carefree the songs our children once sang,

[stonebones]

Who: Emil + anyone in Violet!
Where: Violet City (Center, Sprout Tower, Air Show.)
When: July 27th - August 3rd.
Summary: Emil's first week in Violet City!
Rating: PG-13 at most, probably for mun's mouth if anything.
Log:

[ARRIVAL IN VIOLET - POKEMON CENTER - LATE MONDAY THE 27TH, STORMY.]
[It's already evening when Emil and Stilzchen run into town, the boy trying to use his purple coat as an umbrella to protect them from the rain and clattering overhead. Stilzchen doesn't seem to pay it any mind, tugging his trainer along as fast as he can. He'd known they must have been close, but Emil doesn't even realize they've made it to town until he hears the soft, automatic whirr of the center's doors open before him. Finally free of the storm, he follows the wall a few steps away from the door so he won't be in anyone's way when he sinks down in a slump on the floor.]

We made it... We're in Violet! You did it, Stilzchen!

[He gestures for the Sableye to come over to him and he obliges, galumphing over and into Emil's lap. Rain-soaked and unsettling as Stilzchen may be, it doesn't keep Emil from closing his arms around him in a tight hug. The little Shade-like creature had grown to be quite the guide, even through the disgusting weather turns through July.]

Thank you...

[It takes a while for the pair to get settled in, but once they are, Emil can be found camped out on a loveseat with a styrofoam cup of tea, lifting his blindfolded eyes to the ceiling whenever there's a particularly loud crash of thunder. The rest of the time, passersby might notice him mumbling at their approach, apparently listing traits like age, sex, and general build that...sound pretty accurate to them. But he's definitely still blindfolded..right?]

[HORTON HATCHES AN EGG - AROUND TOWN/POKEMON CENTER - TUESDAY THE 28TH, CLOUDY.]
[After a day of exploring Violet, Emil's back to his loveseat, almost vibrating with excitement. A week's worth of travel means that the egg he'd picked out from the Breeding Center is finally ready to hatch, and while he can't actually see it happen (Stilzchen is ever-present with the 'gear's camera function) he definitely wants to be there and alert for this miracle of miracles. It isn't just the mammal hatching from an egg that gets him, although that's what he'd commented on just over a week ago to the network, but the fact that this baby in particular is going to be a kitty.

He's so excited.

And when the bubbling joy of KITTY finally settles a bit, Emil will still be obsessively cuddling his little kitten and proposing various names to her.]

[LURING A CHATOT LITWICK? - SPROUT TOWER/POKEMON CENTER - WEDNESDAY THE 29TH, RAINY.]
[He hadn't been planning on getting another pokemon so soon, already feeling overwhelmed by Suddenly Shade and Cutest Cat. They were helpful, certainly, but no matter how much Stilzchen made it a point to take care of him, Emil doubts that Sebastian, Sensei, or anyone before them would have let him have one pet to take care of on his own, let alone a potential third.

Still, he couldn't help being interested when his Sprout Tower tour is interrupted by a whistle and a harsher-but-still-Emil mimic of his own humming. Most of his day is spent continuing to sing to the Chatot, but it's a Litwick that creeps ever closer while the bird remains high up in the beams watching.

Having grown used to Stilzchen's ghostly presence, it isn't until he gets back to the center and the Sableye is around to point the stowaway out to him that Emil realizes he's been haunted.]

[PLAYING WITH POKEMON - POKEMON CENTER - THURSDAY THE 30TH, RAINY.]
[With the weather having taken a turn for the worse again, Emil spends most of his time indoors on Thursday, getting to know the newer members of his team, Lua and Spencer. It also give him an opportunity to learn a little something about his starter! Turns out, Stilzchen's a little jealous of the new baby, or at least the attention Lua's been receiving, and so his day is dedicated to trying to cat. Impish as he is, it's really hard to act like a feline, but he's doing his best.

Lua doesn't seem bothered (imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!), and Emil's more confused than anything. Oh well, who wants to do more Head It?]

