... in headlights (aster)

[Ilargi “Bii” Benigno]

[attr="class","box1"]It was a coupon for one of Shula’s chain game shops. When she first got it, Bii didn’t think much of it, mostly because she didn’t quite understand what coupons were. It had only been the night before last, when Stuffing was fishing through her bag for her library card to go play games at the local branch, that the buneary told Bii was the paper object was. Inkwell dismissed it. A gaming console and the associated games were expensive. There were other expenses to worry about. Yet, the way Stuffing lit up at the sight of the slip of glossy paper lingered in Bii’s mind… Which was why she was here now, gathering her nerves in front of the game shop. Stuffing was currently distracting Inkwell the luxio. Bii didn’t have shoes. (Finding a ferrier for a gijinka was nigh impossible and it had been hard enough finding booties for her teammates with paws when winter had been harsher.) So, it was often Inkwell’s duty to play errand pokemon and grab things they all ordered online in advance. People tolerated that better, somehow. So, both of them were busy running into a different store, grabbing some things to make dinner for the next few days. The only problem was, Bii’s shoe issue? That applied here, too. She stood before the game shop, just enough paper money in a pocket (according to her and Stuffing’s clandestine math, which she wasn’t sure was correct) to buy a Nintendo Switch with the coupon’s aid. She just… had to go in. She just had to go to the counter of the store, present the coupon, buy the system, and come out before Inkwell could intervene. Then, Stuffing would have the gaming system she wanted so badly. … She couldn’t get her legs to move. Bii’s brows furrowed and she tried mumbling to herself about how she needed to do this for her buneary when a particularly harsh winter wind ripped through, tearing the coupon from Bii’s hand. Her jaw went slack, but she didn’t even move to chase it at first. It fluttered through the air of the strip mall, finally landing a few stores down in the low branches of a tree that may as well been an overgrown shrub. The hooved woman followed, feeling instantly defeated. It was low enough down that if she got one of her pokemon to help, it’d be an easy matter to get back. But, Inkwell had her bag…! And, if the luxio found out about this, she’d no doubt say no! But, also, if Bii just gave up, then Stuffing wouldn’t have her games…! Shoulders drooping, the gijinka stared up at the coupon. If she were a little taller and it didn’t hurt to extend her arms fully, then maybe she could reach it… Aster Lloyd bii sprite & template by nic food sprites comm'd from alma on vgen

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[Aster Lloyd]

Throughout the first real adventure outside of Seabreeze village, Aster has managed to find himself in the type of terrain he doesn't mesh well with: A large urban city. Though a rough looking punk such as himself would fit in quite easily in a city setting, he knew all too well what these types of locations tended to attract. People who looked at him funny for his unique looks, people who'd walk away thinking Aster was trouble on legs, and the real cocky types of folks who think it's ok to mess with someone just because they let their buneary rest on their shoulder.

Back home Aster would be more defensive and aggressive, opting to bash people who tried to give him grief but in a brand new region he has to play it safe. Playing it safe is what Aster SHOULD have done, and yet the bruise on his face was enough evidence to show that he still tried for the more aggressive route and got bopped for it. Honestly some folk just don't let him be himself, and it was for that exact reason that Aster tended to get angry so easily.

Walking through the strip mall area Aster was stopped in his tracks by Mocha, who was resting on his shoulder still, tugging on his hair and pulling back. "OW! OW! OW! Watch where you're tugging!" Aster took a few steps back and moved in the direction where his pokémon was tugging his hair. "Bun! Bun Buneary!" Mocha pointed towards one of the nearby stores, a cute looking café with a sign of an iced coffee that was overly decorated. The buneary was shown to be quite the even match for Aster's stubbornness as despite his best attempts at walking away she would constantly poke and try to steer his course.

"I told you already I can't go into those places! They're too frilly and cute for me to walk into!" Aster struggled to pry Mocha off of his shoulder and hair, the two bickering for a good while in such a manner that people might joke about seeing a cartoon dust cloud with the two popping in and out of it as they fought. Eventually both Aster and Mocha froze mid-squabble as a piece of glossy paper flew by and caught their attention, followed by a strange individual that left Aster questioning many things. Mainly the noticeable hooves that clopped against the hard city ground.

