neutraltoxicity

[neutraltoxicity]

Stella raised a brow, that was a lot of pokemon.  It made the trainer think of her first time she ran through the wildernesses on an adventure.  She’d caught quite a few pokemon back in Sinnoh, however she had only one she’d kept with her in her attempts to move on from her home country.  

“Guess she’s got more of a hand for the Pokemon thing than she thought before.”  Stella said, watching Vixen start to work on the fence, “Though with all the shitstorms it seems she gets into she could use a small pokemon militia.”

As it was obvious Vixen wasn’t going to be giving much attention, Phoebe started to test the waters with the huge beast.  She loved to dig pits to hide away in, but she didn’t show much fear it seemed.  Stella smiled a bit at the pair before Vixen started to freak out.  

Stella chuckled a little and knelt down on the other side of the fence.  She set her bag down and grabbed the nails that scattered into the grass before she spoke up, “Good news, you didn’t choke on them.” She smiled a bit and offered the nails to the other, “Don’t worry though, I don’t care who you’ve nailed figuratively or literally.  Sex is sex, if you’re into dudes and you want to nail some guy, more power to you.  Nailing someone into a fence post with hammer and nails seems like a bit more of a problem sign actually.”

Sorry for the Fence | Vixen

“Toxicroak ain’t the only thing that’s new,” Vixen said, taking her pack off the Arcanine’s back and scratching his spine, smiling as his hind leg started to twitch. “She’s got a Zoroark and a Hydreigon too. Almost like my team. Makes me proud, man. ‘Cept no one does dark like me, plus she’s got a Lucario and some other fighters. I… ain’t much of a fan of fighters, but I do like how Lucarios look.”

So long as they stayed away from her team, but Marianne’s pokemon seemed to be in control. More than Vixen could say for some people on this ranch… And in some cases herself. Rabies had been acting all sorts of funny since taking the job, and she still hadn’t brought Bazooka out for very long since she arrived.

Vixen shook her head, rubbing Scratch’s cheek before she knelt by the fence, taking nails out of a worn paper box and biting down on the ends so they fanned out from her lips. She grabbed the broken piece of wood and a hammer, lining them up when Stella asked her questions. (She did snort at the blue hair comment.)

“Oh yeah, the Lees own the place,” Vixen said around the nails. “Jonas signs my checks and Jason’s my boss. Usually it’s him and I runnin’ around the fences… I nailed Jason one time against the fence, heh.”

It took a second for Vixen to realize what she just said and she almost choked on the nails in her mouth, dropping them and scrambling to pick them up. “I–I mean literally! No, I mean, I– shit. Fuck. Where the fuck did the nails go?!”

[neutraltoxicity]

“She has that many now?  All I heard about was the new toxicroak.”  Stella said with a raise of the brow.  It made her feel like she moved at a snails pace.  Then again she sort of was in the pokemon department.

Sabine?  She was one of the people in the room too, Stella faintly remembered her, a friend of Marianne’s too if she was correct.  Someone Vixen had a beef with.  It wasn’t anything Stella felt she needed to get involved with or judge on.  Even if she was a laid back person usually, there were some people in her life she’d had such tiffs with before.  Mostly her own mother.  The taste of it was bitter and she instead focused on the other trainer.

“What can I say, I have commitment issues with my hair.  Decided to drench it all blue.” She looked down at the fence and nodded, “I can just wait til you fix the damage.  I’m not in a bug rush to find Mari while I’m soaked like this.”  

Stella set Phoebe down on the ground, who all too excitedly skittered through the fence’s hole and made circles around Vixen’s feet, jingling all the while.  Stella frowned a bit and pressed her shirt a little tighter, able to faintly see her bra and skin under the shirt.  Yeah she needed to dry out or find somewhere to change.  While she wasn’t embarrassed over the fact, she didn’t really want to walk up to her friend as she was.

She took her bag off and started to dig in it for something a little more dry while she kept a conversation with the other, “Do you work here then?  I thought it was ran by the Lees.” 

