wax and oil and other supplies (akira)

[Laurent Vanderbilt]

Yeah, yeah, the zoo. Everyone loved the zoo at Vester City. And, Laurent had liked it too when he was younger. But, what he really liked was how the city was up-and-coming. There were many adjacent entertainment and hospitality businesses that benefited from the zoo’s draw. Laurent had just exited one of the spas, feeling fresh and relaxed. He needed that. His cuticles had been getting a little wicked. (He had gotten a single hangnail.)

While Marshal had been content to return to his pokeball after that pampering experience, Gunhild had no such inclination. Her feathers looked glossier than ever and her talons were nearly reflective, but the only sign of how nice that visit had been was the softness of the starly’s brow. Normally, they were furrowed!

“Hm… Wanna do some shopping?” he asked.

“No. But, you’re going to anyway. I can at least stretch my wings while you browse.”

It was for the best that Laurent couldn’t understand most of that. The man made his way along the street, admiring the boutiques and ignoring any general or convenience stores. What really got his attention was a specialty grooming supply store. He stood before it, spotting several body-blankets for large, quadrupedal pokemon.

“I think I had a friend with that pattern back in Galar,” the man mused aloud. “He rode a rapidash with a dark mane. The mare had a nasty habit of using her psychic powers to help her rider cheat. I don't think she meant anything by it... She just liked winning.”

Gunhild looked over from where she’d landed on a bench. Was she supposed to care…?

The man sighed, a hand on his hip. “I’ll have to find a stable where I can ride. I haven’t done any tent pegging in a while… But, we’re in Shula, so maybe I’ll have better luck with polocrosse?”

No answer. Laurent pouted.

“I’ll like it once you’ve seen it. Maybe we’ll find some rhyhorn racing to watch, too…”

Akira "Raine" Kaitos

[Akira "Raine" Kaitos]

'I want you to hold on because you are the reason I keep living
To be apart from you would be more painful than death
So stay with me as you know I'd come for you wherever you will go even if to the ends of the earth
For you are more precious to me than life itself'

---

Akira 'Raine' Kaitos
Music: N/A | |Location: || Outfit: N/A

OOC Info:
notes: N/A || "Akira Speech" || Laurent Vanderbilt

---

Now it were not exactly all that often that Akira would find himself coming to the part of Vester City that held all the different boutiques and speciality stores, even though it would be more than true that the raven haired coordinator had lived within Shula for so many years now and much of that in his current residence his visits to this section of the city were still few and far between that in theory it were almost unheard of for him to come here. Though given how things had been going within his life at this point in time it had proven to be a better idea to make the effort to visit this area more to give himself something of a respite from bumping into anyone who may not be happy about seeing him - that and surprisingly he actually did want to pay a visit to a couple of the stores that were here anyway.

One store in particular had been at the top of his list to come to and this were a grooming supply store that he had been told of some time ago and had been neglecting to visit any earlier, though this were namely on account of the fact that Akira had been promising to come here to get some decent body blankets for his Girafarig and Stantler for the cold weather but had only gotten to it once the cold weather had set in.

Thankfully Sokka and Suki hadn't been mad at him for all too long, not once they all had arrived and gotten to work in looking through the vast plethora of blankets and other such things, needless to say what had originally been intended as a short trip here would have proven to last a whole lot longer than intended since the pair seemed to have trouble in deciding what blanket's they each wanted - there were so many designs and colour's after all! Luckily it hadn't been those two that were much of a problem for they had remained near where the blankets were - it was the little Mudbray that kept evading Akira that were giving the man something of a problem.

"Lotus come on, stop wandering around your getting in everyone's way. Everything in here is way too big for you - but we'll see if we can find something all the same ok? Just get your little butt back over here." Akira spoke gently yet firmly before a soft chuckle would escape him as a small whinny escape the small donkey pokemon as she were nudged towards where the larger and older pokemon were lingering and finally seemed to have settled upon their respective choices before handing them over to be paid for. Of which were the quicker and easier part - even if a little pricey - and would mean they were ready to go, of which at least involved returning the Stantler and Girafarig pair to their resepctive pokeballs though allowing the Mudbray girl to be eagerly trotting about his feet. Even more so when a somewhat smaller blanket that would be suitable for the girl had been found even though it were still quite large on her small frame, it were a start and if it kept the small girl happy then all the better - if it served the purpose then that was all that mattered.

Now it were as good a time as any for them to be getting going, after all this seemed like as good a time as any for them both to head off elsewhere - provided that nothing stopped them, other than Lotus constantly half trotting / half running around likethe excitable child she was and causing Akira to make sure she didn't get too far from him. "Alright, now settle down Lotus. Tell you what we'll come back here once your either bigger or evolved and get you something good alright? But it's going to take a long time before get to that point and need to get some work down before then don't we?"

Well, it were true - now it would just be a case of balancing carrying his newly purchased items and keeping an eye on his small charge as she attempted to burn off some excess energy, would just need to find a good way to achieve such.

