metamorphetic

[metamorphetic]

Most of his words go over her head, though she can fold the talk of dragons and fire drakes away -- there's similar back home, or similar enough. Legendary pokemon and their tales, stories like Kalos' wandering king (...if...she remembers correctly...that one was a real, very much somehow still alive man, and considering that is deeply frightening) or the Darkest Day and the Hero of the Sword.

"Well, I'm not sure if I'd call it magic...I guess Psychic and Fairy-types do have that, though? They can do a lot of cool things. Some even shapeshift to look like people."

She clears her throat and prepares her best "professorly" spiel, one finger pointed and wagging as she does so. Skorupi, to her credit, does her own little tippy-tap dancing. (Trying to help mama, as it were.)

"Pokemon can be many things, from assistants in daily life, to battle partners, to pets or support companions. They live all around the many different regions where I'm from, like Galar, my home region! You can find them just about anywhere. A cave, the sea, even a trash-heap. People often...um, well, it's different place to place, but most cultures back home have different types of "journeys" kids and adults go on to catch them, and document them. Some people do gym battles, which are like, uh, recreational sports matches, I guess? Using their pokemon. And a lot of people specialize in types. I like Poison-types, but..."

Unspoken, quiet: Bug-types are my favorite, and I wish I'd banked on them instead. (She was that child who climbed trees to get the local creepy-crawlies in her hands, and as an adult, she wished her career hadn't hinged on Poison-types.)

"Ah, never mind that. Explain the fire stuff to me better. There's a lot of pokemon back home like that, too -- like, if a Magcargo cools off, it'll like, die. It's like that, right?"

❝ ... a pokemon ...? ❞ irritation quickly flows into confusion and then to interest- after all, malchior was nothing if not a seeker of knowledge. ❝ such creatures do not exist where i come from, although long ago my world was filled with creatures of legends. ❞

❝ other dragons that soared the skies. phoenixes that would rise from ashes endlessly. the seas were ruled by leviathans and populated by merfolk and selkies and sirens- anything you could dare to dream of ... ❞ he's not exactly sure why he's telling her this, but ... at least he can respect her fearlessness. even if it stems from a lack of knowing who he was. who he had been. who he could be again if given the chance.

neat flames, though, buddy, she says. again, with that sort of nonchalant air. ❝ my inner flame is what keeps my body warm. all fire drakes have one. in a way, it is our life's essence, regardless of the shapes we take. ❞ he breathes another small jet of flames- controlled, as to not hit her skorupi(?) or her- a multitude of colors dancing in the fire. ❝ it is quite natural, but there are some spells that allow dragonfire to be replicated by other beings. ❞

now, his anger is all but forgotten. this young woman and her skorupi have his full attention for other reasons. not bad ones, not in his mind. ❝ i am interested in what other creatures live in the world you come from. pokemon. do they possess magic? are they companions of humans or are they more likely to be found simply in the wild? ❞

[metamorphetic]

"Ah, no...but if I can find a way, I'll get one someday. They're not native back home, either. Kinda an invasive species if'n they do pop up, but I don't think they're so bad."

Her hand reaches for the pokeball at her waist: she's got Skorupi! She can totally show off her special chunky baby! Kid's gotta love that, since he's her comrade in crawlies. She points to the capsule, smiling as she does so, like a lady in a product ad.

Klara is more than eager to show off her well-trained, raised-from-low-level friend, the way one might show off their child -- in a way, Skorupi is, well, her child. (Not something she'd say to anyone, especially not if on camera.)

"Oh, um, I do have my friend Skorupi, though! Wanna meet her?"

The slit pupil of his eyes grew larger as he tried to hide how much he was really enjoying hearing about these bug pokemon. He couldn't help it when he began to bounce lightly on the balls of his heels. He could almost picture it in his head what it looked like.

His hands fanned across his face as he tried to hide the glee showing through, completely forgetting the pastry in his hand and dropped it to the ground. He had so much information to add to his journal. He didn't want to forget a single thing about dustox.

