[FIN] Trees and Ghosts

[Magician Arcana]

Having grown up in a big city, surrounded by the jungle of urbanization, Adam found the change of pace that the rocket base offered both alien and enjoyable. Sure, it took longer to get from point a to point b, but the temperatures were milder and the large, old trees of the forest were filled with branches that offered supreme climbing and napping nooks. Closeness to the lake meant that a weird fog would sometimes roll in during the morning, and the grunt was totally not above pretending to be in some horror movie.

Then there were also days like today, where the sun was shining and the shadows cast by the leaves danced in mesmerizing patterns all over the ground. A soft breeze made it comfortable and cool, and the grass had never felt softer. Adam reclined against the bark of a tree and stared at the canopy overhead, marveling at just the sheer amount of nature that surrounded them.

Back home, the park had been the punk's sanctuary. Even if he did miss the convenience stores and beer (oh man he missed beer so MUCH), this made up for it. This gorgeous land and the wonderful nature. Sighing, he closed his eyes and listened as the ghastly, his new pokefriend, bobbed around and explored the grass near him. Adam found the ghastly a welcome partner. Their personalities were almost foils. Manny, the ghastly, was shy around strangers, and Adam was spunkiest when a crowd formed.

Manny was adorable, which was kinda weird to think of when you... Thought of a floating blob of poison gas with a mouth and eyes. Yet that was all that Adam thought when he stared at the little creature. Part of him worried, though: Was Manny made from the genetics of a ghastly? Did they catch Manny? Or.... Was he stolen from another trainer? It was weird getting all moral about this. Pretty soon Adam would be expected to go out and steal some 'mons himself! Yet, just the thought of Manny being swiped from a loving trainer made his heartache.

"Yo! Manny!" Adam popped his eyes open and stared at the ghastly. It turned and listed to the side, as if its body was a disembodied head it was cocking to ask a question, "Were you someone else's mon?"

The Ghastly paused and frowned, "Ly?" Apparently Manny didn't understand the question. Adam figured that was response enough. Grinning, he ripped a handful of grass out and threw it at his partner, "Never mind, buddy! Have fun!"

"Ly!" released from questioning, Manny resumed exploring the grass.  

[insidiousEnigma]

The key to this operation was stealth.
If you could not be stealthy the entire plan and all of the efforts made thus far would be for not.

Essex had left his trainer safely beneath a tree not too far from where he was stalking his prey. If Zacharie had noticed that his pokemon was up to something he hadn't let it show, and that was exactly how the Haunter wanted it. It wasn't that the purple-haired boy had a habit of ruining his pranks, but he did have a habit of giving Essex a stern talking to when he caught the pokemon up to his usual antics. Essex hated when his trainer scolded him. That meant the boy was angry and he hated when the other was angry. Just the thought of it made the pokemon hesitate and glance back.

No! He had come too far to stop now!
"Haaaaaaunter." The ghost pokemon crept closer to the unknown Gastly.
Aaaand...GO GO GO!

Essex leaped from his hiding spot with a terrifying (he was so scary~) screech, claws spread wide and tongue lolling from his mouth. "Haun-Haunter!"  

[Magician Arcana]

Maybe Essex wasn't really scary, but at that moment, nothing could be more terrifying. Screeching, the ghastly rolled away from the sudden unknown Haunter. It was too sudden, otherwise Manny might have lashed out with his tongue or hypnosis. All Manny could do was back up and stare in horror at that lolling tongue and those spread hands. It was sort of monster or or or -- wait it wasn't that scary... It was just a Haunter! Blinking, the ghastly realized he'd been tricked. His gaseous body wavered as laughter rolled over him. "Ly ly ly ly ly! Ghastly!"

When the laughing ended, he cautiously approached the haunter, His shy nature began to kick in and the ghastly wasn't sure what to do next,

Adam had been jolted by the surprise, but laughed it off. When his heart stopped racing, he stood up and looked around. Where was the trainer? Maybe they'd heard the commotion and would come out of hiding.  

[insidiousEnigma]

Essex cackled gleefully at the Gastly's response as he circled the smaller evolution. Now this pokemon knew how to take a joke! He cocked his body this way and that as he inspected this 'Manny'. He liked Manny, he wasn't getting all angry and shouty like the other people/pokemon he pranked.

"Essex? Where did you wander off to?"

The Haunter immediately drifted off to where his trainer was emerging from the bushes. "Haunter!" Zacharie smiled as the ghost type circled around his head excitedly. "What have you been doing?" The teen asked as he adjusted the bag slung across his shoulder. "Haun-Haunter!" Pale eyes flickered over to where the Haunter was pointing, a little surprised to see another person and what must be their pokemon. "Oh...hello." He said slowly, glancing around to make sure no one else was in the area. "Uhm...lovely weather?" Never let it be said that he wasn't attempting to improve his small talk skills.  