---

[Laurent Vanderbilt]

Ah. Someone was leaving the store he’d been admiring. Ren grinned, admiring the brisk pace of the mudbray who trotted out. What she gaited? That was a notch faster than the average equine trotted, but it wasn’t as if it was a canter or full gallop. He was already imagining how she might due hitched to a little governess cart or the like. Were mudbrays popular with children…?

His daydreaming was disrupted when he spotted Akira chiding the ground type. All of those blankets… The promise of her getting big enough for one of her own in the larger sizes…!

“Bingo,” Ren muttered. Now, he just had to get in good with this clear and obvious fellow equestrian.

Louder, the man greeted Akira as he approached. “Hey, man, that’s quite the blanket batch you’ve got there!” With a grin, he nodded his head toward Lotus. “None of your herd willing to help you haul, or are the others too big for a street as busy as this?”

Yeah, there were plenty of pedestrians, Laurent saw, but surely they’d make way for a rapidash or something. He wasn’t interested in being right, though. He was interested in chatting with another of his kind, a man of taste and sport!

Gunhild flew above, content to ignore what was happening below as she road an updraft.

[Akira "Raine" Kaitos]

'I want you to hold on because you are the reason I keep living
To be apart from you would be more painful than death
So stay with me as you know I'd come for you wherever you will go even if to the ends of the earth
For you are more precious to me than life itself'

---

Akira 'Raine' Kaitos
Music: N/A | |Location: || Outfit: N/A

OOC Info:
notes: N/A || "Akira Speech" || Laurent Vanderbilt

---

Now as soon as Akira had come to step outside and ensure that he had Lotis within his sight once more - even if he would have some difficulty in grabbing her should she consider running off too far or fast - thankfully the brief moment between them both having exited the shop before heading off offered Akira a moment to adjust his grip upon his most recently purchased wares lest he drop anything. Now Akira were truly reconsidering his choice and general decision to have kept one of his other companion's out to help in such a manner, but then his concern had been that by opting for such a thing even despite the minimal crowds would cause too much havoc.

Damn his brand of indecision and the like! Especially if it would have served as a significant benefit to himself and making sure that he were able to keep up with the small Mudbray and ensure she didn't run too far - even if she were not the sort to be doing such a thing. Though it were during the raven haired man's period of uncertainty and the like that it would seem as if he would have lingered for a little too long and gotten in the way of another hoping to enter the shop he had recently vacated; or at the very least that had been Akira's assumption regarding the other who moved towards where he were and were speaking before finally registering what had truly been said.

This would be more than enough to get him relaxing a little before offering a polite smile in response while glancing towards the collection of blankets that he were carrying then towards Lotus in turn when the following query would be made before the raven haired man managed the faintest of shrugs in time. "True, I guess I could have used this as an opportunity to burn off some of her energy - but also want her to enjoy herself." Here would the man pause for a moment before coming to fully reconsider the other man's words while allowing his own gaze to wander and fully take note of the street and how many other pedestrians were about.

"Your right, I probably could have checked to see if they were willing. I guess I just didn't want to cause too much trouble for anyone along the way." A small sheepish shrug would follow this explanation even if Akira would know that he were likely worrying over nothing and his larger and older equine-esque pair were well behaved enough so that wouldn't have been an issue right? Now as for the smaller Mudbray, the small Donkey's tail would begin waggling much like an excitable Lillipup's as she dared to trot a little nearer in time.

---

[Laurent Vanderbilt]

He was worried about if she’d enjoy herself? Must not be trained, then. Or, well, trained for that. Most pokemon with people were trained… Just for things like battle or companionship. Not necessarily for sensible work or riding.

As the mudbray approached, Ren held out one palm flat, careful to keep his thumb even with the rest of his hand least she accidentally nibble it. She was curious and that was good. Confidence was important in a mount! Or, a drafter. All roles, really!

“What’s the street for if not to use?” Ren countered. “But, I’m sure your pokemon would have liked it. Everyone loves the feeling of helping out or finish an errand. Isn’t that right, my silt-caked friend?”

Assuming the equine would be finish sniffing by now, Ren would put a hand on his hip as he smiled at Akira once more after having given his focus to the other. “I’m Laurent, by the by.”

As if on cue, the starly fluttered down. She landed heavily, or as heavily as something as small as her could, on Ren’s shoulder. Her head tilted to and fro, taking in the sight of the other pokemon.

“And, this is Gunhild.”

“... Ground type,” she dismissed. “Not much for a battle. Unless you’ve got a wide selection for your movepool?”

While he hadn’t quite caught all of that, Ren had picked up the words “battle” and “movepool” from the flying type’s words. He frowned. “Gunhild, this isn’t a good spot.” And, once again, turning back to Akira. “She’s ferocious! But, friendly.”

Said starly flicked her tail, neither agreeing nor denying this statement.