It's Party Time

"Bloody absolute bollocks," Melvin cried under his lost breath. His luxurious wool coat was swallowed whole by dangling mud as leaves and moss clung onto him for dear life. His body shook, his stomach growled, and his wide smile started chuckling erratically. It was beautiful, blessed civilization! Melvin had finally arrived at a town, crawling inch by inch with the last of his borrowed strength. This whole start to his exploration career started off less than he desired. But alas, Rainfront Town better prepare itself, as Melvin was here! He forced his swollen feet against their will further into town as he looked for a local of any kind.

"Oi Laddie!" Do you know where-" the totodile turned his head away as Melvin called out to him, covering his nose. "Hey, you there!" Melvin tried again, but the wartortle kept his head down and continued to walk past him. "Oi! Do you have a moment?" he frowned. Once again no response as the dratini carried onward, coughing. "Well now, would you look at that." Melvin stood puzzled. "Seems not a single soul has a second to spare. But no matter, they can't all be busy now." He assured himself as he carried on from stranger to stranger, oblivious to the rotting scent that trailed behind him.

Morning came and went just as it did everyday in Rainfront. Since she'd woken up, the first thing that'd been on Chia's mind was the fact that the sky was lacking it's lovely, radiant blue. In its place instead was an overabundance of dense, murky rainclouds that enshrouded the world above until it met with the ocean in the distant horizon. And while this persistent overcast did bring with it the promise of an oncoming downpour, Chia wasn't much bothered by the thought. When you've lived alongside the sea your whole life, you learn to appreciate the days that harbour showers, thunderstorms, and even the lightest drizzles. Of course, while a perfectly sunny afternoon may have been something to behold, there was...an indescribable beauty to the way the ocean rippled beneath falling rain. As of now, this cloudy day had yet to dampen on the people of Rainfront. In-between the slivers and openings of the haze, the sharp, orange glow of the evening sky peaks through, harmonizing with the somber greys to paint a beautiful sight above the skies of the resort.


The Machop had nearly barrelled chest-first into a number of other townsfolk at this point. Though she knew it was important that she remained focused on getting today's job done, it was becoming difficult to keep her eyes fixated on the road when all she wanted to do was stop and marvel at the spectacle that had appeared above her head. She was beginning to consider a brief trip to the beach, should this lovely weather hold up. But first, the task! As she continued down the road, Chia nestled a woven reed-basket tightly in her arms. A quick peek within the basket would quickly reveal that it was teeming with Cheri Berries. The reason, you may ask? Earlier that day, one of Chia's neighbours— a sickly sweet and elderly Beartic— had asked the girl if she could run an errand for him. The errand in question was simple enough, the poor old man simply needed an able body to run and fetch him a batch of Cheri Berries from a shop down the road. Apparently, a generous handful of these little guys every morning helped soothe the pain of his stiff joints, or so he claimed. Thinking about the Beartic's unfortunate circumstance brought on a feeling of mild guilt as Chia then hurried her pace a little bit. At this rate, it wouldn't take her no more than a minute or so to reach the old man's house.

But that's when something—or rather, someone, caught her eye.

After stepping foot into a familiar part of town, Chia took notice of something a little less familiar. Her wavering focus is caught by the presence of a peculiar looking stranger. The Machop quietly eyed him from a distance, her captured attention gradually turning into a burning curiosity the longer she watches him pester every townsperson passing by. Who was this? He certaintly didn't look like any Pokemon Chia had met before. How long had he been here. Could he have been...a traveler, perhaps? Excitement arose within the Fighting-Type. Succumbing to this wonder, she wasted no time bounding over to the weird looking sheep, regret immediately consuming her the second she crossed into his threshold.

"Hello there-!" Chia flinched, wrenching her head back as soon as the unpleasant stench of mud and decaying vegetation wafted up into her nose. She briefly pinched her nostrils shut, taking a second to regain her composure before she tried again. She cleared her throat, a smile forcing its way back across her maw in a not-too-subtle fashion; her eyes still visibly wincing in pain at the smell. "...Ahem, ha, pardon me," She began, her expression softening once more. "I saw you a little ways up the road and, well, I have to ask—are you new here?" Begrudgingly, the Machop lowered her head a smidge to match the Mareep's height. "Come to think of it...you look like you just crawled out of the marsh..." Chia brought a hand up to her mouth while the other continued to clutch the basket, quickly becoming sorry for her statement. "Uh, no offense."

