Slushy Water

(OOC: Discussed in this thread.)

It was an idealistic winter's day around Grassveil, with energetic children running about, throwing snowballs and building snowmons. Snow fell gently down from the sky, with each individual flake gradually adding thickness unto the white blanket already atop the ground. The pond itself was beginning to feel the effects of the below freezing temperatures, with most of it being frozen on the surface, bar a few spots of broken ice around the edges from naive pokémon attempting to step onto it.

Most of the pokémon willing to be out in the snow and ice were either biologically inclined to cold weather, or bundled up in blankets and scarves. Clovis, a piplup, while not used to the same artic areas as his ancestors, certainly fell under the former. He had no cold weather clothing on whatsoever, besides a joy ribbon, tied under the 'collar' of his cape-like tail like a string bowtie. Instead, his resistance came from a thick layer of feathers underneath the visible ones on his exterior. He sat on a conveniently located tree stump, finishing off a bagel and admiring the pretty white landscape, with nothing in particular on his mind.

((

ooc, my horrid timing and thoughts:

{starting type: Normal}

Ever since it started snowing in Grassveil Yooka was curious as to what it was. It was her first time seeing such a thing despite being well above the age. Guess being in a tropical setting was more fitting for the Kecleon than the freezing temperate area. It took awhile for her to actually go outside. Finding out it was just flaky frozen water near instantly and decided to brave the obvious cold to see what outside Grassveil would be like.

White. Everywhere. She didn't realize just how far out of Grassveil she went. She barely recognized she was at the pond. If It wasn't for her weird obsession for learning new things keeping her going. She'd probably be frozen. However, she was indeed feeling some effects on her reptilian body. Sure, she had a dinky defense scarf, it was originally wrapped over her upper part of her right arm but she took it and wrapped it over her belly pattern instead. She also had her Guild backpack in the shape of a miniature Purple Kecleon, actually she looked just like it when she headed outside. Ending up changing from green to Purple... Not because she was cold but because she was getting so tensed up over this weird stuff. She had spaced out on getting actually prepared, thinking she wouldn't end up in a horrible situation.

It wasn't all 'that' bad, just a few cases of shivers with the occasional slipping. Seeing the pond frozen over made her finally think of her own self. She only smirked, especially seeing the pokemon, who were obviously used to this weather, playing around nearly unhindered. She looked around for anything unusual, well, besides herself being completely out of place.

While looking around she started to get use to the cold. No longer shivering as much. She spotted a couple kids playing with the snow as if in a fight. She had no intention of joining in. She also spotted a couple of them making a rather large... thing. She couldn't quite determine what it was. She also noticed one pokemon who wasn't with other pokemon. Perhaps she could ask a few questions about this weather to this one. Seeing it as a Piplup made her feel even more out of place. approaching from nearly behind she spoke, "Not often a Reptile says hi to a bird in such a place. well... ever. It's freezing. I wasn't expecting myself to be out here as long as I am. It's just... not something I seen. I find it weird. heheh."

{ending type: Ice}

Errmmph. This bagel's a bit on the low-quality side. I suppose they've used up all the good wheat earlier this winter.  The piplup complained, mentally. I suppose that it would be tolerable if I had a bit of butter, but as it stands, I just can't seem to justify eating it! Despite these complaints, he did wind up finishing his last few bites before hearing a vaguely familiar voice from behind him. He turned his head and body around to face them, and saw a kecleon talking about the weather, and about just how cold it was, which he supposed was understandable. Kecleon couldn't produce body heat the same way he did, could they? She mentioned just how weird the weather seemed to her, as if it was her first time seeing anything like it. "Erm, you've never seen snow?" He asked, with a bit of his usual confidence shaken by the fact that the kecleon was just so much larger than him. "I suppose you weren't here last year, then." Or the year before that. He paused and gave the kecleon a looking over. "But, you do look a bit familiar. Are you in the guild?" If she was in the guild, then Clovis would be fairly certain that he knew who this pokémon was.

The Piplup turned around and seemed pretty unsurpised. It seems to be fine about Yooka's presence just appearing. She could get used to that. The subject it started on was how she hasn't seen snow but the Piplup quickly assumed it was because she wasn't around for the year. Well he wasn't wrong. She wasn't here for last year. Most of her life was spent in Rainfront. It never seemed to snow over there, just rain. Well, there has been reports of it but she never seen it occur.

