A Prankster in the Woods

First topic message reminder :

The sun was shining brightly overhead in the Pecha Forest as an unfamiliar nuisance swung through the trees, chittering away with laughter while an angry Patrat gave chase. Jumping acrobatically from branch to branch, the highly amused Aipom stayed just ahead of his pursuer, his arms full of the berries he’d swiped from the scouting Pokemon.

He hadn’t exactly stolen them, of course. Cracker had every intention of returning every last one of the little fruits. His hope was to befriend the squirrely rodent, although snatching the Pokemon’s hard-earned meal probably wasn’t the best way of going about it. The error of his way didn’t cross the Aipom’s mind even once, however. To him, it was a fun game of tag, and if the Patrat caught up, he’d gladly hand over the berries and offer to be friends. In fact, even if it failed to reach him, he’d still eventually give them back.

Of course, with the Patrat chasing him in his domain, it was a struggle just for it to keep Cracker in sight as the Aipom swung left and right, utilizing his tail against tree-trunks to double back and drop down a branch then back up. It was a miracle he didn’t make the Pokemon dizzy with his display of athletic prowess.

Quickly realizing his quarry was unable to keep up, Cracker had taken to dancing elaborate circles around the Pokemon, but in doing so he opened himself up for a very unpleasant attack. Clearly at the end of its tolerance for this rude behavior, the Patrat utilized its egg move Iron Tail and summarily struck every branch in the vicinity until eventually the branch the Aipom was landing on became the next victim.

Squealing in surprise, Cracker dumped his ill-gotten treasure in favor of saving himself from an unwanted trip to the forest floor. The berries flew up into the air as the Aipom’s tail whipped out to wrap around a nearby branch and swing him back onto a solid footing. Patting his chest, he waited for his heart to stop racing while overhead the Patrat snatched up what few berries hadn’t fallen to the ground and stuffed them into its mouth for safe keeping.

Once the Patrat had stuffed its face full, it turned to Cracker with a glare. Sitting on the branch, the long-tailed Pokemon waved in a friendly manner. Rather than attack or show a similar kindness, it huffed in irritation and leapt down into the bushes below, no doubt to reclaim the remaining berries it had lost.

Cracker frowned, watching it go. Oh well, he thought sullenly. It was worth a try.

Hopping back to his feet, the Aipom was just about to carry on his own way when a rustling nearby drew his attention. It came from the direction opposite of where the Patrat had disappeared. Maybe it’s a new friend! Cracker thought excitedly. Bouncing onto his tail, the Pokemon sprang from the branch to another, closer to the sounds of movement. This time he was going to do it right; this time he was going to make a new friend properly.

That twitching grin was what mostly caused a display of hesitancy in the Charmander's acceptance of the Plain Ribbon. There could be many assumptions that one could make about a twitch of that caliber: it could be one of a thief who was growing impatient of feigning friendship of innocence; it might be the glowing satisfaction of a murderer who, after a great deal of work and persistence, was finally able to lower the guard of a would be victim; or it simply might be a side effect of having a great deal of pent up excitement that could finally be expressed through the exchanging of services. With his newly revamped ribbon tied neatly around his throat, Ares preferred the latter possibility. This was confirmed when the Aipom began bouncing up and down like a child experiencing a sugar rush.

The vigor in which the other excitedly clasped his hand with both of his own was what really sealed the deal upon it being the sheer thrill of acquiring a new acquaintance. It was audible in Cracker's voice, and this admittedly added a layer of likability to the purple monkey. He surely had to respond to other things with great enthusiasm - for such reactions were not solitary things. The Charmander would be quite surprised or astonished to hear whether or not this other male expressed anger or frustration; that chipper disposition did not seem to be able to contain it. While logically this would be the case, he favored the option that it was either lacking or not present at all. That would simply tarnish the amusing and memorable picture that he had created of Cracker.

Even the way he said Ares's name seemed like he genuinely and sincerely meant it. His voice was indicative of this fact, and even the orange lizard had a hard time maintaining a professional decorum. A smile spread meekly across his lips, along with a warm expression that came with such emotions. He was relatively pleased with this meeting. Sure, it had started out rocky, but at least now it was going to get better. The other's offer of obtaining a new ribbon would receive a light chuckle, and he lifted his free hand to dismiss it, "No, that won't be necessary! I'm quite satisfied - but thank you anyways." Ares hoped for a long, fruitful friendship.