Thankfully the punk's golden heart won against his curiosity and instead of chasing after to ask questions he instead followed at a walking pace to where the coupon was stuck in the tree. As Aster approached Bii from behind he wasn't sure how to reach out to help this person, or if they needed much help to begin with. How does he even introduce himself? Well with a rough sounding "Yo." of course. Already sounding like a trouble maker and looking like one too what with his black jacket and spiked accessories, though that Lucky Lopunny branded shirt was a bit of a contrast.

In truth Aster just wasn't sure how to offer his assistance without making it seem like he was here to steal the coupon, because he wasn't but he knows what his appearance does to people's perception of him.

[Ilargi “Bii” Benigno]

[attr="class","box1"]She heard Aster speak. With how large her hair was, he might have only been able to see the dips of her winter-brown ears twitch to acknowledge it. But, she didn’t think he was speaking to her. Curiosity got the best of her, though, so she looked back… Only to realize he was looking at her?! Her gray eyes widened. Shocked silence overtook her. Was he talking to her?! Actually?! What for?! She wasn’t in uniform today. And, she was outside, so it wasn’t as if she could be told off for being in a store she shouldn’t be…! Her eyes flicked to the buneary on his shoulder. Oh, not her Stuffing. This one looked a little different… Probably because Stuffing was still sporting a little post-egg weight. Actually, the extra mass made the pokemon cuter in Bii’s mind, like an extra plush toy but— Augh!! She was being rude again, not speaking when spoken to. Clenching her fists nervously, she fully turned around to address the man. “Hello,” she stiffly answered. Oh, right, a greeting… She ought to practice that again, too. Holding her hand up uncertainly, she offered it to shake. “N-Nice to meet you…?” bii sprite & template by nic food sprites comm'd from alma on vgen

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[Aster Lloyd]

As Aster and Bii both stood there in silence for a moment, the intimidating trouble maker was busy lost in thought about something very important. Damn that's a lot of hair on that lady, must go through entire bottles of shampoo and conditioner each day. How did this girl go about brushing it too? The hair care must cost an arm and a leg, not to mention the time it'd take to clean it. Maybe it worked like a bag too, looks like you can stuff items in there for storage.

Ack, now Aster was acting just as bad as the other folk that would make assumptions about him! Don't be a hypocrite, just help out where you can and don't ask any questions.

!!! An outstretched hand was presented to the coordinator as the woman before him continued to tremble nervously. Alright just play it cool and don't freak her out, act natural. Aster slowly reached out with his own hand, fumbling for a bit "Low-5" and then smacking Bii's hand with his own while smiling with those sharp teeth. "Nice to meet you too. You're looking for this right?" Casual greeting and showing you're looking to help. Mission success.

Now that the greeting was out of the way all Aster needed to do was provide assistance however he could. Aster gestured with his head towards Mocha as if to signal her to help reach up and grab the item from the tree that was flapping in the wind. The buneary staid stationary on Aster's shoulder and raised one eyebrow, giving the punk a side-eye while remaining silent. Now Aster was half tempted to toss Mocha up there himself as his face visibly angered from his pokémon's antics, but upon seeing the trembling and oddly featured girl once more he let out a defeated sigh. "I'll see if I can remotely order one, ok?" Aster said as he looked back at Mocha, whom happily bounced off of his bruised face to reach the branch and grab the coupon before hopping back down.

"Was that really so hard~?" Mocha said with a smug grin as she waved the coupon around in her paws only for Aster to snatch it and growl at her. "You're getting the smallest size there is for that!" The duo would begin pulling and stretching each-other's faces in another spontaneous fight as they bickered with one another. "That wasn't part of the deal!" While Aster and Mocha were bickering he did extend his arm over to Bii with the coupon in hand as if to hand it over to her.

[Ilargi “Bii” Benigno]