She was about to tell the Piplup this but it followed up after a short pause with a question, making it seem like the Piplup knew her. Well, she was the only Kecleon in the Grassveil Guild and she has yet to see a Kecleon in the Town, probably because of this exact weather. She thought about showing off the grey badge she has... that she took no time in keeping in shape. Stored in her bag along with a few sitrus berries and a couple random seeds and items, It was chipped on the left side and had lost its sheen. It wasn't a mandatory thing so she never thought of doing it.

However, she did nod, "Yea, all of what you just said is correct. I got here around just before summer and yes, I am in the Grassveil Guild." She laughed a bit as she continued. "Well, I am but just not in a team. I'm what you'd call a solo pokemon, practically a Mercenary. I figured no one would want an apathetic Kecleon as a partner, or should I say, I just didn't feel like having a partner at the time. Hah. but I do wonder... why do you ask?" Yooka tilted her head a bit to the side after smirking a small chuckle. This piplup seems pretty chill...

Clovis sat still, listening to the kecleon speak with a mostly neutral expression on his face. She talked about herself and then talked about herself some more, and then about the guild, and asked Clovis why he had asked about her status in the guild. He began to reply in a formal tone, which was inflected with just a little bit of boredom. "I ask, because I'm fairly certain that we've been acquainted already. If you are indeed the only kecleon in the guild, then you may remember me from a trip you made out into Shadowhue a few weeks ago." Perhaps he was reaching a little with this assumption, but the logic did add up... now if only he could remember her name. He thought back to his trip to the forest, but the exact names he had learned were a bit fuzzy to him. He took a chance and blurted out the first name that came to mind. "Your name was, um, Kimori?" He paused. "Wait, no, your name was Alki, right?" He paused again. No. Clovis dug deeply into his memory, but could not find the proper name to associate with this kecleon, although he could remember that it rhymed with 'Hookah'. Hmmm. He decided that he would wait on her to correct him.

Yooka heard the piplup's reply, acquainted already? "oh?" It was when he mentioned shadowhue was when she remembered seeing a Piplup there aswell. So this was the same one? "oh!" She doesn't quite remember what actually went on during that time for it was quite awhile ago and she doesn't hold onto memories she doesn't need. When the Piplup spoke a name, he spoke of the treecko, then corrected into the Igglybuff. Yooka only Chuckled to this. It seemed to think deep so she said, "Don't think too hard, it's Yooka. -" She never heard the Piplup's name yet. or maybe she did but just couldn't remember hearing it...

She didn't feel like going through and asking for his name again, perhaps he'll say it at some point. No point getting hopes up just avoid saying names. "-That was quite awhile ago. Your the first to forget my name... heh. Usually others remember it because of they way I act towards, well... everything. sometimes. -" His tone before trying to figure out her name seemed bland. Perhaps he's bored. Too much snow in his life maybe? Yooka smirked tilting her head down and closing her eyes for a moment, "-heh, You seem bored. I'm surprised your not questioning why I'm out in the cold wearing nothing but a scarf. A little dinky defense scarf at that. It does nothing against the wind. ...heheheh... I spaced out so hard coming here... Oh yea! Forget about that, how do 'you' feel towards this kind of weather?"

Oh boy. She sure did seem to like talking. Granted, Clovis did too, but not so quickly, and about such trivial subjects. He could see why other 'mons tended to remember her, she had a very vigorous attitude, likely to the point of causing others annoyance. She accused him of being bored at one point, and Clovis widened his eyes in reaction. Was it really so obvious? He listened more attentively to make up for that momentary breach of etiquette. When she was finished talking, Clovis spoke once again, this time making a conscious effort to show interest. "This kind of weather? I'll tell you, it's real lovely to look at. Everyone around seems to really enjoy it!" Now this, the topic of snow, was one he was really interested in. Why, he almost began telling tales of grand snowball fights, of building snowmons and skating around on the ice, but refused to bring up the notion that he himself ever played in snow, for fear of sounding immature. "I- er, those kids really seem to enjoy playing around with it. It's a shame that you didn't get a chance to do any of that in your childhood, hmm?" He said, as though Implying that he wanted Yooka to go through with some sort of action.