Sorry for the Fence | Vixen

Always a sucker for ‘mons, always, Vixen noticed the squirming of the green Trapnich in her trainer’s arm and smiled, lifting one hand and placing her fingers close to the creature if she so wanted to sniff. Baby ‘mons were cute, even Vixen couldn’t argue against that.

“Ahh yeah, Marianne is a wanderer type… though I have to wonder how the hell she keeps it up with her team,” Vixen mused. “I think she has over twelve pokemon at this point! Shit, I stopped tryin’ to count them and now I just assume that everything that isn’t a Rapidash, Ponyta, Mareep, or Boufflant belongs to her.”

The mention of the Onsen trip had Vixen’s lips twitching into a frown and she sighed as she looked away, face flushing just slightly. “I really didn’t have a beef with anyone in that room ‘cept for Sabine,” Vixen said. “So all of my aggression was just…. mostly for her. The girl and I have already talked it out though. Can’t say I like Sab any more than I did before then, but at least I got all my, ah… banshee-ness out of the way.” For now Vixen did. Drake hadn’t mentioned anything about Sabine, but he also had something else that he was worrying about.

“Stella, eh? I didn’t recognize yah’ at first with your hair.” Vixen smirked. “You changed it from last we met. Anyways, I’d rather not leave the fence the way it is, or else I’d walk you up to the ranch house… If you stick with me though, there’s a less chance that Jason or Jonas will run you through with a spur. Or something. It shouldn’t take me long to repair it at any rate!” Vixen walked to the Arcanine’s side and started pulling a pack off the saddle.

[neutraltoxicity]

Stella slowly raised a brow at the hesitation of the ranch hand, but she seemed to relax and even became friendly at the mention of Marianne.  Looked she made more friends at the ranch, including the familiar looking worker.  Phoebe’s tiny tail started to shake along with the rest of her, excited at the new face.  Stella sighed a bit but hung onto her, she didn’t need the trapinch breaking more property.

Usually even faced, Stella did have a tinge of surprise at the other.  Vixen?  Wasn’t she... that screaming chick?  Stella had spent most of the time avoiding the cramped room so she didn’t see her too much.  She gave a nod to confirm she was one of the many girls (plus one guy) that ended up in that room.

“Well her and I traveled on the road for a bit to get to the Onsen actually.  I hadn’t seen her in a while so we wanted to meet up in person to catch up and all that.” Stella said, small smile quirking at her face, “My name is Stella, by the way.  Not sure if we ever exchanged them, pretty sure I ducked out when you came in like a banshee.” She paused and shook her head, “Don’t worry about that though, people aren’t always in the best mood they could be, I’m not that judgmental.”

Sorry for the Fence | Vixen

Vixen’s frown did deepen at the other woman’s sarcasm, hand tightening on the pokeball for a second before she relaxed. Okay, clearly the poachers would have to be scraping the bottom of a barrel in order to pick up someone like this with only a baby Trapinch armed to try to come into the ranch. Vixen placed her Houndoom’s pokeball back on her belt, relaxing in the saddle.

She perked when the girl mentioned Marianne, and Vixen’s eyebrows raised as she gazed at Stella. Vixen leaned forward, and finally just dismounted Scratch, though she still kept her hand on the Arcanine’s neck as she stepped closer to Stella, craning her head up to look at her (two inches, two inches was Vixen taller than no one on this bloody property?!), squinting. “Wait a second,” Vixen muttered. “You know Marianne? I…”

She crossed her arms across her chest, and then a lightbulb went off. “Ey, wait! You were one of the girls stuck in that hellish Onsen room, weren’t yah’?” Vixen beamed, and then stuck out her head. “Name’s Vixen! I know Marianne– she’s been stayin’ with us for a week ‘er so now and, ah… I think I gave off a really bad impression when we first met. If you’re coming to see Marianne, though, you must have done somethin’ right. Ah, I think. Maybe?”

[neutraltoxicity]

Well that was a huge dog.  Stella stared at the Arcanine before her eyes shifted to the woman who rode on top of him.  She had to work for the ranch right?  Who else would be seemingly patrolling the fence on a giant farm dog

Stella was caught slightly off guard at the threat and assumptions.  She didn’t think she looked like some thief.  Then again she remembered there being news about an attack on the ranch some previous months ago, maybe they were still being careful?

