Defying Gravity [Training/Catching - Grasslands 3]

[Joseph Alvarez]

ON THE WINGS OF A DREAM

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Came the friendly chirp as the robin-like Pokemon noticed her form lingering within the darkened bedroom and pecked on the glass a few times to get her attention.

‘Pray tell why do you spend such a fine morning in there milady?’

“I….’
She stood up once more, spreading her wings and there was something resembling pity which flashed across his features as he tilted his head to a side.

‘I can’t….’

‘Ah, it would seem my friends call!’
The Fletchling chirruped, flapping up in the air once more.

‘Enjoy the rest of your morning!’

She watched him flutter off in dismay, a small sigh passing her beak as she huffed up her chest and tried once more, flapping and hopping this time to get a little more lift only for her claws to become entangled in rags and with a strangled hoot, the little Togepi chick flopped backwards and tumbled clumsily towards the floor.
The hard bump off the pinewood never came however as she fell into the open palm of her master who peered down at her curiously as she opened spotlight eyes to look into his own which loomed above her.

There was something about those steel-blue eyes staring back which intrigued her; She had heard rumblings from Siegfried about the man’s past, something dark and terrible from the Psychic-type’s disdain and the weary thousand-yard stare she caught him slip into every now and then seemed to collaborate this, and yet….

“You aight, girl?”
Joseph enquired, setting her on his bed before sitting next to her, his free hand holding a small batch of almonds he was munching on as a morning snack.

“Hell were you tryin’a do stumblin' and tumblin’ about up there eh?”

His brow furrowed as he watched her stand up shakily and spread her wings once more, flapping them while her wide, baby blue eyes stared at him earnestly. Wordlessly the ex-con offered her some of the almonds which she carefully plucked out of his grasps as he scratched her chin affectionately with a forefinger.

When the Interpol record keepers had offered this odd, flightless fairy bird to him, his first reaction had been mild disgust at being given what was essentially a schoolgirl’s pet. He was used to vicious, hard-hitting battle veterans like Jaeger and Gambit, both who were well-versed in how his world worked and the dangers that came with it.
Adirael, or Addy as he called her was not; fragile and delicate in body like the eggshell she still wore around her waist and how on earth she was going to fit into his team schematics was a question still unanswered at this point, but the same way the unsullied innocence of his daughter had marked a change in him for the better, there was something undeniable endearing about the little creature to whom the trials and tribulations of his job were still novel to, and it made him all the more protective of her.

“Yeah. Seen how you stare out at the flocks early morning, Addy. Kinda blows that you gotta be behind glass watchin’ ‘em fly, don’t it?”

His touch shifted, stroking the owl chick’s temple before moving to the top of her head to ruffle her three-pronged crest and earfeathers.
The last of the nuts gone, he shifted about so he could hold out her arms, examining the light growth of flight feathers at the edge. Her line were slow bloomers with it came to flying, that much he knew.

“’Ey, don’t beat yourself up too much on it yeah? I mean, it’s…..takin’ a bit of time, but I promise---once these babies grow in, you’ll be flyin’ higher than any of those bastards.”
He reassured the crestfallen chick before perching her on his head while he got up and went about getting ready for the day.

“And you know what’s gonna speed up mother nature? Good old-fashioned practice and hard work. Today’s gonna be all about puttin’ those flappers through the ringer. Might feel wrecked by the end of it darlin’, but they’ll be stronger, I promise. Whaddaya say?”

Adirael’s head sank further into her chestfeathers for a moment.
She disliked battling, saw it as unnecessary outside of survival and still barely understood it even as her master—bless him—indulged in it like his favorite sport of pro wrestling, but sacrifices had to be made in life. If it made her stronger, strong enough to fly one day, if this was a road set out to her to take to the skies, how could she turn away from it?
There was a nervous hoot of trepidation from the Togepi chick in reply, but as she stood up on his head and spread out her vestigial wings as wide as they could go, Joseph grinned despite himself in knowing what her decision was.

“Atta girl.”
He buttoned up a shirt and rolled up the sleeves before pulling his hair back into a neat ponytail and pocketing a few Pokeballs which rested on his table.

“We’ll move out in ten. Grasslands. Gonna take Jayda with me too….she’s got a little surprise for you.”
[/ul]

[Sylvie]

A WILD RATTATA HAS APPEARED!

But is it in the top percentage?

RATTATA pokemon

MALE gender

RUNAWAY ability

CRUNCH		DOUBLE-EDGE
PURSUIT		FOCUS ENERGY

^{CODED BY LYRO}

[Joseph Alvarez]

GROWING PAINS

[/i] f the spray of dirt and grass from the Rufflet’s rough landing was anything to go by and Joseph still found himself spitting out a bit of dandelion. It was better than the first time he’d been introduced to Maclane at the very least, he was rather sure the taste of mud was not something he would have liked to sample a second time, though as far as he could tell from Jayda’s giggling, at least one of them was enjoying this.

