[FIN] Misunderstandings

[BlackFireKitsune]

While Isaac's recovery was still ongoing, he'd progressed enough that Sera felt it alright to wander around the city with him - and her other pokemon of course, just in case - so she dressed in a simple zipped-up hoodie, jeans and flats before heading out. The Espeon had much more energy now than before, although it hadn't taken too long before he'd burned through it all eagerly trotting down the sidewalk, looking for anything familiar that would tell him they were near Abel's apartment. They hadn't come across any such landmarks yet, though.

During the course of their wandering a young woman approached Sera and expressed interest in Isaac - interest which he responded to aggressively - and after the brunette told her off, Isaac conveyed through Giselle the idea that perhaps they should continue for a while longer, just in case she decided to follow them and learn where Sera lived, so Sera shrugged and complied. Some dumb b***h and her idle threats didn't mean much to her, but she knew how much the Espeon had wanted to go home over the past few weeks, that and she knew how badly she'd missed Anya during the time she was missing, so she really couldn't fault him for wanting to be out longer.

Eventually Isaac had grown too tired to keep walking - not that he admitted such a thing, and insisted on walking longer regardless until the brunette scooped him up into her arms and kept walking. He didn't feel quite so weird to hold anymore - while he was still thin enough that his ribs were somewhat visible, he didn't look anywhere near as terrible as he did when she found him - so she didn't feel like she was holding a bag of bones at this point. While the Espeon tried his best to stay awake and alert, he felt comfortable cradled in her arms and the rhythmic pace had already began lulling him towards sleep. Once Sera realized that the psychic-type in her arms was quickly drifting off, she slowed to a stop and looked around. Maybe it would be a good idea to stop for lunch or something... He probably needed to eat again by now, and would probably do well with a good bit of rest before they continued. As she mulled this over, her own pokemon - Anastasia, Isabella and Jacques - all came to a halt in a half-circle around her, while Giselle remained invisible at her side, to see wait and see what she intended to do next.  

[TawnyAngel]

There they'd been, minding their own business, and then there she'd been. He was starting to think she'd injected a tracking chip into Abel somehow, it was really weird how often she managed to cross paths with them in such a big city. She hadn't wanted anything with him today, not after he handed over 'her' money, and much though he hated to abandon Abel with her there'd been no point in arguing and... and yeah, he was glad to have got away.

Relieved though he was Taavi couldn't settle on doing anything, he was too busy worrying about what Alyssa might be doing to Abel and so he found himself wandering aimlessly in an unfamiliar part of the city with Swift padding along by his side. At least it was a nice day he guessed, it was at least a little better to be miserable in the sunshine than it was in the rain.

Zoned out as he was it took Taavi a few moments to realise that Swift had started going absolutely nuts. "Hu? What is it Swift?" Taavi looked down at the little fire type, who was bouncing around his legs and yipping franticly.

As soon as he was sure he had his human friend's attention Swift bounded a few paces down the street, paused to look over his shoulder at Taavi, and yipped again.

"What the-?" Taavi looked up and down the street, and froze mid sentence; a flash of white on lavender through bright seafoam green fur, "Isaac!" Taavi took off running towards him, there was no mistaking that coat! After a few moments he realised that there was no mistaking the woman holding him either, it was the same brunette he had quite literally run into in the street a little while ago? Why the hell did she have Isaac?

Swift was running ahead of Taavi, focusing on the heat in his core in case they had to fight the woman to get Isaac back; he had been training hard, he was ready! He hoped he was ready. He wished Valour was here.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Far enough down the street as they were, neither Sera nor her pokemon heard or saw Taavi right away. The trainer was too busy mulling over what restaurant to go to for lunch, having by now decided that lunch was the perfect idea, while Isaac remained motionless in her arms apart from the slow, rhythmic movements of his chest as he breathed, bright eyes closed with his forked tail draped over Sera's arm. Hm, where to go, where to go... Maybe an Italian place? They'd have some nice soups, surely, and breadsticks Isaac could have if he wanted, and--

a wispy voice alerted the brunette, though Giselle remained invisible for now,

"Hm?" Sera blinked, eyebrows raised a bit before the memory came back. Her expression flattened immediately as she cast around, spotted him heading towards her, and promptly turned in the opposite direction. "Ugh, I don't feel like dealing with him today. Two stupid people in one day is too many." As she started walking, her other three pokemon glanced between both humans before padding after her, though Isabella made sure to lag a little behind, just in case she needed to protect them.  

