[PMD BTS] RP: A New Team Appears
While exploring the Friend Camps, Gene and Jasper run into some new faces.
Opening we see a grassy hill centered in a lush green field. A boy sits resting against a tree atop the hill. He watches as his companion chases butterflies around the field. The flowers dance around her with every step. Just as the boy begins to close his eyes for a nap, two figures appear at the edge of the clearing.
Gene strolled through the grassy hills aimlessly. He hadn't had a chance to investigate the friend camps for himself, but as the calamities had died down it was nice to take some time to himself. And given the endless stress surrounding his both family life and love life it was good to just get away for a time.
As he wandered he happened across a Litten boy leaning against a tree and an Eevee running around him. Interesting, new faces it seemed.
He made his way over to them. "Good day, I'd not expected to find anyone else out way," he said. "Are the two of you with the guild?"
Lee tilts his head. "What's a guild" he asks. He stands so as to be taller than the stranger then urges the Eevee to join them with another sharp jerk of the head. The Eevee frolics towards them with no notion of urgency, but when she sees the stranger she quickly hides behind Lee, clinging to his arm.
Gene smirked with amusement. "Pardon me for being so presumptuous. What with the legendary tantrums being thrown left and right I assumed everyone here was familiar with the guild and their involvement by now."
He extended a hand in greeting, his head tilting slightly to the side in a playful manner. "You may call me Gene. I am the leader of Team New Beginnings, one of the rescue teams affiliated with the GCFS, or Global Communication Setup Foundation if you are unfamiliar. The guild's primary goal is to create a complete map of the world and all of it's mysterious dungeons, and we do a bit of policing and emergency aid as well."
"What might I call you?" he asked the Litten man and glancing to the Eevee attempting to hide behind him. "And your companion?"
Lee glances down at at Gene's gesture, but doesn't accept it. "I've never heard of any of that." He pauses for a long moment unsure how to interact with this absurdly forward fellow. "We keep to ourselves," he said with a brooding expression. "I'm Lee." The Eevee remains as still as a statue, wide eyes peering curiously at the purple man.
Lee has still not taken Gene's hand.
"Ah, I see," Gene said, letting his hand fall. He still smiled but the corners of his mouth fell slightly. He felt a tad awkward approaching them now, but no matter. If they did not wish to talk then he could be on his way. "Forgive me for intruding then, if you would prefer to be left to yourselves."
As the group of three spoke, a tall Toxel man approached with caution. He noticed a familiar face and their gestures, and he could vaguely remember their name. Gene? He wondered what he was doing out here, and if these were new team mates of his. He did not know the ghost all that well, and was just an acquaintance between his team and Blackstar's for all he knew.
He was drowsy and lumbering up the hill. "Hey there." He called out. "Gene, right? Jasper." He reintroduced and glanced at the other two. "What brings you out here?" He asked the party. He himself had just awoken from a nap, the dark circles under his eyes that were normally present were nowhere to be seen. Fiona wasn't around, and he had a day off to just enjoy himself for a change.
Lee's eyes slowly moved from one stranger to tthe next.
Gene turned, hearing his name spoken by a familiar voice but unable to place the owner without seeing their face. He grinned in surprise, quirking an eyebrow at the Toxel walking their way.
"Indeed, fancy catching you out this way as well," he said playfully. "I was just seeing the sights while I've the chance, seeing as how we will likely be shipping out in a weeks time or so."
"This is Lee and..." he trailed off, knowing not what to call their Eeevee friend. "Well I cannot say I'm acquainted with the young lady, though truthfully I'm barely acquainted with Lee," he laughed.
He turned back to Lee and the Eevee. "This is Jasper of Team Thunderstuck, another team under the guild," he explained.
Jasper quirked a brow at Gene for the introductions. He didn't like his information being thrown about willy nilly to some strangers that even Gene himself barely knew. He put his hands on his waist. "Yes, Wayfarer branch." He decided to follow up. The Shuppet probably wasn't going to be keeping many secrets it seemed, so he could at least steer his own destiny. "Picking up new recruits?" He put a hand on Gene's shoulder but eyed the Eevee lurking quietly behind with curiosity.
