Summertime Relaxation (Open for 2)

Summer had descended upon Grassveil. It hung like a sweltering, humid blanket that wrapped and smothered on the lands it covered. The previous, bitter winter was but a distant memory. Now, all that could be felt was warmth and bright, blinding light.

The land was full of green. Spring sort of skipped itself this year, acting as a very thin in-between winter and summer. It was a stark contrast between the atmosphere now and then. Some Pokemon didn't seem quite prepared for it. A good portion of Grassveil's population was laying around the edges of the pond or even in it as a lazy pile of layabouts trying to cool themselves off.

Not Jeremy though. If anything, the male snivy seemed... Lively as he stretched with a smirk on his face at the foot of the pond. His leafy tail was fanned out, taking in the bright UV rays as his amber eyes were lidded in contentment. Now... This was his weather. This was his environment. His emerald scales had a healthy sheen to them, lightly beaded with water droplets from his earlier swim. His lean musculature flexed lightly underneath his scaly hide as his tail swished lightly. He felt... Eager. Powerful. Confident.

He decided to come here today... The weather was too nice not to after a long season of cold days. After so many missions, the male snivy decided some relaxation was in order. So he ignored the pile of sunbathers when he came here. As much as that was invigorating, it didn't relax him so much as make him restless. Stepping in place slightly, Jeremy then dived into the water once again... His body moving in an S shaped, serpentine motion as he swam, feeling the cool water surround his form before he rolled onto his back, wide grin on his face that bared his fangs as he felt the sun on his face and the pond beneath him.

It was bliss.

At last! Zera had finally made it out of the wretched place called Shadowhue, he had begun to wander aimlessly again and made it to this place he vaguely remembered. He had been toying with some pokemon, an Eevee and an Oshawott, trying to trick them into thinking they were being attacked and then confronting them about being on his property as he had previously tried to claim the area as his own. He could not remember how the two had avoided his life stealing jaws, but it did not matter now.

It was a sunny day, nice and hot, just how the houndour liked it. The fire type decided it would be a perfect opportunity to rest up from the recent walk, although he wasn't exhausted. The hound made sure to stay away from the water, and made his way to a boulder that jutted from the earth and two pichu were using as a shade spot. The houndour gave a furious growl and glared at them, scaring them into running away.

Zera then began to use his ability to generate flames in his mouth, due to his Ember attack, to burn a wide circle around the flat boulder. It was clumsy, but it was efficient enough for the houndour. Within the circle was his spot. Nobody could enter, and if they did, they would have to answer to him along with the flames of his throat and jaws of electricity.

He gave a satisfied huff when he finished and licked his muzzle on each side before jumping atop of the flat rock and laying down, his stomach to the sky and his arms and legs in the air as the houndour began to bask in the sun and glory of owning at least something besides the joy ribbon and items within the joy ribbon.

Jeremy continued to relax, feeling the sunlight course over his form and the water beneath him soothe and put him at ease. All was perfect... Up until the sound of what seemed like two children crying as they ran away, followed by a fiery blast. Startled, Jeremy flailed somewhat in the water before he right himself, spluttering slightly.

As he rights himself, the Grass Snake Pokemon glances around his surroundings, water dripping down his form as he treads water. Those amber eyes eventually narrow when they see the houndour resting on the rock, the surface of which was red from the flames that licked across its surface. Scowling slightly, Jeremy sighed as he settled back into the water.

"Aren't you going to do something?" An older, female voice was directed at Jeremy in a demanding tone. Lidding one amber eye in annoyance, the snivy glances at what looks like a marill. She looked annoyed, but also pleading toward the Grass Snake Pokemon. Jeremy frowns. "Do what exactly?"

"You are a guild member aren't you? Arrest him or something!"

Jeremy tilts his head to glance at the houndour and sniffs before glancing back at the marill. "For what?"

The water mouse actually puffs up in indignation. "You saw what he just did!"