[Magician Arcana]

Manny nodded in agreement . So this Haunter was named Essex? While the other inspected him, he did the same in return.

With a glance, Adam sized up Zacharie. He didn't seem strong or like a threat. His face turned into a scowl as he approached the other male and shoved his shoulder, "Nice weather? Yeah, thanks dickhole. Your 'mon scared the s**t out of me. What were you thinking playing pranks?"

Of course it was a farce. It was simply too much fun to not push people's buttons.

Eyeing his trainer, the ghastly sighed  

[insidiousEnigma]

Zacharie, not having been prepared for a hostile reaction, stumbled back a few steps, earning a concerned "Haunter!" from Essex as the pokemon moved around to float between the two humans. The smaller teen's expression flickered from surprised and then to genuine fear. He hadn't had an encounter with a bully in...quite some time and he immediately tensed as if awaiting the next strike.

No.
Hell. No. <********> no.
He had put up with enough bullying in high school to last him five lifetimes, he sure as hell wasn't going to let some random idiot push him around!

Snapping himself out of his frightened stupor, the purple haired boy squared his shoulders and leveled the other with a look that made even Jerome flinch. "First of all, you insignificant, primitive, boor, I did not send my pokemon to frighten you. Essex happens to have a will of his own and a penchant for pulling pranks." At that, the Haunter gave a wide grin. "Secondly, you show no signs of distress other than your unneeded aggression. Your pupils are not dilated, you have no nervous ticks, your respiration has not increased or become shallow, and you are not noticeably shaking. I am going to assume that because you are bigger than I am you have some barbaric need to assert your 'masculinity' by being a precociously backward dullard." Essex...had no idea what Zacharie was talking about but nodded in agreement all the same,  

[Magician Arcana]

Immediate reaction was fear. This kid had experienced bullying before, that much was obvious. Adam clenched his fist, preparing his next move. He'd either hit Zach if he kept acting scared, and teach him some sort of twisted lesson about standing up for yourself, or laugh it off.

Zach pulled out of it, admirably so. That look could have made even the darkest of guys flinch and Adam felt the intensity. It tipped the scales. His hand relaxed, but he remained angry looking as the purple haired guy began to chew him out. He's smart. Really smart.

When the tirade was over, Adam's face broke into a large and toothy grin, "You caught me. I'm not actually angry." He laughed and shrugged a little bit, "I just wanted to see what you'd do, honestly. You're pretty smart though. Good catch on the eyes and perspiration. But if I had wanted to hit you, you were totally defenseless. You gotta like prepare for a punch or a kick, dude.

"I'm... Bones. Grunt Bones, by the way," He offered Zach his hand to shake (or slap away).

Manny sighed weakly, feeling upset at Adam's actions The ghastly wasn't sure what else TO say to the Haunter, or towards Zacharie. He felt immensely sorry, but what could a little globe of gas do to make it right?  

[insidiousEnigma]

Zacharie, though he would never actually own up to it, could only stare slack jawed at the blond. This...this...this idiot had just been toying with him! What sort of a*****e did that?! "Regardless of how 'prepared' I was for you to attack me it wouldn't have done any good. I haven't fully grasped the skills required to properly defend myself." He huffed softly and crossed his arms over his chest, eyeing the offered hand with obvious skepticism. As the other had pointed out, he was smart and like hell he was going to shake this guy's hand. "I would shake your hand but to be perfectly honest I don't trust you not to shove me or use the contact to injure me in some sort of strange and unasked for attempt to teach me to defend myself.

He chewed thoughtfully on his bottom lip though, eyes flickering between the hand, the Gastly, and the other grunt's face. "...I'm Grunt Zacharie. It's been an...interesting, experience to meet you." He offered with a slight nod of his head. "And if you had been paying attention you would know that this is Essex." He motioned to his pokemon, who was lazily circling around 'Bones' and his pokemon. really mean!>  

[Magician Arcana]

Well, caution was a better defense than none. Taking his hand back, he nodded and then smiled at the Haunter, "Essex. He's pretty clever." Interesting experience to meet him. Adam wanted to push Zach more, but decided that doing so was pointless. It wouldn't be fun. If what the other said was true, then they couldn't fight.

Changing mental gears, the grunt asked, "So what department do you work in?"

Manny nodded. Jabari. Don't let him do it around Jabari. If only the two could speak normally. Psychic pokemon were so lucky.  