"Do you have a dustox with you?" He asked, hopeful.

[metamorphetic]

"Dustox...they're big, wide, and purple; their bodies are kind of shaped like a plane, and they have flared butts. Their antennae are conical and banded in pattern, and they're yellow -- the thickness helps catch pollen. Standard compound eyes, of course, yellow in color and kind of...slanted? They probably evolved to make themselves look a little scary."

Her head tilts to the side as she thinks for the best way to describe a Dustox, to someone who's never encountered one: a fun little task, like if she'd been called onto a game show as a bit -- practice for her idol career.

Her hands gesture as she speaks, creating each shape in the air, making sure it gets across as best she can without a pen and paper.

"The wings are green and shaped like a cut in half lily pad that's got pleats. The upper wings have ring-like patterns with ovals below the rings, and those are red. Their legs are red, short, and stubby! I love when they fold their little feet."

As for the other questions...she has to actively think. (She's a more general poison type Trainer, even if she does love herself a good bug.)

"Their poison isn't usually lethal, unless there's a swarm around a very small child. It's more likely you'd just get pretty sick...they're probably one of the lower-maintenance Pokemon to take care of. Where I'm from, they can be anything from pets to battle companions, really."

"Dustox?" He had no idea what that was, or what a pokemon was. But, he listened to her explain it with an intense look in his eyes. He had battle simulations with large bugs, but he never once heard someone using them for agriculture. He couldn't help but find himself intrigued by this creature.

"What do they look like?" He asked, his voice raising a bit from the small amount of excitement he felt. "Is their poison lethal to humans? Or just other pokemon?"

Sephiroth had nearly forgotten the pastry he was holding. He decided to take a bite of it to keep himself from bombarding the poor woman with more questions. He wanted to know more. He liked bugs as a passing interest and the types she spoke of pushed it over the edge. They sounded almost like pets.

[metamorphetic]

"I'll threaten whoever I need to threaten, but I will forgive you this time!"

Dragon or not. She's not particularly fearful, to her detriment. Perhaps, also to her credit -- small animal, big animal, big teeth. Familiar...it's certainly one way to refer to Skorupi: old hex maniacs would call their pokemon that, wouldn't they? And some of the fairy-type collectors in the woods.

"She's not a scorpion, though I guess you could call her my familiar. She's a Skorupi, a type of pokemon. We don't really have little things like those tiny, plain bugs where I'm from."

Her eyes lock onto the small trail of flames: surely, some psychic-type trainers could do similar -- must be natural to him (a cool trick, Klara notes to herself absently). A finger makes a trailing gesture, similar to the fire's motions, crackling and bouncing as if she's given music to the now-dead air.

"Neat flames, though, buddy. That normal for you?"

the last person to open their encounter with the great fire drake of the north had quickly ended up a pile of ashes. granted, malchior had been in the form of a dragon and his flames burned like the fires of the hells- here in the city, his powers were limited. but it didn't stop him from letting a small flame out under his breath. a warning to the woman to back off.

admittedly, he'd been rather lost in thought, and the strange insect hadn't actually caught his attention until the woman had decided to threaten him before scooping the insect into her arms. ❝ your familiar, i presume. ❞

❝ there are few mages that i know of who pick scorpions as familiars. but, i suppose there's a first time for everything. ❞ it's tense, the glow in his chest slowly dimming, but his blue eyes never leave the woman or her bug. you wouldn't step on one of those kittythings with the tv heads, right? she asks, and malchior thinks to his first encounter with the creature the locals called a radio-cat. the creature had been trailed by a litter of radio-kittens and had scampered off with them when it noticed him- with a rather discordant wail.

he wasn't sure that cute was the way he'd describe them. fascinating, of course, but cute? perhaps in time. ❝ well, do forgive me for my lack of awareness of your familiar's positioning. i do have a piece of advice, though. it is unwise to threaten dragons. ❞

[metamorphetic]

"Sort of! The pattern is based on a Dustox...they're a type of Pokemon. They are called a moth Pokemon, but they tend to be a little poisonous...and they're really big. A little over a meter, actually!"