The male snivy frowns in response once again as he raises a yellow brow, voice dry and somewhat snarky. "Look... By Grassveil's laws, he hasn't technically done anything wrong. Besides being a coarse, dribbling brute with probably little intelligence or tact, He hasn't set fire to anything but that rock and hasn't physically harmed anyone."

"But the pichu-!"

Jeremy cuts her off. "Were intimidated off, and were not harmed. Technically not illegal. Therefore, not my concern." He leans back into the water. "Now if you will excuse me... I am on my day off. Spent enough time risking my life for poor pay and ungrateful peons for the most tripe of reasons." The marill acts like she wants to retort, mouth hanging open before she huffs and swims off as Jeremy relaxes into the water once again... Though he keeps a wary eye on the houndour.

The Noibat fluttered around taking the warm summer air into his fur. Summer made his fur light and poofy, like he was a giant flying dandelion. Lowering his altitude he used the hot air to help him some to a very soft landing on the malleable ground. His ear twitched once, it was the sound of leisure he thought, the subtle lax atmosphere gave a sweet nadir, that ripple the warm air, of so slightly.

However that soft noise, would turn into a striking crescendo, what was that noise he intrigued? It was the sound of screams! Realizing something was amiss, his curiosity led him to the source of the the problem.

"Huh? What's going on here?" He said to himself as he gently descended next to a pair of quarreling Snivy and Marill. He stood silently, as he tilted his head to get a better pitch of the conversation. From what he can discern, there was a problem with a Pokemon setting a fire and the guild member refusing to acknowledge it's significance. He gets closer and approaches the Snivy from behind,"It sounds like you are afraid of the fire! Well that's okay after all grass types should avoid fire at all costs right? Isn't it the basic elemental trifecta of water,grass, and fire?" Evrae almost went onto his rambling seasons with his false accusations, when he realized there was still a problem to be posed.

"You know just because you don't like fire, doesn't you mean you should use the law's technicalities to overlook a domestic disruption! But thats okay I can get close to the flames so don't worry!" He said trying to both reassure the Marill and Snivy, who prides, Evrae unknowingly might have attack,"Okay let's see here..." He approached the large flames, his affinity giving a resistant to the heat. He flew up high in attempt to get get out of the fires range. He took a deep breath before giving out his loud annoying yell,"Hey! You should take out those flames, there really messing with the err... ecosystem! And it's really upsetting the other Pokemon, so if you can please get rid of your flames!" He continue to yell his requests at Zera.

The hound's ears flicked and his greedy eyes opened as he overheard a serpentine grass type name-call from afar. He merely huffed, deciding the snivy was just jealous of his glorious throne he had claimed upon this slowly heating stone surface. He was enjoying himself, might as well not let a name-calling grass type ruin his-

"Hey! You should take out those flames, there really messing with the err... ecosystem! And it's really upsetting the other Pokemon, so if you can please get rid of your flames!"

"Huh?" Zera growled as he rolled to his side to see who was disturbing his day directly. He looked up to see a Noibat fluttering its wings as it kept itself airborne and spoke to him. Zera focused for a moment, looking up at the noibat and then looking back down to his circle of fire he marked. He looked like he was debating whether or not to obey the noibat, but he was really trying to determine if it was within his circle.

The answer came when a jolt of electricity sparked from his jaws, a Thunder Fang being prepared in case the noibat chose to stay, and he began to stand, his short fur raising as he began to growl his demands, "Get out of my territory."

Jeremy blinked his amber eyes when a high pitched, almost whistling voice interrupted his thoughts. Frowning in irritation, he turns his body around to behold a... Very large, carnivorous looking bat. Furrowing a yellow brow, the male snivy just stares somewhat blankly at Evrae as he proceeded to ramble.

The male snivy then looked insulted when, within that ramble, heinous accusations laced the... Voice that just came out of nowhere.

