile passing over pale lips.
"Yeah, that sounds right. Siegfried. What do you think?" The canine barked quietly, nuzzling his hands. Quentin laughed quietly.
"I'll take that as a yes then?" He questioned gently and teasingly, fingers rubbing at Siegfried's ears as she licked at him. This was... nice so far. He was still stressed and worried, but so far it had been far better then he had thought and expected. He had gotten a starter with no problems and was already out on the first route with no incident or mishap. Actually...
Digging through his bag a moment, Quentin pulled out the second pokeball that he had pocketed separately. He had two pokemon didn't he? That's right, Mabel had said this was... an archen. Hazily recalling the conversation, he studied the ball for a few moments before a whine and a paw on his thigh snapped him out of his thoughts with a jerky jolt. Ah, that was right... he should probably release it...
Pressing the seal on the button, Quentin winced at the bright red flash, then watching with interest as a pokemon materialized from it, a lean almost reptilian looking bird with a long snaking tail and a toothed rough beak. Fluttering it's wings and spreading them wide as it balanced itself, the archen gave a grating startled squawk as it dug it's talons in, looking about itself and trying to get it's bearings. Instantly Quentin was grimacing, leaning back slightly with his hands out and his palms displayed and empty, the growlithe by his side growling slightly and squinting blearily at the archen.
"Hey hey hey" Quentin immediately exclaimed softly, trying to calm the bird.
"I-it's alright... calm down..." The archen narrowed it's eyes at him, then after a few minutes, relaxed, their neck feathers lowering and their stance loosening as they ruffled their wings and folded them. Tilting their head at him, the bird gave an inquisitive chirp that hissed up from their throat, somehow oddly lizard-like, their neck bobbing.
Quentin took a breath, then, glancing at Growlithe who had also relaxed and lay down beside him, pale blue eyes focused on the archen, he tried to start with a greeting.
"Umm, well... hello there" Offering a weak smile for a moment, he extended a hand gently. The archen sniffed at it briefly for a moment before cocking their head to the side to eye him with one eye, their head tilted still to one side slightly as they seemed to look him up and down. Quentin hummed uncertainly, trying to figure out what to say or do. Glancing at Siegfried again, he blinked in realization, a small 'ah!' leaving his lips before he bit them, considering.
"Well, umm, I'm Quentin. Your trainer now I guess. You probably don't have a name either do you?" The archen tilted it's head the other way, both eyes looking at him now as it blinked slowly.
"I guess not... well I guess I should give you one too then shouldn't I?" Propping his elbows again and resting his jaw on one hand, Quentin thoughtfully studied the archen as the bird studied him back. Another name.... hmm.
"Ah... how about Roland?" The archen continued staring at him with only a blink for several moments, and Quentin hesitated, not sure if he should try another or if the bird didn't understand what was going on at all. Then, finally, the bird gave a rasping chirp with a bob of it's head, wings flaring open a moment. A smile, relieved.
"Oh, good... Roland it is then. Roland and Siegfried..." The archen and growlithe exchanged looks, the bird folding his wings again with a swish of his tail. Quentin hummed quietly a moment, feeling... satisfied. He was definitely managing... it wouldn't be that bad...
It wouldn't be. Quentin's smile fading, he stifled another yawn, his gaze drifting out again to the ocean beyond, distant and blank. His fingers twitched, the hand not holding his head up plucking at his sleeves and rubbing at his wrists out of habit, his feet twitching as though to tap. Finally, agitated, his features turned to a worried frown again, he dropped his hand from his jaw, rubbing the base of the palm into his eye before draping both arms around the back of his neck. No. No, who was he kidding? Every trainer managed to get their starter pokemon. It meant nothing, that was the easiest part of being a trainer, it didn't mean anything. It wasn't any accomplishment. He shook his head, and stood up suddenly and stiffly, causing Siegfried and Roland to both back up suddenly with startled noises of surprise, Siegfried whimpering in confusion and her tail drooping low. An alarmed squeak made them all freeze, and they all paused, listening. Roland pounced suddenly towards Quentin's bag, the archen pinning something as a dark shape suddenly tried to dart away. A shriek, and Quentin leapt over as well, Siegfried on his heels barking.
"Wait Roland!" He called, pausing as he noticed the pokemon Roland was struggling to keep down as it writhed under him and tried to bite at his talons.
It was a rather large looking rat with a sleek black and grey coat and sharp ears. Quentin blinked, recognizing it vaguely as a rattata, though he wasn't sure he had even seen one quite like it before. It looked wet and starved too, it's fur plastered to it's skin and it's ribs showing through its chest. Quentin winced as he saw it's condition as it pathetically, and Quentin crouched down by Roland and the pokemon, his hands out placatingly.
"Hey hey... Roland be gentle... it's okay there little one... hey hey..." He swallowed nervously, and reaching over to his bag shuffled around. He didn't have much but... there was still half a sandwich he had been too nervous to eat earlier. Taking it out, he motioned at Roland, unwrapping the sandwich carefully in front of the mouse, all three of the pokemon watching him expectantly.
"Roland... let them go... here, don't run, you look hungry"Quentin watched anxiously as Roland hopped back, releasing the pokemon. Instantly it scampered away, but it didn't run completely, hovering a few feet away from them and watching warily, but also, the boy couldn't help noticing, hungrily. He split the sandwich half in half again, setting one of the pieces as far away from him and towards the rodent as he could, though he made sure to move slow and let it watch him. Taking his hand back, he quietly split the remainder in two and offered them both to Roland and Siegfried, the archen snapping it up gladly while the growlithe took her time sniffing it before licking it up. His eyes stayed on the rattata the whole time though, as the rodent watched the other two eat, then looked at him and back to the offered food. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Quentin's features twisted with anxious worry and exhausted stress, the rattata edged closer, sniffing at the offering and starting to nibble at the corner before hungry took over and it dived in, voraciously consuming it.
Cleaning the last of the crumbs, the rodent hesitated, wary and seemingly unsure what to do or expect now, watching Quentin expectantly and cautiously. He frowned slightly, his brows furrowed, a hand reaching back to ruffle through his hair.
"Umm... I don't really have anything else on me but... If you need a home... I mean... I don't have much to offer but...." He fumbled, verbally and mentally flailing as he struggled to come up with anything else. The rattata seemed to pause for a very long moment before, slowly, a wary eye flicking between him and his pokemon, approaching. A flashed smile, fading quickly but earnest while it lasted. Carefully Quentin gathered up his bag, slinging it around a shoulder, taking only a moment to slide out an extra pokeball and his beanie, donning the latter before looking at the former and back to the rattata.
"Umm, here, do you want to....? You don't have to though..."The rattata looked out towards the ocean, then, shivering under it's wet coat of fur, it padded closer with a chitter. Nodding, Quentin cautiously reached out and tapped the ball to the rodent and watched it get sucked in. A few moments later it clicked, and almost immediately he opened it again, the rattata blinking, startled and shaking itself off. Siegfried stepped closer, sniffing at the rodent, and the two exchanged sniffs. Roland stood aside, the rattata and himself exchanging dark glances. Cautiously he offered his hands, and, confused, the rattata approached, then carefully climbed onto his hands as he carefully stood up, holding them close.
"Here... we should keep going but your wet..." Silently he wondered what happened, looking out to the close by ocean as he held them close to his chest, slowly picking his way along the path, Roland and Siegfried padding to one side of him, the canine closer as they doggedly followed on his heels.
