Who would have thought? [OPEN LOG]

[shslasshat]

Who: Byakuya Togami and YOU!!
Where: the routes around Goldenrod
When: 12/6
Summary: Togami's out training. In and of itself this isn't unusual, but the way that he treats his team might be.
Rating: PG
Log:

Togami eyed the Pidgey for a minute, sizing it up and then looking down at the two Meowths by his side. One was sitting up and alert, ears twitched forward in interest and tail up. The other was curled up fast asleep on the ground. He sighed.

"This one is yours, Rich." The money cat immediately coiled up like a spring, butt wiggling. Sparks began to fly off of the golden coin on its forehead. "Wait-!"

"NYAAAAA!" The Meowth pounced forward, a bolt of thunder coming down from the heavens at the Pidgey right before Meowth made impact, rolling and pinning the now quite unconscious bird. The kitten sat atop the bird and looked back at Togami proudly. He rolled his eyes and walked over, scooping the cat up off of its prey and flipping it upside down in his arms.

"How many times do I have to tell you wait for me to give the order?" he asked, but didn't sound angry, scratching the kitten under the chin and on its chest as it wrapped its paws around his gloved hand and started trying to eviscerate his arm by kicking its hind legs.

Wonder of wonders, he actually smiled a little.

Comments

[styxiedust]

[Well.

That was certainly a thing she just witnessed. What is it with men and cats?]

He's quite strong! You must be very proud. [At least, he's smiling at it.]

[shslasshat]

[He didn't realize someone was there. He doesn't drop the kitten, but he does immediately stop being playful.]

I haven't had either of them for long. They're learning quickly.

[giving them a TM might still have been a mistake but.]

[styxiedust]

[Botan has that tendency to sneak up on people, like a blue-haired ninja. Also it helps that her Mismagius isn't accompanying her, so she couldn't spoil the surprise with any hair-pulling or biting.]

He seems fond of you, anyway. A good mix for training Pokemon in my opinion...although perhaps the electricity might make things a little more hectic. [To put it in lighter terms.]

[shslasshat]

[Togami knows a thing or two about mischievous ghost-types from his own Sableye.]

It's not an obstacle that can't be overcome.

[He puts down the kitten and approaches her. Chances are, at 6'1" he's taller than her, and he has a haughty air about him that would make him seem even taller to someone not centuries old.

Unfortunately, that's not who he's dealing with.]

And you are?

[styxiedust]

Botan, pleased to meet you.

[That's it, no surname, although she does incline her head so there's manners at least. Hey, even if you're centuries old that doesn't give you leeway to be rude.

But yes, it's true, she's not impressed by the haughtiness, that's what she has Hiei for back at home.]

And you? I mean, as long as we're running into each other like this.

[shslasshat]

Togami.

[He inclines his head likewise as an observation of formality.

He sees no need for first names because he's from the New Age of translations.]

I've seen few people from Japan here outside of my own classmates. Have you been here long, Botan?

[Togami you've seen little of anyone outside of your own classmates. And half of them you wouldn't mind smothering with a pillow.]

[styxiedust]

About...six or seven months at this point? [It's faint, but she cracks a smile at the "from Japan" comment.] My friend has been here slightly longer, he never told me how long before I arrived, though. He's thick like that.

[Somehow she says that affectionately, okay then.]

How long have you been here? I've seen some characters around myself, but I haven't seen you.

[shslasshat]

[He doesn't know what that smile means, Miss Peony, but he's not sure he likes it.] A friend...that you knew prior to coming here, or one that you've met?

I've been here five months, more or less.

[it...doesn't seem like that long at all.

Sir 'only has 6 pokemon' over here]

[styxiedust]

A friend I knew prior, yes, and then after me some more people arrived from our world. Uncanny, really, I wonder if that was something whoever is behind all this planned.

And do you have people from your world with you? Which Pokemon did you start off with?

[Just because she happily answers questions for people doesn't mean Miss Chatterbox can't throw them back.]

[shslasshat]

Unfortunately, I do.

[Even more unfortunately, he's living with them at the moment.]

Mine was a Sableye. These two, [he gestures at the Meowths,] were much more recent acquisitons.

[styxiedust]

[Well that's why he's the Super High School Level Asshat.]

A Sableye! I've been planning to make a trip to Kanto looking for one of those, I started off with a Misdreavus myself so I decided to collect Ghost Pokemon while I was in this world!

I am a breeder, though, so--[she looks down at the Meowths]--that's just a little sidequest. Do you have a type you've been favoring so far?

[shslasshat]

[hey if you had to deal with Hagakure and Oowada on a regular basis you'd consider it unfortunate too]

I doubt that Sho would be pleased if I lent her to a stranger for breeding purposes, or I would save you the trip.

No, I don't. Aside from Sableye, I have a Dragonite, a Milotic, a Rapidash, and these two.

[So his type is pokemon who exude power and majesty in rumor or appearance (Sableye aside).]

[styxiedust]

I appreciate the offer anyway. [The semi-offer-not-really-sorta.]

Those are all quite a powerful bunch! I have a Milotic as well, she's been a challenge to raise but it's worth it.

[Yeah she's picking up on that right about...now.]