[insidiousEnigma]

Magician Arcana

Both the boy and pokemon preened slightly under Bones' compliment. "Yes, I'm very proud of the progress he has made since I found him." He said proudly, giving his grinning Haunter a fond smile. "Ghost pokemon are really very intelligent...well actually, most pokemon are intelligent in their own way." He prattled on before shaking his head. "But in regards to your question, I work in the Medical and Biology labs. I'm hoping to become a field medic sometime in the near future but I'm also very interested in botany so I'm sort of 'toggling', as it were, between subjects." He explained, absently twisting and wringing the strap of his messenger bag. "What about you?"

Essex circled 'round the Ghastly a few times, cocking his head this way and that as if inspecting the other pokemon. real good at pranks and prankin' means sneakin' up on people all the time!>  

[Magician Arcana]

"Really? s**t.. I'm in IT. Though I kinda wonder i I should do something in field it'd be more fun, but my skills are primarily computers. OH! I could be a field hacker," Adam struck a pose, clearly intending it to be the typical 'I work in the field as a hacker pose', but it came off as more power ranger than anything. Laughing, he straightened himself and nodded eagerly, "But that's pretty awesome. A field medic or botany. Do you really like those subjects?"

Manny bounced happily in the air, eager to learn.

insidiousEnigma

 

[insidiousEnigma]

Magician Arcana

]

Zacharie hoped the expression on his face didn't give away his thoughts. Which just so happened to mostly circle around 'what the hell?', and he didn't really want to offend the blond. "I'm unsure if such a profession exists...but I admit that I wouldn't be the person to ask about that. I know next to nothing about technology and its department." He said slowly, scuffing his shoe in the grass. "Agent Faleen would know though, she's very knowledgeable about technology." Oh thank goodness, back to something that he could actually talk about. "I do, I've been working towards becoming a doctor since I was young." He said with a slight smile. "Have you always been interested in computers?"

Essex cocked his head and glanced around, The Haunter said excitedly before drifting over to his trainer and nudging one of the pokeballs strapped to his thigh holster. He ignored the confused look Zacharie gave him in favour of greeting the flowery Absol that emerged from the pokeball. He said excitedly, circling around the yawning dark type. The Absol said excitedly, prancing in spot for a moment before taking off for the trees.  

[Magician Arcana]

"A doctor? Then why are you a rocket?" Should't someone who had such a normal sounding career aim for something, y'know, more mundane? Like.. Not rocket? Not death and conspiracies? Then again, everyone had their own story. Grinning, Adam nodded, "Yeah! I have played with computers all my life. I really got into it when I was a teen. It was super fun. I guess I wanted to be a computer programmer for a while..."

But how did you become something like that when you could hardly live in a normal world, "But you know. I guess Rocket life was better for me~"

Manny followed along eagerly, bobbing behind Essex and now Peldes. the ghost shouted out to the Absol. Adam would be fine... Right?

insidiousEnigma

 

[insidiousEnigma]

"Ah well..." The teen picked anxiously at the hem of his shirt, his eyes averting to where his pokemon were disappearing into the surrounding woods. "There were some extenuating circumstances..." He said vaguely before giving a shrug. A few years ago he had planned to just open up his own private practice. Maybe hire a few people that he could work well with but for the most part work on his own, just as he preferred it. Strange how one incident could so fully change your life and your aspirations. "It's nice being able to pursue your interests...even if we are technically part of a terrorist group." Who knew if he'd be making so much progress with his research if he hadn't joined Team Rocket. "There seems like an endless amount of possibilities...as long as you follow the rules and all of that." He muttered the last bit under his breath with a roll of his eyes. "I've been to the tech department a few times...it seems like a really amazing place. Especially if you're actually interested in that sort of thing." Hell, he thought it was awesome and he knew nothing about technology.

Peldes singsonged as she pranced a bit further into the woods. Essex glanced around the area before giving a serious nod. The ghost type said, his tongue lolling out of his mouth as he grinned widely. Peldes chimed in.  

[Magician Arcana]

Zach was a pretty interesting dude, actually. Adam was slowly growing to appreciate the other guy. Sure, he had been wimpy and didn't fight, but he was smart and Adam liked having someone with whom he could have an actual conversation.

"My roommate said something similar. Being in Team Rocket gave you a lot of room to study and do what you want." That wasn't why he had joined, but if he was more inclined into fields that the general public frowned upon he might have picked up the rocket helm for similar reasons, "Sounds like it's a sweet deal. What uhm... what are you studying?" Was that rude to ask?

Adam perked at the mention of the IT labs, "Really? AWESOME. I can't wait to go and see the tech department. It'll be great." He was practically vibrating with excitement, having forgotten for a moment that Manny had slipped off.

Manny meanwhile was taking what the others said seriously. The ghost slipped off from the two, trying to plot on how to sneak on them. He shifted this way and that and finally decided on a frontal assault.

Rustling the bushes near them, Manny popped out. His tongue was lolling out as he shrieked, shook, and spun.