“Ah yeah, you got me, I’m here to take over with my wet clothes and baby trapinch, complete with adorable bell collar.”  Stella said sarcastically before she motioned to the fence rung that got snapped, “As you can see we've already started to infiltrate.”

“If you can’t take some sarcasm, I was joking.” Stella quickly followed with, not wanting to be kept off the ranch or get attacked by a giant fluffball, “I was coming here to visit Marianne but I fell into the water, have tried to find the entrance to the ranch, and my trapinch decided to attack your fence, which I apologize for.”

Sorry for the Fence | Vixen

It was just another day of work for Vixen. The ranch lately was getting more crowded than usual, so Vixen was enjoying her time out of the house and getting lost in the eighty acres. She wasn’t alone, however, and despite Jason’s promise to let Vixen start working solo, they were approaching three weeks and the two were still rather inseparable.

If Jason didn’t bring it up, Vixen wasn’t about to bring it up either. The one thing they did start doing alone, however, was patrolling the fence, since they got it done in half the time and were able to enjoy a longer lunch break. Also it meant Vixen could ride the Arcanine, Old Scratch, more, and formulate her plan to steal him. In jest, of course.

At least until she saw a blue haired figure with a green… thing in her arms, causing Vixen to tense. Old Scratch rumbled beneath her, and Vixen patted him on the shoulder. “Easy now,” she said, but still flicked a pokeball off her belt, holding it in her hand. “Let’s go see who it is.”

With a nudge the Arcanine padded closer, and Vixen got a look at the girl with her neon blue hair and looking rather on the soaked side, a squirming ‘mon of some sort in her arms… As well as the broken fence she stood by. The hair color threw Vixen off, and while something tugged at familiarity, the thought of poachers snagged at Vixen and she tensed on top of Scratch.

“Hey!” Vixen called, stopping the Arcanine a few feet away. “You better tell me who you are or I’m gonna shove a whooollllle lot of nasty in your face in about three seconds.” Hopefully Vixen’s demeanor looked intimidating enough, with a black tanktop that showed the new muscles which threaded along her shoulders, and the fact that she was seated on top of a giant wolf.

[neutraltoxicity]

Sorry for the Fence | Vixen

A long ocean voyage was certainly not the smartest idea.  It wasn’t even that long!  Going through strong currents at the fastest speed her gorebyss could muster?  That wasn’t great.  Her legs felt like jelly that would squish away below her and leave her on the hot ground.  At least she thought she was getting close to the cowboy ranch that Marianne had told her about.  Well, she should be close given she’d been slowly walking along the fence.  What else could it have been?

Stella huffed a little as she pushed some wet hair behind her ear.  She’d hoped she wouldn’t get too wet but apparently Neptune didn’t get that he needed to get close to the river’s edge for her to get off of him.  Maybe she’d dry out soon, the sun was beating down on her anyways. 

The freckled trainer sighed as she looked down to the trapinch that jingled alongside her.  It felt wrong to keep the baby all cooped up in her ball for a simple walk.  She hoped she could change out of her light tank top and shorts before she met up with Marianne, not feeling like being awkwardly soaked the first time she’d run into her friend.  Her bag was only in the water for a moment, her clothes should have been fine, right?  Stella sighed a bit before a loud crunch got her attention.

the trainer straightened up and jolted around to see her trapinch a few feet behind her, teeth deep into a fence rung.  “Oh damnit, Phoebe no!” Stella sternly snapped at her little green trapinch.  Phoebe paused and looked at her trainer, guilt in her starry eyes.  However, when the ant lion tried to move her jaws, the wouldn’t budge.  Her eyes shifted between the fence and Stella’s stern look before there was even more of a snap and the fence rung was in two.

“Phoebe!” Stella snatched her up before she had a chance to jingle away, “Bad ant!  I really need to get you a durable chew toy...”  The woman sighed a bit before she heard something getting closer.  Her head snapped to what appeared to be someone working and patrolling the area.  No point in running and leaving the broken fence, instead the soaked teen just waited quietly for the somewhat familiar worker to stroll over.