Yooka couldn't quite reply to what he said. She felt like he didn't mean what he said, but he also sounded like it was the 'coolest' things to do. She only stared at the Piplup semi-confused before looking at the kids again. She felt a deeper shiver as he went deep into saying she didn't see this in her own childhood.

Her eyes practically went dull at that notion, so she closed them and spoke up voice a bit hesitant, "Yea... I did miss some things, didn't I..." When she opened them she was back to being fine but she injected a bit of venom in her voice. "just don't remind me." She paused realizing she went sour. "Uh.., my, time wasn't pleasant... nothing was towards you. It's just a 'life's not fair' kind of thing... uh... Well, I'm seeing it now...! Hehe... heh." She backed away from the Piplup after that, just a step. She doesn't want to get into it. However she kept the subject, "What is it they 'are' doing anyway...? It, I, Why are they... nevermind. Just, what are they doing?" She stumbled over words. mostly due to her mouth rejecting thoughts.

Clovis turned his head away and his beak towards the sky when Yooka mentioned having an unpleasant childhood. Both of them seemed keen to avoid the subject, although it seemed like Yooka's reasoning was to avoid painful memories, whereas Clovis just wasn't particularly fond of listening to others get angsty. Now, the subject of snow, and what pokémon did with it? Now that was a good topic. He answered her question swiftly and eagerly. "They are having a 'snowball fight', Yooka." He got up off the stump. "Here, I'll show you." The piplup bent down, and using his two flippers, rolled up a bit of snow into a ball. "This is a 'snowball'." He held it out in front of Yooka, gesturing for her to take it. "In a 'snowball fight', you throw these at someone else, and they'll throw them at you." He explained, with the excitement in his voice almost completely unhidden. He took a step back, and tried to gauge just how much of this Yooka was getting.

Yooka turned icy blue at the thought they did this for fun. Her feet were already freezing why would she want her hands cold aswell... "Uh, just don't hit me with it. I'd rather not get frozen any more than I am. but uh, heh, I never quite understood what 'snow' was but now it's pretty self explanitory once you mention what it is. 'snowball fight'... you fight with that semi-frozen water which is 'snow' in the shape of a ball. 'snowball'." She couldn't help but laugh at the name. "Gawd I'm blind. How did that not come to me... heh, well. I guess that means those other ones are making some kind of 'snowmon'. I wonder which... Abomasnow? considering it's name? but that's way too small."

She shook her head. "I'll try to figure this one out at a later time." She looked around for anything else, but it all seems to be quite obvious now. However, she couldn't quite hold it off any longer, she sighed. "I didn't want to be rude as a first impression but... I don't remember your name or I don't think you said it 'to me'. Mind If I ask? you don't seem to be that bad of a peep... er... well, peep as in bird--Pokemon." She cringed as she utterly failed at making a reference to the bird-shaped candy. Why would she even associate that with this pokemon. She wouldn't dare do it. She only drunkenly did it during a test to see a ferals point of view a long time ago but that has long since passed. "That... was a mistake. I shouldn't have said that. mmrrr..."

Clovis frowned at Yooka's refusal to participate in any sort of activities in the snow. He frowned even more at her long-winded way of describing snow and the things pokémon did with it. His expression turned all sulky, almost childishly so. Aww, you're no fun. His dignified demeanor was slipping quite a bit. Yooka dismissed the subject, and asked him for his name, which he didn't believe he had mentioned, at least not since they met back in Shadowhue. But, after that she referred to him as a... peep? Perhaps this was a reference to the sound birds make. The piplup tilted his head, in confusion. Yooka seemed to regret saying this, so the implications were likely unpleasant. Whatever she meant, Clovis just shook his head, and spoke up to dismiss the 'peep' business and answer her question. "...Anywho, my name is Clovis. I am a 'piplup', not a... 'peep'." Whatever that meant.

Yooka shook her head a moment before the Piplup announced it's name as Clovis. She looked at the Piplup confusingly when it said it wasn't a peep but near instantly realized it didn't know what she ment. She closed her eyes and smirked, angled her head down a bit and raised a hand infront of her face, Why am I even here? Why am I 'still' here...? She opened her eyes but kept the pose, "Your a Piplup. The first stage of the Empoleon Line huh... Yet your alone."

she raised her head to stare right at the Piplup. "Wait... Empoleon!" Her color went back to green in surprise. her face showed it too. This Piplup was alone... where was it's parents as of now? no, she doesn't need that info. "Ngh, are you of a higher class? I should've thought of that. No wonder you look bored with me, I must be just another nuisance." She darted her attention away. I should get back to grassveil... I shouldn't have wandered off too long despite this weather being pretty interesting...