Upon the release of his hand, he would release it was throbbing slightly. Though he did not indicate that this was occurring through his body language, he would allow his palm to open and close slightly. The pressure from both hands tightly compressing his own was evident to the drake's brain. The slight throb, though one might consider irksome, was well received. It was just another expression of Cracker's satisfaction.

"Thank you," he would reply, allowing the trained response to be spoken in a quick fashion, "I guess it does suit me quite well; maybe I won't repair it, after all. The 'desperado' look is quite in style at the moment, I believe." He would attempt to make eye contact with the Aipom before asking a question of his own, "So, Cracker, what brings you to Pecha Forest? Do you live here?"

With one jump, Cracker was back on his tail again, balancing on the big meaty hand at its tip while he grabbed hold of each foot with his paws, looking every inch like an excited child who’d just opened the best present he’d ever gotten. The Aipom couldn’t wear a bigger grin on his face if he tried, even though it certainly seemed like he was. Clearly he was thrilled by the turn of events that didn’t result in another fiery blast to the face. Having friends was such a big deal to him and even he did not fully understand why.

The long-tailed Pokemon was gleefully playing with his feet while the Charmander spoke and eventually swaying side to side on his tail when he finally posed his query. There was no exact answer to the question, so the Aipom came up with whatever came to mind; as was his usual means of responding to things when he was this exhilarated.

“Of course!” he answered. “I live wherever there’s trees. Over here, over there, and even waaaaaay over there!” The Aipom stretched to the tip of his tail to increase his height and point with one paw as far off into ‘yonder’ as he could. “Trees are where it’s at, you know. The bigger the better. In my home town, they were so big you could live inside them! And we did! We never touched the dirty ground. I mean, not with our feet anyway. Normally we travel like I am right now. It just feels too weird any other way, y’know? All prickly and tickly. I don’t like it, honestly. How about you? Do you like living in trees? Or are you a ground-walker?”

The longer this encounter dragged out, the more Ares came to realize that he was dealing with a Pokemon still adamantly pursuing and living out a childlike reality. The nuts, his greeting, the way he acted now: it all added up to a disposition that culminated in a fashion as displayed before him at this moment. This was not to say that such a trait was not desirable - on the contrary, it added a great deal of likability to his antics and general person. His excitement was palpable and caused a great stir in the air about him, adding a sense of renewed vigor to the atmosphere about their conversation and meeting. It was a blessing to get such a refreshing encounter from such an initially disastrous occurrence.

Cracker's merriment caused a stir in Ares that made him quite pleased with this new friendship. The Aipom's sway from side to side almost got the Charmander to mimic his movements, although his tail began to flick to and fro. The flame upon his tail burned bright, yellow, and lively: it was evident that this meeting in such an innocent forest with such a lively Pokemon was causing a great deal of happiness for the upright, orange lizard. The very atmosphere of the forest seemed to respond and echo this cheerful vibe, which made him quite curious about what form of entertainment could be conducted in this forest highlighted with faint pink.

Trees so big you could live inside them? Ares could not imagine such a thing, seeing as the trees in his homeland were as shriveled, gnarled, and twisted as the people that inhabited its barren landscape. Even the trees here, that were so lively and green, were a great surprise for him at first. "Wow!" he would exclaim, his eyes growing wide in shock as he verbalized his thoughts, "I can't imagine living in a tree, or trees so big that you could! I can't imagine not walking on the ground. I once walked across a mountain range and my feet felt so weird when I was up there."

He would cast a glance over his shoulder, his eyes searching for some sort of path to travel down. Perhaps there was something interesting down that way? The lizard's gaze would return to Cracker, and he would allow a friendly, toothy grin to blossom upon his face, "Do you think anything interesting down's that way?"