[ALL WORK AND NO PLAY - VIOLET MONKS' FIELDS (Emil) + FALKNER'S AERIAL SHOW (Stilzchen, Monday only)/POKEMON CENTER - FRIDAY THE 31ST, SUNNY - MONDAY THE 3RD, HOT AS BALLS.]
[YEAH, THE WEATHER'S NOT AWFUL AND WET AGAIN, that means...that means it's time to get a job...

...so Emil basically got super broke without realizing it because he's not used to handling his own finances, look he's ten. Luckily, the monks of Sprout Tower have agreed to let him work in the fields with them, spending a while to make sure he's able to prune correctly while he refuses to take off the damn blindfold. By the third day, he's confident enough to not even have Stilzchen hovering over his shoulders, which is good because the ghoul's got other plans for Monday. While Emil labors in the field, the Sableye's at Falkner's air show, trying his hardest to go unnoticed while still being able to record some footage for his trainer.

It's possible he might get in trouble for that, oops. But Emil doesn't have to know, really! Especially since the poor kid comes home each night looking like he's praying for a rainstorm to happen so at least he wouldn't feel so faint in the heat.]

Comments

JULY 27TH, MONDAY.

[stonebones]

[Storms suck, yo.]

JULY 28TH, TUESDAY.

[stonebones]

[KITTY KITTY KITTY.]

JULY 29TH, WEDNESDAY.

[stonebones]

[This dumb bird is judging my musical talent what the heck.]

JULY 30TH, THURSDAY.

[stonebones]

[Chillin' with the crew.]

[samsa]

[A lot of people have been coming in and out of the Pokemon Center today. It's raining, so naturally trainers have been seeking shelter from the rain periodically. So it's probably not much of an abnormality for Emil to hear the automatic doors of the Center open as someone steps briskly inside, the sound of their shoes squishing against the floor audible over the low chatter in the building. The footsteps stop once they reach the counter, and a voice can be heard speaking.]

Ah- excuse me? I need some help, please...my Smeargle has a thorn or...maybe a piece of metal, stuck in his paw? I can't really see what it is and I can't get it out myself...I'm worried I'll hurt him if I try.

[Kaneki's voice is low and hushed as he holds the small Pokemon in his arms, his head resting on his shoulder as he whines and buries his face into his collar. His paws are all covered in mud and water, leaving his trainer in a similar state. He'd been fine letting Hide run around in the rain and splash in mud puddles to his heart's content, but he didn't think there would be anything in them that he could hurt himself on.

The Nurse says something to him before eaching for the Smeargle to take into her arms. It takes a bit of doing as Hide keeps his grip tight on Kaneki's sleeves, but eventually she manages with some gentle coaxing on both her and Kaneki's parts. Then, she turns and walks with him to a back room to be examined.

Kaneki sighs deeply, brushing his damp bangs from his eyes as he turns to head to the nearest seating area where Emil and his Pokemon are. Of course, having only seen him once, he doesn't recognize him right away as he finds a seat. He's distracted enough, not having looked his way much yet. However, it's impossible for him to miss Stilzchen for long, acting the way he is.]

...Emil-san?

[stonebones]

[He doesn't pay the newcomer much attention, used to random trainers stopping by, but Kaneki's presence does have a bit of an effect on him. Made aware again that he wasn't just off in his own little world, Emil's playtime with the pokemon becomes a little less carefree even when he tries to assure himself that the young man wouldn't have any interest in how he was tossing a ball of yarn at first the Meowth, then the Sableye.

It's when Stilzchen makes another one of his returns, painstakingly copying the kitten's actions, that Kaneki speaks up, and Emil's so surprised that he fumbles the yarn to the floor.]

Huh? [He looks up and over to Kaneki, though he's blindfolded as usual, and quickly goes to pick the yarn up. Unexpected or not, of course he recognizes the voice, with it being all he had to go on.] Kaneki...san? But you're supposed to be in Goldenrod!

[samsa]

[Kaneki blinks when Emil suddenly fumbles the yarn, leaning back a little in his seat as he works on unrolling his sleeves a bit so his shirt can actually dry somewhat.]

Ah, well...I was. But a friend of mine asked if I wanted to travel with her for a while. I hadn't seen the towns on from New Bark, either, so I figured some traveling wouldn't hurt.