[attr="class","box1"]He… smacked her hand? Bii looked at her own palm in utter shock after. Low five?! What was a low five? Was that another way to greet someone?! He’d returned her sentiment and then offered to help…?! Though, she did admit… The quick sting of the smack was less novel and overwhelming than a prolonged handshake. Maybe she’d go for low fives from now on? Would that be okay? But, rather than expressing any of this (well, beyond her baffled, wide-eyed look) she just focused on his teamwork with his buneary. Or, the attempt at it. He understood her well for a human. Were they close? Or, was he just familiar with the species. And, that bruise…! Bii accepted the coupon back and reached, on reflex, to both put it in her bag and snag out one of the instant cold packs she kept with her medical supplies… Only to remember that her luxio still had it. What to do…? (The idea to just say thank you no more occurred to her than it ever struck her to say sorry. Her manners were, despite all this time, severely lacking.) She felt grateful, even if she was still very confused about these two. (Ordering what? The smallest size of what? Was she a wild pokemon, helping him in exchange for human goods?) Nervous, the gijinka began muttering in an inhuman tongue to the buneary rather than to Aster. “Um, c-could you ask your human to wait a moment…? If I can get my bag back, I can help with the injury…” Her eyes flicked to the game shop. A quick dart in there and then she could tell Inkwell she’d found someone hurt. Yeah. Two pidgey, one Rock Throw. Bii’s gray eyes flicked to Aster before focusing once again on his buneary. bii sprite & template by nic food sprites comm'd from alma on vgen

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[Aster Lloyd]

Aster wouldn't say that he 'understood' Mocha as that would imply he knew the reason why she was such a pest to him, rather it was just a case of pattern recognition with how the buneary behaved. Mocha was the type to do stuff that benefited her in the long run, and considering how Aster initially denied her wish for the frosty beverage he could tell she'd attempt to bribe him out in return for her services. Maybe he did understand Mocha then? Perhaps to a degree.

While Bii stood there wide eyed and in awe, Aster continued his squabble with Mocha. Not noticing the attempted motion of returning the coupon to a bag that wasn't there Aster had no idea what was going on. What did grab the punk's attention however was when Bii started talking in a language that didn't quite register to his ears.

Mocha's ears on the other hand flicked towards Bii as she understood the language that this strange skittish lady was speaking in. "Uhhh in case you forgot most humans don't understand this language. Kind of a one-way barrier." Mocha would rest against Aster's head with one front paw while the other rested on her hip. "Though that does mean I get to say anything I want about him and he won't have a clue what I said. Mr.Edgy here got that bruise because he got caught staring at one of those fake humans they put clothes on in buildings and some other humans mocked him for it. Talk about a 'Trainer Battle'."

The buneary snickered after making her comment, prompting her trainer to chime in. "I don't have to understand what you guys are saying to know that snicker means trouble. The hell are you planning?" Aster said with a growl to his voice as he rested his hands in his pockets and returned to his slouching posture with a slightly irritated look on his face.

"Go ahead I can keep him busy." Mocha said in a smug tone, puffing her chest some to say that she had this under control.

[Ilargi “Bii” Benigno]

[attr="class","box1"]The barrier was rather the point, which Bii was glad Mocha seemed to appreciate. Despite the gijinka’s seemingly timid demeanor, her shyness did not always translate to gentle intentions. She had a rather nasty habit of trying to exclude humans from her activities when it suited her. This conversation was one of those times. Though, Mocha’s words about Mr. Edgy being mocked for looking at clothes struck a cord. She quickly looked Aster over. He was wearing shoes and the rest of the clothes that one could expect. Then again, his appearance stood out. Was that it? Maybe they were assuming things about him due to the way he looked. They did only like certain kinds of people in some stores. A smidge of solidarity formed toward him. With that, Bii nodded to Mocha. “I’ll be back,” she bleated, once more speaking in a way only Mocha would understand. She would turn, head toward the gaming store, and blend into the crowd for a minute or two. After some time, she would return from a different direction. This time, her own buneary Stuffing would be hopping beside her, a box with a gaming console in her paws. She looked down at it adoringly. The game it was bundled with was nothing impressive, but she’d collect better stuff later. Inkwell the luxio, meanwhile, kept glaring at said console. She growled a low “waste of money” around the canvas grocery bag handles she held in her mouth. And, finally, there was Bii with her bag once again across her body. She pulled out a little plastic bag and handkerchief. After wrapping it, she tried to squeeze it… Tried again… And, tried a third time before Stuffing put her console down, took it from Bii, slammed it between both of her paws, and passed it back. With the cold pack activated, Bii finally approached Aster and Mocha again. “The bruise.” She held it out, elbows still bent, to him. bii sprite & template by nic food sprites comm'd from alma on vgen

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[Aster Lloyd]

Aster continued to look confused as Bii ran off amongst the crowds of the shopping district, reaching out to try and call her back. "Hey lady where the hell are you going-MMPHHH?!?" Mocha was quick to draw his attention as she latched onto Aster's face and acted extra pesky just to make him forget about what Bii was doing and where she went. It was a struggle to pry the fluffy bunny off of his face.

