messin' up the lawn (home dojo/exp thread)

[Ilargi “Bii” Benigno]

“How do you like the new house?” Bii asked.

Buttons looked the outside over. There was a lawn. It was very large. She could already see Inkwell the luxio preparing to tussle with Phoebus and Honk on it. Her eyes turned to the many mangrove and cypress trees reaching out over the lawn from the swamp. They kept the place partially shaded. It was a beautiful home.

But, it was Bii’s home. And, Buttons still resented Bii. She felt used. Her old trainer would have never treated her like this! Didn’t Bii know how to treat her well?! The vivillon’s wings fluttered in outrage. She summoned up a bunch of her scales, wafting them toward Bii as a Stun Spore.

“I hate you!” the bug type snapped. “Your house sucks and I’m not going in it!” She fluttered into the trees, using the old String Shot which had kept things how she liked even as a scatterbug. She wove it between the moss covered branches of a cypress tree and hunkered down. She’d stay here, because she was Bii’s now and there was nowhere else to go.

But, she wouldn’t go in Bii’s house and she wouldn’t do things Bii’s way.

Bii looked up, body tingling uncomfortably with the sort of numbness a human might experience from paralysis-inducing moves. Inkwell, having seen it, came over. Neither said anything. It was going to take a while to win Buttons back over.

TRAINING BUTTONS THE VIVILLON

[Gardeon]

[dojo]3YFTuycn

[Ilargi “Bii” Benigno]

The front lawn already had a muddy patch worn into it from where she and the other battle focused members of Bii’s team liked to tussle. It was still early out. A thick fog hung in the air. It obscured basically everything beyond the yard. She was sure Bii would be preparing everyone’s breakfast right now with a little assistance, or else checking on the plants out back.

Inkwell was going to use this time to train. First, she used Spark! She lashed out with a crackling claw, swiping at the empty air. Then, she turned and twisted her hips, striking out with a swift Double-Kick. Satisfied, she nodded. She still had good form! Maybe she ought to ask Honk if he wanted to practice his water type moves on her. It would help them both…

The electric type looked out at the water. As she did, Bii came out.

“Breakfast is ready!” she announced with glee. “Buddleja helped with the meat!”

“... Xe huh?” That didn’t sound good. Frowning, the luxio padded back to the front door where Bii stood. Then, she paused there. “We gotta teach you to swim.”

Bii tilted her head. The hot springs visit with Nix had been nice. Maybe it was a good idea?

“We live in a swamp and I can’t be with you twenty-four seven.”

Oh! That made more sense. Bii smiled. “Okay…!”

TRAINING INKWELL THE LUXIO

[Arcanine]

[dojo]Dss9Oom2

[Ilargi “Bii” Benigno]

Behind the house, the food forest was still uncultivated and cluttered. Here, in the shaded undergrowth, Star the deino trained. Her green and black body glowed faintly as she used FOCUS ENERGY. It gathered up all her strength, calling upon some nameless, intangible power to do… something! Her gaze was settled on the distant water pooled under a particularly gnarled thicket.

Bii watched as draconic fire billowed from the deino’s mouth. It was not especially bright. In fact, she could hardly make it out even here, sheltered from the light of day. But, it was a truly mystical blue-and-gold combination.

Star grinned after, trotting over to Bii. “DRAGON RAGE is… a magical sort of attack,” she admitted. “There’s no way to make it stronger. But, there’s also no way to make it weaker.”

“It either hits or it doesn’t,” Inkwell deduced.

As Star licked her hand, Bii giggled. She let the deino go about softly gnawing on it. She never bit hard. Her fangs always softly pressed down on the girl’s hand, as if savoring the feeling of having something between her teeth. It was oddly reassuring. It wasn’t the soft, too tender touch of many of the people of Shula. It was familiar, in a way.

Perhaps it was even easier to bear because she trusted Star?

“It sounds reliable,” Bii whispered, petting Star’s dark head.

Inkwell flicked her tail. “If there’s ever an opponent with crazy high defenses, that might be a good way to chip away at them.”

Star let go of Bii’s hand to smile. “I promise I’ll help if that happens. You can count on me.”

TRAINING STAR THE DEINO

[Vulpix]

[dojo] DqyIA8J0

[Ilargi “Bii” Benigno]

They needed to get that eviolite. Bii held her breath as she watched Star train. It might be expensive, but Inkwell thought it would be worth it. Though, thinking of it made Bii think again about how, one day, Star might evolve.

In the shaded undergrowth, Star yipped with glee. Her green and black body glowed faintly as she used FOCUS ENERGY. It gathered up all her strength, calling upon some nameless, intangible power to do… something! Her gaze was settled on the distant water pooled under a particularly gnarled thicket.

This time, she rocketed forward to use Tackle! Without the light to make her already poor vision worse, she managed to slam against a tree trunk.

Star grinned after, trotting over to Bii. The deino nuzzled her trainer before nibbling lightly on her hands. She lapped at the gijinka’s palms in a sort of draconic kiss. She never bit hard. Her fangs always softly pressed down on the girl’s hand, as if savoring the feeling of having something between her teeth. It was oddly reassuring.

“I’m getting stronger,” the dragon type declared. “I’ll be just as reliable as Inkwell is soon.”