"Ah Lassie!" Melvin spun around as he shot up with joy, raving with glee as he locked eyes with a machop wearing the coolest trousers he had ever seen. "Blessed child, please tell me, are you the chosen one?!" He threw his arms onto her shoulders as he began to violently shake her. His body roared like a thundering shrubbery as his wool-leaves rustled frantically in panic. "This place is called Rainfront right?! You have to tell me there's a bath around here somewhere, Lass! Please, you can't leave me like this!" The countless rejection clearly having gotten to Melvin as hysteria filled his voice.

As you can imagine, Chia was undoubtedly startled by the unexpected turn this encounter had taken. She yelped as the sheep eagerly sprang up to meet her, his added weight (accompanied by the unmistakable stench of old mud) nearly throwing her back on her rear. "The—I'm...What?!" The girl was mildly alarmed by the nonsensical blather falling from Melvin's mouth, indicated by the way she stared at him, wide-eyed, going wider as soon as he began to jostle her petite frame.  And while Chia may have had the quick wit to tighten her arm around the woven box whilst she was being shaken, this did little to prevent the Cheri Berries from spilling over the brim of the basket and falling in an anticlimactic manner onto the ground below.

"Yeah— Yes, of course! Rainfront!" She nodded vigorously. Chia had typically never been a loud speaker; she tried to maintain her calm tone of voice amidst the sudden excitement, faltering a little as her mind began to short circuit. "A bath..?" She paused. "You—you mean, like a bathhouse? Mm, I think—" Frantically, the Fighting-Type scoured her mind for any sort of memory that would answer the Mareep's pleas. She knew with absolute certainty that there was a bathhouse somewhere in Rainfront—more than one perhaps, and yet, now, in this very moment when the information was most vital, Chia's mind was drawing a blank. Damn it, of course she'd forget at a time like this. The 'Chop's gaze nervously shot back and fourth across the ground as she silenced for a moment or two. (Thankfully) A few seconds of inaudible murmuring later, her thoughts had come back to her, bringing a thrilled smile to her maw.

"Mm! I got it! Bathhouse! Over there!" Chia brought her hand up and over the Mareep to point at a grand structure looming in the distance. "See that building? That's the Steamrise Inn. S'a lovely place, I'm certain they have somewhere you can go and wash up." She said, speaking hurriedly and in a manner that sounded like she was trying to reassure the unlucky stranger.

"Oh Lassie, I cannot thank you enough." Melvin sighed in relief as he felt his raging heartbeat slowly settle down. "You're an absolute life savior, you know that?" He began to slowly tear his arms off her shoulders, but the mud was fighting as hard as he could to claim her as its own. As he dragged his hands away, the mud stretched like melting tar, pouring down both of them before finally breaking apart.

"Just right up that road right?" He exclaimed, completely eyeing the wrong building. Though it was not like he was expecting an answer as he immediately blitzed up the hill before coming to a screeching halt. "Oh that reminds me," He spun back around to her. "You wouldn't happen to know how much the bathhouse cost now do- those berries aren't  important now are they?" He went to eye her sweet trousers once again before finally realizing the sheer destruction he had laid to the town. Mud and leaves had dripped across the land and almost each and every footstep he took was fossilized on the ground beneath him. But the poor girl got the worst of it as she was now smothered in Melvin's sludge, and her innocent cheri berries now called home to the ecosystem Melvin birthed at her feet.

A distressed sort of sound emitted from the back of Chia’s throat. Never in a million years would she have ever expected today to play out like this. Yet here she was, conversing with a man of questionable sanity whilst mud oozed down her arms and onto the modest pair of trousers she’d been wearing—to no one’s surprise, the sensation was extremely unpleasant. As she casted her stare down upon the unsightly mess, the poor girl made no attempt to conceal the disgust now apparent on her face. “Oh, don’t mention it,” she said, kind tone betraying her troubled expression. Although she was admittedly becoming a bit agitated given the circumstances, Chia still forced a smile across her strained ‘lips’. She was beyond relieved when the Mareep finally withdrew himself away from her. But, of course, not before he left with her a little ‘parting gift’.