Watching the change in the Charmander’s demeanor towards Cracker was a wonderful sight to behold. Considering the rough start to his attempt at friendship, this was quite remarkable. When the Aipom had first encountered Ares, he was ready to blow his head off with a well-placed, powerful Dragon Pulse, but now he was smiling and happy. He even showed a bit of interest and wonder regarding Cracker’s old home. This was how a companionship should be, and he was struggling to contain his own merriment over the outcome of his botched greeting.

Hearing about how Ares had once crossed a mountain range, created in the Aipom’s mind an image of a rough and grizzled fire-type climbing a tall mountain as easily as if it were a tree. It made Cracker wonder if mountains were to a Charmander as a forest was to an Aipom. Maybe Ares even lived in the mountains; perhaps even a volcano! The intrigue and wonder of such a possibility filled the long-tailed Pokemon with excitement.

The Aipom started bouncing up and down on his tail like it was a spring, practically ignoring how the prickly ground felt against his fleshy appendage at this point. This had to be one of the best encounters he’d ever had; if he had just a little less control over his giddiness, he’d probably explode like a box full of fireworks.

Only when the Charmander changed the topic did Cracker finally manage to calm his racing heart. Landing firmly on his tail’s hand, the Aipom swung upside-down again and looked in the direction Ares had pointed out. He tilted his head in silent contemplation for a few moments, considering the crude mental map of this region he’d constructed in the short time he had been here. There were certainly quite a few places of interest in Pecha Forest, mostly for their natural beauty—in the Aipom’s opinion, anyway.

In the direction Ares had indicated, he could already think of a few places that would pop up, most notably the town of Grassveil. In-between though, there was a large, two-tiered waterfall, a field of some very pretty flowers and a little cave that Cracker had been too wary to venture into. He was pretty sure it wasn’t a dungeon though. His opinion was that it was just the den of some unfriendly Pokemon, but he never cared to venture in and find out.

“There’s a couple things,” he said, eventually. “Depends on what your fancy is, I suppose. Do you like pretty things or scary things?”

Still dangling upside-down for just a moment longer, the Aipom promptly launched himself with surprising strength and dexterity directly up into the air, catching the closest branch overhead with his tail before swinging himself onto it. Without hesitating, he leapt off the branch and danced across several more until he reached the lowest one in the direction the Charmander suggested they go. Cracker stopped just shy of exiting the clearing to look back at Ares.

“Grassveil Town is also this way too, if you just wanna go there,” he said with a grin to match the fire-type's.

Perhaps the change in the Ares's disposition towards the originally antagonistic Aipom could be seen as sudden or too prompt - after all, had he not just been satisfied with the possibility of obliterating the purple monkey with a rather well placed Dragon Pulse?It could possibly be summed up quite excellently with his ability to act as a diplomat and warmonger with a simple snap of the fingers. His homeland required such skills in case an enemy should request a ceasefire and potential surrender. Naturally it would be in bad taste to attempt to kill an opponent that recognizes one's superiority, and, as such, it was important to be able to switch off one's aggression in order to prevent any "mess ups". A good general was viewed as someone who had this capability, and Ares was adamant about becoming one of those generals.

As long as Cracker would remain friendly and not find satisfaction in demonstrating his incredible ability to ricochet nuts and other small objects off of the Charmander's skull, then mutual friendliness would be exhibited towards him. Otherwise, the diplomat would allow ferocious and violent tendencies to be demonstrated, as well.

Ares was quite amused with this Aipom. He enjoyed his refreshing, chipper outlook and how he seemed to go into something with everything he had. Such optimistic tendencies were well received simply because he recognized his inability to behave in a similar mannerism. Being exposed to the extreme often allowed growth, which would be quite nice for him. As Cracker bounced up and down like a child expecting to go to the candy store, the Charmander felt compelled to mimic his movements. Though his main body would remain planted and stiff as if a steel rod had been driven down his spine, his tail would noticeably sway from side to side at the same tempo in which Cracker moved. When he ceased to bounce, the drake's tail would freeze up.

As the Aipom asked for his preference, Ares would have to pause to consider his options. Pretty things and scary things were all pretty subjective: what was pretty to Ares might be spartan to Cracker, and what might be scary to Cracker might be tame to Ares. It pretty much depended on experience at this point, and thus he would have to answer as such. "Whatever suits your fancy!" he would suggest, attempting to let him have some say in the matter, "I'm interested in whatever you think would be interesting to see."

