[FIN] No Place Like Home

[BlackFireKitsune]

Sera's attention was quickly pulled from the snake to her friend as he spoke, the first thing he'd said since the boat reached the dock. It was almost surprising - her expression plainly showing this briefly before it morphed to something more reassuring. "It's okay, don't worry," she said, unfolding her arms so one hung at her side, the other raising so she could squeeze his arm gently, as if that would help at all. "He's just--"

She was about to reply to both Luke and Rosie to explain just who this Serperior belonged to, when the tall woman arrived on her own and unsurprisingly singled her out, just as the snake had. Another look of annoyance passed over the brunette's face.  

[Suudonym]

Seraphine's reassurance calmed his immediate worries, but the proper explanation was interrupted. The recent arrival was a complete stranger - well, no, actually, not a complete stranger. He recognized this woman, not that she was particularly easy to forget. He searched his memories for his impression of her and responded to his recollections with a slight frown. Somewhere amidst his thoughts was the question of if her hand had healed okay after that, but it didn't really seem prudent to raise an old concern like that all of a sudden.  

[BlackPidgeot]

When Ray showed her face, Yuri looked considerably more relaxed, a smirk on his face once more.

"Yeah, no kidding. I may have to go get a drink after this."

He then looked over at Sera and then back at Ray, jabbing his thumb in the direction of the former. "So you know our little diva, huh?" That said with utmost affection of course.  

[Tori Honoo]

When Ray appeared beside Dove, the young woman visibly relaxed a little, her hand coming back up from her side to rest atop Lovey's head a moment as the eevee yipped a greeting at Ray.

"Student?" she asked Sera, confused. Obviously the majority--if not all-- of the group knew Ray, but for Sera of all people to associate with someone like this, she wasn't entirely sure. There had to be a specific reason.

She turned her attention back to the silverette, however, when she called out at Yuri, blinking at the outburst of excitement then looking to the man for his reaction, though very obviously trying not meeting his gaze.  

[Blood_Goddess]

"Aaggh my gosh Yuri, that sounds like such a good idea, I might join you if I didn't have a little disobedient cupcake to whip into shape." A long arm flicked out in a gesture toward Sera,
"Its also going to depend if you're over that experimental stage you've been going through man," Ray shook her head "That last drink you got; Guh"

Arching her eyebrow when he asked her about Sera, she grinned and nodded "I was going to ask you the same thing." She glanced from Sera to Yuri once again. "Talk about a small world. But yeah, little miss muffed and I go way waaay back-" She paused to think narrowing her eyes as she looked over for Double Stripe, as if to get him to confirm her thoughts, The Serperior simply squinted one eye back at her.
"About two weeks back."
She spoke as if she was serious, though by what she said, there was no way she could be.

The person next to her spoke, drawing Ray's attention "Hm? yeah student, I'm- Doooove!" The tall women let out a surprised laugh when she recognized the girl, but her arms reached out to the Eevee, who was promptly scooped into her hands and held up.
"Aaahhh! Lovely! You're still an Eevee" She cooed with excited affection at the pokemon, bringing her back down to cuddle the ball of fluff in her arms. "Ai'm so sorreh!"
Laughing as she played with the Eevee, Ray glanced up again, "Its like a whole big reunion here isn't it. I know you knew Dove-" Her eyes glanced over the other two faces, one, she thought she recognized, the boy with the red hair, but it wasn't quite clicking yet. She did think she had a good idea though.
"Lllluke?" She asked, squinting her eye at him. "Then that must mean you are Luke?"

The entire time the tall, eccentric women was interacting with her friends, and the pokemon around Rosie could not help but wear a big smile on her way.
Who was this person? She was certainly stranger, but she was pretty funny too.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Sera frowned, her eyes narrowed as Ray went on. Did this chick never shut up? Did she know everyone? Ugh. The girl remained quiet for the time being, her arms folded over her chest again and her weight on one foot.  

[Suudonym]

Luke watched in silent half-curiosity as the woman interacted with the others. It was somehow impressive that she seemed to know almost everyone, though they reacted to that acquaintanceship in very different ways. He was drawn sharply from his consideration of the word 'student' as it could apply to Seraphine and their new company by the sound of his name, to which he responded with an increased attentiveness. He gave a small, somewhat hesitant nod to confirm his identity, unsure of how exactly she was aware of his name. He didn't think he had given it before, at least…  

[BlackPidgeot]

Yuri sighed and glanced away with just a hint of sheepishness when she brought up the "experiment". "Yeah, no, that's not happening again any time soon." He'd learned his lesson from that one. It had kicked his a** a bit too much.

Despite what others termed as fun, Yuri didn't count being drunk off your a**, puking your guts out, and horrible hangovers as something fun.  

[Tori Honoo]

Though she had been expecting Sera to explain at least a little, she sighed, her question unanswered, until Ray spoke up....and the question was quickly derailed. Sha almost protested as the pokemon was taken from her, then laughed, unable to hold it back as the woman played with Lovey, amused at the way the little eevee's hair stood on end in surprise at being lifted. When the woman apologized to her for still being an Eevee, both pokemon and trainer tipped their heads, confused. "What's wrong with being an Eevee, Ray?" Dove kidded (though inwardly she truly wanted to know) before turning back as Ray addressed the rest of the group.

Lovey wiggled in the woman's hold, glad to see the older trainer. She had certainly chosen a good time to show up, that was for sure!  