How thoughtful Chia mused bitterly, jerking her arm through the air in a futile effort to shake off the mud. A second or two of self-inspection immediately brought a grimace to her face; the sheep really had gone and made a mess of her, but her pants in particular were now absolutely filthy. “Aw, man...” Chia gracelessly fell to one knee, casting aside the half-empty basket to tend to her own mess. She reached down with the intention of wiping the sludge off, but decided against it. God, these stains were going to be a nightmare to wash out later— and how was she even supposed to explain all of this to Basil? Not only that, but the berries...now, had it just been the issue of her hygiene, the 'Chop would’ve simply swallowed her pride and marched straight to the Beartic’s door— but what was there even left to deliver at this point? A good portion of the Cheri batch now laid scattered across the dirt road. Chia went to pick one up; the berry was tainted, much like herself. Bested, she let it roll off her palm and onto the ground again.

The chaotic voice pulled her from her thoughts and inquired about the berries. Chia’s eyes fell directly on Melvin, and for one long, tense moment she said nothing— but rather, drew her chest in as she inhaled deeply, held it, then exhaled in the same restrained manner. While there was a small part of her that would have absolutely relished in the act of chewing out the stranger for being so thoughtless, she decided against it; she was in no mood to argue or pick fights right now. At his inquisition, Chia gave him a somber reply. “Not anymore,” she said, letting out a huff as she took hold of the basket, standing up again. “The costs? Jeez, uh...” She wiped a hand clean on her already dirtied wardrobe before placing it thoughtfully under her chin. Chia offered the Mareep a defeated smile. “I’m sorry, I can’t seem to remember. Mm, you’re probably better off going over there and asking,” She slowly walked up to Melvin, emphasizing her "there" as she extended an arm forward, mildly exasperated as she pointed to the Inn once more.  “It shouldn’t be too hard to find your way there, but if you want, I can show you the way,” Chia brought her hand down to the sheep in offer, until it dawned on her that—oh, right, he didn’t have hands. She let it fall back to her side awkwardly. “Only if you want to,” she said, reaffirming her offer. “I did have other urgent plans but, well...” The Machop let out a heavy sigh as she looked at herself again, immediately reminded of her current predicament. "There's just no way I'm going home like..ugh, this." Truly, this was shaping up to be a pretty crummy day.

"Not Anymore, hmm?" Melvin turned his head as stomach growled aggressively. Questionable thoughts began to fill his head as he saw those perfectly delectable, edible berries lay ripe for the harvest. Slowly salivating, the girls voice sudden reached through his raving mind and pulled him back to poor, unfortunate reality.

Melvin snapped his neck around as his eyes followed her finger as she pointed before turning back around, confused as could be as he saw a completely different building from last time. Preparing to move his mouth to ask, the girl suddenly answered his prayers as she offered to guide him. Estatic, Melvin was completely oblivious to any basic social cues the girl had been dropping as his body perked with excitement. "Oh Lassie,are you sure now? That would be absolutely splendid! you're really savin' my rear twice over hear now." He gleamed as she approached him, until he saw she had suddenly, extended her hand out to  him. Melvin tilted his head slightly to the right in confusion as he tried to figure out if this was some weird foreign tradition before she retracted her arm. "you are one strange girl, you know that, lassie?" he stared at her in concern.


"But you know, I really like that in ya though. Its a bloody shame none of the others seem to share your generosity, lassie, because god knows the world could always use more people like you." He proudly nodded before turning back around away from her. "Come now I assure you whatever you were doing its no where as important as this. I mean look at yourself, you're absolutely filthy!" he eyed her tainted trousers again. " You can't let a beautiful piece like that go to waste. Onward, Lass! to the baths we Ride!" he thrusted his left arm forward theatrically as pointed towards the horizon.

