[PRP] A Passion for People and Pokemon

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

A pair of young men - one in red, black, and white; the other in blue, black, and white - walked around Camphoreon City together. One had an air of calm confidence about him, but the other seemed somewhat tense and kept looking around. The black-haired one put a hand on the blue-haired fellow's shoulder and spoke to him gently.

"It's alright, Riviere. We're not going to be battling anyone today. I just want you to get used to this form and observe how other humans act. The city is the best place for this because there are so many people crowded in one area. That makes it easier to get lost among them, though, so it's less likely you'll be scrutinized. Don't look so nervous. You're doing fine."

What was making Riviere more nervous than his surroundings, perhaps, was the fact that Izaya was acting so different than usual. He wasn't being curt or short-tempered as he usually was with his pokemon - which, despite current appearances, Riviere was. The Zoroark wasn't used to this patience or tolerance from his trainer ever. Just what had happened to Izaya over the months he'd been away from his pokemon?

While the dark-type knew his trainer loved human beings, he wasn't so ignorant as to believe this new treatment was due to the temporary illusion that he himself was human. He had taken on human forms plenty of times in the past without Izaya treating him any differently than his other pokemon. Today, though, was the first time he'd been asked to take on a form of his own rather than an already existing human's. Riviere hadn't been sure where to start, but with Izaya's help, they'd come up with a relatively normal guise for him.

It made the Zoroark feel special, wearing this guise his trainer had taken the time to help him perfect. Even better was the fact that Izaya seemed to have had enough faith in him to let him accompany the info broker out on a stroll through Camphoreon, just the two of them. Despite his happiness, though, it made Riviere wary. He still didn't know the reason for all these things.

He tried to pay attention and observe the other humans as he was asked, but he couldn't help spending most of his time watching Izaya. The black-haired man seemed distant and aloof, as if his mind was partially elsewhere, but not enough that Riviere felt neglected. He just wished he knew what was going on with his human.

"Rivi - that's a light pole!"

Before he knew what had happened, the Zoroark was on the ground and blinking up at Izaya in bewilderment, his head throbbing where he had run into the metal obstruction. Oops. Now he was going to get it.

"You idiot, I told you to keep aware of your surroundings! Were you staring at me again?"

Rather than hearing anger as the main emotion in his trainer's voice, though, Riviere was astonished to hear concern as the man knelt beside him to check his injury.

"Are you alright? Do you need a potion or something?"  

[TawnyAngel]

He couldn't stand much more of working at Meat Palace.... Well actually that wasn't true, he could, but he really didn't want to and so he was using a free afternoon to scope out 'help wanted' signs around the city and drop in CVs. This task was made a lot easier by having a friend who could a) fly you around above the rooftops at high speed and b) spot a 'help wanted' sign almost literally a mile off and certainly down at the end of any given street.

With his hair tied back in a plait to keep the wind from tying it into thousands of knots and a pair of goggles around his neck Taavi stepped out of the little convenience store, he was trying to hope that he'd get a call but from the way the middle-aged woman had looked him up and down.... He'd thought he looked quite smart - jeans and a button down with boots, right? So what was it she'd taken against? Was it the clothes after all? Wrong colour? Long hair? Maybe just the way he'd fallen over greeting her and had ended up saying 'good hello' instead of good afternoon or just hello? Ugh, why did he have to do things like that?

At this point Taavi was diverted from what could have been quite a long internal stream of self recrimination by somebody walking into a lamppost. Owch- Oh! A Zoroark? The illusion had shattered when the apparent blue-haired man smacked his head. Curiosity piqued Taavi hurried over to the pair. "Hey, um, are you okay?"  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

Gingerly feeling the lump on his head with the tips of his claws, the Zoroark took a moment to process the questions he was asked before shaking his head at Izaya and nodding to...wait, who was this?

His trainer seemed more wary of the stranger as he helped his pokemon stand back up. "I think he's alright. He was just distracted - been like that all morning." The crimson-eyed man adjusted his glasses to make sure they hid his face before he turned back to the Dark-type. "Can you put up your illusion again?"

Nodding sheepishly as he continued to rub his head, Riviere quickly re-assumed his human guise. Then he looked at Taavi, smiled, took one of the young man's hands in both of his own, and shook it gently.

It took a second for Izaya to understand what he was trying to do. "...Nice try, but you only need one hand for that," he said, putting his own hand on the unnecessary one involved in the hand-shake. The pokemon obediently dropped it.

Izaya continued, turning to the newcomer. "I think it's fair to say he wants to thank you for your concern and to introduce ourselves," the informer said with a smile. "So, on his behalf, this is Riviere and I'm Nakura, his trainer. We were practicing his illusions and getting him used to different environments," he explained. "And you are...?"  