At the mention of Grassveil, his disposition changed. His facial features would become dour and stiff, and allowed the awkwardness that he associated with that location to be displayed, "Grassveil Town's a place I don't think I'd visit again for a long time. I'm not their 'type', I'd say."

The remark about Grassveil Town’s perception of the Charmander made Cracker curious, but he wasn’t about to come right out and ask. For all he knew it was a sensitive subject and nosy as the Aipom could be, he didn’t really care to tick off the fire-type by inquiring. He could tell just by Ares’ body language that it would be unwise. Whatever the conflict of interests shared between the lizard and that town, they were probably best left a mystery for now.

Without showing any sign of acknowledging the Pokemon’s sour response to the suggestion of heading into town, the Aipom jumped off his perch and dangled by his tail, swaying to and fro as he clapped his paws together and giggled with mirth. If they were going to go wherever Cracker wanted to go, the choices were almost unlimited. So many places in the forest had caught his interest in the time he’d been here, and he spend much of that time visiting and revisiting them, avoiding all the scary places like they were a plague.

“You’re so nice!” he chittered happily. “Nobody ever lets me decide where to go, y’know. I’ve got just the perfect place to visit, and I think you’ll love it!”

Picking up momentum from his swinging, Cracker leapt away into the next tree along the crude path Ares had chosen. He turned back and waved a paw: “This way, c’mon!” Showing every ounce of excitement he possessed in his animated swinging from tree to tree, the Aipom began to lead the way to the waterfall he’d fallen in love with. It was nothing compared to the one from his home village, but it had its own charm.

Since Cracker didn’t expect Ares to be capable of keeping up with his tree-borne agility, he spent much of his dance with nature swinging back and forth through the trees, humming merrily every step of the way. However before they’d even moved ten feet from the clearing, the Aipom suddenly appeared next to the Charmander’s head, hanging upside-down from a branch over-head, grinning with barely contained curiosity. Although he knew some things were likely off limits for conversation, he very much wanted to get to know this fiery Pokemon.

“So where you from, Ares?” he asked.

Once more, it seemed that Cracker acted as a catalyst for improving Ares's mood. His chipper and merry disposition and overall optimistic and peppy behavior made the Charmander's emotions lighten up. It was good that the touchy subject of Grassveil Town had been glossed over so easily; nothing made him more uncomfortable than attempting to explain to someone as to why he believed that settlement to be toxic to an individual's growth and development. The general hassle of attempting to convey an argument against the place had long since grown tiresome for him, particularly when the other debater was so fervently for the location that they became deaf to all other opinions contrary. Cultural clashes like these often did not end in handshakes and merriment.

The sight of how pleased the Aipom was when he was given the ability to elect where they would head was another booster to his present temper. Though initially a dour frown and solemn furrow in his brow had been the major expression upon his face, the upside down smile would be once more place right side up. A light-hearted countenance would warp his features so that he might appear friendly and sociable once again; one might even describe it as an "oh-look-at-that-kid" expression that is commonly seen in use by parents. His arms would fold casually across his chest, and once more his tail would inherit a metronome like swing. "Well," he would say, as if reaching a sound conclusion after a long, arduous experiment, "I'm certain it will be some place quite nice, especially since it has your approval!"

With his comment made, the merry company was off.

Off Cracker went, flinging himself into a nearby tree as if he were one of those rubber-monkey launch toys. Ares didn't have to be told twice that he was to follow - even by foot - and was soon hurriedly chasing after his newly acquired traveling companion. It was no contest as to who was faster: the Aipom, with such fluid and graceful movements, was in his natural element. It would have been a sorry state of affairs if the Charmander was out pacing him. Ares would attempt to move at a quick pace, regardless of the speed difference, so that they might efficiently cover ground.

He would be startled not soon after they had departed from the clearing by the very Pokemon he was following, who had seemingly sprung forth from the tree's sheltering branches with the force of an irate Jack in the Box. Ares was reasonably taken aback by such a sudden burst, and stopped dead in his tracks as he attempted to process the question that had been given to him.