[TawnyAngel]

Okay she had definitely seen him and now she was walking away carrying Isaac who was - drugged? Asleep? Unconscious? He couldn't tell from here, he was alive right? He had to be, nobody would wander the street casually carrying a dead pokemon.

"Hey! Come back!" Taavi's long legs covered the ground quickly; the Absol was between him and Isaac, would it attack him to stop him reaching the Espeon?

Swift was ahead of Taavi, and Swift was also painfully aware of the big dark type hanging back as the human walked away. He did not fancy his chances fighting it but he couldn't just give up, she had Isaac! <> Stuttering a little over his words with anxiety the little fire type skidded to a halt in front of Isabella, fur fluffed up and tailed splayed. <> This last, his friend's name, was called loudly in the desperate hope of waking him; maybe if he woke up he could struggle free and they could all run away!  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Come back? What, did he expect her to stop and immediately turn around to meet him? As if. What for? Did he want to bother her again that badly? Didn't he have anything better to do with his time? It seemed not; well, if he was intent on harassing her, then he'd have to catch up to her first- a feat he was accomplishing easily given his longer legs and the fact Sera kept her gait to a purposeful walk.

If he was the first person to approach them about Isaac today, perhaps Isabella would've reacted more positively. As it was, however, he was not; the first person had been a woman, showing nothing but concern and relief, saying such nice, sweet things - and yet Isaac had reacted as if she was made of pure poison. Friend, the Vulpix had claimed; the dark-type would believe it once Isaac confirmed it himself. Until such a time as he did, she had absolutely no intention of letting them get too close. As Swift darted in front of her and halted, she stopped as well, and loomed over him at her full height with hackles raised and fangs bared. get away with what? What did this furball think they were doing? get out of my way.> Ahead of her - and behind Swift - both Jacques and Anastasia halted and turned to face them; the former had a wide, malicious grin on his face while the latter stuck by her trainer's side, ears back as she growled threateningly, even if her teammates were stronger than she.

When all three of her dark-types halted Sera did as well, and turned back to frown at the fire-type as she felt Isaac shift in her arms. Damn, and he'd just fallen asleep, too. He needed to rest, and this commotion was not helping. "Would you be quiet?" The brunette demanded imperiously, though she kept her voice quiet lest she further disturb the psychic-type.

Unfortunately said psychic-type had been sufficiently disturbed, and he shifted a bit more in her arms as he blinked the sleep from his eyes. Shouting, there was shouting, was that... No, it couldn't be... Isaac asked , almost in disbelief as he struggled in vain to reposition himself to try and see the fire-type for himself.  

[TawnyAngel]

The size of the Absol and the sight of her fangs made Swift cower and take a step back, he wished he was stronger and braver but he wasn't. The dark type could probably tear his throat out if she wanted to but- but her trainer had Isaac and Isaac was his friend. Swift forced himself to hold his ground and look up at the Absol. <> he replied, tremulous and trembling but determined; they had Isaac in their sights, they had to bring him home! <> Swift cringed pre-emptively; he knew he wouldn't win and he knew that she knew it, and that she knew he knew it too. When he heard Isaac's voice however the small fire type jerked upright again and turned to call to him. <> Maybe- maybe Valour would spot them and swoop down to grab them? They'd never escape the Absol on foot but if Valour were here... but he wasn't here, at least Swift didn't spot him with the quick glance up he risked. It looked like he and Taavi were on their own.

Taavi skidded to a halt beside Swift, fists clenched by his sides and heart racing. This was bad, this was really bad; the way the Absol reacted made it pretty clear that they had no intention of letting Isaac go and he couldn't call any authority for help because, once again, ******** blackmail. "Let him go!" Taavi demanded, tensing further as he saw Isaac stir and heard the psychic type's voice call out in surprise; he was alright! Well alright enough to be awake anyway, he looked thin but he was here and alive and awake! They had to get him back.

