[FIN] In Over Your Head

[Suudonym]

Sorey rounded his shoulders, embarrassed. "Oh, right! Sorry." It probably was a bit early to be considering things like this so extensively.

Sorey wasn't quite sure he understood what sort of feelings Gon had about his father or how their relationship would be described, but hey, he didn't really need to understand it. Gon didn't seem distressed or upset about it at all, and if he was happy with things the way they were, that was really all that mattered. And if it gave him a goal that he was passionate about, all the better, right?

The voice from the other side attracted Sorey's attention, and he called a reply, "Okay!" Guess there wasn't a need for him to go hunting after all? It was starting to get close to a time when it would be dangerous to do so, though, so that was probably for the best. He turned to address Gon, "Ready to go?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

"Yeah! lets go get something to eat!" Gon, the ever growing twelve year old boy bounded to the door at the mention of food pulling it open at to reveal the blond trainer who smiled kindly in greeting as the arrival of the two inside at the door.

Ray would already be down at the fire place, serving up a bowl that she held out in time for Gon to slide down from the latter and walk over, claiming it.
Treecko made a quick inspection of the contents before scrunching up his nose and hopping off his shoulder onto the log.

A second bowl was held out to Sorey, having been filled with a thick looking stew that had some kind of meat and potatoes.
"We planned for guests so eat as much as you like."
There certainly seemed to be enough to go around not just to the humans, but the the pokemon as well, at least the ones who would eat it. The herbivores would be able to collect food from a different plate of vegetables and berries.
"Did you guys get settled alright?"

Gon, having plopped down next to Heracross who chattered away at the youth, the boy staring back with wide eyes before looking to Sorey. "How long are you guys planning on staying?"  

[Suudonym]

Mikleo remarked as Sorey disembarked from the ladder. He laughed apologetically in reply.

The pair approached the fireplace, and Sorey held his hands out to accept the bowl that was passed to him, saying, "Thanks so much!" Meal in hand, he seated himself nearby, Mikleo taking a place beside him after retrieving something to eat for himself. Sorey nodded in response to the question, "Yeah, sure did!"

Gon addressed him, and he hummed in consideration. "I was thinking we'd probably go early tomorrow so we'd have plenty of time to set up our campsite but..." His eyes shifted to Ray, speaking to them both, "I'd really like to compensate you somehow for your hospitality. Is there anything I can do to help out somehow?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

Rosie accepted a bowl as well, moving over to the side where she joined her Pokemon who she had released from the ball.

Ray glanced over at Sorey as he mentioned his concerns, though she didn't reply at first, instead she watched him, thoughtfully chewing her food.
"Well... Maybe." she finished.
It would be worth considering, After how shaken Rosie seemed maybe it wouldn't be a good idea to send her in alone.
"I may have a favor to ask you." she mused, squinting one eye "I asked Rosie and Northern to come here for a reason, but If you're up for it I might be able to use your help with it too."

She cast a glance over to Gon who was clearly listening in intently.
"... Though we'll discuss it later." She added pointedly.  

[Suudonym]

Sorey tilted his head slightly in curiosity, but nodded in acceptance of the fact that it would be a topic for later. "If it's something I'm able to help with, I'd be happy to," he said.

Mikleo chastised, earning a shrug in reply.

"It's not like we're in a hurry. Besides, you don't have to help, if you don't want to."

The Vaporeon sighed.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Ray didn't hide the fact that she had something she was concerned about, and that it centered mostly around Sagestone.
Though Ray also made it clear that she wasn't going to talk about it with them yet. The only time Gon brought it up, Ray instructed him to focus on his training. So he did.
But that was months ago, now he had to wonder... if he was getting Rosie to help, and now Sorey...

"I can help too Ray." Gon announced clearly not needing to know what needed helping with.

Ray glanced over at him chewing on a mouthful of stew before she tilted her head in thought "You don't need to be worrying about anything but your training."

Gon placed his bowl on his knees, boths hands clasped around it as he leaned forward a little "I have! I've been training every day just like you want me to. I'm ready to start helping out more now."

Ray arched an eyebrow as if measuring the boy up. "Hn, If you can beat Sorey in a battle, then I'll consider it."

Gon's eyes snapped over at Sorey with a growing intensity.