It would’ve been hard for someone to distinguish the disgruntled sound of a young lady (who was struggling to maintain her kind composure) beneath Melvin’s captivating yet incessant chatter. Had the circumstances been different, Chia thinks maybe she would’ve taken a liking to the Mareep if not solely for the way he spoke, for even when he was covered head to toe in grime and Arceus knows what else, he carried himself with unquestionable confidence—that, and his unfamiliar use of some words was strange in a fascinating sort of way. Yes, she probably would’ve ended up liking him, but it was hard to feel fond of someone when their first impressions were putting a sudden stop to her work—and if their behavior was anything to go by, the sheep didn’t look the least bit sorry for it. Chia’s gaze fluttered back and forth between the inedible mess that lay at her feet and this incredibly strange man who seemed almost tempted to eat what was left of it. But, that couldn’t be the case, right? Should he actually try it, Chia wasn’t entirely certain she could keep herself from socking him on the back of the head; who makes someone drop their groceries then helps themselves to it?

Worse still, this very unlucky local now had to accompany the stranger on an emergency trip to the Steamrise Inn. She may have offered but really, what other choice did she have? Chia huffed, her face taking on a slight red tint in response to Melvin’s remark. I’m the strange one?! She thought, saying nothing and instead opting to cross her arms and pout in a flustered manner at the ground.

For as difficult as he was this traveler was simultaneously proving to be an effective flatterer. Chia blinked, then turned to stare at her acquaintance, taken aback by the gratefulness he was voicing to her. A brief smile followed “Aw, don’t mention-” Until, of course, he instantly followed up with another jab at her hygiene—after which the smile immediately soured into a forced tongue-in-cheek sort of smile. “...it.” Chia sighed, and glanced once more over the berries scattered across the road. She looked back down at the basket in hand, fretting whether or not she should bring it with her, before readjusting her grip on it. "Erm, yes, this way." She trudged past him, unceremoniously meeting his enthusiasm with a fist pump.

"The Inn's just a little farther up the coast but it shouldn't take us long to get there," Just the thought of the beautiful establishment and a warm bath was enough to put a spring in Chia's step. "Oh! You know what? I forgot to mention the food they serve there too. I mean, good grief, you must be starving." The girl flashed a sympathetic look towards the Mareep. "Where'd you come from? Are you a visitor from...Grassveil, was it?" She asked, sounding ever so slightly hopeful.

"Fear not, lassie, an adventurer always comes prepared!" Melvin whipped around the only thing he had on him, a button-sealed bag which he then proceeded to desperately try to open as he began to walk behind her. Although, in turned into a much more valiant struggle than he planned as he swiped at the bag, alternating his hands to pull it open before stopping to a grinding halt when he heard her other question.

"What in the thundering, blue blazes, pansy-like kind of name is Grassveil?" He started to roar with laughter. "Are you tellin' me that's an actual place now, Lassie? Because if so, that's absolutely bloody hilarious! Could you imagine having to tell other people that you're from a place calledGrassveil?" He started to roar again. "What does that even mean? Like what, are they trying hide their whole entire town behind a layer of grass? Or are they just basically calling it dirt land now? I mean, in what scenario do you ever name a place something like- Ah Eureka!" Melvin exclaimed as his bag bursted wide open, pouring out tree bark. Just, lots and lots of bark. His bag was filled to the brim with it. Most were clearly indigenous to the local area, while others looked foreign at best, and others... upchucked at worse. In fact, some of it was blatantly regurgitated while another few had weak bite marks hesitantly imprinted on them.

"Behold, Melvin's stash!" He presented to her as he began to shuffle through the spilled mess. "Would you like bite, lass?" Melvin offered as he reached down, opening his mouth before his stomach growled, violently protesting. Inches away from his food, he retracted his face as he turned back to the girl. "On second thought, Local delicacy could be nice to try too now. Tell me lassie, what are the local specialties around here?" He peered at her eagerly, until he suddenly realized he still had not caught her name. "Actually, its going to get exhausting just repeatedly callin' ya lassie now. Tell me, you got name?" His tail began to wag as he smiled.

Though their pace was inconsistent and surprisingly unhurried given the gross nature of their circumstances, Chia and her strange companion were making irrefutable progress towards the Inn. The taller of the pair very reluctantly peeked over her shoulder back to the unsightly mess they were leaving behind. Immediately, that same feeling of her heart dropping into her stomach when the inconsiderate sheep flung himself at her was rushing back, and she made no effort to hide the squeamish look on her face, caused by the pathetic image of dozens of once perfectly good berries scattered across the road, no longer edible thanks to mud and other natural debris, probably.