"Now wait just a minute!" Jeremy began about halfway in, amber eyes narrowed. "I don't know who you are, but I-"

It didn't matter. The noibat was already gliding over to the spot the barbaric houndour was resting. And right before Jeremy could get his piece in too! Scoffing at this, the male snivy gritted his teeth in worry as the houndour slowly turned to face the noibat, his face aggressive and irritated.

Great... Now Jeremy probably HAD to look into this before a fight broke out. Couldn't leave well enough alone...

Sighing, the male snivy rights himself, stopping momentarily to glance at the female marill, who had a smug little grin on her face that would put his own kin to shame. At the sight of this, Jeremy's lip curls back in a sort of frowning sneer before he swims to the edge of the pond.

His form dripping from the recent swim, the male snivy cautiously approaches the rock, keeping a good distance so he could prep a dodge and just avoiding the circle of flames in general. At the houndour's last declaration, Jeremy calls out in return.

"Actually, that isn't the case."

Once he has the houndour's attention, the Grass Snake Pokemon clears his throat and continues, expression wary but firm as his amber eyes lock on Zera's darker ones. "The pond here lies within the boundaries of Grassveil itself, meaning it is part of the town's public property. No one can claim any part of it."

Jeremy tilts his head at Zera. "Now look. I'm part of the exploration team here at Grassveil, which means I am part of the guild. I have to ask you to dissipate your flames, stop threatening the residents, and causing a public upset in general. I don't want to take any more of your time, and I don't want my time taken up either. I would like today to be my day off, but if there is an issue..." His tone has a warning to it. "Plenty of witnesses here, and plenty of well trained bounty hunters who will come looking for you if you start picking fights. It would not be difficult to track you from here."

"So..." Jeremy continued. "Can we all just enjoy the sun and 'surf' without any more problems?"

Ervae held steadfast in the midst of the Houndour who was bearing his fangs,"Eh territory?" He was positive one could not demand public land, but he had no way of reasoning and givig sufficient proof to his claim,"Uh I don't think you can-" his ear twitched suddenly, at his high altitude he was able to pick up the voice of the as Snivy below. Evrae listen closely to what he had to say and realized that was the reasoning he needed,"Yeah! This place has already been claimed you can possible take it without provin yourself!"

Evrae lowered his altitude, going nearly in striking range of Zera's thunder fang, confident that he could not possible give a rebuttal the argument Jermey gave. "Well you heard him! Time to skedaddle!" His faced the Houndour wings barely pounded as the intense heat from the circle of flames aided in keeping he afloat. Feeling the hot air press again his fur it began to fluff up quite a bit.

His ear turned and he left his guard down looking at the rock formation interested in it he pushed a question,"How are you even doing this? This is crazy, what is fueling these flames to be so strong and high? I wonder why I'd you chose this place? There are a lot of other places you could go too, although the air is nice here you could go deeper in the forest and find a better stop? Oh wait that might be a fire hazard..." Evrae thought for a solution,"Well regardless this is a fire hazard and you shouldn't be doing this!"

The hound gave a huff as the noibat and the snivy finished speaking, the noibat had spoken of proving oneself and caused him to respond, "I'll prove myself right here and now, get somebody that can drive me out and i'll go. Land goes to the strongest, if those two were too weak to even fight me then they don't deserve it. No land is public land, it always belongs to someone. As for the forest, who in their right mind would go back there after being stuck in that d***ed place for who knows how long!?"

The hound's hairs still rose, the flames seemed to be dying out, but still leaving a singed triangle of grass that continued to mark the border of the houndour's territory. The Noibat had crossed it, but the snivy seemed to be keeping back due to the flames.

Zera growled maliciously, why couldn't these pokemon just leave him be? He just wanted a rest, and this spot was his spot. As a houndour, he had to protect his spot. It would be disgraceful to just get up and leave without a fight unless he actually wanted to go. He didn't care about the consequences, he was sick of the law. It only got in his way, he usually tried to go around it, but after the frustration of the forest, the hound just wanted to do whatever he pleased. He was going to crush anyone who got in his way!

