[PRP] Mission: Carnival Capture

[Magician Arcana]

The look Adam gave Aulus was like he had bitten into a sour, rotten apple, "Hold the ******** phone. Did someone actually DO that? The whole jump out and scream we're team rocket?" Come on. Even if you were arrogant, that just sounded like a ridiculous idiotic plan. Sighing, the grunt shifted his gaze back at the road and nodded slowly. "Gotcha... Get in. Scout the place. Get some yummy food and s**t. Come back. Grab some mons. Sounds easy."

Actually it sounded intimidating and now faced with the actual mission, Adam felt nervous energy bubble from deep below, "It makes sense. I think... Yeah. Makes sense. Guess I'm more nervous than I really should be, huh? Like, it can't be too dangerous and we'll be totally fine and all." It'll be fine.

Maybe having signed up for the Rockets Adam knew what was in store for the rest of his life. Stealing, abusing, taking what he wanted from the world. It had seemed like the only choice. Looking back, it was the only choice available. Signing up and going through training had sealed his fate... But it felt like going on the first mission was actually making it official.

"How'd you join the rockets, anyway? Like, what motives and s**t?" Had he asked that? Adam wasn't sure. The nervousness of it all was starting to make him forget things.

TawnyAngel

 

[TawnyAngel]

Magician Arcana

Sorry this took so long!

Aulus snorted and shrugged. "Sometimes the depths of stupidity humans can sink to still amaze even me, I've heard tell of Rockets doing all kinds of ridiculous s**t. Some of the genius ideas you see pop up on missions you wouldn't believe, like people who can't grasp the concept of 'don't wander off' or who struggle to cause a very simple diversion. Ridiculous."

Hu, nervous though? Aulus glanced at Adam but then turned to look out of the window, ******** knew he didn't like being looked at when he was on edge. "It's not safe but I wouldn't call it dangerous, I know what I'm doing so don't worry." That was about as close to being kind and reassuring as he was capable of getting.

Adam's question gave him something else to think about soon enough; Aulus chewed the question over his mind, trying to decide what to admit to and what to omit or to lie about. "There wasn't much for me back home," he said eventually. "I didn't care to do what was expected of me so I struck out on my own, ended up here in Kodo. I joined Team Rocket for adventure I suppose, excitement." That was true but it kind of downplayed the stupid impulsiveness of his decision which he now suspected had also been driven by a yearning to belong. Well, he certainly belonged now. He snorted, harsh amusement. "I found a bit more excitement than I was expecting. Bit of advice, you might want to work really hard on sprinting and getting fast through obstacle courses-

"Oh," Aulus gestured out of the window, "I think that must be our turning up ahead."

He'd done okay there though right? He thought so but he found himself playing all of his words through in his mind again, trying to find any way that Adam could think badly of him because of them.

He really was a stupid paranoid p***k, wasn't he? Knowing that didn't make it possible to stop.  

[Magician Arcana]

"Sprinting..." Adam sounded the word out like it was magical. Then again, given the current physique of the rocket, it very well might have been. The teen was wiry and spry, save for the pouch of a beer belly that seemed oddly out of place on his lanky body. Running? Weights? Yeah, no, "I... Should probably start working my a** off them... ********, haha."

It was reassuring to hear someone elses story, even if it seemed that Adam (at least on the surface) had joined for different reason than Aulus. No family or friends was definitely a state of being that the grunt could relate to, and then some. He nodded curtly and flipped on the blinker, hanging a right onto a new road. Butterfree sized butterflies began to swam in his stomach as they neared their mission destination.

Adam wanted to thank Aulus, but truthfully he felt that might be jinxing them. So he kept quiet and drove into a parking lot. It was well filled and he had to park some distance from the entrance. Smells of popcorn and hay mingled together and danced on the wind with laughter. Adam hummed happily, a bright grin spread across his face, "First time I've been to a carnival in years..." It was a little exciting, if he was honest.

TawnyAngel

That's okay!! No problem o uo

 

[TawnyAngel]

Magician Arcana

Aulus glanced at Adam and snorted slightly as he sounded out 'sprinting' and then speculated about work outs. "Yeah, you probably should. I can give you some pointers for a good basic regime if you want." He had plenty saved on his computer for trainee classes, it wouldn't be any effort to find one that might suit Adam and pass it over. Responsible, helpful Agent; it was the thing to be, a thing he could be if he made himself.

Soon enough they were out of the car and Adam was grinning like a pumpkin. Aulus let out an amused huff of breath and shrugged. "Nor have I come to think of it." There was a tempting aroma in the air, popcorn? Possibly. "Let's go then."

It wasn't too long a wait before they were inside the carnival grounds, and once they were in all around them was... ha, well you could say that there was a carnival atmosphere. It was funny because it was true. Aulus tried to repress the smile at his own joke with mixed success as he wandered slowly along, looking right and left for any sign of what they might be after. "You see any sign of pokemon exhibits?" he asked Adam with quizzically raised brows.  

[Magician Arcana]

Well, at the very least he'd be getting healthy. WOO. Adam didn't want to seem too dejected,but working out sounded like a pain in the arse. Maybe after the first few times it'd be easier...... Maybe. Probably not. Definitely not.

"Poke exhibits?" Adam repeated and scoured the area. There were many bodies, mostly older men and women with young children, smattered with teens clasping hands together. Pokemon were involved with everything, but Adam had a feeling Aulus wasn't looking for an eevee petting zoo. Most of the crowd was moving towards the big tent, which Adam motioned towards.