When the gijinka would return she'd see an extra bruise on Aster's face as he was sitting down with arms crossed while tapping one foot repeatedly against the ground. Mocha meanwhile was sitting across with her arms folded too, along side her ears having been tied in a slightly loose knot, nothing painful just uncomfortable. Honestly it was like the two of them were bickering siblings, they'd give each other a hard time and sometimes get physical but it looked like both Aster and Mocha restrained themselves.

Aster turned his head to look at Bii and the presented cold pack, looking back and forth between the two as the gears turned in his head. "Wait for me? Uhh... thanks." Not used to recieving kindness back, most times folks would simply walk or run off after he'd assist due to his loud and somewhat violent nature so this was a change of pace. It felt... nice.

Meanwhile Mocha would prod at Aster's side. "Yeah you jerk! I was trying to hold you back so she could grab her stuff!" The bunny would huff quite grumpily as her ears tried to tug themselves loose. Once more Aster was deep in thought trying to translate what the pokémon as trying to say before he let out a groan of realisation. Taking the pack from Bii he'd place it on his lap temporarily before reaching over to Mocha and untying her ears letting them bounce free.

"..." The silence was heavy for a bit, the bruised boy placing the cold pack against his face and wincing a bit. "You get the one iced coffee. Regular sized." Aster conceded, to make up for his assumptions of Mocha toying with him once more and doing the prank. Mocha however didn't seem all too accepting of the apology before "With drizzle and sprinkles" was added on and all of a sudden she'd happily be snuggling against her roughed up trainer.

Now having sorted mostly everything out Aster was able to get a good look at the pokémon by his acquaintance's side. A luxio and another buneary, how interesting. "Huh... we both got buns." Aster wasn't sure where to go with this, most interactions were typically short with him but the awkward situation and air made this encounter draw out for longer than he was used to. "You got a name, stranger?"

[Ilargi “Bii” Benigno]

[attr="class","box1"]Inkwell looked between Bii and the human. Wait. WAIT, WHAT?! Her trainer had, on her own, without assistance or support from any of the rest of the team… Interacted enough with another being, let alone a human, to have the guy (or, rather, his buneary) wait around for her?! That didn’t seem right. What was going on? First, the gaming console that Bii dodged questions about when she joined the luxio and buneary outside the market and now this…?! “Surprised her ears didn’t cramp doin’ that,” Stuffing muttered. “Sucks when they’re both uncurled too long. Definitely earned a little treat. Oh, maybe we should get a little treat! Bii, can we get a little treat, too?!” Inkwell’s golden eyes darted from one poorly behaved rabbit to the other. She set the bag of groceries down gentle before speaking. “... You wouldn’t be phased by how she’s acting. And, you already burned through plenty of money with that stupid game!!” She swatted lightly at the normal type, who just leaned to the side to get out of the way. Choosing very purposefully to avoid the chiding her luxio was giving that she also partially deserved, Bii focused on Aster. Or, she looked at him in the face before turning her gaze to the pavement. “My name is Ilargi Benigno. But, um, I go by—my nickname—Bii is okay.” She tugged at the skirt of her dress, awaiting him to complete the nicety by returning the favor of introducing himself. Stuffing, meanwhile, was scheming. Inkwell liked when Bii made friends. And, it sounded like this other buneary was on her way to get a snack! So, still grasping her new console, the buneary hopped before her specieskin. “Where are you two headed? Grabbing anything good? Maybe we should hang out?! I'm Stuffing, by the by! And, friend there is Inkwell!” Inkwell’s tail lifted and her claws came unsheathed… But, she didn’t stop Stuffing’s obvious attempt to weasel her way into turning a simple shopping trip into a whole day out. If Bii was initiating with someone, then the luxio wanted to see that through. bii sprite & template by nic food sprites comm'd from alma on vgen

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[Aster Lloyd]

Aster covered an ear with one of his hands as the pokémon were starting to get rowdy and talkative. Bun to bun communication had been established along side a growling Luxio making for a rather lively and scattered group. "There's a café that does these really yummy iced drinks but my trainer didn't want to go in because he was embarrassed it was all frilly and stuff. Now he owes me a drink and has to talk to the cute maid girls in there." Mocha snickered as she explained what was going on to her fellow Buneary, idly chatting about how Aster would stick out like a sore thumb in the pastel coloured café the drink was being offered at.