Nothing like the tiny, flittering moths she's seen on this place's lamps, ping-ponging off windows...her smile's a little more genuine though, at the boy's appreciation for something as small and seemingly useless as a moth (she's a bug-type fan, herself -- mostly due to their poison overlap, but also because they're just cute).

"They're really helpful for vegetable pollination and berry tree growth, because of how fuzzy they are...I'm pretty sure some farmers also use them as a deterrent for thieves and other Pokemon, since they can make you pretty itchy. I've always been pretty fond of bug-types...they're just super cute. Most of my jewelry's based on them, too!"

(Alright, kid, she's filing you away under "worth the genuine Klara".)

Sephiroth took note of the woman's chipper tone and attitude. He gazed to the pastry and back at the woman. It smelt delicious and looked even more so. Sephiroth had come in to buy himself a treat after working hard at the archive, so being handed an extra for free tempted him.

He hesitated for a moment when their eyes met. He had never heard anyone say they were jealous of his eyes. At most, people would ignore how strange they were. Sephiroth shuffled on his feet a bit uncomfortable with the sudden praise and attention.

"...Thank you," he replied politely, forcing his voice to be softer as he took the extra pastry.

Right, he needed to compliment her back. He scanned her appear and settled his eyes on her bow. "Your head bow is nice. Is it a moth? Moths are nice, I think they're rather underappreciated as pollinators and their importance in the ecosystem."

[metamorphetic]

What a cute kid: looks a little sheepish though (she can't blame her, though, big crowds can be intimidating when you're small) -- she tilts her head slightly, making sure her smile is soft and that she doesn't come off as scary. That mask of sweet, spunky idol Klara comes in handy, doesn't it?

"Hey, do you need me to walk with you? It's loud here."

She makes the "come here" gesture to Skorupi, making sure she doesn't stray or scare the girl, then gesturing to the Pokemon with a jingle of her bracelet.

Just here to shop, but...people like you more when you're nice. And she can go back to shopping later. Stuff will be in the mall later.

"If anyone bothers you, we can have Skorupi pinch them. Her claws are good for that."

@daxned klara attempts basic kindness

[metamorphetic]

"If you step on her, I'm gonna kick you in the balls!"

It's spoken completely glibly: it would seem far too many people here do not have an understanding of, or appreciation for, Skorupi -- clearly, bug-type Pokemon (or anything similar) must be rare. Would you really step on something so small and innocent and cute? What kind of monster do you have to be!

"She's just a big baby."

Her arms, wrapped in her fuzzy jacket, scoop the large Pokemon right off the ground: 26 lbs is a couple of grapes to her, an absolute non-weight. She sighs, cradling Skorupi like a mother would their child (...that's pretty much what the bug is, after all), head tilted to the side.

"You wouldn't step on one of those kittythings with the tv heads, right? She's just as cute as them!"

@grymfared do not the bug

[metamorphetic]

"Do you like sweets? The cashier at the bakery gave me an extra."

She's doing her best chipper-girl gaze, swaying on her chunky heels as she holds out a pastry: the shape reminds her a little bit of a Fletchling, complete with a cute little tail, wings, and eyes. The cashier said it was filled with apple jam and almonds. Klara can only hope the stranger's not allergic to that. Right now, all she needs to be is big sis Klara!

Peering into the stranger's eyes, she notes the pupils being different from her own (like the eyes of a Delcatty, sparkling, lengthy little pupils narrowed -- those are the eyes of someone full of doubt, going by the catlike shape): the color's pretty, too, like a clean lake. So few of those around Galar.

"Your eyes are really pretty! I'm almost jealous."

She's burning with envy internally. But he doesn't need to know!

@beforemeteor pastry in these trying times...

