victory_road | » closed

[Skarmory is many things. Cranky, old, hard to get along with at times... but she also prides herself on her speed. And right now, that's all her trainer wants from her. She doesn't have to be well behaved or polite. She just has to be fast.]

[Which she is.]

[So Lance won't have to wait too long before the knife bird wings her way into Cherrygrove. And an even shorter wait before her trainer hops off -- wasting exactly 0 minutes before he just plain swings his arms around his teammate.]

It's really good to see you.

[Hope you can still breathe, Lance.]

[He barely waits long enough for his neck to start aching from looking skywards when he catches sunlight glinting off some metal way high up. Lance's squinting, shading his eyes with his hand, and follows the glint down until it grows in size and shape, turning into what's now the recognizable form of a Skarmory.

Lance can barely withhold his excitement at Shiro's arrival, waving to the sky with his entire arm, hard enough that the rest of his skinny body goes along for the ride.]

Shiro! Hey Shiro! Down here, down here!

[He's speeding right into Shiro's arms, breathing be damned. Lance has needed a good hug for a long while. Mom's hugs are nice, but Space Dad's do just as well.
]

[It's definitely a Dad Hug. With every ounce of strength that won't actually crush Lance's ribs. He's -- it's so good to see him. To see Lance. Finally. It's been months since he saw him, and over a year since he saw him here.]

[... Lance may be getting a quick spin in place.]

You! Are a sight for sore eyes!

[Whoa hey now, the hug was expected but the spin not so much. That's such an elder move, Shiro. What next, gonna pinch his cheeks too? ]

That's still throwing me for a loop, man. Two whole years?

[Lance can't say he isn't finding the concept of Shiro missing him weird since he did just see him in the castle and all, but he isn't arguing against how good it feels that Shiro's this damn happy to see him.

Once he has a chance to step back, Lance gives Shiro a good once over. He doesn't even think he's seen Shiro out of that skintight shirt or his flight suit until now. Garrison pictures where he's in the uniform don't count.]

You look... different. Good different. [Rested, he means. Maybe relatively happy.]

Almost!

[He sets him down in a second, though, but his hands are on Lance's shoulders anyway. Like if he lets go, it's going to turn into one of Those Weekends. And he won't get this back.]

[He's also aware he's under scrutiny. Pushing his hand through his hair, with a sort of sheepish shrug. Yeah, maybe he should have changed out of the awful Alola shirt. But there hadn't been any time to.]

Pretty amazing what living on a beach does. [It gets your tan back, for one thing.] I've been missing out.

[Fortunately for Shiro, it is not one of Those Weekends. He'll get to enjoy this visage of perfection on a more permanent basis.

And the shirt's awful, that much is true, but Lance likes it on Shiro so it is a Good Shirt.]

I could have told you that much, but noooooooo, no one wanted to listen to me when I suggested we go searching for a tropical planet out there. Could have had a less blindly white Shiro on deck a long time ago.

Because out there... we had a mission to run.

[He's going to refrain from saying the obvious line "I've never been white a day in my life". Because he'd rather clasp his friend on the shoulder.]

[And just grin at him for a minute.]

We're just people here, man. It's like a whole new start.

But what about after the mission? You can't tell me you didn't wish we could do something other than watch Coran wax his moustache in between fights.

[Thank you for your restraint, Shiro. You know what Lance really meant with that.

Lance grins right back, reaching up to wrap his fingers around Shiro's wrist, but doesn't remove his hand. He likes it there. Reminds him that he has family here too.]

How about we start new with some breakfast? My stomach's about to cave in on itself and if I remember correctly, you promised me pancakes.

That's when we were supposed to be training.

[You're not winning this one, buddy. Sorry.]

[He does, miracle of miracles, laugh though. Giving that shoulder a squeeze. If anyone ever doubted how important these guys were to him, this seals it.]

You bet I did. Come on. You should see the size of these things.

Okay, but we still take breaks during training, so what about then?

[He knows, he knows, but no one ever said Lance wasn't stubborn.

Wow, a real Shiro laugh? It feels like it's been forever since Lance actually heard this guy let loose like that. This place is magical. He loves it here already.]

Then what are we waiting for? [Lance finally pulls away (a little reluctantly to be honest) and hefts his bag over his shoulder.] I want to eat and get a swim in before it gets dark.

You're asking the wrong person that question, Lance.