Jeremy inwardly cursed. Prove himself? There was no proving himself to be done. This was Grassveil property. Why was the bat-like individual going out of his way to antagonize the houndour! This could be solved reasonably... Oh bloody abyss. Now the noibat was fluttering dangerously close. Great. Just great.

"Now look sir. I don't like the forest either. I'm right with you there. And no one is stopping you from laying on that ro- Oh look, you died down the fire hazard. See thats a start. Now lets not start a fight..."

There was totally going to be a fight. Frowning, Jeremy eyed the bright sun that glared overhead. Fire attacks were going to be stronger in these conditions. However...

The male snivy carefully slinks back to the edge of the pond, amber eyes never leaving the pair and form tense. Looks like the talkative stranger was going to address the houndour. Good for him. Part of it was his fault anyway. Jeremy could still offer support. In the back. Near the water where it was safe.

Fanning his leafy tail, the Grass Snake Pokemon could feel the solar energy course through him. Around him, the light would dim and his own form would give off an almost bioluminescent glow. Letting out a deep exhale, the male snivy snorts.

"Listen. Last chance for you to just rest on that rock and not cause anymore problems. There is no need for a fight here. There is nothing to prove."

Evrae's wing continued to pound with ease over Zera, "W-well, I guess your not right... but this land is made public by everyone! So wouldn't that mean you would have to fight everyone to prove yourself!" Evrae's thought his reasoning was spotless and tamed, but he didn't take in the account that he may be actually putting up a challenge for the Houndour.

Evrae took a haughty breath through his nose, he seemed a bit proud that he could hive such concise reasoning. Although his body language, seemed as though he was mocking Zera, and the hubris that came along with it was painfully obvious.

Twitching his ears and moving them back and forth like a pivot, "So how about them apples? Your only choice is to leave! Even the Guild member here says so! I doubt you can go against everyone! So it's better to go along with the flow! After all what your doing is like not going with the flow! I mean you are relaxing right now, but your doing at the expense of others. It a bit selfish of you don't you think? So C'mon don't you understand?" Evrae finish his long speech ignorant of the fact he might be making the situation worse.

The houndour grew confused as one pokemon said it was the final chance for him to leave the others be and the other told him to leave and that even the previous pokemon had said so. He gave a huff of irritation as smoke rose from his nostrils, "I WAS minding my own business on the rock, this annoying flying rattata is the one coming over and telling me to leave! If I have to prove myself to everyone then I will until someone can prove otherwise, and i'll begin with YOU!"

The hound snapped with an enraged glare at the noibat, his teeth sparking with electricity as he only grew more agitated and furious. He was just about having enough of this nonsense, it was wasting his time and the two together weren't even making any sense. Zera's rage towards the noibat grew, while the snivy held a lower amount of discontent since the snivy wasn't asking him to leave the rock and area.

Although both of them together were surely pushing it, he was ready to fight both of them if he had to. The territorial dog, as said before, wasn't about to leave or be told what to do by strangers without a fight. He would obey only if beaten, that was the laws of the pack he had to abide by and was hardwired into his thoughts and nature.

"You know what stranger?" Jeremy states to the noibat with obvious irritation from a afar, amber eyes watching the houndour. "I don't appreciate having my time of rest interrupted by issues like this. After all the grime, dirt, and blood I get, next the scars for assignments, sometimes I would like to avoid a fight. But no... I have to deal with incompetence, so that is not likely to happen is it?"

He scowls as he fans out his leafy tail some more. He gave no such command for the dark/fire type hybrid to leave at all. Why was the big, bat thing being so confrontational? Surely he must actually mean that. A blind zubat could see how that would irritate Zera. Why was he dragged into these situations in the first place!?

He really just wanted to laze about again, but in the mean time, Jeremy carefully eyes the pair from afar, his clawed fingers idly twitching as his tapered head slowly tilts to survey the bat and the dog.