[neutraltoxicity]

Prince of the Sea

The destination was around Verdanturf, wasn’t it?  That’s what the site for this “Bucking Bronco” ranch had said.  Too bad the ferry there was more than she could afford.  Stella had told Marianne she’d just surf, but the ride seemed longer than what would be comfortable on her gorebyss.  Her face looked somewhat irritated as she walked from the port area of Lilycove and toward one of the beach fronts.  Not the tourist infested one, Arceus forbid.  It was a rocky, small area, more populated with Pokemon than people.  Which included her own.

Stella’s blue eyes scanned the beach for her own pokemon among the wild ones skittering about.  Vox was soaking in the shallow water, as he tended to do.  Maple was taking in the sun, her large thorny tail curled up with her body.  Stella squinted and caught the purple fluff of Tiberius somehow stuffed in between the sceptile and her tail.  That left two--

Stella let out a small grunt of surprise as she tripped over something in the sand and fell right into the hot earth.  The woman huffed and got up to her knees before she looked to see who the malicious source was, only to see a very excited trapinch poking up from the sand burrow.  The freckled trainer could help the smile that came over her face at the puppy of a bear trap.  

Phoebe was the newest pokemon addition to her small team.  A small baby of a trapinch she found in the desert wasteland of Hoenn.  She was alone, buried in the sand, much the way she was now.  Stella stuck around to try and look out for a mother, but none ever came from the baby.  Maybe it had to do with the dark green coloration?  Shiny, as some trainers called them.  At any rate the trapinch was like a sore thumb against the sands of a desert, begging to picked off by some predator.  Stella couldn’t leave her like that.

“Phoebe, you need to stop hiding so well.” Stella chuckled a bit, holding a hand out, which was invitation enough for the bug to trudge out and pet herself against it.  A small bell jingled around her neck, something Stella had hoped would help her keep track of Phoebe and her constant attempts to dig herself a hole.  

“Maybe I should just tape a big flag on your head instead, then I’d always find you.” Stella said with a raise of the brow, “Then again you might just dig a deeper hole.”

Stella got to her feet and walked toward the water’s edge, Phoebe following in toe for as far as she could before a wave spooked her back.  She made low sounds at the water, almost like a little growl.  Stella would need to keep the little ground type in her ball for the ride.  Where was that ride anyways?

the trainer squinted until she saw the large pick shape approaching, the top of his body sticking out from the water.  She noticed some blood, which she knew wasn't from the gorebyss, who turned more predatory than she’d expected.  Neptune used to be clam after all.  Some pokemon were just odd.  The sea serpent breached the water and put his watery head in her hands.  Stella was sure that the gorebyss wasn't purebred, he had hints of leaf type tendrils coming off of him.  By her research, probably from a dragalgae for a father.  She’d never seen one, but it seemed like a Kalos native pokemon, either his mother made a big trip or someone let their dragon loose in the waters to score some cute eel chicks. 

“Well, well, the royalty returns.  Sorry prince but you’re going to have to be a royal water bus.” Stella said in a joking tone, but the wide eyed gorebyss didn’t seem upset at the news.   Stella smiled a bit more and gave the deep sea serpent some pets as well.  His skin was more vibrant than when she’d left, a sure sign he’d fed on something.  Hopefully not someone’s pokemon from the tourist beach area.

“Let me gather the rest of the team up and we’ll get going, okay?” Stella told Neptune, who sunk back into the water and waited.  It was gonna be a little bit of a trip, but it seemed worth it to visit with Mari again.

[neutraltoxicity]

[text] give yourself and your pokemon some time, it’d be good for everyone

[text] especially with all the fighting pokemon I remember you having, they need that time to spar 

[text] that sounds perfect, I can set sail on the SS Gorebyss and meet you there

[text] hey mari, sorry I've been out of touch for a bit, hope you haven't had too many unpleasant encounters since we last talked

Marianne checked the number again, squinting at it as she motioned for Atolli to continue training while she stepped aside and formulated a response

—-

[txt] Hey, it happens

[txt] I’ve been a bit off the radar since the Onsen myself

[txt] Wish I could say I haven’t had that many unpleasant encounters but we’re alive

[txt] I think that’s what counts

[neutraltoxicity]

[text] those are all like sprinkles on the top of ice cream cone of adventure

[text] good to hear, Vox can still be a prick tho, but I think that might be the norm for toxicroaks. 