[He leans forward slightly once his sleeves are rolled down, resting his forearms across his knees.]

It's good to meet you in person, Emil-san.

[stonebones]

Oh, I see...

[Absently winding the yarn back up, the boy smiles down to his feet. Stilzchen, similarly pleased and also eager to show off what a good cat he could be, crawls his way over and rubs his face against Kaneki's leg, rumbling in a way that was...probably meant to be a purr, uh...]

Y-yeah! It's nice to meet you, too! I wasn't expecting to, but I'm glad your friend took you traveling. Um, oh, but it's been a lot of bad weather since we last talked, too. You guys were okay, right?

[samsa]

[...oh, well. Kaneki's expression crosses between amused and fascinated as Stilzchen rubs against his leg. He'd been wanting to see a Sableye in person, but he didn't know they...acted this way...

He smiles, reaching a cautious hand down to let his fingertips brush the top of the Sableye's head.]

We've been fine. We've actually been in Violet for a while now, so we're staying at the hotel. I...I probably wouldn't have come out here at all, but Hide wanted to play in the rain.

[stonebones]

[If only he could be as soft as a kitten, too, but...those are definitely some scaly, leathery textures on this Sableye. He's definitely pleased by the contact, though! Growing curious now, and no longer distracted by playing with her trainer, Lua hops down from the loveseat and waddles over as well, eyeing up this new, strange human-thing.]

Good, good. [He switches to "looking" at where his pokemon are seeking attention for a moment, then lifts his face to back to Kaneki.] Hide? Ah, is that one of your pokemon? I guess there must be some that like this kind of weather, too...

[samsa]

Mhm...my Smeargle. I had to bring him here because he got something stuck in his paw while he was playing. The nurses have him right now though, so I think he'll be okay.

[He hopes that it was really just a thorn, and nothing that could have cause some real damage.

When Lua makes her way over Kaneki offers her his other hand while he continues to gently pet Emil's starter with the other.]

[stonebones]

[Despite knowing that the Joys were very good at their jobs, Emil can't help but look concerned at that. If he still could use his magic, he could have helped, too.]

That's awful... I'm sure he'll be fine, though, and get back to playing in no time.

[Lua's not quite as eager, sniffing at the hand before nudging her head up into it. The Sableye's still absolutely eating it up, though the "cat" is starting to edge into "dog" with how his tongue lolls out.]

I think my pokemon would love to play with him, when he's feeling better. The three of them haven't had much chance to have fun just yet.

[samsa]

I think he would like that. He likes having new friends to play with.

[Kaneki laughs softly, trying to give as much attention to both of the Pokemon by his legs as he can. Stilzchen is tickling him more than anything else. He can't seem to decide what he wants to be.]

You have some very affectionate Pokemon.

[stonebones]

...I'm glad.

[Again he moves to make it look like he's watching the two by Kaneki, smile soft.]

I don't think I've ever been so happy to be wrong about something before... But Stilzchen's been really great. And I just got Lua and Spencer, but so far they've been nice, too. I like being able to just spend time with them, you know? It's not something I could really do back home, even if I was allowed to have a pet these days.

I should thank you for that, too. You told me to not be afraid of Stilzchen, so I wasn't. Not so much, anyway.

FRIDAY 31ST - MONDAY 3RD.

[stonebones]

[No really, this kid is going to, like, die of dehydration in the field, BUT HEY, HE CAN PRUNE BLINDFOLDED THAT'S NEAT, RIGHT?]

[Also Stilzchen is being a sneaky shade on Monday, if you want a pokemon-only/interacting with pokemon thread.]

[soundmind]

[Pruning blindfolded is a pretty neat trick.

But dehydration is not.

Maka decided to visit the monks that day to distribute some water bottles to them, since it's been a while since she's come to Violet and hey--may as well do something nice for the monks.

Emil is someone she notices last, partly because he's so small. He is definitely too small to be doing hard labor out in this weather, so though she reaches him last, she still calls him out.]

Hey there! Come have some water before you totally collapse!

[Not that she expects him to stop working entirely just to get water, she's still approaching to hand over a bottle.]