Lee didn't like that he was now outnumbered, though not necessarily outmatched. He uncrossed his arms in an attempt to look larger puffing out his chest and pushing the Eevee farther behind him.
"He's not picking up anything," Lee spat.
Lee knew the men weren't really a threat, but for her sake he wouldn't risk anything. He had to protect her, and just now he really didn't like the way this Toxel was eyeing her like a piece of candy.
Gene looked from Jasper to Lee to this girl he'd yet to meet, seeing the apprehension simmering between them.
"No, they are no recruits of mine," Gene laughed goodheartedly. "Not that I would not be interested if they were themselves wished to join my team."
He turned back to Lee. "Calm yourself friend, we mean you no harm. Should it put you at ease we will be on our way." As he spoke he allowed his Captivate to seep into his words, hoping to charm his acquaintances and ease this growing tension.
Jasper laughed at Lee when he puffed his chest. The twig of a Litten reminded him of himself when he was younger, but more so of his own brother. Lee showed loyalty to this Eevee. He wondered why Gene was so quick to flee when these two clearly look like if they were to put up a fight it would be over by his hand alone.
He cracked his own knuckles passively for intimidation before flaring them around in gesture as he spoke. "You know, neither of you have really gone so far as to answer my original question. A simple aimless stroll still has its own missions and gains, as you easily could have passed these two by, but you chose to make yourself known." His tail flicked as he tested.
Lee felt himself beginning to relax despite this man's obvious attempt to intimidate him, though he couldn't say exactly why he felt more at ease so suddenly.
"Long story short," he began, "we have no place to call our own." His eyes moved between the two again trying to get a read on either of their intentions. "So we move... A lot."
Another long pause while Lee weighed his options. One: he could fight and take his chances two on one. Two: He could turn and leave and hope to not be followed. Or three: he could play nice; something he was not good at. Lee knew neither of the first options could garentee her saftey and that was his main priority.
Fine, option three. "I call her Chewy," he says to noone in particular, looking sullen all the while. At the sound of her nickname; the Eevee perked up, but did not loosen her grip on Lee's arm.
"Boredom is a very strong motivating factor in my opinion," Gene said to Jasper, still trying to make light of the situation. Truly there were few things that drove him to do things more than boredom. "And I could have let them be, but I was curious. Sue me."
Gene turned back to Lee and 'Chewy', his smile growing oddly tender. "I can relate to that," he said. "You could as I was a bit of a wandering spirit myself before I joined the guild. Should you be interested in something a bit more stable it is a viable option, not that I mean to push you one way or another," he assured with a smile and a casual shrug.
Jasper folded his arms together, leaning to his side. His tail flicked with slight agitation from Gene's snide attitude. "If you're on the run from something, Lee and- Chiari," He gave her a playful glance, a dimple gracing a brief appearance in his smile, "Then you may be interested in seeking out the Bounty Hunter's guild for assistance." Their response would be telling of the situation they were in, and he set a mental checkmate into place earlier than he was expecting.
"Chewy!" a small voice peeped. Lee smirked at her bravery, she didn't voice her own opinion often.
Lee turned back to Gene and Jasper, "We're not running from anything, but if you're trying to imply something, you might as well be straightforward about it."
Gene shot a knowing glance at Jasper, quite enjoying his little game. Either as new bounty hunters or as hunted bounties themselves their branch could be interested in these two. But when Gene reached out to the aura radiating from Lee all he could find was anger, nothing of guilt or fear. He suspected whatever they were on the run from it was not the guild.
"I am certain we know not what you mean," Gene said calmly with a cat-like grin. "We are merely offering aid, it is what we do. Are you not interested in such help?" he pried, quite curious as to why.
"Help... at what cost?"
Jasper tilted his head with curiousness at the eevee. Quiet types were common in Pierce due to harsh parenting, and they even had a few well known ones in their old ranks back home. He was broke from her beauty by a tingling in his forehead. Was there a freak storm on the way, or was it from his wandering eye from Fi putting him in place. He shook it off, but kept weary of the skies.