"Maybe something in that direction? We could check it out?"

TawnyAngel

 

[TawnyAngel]

Magician Arcana

"Sure," Aulus' response was lazy and casual and came complete with a slight shrug. "They'd better have something interesting like the poster said, I didn't come all this way for a painted magikarp." So saying he set off again, heading towards the big tent Adam had indicated. Given they were here as members of the public random chatter was probably in order and so as they walked Aulus ventured; "So what's your favorite type, if you got one?" They were here to look at rare pokemon so the topic made sense he figured.  

[Magician Arcana]

Adam pursed his lips slowly, contemplating a good answer, "I think ghosts. I love them since they're creepy but funny." Well Haunters were. Others were more on the creepy than funny side. Still, Adam stuck with his answer, "What about you?"

They were going in the right direction, thankfully. In front of them, the big top held a large sign, similar to the flier. Something about rare colored pokemon, and rares it seemed too. A group of Growlithe barked softly, weaving their way between the crowd with clowns holding leashes.

"Come see the Growlithe dance! Performance in a half hour! Come see the Growlithe fire dance!" Adam watched as a group passed near them. He turned to Aulus and lifted his brows in an open question. Do we go, or do we not?

TawnyAngel

 

[TawnyAngel]

Magician Arcana

Honestly Aulus wasn't sure he did have a favourite, though there were a couple of types that would probably be front runners if he really did have to make a choice. For today however he just inclined his head slightly at Adam and replied; "I like fire types myself, let's catch that show. Given we've got a bit of time before it starts though shall we grab some snacks?" They were going to be here a while and then waiting around afterwards, it would be stupid to end up too hungry to focus properly.  

[Magician Arcana]

Adam nodded a little at the response, "Fire types are cool." Ah, at the question of snacks, Adam's stomach gave a small grumble, "Oh hell yes. Popcorn sounds great." Whenever Adam tried to make some in the microwave, it always burnt. Prepopped was delicious.

Adam moved to stand in line of a booth that sold many foods, including the sought after popcorn. Stretching, the grunt contemplated everything he had learned so far about Aulus. The other man was sort of mysterious, but didn't come off as mean or rude. Just serious. Getting training from him would be kind of smart. A good exercise routine. "So, you mentioned teaching me the stuff you teach trainees. What do you want for that? I could give you some money or a massage or somethin'."

Tawny Angel

 

[TawnyAngel]

Magician Arcana

Nobody else was close enough to hear them talking and so Aulus remained relaxed with the direction of the conversation. He shrugged, acquired himself some candyfloss - 'cotton candy' to the people who lived here he understood - and moved off again once Adam had his snacks too.

"I don't charge," he said as they wandered, "it's just something I used to do in my spare time; keep me sharp, and get to know the new people coming up. It's part of my work schedule at the moment rather than a spare time thing though because for obvious reasons," he jerked his head at his right side and grimaced, "I'm not on a lot of regular duties right now. Oh, I've got a karate class once a week too if you want to come to that. Well, it's not exactly pure karate anymore, more 'whatever works' style aimed at actually fighting rather than as a sport. That'd make a good part of an exercise routine, as well as the obvious practical applications."  

[Magician Arcana]

TawnyAngel

"Kawate Cwass?" Adam excitedly shouted around a mouth of popcorn. Swallowing down the rest, he beamed at Aulus, clearly over the moon at the idea, "Like... Like Bruce Lee s**t, right? You know that one movie? Hidden Sawk, Crouching Hitmonlee? It's so cool! I've always wanted to learn. Is it hard?"

Adam's feet shuffled along in an attempt to get them out of the thick of the crowd. As much as the grunt enjoyed clubs and being in parties, there was something suffocating about being in large crowds when people weren't dancing. Also, some of those parents didn't think twice to elbow the lanky teen as they stumbled past with excited children in tow. Tsk.

"But seriously, dude. Yes I would love to join both. I mean I need all the help I can get. 'M super ******** out of shape." Training had done wonders, but that didn't stop Adam's physique from being more blagh than raw, "How'd you even get into that stuff?"  

[TawnyAngel]

Magician Arcana

Once again Adam had managed to please Aulus with his enthusiasm, he even got a brief smile and a little laugh. "Bruce Lee s**t; that's right, yeah. Hard...?" Aulus seemed to consider this. After a few moments he shrugged. "It takes dedication to master but anyone who's not physically ill can work up to it. It doesn't take too long to surpass what most normal people can do especially as I work on practical stuff rather than the philosophy of it all. You don't need to be strong to be good, though strength helps of course. If you come along to the next session I'll have my five foot three partner Tam throw me over her shoulder to demonstrate if you like, it's technique that matters most. Power and stuff comes more into play when you're against somebody equally matched to your skill level. Obviously there's some stuff I can't demonstrate right now but I have my Sawk Rose to help me out with stuff."

How had he got into it? Why was Adam curious? Aulus was naturally inclined to be suspicious of personal questions but Adam... Adam just seemed interested, not like he had ulterior motives. Aulus shrugged again. "As for how I got into it, I just started as a hobby when I was young and it grew from that. Since I joined up," there was nobody too close to them but he didn't say 'with Team Rocket' because that was just dumb, "I've diverted from using it as a sport and potential self defence to more... practical applications. Oh, if you get really into it we can do weapons too. When I get an arm again I can train you to use a Katana or a bo staff, I'm more into the latter myself though."