"IF he's okay with it." Ray added  

[Suudonym]

"Huh?" Sorey lowered his bowl to his lap, blinking in surprise. "Me? I mean, I don't mind battling, if Mikleo's all right with it, but..." But it felt a little awkward being designated the deciding factor in whether or not Gon got to do something that he wanted to do.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Ray had her own reasons for doing this, and it wasn't just to see how well Gon does, it was also to get an opportunity to see how far along Sorey was. Yeah he was older then Gon was, so he had advantage. But she couldn't really gauge much more without seeing the team in action.

"Its a pokemon battle right?" Gon asked, getting a nod from Ray he looked back at Sorey "Want to have a pokemon battle?"  

[Suudonym]

Sorey glanced to Mikleo, who shrugged lightly. he said.

"Mikleo says it's okay," Sorey summarized, "but is it really all right to decide that way?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

Gon felt a spike of excitement jolt through his body, bringing the boy and his two pokemon to their feet "Okay! lets do it!"

Ray laughed "Okay hold on, why don't you finish your food, so we can do this properly after clean up." Ray said, motioning for the boy to sit back down.
At Sorey's question she quirked her head "Decide what way?" She asked for more clarification.  

[Suudonym]

"Oh, uhh..." Sorey searched for the words to give form to his thoughts. "It's just that it almost feels like gambling. I was wondering if Gon was really okay with staking his participation on the outcome, since it seems like he really wants to help."  

[Blood_Goddess]

Ray rocked her head from side to side as she considered an answer for his question.
"Its not a question if he wants to help, its a question if I think he's ready to help." Ray explained. "He trusted me to couch him, going into this arrangement he agreed that I would have the final say when it came to his training. So far he's respected that."  

[Suudonym]

"Ohh, I see... So not so much a wager as a trial, of sorts." It still struck him as a little odd, mostly because, as far as he knew, Ray didn't know his capabilities and thus couldn't know whether or not he would serve as an appropriate challenge for Gon. But there was no way she herself wasn't aware of that, so either it didn't matter or it somehow factored in. Either way, Gon seemed fine with it, so Sorey had no reason to refuse. He nodded, "Okay, I don't have any problem with it."  

[Blood_Goddess]

Ray smiled around her food and winked at Sorey to show that he had come to the right conclusion. Though she didn't offer much more then that, There was a lot for her to consider tonight, and if she was going to see if these boys would be able to help her out with this little predicament then she wanted to see what they were capable of with their pokemon.
She better catch up with dinner, if she waited too long Gon would finish his food too quickly.

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

Ray was always the kind of person to speak her mind, It was a little unsettling that she was keeping so much quiet, and Rosie could only assume that it was something important.
Rosie didn't talk much during dinner, but she listened to the conversation, feeling the weight of Pop leaning her back against Rosie's back, headphones in so she could block everyone out and chewing away at some vegetables.
The rest of her team was scattered after having finished their own dinners, socializing with the other pokemon. with Kiss and Vahy'n close by as they weren't oblivious to their trainer's uncharacteristic quiet and the Lopunny's agitation. Northern had not wished to come down from the treehouse yet.

Dinner had been wrapped up, Rosie pushed herself to eat something, feeling bad to let what she had been given go to waist even if she wasn't feeling particularly happy.
Gon was speeding around helping Ray get everything cleaned up as Rosie offered her help.

Treecko puffed himself up, getting himself pumped for a battle against an opponent who was evolved.

Gon looked up at the grass type on his shoulders, looking over at Rosie when he realized he was speaking at her.

Rosie was returning a growing smile "I look forward to that."
Kiss Kiss leaned forward on the log she was perched on, the long whip like tail snaking behind her

Treecko burst. Gon, who couldn't understand any of them, but got an idea of what was being said just lifed himself up higher, as he and Treecko turned to look at Sorey.

Ray stood from the fire, shoving her hands in her pockets, a large Crobat half slung over her shoulder as Emith watched from where she was still seated
"Alright, are you two ready?"  

[Suudonym]

"They sure have a lot of fighting spirit," Sorey said, his own spirits high from the cheerful atmosphere.

Mikleo, watching from beside his human companion, commented.

"Of course. No point in doing it if we don't go all-out, right?" Sorey rested his hands on his hips, his expression teasingly accusatory, "You sure are sounding confident for someone with a clear disadvantage, though."

The Vaporeon huffed.

"Sure do," Sorey smiled. "And you know you've got my vote of confidence, like always."



Sorey laughed, and he looked to Ray when she spoke. He nodded, replying, "Yup! Ready as ever!"