Choosing to ignore the snickering of his partner Aster focused on talking with Bii and getting introductions out of the way. Upon seeing Bii turn away so soon after making eye contact with the punk did dishearten Aster a bit, it was something he was all too used to seeing. "Bii huh? Well, the name's Aster. Aster Lloyd. I don't have any nicknames or anything though."

Aster would fidget a bit, scratching the back of his neck in an attempt to distract himself from the awkward situation. Aster always thought he looked scary but whether or not people actually thunk that was something else entirely, but still it didn't stop him from putting himself down whenever people averted their eyes from him.

"So do you work at, like, one of those... cosplay places or whatever? What's with the hooves?" The punk blurted out some of the thoughts running through his head. "I mean it's cool and all I'm just wondering how you're walking around with them. With a shape like that you gotta be messing up your toes trying to tip-toe around all the time. Mad respect for committing to the outfit."

Of course there was something off about Bii's appearance. It was a little too realistic in places. Aster has seen his fair share of pokémon themed costumes and cosplay from all of the contests he watched but all of them had some trait that made them recognisable as fake. Most cosplays were too clean, too artificial looking. This was... natural. Even the sound of the hooves on pavement tipped Aster off as they didn't sound plastic or artificial.

Aster was prone to overthinking things however and he did use the pivot/belief that it was cosplay to simply mask his questions not only to Bii, but also to himself as it was easy to get too lost in thought about these mysteries for Aster. Besides biology wasn't even his lane, he came from a family of researchers specialising in space so this wasn't his forté.

Meanwhile back to the three pokémon Mocha proudly rested a paw against her chest as she spoke with confidence while introducing herself. "My name is Mocha. Nice to meet'cha Stuffing!" She'd lean in towards Stuffing and whispered a bit. "I think Inkwell is just upset because it's hard to play games when she's 4 legged like that. She's probably jealous~"

[Ilargi “Bii” Benigno]

[attr="class","box1"]Stuffing listened attentively as Mocha went on about her trainer and the other buneary’s ambitions. Yeah, he didn’t quite seem that aesthetic. But, a trainer’s job was to make their pokemon happy, right? So, Stuffing was on board with her species-kin. Ahoy lattes and aprons!! It helped that the other buneary was already indulging in Stuffing’s own manner. “Oh man, that totally explains it…” She shook her head. “We’ll just have to get everyone to loosen up. With the two of us, we can pull it off! Team up of the year!” This was going to spiral into madness quickly. Why had the run into another pokemon like this? Inkwell could only watch in horror. Of all the acquaintances Bii could make, why someone with another bratty bunny?! “Aster, got it,” she repeated quietly, trying to commit the name to memory. His question caught her off guard, though. Cosplay? What was—Oh! Stuffing had used that word before! Talking about a, what was it? Convection? No, that wasn’t it. It was some sort of meeting thing. Too busy and too loud. He must not know what a gijinka was if he was asking this. And, by the time Bii processed that Aster didn’t know what she was, her mouth was already fumbling out words. “Yes. I’m, I’m on break and I… wanted to visit. Somewhere else.” Yeah. Because people who walked around in pokemon-themed cosplays walked around in costume on break. They walked around in their cramp and blister-inducing full costume while on break while doing errands. Totally. This were behaviors that humans exhibited. Why she had lied like wasn't fully clear to even her. If he didn’t know what a gijinka was, he couldn’t judge it. She’d already seen the look of the clerk in the game store who hadn’t bothered to mask her disdain when Bii walked in, but had no sign about shoes or anything else to point at to hurry the already rushing gijinka along. With the budding sense of solidarity she had with the near-stranger, maybe she didn’t want to see that look on Aster’s face, too. She fiddled with her fingers, gray eyes flitting up to his face as she dug herself deeper into the bit. “W-What about you…?” She pointed at his jacket. That, too, was rather more stand out fashionably speaking than most dared to sport. bii sprite & template by nic food sprites comm'd from alma on vgen

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[Aster Lloyd]

Maybe Bii was just some weirdo that spoke in some made up language before? It looked like she was talking to Mocha before she had left momentarily before coming back with the cold pack. Cosplayers and PokéEnthusiasts would probably try and pretend that they could talk to pokémon. Though the words of Aster's parents run in his head, reminding the punk about how discrediting theories about new discoveries was a bad mindset for researchers. Thinking about things rationally there are two outcomes. Either pokémon human hybrids really did exist, or if not, it was a really cute costume!