[TawnyAngel]

Aww! Handshake! Taavi grinned and returned the gesture, but only one handed as the black-haired man went on to indicate was the usual way of doing it. "Pleased to meet you Riviere and Nakura, I'm Taavi. Your illusion is really good Riviere! I know that fine detail like expressions is hard, you're doing a great job there even close up." It had been a long time since he'd last been around a Zoroark much; he'd missed their tricks, though mainly he'd missed Guise. For about the millionth time he wished his Dad's friends had come to him instead of ending up with his colleagues but... well that was all in the past now.

"You picked a nice day to come out," Taavi added with a small smile and a vague gesture at the nice day around them, pushing away the cloud of gloom that had tried to settle over him as best he could. "It's ah... nice and warm." Oh, well, that had sounded a bit stupid hadn't it? Taavi gave a slightly awkward laugh and shrugged apologetically. "Ah, that was obvious, sorry."  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

Riviere brightened and seemed extremely pleased at having earned Taavi's praise. Izaya chuckled at his pokemon's response.

"The pleasure is ours, Taavi," he told the younger other man. "And expressions are his favorite illusions; have been since he was a Zorua and he could use them to get what he wanted. Pretty good form of communication for a pokemon, I'd say." With his own love of human facial expressions, that was one thing, at least, that Izaya hadn't had trouble teaching the Dark-type.

Nodding vigorously - first at Izaya's comment and then Taavi's about the weather - Riviere got side-tracked by the latter's vague gesture and attempted to have his human guise mimic it.

"No reason to be sorry," the informant responded with a casual grin, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Even the most obvious things can be missed by someone who's too caught up in a fast-paced lifestyle." He looked at Riviere meaningfully. "Or not paying attention to where they're going."

The blue-haired young man lowered his head and smiled sheepishly back.

"But anyway...just now you mentioned fine detail with expressions," Izaya said, turning back to Taavi. "I take it that means you've had experience with illusion pokemon yourself."  

[TawnyAngel]

"Well it's true, it can be easy to miss stuff when you're distracted," Taavi agreed with a grin. "I once ran into a glass door if it makes you feel any better Riviere, not my finest moment. And yeah," he nodded to Izaya, "I grew up in Unova so they were a native species and also one of my Dad's partners was a Zororark; Guise, also a big fan of doing expressions and also of scenery. I haven't been around a Zoroark for a while though, they're pretty rare even in Unova.... Not sure I've seen once since I left actually though," he grinned again, "I might well have and just not known it of course."  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

Grinning in silent amusement, Riviere was touched by Taavi's confession to make him feel better. He was gradually learning that it was okay to make mistakes and the young man's comment reminded him of this.

"Oh, I see," the informant replied. "That must be a fascinating region with wild Zorua and Zoroark running about. Ever since I found out about their ability, I was captivated by the possibilities. Guise...what a fitting name." He looked at the fellow in blue and black. "Would you like to try perfecting your scenery next? You seem to have blending in as a human down well enough."

Riviere nodded happily before throwing his arms - both illusioned and real - around Taavi. He liked this human a lot, and this human liked Zoroark! He should be able to be around Zoroark more if he wanted to.

Izaya blinked. "Riviere, be careful! You're stronger than you think, remember? And those claws of yours can be dangerous." He frowned at Taavi. "I'm sorry, he's pretty...enthusiastic, to say the least." He wasn't about to tell his pokemon right then and there that hugs like that were generally reserved for more intimate relationships; not people you had just met. After all, he himself had been guilty of tackling acquaintances with hugs in the past just because. Maybe Rivere had gotten the wrong idea from witnessing them and picked up the habit of invading others' personal space without a qualm.  

[TawnyAngel]

"Oof! Very strong!" Taavi agreed but there was laughter in his slightly squashed sounding voice and he squeezed the Zoroark back - so fluffy! - so it would be safe to assume that he wasn't actually hurt. "I like enthusiasm!" he continued with a decisive nod, releasing Riviere and turning to Nakura. "I've been told I'm too enthusiastic myself but I think life's more fun that way myself, do you agree Riviere?" He liked these guys already!

"And yeah, Unova's cool," Taavi said, nodding again and smoothing a hand back over his hair. "It's got some amazing pokemon - though so does every region - and some of the feats of engineering are amazing, like the marine tube! I can't imagine what went into making that. Are you from one of the regions yourself, or elsewhere in the world?" With a name like Nakura you would think he was from somewhere else but you'd think that of a name like Taavatti too, it could just be that he had family from somewhere else or maybe his parents had just liked the sound of the name and chosen it without any connection to its origins.  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

The blue and black illusion gave a grin and a vigorous nod in reply to Taavi before turning back to Izaya.