"Uh," he would begin, attempting to rerail his train of thought, "from the Far North. Past the mountains. You said you were from somewhere in a forest?"

The tree branch wobbled and swayed with the Aipom’s eager motions as he dangled from it with his with tail. Although he didn’t mean to startle Ares, his reaction was just delightfully humorous. It took him a few seconds to gather his thoughts and respond, and in the meantime Cracker climbed up his own tail and and watched the fire-type Pokemon from above. He didn’t know why, but he really liked this Charmander; perhaps because he could make a powerful protector, although it was more likely because he was more receptive to the monkey’s usual behavior.

Granted, his initial introduction couldn’t have been more botched if he’d launched an actual, full-scale attack, but since then, the Aipom got see a much nicer, approachable creature that was open to friendship. It might’ve made sense to be a little wary about Ares’ quick attitude changes between war and peace, but Cracker wasn’t exactly the brightest of the bunch. He could plan and play delectable pranks, but judging another’s character was a little too much to expect from the fun-loving tree-climber.

As long as Charmander had no reason to attack him, the Aipom had no reason to fear him. That was really what it boiled down to. And Ares was responsive enough, even sociable, which gave Cracker the security he needed. Even as the Pokemon spoke, he felt safe and at ease. This was what he enjoyed most about having friends.

“Yup!” Cracker responded cheerfully to the Charmander, swinging from his tail. “A big jungle to the South. It’s much warmer down there, but this place is okay too. I just wish it rained a little more. There’s nothing more pretty than a rainbow shooting across the sky after a long hard downpour, y’know?” Giggling, the Aipom climbed back up onto his branch. “And the waterfalls down there are so big and beautiful. My home village is called Greenwood, cuz all the trees are covered in moss. What was your home like?”

Not wanting to stall their journey while they conversed, Cracker continued to move ahead more slowly, keeping to the lower branches so Ares wouldn’t have to shout and so he could listen more closely.

As Ares felt his brain refocus upon forming a complete thought, he couldn't help but feel slightly awkward in revealing the location of his origin. There was a sort of sanctity about mysteriousness that protected him and held him to his goal of one day returning to his homeland to reclaim his lost glory. It was a well practiced technique of his to allow another to fill in with their own assumptions as to where his homeland was. In revealing the direction, he hoped to at least maintain some of that sacredness that lie in uncertainty. He would even take on a question at the end so that he might distract Cracker's mind from plunging deeper into the direction he had given.

For as far as he could tell, it seemed to work, for the purple monkey was promptly explaining the climate and scenary of his homeland. Admittedly, Ares could feel some seeds of longing and jealousy take root in his heart as he heard the description of such a lush location. Why would anyone want to leave that?The forest that was depicted to him in his mind's eye was youthful and full of vitality: a never ending jungle that had only "recently" sent the roots of its massive trees deep into the soil. The roots of the vegetation in that jungle must have been quite impressive and thick, and he yearned to see such a location.

As the Aipom began to climb back into the tree and their journey once more ensued, Cracker would ask for descriptions of where Ares has once called home. Though the Charmander had been steadily stomping his way through the undergrowth once again in order to try and keep up with the mischevious creature, he would hesitate slightly. His gait would stall and grow sluggish momentarily as memories of the barren wasteland welled forth into his mind's eye. He remembered a wind that howled in mourning of the lives that had been forfeited before its gaze, the lonely moon that seemed exponentially larger across the rugged terrain, and the searing sun that scorched anything and everything beneath its burning rays.

He searched for the appropriate words, but failed to find a way to describe it. "Barren," was all he could manage as his gaze drited towards the forest floor, "it was a place that lacked hope - I guess that's how you could describe it."

The Aipom had returned to his usual acrobatics among the trees when his question seemed to have a negative impact upon Ares. His gait through the foliage on the forest floor slowed and he didn’t look happy at all recalling his own home land. Seeing the Charmander’s sudden change in demeanor made Cracker slow to a crawl, eventually stopping altogether a few feet ahead of his friend. It took a few moments before the fire-type confirmed the Pokemon’s suspicion that he might’ve asked an inappropriate question.