‘Nothin’ tae report sire! All is as it should be, and I’ll be damned if a feckless bastich got th’ balls tae try shite with me around aye!’
The rufflet twittered as he puffed up his feathers like a sentient kooshball before marching in front of Joseph like a soldier and spreading his wings and bowing in what the man assumed was a salute.

With a deep craw, the one-eyed Murkrow fluttered onto the ex-con’s shoulder and eyed the newcomer with a mixture of wonderment, envy and annoyance.

“B-L-O-W-H-A-R-D.”
The caws and clacks came, much to the Rufflet’s head-tilting puzzlement and Joseph’s glee as he laughed and stroked the Murkrow’s headcrest.

“Geloso, mio amico?”
said the ex-con teasingly as the bird huffed up in indignation before settling down once more at the sight of Jayda comically attempting to mimic the gesture.

“Is he angry Papa? Birds look really funny when they’re angry. Do they always—“
The little girl mimed an explosion of feathers and Maclane, seeing the amusement in this mimicked the exact same gesture, resembling something of a walking softball as he chased after the girl who shrieked in delight and began darting away from the eaglet’s advances.

Joseph shook his head, content with the fact that Jayda had a playmate to keep her company while their training was under way, and he turned his attention to the Togepi chick before summarily taking a step back in shock.
She was at the very tip of the tree, her little three-pronged head peeping out of the foliage at the top and beyond that were the skies.

“Addy! You sure you’re aight up there?!”
He cupped his hands to his mouth and hollered upwards to where the chick was nestled, receiving a shrill one-note hoot in response which he assumed was a yes given how calm the creature was despite her quavering tone.

“On the count of three, assume take-off! Work those flappers hard as you can, and I’ll catch you!”

Two quavering hoots this time, sounding like second thoughts.

“Addy c’mon, trust me!”

Then there was silence, until a tiny gleaming speck of white shot out of the branches, flapping away like her life depended on it and Joseph smiled as he watched her barely stay aloft, tumbling in the air clumsily but determinedly by her own account.

“That’s what I’m talkin’ about, right there! You got this girlie! Work it!”

A few more seconds of fluttering midair, and the owl chick let out a shrill hoot as she plummeted to the ground, flailing in a panic as she tried to turn herself upright and for the first time in her life experienced sheer fear from the height she was to fly from, up to the point she felt herself caught in the warm, soft embrace of arms and she dared to open a single eye to look up into the beaming face of a man she’d come to see more than just a master.

No, he was a friend.
A dear friend.

She opened both eyes now, hooting in relief and gratitude as she spread her wings which were now weary from exertion and then curled up sleepily in the crook of his elbow.

“Told you I’d catch you, didn’t I?”
said the ex-con with a smirk as she cheeped in agreement though the gentle lull from the aftermath of her first flight was jarringly broken by the sound of shouting from over a low-lying knoll.
A child shouting, and immediately Joseph hurtled over to the source of the sound only to come across Jayda hiding behind Maclane who was puffed up this time out of anger.

The object of the Rufflet’s ire became clear as a loud hissing picked up from across the field where a Rattata had both paws placed on the little girl’s handbag which it, from all accounts was claiming as its own.

“It tried to bite me! So I let go!”
She yelped at her father, biting on her bottom lip as she looked up at him pleadingly.

“Mama’s locket is in there! Papa please get it back!”

His expression hardening, the ex-con nodded as he crouched down and placed Adirael on the ground where the owl chick looked up at him questioningly.

“Time for your first battle, aight Addy? Know you don’t like this gig but think of it as a test.”
Joseph said as he raised a glare at the Rattata who was attempting to drag the bag away.

“This isn’t for fun, you gotta get the Little Missus’ belongings back, and they’re real important to her, so time to show us what you got!”

Adirael’s beak hung open for a few moments, but one look at Jayda and the Togepi nodded as she turned around and faced the rat who narrowed its eyes at her and the way she held out her wings and raised her headcrest, hissing in a clear show of avian aggression.

The time for fairy tales had ended.
The time for battles had begun.
[/ul]

[Joseph Alvarez]

SILK HIDING STEEL 

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Maclane piped up, almost indignant at the mere thought.

'For shame! A pretty thing like her could get hurt!'

'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, friend.'
Gambit reparte'ed with the smallest twinge of annoyance as he swooped down to perch on Joseph's shoulder, puffing out his chest with pride in silently reminding the Rufflet where he stood on the team totem pole.
Arceus knew he tolerated the pompous battler just fine, but there were times the fellow's gung-ho, careless attitude grated on his nerves.