"As long as it's not injury-causing enthusiasm," the man answered, smiling awkwardly as Taavi and Riviere let go of one another. "I won't deny that it's more fun. I myself have been accused of having a little too much in the past when it came to my job, but after a few accidents and incidents, I've come to realize that a little temperance goes a long way." He looked sheepish. "Not that I mean to be a spoil sport, but if I have regrets from my own actions, I'd hate to find out what a pokemon's carelessness might cause."

Riviere imitated Izaya's sheepish appearance, taking note of his stance, facial expression, and movements. It was rare for him to see his own trainer demonstrating such an emotion, whether genuine or not, but he had seen it performed often enough by others and believed it was a feeling he knew well. Tricky as it was to pinpoint, he wanted to take note of and master all instances of it that he saw so he could convey it properly when need be.

"A marine tube?" Izaya repeated, looking intrigued. "Sorry, I haven't had time lately to read up on other regions as much as I'd like. What is it, exactly? Like one of those aquariums that you can walk under using a tunnel?" Taking out his phone, he attempted to look it up. The term 'feats of engineering' involuntarily brought Faleen to mind. She probably already knew about this. He stopped himself as he idly began to wonder what she must have thought of it, especially with her precious water and dark-types.

Still skimming articles with his phone, the info broker looked up at the question directed at himself. "Me? Actually, I was born and raised in this very city," he confessed. "I haven't really had the chance to travel to other regions much. This place is so bustling that it keeps me pretty busy what with all the goings-on around here. It's a task just to stay current with everything."

He chuckled lightly. "If you're asking because you're wondering about the origin of my name - and I don't blame you - I'm afraid it's nothing more than my parents having very peculiar tastes. I have a couple of twin sisters with names just as odd." Cocking his head, he inquired, "But what of yours, Taavi? Is that a nickname, a self-given one, or parent-given? Are Unovan names often like yours?"  

[TawnyAngel]

Taavi returned the sheepish look, shrugged, and nodded. "Well I can't deny that, speaking as somebody who's been accidentally punched by a Machoke, swatted by a Tropius' tail, and a few other things. No long term harm done though! I'm pretty resilient, hot sauce is the power within!" Oh. That was a joke that... well you kind of had to have the long context of the long running joke and Nakura didn't. Oops. Taavi gave a brief awkward laugh and shrugged again. "Sorry, old in joke, it's kind of a weird long story... that I'm not sure I remember the start of. Some old comic about a banana superhero I think."

Okaaaay, time to move on from that bit of social awkwardness as fast as possible. "But yeah the tube!" Taavi continued enthusiastically. "It connects Undella Town with Humilau City under Undella Bay so yeah it kind of is like a walk under aquarium but the aquarium is the ocean. The water's quite shallow there and really clear so light gets down and there are artificial lights outside it too, only placed after an extensive environmental study to make sure they wouldn't have a negative impact of course. It's pretty amazing! A tourist attraction in its own right really."

What must it have been like growing up here? Taavi wondered that about every place he'd ever been really, and even wondered what the different experiences of those who'd grown up in the same place as him had been. What internal lives did other people and did pokemon have? It was almost weird to think that everyone you ever saw was all wrapped up in their own complex world and- "Oh, heh, I kind of was I must admit." Taavi nodded when Nakura went on to talk about names. "And yeah you're right Taavi's a nickname; my full name's Taavetti," he nodded again, grinned and shrugged, "not typically Unovan at all! My Mom's Finnish and so's the name. A little bit of a mouthful if you're not used to it. Um, I like your name though, it's cool."  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

"My, my! All those accidents caused by pokemon? You must lead a very hazardous life, Taavi-san," Izaya remarked. He gave a polite but puzzled smile at the mention of hot sauce power, but laughed and waved it away when the younger man apologized. "That's alright~ I like weird stories. Superhero comics, huh? You must be a child at heart, then. Good for you."

Nodding in acknowledgement at the elaboration on the tube, Izaya wore a look of intrigue. Under the ocean itself? That must have been nice, especially with the light visible through the shallow water and the lack of worry that the weight of water pressure from being too far down would cause the tube to break. "It sounds spectacular. I just may have to go see it in person sometime." He chuckled. "But you know, it isn't places or even pokemon that delight me so much as people."

"Taavetti?" he repeated. "How exotic~! It almost sounds like a fancy delicacy. Very suiting. Mine is Japanese, and though the name itself might not be very common, most names in our language tend to have the same sort of sound to them, so it's not all that special." Okay, so Nakura was a name he borrowed from an old schoolmate, but it was still uncommon. Maybe not as much as 'Izaya', but with a name as unusual as that, a man trying to keep a low profile couldn't just go around giving it out willy-nilly.