“Barren…?” Cracker repeated, a frown forming on his face. “And… hopeless. Gosh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know. That sounds absolutely dreadful. I… I didn’t mean to bring up any bad memories.”

Looking somewhat down-trodden, the Aipom couldn’t help but envision in his own mind’s eye, a landscape completely opposite of his own, void of trees and plant-life. Such a desolate and dead world made Cracker cringe inwardly. Was that really how all Charmanders lived, or was Ares just horribly unlucky to have been raised in such an awful place? Surely it couldn’t have been that bad, right? At least the Aipom hoped so.

But then, perhaps fire-types liked that kind of land. Looking at Ares though, it was difficult to imagine that being the case. A home that he described as hopeless did not sound like a happy place at all. In fact, a nightmare would’ve been more suited to such a description. Maybe this was why the Charmander had such a hard exterior and a no nonsense approach to the behavior Cracker had exhibited during their initial meeting.

“We don’t have to talk about it anymore if you don’t want to,” the Aipom said awkwardly, trying to contain his rampant curiosity regarding the Charmander’s past. “The place we’re heading is close now, I can hear running water. Follow me!”

Smiling brightly again, the Aipom leapt into the air and, using his dexterous tail, swung from the branch he’d been standing on. Cracker rarely let anything get him down, and he certainly didn’t want to make Ares feel bad by dredging up bad memories. Perhaps the waterfall he was quickly approaching now would do good to cheer up the Charmander. If his home were truly as awful a place as he was led to believe, then this special place would be a sight to behold.

There was something so simplistically complicated about conveying one's emotion. While a creature's words and voice may attempt to communicate one emotion, their body might betray them and reveal the antithesis - or vice versa. The ability to control both - should one choose to lie or act - could not be expressed in a more imperative mannerism; a simple inability to do so could result in an entire web of lies unraveling or failing to be spun, or the inability to successfully convey the illusion of truth. Though Ares was not any of the aforementioned specifications, his body language would clearly communicate one message while his voice would express another.

It was clear that his answer had upset Cracker as much as it had him, but Ares simply could not bear to bring the unusually chipper and happy moneky to his same level of emotial discomfort. His head would snap up in a jerky fashion so that his might might stare on towards his traveling companion with a look of great concern. While his voice would feign reassurance about immaculate mental state and attempt to convey that such a question was not as wound-inflicting as it originally had appeared, there was still a slouch to his shoulders and a low burn to his tail's flame. The actor would undoubtedly fail to convey his own illusion upon his audience.

"No!" he would begin, starting his endeavor of portraying an unaffected creature, "It's fine, Cracker. Don't worry about me. It's just been so long since I've thought about my homeland that all the memories came flooding back. I'm okay!" A pseudo-smile was given.

He was a terrible liar.

Often, his thoughts would stray towards the wasteland that acted as one's birthplace and grave. Strength upon the battlefield was one's only way of liberation, and the only method in which a Pokemon could rise into a position in which their voice had been heard. Naturally, by the time they attained such a position, their minds had been so riddled with bloodlust and the desire for vengence for their fallen friends and family over the years that combat would continue - the weak, though outfited with sound logic and reason, were culled by battle. Ares had longed for the ability to become strong enough to allow his voice to be heard and champion the ideal of unification, but such proclamations would have led to his demise. With such knowledge, the only rational choice was to leave and survive, to grow strong free of the influence of war. He vowed to return with both strength and wisdom as god-sent weapons.

The Charmander would begin to walk again, decreasing the distance between himself and Cracker. His false smile maintained itself and grew wider, taking on a ghoulish aspect. A chipper voice would address the Aipom now as he attempted to continue their journey in full earnest. That would get his mind off of this pitfall; walking was always good for toning one's mind. "It's alright," he would state, attempting to gloss over the topic, "let's get going!" He would then fall him steadfastly.

The finer distinctions between body language and how the Charmander replied to Cracker’s concerns about upsetting him were practically non-existent in the monkey’s mind. Ares had been upset by his inquiry regarding his home, and it was plainly evident in the fire-type Pokemon’s outward appearance. Much as the curiosity ate at him, the Aipom knew well enough not to intrude upon his new friend’s personal history. It was a touchy subject and not one he dared approach unless Ares himself decided to be more open about it.

