mall rats gym rats (closed)

[sunspotted]

Who: Marco, Jean & Armin/Marco & Annie

Where: Goldenrod Mall

When: 12/13 and 12/21/18

Summary: Christmas shopping, post-Gym talking, trekking and more!

Rating: PG?

Log:


Gym Rats, 12/13

Just outside Violet City, there's the familiar sounds of battle on one of the routes. There's the very excited sounds of a Meowth working her way through some Pidgey's, and the sound of Marco congratulating her when she defeats them.

He scratches behind her ears, getting a little purr. Sushi is still touch and go some days, but today is a good day. Viola is tucked into his backpack, paws on his shoulder, and she gives a bark as she sees someone.

Marco looks up, and immediately smiles, because he recognizes them. "Annie!"

Mall Rats, 12/21/18

After picking up their eggs from Connor and Hank, the three have ended up in the Goldenrod mall. Marco is trailed by Viola, who has her tail up high and proud from her recent Gym victory, and his new Pikipek, who has taken an interest in Armin's hair and keeps poking at it.

Marco keeps shooing Niles away and giving Armin and Jean odd looks. It might be because he has an idea he wants to float with the both of them, but he's not bringing it up yet. For now, they're stopped in front of a fashion store, mostly by virtue of Viola, but Marco points at one of the travel jackets.

"You think that would work for when it gets colder?"

Comments

[sunspotted]

Marco also jumps a little, looking at Armin in confusion. But, like Jean, he always thought Armin had something of a small crush on her, and he assumes it's in relation to that as well.

"She is very strong," he says with a smile.

Marco turns to Jean after he starts speaking. Honestly, he could put up a fight about Polo - but he knows how important Polo is to Jean and how important he is as well.

"I'd be glad to have Polo along to keep us safe. I won't be using him to battle, though."

Not that Polo would listen, Marco's well aware, but he feels it needs to be stated.

[schachmeister]

On the whole, Armin'd rather they think he has a crush on Annie than ask him about why he reacted so strongly to her name. Not that he has a crush on her, mind you. There are no warm fuzzy feelings here. Confused, kind of sticky weird feelings, yes. But no warm fuzzies. An attraction, at best. But again, no crushes.

None.

"I doubt Jean means you to. Still, it is a good idea to have a strong pokemon as a back-up."

It'll keep Jean from fussing too much, but it'll also help calm Armin's nerves. If Polo is there, Annie can't do anything to Marco, right? Her own pokemon are not strong enough to take Polo on if it came down to that.

[notvaljean]

That sounds like a crush, Armin. You should be glad there aren't any psychic Pokemon around to give your game away.

"Oh no, he won't battle for you. If anything, he'd plop down and start grooming himself instead."

Have you ever seen a cat the size and shape of a man lick his balls, Marco? It is... unsettling.

Jean shifts in his chair, and then admits something that's pretty hard to say. "It would make me feel a lot better if I knew you had a really strong Pokemon there to watch your back."

Not that this world is dangerous, because it isn't, especially not compared to their world, but because Jean wants to know Marco is safe, and has support. He can't stand the thought of losing him again.

[sunspotted]

He has not, and he is not looking forward to the first time Polo does clean himself.

Jean's admittance is definitely something Marco does not expect, but he appreciates how difficult it must be for him to say so. His expression softens, and he reaches out to touch his hand to Jean's wrist.

"I understand, Jean. Polo is one of your strongest Pokemon, and I'd be happy to travel with him. And we are not planning to leave just yet - so I will have time to train my Pokemon more as well."

Viola gives a little soft yip, putting her paws on the table. Yeah, if anyone tries to hurt her or Marco, she'll beat them up!

[schachmeister]

Armin allows his eyes to flick away, suddenly very deeply, utterly invested in his burrito when Marco touches Jean's wrist. It is a minor thing, but it is still something personal, and he doesn't want to just stare at it like they are in some sort of zoo.

Once the moment passes, and he's cleared his mouth of burrito again, he turns to Marco. "Do you have any plans on when you are leaving? Even just rough ones?"

[notvaljean]

Don't make it weird, Armin. This is just a pair of bros being bros, without any underlying sexual tension or repressed desires whatsoever.

Besides, if the roles were reversed, Armin would be just as upset and fussy over Eren, and make one of his strongest go with him.

"I know you'll keep an eye on him, little lady." Jean reaches out a hand to pet Viola--the one that wasn't touching his burrito, so it's clean--and the fraught, fragile moment has passed. Marco's easy agreement to take Polo has helped smooth matters over significantly, and while Jean is still upset, he's not frantic.

"Yeah, where are you guys going?" Not the harder routes, hopefully. Stick to the easy ones at first!

[sunspotted]

"We are thinking we will walk from Blackthorn back towards Violet, so that I can get the warps available to me later. I also want to take on the Gyms we pass by if I can. Other than that... I just want to learn what this world is like out in the wild."

Listen, it is not much of a plan, but it is one, and it should keep them on the roads.

[schachmeister]

Have you met Eren? Marco is a dependable, modest guy who would definitely do fine travelling on his own. Eren would pick a fight with the first Fearow he'd meet outside of town. Armin would go with him, yes, but mainly because Eren sure needs the babysitting more than Marco!

"It'll be a bit rough starting at Blackthorn. The pokemon in the surrounding areas are stronger than they are around Violet city and such."