'Besides, the master has no use for merely a pretty face. Which I trust lady Adirael here will show us she is not!'

The Togepi chick tried her best to pretend she heard none of the conversation behind her, given that while she was thankful for Gambit's support, the urge to flee and hide behind them, to let the real warriors take center stage instead of her was beating strong in her veins.
Rather, she pecked at the Shiny Stone Joseph had given her as a gift weeks before and took some courage from the fact that she had to be worth something special to the man to be given a gift at all, and as she felt his presence sidling up next to her, that courage came with a new sense of strength.

"You won't be alone in this aight?"
Joseph assured her just as the rodent who took offense to her display of aggression suddenly glowed with a bright yellow light that seem to emanate from its core before letting out a loud screech and hurtling towards her like a bullet.

"Let's do this! Razzle-Dazzle 'em with a combination o' Reflect and Dazzling Gleam! Wait till I give the signal----"
Joseph crouched down slightly like a coach at huddle, the grin carved on his lips manic as he clapped his hands, a gesture that Adirael copied by flapping her wings with every clap that grew faster and faster in mounting anticipation as the seconds passed and the Rattata came ever closer to them. 

"And NOW!" 

He mimed firing a gun in the rodent's direction as Adirael let out a loud hoot and puffed up like she was going to explode, a small sphere of light engulfing her entire body which spun wildly until it lashed out like a loaded spring to completely overwhelm the Rattata which squeaked shrilly in pain that felt like being stabbed like a thousand needles and yet the creature pushed on with a feral ferocity, throwing himself against Adirael only to bounce off the owl chick like a rubber ball. 
The impact nonetheless made the little bird stagger in her steps, cheeping away sheepishly as she tumble backwards flat on her ass with tiny legs kicking away midair until Joseph turned her back upright. Nearby, the Rattata was foully cursing in his own language as he tried to stop seeing stars in his vision only to collide with a rock and the ex-con couldn't help but laugh at the creature's predicament. 

"Atta girl. Got a good blow in and set up your defenses so the little dude can't take a chunk outta you see? Only thing you lost is your pride and in a battle, hell, that's a small price to pay." 

The young fledgling let out a loud thrill of confidence as Jayda giggled and darted over for a closer look at the proceedings. 

"That was so pretty! Are Pokemon battles usually this pretty papa? I thought they were all rough and tough and grrrrr on TV!" 
The little girl piped up as her father chuckled and shook his head in reply. 

"Nah princess. It's usually ugly as sin but yaknow, the really good ones can make it look pretty and powerful, ain't that right Sugarfluff?"

In response, the Murkrow on his shoulder struck up a particularly dramatic-looking diva pose, wings on hips and all much to Adirael's amused cheeping. 

'Monsieur please. You would steal the spotlight from a mademosielle on her debut?' 

'Ah, but you assume doing such a deed is possible!'
Gambit crawed back good-naturedly just as the Rattata finally regained his bearings and shot for the owl chick once more, colliding with such force that both combatants were thrown back several feet to dig a deep divot in the loamy soil and uprooting several blades of grass while they were at it. 
Jayda immediately let out a gasp of alarm though Joseph kept his cool and whistled to get the fledgling's attention as she struggled feebly underneath the Rattata's weight. The Reflect worked in parring heavier blows, but the ache was still felt deep in her bones. 

"Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Addy! Time for some mindgames with our bucktoothed buddy here eh?" 

Opening one eye, she puffed out her cheeks, deftly spinning around to flip the Rattata on his back before giving him a gentle peck on nose and the effect was instantaneous as he went stiff for a few moments, long enough for her to quickly move away right before the violent thrashing started. 
His movements were wild, with no reason or rhyme to them as though he'd been dunked headfirst in a vat of moonshine and as he stumbled clumsily over his own feet, it was to see what he thought was the damned chicken responsible for all of this and he blindly hurtled towards his target before slamming head-on with it, it revealing itself to be a large rock and all those in viewing distance winced at the loud CRACCCKKK of the impact. 

"That's gotta hurt." 
Jayda muttered sagely as she crouched down with her hands on her knees, watching the Rattata's drunken, painful flip-flopping with all the intrigue a child would have in a caterpillar's agonized death throes. He was bleeding rather profusely from a busted-open brow though the injury did nothing to dim his fighting spirit as he wildly spun around looking for the Togepi chick only to finally see her a few feet away from him with several stony shards floating midair and pointed right at him. 
A strangled squeak was all he could manage as Adirael's eyes glowed an ethereal blue and she looked over her shoulder at Joseph who had his arms casually crossed for further orders. 