(OOC: Ooh, I just noticed. I'm really digging that shiny new cyan username.)

Clovis narrowed his eyes when he saw Yooka smirking and putting her hand to her face. Was she mocking him? Was there some sort of joke that he wasn't in on? The piplup wasn't sure. He puffed out his chest and paid careful attention to her words, to ensure that she would not make any effort to further disparage him. Her first few words were true and inarguable. He was indeed a piplup, the first of the empoleon line, and he was alone, although he wasn't really sure what difference it made. Then, she made a very lovely assumption- and specifically asked if he was of a higher class. Clovis straightened his spine and somehow managed to puff his chest out even more, all the while sticking his beak up to where he would have been looking down upon the kecleon, if now for the fact that the height difference made that impossible. When he spoke, he did so with gusto and pride. "I...heh certainly wouldn't call myself a peasant, if that's what you mean." This statement wasn't a total lie. He did indeed possess an above average education, and his parents did own some land, but his home was modest, and he had no traceable connections to any sort of titled nobility, foreign or domestic. If he were being completely honest, the best way of describing his standing would be, 'materialistic commoner'. Not like that was going to stop his aspirations of social mobility.

For a moment, it looked like the kecleon wasn't paying attention. He clapped his flippers together to get her back on track and focused on what was important. "Let me tell you of birthrights and glory, Yooka." He kept his gaze on the kecleon, to make sure she was still paying attention. "You see, Yooka, there's a reason why empoleon are known as the 'emperor pokémon'. Plainly, they... we, are a species of high class simply by our lineage alone!" He looked up towards the sky. "I could sit here and talk of the ancient empoleon all day." He stopped his speech for a moment, with a consideration of some real, current circumstances. "...But I doubt you have time for a story session, what with as busy as you must be in the guild. What is that like, anyway? Working with them. What sort of work do they have you doing?"

((

ooc:

The clap the Piplup made did infact snap her back to the situation. Adding the way the Piplup's tone and words clarified him as slightly above her. She calmed down from her over assumption. Listening to what he's saying. She almost sat down to listen like a kid during story time but realised the snow and the cold. She frowned when he stopped but perked up physically when he mentioned her job at the guild. She's not of an active team, more of a helper/mercenary type. "The guild is pretty loose. No need for training besides basic knowledge of pokemon types and species. However..."

She broke into an all-out happy mood. "I love learning so I took any and all types of training and whatever class I could grab. My job at the guild, isn't the usual one. I'm more of a mercenary. If someone needs an escort or a hard target or rare object, the guild would look for me. I have a lot free time since I don't actively look for work. I wouldn't mind doing something random if I end up enjoying the da--uh...!" She ended the talk looking at the sky realizing she's talking more about herself than his question. ending the mood and bringing herself back to the neutral tone. "It depends on how you take the job. Theres a bunch of different ways to do the quests posted. I'm usually grabbed when another team needs help. It's not as busy as it seems. why do you ask? want me to put a word in? You did do well against that venomoth by the way. You seem to know the Dartrix hidden-feather technique."

The prospect of joining the Grassveil Guild was always one Clovis had considered, although not one he had taken an effort to deliver. Truthfully, there really didn't seem to be many other opportunities in those days. The police department wasn't hiring, the Feather Café was shut down for renovations... Outside of the guild, there just wasn't much a young pokémon could do with their lives that didn't involve becoming a farmer or a laborer. There were, of course, plenty of other settlements across the continent which he could look in instead, but distance was an important factor in eliminating most of those.

He spoke up, reasoning that he might as well build this bridge while he had the opportunity. "You know what, that would be great. The guild sounds like a fair and steady line to get into. While I'm not one to rush headfirst into commitments, if I ever do wind up filling out the forms and joining up as young 'mons are so often inclined to do these days, I would appreciate the endorsement."

(Grassveil Guild is a sort of "safe" path for a first character, isn't it? I'll probably have Clovis join up with it pretty soon; It's a lot easier to progress if you're on the "inside", you know?)