[Blood_Goddess]

"You can't be stuck a child forever, so why should a Pokemon" Ray answered Dove's question, though as if she was only half paying attention as she playfully tickled the Eevee's chest.

"I am glad to hear that." She told Yuri, She knew full well why he had done it, it had been a rough night for him, but she hoped that he was past it, and able to take better care of himself... by NOT drinking till he passed out.
She would probably had to tell him sometime that she was the one who held his hair back while he puked his guts out in her toilet.
She'll save that one for a special occasion though, like when he tried to get plastered like that ever again! 'Do you know what I did for you!'
Fool proof plan.
"We'll have to hang out again, when I get some free time, and before I get to that summer job." She nodded to Yuri.

"SO you're the Luke, huh? Nice to put a face to the name," She grinned. "I've heard a lot about you."
She squinted though, tilting her head. "Hm... you look kind of familiar though. hard to tell right now, looks like you've gotten into it with someone pretty good." she noted, taking notice of the angry bruising on his face.
LIKE A PROPER BOY!

The only other person there she really didn't know was The other girl in pink, standing by Luke and her bratty underling.
Ray Offered her a grin, and nodded in greeting. "Are you one of her friends too?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rosie smiled when she was spoken to by the strange new women, but offed a nod, and a glance to Sera. "I am~ My name's Rosie"

She was not at all oblivious to the fact that Sera was still not talking, but she wasn't actually raging either, even as the tall women before them seemed to continuously tease her.
"So.. Student?" Rosie asked, looking over at Sera, eyebrows arched in curiosity "Student for what?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ray could admit, that she was not at ALL surprised that Sera had not told her friends, but she was going to let her tell them now, if she so wanted to,
"Rosie huh?" Ray nodded in greeting "I'm called Ray. Its nice to meet all of you finally, ever since pumkin bum mentioned you."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Ugh, all of this was just so stupid, all of these freaking names -- she didn't even want to know who Ray was referring to as 'pumpkin bum.' She was almost afraid to ask. "I suppose you could call it that," she said in slightly bitter tones when Rosie asked about the student comment, though failed to elaborate on the topic further. She was not in the mood for this s**t. Not today.  

[Suudonym]

Ray, he noted as Dove spoke the name. Friends with Yuri apparently, and with Dove and her Eevee, and some kind of teacher to Seraphine? Unfamiliar with Rosie, it seemed, but that appeared to be changing as they spoke. This was all a bit confusing, though not as much as the fact that this woman had evidently heard of him somehow - and 'a lot' about him at that - but the confusion left his expression in exchange for an uncomfortable frown at her notice of and comment on the bruised jaw. Green eyes fell towards the ground as he struggled and failed to produce a reply.  

[BlackPidgeot]

"Sure thing," Yuri said back to Ray, his attention then going to Luke as she started talking to him. Noticing that the boy was looking confused and uncomfortable.

"How about we get you home?" Yuri then offered to the red head, figuring that this was probably a bit overwhelming for him right now. And he'd been planning on following Luke back to his place anyway. There were certain things to see to.  

[Tori Honoo]

She sighed, unable to tell if Ray's statement was in jest or a very serious one. In any case, Lovey would be staying an eevee for now, unless she gave some indication of wanting to change. She fondly watched Lovey wiggle happily as Ray tickled her for a few seconds, listening to both the pokemon's form of laughter and the conversations around her.

Ray met Rosie, Yuri was invited places, Sera finally answered the question (when asked by Rosie), Ray bombarded Luke with words.

When the woman addressed Luke, she turned her gaze to the boy, the concern returning to her face as she watched his reaction. While she had been completely adverse to mentioning the way his face had bruised, Ray had done so without hesitation. Then again, the woman wouldn't know the entire situation surrounding the boy's recent past, so she couldn't really blame her, but to even bring it up was audacious...

When Yuri mentioned taking Luke home, she couldn't help but agree, though she had really wished to greet him more properly. There would be time for it later, she told herself, deciding it likely best to have him go home; the entire group looked like they needed rest (except Ray, who seemed to be nothing more than a ball of strength and energy), and she was sure, given the circumstances, Luke needed it more than anyone. The overall volume of the surrounding area was a little overwhelming even to her, and she couldn't imagine him handling the stress of everything, judging by his current appearance and disposition.

Though he wasn't looking at her, she nodded at the idea. "That's probably not a bad idea. I'm sure you're all tired... and it's always good to relax after a long trip like that." She did keep her eyes on Luke, however, assuming that Yuri wouldn't want her opinion anyway, even if she did agree with him.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Ray certainly didn't look like she was kidding, at least not then. In fact, not much of anything she was saying could be taken much as a joke, despite a good natured tone that implied that she just enjoyed being in the company of pokemon, and people.

She nodded at Yuri when he agreed to their odd little bro date they usually had. and shifted her smirk to Luke, when Yuri made mention that they should get him home.
The kid didn't look like he was in the best of conditions, tired, run down. Though she knew this was the one with the surgery, and the recent loss, so she couldn't blame him.

"See ya guys around," But she turned to Sera. "Except for you, Missing one day is bad enough for your team progress, but three? I'm not going to just let that slide you know."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rosie arched her eyebrows, smiling with a confused interest as Sera was spoken to. though a light seemed to go off in her mind when she made a sudden realization.
"Oh-"
At Yuri's words, though, her attention shifted to him, then imminently to Luke, understanding why the dark haired man had said that.
"I know where we can get some cabs, they're not far." She said turning to face them. "Is it okay if I see you home?" She asked, looking over to Luke.