It was all in the past, now. As Cracker swung through the trees with glee, it was clear he was back to his cheerful, carefree self. He was already looking forward to the destination, and in just a few more yards, they arrived. The tree-line ended abruptly, but ever the playful Pokemon, the Aipom didn’t stop. Instead he leapt head-long into the open space beyond, with a joyful cry that ended abruptly in a loud splash.

By the time Ares appeared, the long-tailed Pokemon was re-emerging from the small lake he’d just dove into. Spotting the Charmander, he raised an arm high to wave. “Check it out, Ares! Isn’t it beautiful?”

The lake was surrounded by trees, all crowded tightly against a steep cliff from which a large waterfall poured down. About halfway up the sheer drop, a ledge jutted out sharply where another small body of water pooled before overflowing and connecting to the lake below. The entire scene shimmered with spotty rainbows in mist rising from the wonder of nature.

This was Cracker’s favorite spot in Pecha Forest, only slightly edging out the field of flowers in terms of sheer beauty and majesty. Still… It was nothing compared to his home, and coming here often reminded him of what he was forced to leave behind. He had to try not to let it upset him though. The idea was to cheer up Ares, not get wrapped up in his own emotional issues. Climbing out of the lake, the dripping Aipom hopped over to the Charmander.

“So? What do you think?” he asked, grinning from ear to ear.

Leaves crunched sadly beneath the Charmander's large, round feet as he darted through the thick undergrowth chasing a purple monkey. His tail, ignited and lit ablaze, trailed and lagged behind him like a scarf tied about a human's throat. Though his arms usually did not move so furiously when he ran, they pumped up and down swiftly to help him maintain balance. The sound of his hard breathing seemed to be louder than it actually was in his head because he was not accustomed to having to test his endurance in this fashion. The fighter, who could outlast a seasoned warrior on the battlefield, was put to shame when it came to chasing after an agile purple monkey. He was not destined to be a runner, for his evolutionary path predetermined him to be more apt to flying. Of course, at this point, he was ignorant to this knowledge

As his stocky legs carried him through the new trail he was almost quite literally blazing - he had to make sure his tail wasn't burning any of the local vegetation - he couldn't help but occasionally glance up at the Aipom that was guiding him. Envy and longing both propped themselves up in his mind as he imagined how swift and painless this journey would be if he could mimic Cracker's abilities and fling himself through the trees like a yoyo gone rogue! The drake's heart hammered within his chest as he envisioned the fiasco that might ensue should his tail accidentally cause a tree limb to ignite. Forests would burn, Pokemon would become enraged... On second thought, it was probably for the better that he was destined to remain grounded. A simple mishap like that could cost dozens of Pokemon their homes!

Then, it seemed as if the trees had forgotten to load onto the next section of the map. They abruptly thinned, and before him lay a glistening, sapphire-like lake that twinkled magnificently in the streaming light. He slowed to a stop, naturally refusing to jump into the lake, and looked about to observe the natural beauty that sprawled out before him. Mists veiled certain sections of the radiance that nature had allowed to blossom here, and, thanks to the sunlight that splintered through the cloud bank, caused them to take on the colors and hues of the varying shades of the rainbow. The woodland seemed to concentrate itself in certain areas of this postcard worthy location, and then remained sparse in others.

Cracker was right: this was a beautiful location worth seeing. What else could Ares say other than words that radiated approval and appreciation?

He would pause for a moment and allow his gaze to settle upon the Aipom's grinning face. The hesitation was not to attempt to think of words to conceal his hidden emotions, but rather how to express them to their fullest. One could not simply say "good" or "great" in this scenario: he had to actually search his word bank for words that would convey his graciousness.

"This place," Ares would finally say, "is the most breathtaking and awe-inspiring view I have ever come across."