Ugh... despite being violent and with a temper he was still born into a family of nerds. The theory crafting and urge to ask questions and learn more did bubble up inside of Aster but he bottled up that urge eventually and just took a deep breath to calm himself down. Can't slip up again otherwise he'd be stuck in his own head overthinking things. It was times like this where he'd close his eyes and visualise a coin in his head, watching it spin and spin and spin before landing on tails. Alright that settles it, costume it is.

"That's fine. I heard some cosplay events can get rowdy or way too crowded." Despite Bii freaking out and making a rather weak story Aster seemed to go along with it. It was hard to tell if he was buying it and didn't think too much about it, or if the punk could tell it was a lie and just doesn't care about what reasons Bii might have. The air around Aster seemed relaxed and carefree as he shrugged at the gijinka's words. Reaching into his bag Aster pulled out a lollipop and unwrapped it before putting the sweet in his mouth and letting the stick rest between his teeth like it was a toothpick or cigarette.

Sweets helped Aster calm down and stop his mind from wandering too far when he gets started on something. Was it bad to down so many sugary treats as a means of subsiding something that could be controlled by other means? Maybe, but Aster didn't mind since it was a tasty means of calming down.

Mocha meanwhile spotted Aster reaching for his bag and she knew what was going on to a degree. "Looks like my trainer is already trying to loosen up, or just wind down. Any time he has sweets in his mouth he's trying to relax because of something. Maybe this is our chance to make a move!" The buneary said with a cunning gleam in her button eyes, ready to tag team with Stuffing to get what they wanted.

When Ilargi pointed out the clothing that Aster was wearing he let out an annoyed "Eeeeeh?" raising one eyebrow and looking agitated at how she pointed out his outfit. "You got a problem with how I dress?" This again... people just wouldn't let the punk like what they wanted to like. Guys like him can't try and be fashionable, guys like him can't wear certain brands, guys like him need to dress like everyone else. "Tch." Aster clicked his tongue in disappointment, turning his gaze.

Aster's face darkened and looked more down. That's right. People always gave him weird looks for complimenting a girl's outfit or wearing what he wore. This sucked...

[Ilargi “Bii” Benigno]

[attr="class","box1"]“Ooh, gotcha!” Stuffing nodded at the other buneary. “Alright, you work your magic, and I’ll work mine!” With her arms still full of her prize, Stuffing hopped over to Bii— Who just stood there, eyes wide. He was mad…? Her mouth tugged down in the corner, lips parted for words she couldn’t summon. He’d asked her about how she looked. Was that not right? She felt at a loss, gray gaze once again on the pavement. She tugged on some of her hair, messing up the already poorly managed afro’s curls even more. Treated him poorly due to his appearance, too. So, she could understand if he didn’t want to talk about it. But, he’d asked her first. Was that not right? She knew she was supposed to say greetings back to people. Was this not one of those reciprocal things? Fumbling and unsure of how to salvage the situation, she mustered up all of her courage. “Y-You… asked me.” Her tone wasn’t accusatory in the least. It was soft enough, but a pitch higher than normal. It may have been a statement, but it carried questions. Was she not supposed to ask him? And, if not, why had he asked her? Weren’t they the same about this much? “I like your earrings.” Her ears, which had by this point drooped, sported three on each side themselves. Each were studs, certainly, but it was clear that sort of thing appealed to her. They had things in common. Right? —And, about this time, Stuffing had been about to nudge Bii’s hand with her fluffy ear. Inkwell, instead, moved over to their trainer. She gave the buneary a pointed look. Whatever the two leporids were scheming could wait. The luxio wanted to see if the gijinka would make a break through, or if they’d have to retreat. Bii was so poor at managing conflict that her default was neither to attack nor to get upset, but simply to flee. bii sprite & template by nic food sprites comm'd from alma on vgen

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[Aster Lloyd]

Aster was quite defensive about his appearance, having had many people prior to Bii making comments about his looks which would often set off his temper. The punk usually meant well but could only take so much from others before he'd start snapping at even the smallest slight against his looks. Aster was just passionate about the kinda stuff that he wore and the constant comments of 'Really?' and 'you're wearing that?' left a mark on him.