It was then that another thought instantaneously came barrelling into her—not unlike the way Mr. sheep did.

...Who was going to clean that up?

Now, she’d be lying if she said that the revelation didn’t make her feel at least a little bit guilty, because truth be told she very much did feel that way, so much so that she hardly registered the fact that Melvin was speaking to her again. It was only when the Mareep erupted into hard laughter was she abruptly pulled out of her thoughts.

Chia blinked. She was hardly given anytime to let her acquaintance’s bizarre answer sink in before he was cutting off his own train of thought in favour of directing her attention to the bag he wore around his person. Upon opening it, it took her a good second or two to understand just what exactly she was looking at. She squinted at the Mareep with her mouth agape, her concern for this strange, strange pokemon’s choices threatening to spill over. She opted against it—shaking her head and instead adding a subtle, additional inch between them as they walked.

“Ah—I do,” The machop fell into even slower strides so that the little lamb wasn’t fixed to her heels. “It’s Chia.” There was a pause. “We're a pretty well-off town. Folks here don’t have to travel too far to eat, I know a lot of water-types that source their meals straight from the ocean. Kelp and...all that," As they continued down the beaten path Chia found herself staring out over the open waters yet again.

"Oh, but it's not all seafood, though. The Inn provides a lot of options beyond what grows locally around here; steaks, eggs, desserts, even! They cater to just about everyone." She offered the Mareep a smile, albeit one that held a lot of uncertainty.

"And you know, I'm sure whatever they offer is a much more nutritious alternative to tree bark."

"Ah! Chia! Now that's a fine name!" Melvin nodded as he savored it. "Yes, Chia huh?" He paused. "Chi-a... Chia. Chi-ya!" Melvin bursted into laughter, "ah, it's a great name now, lass. Truly satisfies the soul to say. I don't remember the last time I had this much saying someones name." He roared again as he followed behind her.

"Yes, a great name indeed. But still not as great as mine." Melvin suddenly came to a screeching halt behind her as he pulled himself back, rearranging him for his favorite ceremonious occasion. "I'm Melvin! Etched in glory, bared by greatness."  He dramatically bellowed in joy as he thrusted his hand towards the heavens." But you may just call me Melvin." he smiled, sealing his bag of bark.

"I must say though now lassie, I think you truly underestimate the fine delicacy of bark now. It's bit rough on the edges at first, sure, but once you down a few hundred you really develop a taste in no time." Melvin tried to laugh, but his broken voice betrayed him. "But I suppose considering what you and I have been through we've more than earned our right to indulge. I say once we have ourselves a trip to the bathes we treat ourselves to the finest feast imaginable!" He roared. "Steaks, eggs, desserts, eggs wrapped in steaks bathed in desserts, we'll have it all!" Melvin glowed from cheek to cheek, revealing at the thought. "Just take us to your favorite spot and we'll celebrate! just no bananas now. nasty, horrible things." Melvin's body shivered as he re-imagined that horrible, sweet taste in his mouth. He stomach gagging as he pretended to spit it out in his mind, banishing it to the depths of the ground beneath him. Such abominations could have only grown straight out of hell, and nothing could convince him otherwise.

Now this, the unusual praise the little lamb was all too kindly bestowing upon her—albeit a little unnecessary—was not entirely unwelcome. For as much of an annoyance the sheep had proven himself to be in the span of mere minutes, he didn’t seem to actually have any malicious intent stowed away in that adorable little head of his. Melvin’s fascination with Chia’s name left her feeling simultaneously flattered and admittedly a bit confused. Should I be offended by that? She briefly shot him another look as the thought crossed her mind, though it quickly faltered, and the curious expression on her face softened with a smile she could just barely repress.

Yet again Chia found herself reluctantly slowing down for this new acquaintance of hers. She stood and listened with a twinge of impatience as he held himself proudly and declared his name with the kind of self-importance one would expect from a world renowned monarch. It wasn’t everyday you came across ‘mon who insisted on a title; for Chia, it brought to mind thoughts of honor, high reputation, nobility—things she was having an extremely hard time associating with the grungy, filth-ridden disaster of a pokemon before her. She was squinting again.