[The guy who never slept if he could help it. Who was more likely to throw himself into extra training, or planning, because he didn't know what to do with himself.]

[... and now he's the guy laughing, nudging Lance along with his shoulder.]

It's just up here. You're not going to believe this place. [It's like a Pokemon World version of Denny's. If Denny's had pancakes the size of actual cakes. Plus all the breakfast foods you could ever want.]

[Just ignore the fact the Skarmory is hopping in behind them. Behaving herself. For now.]

Aha! No answer means I won.

[He puffs his little chicken chest out, but this braggart act doesn't last more than a second before Lance starts laughing. When Shiro laughs, it's almost infectious. Lance wouldn't mind if the guy did it more often.]

I hope they have an all you can eat special because with how hungry I am, I might put Hunk to shame.

[There's no ignoring the clang of metal behind them and Lance turns towards the sound, coming face to beak with the Skarmory.]

Uh, hello?

[He didn't expect her to be this close. Those wings look sharp. He'd pet her if he hates his own fingers.]

That's so not what that means.

[But he doesn't really have the heart to argue any further. Just shakes his head, clasping him on the back again. Not hard enough to make him wobble, but... probably just hard enough to make sure Lance is really here.]

This one's on me. Get as much as you want.

[And he's absolutely serious, too.]

... Oh. It's all right. This place lets pokemon in -- and I've gotta feed her after that flight. [Without any sort of hesitation, he raps the bird fondly on the head with metal knuckles. And she retaliates with a series of grudgingly accepting nips.] This is Skarmory.

[He's here, big guy. He's here, real and warm and isn't going anywhere without a fight.

And Lance is definitely going to eat his proper fill, though he'll pay Shiro back in the future somehow. He knows he doesn't have to, but it's Shiro. Friends look out for each other in various ways.]

What are you going to feed her, birdfood?

[Serious question, actually. Lance assumed he'd have to feed Kaltenecker eventually and her being a cow made the food options easy to guess, but what does a giant knife bird eat? Fruit? Seeds? Grown men?]

Skarmory? [That's strange name.] Where'd you get that one?

[Seriously don't even worry about it Lance. He’ll make it up fighting gyms later.]

They sell Pokémon food here too. [A pause, while he snags them a table. And shuffles Skarmory close enough to get her treats.] You can find it anywhere honestly. But a lot of these guys sneak our lunches when we’re not looking. Blue does it all the time...

[No surprise, given the Gallade’s nickname. Which reminds him...]

Hm? Oh — on Mt. Mortar last summer. She got hurt in a wildfire some other Pokémon caused. Kuro, Red and I were up there helping put it out.

[Lance are you sensing a theme to his name scheme yet?]

Oh, right, Pokemon food. Gotcha. I should buy some for Kaltenecker. I was just gonna see if I could find hay somewhere, but I guess I won't have to now.

[Lance drops into his seat with a soft sigh, shoving his bag under the table right where he starts stretching out his long legs. He's chilling, listening intently to Shiro's rambling until a few key words seem to be falling into a pattern.

He leans forward with a trollish grin on his face.]

Blue, Red... does there happen to be a Black and a Green and a Yellow too?

[Ah, Shiro. You're just as big of a nerd as he is.]

She could. But you might want to look into the food, too. Just in case she's picky.

[Which can also happen. Speaking from experience.]

[Lance can stretch and sprawl all he wants. Shiro's busy rubbing a nick off Skarmory's head, and then absently browsing the collection of pokeballs he's got with him. Someone had heard stories about Lance -- on those days when it felt like he'd never see the team again. Those... really dark days after Halloween.]

[So the question just makes him grin.]

You met Kuro. Big metal dinosaur? [Yeah there is zero shame.] Green's another dinosaur. Yellow... I don't use him much, but yeah. Got him too.

[No shame in Shiro and there's no judgement from Lance. Okay, that's a lie. There's some because who isn't going to make fun of Shiro for his naming theme when it's one they'd follow themselves. But it's all good natured teasing, though.]

You're such a nerd, I swear. And here I thought you were our brave leader. [Lance clutches his fist to his chest and throws his head back.] Ah, my heart. I have been betrayed by who I though the real Shiro was!

[Don't worry, Shiro. Your not so secret secret is safe with him.

So Kuro is obviously a stand-in for Black. But Yellow... Lance has another question.]