Bii was innocent in this situation however, having only asked a normal question and Aster's defensive nature lashing out at her for no reason. Seeing her pokémon come together to comfort the gijinka and not only that but Mocha would hop onto Aster's shoulder as she told him off for his behaviour. "Don't be such a prickly cacnea! She's just asking a question you angry dolt!"

Though the human couldn't understand any of the pokéspeak, given the look on Bii's face and how the others were defending her he could piece together her intentions. Letting out a sigh Aster reached into his bag to grab another lollipop and offered it to Bii, his face changing from annoyance to guilt. "Thanks... your ear studs look great too. Sorry for snapping." Aster went quiet after that, having felt terrible for making an assumption and landing a critical hit against the potential friend he was making because of past events.

"My stuff isn't cosplay or anything, I just like buying stuff from Lucky Lopunny. It's a good clothing line." Aster would tap his star shaped earrings and share a little more. "They also do accessories for people and pokémon." At this mention Mocha was interested and looked at her trainer expectedly to which Aster replied to his buneary "I was gonna take you eventually." This earned the punk an excited thumping of the rabbit pokémon's foot on his shoulder

As a smile appeared across Mocha's face she'd turn around to the other trainer and her 'mon before speaking. "Don't take it too personally. He's just been harassed by other humans enough times that he's sensitive about how he looks. Just be careful about your phrasing and you'll be fine." Said human was still offering the piece of candy to Bii as a means of saying sorry and sharing something he usually enjoyed. Though Mocha seemed like she wanted to snatch the candy herself she'd stay where she was and let the nervous gijinka attempt to move and maybe accept the offer first.

Aster often had trouble making friends due to his aggressive nature one way or another, so having someone who could hear Mocha and thus act as a translator for the grumpy punk's intentions was a big boon.

[Ilargi “Bii” Benigno]

[attr="class","box1"]It was Inkwell who spoke up first. “I don’t think they should be too careful with how they speak,” she suggested. Her star-tipped tail curled, pointing vaguely towards the candy. The luxio hadn’t come to Bii’s side to comfort the gijinka. Yes, the electric type would protect her trainer with everything she had… But, she also wanted better for the woman. (And, Stuffing had been on her way to ask for a trip to the cafe.) Learning to deal with confrontation, arguments, and the like could only help. “They made up fine. They should just talk to each other.” Bii looked at Inkwell with her brows knit. Argument? She was supposed to argue?! With him? But, she wanted to get along! Then again, he was offering her candy after. Mulling it over while worrying her bottom lip with her teeth, she accepted the candy. She fidgeted with the wrapper long enough for Inkwell to realize her manners were lacking. “Say thank you!” the luxio hissed. “He complimented you and gave you something!” Mildly overwhelmed (She had to juggle being polite?! And, not knowing what the heck Lucky Lopunny was?! A clothing line?! Clothes weren’t that thin!! How were clothes a line?!) she nearly dropped the lollipop. “R-Right, okay. Thank you. I’ll…!” She had bee about to lie and say she’d visit it. But, he hadn’t been upset when she fumbled the little exchange before. So, maybe he wouldn’t mind if she hadn’t the faintest idea what he was talking about with Lucky Lopunny either? “... I’ve never heard of it. Of Lucky Lopunny… A-And, your clothes aren’t brown…” Stuffing waved off Mocha’s worry. “Yeah, yeah, what Inkwell said! They’re both weirdos, so it’s fine if they’re weirdos together, right?!” She could have sworn she heard someone talk about these reactions to things. What was it…? Fight, flight, and…? Fly?! What was the third thing? Oh well, didn’t matter. Because, she had something more important to talk about: getting to that cafe!! Ignoring Bii’s ignorance, she put her game on the ground to tug on Bii’s skirt. “Let’s go eat!! Mocha said there’s a cute cafe!” Well, that much was easy enough. Happy to indulge whatever her pokemon wanted, Bii smiled down at the buneary. “Oh, um… If they’ll, if we can get in… Okay! We can go.” The luxio, meanwhile, declined to say what a waste it would be to go. If that buneary and her trainer went, too, then it’d be worth it. She was going to make Bii and Stuffing go on a proper ranger missio later to make up for it. The gijinka had been messing around too much with low paying, low intensity missions. bii sprite & template by nic food sprites comm'd from alma on vgen

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