“Uh-huh,” It wasn’t that the girl didn’t believe who he said he was, it was just that everything else about him screamed otherwise. Well, apart from his shameless confidence. "I see."

Was it not for the Machop's lingering desire to stay as polite as she could, she probably would've taken it upon herself by now to carry him the rest of the way there. Chia hated to admit it, but the sheep was talking a little bit too much for her liking right now. Typically, a good conversation never got on her nerves, and in the face of everything Melvin screwed up in their first impressions there was an underlying quality to his lack of common decency that had stopped Chia from initially storming off on him when he'd thrown all her plans out the window. The sooner they got themselves cleaned up the better, then afterwards she'd quickly dine with the sheep and hopefully, never have to deal with him again. His spiel on their soon-to-be dinner worried Chia, and she brought her free hand down to feel around in her pocket where she kept her poke. It wasn't an enormous sum by any means, so she dearly hoped that this new friend had the coins to provide. She was about to ask, and in that moment he immediately subjected her to a remark that made her gawk at him. "Hey, now wait a minute!" This time, it was her turn to stop in her tracks. And just when she thought she liked him."You can't be serious. You strange little...you don't like bananas?" Chia asked, though her voice may have been nowhere near a shout, it still hung heavy with disbelief, poised as more so as a statement then an actual question, like she needed to re-clarify.

"Oh god, of course not" Melvin gawked, "they're disgusting. just with the way squish in your mouth is repulsive now. Have you ever had one before? they're unnatural. No berry should ever be that long." He shuttered, his body audibly thundering. He stood there for a second, stunned by Chia's bewildered look as if he was saying something that wasn't true. "You... you don't mean to tell me you actually like bananas now, are you lassie?" He felt is heart race in genuine concern. Certainly such a fine lass such as Chia who had such a great taste in pants would also have a good taste for food, right? right?? Melvin began to sweat nervously for her.

Chia hadn't bothered giving the Mareep an immediate answer, she couldn't. She needed time to digest the terrible statements this sheep was berating her with—that and the overall absurdity of this entire ordeal. It almost felt like too much of a coincidence, like some god out there was testing the limits of the girl's patience by bringing her the most irritating 'mon ever. She half expected him to interject their tension with another fit of laughter and reveal that he was just joking. Except, that didn't happen. Following the uncomfortable silence, it was then Chia broke out of her stunned daze. She blinked, shook her head and made her frustration known with a huff that could rival an angry Tauros. Then all too suddenly she was dropping the reed basket down onto the dirt. She surged forward and seized Melvin with a gentle yet surprisingly firm grasp before hoisting him up over her shoulder.

"That's—you—!" She tried to piece together the words to explain her bizarre actions, in spite of the fact that she really had none. "Talk—!...too much," she finally concluded, her words coming out in a rush of emotion before descending into a tone of voice that sounded almost guilty, like she'd caught herself yelling at her parents. "I mean, we'll—we'll get to the Inn at a faster rate like this," Chia mumbled, feeling her face grow a bit hot from exasperation and her own forwardness. She clumsily scooped back up her basket and proceeded at a brisk pace down the road again.

"what are you- bah!" Melvin felt his stomach gag and an unparalleled surge of panic as she hoisted him over her shoulder, locking him into place. He had been had! His worst fears were proven true, This lass was crazed! Bananas! Oh he just knew that banana thing was a bad sign.

"unhand me this instance!" He began to violently kick and turn in his warden's grip, trying everything he could to break free from her iron grip. But no matter how hard Melvin tried the only thing he managed to do was fling his sludge everywhere, blasting the side of her face and the ground as he fought a valiant fight.

"How could she have done this to him? He trusted her! Why did she have to like bananas?!" he wailed in agony to himself, ashamed he allowed himself to be fooled by such stylish pants and a friendly demeanor. He should've known something was wrong with her when she was the only one who approached him. Oh the sooner he could get down the sooner he was gonna blitz himself as far away from her as possible and never look back