"Ancientpower. Fire at will." 
said the ex-con with the ghost of a smile as he watched the projectiles firing away towards the Rattata who was barely in any state of mind to avoid the attack and took it head on as it riddled his body with a handful of bruises and knocked him head over heels into the roots of a rotting beech tree which splintered with his fall. 

The rodent groggily got to his feet, panting and wheezing from the pain and when he saw the owl puffing up in an intimidation display again his instinct was now to run, completely forgetting where he was for a moment to slam face-first into the wood when he turned around to make his escape. Teetering on his last legs, he let out a small squeak of defeat before drunkenly falling over into an unconscious, furry little heap. 

Adirael with adrenaline still running through her veins half-expected for the creature to rise back to its feet, completely unaware that she'd won the battle until she heard the slow clap from behind here where Joseph was, and there stood the man wearing a triumphant smirk. 

"Game, set aaaaannnnd match." 
said the ex-con with an air of finality as Jayda joined him with more enthusiastic claps. 

"Knew we had a fighter in ya, pretty lady." 
[/ul]

Rattata used Focus Energy and Pursuit
Adirael used Reflect and Dazzling Gleam

Rattata used Double Edge
Adirael used Sweet Kiss
Rattata is now confused!

Rattata hurt itself in confusion!
Adirael used Ancientpower!

Rattata hurt itself in confusion!

Rattata fainted!

[/div]

[Hanelli]

HE'S BACK!

And wants some more pain.

Rattata pokemon

Male gender

Guts ability

Focus Energy		Super Fang
Quick Attack		Tail Whip

^{CODED BY LYRO}

[Joseph Alvarez]

FIRST FLIGHT   

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Adirael inquired of the Murkrow who was leisurely perched in the boughs of oak canopy above them.

‘I ahve never heard of such a word?’

‘The humans have a strange concept. When they die, it is not the end you see? They go to a special place up the skies that they call heaven---the good do anyway. I think it’s warm, and there’s a lot of light and you see your friends there, friends long gone. I actually quite like the idea.’
Gambit stared up into the skies longingly, for the first time in his life wondering how high up they really were and where they ended.

‘It’s certainly better than cold and empty darkness at the very end.’

‘Strange creatures these humans.’
Maclane shrugged his shoulders as he nested on the ex-con’s messenger bag and closed his eyes for a nap.

‘Quaint wee notion right there.’

‘I like it very much.’
The Togepi chick chirruped brightly, big baby blues gleaming with an undimmed desire.

‘So zhe higher I am, zhe closer I am to zhis heaven.’

“Hey JayJay…”
Joseph’s voice cut through the lull of the conversation once more the small flock turned their attention to their lead human who had a combination of mischief and unbridled glee written on his features and in the way he rubbed his hands, which was strange given how stoic and cool he normally enjoyed portraying himself as.

“Whaddaya say we show Addy her little surprise eh?”

‘Surprise…..?’
The young owl cheeped in bafflement as she felt Joseph’s hands lift her by the middle to place her on the crass as both humans crowed around her excitedly.

‘For me?’

She blushed hard, head buried in her chest fluff at the thought as she watched both father and daughter dig through the messenger bag and handbag for various contractions, what looked like rolls of cloth and string.
The gorgeous stone was not enough?
As she stared mesmerized at the mess on the ground, it hardly looked like anything she could recognized until they carefully assembled it as a team and her beak fell agape when they finished it within the next fifteen minutes.

‘Oh mon dieu.’

Wings.
It resembled wings, or more specifically a glider.

“I took it to a science teacher at school! She said it’s strong enough to carry you so you can fly! Or kinda.”
Jayda tapped a finger upon her bottom lip thoughtfully.

”You have to glide with the wind currents, but you’re still in the air!”

There were straps at the sides that looked as though her stumpy wings could fit through it, and Adirael let out a loud, jubilant thrill as Joseph laughed at her shared excitement over the idea and the avian’s little hopping dance that followed suit.

“Give it a shot, Addy? Might get a better sense o’ flyin’ when you’re up there instead a’ down here eh?”
the ex-con inquired with a gamely smirk as he had his hands on his knees, watching as the Togepi and his child danced circles around the home-made glider joyfully.

”Aight. This is Captn’ Alvarez speakin’. We welcome you aboard Addy Airways and hope you enjoy your scheduled flight today. All crew aboard prepare for take-off!”
[/ul]

[Speedy Gon Yumi]

A WILD NIDORAN F HAS APPEARED!

I WILL BUY THIS OFF YOU

Nidoran pokemon

Female gender

Poison point ability

Growl		Double kick
Scratch		Tail whip

^{CODED BY LYRO}