Onyx or Lapis Lazuli?

Zorre walked down the main street of Rainfront Town, wandering aimlessly. He wasn't quite sure how he ended up back at Rainfront, but here he was and now he wasn't sure what to do with his time. His two partners had disappeared quite some time ago and now he was the only remaining member of Shadow Blade. This made him slightly sad and led to him wandering further and further from Grassveil Town.

Lapis slid out of her home. She'd just finished her daily chores, and now the day her parents would arrive again grew closer. Now that she finished all the necessary things, the Goomy did as she usually does upon completing them. Just going outside and enjoying so. Perhaps next time, she would go to a dungeon again.

The slug-like Pokemon sludged across the town, waving to some neighbors with her hind left antenna. Occasionally, she would tuck in her foot's wavy skirt to seem less blob-like and much neater. She already faced enough judgement at the fact most Pokemon hadn't seen a Pokemon like her before.

Zorre continued on his way down the main street of Rainfront town, looking around at the unfamiliar sights. The black-colored scyther was so focused on looking around him that he didn't notice the smaller pokemon in front of him until he nearly ran into the pokemon. He jumped back suddenly, surprised by the sudden appearance of another pokemon. He had never seen a pokemon like it -a blue and grey blobish pokemon with green spots on its cheeks and two black dots that seemed to be its eyes -or maybe the green spots were the eyes and the black dots were its nostrils? "Oh... hello. See you not, did I; sorry." He apologized, blushing a silvery-grey around his cheeks in embarrassment of nearly running into the pokemon.

Lapis looked up at the large dark insect and blinked, revealing the black dots were, in fact, her eyes.

"My sincerest apologies as well. I should at least make myself noticed by larger Pokemon walking these streets. Especially when it rains, it's hard to see something so small as myself."

Curious. Another Pokemon the Goomy had yet to see. Sure, seeing different Pokemon became a regular thing, but somehow it was always exciting.

"A fine day, isn't it, sir? I was just thinking about visiting somewhere nice while I was in the mood. What ever might you be doing this wonderful afternoon?"

Zorre blinked back at the strange pokemon as it began to talk to him. He noticed that the pokemon seemed to have a refined accent, using large words and almost clipped speech that seemed to indicate that the pokemon had grown up around the area, and most importantly, grown up around intelligent, civilized pokemon. He feared that the pokemon would look upon him with disdain because of his disability, and he backed away a little in his nervousness.

"errr..... town walking road along..." he winced. What had that even meant?! He had noticed lately that the more nervous he was, the more the words got jumbled up as they left his mouth. He blushed a silvery-grey in embarrassment, and backed up a few more steps before tripping over something in the road and falling onto his back into a pile of mud. He groaned, more in his extreme embarrassment than any actual pain he was in. Now the pokemon was sure to think that he was an idiot!

Lapis tilted her head with kindness in her eyes. That's when she noticed he had a speech problem.

"Oh, sounds enjoyable."

She wanted to say more, but too much was too much. If this Pokemon didn't want to talk he didn't have to. But already he stumbled backwards and into the mud the rain had wet that morning. She gasped, surprised and rushed over as fast as a little slug could to ask

"Oh dear, are you all right? I'm so sorry, now come, let's get you cleaned up."

As she turned away to show the Scyther to where he could wash off the mud, her eyes pointed upwards in concern. She didn't want to judge him for how he acted, but she felt a little bad for him. She squinted at how rushed she seemed for such a slow Pokemon. So many flaws, but how to fix them? Lapis certainly was no gem.

Zorre's whole face had gone a silvery-grey in his embarrassment. He followed the pokemon's instructions to a nearby watering spout. He used the spout to clean off the mud from his carapace, his hard shell making the cleaning easier. It was one of the good things about having a hard shell over his body. He looked up at the pokemon who had helped him, still feeling embarrassed. "Sorry," he mumbled. "you thank, I do." he stammered, wincing at the jumbled words that had escaped his mouth.

Lapis merely nodded and smiled.

"No problem. Anything to help a visitor."

The Goomy then began to wonder if the pokemon even knew his words were strange, or even if all of his species spoke that way. It would be queer if they did, but the new pokemon had already seen so many things she didn't know existed or was possible. Heck, who knows next, maybe someone will tell her there's a pokemon that controls the whole world.

Zorre looked at the pokemon, and hoped that she wasn't thinking that he was as stupid as he felt. "Name, Zorre, ma'am," he said, bowing formally. "Ask yours, I?" He said quietly as he straightened out. He also wondered what kind of pokemon she was, but felt it was rude to ask.

The large insect was very much a gentleman. Lapis was pleased to finally meet someone with manners.

"I'm known as Lapis. It's a pleasure to be your acquaintance."

She blinked and nodded once, curtly. It was weird trying to bow or curtsy as a Goomy, as it usually resulted in her becoming a messy gooey puddle. She would never want to gross anyone out like that. Just the thoight of doing such a thing made her tuck in the outside of her folds flat on the ground, making herself look rounder and neater.

"Meet, nice to you, too," Zorre blinked. He was so sick of this jumbling up of words. It made him seem so stupid! "Sorry..." he added. "jumbled, mind words to... ugh!" he turned away, angry at himself for being unable to express himself in a coherent manner. It just made him so upset to sound so dumb when he knew that he wasn't stupid!

Lapis watched him from going to a happy greeting to a huff over his inability to speak.

"No, no, it's okay!" she ensured, sad that he got upset.

"It doesn't truly matter so long as someone knows what you're trying to say, right? It's not your fault your words are jumbled, and if there's nothing that can help it, then you have to accept it."

Her eyes grew deep as she spoke to him in her truthful manner, almost turning a navy blue color.

Zorre looked down at Lapis sadly. "Know not, saying what am I, pokemon do," he said sorrowfully. "Speak not right, me. Feral be used to, am I," he admitted with great shame. "Taught speak to, myself," he stumbled over the words and then buried his face in the back of his scythes, where the blunt edge of his arms wouldn't cut into his face.

Lapis blinked, her eyes sad, and the closest thing to a frown a Goomy can express.

"It's fine, don't stress it. Maybe you'll be able to learn better, but sadly, I don't know any good teachers. I'm sure you'll find your good tongue in no time, don't you worry."

The poor Scyther looked so upset. It made Lapis feel miserable, as she wanted to make him feel better, but now he was a nervous wreck. The Goomy felt guilty, somehow, and her stomach felt like a knot.

Zorre snorted in disbelief. "Feral not, been I, years three," he scoffed. "Fix not, has it." he sighed. "Mope help not, though." He looked at Lapis again. "Thanks..." he said, before beginning to walk away. Maybe he could find some outlaw in a dungeon that he could beat up to make himself feel better.