What's wrong with Yellow? Not good enough?

[Or rather, not strong enough? Poor Hunk!Lion namesake.]

Edited 2018-07-04 04:47 (UTC)

[He arches both his eyebrows, if only because two can play at this teasing game. And he's the one who's paying for pancakes.]

I hate to break it to you, but I've always been this way. [He shakes his head, and holds out one of those plastic-coated menus diners always seem to have.] Besides... I was on my own for a long time. Had to make it a little less quiet.

[He was super lonely before Jean and Armin kidnapped him periodically.]

It's not that. He's as strong as any of the others. But he'd rather be babysitting back on the Island than battling. I don't have the heart to drag him off, half the time.

[Accepting the menu, but not immediately looking at it, Lance nods at Shiro's admittance to being lonely. He understands, though it seems he's quick to make friends and always seemed to have someone around it, Lance knows that when it gets quiet, you get to thinking and sometimes that's a bad thing. Better to head it off before it happens any way you can.]

But I though they said they liked battling? How come he's different and what is he anyway?

[It's now that Lance takes a gander at the pictures on the menu and his eyes go wide and he seems to lose the use of an inside voice.]

HOLY SHIT, THESE PANCAKES ARE HUGE!

Most of them do. I've got another one who doesn't, either.

[He leans back in his chair a bit. Arms folded over his chest -- thoughtfully. It's good to be having this conversation with Lance. Just good to have his enthusiasm again. In some ways, he reminds him a little of who he was.]

[A lifetime ago.]

Yellow is a Marowak. Kind of like a small, yellow version of Kuro. [You know, his big metal dinosaur buddy.]

[--those good feelings from a second ago just kind of fizzle out when that second word leaves Lance's mouth.]

Language. Please.

Mine just seems like she wants to fight all the time. Or maybe she just wants to fight me all the time.

[Lance wishes they would have at least given him the choice of starters. Maybe he would have picked another Miltank, just one with an easier personality. Or maybe his choice would have been a nice water Pokemon, maybe something that reminded him of a dolphin. Instead, he's stuck with Kaltenecker and no clue how to handle something that weighs five times his weight with an even bigger attitude.

But more importantly, Lance brushes off Shiro's admonishment (his mother isn't here. Let the boy cuss as much as he wants!) and slaps down the menu so he can point at the multiple inch high pancake.]

No, but seriously, Shiro. You said they were big, but I was thinking width, not height! How many do you get in one order?

Maybe you should throw her at one of ours. Have a decent fight to get it out of her system. I ... actually. I think you should. One of mine is dying to meet you.

[Because of course he brought Blue with him. How could he not? Lance is, pretty much, the Gallade's namesake. And Blue had gotten used to hearing all about him. In a good way.]

[The things you talked about, when the nights were too quiet, and you missed your family more than anything.]

Two. You get two. [The scolding over, he's grinning again.] But you can order as many as you want -- it's on me.

I don't know. I don't think she's strong enough to survive any of yours.

[It's one thing to toss Kaltenecker at some weaker or even same level Pokemon. It's a whole other tale to set her up against Pokemon whose trainers have been here for a couple of years now spending time teaching them how to battle effectively. That might be a little too mean.

But Lance will consider that later as he brightens up at the idea that someone--or in this case, something--wants to meet him.]

What? Who wants to meet me?

[Yeah, Shiro said he talked about the team to his crew, but the idea of having a real live fan makes Lance's heart skip a beat. All this bragging and he can barely handle the idea that hey, someone actually thinks highly of him and he didn't even do anything for it.]

Two. Two is okay. I mean, I'm pretty hungry and you know that space goo never holds me for long. I'm just saying you should reconsider your offer and if your wallet can handle it.

I've got a couple new arrivals. Plus the others would go easy on her, if I asked them to.

[He's thinking of his Minior, specifically. The adorable little meteor would love a chance to get stronger. And might be a decent match for Lance's cow. The other option being... Noibat. But that's -- no. Not yet.]

[His grin gets a little more wry.] Blue does. He takes after you a lot, actually. You'd make his life.

[He then produces a Pokeball, setting it on the edge of the table. Whenever they're ready, he can swap out Skarmory for Blue. The big knife-bird might appreciate the peace and quiet of her ball, now that she's had a treat.]

Don't worry. I've got this. I won a tournament before you got here -- those pay really well.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject