Post-Beach Day (OTA Catchall)

[worthallthis]

Who: Bucky AKA Winter, and OPEN
Where: Violet City through 7/27, then Goldenrod
When: July 20 - 31
Summary:
Rating: PG-13-ish, for probable swearing and some PTSD panic


I. Work, work, work - Violet City

Entrapta is banned from the pokemon center, so while she does her time and works off her penalty for the crime of tearing apart a warp pad, the Soldier Winter has to work some more, himself, in order to get them hotel rooms and still keep a comfortable cushion for eggs, moves, and feeding a slowly growing collection of pokemon. And people, because they need to eat, too.

Like Azalea, the pokemon center does need help, and he happens to have a Happiny who wants badly to practice her Natural Cure, so they spend a lot of time in the medical wing. Winter is not super happy about the proximity to needles and things for the more scientific side of medicine, but while Sara does healing and passes her favorite rock to patients for reassurance, Nurse Joy gives him some paperwork to sort or laundry to wash so he doesn't have to look at any of it. It helps, maybe. A little bit.

Which means he's around the pokemon center a lot, both for work and for lunch midday, and walking back to the hotel from there after work. It's a good place for not-quite-baby Absol Stevie (his legs are shooting up, making him a leggy adolescent these days) to go charging into people to bump them away from puddles or other pokemon, or for Dugan the Mudbray to block the doorway by laying down to nap in exactly the wrong place, or for the still-unnamed Rockruff to bark happily and run circles around all comers. Depending on who's out keeping him company, that day.


II. PTSD + Thunderstorms = A Bad Time - Violet City

Learning to read the weather had never really been a skill HYDRA cared a lot about, and before HYDRA, he'd lived in a city. He's pretty sure. So while the heavy, oppressive heat of a thunderstorm to come is uncomfortable, the Soldier Winter doesn't actually know what it means until he's walking back to the hotel after a grocery store run and the sky breaks open with lightning and thunder and rain.

Lightning and loud noises: not great for guys who've been through both shelling in a war, and being electrocuted repeatedly for seventy years. For a long few moments he stands stock still in the middle of the street, looking like a deer in the headlights, getting drenched. Then the dragons come out and start chasing each other, chasing the lightning, across the sky. One dragon jumps down in front of him at just the wrong time, and he bolts-- not back to the hotel which would be smart, but into the nearest alleyway to cover his head and hide. Bolting and hiding is better than attacking, though, so points there.

Grace, his Absol, bounds after him in clear concern, then stands guard at the entrance of the alleyway just in case, while Montgomery, his finally-named Staravia, chases the dragon culprit around angrily.


III. Warping - Goldenrod

Work contracted complete, Entrapta free and in the clear to visit Violet City in the future, and storm in the past (and a grumpy Gible often in his company, since said storm), the two of them (and any tagalongs who want to join them, even if he and Entrapta have to swipe their IDs for them at each of the stops along the way) take their first actual warps, and skip the long walk through Azalea to Goldenrod.

Goldenrod is bigger than Violet City, and requires more time to map it out in his head so he feels safe enough there to relax a little, so he spends a couple days doing that before seeing about work or meeting up with those handful of people he might actually know here. Maybe he can even find something other than pokemon center work, for a few days, just to try it out.... If not, then at least Sara will be happy at the center some more.

So he can be found exploring for a few days, with at least three of his various pokemon in attendance at any given time. Trying out new foods, poking his nose into stores and usually ducking immediately back out again, keeping an eye out for these potential pokemon kidnappers the network has been talking about, maybe meeting new people who hopefully are not pokemon kidnappers. That last one's easy, anyway, when you have young, excitable pokemon who want to make friends, or grumpy pokemon who want to pick a fight, or it gets too hot to wear a jacket and you're stuck with your metal arm on display and people like to ask questions about it.

Comments

II

[insidegalra]

Thace knew the storm was coming, and what it was, but he had to finish his shift. And surely a natural phenomenon wouldn't set off his bad memories, right?

Wrong. Thace ends up gasping and stumbling as the streaks of lightning cause his heart to race and his breath to catch. The flying shapes flickering in and out of the rain only make things worse, reminding him in the worst ways of the Druids who'd been the cause of so much of his nightmares.

When leaning against a wall and trying to use techniques that should get his emotions under control fail, Thace hisses out. "Vrig, cover."

She wraps her tassel around his wrist and gently leads him to an alleyway. Perhaps she should have scouted it first because it's occupied. She's not going to apologize for helping her trainer, but she will offer an explanation of the storm being bad and her trainer needing somewhere safe.

Thace, meanwhile, has slid down the wall to put his head between his knees. His breathing isn't as fast, at least, even if it's still very ragged. "Vrig, who--?"

[worthallthis]

Maybe it's a little ridiculous, two grown men cowering in an alleyway from the lightning. But you do what you gotta do, sometimes, and at least not seeing the lightning is a little better. Not a lot better, when the thunder still sounds like goddamn bombing rolling over an air raid shelter, but at least it's not the blue flash of HYDRA rifles. (What rifles? He'd never used any rifles with blue flashes.)

Winter's a little further down the alleyway, in a very similar position, only he's got a metal arm wrapped up over his head protectively and eyes squeezed tightly shut, largely unresponsive. Grace gives Vrig a skeptical look, keeping herself between the newcomers and her own person, but says in answer to the explanation, "Absol." Hers needs to be safe, too. Though she isn't sure why.

[insidegalra]

Thace flinches when lightning flashes paint the alley in stark light and menacing shadow. He flinches less when the thunder rolls a moment later.

Vrig pats him on the shoulder with a soft "Hon-Hon" and then shrugs at Grace. She says that she thinks it's because of what haunts her trainer's nightmares, but she's not a psychic pokemon.

[worthallthis]

Neither is Grace, not precisely. She huffs a little, then, deciding Vrig is probably good for guarding now, comes and leans hard on Winter's knees. Not much is going to get past her horn's danger sense and a living blade's edge. "Absol."

The flesh hand snakes out to hug her head against his. "Sorry. I'm sorry, Grace, I." That's when he finally register's he has company in the alleyway, and his head shoots up with alarm.

[insidegalra]

Thace has been aware of Winter, in a vague way. It's hard to focus his attention on anything else but controlling his responses (at least a little), but he knows he and Vrig aren't alone. He also knows that Vrig doesn't consider the human or Pokemon companion threats.

So he looks up, still breathing hard and sweating, at the words, and registers the shock. Thace wants to reassure Winter that he isn't a threat, but lightning strikes nearby while he's trying to get his racing thoughts in enough order and he flinches again, biting (literally) off a cry.

Once he's had a moment to reassure himself he's not back on the tables, he waves a hand at the sky. "Electric torture..."

[worthallthis]

They both flinch and duck again at the lightning. There's a blade in Winter's hand, a simple steak knife, but since his hand is up against his head, it's pretty clear it's not actually being wielded in Thace's direction at the moment. He recognizes that face. Not a threat. Maybe. Hadn't been a threat last time, but.

But.

Breathing harshly, Winter registers the answer, flinches again, and says, "I. Yeah. That, too. Method for wiping memories and personality."

iii

[fingersandteeth]

"Winter!" And that's Steven who's just called his name from the other side of the street, raising his hand in greeting, the one that's not also holding onto a briefcase. He hurries across the road, ducking around pokemon and bike traffic.

"Hey," he says, once he's made it to Winter's side. "I hadn't realized you and Entrapta made it to town yet."

[worthallthis]

"Yesterday," he answers, ducking his head a little, but there's a bit of a smile there, too. "Still learning the streets and things. Looking for somewhere to work."

Working makes traveling much more comfortable, with money to buy enough to eat and gifts for his pokemon, and extra blankets for sleeping under, and another set of clothes that isn't a garish color or basically body armor. So they're at least going to be here long enough for a work contract, he knows that much.

[fingersandteeth]

Steven's definitely smiling. He likes Winter. The man is an awkward Psyduck, sure, but he's a good man too, or at least he gives that impression to Steven. And despite being someone who really isn't a good man at all, Steven can't help but value the people he knows that are actual good people.

"I don't think we've got anything temp at the Tower right now," Steven says after a moment of thought. "Unfortunately. The Pokecenters can usually use someone though, right? So if you don't find anything else..."

[worthallthis]

"That's where I was working in Azalea," he agrees. "And Violet City. I have a Happiny who likes to. Practice. And there's always laundry to do and papers to sort. Thought I might try something new if I can, though." Since Sento was firm about experiencing things to bring back memories. Can't do that if he's doing the same things over and over.

[fingersandteeth]

"Variety can be nice," Steven says agreeably. "What did you do before you came here? Part of the reason I tried to get work at the radio tower was that I was in broadcast journalism originally, albeit on television."

[worthallthis]

Uh. Well. Winter hesitates for a long moment, before admitting quietly, "I. Kind of killed people. That's not a useful skill here." And he doesn't want to do it anymore, anyway. There's no HYDRA here to make him.

I

[carbonatedscientist]

Sento's coming into the Pokemon Center looking a little sheepish. He's trailed by an equally-sheepish looking Raboot and carrying a charred-looking Murkrow in his arms. (The Murkrow, for her part, just looks Done with everything.) "Ah, do you think you can help us out with a bit of a burn?"

[worthallthis]

Winter looks up from the papers he's been organizing for the nurses at the familiar voice, and twitches in surprise and concern. Mostly he doesn't do much medical himself, given it makes him want to shake and hide in corners, but this is a... companion. A nice person who also has memory issues.

So he gets up, Sara, his Happiny, waddling hurriedly after him making disrtessed cooing noises. "What happened?"

[carbonatedscientist]

There's a bit of indignant squawking from the Murkrow in answer to that question. Sento sighs. "Sawa here and Tank had a bit of an argument while we were training, and Tank got a bit...overexcited."

Tank is just cringing a little and trying to look as innocent as possible.

[worthallthis]

Winter gives the raboot a disappointed kind of look while patting one of the exam tables. "Tank. You should learn to keep your fire under control when it's a friendly argument. Control is important in all things." Because surely it was a friendly argument. Right? Of course it was. "Sawa. Sit here, please."

And he bends to collect Sara, who is waving her stubby little arms imperiously to be picked up so she can do her job.

[carbonatedscientist]

"Raaaaab." The tone there very much scans with a terribly embarassed kid saying 'I said I was sorry.' And the Raboot's chagrin seems legitimate.

Sawa gives a squawk and flits over to sit where instructed.

[worthallthis]

As long as he tries not to do it again, Winter will let it go. He helps Sara up onto the table next to Sawa. "Can you fix this, Sara? Or do I need to get one of the Nurses?"

The Happiny toddles up to Sawa and offers him her stone, first. "Hap." Hold that for her so she can work, wilya?

IIIish wildcard

[firstonesexpert]

Winter! I have excellent news!

A reassuring text to get in the middle of the day? Yes, no? At least she doesn't leave it there. It is, however, followed by a photo, of Entrapta's hotel bed with six eggs on it, and a Growlithe lying across as many as her small frame can fit across. Which mostly means her head's on one, her chest on another, and her hind legs on a third. Fuzzles is staring plaintively at the camera with an ear twitched back a bit.

It appears that Amanda and Fuzzles made eggs!

[worthallthis]

At least this one, Winter isn't super surprised by. (He'll get more of a shock when he gets home and finds the rockruff's collection in his own room.) He does smile a little at the image, then texts back:

"Fuzzlebutt did tell me he wanted to try. I did not think he would try this soon"

Hence, he supposes, the plaintive expression.

"I can leave early if you want me to come home now. It is a slow day"

[firstonesexpert]

We should be alright! I'll have them all documented and fully recorded by the time you finish your proper shift!

At least she can be reliably counted on for that: for all her faults, Entrapta is nothing if not thorough.

Though we may need to acquire another set of harnesses, this is more eggs than Grace gave us last time.

[worthallthis]

Entrapta may be excitable and distractable, but she's never been anything but gentle and responsible with the eggs they've had so far. He trusts her with this.

"Okay. Good thing we have Dugan. I will stop by somewhere on my way home and see what I can get for him"

Even if he has to get something that requires altering, he can do that. Probably. He thinks? But surely with all the breeding of pokemon going on, there will be standard items available.

[firstonesexpert]

Okay!

She may also make notes on the eggs in marker. So far it hasn't marked any of the Pokemon inside, and it's the easiest way to tell them all apart without weighing them again. But when Winter gets back at the end of his shift, all the eggs in Entrapta's room are fully labelled, and she's going through her notes with Leslie - who's evolved, in the last few days, to something slightly less toddler-shaped and more gangly.

[worthallthis]

Winter goes to his own room first, to set down the groceries and Dugan's new harness, and he stops to blink at the sight on the bed: his rockruff, tail awag, sitting behind more eggs. "Entrapta?" he calls-- their rooms are right next to each other, because they have to be. "Did you move the eggs...?"

Grace's horn vibrates a little, and she narrows her eyes at the eggs. No, she knows who made those.... "Absol," she says with some mix of disdain and resignation.

"Ruff ruff ruff?" the rockruff asks, sounding very much like she's asking, "Did I do good? Did I did I?"

I

[cutesneeze]

It's morning the day after the storm and its accompanying rain of dragons, which certainly means there's plenty to do in the Pokecenter - and, more importantly, plenty of puddles for an industrious Pokemon to herd people away from, both outside and inside, where someone's over-excited water type has inevitably splashed all over the floor.

An aggrieved "Hey!" sounds from near the front of the Pokecenter, followed by a trilling cry of "Jangmo-o!"

It's not a sure sign that someone has indeed been bumped away from an indoor puddle that hasn't yet been mopped up, but it's a pretty good bet, and should Winter come to confirm, he'll find a familiar face struggling to contain a small, pink-and-gold scaled saurian creature who is absolutely determined to get at the juvenile Absol who just clearly attacked her trainer.

Why this.