It seems you've decided to forgo the collecting aspect and concentrate on raising effective ones! [Or he just hasn't bothered with it at this point.]

[shslasshat]

[He's actually captured exactly zero of them himself.

Well, he caught a bunch of ghost types during the swarms a couple of months ago. But he released them, because having a team full of ghost-types wasn't the image he wanted to project.]

I see no point in wasting my time with collecting the weak and common ones. Let them find another trainer who will give them their time and attention.

[styxiedust]

Ah-huh...[Meowth is semi-common though, he seems to be having a great time with his.]

So in this case, are you just out training or looking for rare ones?

[shslasshat]

[He woke up with them in his party.

...Although he's going to end up with like 50 of them]

Training. [He pauses, then decides that since apparently money is such an infinite resource in this world that no amount of pokemon literally just making it appear will sink the economy it doesn't matter.] Have you heard of a move called 'Pay Day'?

[styxiedust]

Yes, it's the signature move of Meowth, as a matter of fact. I believe it summons them from the coin on its head and throws them at the foe. Odd, isn't it? Though--[she looks down at the Meowth again.] It's not so odd when you realize they're a bit similar to lucky cats.

[paladinlost]

[A Thunderbolt, coming from a cat? That is more than enough to make a young travelling Monferno very curious. Curious enough to make him run before his trainer, observe the scene for a few moments, and then approach the sleeping Meowth with the intention of poking it.

Sadly, the running part has left his trainer too far away to tell him to stop that and behave. Sorry.]

[shslasshat]

[Alice stirs when she senses the presence of another Pokemon, letting out a soft 'nyaaa' and stretching her forepaws out in front of her, claws unsheathed.

A spark or two flies off of the metal coin on her forehead when she notices the digit approaching her, static combing through her whiskers. Togami turns when she hisses, and watches with detached interest. From the gangly, adolescent appearance of the simian, it's likely unevolved, which should make it an easy task for Alice to deal with.

Assuming it persists.]

[paladinlost]

[Oh, he wants to persist alright. Who cares about a few shocks? He's never seen a Meowth before! Besides, he's the sort of Monferno that can appreciate a pretty cat lady, and if a few minutes of pain is the price to pay to touch one-]

Any injuries you incur touching this cat will be shared in detail with the rest of the team, Zidane. Behave yourself.

[And there's Cecil, finally catching up in all his disheveled, tired glory.]

[shslasshat]

[So it has a trainer after all. He had wondered, since that type wasn't usually native to this area.]

Alice, come here.

[The cat trots over, flicking her tail in the Monferno's face as she goes, sitting half-behind her trainer's legs and licking her paws. Togami looks at Cecil down the bridge of his nose.]

Do you usually have such poor control over your pets?

[paladinlost]

[Ooooh, a tail flick! Not quite as good as a poke but he'll take all the contact he can get! ...Luckily, he can get more of it by going back to his trainer and clinging to his leg.]

Not usually, no. But as he's not officially mine yet and we've spent most of the last week and a half on the road without supplies, we've had very little time for regular training. My apologies if he was a bother to your team.

[shslasshat]

[pls. You're not even in the same egg group.]

He was no bother that Alice couldn't have taken care of on her own.

[He shifts the Meowth in his arms into a more dignified(/budding supervillain) position.]

And you are?

[paladinlost]

[Now now, there's no need to underestimate the Field egg group so badly.]

I've no doubt of that. She appears to have excellent control over her abilities.

[Or enough control to not fry Zidane accidentally, at least.]

Ah, my apologies for forgetting to introduce myself. My name is Cecil Harvey; it's a pleasure to meet you, young man.

[He might look like he's spent the last few days on the road without a hairbrush or extra clothes, but his western-style bow comes out fluid and practiced.]

[shslasshat]

[Alice is the more laid-back one. Be lucky it wasn't Rich, or friendly sparks probably would have been flying. In fact, once Togami puts down the cat in his arms, Rich is going to bounce over to sniff at Zidane.

Togami inclines his head a haughty but practiced half-bow of acknowledgment.]

Togami Byakuya. Togami is fine.

Are you... [his eyes look Cecil from head to toe.] just arriving?

[You look like a hot mess tbh.]

[paladinlost]

[Sniffing is perfectly acceptable. ...As long as Rich is willing to get sniffed back, because that's what Zidane does.]

To this world? Hardly; I started my fourth year here a few months ago. But it has been some time since I last visited Goldenrod. I must say I look forward to reaching the Pokémon Center.

[Or any sort of building, for that matter.]

[shslasshat]

[The moneycat is slightly taken aback by the sniffing, but gives an excited 'nyaaaa' and sits on his haunches to regard Zidane with curiosity.

Togami, meanwhile, is horrified at the prospect of being here for one year, let alone four, although his face betrays maybe a flicker of surprise.]

You're not far from the edge of town, anyway.

Although it seems like Rich has made a friend.

[paladinlost]

[Zidane responds by thumping his tail like a particularly excited dog, except dog tails are usually not on fire. Dogs usually don't follow that up with a handstand, either.]

Has he? That's good to hear. I feared that spending so long without teammates for company would have a negative effect on Zidane's sociability. It would have made his first few weeks with the rest of my roster unpleasant.