[PRP] Can I Help You

[BlackFireKitsune]

Abel coughed and thick smoke erupted from his mouth in puffy clouds, so he lowered his cigarette and covered the lower half of his face with his free hand until the coughing ceased. "Chaarrrr!" Elizabeth rumbled eagerly, her large forearms raised and claws curled inward as she nearly bounced in her excitement, the fire-type practically oblivious to her trainer's small coughing fit. The blond didn't seem to mind terribly though, as a wry grin crossed his face and he moved his hand to her nose to shove her away a couple inches. She didn't go very far, and ducked her snout under his hand with another eager, "chaarrrrr!"

"All right, all right, lemme try again," he said, then raised his cigarette to his lips once more to suck in more of the drug. He didn't cough this time, and instead of holding it in his lungs, he tilted his head back, opened his mouth, and blew out a white, somewhat misshapen smoke ring. Another eager rumble escaped the Charmeleon as she whipped her own head back and belched out a cloud of thick, black smoke, though it couldn't even remotely be described as a ring of any sort, unless being the distant cousin twice-removed to a circle counted. Abel chuckled as he bent down to pick up a bottle of water from the sidewalk pavement and took a few sips before he twisted the cap back on. "Don't get too discouraged," he told her, though she merely huffed a bit and continued to look disappointed. "Try again, I'll bet you can get it eventually."

As he knelt down to put the now empty bottle back down, he reached further to scratch his colorful Espeon behind the ears. The lithe psychic-type made a pleased noise at the attention, but overall seemed a little displeased. He didn't care for his human smoking, and he especially didn't like the fact the habit had only gotten worse lately. Rather than watch his friend and fellow pokemon alternate smoke rings, his gaze swept across the sidewalk, and even down the nearby alley in search of anything to distract his human from his unhealthy habits. The only thing he could spot, unfortunately, were various pieces of trash scattered about -- old wrappers, cigarette butts, soda cans, and what might have once been someone's leftovers in an old container way off in a corner of the alley. Gross.  

[Magician Arcana]

"Vee?" Bill the eevee watched with large, shiny eyes as his master scrounged through yet another trash can. A large bag beside him was brimming with a mixture of metal cans. So many scents were wafting from the bag, it made the creature nauseous. Nord would have agreed, if he wasn't busy retching.

This obsession with recycling had come recently. All thanks to Team Rocket. Saving the world, one broke slob at a time. He wiped his hand roughly across his mouth, feeling the stubble that had grown after the last shave three days ago. Dragging himself to a standing position, Alexis cast an abysmal gaze to the alley. There were more cans here, surely. Were they worth it?

Memories of his current friend, a young girl no older than thirteen, pushed him to the next black trashbag. No parents to speak of, out here where its dangerous. She was a capable trainer, but Nord still felt compelled to ote upon her. Little things, like scarves or hair pins. Right now he wanted to get her a swimsuit or some new tank tops. He was in dire need of some new summer wear as well.

Bill was the first one to notice the man smoking at the far end of a new alley they had entered. His eyes glittered brightly when he caught sight of the Espeon, "Vee!!"

"Hmm? Wai - Bill!" Nord sighed and stood up, following the eevee as it scampered forward to the new people. Stopping a foot or so from the Espeon, Bill bounced from paw to paw,

 

[BlackFireKitsune]

Given the usual length of alleys, it was difficult not to notice the man and his Eevee at the other end, but since both of them seemed to be busy, Abel stuck to minding his own business. Elizabeth didn't notice them at all, too busy trying to belch out black smoke rings - and still not having any progress whatsoever.

Isaac had begun debating whether or not to smack Abel's empty bottle with a paw to see how far he could make it go, until he heard the sounds of approaching strangers. He swiveled his head towards the source of the noise, and a smile spread across his face as he saw the Eevee run up and seemingly dance in his excitement. the colorful Espeon said pleasantly, glad for the distraction. Maybe it would distract Abel from his bad habits, too - at least for a little while.

Ah, and now they were coming over this way. Abel turned his head to the opposite side to exhale more smoke before facing the newcomer and his excitable Eevee. "Hey," he greeted the other man amiably, assuming they both might be there a few minutes since the normal-type had halted in front of Isaac presumably to talk, and he didn't really care to be rude. One hand slipped into his pocket while the hand that held his lit cigarette gestured to the normal-type, "That your Eevee? He looks cool."  

[Magician Arcana]

The eevee looped around the colorful Espeon, Bill's bushy tail flicking back and forth as he inspected the other,

Nord hesitated and then nodded, feeling a mix of shame and embarrassment. He didn't care to meet others, especially not when he was dragging a bag of popcans and smelled like a sewer. Even less so that his clothes were not the nicest. Sure, he didn't seem overly dirty, but Nord could feel the dirt under his nails and on his skin. "Hello. Sorry to disturb you. And yes, that's Bill. Your Espeon is lovely as well as your Charmeleon."