[text] I’d be fine with meeting you there, the open space would be nice for my team 

[text] I have a surf transport now so it should be too bad given there is water going everywhere through this hellscape

[text] hey mari, sorry I've been out of touch for a bit, hope you haven't had too many unpleasant encounters since we last talked

Marianne checked the number again, squinting at it as she motioned for Atolli to continue training while she stepped aside and formulated a response

—-

[txt] Hey, it happens

[txt] I’ve been a bit off the radar since the Onsen myself

[txt] Wish I could say I haven’t had that many unpleasant encounters but we’re alive

[txt] I think that’s what counts

[neutraltoxicity]

[text] idk the melody of screaming children is what really makes the adventure real

[text] I’d love to check your frog out, I’m sure Vox would love to see more of his own kind, I’ll make sure he behaves himself in case your frog is off like you said

[text] I’d also love to catch up with you in person

[text] hey mari, sorry I've been out of touch for a bit, hope you haven't had too many unpleasant encounters since we last talked

Marianne checked the number again, squinting at it as she motioned for Atolli to continue training while she stepped aside and formulated a response

—-

[txt] Hey, it happens

[txt] I’ve been a bit off the radar since the Onsen myself

[txt] Wish I could say I haven’t had that many unpleasant encounters but we’re alive

[txt] I think that’s what counts

[neutraltoxicity]

[text] sounds a lot nicer sleeping in the dirt or in a pokemon center with all the somehow-legally-a-trainer ten year olds

[text] I like the sound of this cool kid frog, though I could be a tad biased toward toxicroaks

[text] they are pretty gross, tbh, but they can puke up poison from a throat sac, they aren't the classiest frog around

[text] hey mari, sorry I've been out of touch for a bit, hope you haven't had too many unpleasant encounters since we last talked

Marianne checked the number again, squinting at it as she motioned for Atolli to continue training while she stepped aside and formulated a response

—-

[txt] Hey, it happens

[txt] I’ve been a bit off the radar since the Onsen myself

[txt] Wish I could say I haven’t had that many unpleasant encounters but we’re alive

[txt] I think that’s what counts

[neutraltoxicity]

[text] I suppose i have a few to tell

[text] ah yes the mandatory ranch portion of any pokemon adventure, I remember my own fondly

[text] what ranch is it?

[text] red and black? Sounds edgy. They can be a lot of colors, especially in the wild. Usually they get bred the standard blue/black/red but I've seen some that look like a 5 year old colored them with neon markers

[text] did you get a toxic frog?

[text] hey mari, sorry I've been out of touch for a bit, hope you haven't had too many unpleasant encounters since we last talked

Marianne checked the number again, squinting at it as she motioned for Atolli to continue training while she stepped aside and formulated a response

—-

[txt] Hey, it happens

[txt] I’ve been a bit off the radar since the Onsen myself

[txt] Wish I could say I haven’t had that many unpleasant encounters but we’re alive

[txt] I think that’s what counts

[neutraltoxicity]

[text] sounds like you have stories to tell, those poachers or some other bag of dicks? [text] glad you're still kicking though, be a shame to lose the only friend I've made in hoenn

[text] where are you on the whole journey thing right now?

[text] hey mari, sorry I've been out of touch for a bit, hope you haven't had too many unpleasant encounters since we last talked

Marianne checked the number again, squinting at it as she motioned for Atolli to continue training while she stepped aside and formulated a response

—-

[txt] Hey, it happens

[txt] I’ve been a bit off the radar since the Onsen myself

[txt] Wish I could say I haven’t had that many unpleasant encounters but we’re alive

[txt] I think that’s what counts

[neutraltoxicity]

wow I haven’t updated this thing in a long time, had some things happen in my personal life, if anyone keeps track of this thing even.  Adventure updates to share: my clam turned into a magnificent creature with a gory hook tongue and I found a green bear trap in the desert, shiny I guess.  Got some badges.  Decided I continue to dislike the climate here.  Hair got updated.