“Okay,” Bii whispered, petting Star’s dark head. “Thank you.”

TRAINING STAR THE DEINO

[Arcanine]

[dojo]SoFIVGr3

[Ilargi “Bii” Benigno]

Inkwell looked up from the pokedex. “With her ability, it’d be better if she kept a berry as her item.”

“Oh?”

Lapis Lazuli flicked her tail, half-concealed by the darkness of the food forest. “I’m able to regrow berries quickly.” She tilted her head. “Usually.”

“... By yourself?!” Bii stared in awe. “That’s incredible…! I wish I had an ability like that!”

The deerling grinned. “You would like being with the herd. Are you sure you won’t leave all of this to go with me?”

“She wouldn’t be able to survive out in the wilds!” Inkwell hissed. “Stop asking her that!”

The deerling huffed. “I’m just trying to help.”

“You can help by training.”

“If I battle, it’ll be dire circumstances,” the fairy typ retorted. “Not for fun, like you.”

“All the more reason for you to beef up,” the luxio retorted.

Unable to argue with that logic, the deerling practiced her Tackle… Right on her electric type teammate. It pushed Inkwell back a bit, but not significantly. The feline just swished her tail, unimpressed.

“... Maybe you should learn Switcharoo to share items with your partners. You don’t battle well.”

“Can she learn that?” Bii asked, in awe of the conversation.

Embarrassed, Lapis Lazuli dashed deeper into the foliage.

TRAINING LAPIS LAZULI THE SHULIAN DEERLING

[Vulpix]

[dojo] WOaRZH59

[Ilargi “Bii” Benigno]

He never would have dreamed he’d end up somewhere like this. Yes, there were forests and meadows to explore, but he would have had to fight very hard to maintain his own territory there. Now, he had allies to help him look after this little patch of heaven. He wasn’t as interested in battling as they were, but he participated from time to time. Inkwell often said there might come a day where they had to defend one another. Hyacinth chalked it up to the various criminals of the region.

But, Quagmire Town was quiet and peaceful. Surely danger wouldn’t come here?

The poison type shuffled into the food forest, intent on getting some work done. It was summer, which meant the strawberries were in peak production. Hyacinth intended to gather some. Everyone loved eating them, but he’d plant a few throughout the forest so they’d do even better. Except, when he came across the last tangle of them he’d seen… There was a strange pokemon! The stunky bristled and snorted in fury. He stomped his front paws in the muddy undergrowth of the overgrown food forest.

The bug type ignored him. It hardly even reacted when he shot Poison Gas at it. Angered, Hyacinth did a hand stand. From his tail shot a Flame Burst. That sent the bug type fleeing! Hyacinth huffed… And, felt disappointed upon seeing the berries and leaves he’d scorched. Oh no… What a waste.

He hung his head in shame.

TRAINING HYACINTH THE STUNKY

[Gardeon]

[dojo]fFVm1vPm

[Ilargi “Bii” Benigno]

She didn’t feel safe letting him out of his pokeball. She also didn’t feel good keeping him trapped in there. She knew what it was like to be deprived of the sun. So, she waited until there was a day where Star, Stuffing, and Inkwell could keep an eye on the electric type. Then, she let him out to explore the property.

Bii stayed inside as Inkwell pressed the button on his pokeball. Considering the little fighting type hardly saw her as anything but meat, this was the best option. He didn’t respect her as a trainer in the least. No, it was less than that. Most of her team didn’t look to her as a source of guidance in battle, but they at least saw her as a friend or someone they could rely on for healing and supplies.

The gijinka watched as Inkwell paced after the Shulian elekid. Star was waiting in the dark of the food forest where she’d advantage over everyone else as far as keeping track of the little gremlin. To Bii’s surprise, Buddleja came along. Her Cute Charm ability helped soothe the beast.

The ranger pressed a hand to the window. She was going to have to do something about him, but for now, he could stretch his legs while supervised.

TRAINING OUTLET THE SHULIAN ELEKID

[Arcanine]

[dojo]pI7WKGEO

[Ilargi “Bii” Benigno]

The food forest was still overgrown. Lapis nibbled at the thick clover. The air was thick with humidity, but here in the shade, things were more tolerable. The blue deerling chewed thoughtfully. Maybe some mint would make a nice treat after this. She walked through the marshy forest floor, sniffing for the telltale scent of mint when she spotted an unusual figure.

Bright red feathers on a body too large for a mere fletchling. No, this was a fletchlinder. Occasionally the birds wandered into town from Giya Swamp proper, what with how close Bii’s house was to the swamp, but rarely did they leer so intently among the branches. In the dappled light filtering through the leaves, Lapis Lazuli stood still.

Then, the fletchlinder dived, aiming for her. The deerling bleated, kicking up gravel and grit. It was a Sand Attack! The fletchlinder missed her. She scrambled through the trees, crying out. “Inkwell! Inkwell!”

The fletchlinder called out after her. However, the brute was met with the sound of crackling. The flying type pulled up just in time to avoid the luxio’s Spark. The electric type huffed, glaring after the fire type as it flew away.

Lapis Lazuli huddled in the dark, having used Camouflage to hide herself better. Thank goodness that ended well.

TRAINING LAPIS LAZULI THE SHULIAN DEERLING