Taavi took a deep breath and focused on Sera again, it went against his instict to keep his eye on the hackling Absol but it was her he had to appeal to. "I don't know how you got him, if you bought him or were given him or whatever but you must know he's stolen! Either he's coming home with us or... or this is going to get messy." He'd seen what an Absol could do to a human if it wanted to, he really wished he didn't remember it so vividly, but there wasn't a chance in hell he was backing down now if there was even a tiny chance of bringing Isaac home to Abel.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

In any other situation, Isabella may have ceded just for the sole reason this frightened little Vulpix was staring potential death in the face and stood his ground regardless; he had guts, she would give him that. Just that though. She couldn't afford to do so, not with the safety of their charge at stake. Isaac did seem to recognize the fire-type though, so rather than attack just yet, she merely continued to loom over and growl at him, gold eyes staring him down even as she asked Isaac,

Seeing Alyssa again was still fresh in his mind, and so Isaac hastened to reply to Isabella's question in the affirmative, All of his weariness had seemingly evaporated the moment he heard their voices. Swift and Taavi - here they were, they had found him and now he could go home! How was Abel doing? He'd be thrilled, surely. Finally, after being gone for so long, he could go home!

Confusion crossed Sera's face first at Taavi's demand - let him go... where? Drop him on the pavement? - but the confusion soon gave way to a deep suspicion and impatience. Was he with that b***h from earlier? She didn't particularly like him to begin with, and her bias made her lean towards 'with' rather than 'not.' "I know that," she snapped as if his words were obvious, though she kept the Espeon held in her arms rather than put him down - she wouldn't risk putting him down where this clown could just grab him and run, oh no. "Anyone with half a brain would know that. I don't care how bad you and your friend want him, you both can ******** right off!"  

[TawnyAngel]

<<...Wait, what?>> Swift un-cringed a little more, looking from Isaac to the Absol and back again with some confusion. <> he asked the psychic type, shooting the Absol another nervous look. <her?>>

"What?" Taavi stared at the brunette, he was rapidly realising that things were as they'd first seemed to be; Isaac didn't look distressed at all, definitely not like somebody being held against his will. "Woah, woah, okay," Taavi waved his hands placatingly, his expression of determination shifting into a frown of confusion. "I think- Okay I don't know what's going on here but Isaac's not scared of you so- Isaac," Taavi turned to the Espeon himself and gave a rather tense smile. "Are you alright? You want to come home now right? Abel's been so worried about you, I can't wait to see his face when he comes home and you're there!"

Would Isaac's reaction convince her to let him go? Maybe not, maybe she'd just been nice to Isaac so far, tricked him or something, and when he showed he wanted to go she'd stop him? Taavi kind of wanted to believe that because he really did not like this woman at all but he wasn't so sure that it was the case. Swift's tone of voice had changed distinctly too and a glance down at him revealed that he was looking between Isaac and the Absol and while he looked hesitant he wasn't quivering with fear anymore and for about the millionth time Taavi wished he could understand pokemon, specifically fire, dark, or psychic in this particular moment.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"What?" Sera echoed both the Vulpix and its trainer. She couldn't really ignore Isaac's more positive reaction to this guy compared to the woman from earlier, and so with a displeased, wary frown she turned to face him more fully, affording Isaac a much better view of Taavi and Swift.

Isaac assured him firmly, speaking both for Swift's benefit as well as for Isabella's.

The dark-type immediately ceased her growling and instead sat on her haunches at his words, her demeanor shifting from intimidating to a quiet seriousness. she said simply, no longer staring the fire-type down as before and instead glancing between Isaac, the Vulpix named Swift, and his trainer. Jacques and Anya relaxed as well, though the Zoroark's malicious expression simply morphed to one of mischievousness.

"Of course he's not," Seraphine retorted impatiently, glaring at Taavi as if he'd said something particularly stupid before continuing without giving Isaac a chance to answer for himself, "and of course he wants to go home! Why do you think I'm walking around with him in the first place?" Ugh, this guy. Why did it have to be this guy?

As excited as he was at the prospect of going home, Isaac waited patiently for Sera to finish before he offered her a soft "eon" in the hopes it would calm her somewhat - he didn't know if it would, but if not he trusted her own pokemon to do a much better job - and with that done, he turned his head to look at Taavi. If Swift thought Sera was with Alyssa, then Taavi probably thought on similar lines. "Espeon," he replied in eager but firm tones, his demeanor calm and most definitely not distressed or struggling to get away from the brunette.  

[TawnyAngel]

Of course. Of course! Even though she was helping him - which was great, it was and he ought to be grateful - she had to be a b***h. That wasn't important though, it grated but it wasn't important and now that there was obviously no need to fight over this Taavi's natural instinct to flinch away from confrontation and harsh voices began to reassert itself. He'd asked Isaac if he was alright, the Espeon didn't need somebody to speak for him, but even if he could bring himself to say that she had- she'd been looking after him? She must have been he guessed but for how long? Isaac certainly seemed comfortable in her arms so it must have been a little while at least.

"Um. Yeah. Well...." Taavi cleared his throat and reached up to touch his hair, looking more uncomfortable now than he had when he'd thought he was potentially going to be attacked by an Absol. "I... Thank you. I thought- Well, he'd been stolen and then I saw you with him and when you saw me you started walking away I.... Well I'm glad I was wrong." It seemed too easy after everything that had happened to them recently but he guessed all of it meant they were due a break? Abel and Isaac especially. Feeling that he ought to say something else Taavi added; "Thank you. Again. Really. Um. I... I wasn't sure we'd ever see him again." He then looked down at the skinny but safe Espeon and smiled again. "Even gladder to be wrong about that."

<> Swift said with a relived sigh and a smile up to Isaac. <> The Vulpix inclined his head politely at Sera, having no idea what her name was.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

The brunette opened her mouth to reply with a comeback of some sort but found herself somewhat caught off-guard by his thanks and explanation, so instead she shut her mouth with a frown and glanced down at Anastasia. The dark-type met her gaze and neither needed to speak to convey the feelings they shared. Anya had been stolen once upon a time - it seemed like a lifetime ago now, almost - and for quite some time, Sera had wondered if she'd ever see the Umbreon again. She knew for a fact that the dark-type had been eager to get back to her at all costs. Empathy had driven her to protect the lost Espeon from danger, to care for him until he'd recovered enough to help him find his way home, and now empathy kept her mouth shut. No, she couldn't really say anything to him, not when he was obviously so glad to see Isaac, and vice versa.

"Well," she began eventually, her tones grudgingly less hostile but still displeased, "I didn't want to talk to you again after last time." Explanation over, she switched tracks to ask him a question or two, unable to help the suspicion that caused her eyes to narrow a bit. "So you know his trainer then? You're not lying?" Isaac seemed to be comfortable with him though, so probably... And he wasn't with that b***h from earlier either, so he probably did know his trainer... But she was still hesitant, or perhaps loathe to admit that this guy, of all people, knew where Isaac's home was.

Isaac offered Swift a similarly relieved smile. Luck indeed. He blinked and glanced up at the brunette for a moment before he smiled down at the fire-type, He trailed off as a yawn overtook him, and when he looked back down at Swift it was with a sleepy, half-lidded expression,  

[TawnyAngel]

Ah. Well... yeah that was fair. Taavi gave a weak laugh and rubbed his arm awkwardly. "That makes sense, if I hadn't seen him I'd've avoided you too." That hadn't been his best day. Like, it was both of their faults they'd run into one another but he wouldn't usually go off like that. "I'm sorry about that too," he added with a slight lift of his thin shoulders. "It was a bad day. Um. That doesn't excuse it but it explains it if that makes sense. And yeah," he nodded and smiled, confident in this at least, "Abel's my roommate, you can ask Isaac and he'll tell you! Heh, I remember you could talk to your Mismagius, pretty jealous of you I gotta say. Ah. My name's Taavi, I mean I guess I should say that right?" Oh crap he'd just talked a lot, had he gone on for too long there? He hoped not.