Cigarettes weren't something the ex-businessman was familiar with. Other than the reeking scent and his mother's scolding voice telling him to avoid sucking in the vapors or trying. That same voice reminded him to not be rude. Like a electric current surged across his spine, Nord stood a little straighter and cleared his throat, "My name is Alexis. Alexis Nordstram." He offered his hand out to be shook, but remembered he had been digging in the nasty trash and his arm faltered.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Isaac replied with a hint of amusement in his voice. Bill certainly seemed rather energetic. The question, though, brought about an expression of mild displeasure as the colorful Espeon glanced briefly up to Abel and back,

If Abel was bothered by Nord's unkempt or dirty appearance, the blond gave absolutely no indication. Instead, he lifted his hand to return the handshake with a smile. "Thanks. They're Isaac and Elizabeth," he said, gesturing to each in turn with his other hand that still held his lit cigarette, "and my name's Abel. Nice to meet you, Alexis." Alexis, huh? That wasn't a name he heard too often. "So, are you guys from around here?"

Ever the tactful, polite pokemon - not - Elizabeth nudged Abel's hand with a disgruntled, impatient whine, but merely received in reply a pat on the snout with his free hand.  

[Magician Arcana]

Bill paused, noticing how disdainful the other eeveelution had spoken of the smoke creating device. It was weird that humans would do something unhealthy for them, but it did look cool. Was he trying to impress someone? Maybe a girl? Was this a point of human attraction that pokemon were unaware of? Shaking himself from the thoughts, Bill gave Isaac a reassuring nuzzle to the flank, Well, he wasn't too far off.

Nord felt relieved when Abel took his hand. Giving it a squeeze and a firm shake, he watched as the pokemon were introduced, "It's a pleasure, Abel." What wonders a normal meeting could do for someone. Nord hesitated for a tick before responding the his companions question, "Not exactly. I came from Kalos, for work, but I'm currently unemployed." And was since getting to the new region, but he figured that was a story for another day, "And yourself?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

good reason, is the thing,> he said somewhat reproachfully - not that the subject of that reproach was even aware of it - then blinked in mild confusion at Bill for a moment. The moment passed and his confusion melted into a warm smile, his expression one of faint amusement. Taking over the world with cans? Either his trainer was insane or Bill was just too young to understand just what his trainer was actually using them for - not that Isaac had any idea, of course - so the psychic-type guessed the latter.

Abel offered a nod at Alexis's returned pleasantries and withdrew his hand when the handshake ended, and settled it against his side where his thumb hooked itself into his pocket. While the other spoke, the blond took a quick drag from his cigarette, held it, then turned his head and half-turned his body to blow the smoke away from his company before returning to his original posture. "Kalos, huh? I've never been, but I've heard a lot about it. What sort of work did you do there?" Came here for work but was currently unemployed... So whatever work he came here for hadn't worked out, and he hadn't returned to Kalos after. It was an interesting point, but not one he felt was really any of his business to ask after. For all he knew, it could be a touchy subject; unemployment was like that for some people. "Me? We live in the area, yeah," he affirmed with another nod, gesturing vaguely in one direction. "Moved here from Unova about two years ago now, but we're originally from Sinnoh. We didn't move so much for work as we moved for a change of pace, change of scenery." He shrugged and spoke as if the reasoning was casual, spur of the moment - and truthfully it was one of those two, just not both. "I work at a gun shop and firing range here in the city."  

[Magician Arcana]

Bill's tail wiggled as he thought, Garbage-compactormon would be glad to know someone finally was recognizing it as a legendary.

Shrugging, the eevee flicked his ear dismissively, Nord hadn't been at all pleased by this discovery.

"It's gorgeous," Nord couldn't help but feel nostalgic of home. Even if he hadn't been as happy there, it was stable, "I was an accountant in a company. Nothing important, really." Which wasn't modesty. Nord had worked in a nameless position that was just important enough for him to have his own private office. Now wasn't the time to reminisce.

So many places lived. Was it for leisure that he had moved, or some other pressing problem? "This is a very different scene than Sinnoh or Unova. I've been there vacationing with my family. It's lovely," Memories of vacations past left a bitter taste in his mouth. Nord shoved away the thoughts, "A gun shop? That sounds... Exciting. You can shoot, then, I take it?" Not a bad idea.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Isaac remained quiet, listening politely while Bill explained, then chuckled a bit once he'd finished. the psychic-type explained with a flick of his tail. very funny.>

"So I've heard," the blond said with a light chuckle. "I've heard it's a beautiful region. An accountant though, huh? That sounds..." Boring? Tedious? Tiring? Something he would never do willingly? "...cool." Maybe that was why he wasn't employed anymore: because his job was way too boring.

A nod conveyed Abel's agreement. "Yeah, it is different, and they are really pretty. Sinnoh especially," he added after a moment, then continued, "I lived in Castelia in Unova, so that isn't too much different than living in Camphoreon, but on the whole Kodo is a lot different than Unova and Sinnoh." He paused to take another hit from his cigarette, then blew the smoke away from Alexis again. "Yep, ever since my dad taught me when I was just a kid. I've been working in ranges and shops for the past few years, too. What about you?"