[Priv] New Feathers

[Rainhowl]

Fisher was tired - but when wasn't he?

He'd become absolutely enamored by the concept of cloning, as that was where he was assigned. Well, he wanted to be assigned to cloning, but he was a lowly grunt. He'd had years of university work tucked under his belt, but he was considered almost bottom of the barrel here. He wouldn't let that completely dampen his wants and desires, but it did mean he was stuck on clean up and could only watch from afar. He'd gotten his hands on textbooks, though, and read them almost ravenously. It was due to this that he had gotten very little sleep the night before. Bags were under his emerald eyes and he really could use a nap, but that wasn't going to happen at right this moment.

He'd nap later. Or what was that saying? Sleep when your dead?

Yeah, that was it. He'd sleep when he was dead.

For now, he was taking in the sunshine and fresh air and all that jazz. He had a new pokeball, a pokeball that had been given to him. Something to do with helping out in the lab or something like that. It was basically like a great job, keep up the good work, have a rejected clone sort of gift. He'd already planned on visiting Camphoreon that day - he had napped on the public transport and nearly missed his stop. The journey was worth it, though, and now the middle aged man stood in a fresh field that was dotted with benches and a few water fountains here and there. It was nice, open, and fresh. The sun was warm, the breeze was gentle and cool, and he couldn't find too much to complain about.

"Let's see what your made of then, champ."

He unleashed the pokemon he had been given - a pidgey by the sounds of it, though he had yet to lay eyes on the critter.  

[JellyFaun]

The pidgey had not known a very cushy life so far. He was only a week or so old and had very rarely been shown kindness. Something about his colours being wrong or something like that. He had been registered into the system, logged, measured and put in what seemed to be a spare pokeball.

When he was released, he stared around with wide, confused and helpless eyes. He made a small pip and, as if he was unsure his wings worked, began to treck across the ground on foot. He hurried through the grunt's legs, wings slightly spread, and headed for the nearest bench he could find, ducking under it and squeezing, perfectly still.

He had been born to a world of steel and iron and gloved hands. The smells here, while not unplesent, were foreign. The man he was with was foreign. He was in an alien world he didn't seem to desire.

"Please, leave me alone..." he muttered to himself, puffing up his rather harmonious rainbow feathers and clenching his eyes.  

[Rainhowl]

Annnnd it ran away.

Perfect.

With a sigh, the lanky, red haired man made his way towards the bench the young pidgey had chosen to hide under. Well, this was going swimmingly already. He knelt down, one of his knees popping, and peered under the bench, offering the pidgey the friendliest smile he could muster.

"Hey there, lil' fella, nothing to worry about." He'd brought treats. At least he remembered to do that part. They were in his bag, the canvas satchel that hung at his side, and he paused to open the flap and rummage through it until he found what he was looking for. Taking one of the treats, he held it nearer to the little bird pokemon, trying to coax it out.

"C'mon, now. Don't be afraid."  

[JellyFaun]

The pidgey's eyes peered open and he fluffed his feathers up, side-stepping slowly and awkwardly from the man to the other side of the bench. His eyes were full of mistrust, but he seemed to soften his tight stance at the kind voice.

And then the treats appeared and his curiosity was piqued. He tilted his head to the side and gave a soft coo. He fluffed his feathers again and, not looking at the human, took a big waddling step towards his hand. And then another, and another.

His nose was enticed by the smell. His instinct told him it'd take the bitty rumble in his belly. He took one more hop and snapped the treat out of his hand, toddling back to where he had been. After dropping it on the ground he pecked at it a few times, then opened his beak wide and swallowed it whole.

Less fearful and expecting more treats, he toddled back towards the strange human and sat, just peeking up at him from under the bench.  

[Rainhowl]

"That's a good little fella."

It was cute - he'd give it that. He wasn't much of a flyer, he preferred to keep his feet on the ground, but this thing would make for excellent transportation in the future, if he could train it just so. He shuddered slightly at the thought of being so high up and nearly felt dizzy for it. He shook his head slightly, his scruffy hair swaying.