The Charmander’s response to the splendid lakeside view was enough to make Cracker absolutely ecstatic. Most Pokemon didn’t react in such an awe-struck way, as this sort of scenery was often common-place for them, especially those living in these woods in particular. With Ares though, it was clearly a special case. His homeland, from what had been described, was remarkably less appealing to the eyes, and he also wasn’t familiar with Pecha Forest’s landscape. So this would undoubtedly be a sight to remember.

“Heehee! I knew you’d love it!” the Aipom squealed with joy. “It’s absolutely majestic, isn’t it? I mean, it doesn’t even come close to the waterfalls back home, but it’s still something!”

With both paws pressed against his face, Cracker bounced excitedly from one foot to the other, not even concerned about the uncomfortable prickly sensation of the grass. He liked seeing others happy so much that it only compounded his own delight, and yet somehow spoke in complete contrast to his usual desire to prank everyone he met. It didn’t really make much sense, but then the Aipom was atypical to begin with. Not making sense was his specialty.

“So what d’yah think, wanna go for a swim?” he asked abruptly, leaping behind the Charmander to insistently nudge him towards the shiny blue pool of water ahead. “It’s very cool and refreshing, trust me!”

He would’ve continued to push the issue, but Ares’ tail bumped into him. Cracker bounced away suddenly, patting down a spot on his chest where the Pokemon’s flame singed his fur. “O-or maybe not. Fire-types can swim, right? I mean, you probably don’t wanna get your tail wet, but it doesn’t hurt you or anything, does it?”

Cracker took a step backwards, looking somewhat sheepish for having even suggested going for a swim without being sure Ares would even be interested. As he planted his feet, the ground sank slightly beneath him, but he didn’t notice. Instead, he rubbed his paws together with a shaky grin.

He was so incredibly pleased at that moment to have encountered Cracker. Though the Aipom had initially been viewed as an enemy and irritating, the purple monkey had grown considerably on Ares to the point in which such hostilities could not have possibly have existed. He was simply too pleased and enamored with this location to have truly remembered how seemingly just a short while ago he would have had not other delight than effacing the creature off the protective limbs of the trees from which he smirked. It was in this moment that the Charmander felt truly inspired and motivated by the scenery before him; this would have been an impossibility in his own homeland. Such barren and dry wastelands would had inspired him in a different manner, one in which he became determined not to die upon its rugged, unforgiving terrain. He had truly blossomed there for the sole purpose of swift evacuation and promising to restore it to its pre-war be beauty, where it had been a blessed landscape of fertile plains and ancient forests. 

As Cracker responded with giddy appreciation for the drake's response and like for the area, he would allow a smile to transform his gaping mouth. If he had experienced more glorious settings in his homeland, then surely it must have been the epitome of Eden. He was curious as to why one would want to leave such a destination, but would not push the point; goodness knows he would hate to pursue a topic of discussion that had given himself such horrendous memories. "Sounds like your home was simply fantastic!" he would elect to say, allowing his smile to extend further and grow larger. 

Of course, at the very mention of swimming in the vast, sparkling lake, Ares's happy expression would melt to horror. If there was one thing he hated most, it was water; the very sight of it was frightening. Though at an early time in his life he would have lunged in with delighted naivety, stories from the clan's elders had swiftly shifted his ignorant view from one of desire to one of scorn and fear. He tensed up and dug his toe-claws directly into the green grass and loose soil beneath his feet. Though he felt more inclined to cowardly run away - all while filling the peaceful ambiance with a series of repetitive  "nope"s - something kept him planted there like a mighty oak weathering a ferocious storm. His protests to such an idea would have to be calm and serene, not dramatic and adamant. As he prepared his argument as to why it would be such a horrible idea to see him splash about in a substance in which he was not trained for, Cracker abandoned the prospect.

"I can't say for certain," Ares would begin, carefully selecting his words so that he might not outright offend his host, "whether or not I'd hurt by the water, but better safe than sorry, right? I think I'm more adapted for swimming through molten lava than water." He would offer a comforting grin and attempt to mask his original disdain and apprehension for the idea, if for nothing more than sparing Cracker's feelings. He would do his best to console him. "Don't worry about it!" came his chipper voice, "I wouldn't have expected you to know since you're a Normal-type. Why don't you hop in and show me what's it like? I'll watch from the sidelines."