Rivere tapped Izaya on the shoulder to remind him that he was still there. His trainer laughed. "Ah, yes, and Rivere here also happens to have an exotic name. His is French, I believe, given to him by his former owner before he was gifted to me. I believe she was from Grande Isle. Ever been there? I heard it's a must-see if you're the sort that enjoys travelling."  

[TawnyAngel]

lZAYA ORlHARA

Argh! So sorry for the epic delay I totally forgot I owed you a post o.o If you'd rather leave this one just let me know

"Dangerous?" Taavi looked thoughtful for a moment and then laughed. "I guess so!" he shrugged. "I, um, I was a ranger so interacting with wild pokemon all the time was a thing. Err. Yeah! And thanks!" He didn't actually feel complimented by being called a child at heart, it was a nice thing to say but it made him feel... well, childish and dumb. He really wished he hadn't come out with the stupid phrase.

Taavi shifted his stance, looking a little awkward, and fiddled with a braid of his hair. "Oh, well, err you should go for the people as well as the tube then! Unova has great people, I think anyway, even if they're often a bit err... focused? Ehehe, everything is really fast paced and pressured in the big cities, it gets a bit much for me after a while but the energy is nice if you have a quiet place to escape to!" Ah, crap, he was rambling again but better to just keep rambling than think about the fact that he'd just been referred to as exotic. Gee, like he hadn't heard that one before.

"Um." Taavi's smile faltered a little and his shook his head. "No I've never been to Grande Isle, um, what's it like? Have you been?"  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

"Oh, a ranger? How amazing~! I would never have the patience to do that, especially if it meant being beaten about by wild pokemon." He was just learning to tolerate the tame ones as it was. "Are you the sort that enjoys the company of pokemon more so than your fellow humans, then?" he asked with a gentle smile, perhaps to assure Taavi he would take no offense regardless of his answer.

"Ahh...that would make sense. Are the big cities there much different than the ones here on Kodo?" he inquired. "Because I find I quite like the atmosphere that bustling metropolitan centers have. I feel most hat home where the action is going on."

Riviere, who noticed Taavi's change in demeanor, became concerned for their new acquaintance. He dearly hoped his trainer wasn't upsetting him, especially because Izaya had a very bad habit of angering or annoying others in some way, shape, or form, even shortly after meeting. Riviere didn't always understand how, though, so it was hard for him to know for sure when it was his human's fault or likely to be something else. The Zoroark reached out to put an illusionary hand on Taavi's shoulder while portraying his best look of worry.

At the admittance that the younger man had never been to Grande Ile, the Rocket traitor chuckled. "Honestly, I've never been there myself. From all the people I've met that have, however, it seems to be a pretty fancy place. Flamboyant clothes, careful etiquette, traditional formalities; that sort of thing. I've heard it's a paradise for fashion fanatics and shopping addicts, but it's not really my cup of tea." He shrugged lightly. "I'm perfectly content to be right where I am."

TawnyAngel

((XD Hehehe, I know you have a lot of rps to keep up with. Thanks again for bringing it back up.))

 

[TawnyAngel]

"Ooooh, I'm not sure I'd do well in Grande Ile then," Taavi replied with a laugh and a sheepish grin. "I'm, heh, not the most fancy of people in clothes or manners or anything really I guess. It might be fun to visit but I don't think I'd like to live there. I like Kodo so far though! It's..." Taavi paused and looked thoughtful as he considered Nakura's other question. "Well Camphoreon isn't all that different to the cities in Unova but it's small compared to say Castelia City so I guess the effects are magnified in Castelia?" Taavi smiled and shrugged. "Like I say, I like it! But in measured doses, heh, I guess I like a balance in life?"

He couldn't help being a bit pleased about Nakura's reaction to his mentioning being a ranger - perhaps all the more for it's contrast to the 'child at heart' comment - and because it mattered so much he took time to think over exactly how to word his feelings. "Um, but about liking the company of pokemon more than people?..." Well he didn't, not really, it was just; "I guess being with pokemon is less complicated than being with humans," he said after a slight pause. "Part of it's the language barrier but that's not all of it. Pokemon tend to have a more... down to earth viewpoint? I mean they're all different of course but wild pokemon especially are, well, I guess they're not fancy! If that makes sense." Taavi grinned, rubbed the back of his neck and gave another shrug. "I don't prefer the company of pokemon to the company of humans, I like to have both. I'd soon get lonely if I was isolated from humans but I'd feel... I don't know, not like myself if I wasn't around pokemon? I don't know if that's really the best way to put it but yeah, both is good."

Oh, and, the Zoroark was touching his shoulder or at least seeming to and he looked worried for some reason. Taavi gave the illusion pokemon a concerned smile in return and reached up to touch the illusionary hand. "What's up?"

lZAYA ORlHARA

Same to you! =D