"Tastes good, don't it? I've got more here. Good little pokemon get treats, you know." He held out one more, hoping to earn the rainbow bird's trust. The sooner the better and he really was an impatient sort of man. Maybe Jasper could talk some sense into the damn bird, or maybe Brisbane. Wait. No. Brizzy was a bad idea, given sneasels were hunters and often preyed on the little birds and their eggs. Cours maybe the pidgey didn't know that and Brisbane wouldn't attack it, knowing it's his.  

[JellyFaun]

The pidgey had little crumbs all over his beak and he gave a small yawn, slowly stepping out and standing on the human's foot. He could smell more treats and this human seemed to be his access to them. He twitched his feet, moving from talon to taon, then pecking the man on his leg and spreading his wings.

Instead of flying, he hooked his beak into Fisher's pants, and dug his talons into his pant leg. He moved up several steps, to his knee. He beat his wings, reaching his beak and biting the top hem of his pants. Pulling up to his pants, he continued to climb his new master, nostrils huffing, beak clicking. "Come on, gimme more of that stuff! Please!" Pi-pippy. pidgey.  

[Rainhowl]

First he had worried about the pidgey being too shy, but now it seemed the opposite might be trouble. He nearly stumbled as the bird hopped on his foot and tried to shimmy up his leg, beating his wings wildly in an attempt to cling to what fabric he could reach, if only because he hadn't been expecting it and was nearly knocked off balance.

"Woa, woa - calm it, bird. That ain't how you earn a treat." He stifled a laugh, as he didn't want to encourage the rainbow feathered pidgey with joyful sounds at behavior he'd rather not see. He moved to push the bird off of him and set him back on the ground. He'd be massive in size one of these days and he couldn't let him treat him as he pleased, right? He didn't have much hands on experience with pidgeys, common or no. Ah well, he'd learn.

"Sit still and you can have another."  

[JellyFaun]

"Rude!" The pidgey fluffed his feathers and almost pecked at the man as he was shimmied off his leg. He sort of puffed the feathers on his cheeks, eyes staring with dislike. First he hadn't wanted him under the bench. Now he didn't want him close?! "Please make up your mind!" He wiggled from foot to foot again, debating whether he should walk away or attempt another climb.

"Sit still and you can have another." He let those words sink in, sort of understanding what the human was talking about. He walked back to his foot and plumply sat on it, waiting for more treats to be delivered to his beak.


"Well aright, but it better be prompt!" He was a vocal little pokemon.  

[Rainhowl]

Alex Fisher had no earthly idea what the little bird was chittering on about, but it didn't sound all that happy with him. He couldn't help but laugh. The little thing had at first seemed skittish and now seemed far the opposite - more an aggressive, demanding feathered pest. He was pretty happy with that on some level, he liked a challenge, and as the little bird plopped down on his foot, he bent over and handed him one more, smaller treat. Once it was gone from his hand, he used the same hand to gently scratch the top of Niels's head. Hopefully it was distracted enough to allow for the loving pets.

Hum. Niels. He wasn't really sure where the name came from in his mind, but it seemed suiting somehow. He'd known someone named Niel before, right? It was probably so far back he hardly remembered.

"There you go, little Niels. Feisty one, aren't ya."  

[JellyFaun]

Instead of a brazen peck or fuss, the pidgey happily finished the treat and then gave a soft coo, nudging his head into the man's hand. The pets felt quite wonderful and he tilted his head around to get more all over his face. He spread his wings and moved onto one foot, eyes shut.

When the pets ended, he opened his eyes. This wasn't the first human he had seen but he was the first one he'd interacted with for more than a few minutes. He seemed kind enough and the food he offered was delicious.

Niels? Is that what his name was? He looked around to see if there was anyone else the man could be addressing, but it didn't seem likely. Niels it was then! He looked up at his human once more and noticed the treats were gone.

There was a sudden noise from one of the trees and a whole group of pidgey burst from the branches. They flew across the field, cooing to eachother. Niels stared with wide eyes and hurried from Alex, back to the bench. He jumped at its side and pulled himself up with his beak and claws. Then he clambered up the back of it. He could tell that they were the same creature, even if he was still a baby. Something connected them.

He gave another small cry and lifted his wings, flapping them about in a wild pattern. He called to them, not lifting off the bench. "Hey! Wait up!"