<> Swift trotted a few paces closer and gave a soft chirp along with a soft sway of his tails. <> This last was a question directed both at Isaac and the unfamiliar pokemon; it seemed like the sort of thing they ought to do to Swift.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Sera nodded her head as she shifted her weight to her other foot, though she simply shrugged at his apology, "It's fine." It hadn't been a good day for her either, but only after he'd bumped into her and jostled her arm; she refrained from mentioning that though, figuring it'd be better if she didn't. But, hum, roommates with the trainer... Well that was probably true, or at least she was fairly confident Isaac would alert her if it weren't. "Alright," she ceded, finally dropping her suspicion, "I just wanted to make sure. Some chick was bugging me about him earlier, so I thought you might've been with her." Holy crap he was saying so many words at once, why was he saying so many words? Passing over the comment on her Mismagius, she instead focused on his introduction; Taavi, interesting name if she could... remember it. "Seraphine," she offered in response, "or just Sera is fine."

Isaac's yawn drew her attention to him for a moment before she looked back up at the guy - at Taavi. "I was just about to take him to get lunch and rest for a bit. You guys have good food at your place, right? He needs good food and hearty soups and stuff until he's better." They had things like that, right? Maybe they didn't; she and her mother had had to go out to buy more soup when she'd first found him, so maybe they didn't actually... Hm.

While Isabella said nothing, she did give Swift a rather dubious look; they'd take care of the rest? Would this little furball be able to handle that Houndoom if it showed its muzzle again? She was inclined to say not, but maybe he was stronger than he looked - or the Houndoom weaker, but couldn't say for certain. Isaac, on the other hand, smiled at his friend. he ceded somewhat reluctantly, the Espeon said earnestly, both for Swift and for what pokemon of Sera's were listening. If they hadn't intervened, he wouldn't be here right now.  

[TawnyAngel]

Some chick? The effects of flushing and paling were less notable on Taavi's dark skin than they would be on a paler person but when Sera mention 'some chick' his complexion might have looked a little more washed out to a careful observer. He definitely balked a little. "No," he said, sounding and looking worried, "no I'm not with her. Um. I mean I don't know a her who has any right to be interested in Isaac's welfare, so I'm not with her. Sera. Um. Thank you."

Good food though. Well, no, they didn't have good food for them but they did for pokemon. With winter passed Valour was hunting well and so were Mulder and Scully. It would put a bit of pressure on his friends to ask them to give up more of their kills but he knew they'd do it for Isaac.

After a short pause Taavi nodded. "We'll get him what he needs. I was a ranger before I came here, you can count on me to make sure any pokemon gets what it needs." No matter what.

Swift didn't notice Isabella's glance which was probably for the best, he was busy doing a restrained little prance in front of Sera and Isaac. <> he affirmed, <> He was still rather afraid of the Absol event though she wasn't threatening him anymore but if she was a friend of Isaac's then they would keep in contact and that was that.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

As Sera was not a careful observer - not when mentioning the chick from earlier, at any rate - she didn't notice the subtle change in his face's color. She did, however, notice the bit of nervousness that crept into his demeanor and his words, and she narrowed her eyes a bit. He wasn't questioning it either when she expected he would. "Are you sure? Little shorter than you, red hair? Acts like a b***h?"

Get him what he needs... So they didn't have any at the moment, then, and would take some time to get things for him to eat. As Isaac needed to eat soon - in all likelihood, not soon enough if he had to wait until after he got back and then they went out to get things before coming back to make them - the brunette wasn't inclined to accept his response. "Do you have food there you could feed him now as well as later, is what I meant," she clarified, watching him critically, "because if not, he's not going with you until after he's had lunch somewhere." Preferably Italian. Mm, pasta.

A hint of amusement crept into Isaac's otherwise weary expression. he assured the fire-type. It was hard to not take it easy when someone was carrying you so you didn't have to walk anymore.