[metamorphetic]

Well, this is kind of her own fault, isn't it? She can't swim, not very well -- she always has a cute floatie for these reasons, but she'd managed to fall right off of it (clinging vaguely to the edge as best she could). Why'd she even bother coming to the beach?

This is what you get for trying to gain more fans with a cute swimsuit. Hubris! Hubris is what you get! She tries her best to keep her voice calm, despite the fact that she's clearly terrified. It's hardly a smart choice to flail about and scream when the water around you is deep. Flailing gets you dead, fast.

"Hey, um, can you come pull me back up? I, like. Suck at swimming. Please?"

The guy's a hunk, so at least she'll get eyecandy out of the situation (even if he gets annoyed: hell, she'll hope he doesn't get annoyed). She's like a Burmy in a bathtub, floating helpless and soggy, any cuteness taken out by the water.

@astrallithid pwease hewp hew shes dwowning

[metamorphetic]

now that i've survived spring break and no longer have an ear infection, um. starter call, capped at four for now!

[metamorphetic]

Wiggles my fingers. Hey guys I got really busy with work then spent this past week half-bedridden and half-ear infected... i'll work on starters here and nino's blog when i have some downtime

[metamorphetic]

"She is....and she's very, very sociable."

She snaps: once, twice, three times -- Skorupi knows what that means (get the fuck over here, you little shit), and her many little feet skitter back towards Klara's ankles.

"Skorupi, stay. You're being bad, and you're not supposed to go at people when you're on a walk."

At least -- she's not supposed to go at people when Klara doesn't tell her to, but her new neighbor (looking much like someone's confused, wet, startled dad -- a handsome dad, but yeah, a dad) doesn't need to know that at all. Klara rubs her temples: damn, c'mon, Skorupi, don't do this to her! Even if someone may not know who she is, you're gonna bungle her image!

Ah, right. No one knows who she is: a fact which makes Klara squirm, it's perfect for restarting but annoying and nightmarish because she's a total nobody (can't even bank on a single fan, there are no fans).

"She won't hurt you. She's just big...do you not have Pokemon where you're from, or something?"

@metamorphetic ⎛ sc. ⎠

fibonacci reminds him of the future- the world that the machine gods had called 'olympus', the one where his other self had served as an enemy of the world. the one who never knew love. the one who lacked the drive to go home. the one who knew war and nothing else. it's only thanks to those memories that he has any sense of how to navigate the place- and he's been jumpy.

relax, says the ghost of polites, and odysseus remembers the other man's smile. lead from the heart, loosen your grip on that sword just a bit. let go of the guilt. and he's tried- oh gods has he tried to relax, to adjust to this new place ⎛ far from home, which he knows is not the home he once knew. so much time has passed since then. he is not the same odysseus who went to war. he is not the same man who returned after twenty years. he's become a legend, and that's why he exists as he is- ⎠

some days are better than others.

this day, he's greeted by a rather large insect when he opens the door of the house he was brought to upon his arrival. he's unarmed, of course, because he was stripped of everything when he'd arrived. no aegis. no longbow. no access to noble phantasms. just his chiton, chlamys, and sandals. it had been a long time since he'd felt vulnerable.

relax. he almost thinks he can feel polites' hand on his shoulder, and there's something comforting about that ⎛ something so very haunting and sorrowful, and he wished things had been different. he wishes that there could've been another way. ⎠ relax.

thankfully, perhaps, there's a woman with bright hair quickly approaching. ❝ is this ... ❞ an awkward gesture toward the insect, ❝ yours? ❞

[metamorphetic]

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU

lots and lots and lots and lots

[metamorphetic]

dusts my hands off. it's Matt again, here to app Klara from Pokemon Sword. her app and stats can be found by either adding /app or /stats after her url, or by accessing them under the + button beneath the sidebar.

Welcome to sugary sweet Isola Radiale, Klara!

You will be housed in HOUSE 114.

You will retain your Skorupi. Enjoy your stay!

*Aspidiske

[metamorphetic]

Test test. Test.