[stonebones]

[But he was so good at dehydration...

He doesn't even realize that it's him being addressed at first, given the attention he's focusing on the grapevines, though he muses for a moment that there's something about the voice that's a little nostalgic, even if it was off. When it registers that the footsteps are getting closer, and lined up physically with the call, Emil finally looks up.]

Me? [He frowns, getting to his feet so he can close the distance left and accept the bottle, and dusts off his capris.] Oh, I...was fine, but thank you very much! This is really nice of you.

[Still, despite his assurance and the fact that he worked fewer hours as a child, the water definitely looks pretty needed, and he downs a good portion of the water in one go.]

Um -- [Emil wipes his lips with the back of a hand before continuing:] -- you don't usually come by here, do you? Are you starting work, too?

[soundmind]

[She laughs, short but still amused. Yeah, right, he was fine. Boys are so silly.]

I was visiting the monks, it's been a while since I've been back here, but while I'm visiting a friend I may as well take the opportunity to visit some more friends. [A pause, Maka tilts her head to look over Emil, smiling faintly.] I, um...don't remember the monks putting blindfolds on their workers, though.

[To be fair, ninjas do that sort of thing sometimes, for enhancing their senses or something, and she's known plenty of ninjas.]

[stonebones]

[He nods in agreement, but then pauses at her second comment.]

Ah, they don't... This is mine. [Emil tips his head down, absently running his fingers over the fabric. His next tone sounds sheepish, but it's got a bit of a cheerful lilt to it.] They actually wanted me to take it off until I showed them that it wouldn't be a problem. And they don't hover around me anymore, so I must be doing a pretty good job!

[soundmind]

Oh!

[Good job, Albarn. Her tone sounds flustered next, twisting and tugging one of her pigtails nervously, trying to formulate a reaction.]

Oh, gosh, I'm sorry! [So--so he's training himself??] That's--that's really cool, though, how you can do that on your own. I couldn't...do anything like that even with my perception.

[Mostly because plants don't have souls.]

[stonebones]

[He smiles, and though he's less upbeat he seems more genuine. Emil wouldn't want Maka to be flustered, but the fact that she is by a kid like him and thinks he's being cool is...really cute...]

It just takes practice, is all -- like anything else! [Another swig of water, though this one is much less desperate.] Um... What's this about perception, though?

[soundmind]

[Hey, she's essentially a child soldier even if she's nearly adult age at this point, age discrimination is not a thing when it comes to coolness.]

Well...how should I put it?

[It's been a while since she's talked about abilities of any sort, trying to keep up the appearance that she's normal for some peoples' sake.]

Let's say I concentrated my perception on you right now, then I'd be able to see the shape and form of your...soul. Its color, your nature, stuff like that. And even if I closed my eyes and you walked away and hid, I'd still be able to track you by your soul.

[...Is this creepy? Is he going to call her creepy?]

It, um, it doesn't work if something doesn't have a soul, though.

[stonebones]

My soul...

[He tilts his head to the side, obviously having to think on how that would work, but he's not as put off by the idea as a ten-year-old maybe should be.]

That sounds way cooler than just learning to do things blindfolded, though! Is it like magic? Can you do it now, or did it...? [Get taken away, like so many others' abilities had been.]

[soundmind]

I never thought of it like that...it's more like being psychic, I think.

[A pause, she shakes her head. Then realizes Emil probably can't see that.]

Ah...no. I haven't been able to for a while now. Sometimes there are weird days where you get your abilities back, but I can barely remember those times.

[And that's a little unnerving to her, considering usually Maka's mind is like a steel trap and she doesn't forget things.]

Next time it happens, though, I'll show you if you want.

[stonebones]

I see...

[It's a little disappointing, even if the fields don't really provide a good place to test it out. He supposes it's for the best, since he shouldn't get too distracted from his work.]

I've heard of that happening. I'm already going to be meeting up with someone so he can teach me more about practicing magic, but I don't see why I couldn't see you then, too! [...OH RIGHT, UH -- ] I'm Emil, by the way!

[Should probably...do that, if he's going to be doing with soul things with strangers, no matter now trusting he is.]