"Only the cost of your time and energy. Would that be any different from your present situation?" Jasper gave him a bored look and then let out a pent up yawn. "There is nothing to fear from law enforcement." He said casually, looking off into the distance.
Lee stops to consider what it might feel like to have a bed beneath him and a roof above him. Something he and Chewy had not had in a long time. Food was a little easier in the wild, but hot food was another delicasy he longed for. If agreeing with these men with their strange words could promise such privlages for her, he would do just about anything.
"Fine," he said with a sigh.
Gene raised an eyebrow at Lee's resigned sigh. "Do not act so defeated," Gene teased. "This is a good thing, is it not? Unless you enjoy this nomadic lifestyle of yours."
"Thought I must ask, what are your end goals here? If you are not on the run from anything or anyone, does that mean you wish to inquire about guild membership for yourselves? Or are there troubles of another variety that plague you?" he asked. They were a rather interesting pair, and Gene knew little of their story so it was difficult to deduce what exactly they wanted. Suspicious, but intriguing.
A noticable change in Lee's face at the sound of the word plague; he went from resigned to pained in a flash. His eyes lowered as he remebered what he was truly running from. A memory. Chewy sensed his pain and hugged Lee tight locking his arms down awkwardly.
"Can we go?" Lee was anxious to distract himself now. THinking of his past always filled him with a twisted pit of anger and sadness.
Gene picked up on the sudden spike in Lee as he finished speaking, a deep, thick aura of mourning pooling around him. An emotion Gene was quite familiar with at this point. All the more curious. But he could hardly ask about such a thing directly as he had no reasonable excuse to expect he had suffered a loss of some kind. No, for now he would have to reign in his curiosity. But perhaps he could use a more round about way to uncover his secrets.
Jasper's quizzical eyes wandered to unsavory places when Chewy showed Lee comfort. But that buzzing in his head had intensified, and he also reflected a face of pain. He couldn't understand what was going on, but he did take notice of Lee's own sensitivity. He wasn't sure what quite triggered it, but it was apparent to him that Lee might be struggling on a personal level. He was avoiding questions, being defensive, and hesitating. If he wanted to cause trouble he would have either walked away or joined them already, and the way Chewy was responding to Lee told him they were close and reliant on one another, something he connected with fondly from what felt like so long ago now.
He flicked his tail, debating whether or not to extend trust towards the Litten. "I was on my way to the Dojo down the road, would you be interested in joining me for a spar?" He finally said. "If you don't join the cause, a little self defense lesson might be useful for you." He looked at Gene, "Maybe this one here could treat you to a meal in town after?" He gave side glance and a toothy grin.
Lee's eyes flicked up to Jasper's eyes and the tiniest hint of a smirk returned to his face. The idea of knocking this guy's teeth in brought life back into his stance. "Sure," Lee said. "I like punching things."
Gene raised an eyebrow, looking from Jasper to Lee and back. He saw little merit in beating one another up as a form of bonding, but to each their own.
"I do quite prefer eating to being punched in the face," Gene nodded casually. "So this arrangement suits me just fine."
"Don't worry, we'll be sure to leave your money maker alone, GG." Jasper teased. "Come on." He flicked his chin up towards the way to walk and lead the way along.
The building stood at the edge of a cliff, and a waterfall poured not far away. Mist was swept up into the air by the updrafts and darkened the wood of the old building. He opened the doors for them to enter, revealing a training stage in the center and a raised roof for fresh air. "Seems that we've got the place to ourselves today. Everyone must be out enjoying the weather now that things have begun to calm down around here." He kept a sharp ear out for any unfamiliar noises lurking in the building. "Gene, why don't we do the pleasure of showing Lee here how it's done?"
Gene raised an eyebrow skeptically at Jasper, a hesitant grin on his face. "What happened to leaving my money maker alone? I had but one request," Gene teased. "Don't you know I'm a delicate flower?" he said without thinking, holding his smile firmly in place. Though it was a perfectly average saying, probably they would think nothing of it.