I’m sure more exciting things have happened to everyone else.

[neutraltoxicity]

don't chase the bun

“You two did great!” Stella said with a smile as she sat outside the Sunyshore gym with her Toxicroak and Brozong.  It wasn’t too hard of a gym, they did good.  

Stella recalled them both and started to walk along the solar panel covered walkway that connected the otherwise rustic city.  She couldn’t believe it!  She was going to be heading out to battle the Elite Four now!  It was all she had been looking forward to and working toward.

First she needed to heal everyone up and get her Floatzel ready for the watery trip to the end of the league.  She needed some supplies as well, she was sure it wasn’t going to be a short, easy trip.  Especially with victory road on the way too.

Her phone rang and she quickly grabbed it.  Oh, it was just her mom.  She answered it anyways, “Hey.”

“Stella?”  Her voice was distressed and she was obviously crying.  The trainer narrowed her eyes a tad.

“Yeah, it’s me, what’s got you all worked up?” She asked, maybe a little more uninterested than she should have sounded.

“Stella!  Dad..” She choked a sob, “Grandpa.. he died..  we don’t know what happened, I went to go wake him up with morning and he wouldn’t-- Stella?!  Stella are you there?!”  

The teen let the phone drop to the solar panels beneath her as she stared into space, tears welling in her eyes.  That couldn’t be.  She had to be lying.   She had to be.

He couldn’t be gone.

[neutraltoxicity]

Don't chase the rabbit

“Is he really for me?!”  the young girl practically squeaked out as she held the young croagunk in outstretched arms.

“Haha, yes sweetie, he’s all your’s.”  The older man said with a smile as he sat on the porch chair.  His daughter said they couldn’t be inside the house with the little creature.  She could be so ornery sometimes.  You’d think she was the old one in the house.

Stella’s eyes lit up as she looked between her grandad and the toxic frog, “He’s so perfect!  I love him!”

“He’s the grandson of my old toxicroak, remember him?”

Stella gasped a little, “Really?  He’s gonna be so strong then!  We’re gonna go beat up the whole league together!”

Her grandfather chuckled, “Only when your mom says you can, okay baby girl?”

Stella pouted but was quickly distracted by the croaking baby frog.  She hadn’t been so excited for something for so long.  It was a sight to see and it did his old heart good.

“What’s his name?”

“Oh, my friend had named him Vox to keep track of him from his siblings, but we can change it--”

“No!  That sounds cool!”  She cut in with gusto before looking at croagunk.  She had no clue what Vox meant, but it seemed perfect anyways!

[neutraltoxicity]

Don't chase the rabbit

“Miss?  Miss are you listening to me?”

Stella huffed and looked up at the cop who was sitting across from her at the table.  He looked concerned yet stern with his typical ‘you need to turn your life around’ bullshit speech she’d heard before.

“I don’t need to, I’ve heard it before.” The teen scoffed and slouched in the chair, “I’m sure mom will give it to me too, much more screechy though.”

The cop sighed and narrowed his eyes a bit at the blatant disregard for his authority from the minor.  He’d have to talk in a way she’d actually get, “Listen Miss Mayes, I’m sure you don’t think the world can do anything to you right now.  You have troubles and you take them out by being a petty little thief.”

He pointed to the pokeball on the table, “However, he’d be who you’re putting in danger.  If you use your Pokemon for illegal activities you could get your license revoked, you could even get your Pokemon confiscated.  This happens again and we’ll pursue that option.  That a little more clear to you?”

The punkish teen quieted down and stared at Vox’s pokeball as she got slapped in the face with reality.  She couldn’t lose him though!  He was all she had from her grandpa!  She fought back the hot tears that threatened to form and sat in silence, just giving a nod to the officer.  It wasn’t too long she heard the screechy voice of her mother, there to retrieve her.

She couldn’t get caught again.

[neutraltoxicity]

(( may have forgotten i drew this........... like a month or two ago............................ FINALLY COLORED IT NOW THO!  Little outdated cause Tiberius evolved, but oh well ))