Jasper chuckled. "I didn't take you for a cowardly type, Gene." He cocked his head and reached into his pocket, pulling out some yellow tape for his hands. "You're a ghost, not a flower, that much anyone can see. Besides, some of the toughest people I know are grass tyes: Maeve and Timoti. You may have met some of them?"
He began to strip his clothing away until he was just down to his pants, and then proceeded to wrap his hands in the wrappings. He smiled lightly, feeling her strength as his side. "You want a good show, Lee? A little taste of what is coming for you next." He laughed boisterously.
Lee is leaning against the nearest wall, arms crossed, watching somewhat interested. He nods in aknowlagement towards Jasper.
Gene's eyes lit up at the challenge, a smirk slicing across his face.
"Then I am glad your first impression of me was spot on, as I am not one to back down from a challenge," Gene assured him as he unbuttoned his vest and dress shirt, shrugging them off.
Jasper gave another crack of his knuckles and bent his neck to both sides. He jumped from foot to foot feeling his balance as he made his way into the center of the room. He'd spent a lot of time training here and he wasn't about to let Gene just own him, especially in front of a stranger. "How about you come give me your best shot, a gentleman's courtesy, so you can get a feel for taking a swing at me?"
Gene stood with his knees bent and his fists up, feelings rather unsteady and out of his element but he was not about to let anyone else in on that fact if he could avoid it.
"How kind," he said with a hesitant grin as he rush forward, punching into Jasper's chest.
Gene's fist met Jasper's chest with a decent enough thud, but it lacked the trained force to really do anything other than maybe leave a slight bruise later. His stance hadn't faltered, and he huffed out a small laugh. "Alright, my turn." He took a quick jab at Gene's shoulder, just something light to catch him off guard. It was a bit weaker of a shot than he intended, but it put them at an even field for the time being.
Once he'd given Gene a little taste of what he was capable of, he took a few quick skips back. He kept his stance a little shifted back, letting his legs rest before his body, and resting on the weight of his tail. He kept his arms close, ready for Gene to make the first move. "Come on short stuff, show me what you're really made of."
Gene felt Jasper jab him in the shoulder, wincing slightly but overall it wasn't as bad as he imagined. Maybe sparring wasn't so bad.
He steadied himself as Jasper jumped back, grinning at his taunt and feeling oddly alive. He lunged at Jasper again, reaching up to strike his chest again, but his movements were sloppy and slow and easily blockable.
Jasper leaned forward and took Gene's punches with his arms. It really wasn't fair how small he was compared to himself, but he felt like keeping it fair was important in front of Lee. He used his arm to circle around one of Gene's and pull him past him to his side to throw him off balance. This was when he noticed a particularly noticeable scar on the back of the Shuppet. He wondered if it would be wrong to take a swing at it, but let him go for the time being. As he moved, he crouched, sweeping his tail in front of Gene's legs to bring him into a fall.
As Gene was pulled past Jasper the twisted burn scar on his back was in full view, how the skin splintered and pulled back in a circular pattern. But as it was on Gene's back it was firmly out of sight and out of mind, so Gene himself hadn't considered the repercussions of running around shirtless. And he was much too focused on actually laying a hit on Jasper to remember his death mark.
Gene stumbled, tripping over Jasper's tail as it came around his legs. He pushed himself back up onto his hands and knees.
"Seems rather unfair," he huffed with a smile. "You've got an extra limb it."
He sprung forward again, punching at his torso again but still lacking any real strength behind it.
Gene gave him a better hit this time, he'd feel that one later. "Well, you've got an offensive facing horn, and I don't see why you wouldn't use it to your own advantage." He tested back between blows.
With Gene focused on his top half, and not really blocking, Jasper took the opportunity to strike with his legs while he blocked. He spun and held his weight heavily at his center while driving his other leg for a solid shot into Gene's side. It would likely leave the ghost gasping, hoping for an opportunity to take a shot at his back.
Gene gasped as Jasper's leg came around and struck him. He'd not been at all prepared, much too focused on where their hands were to pay attention to feet. He fell to the side, stumbling and catching himself with his hands on the floor. He started the right himself, but he was slow and left himself wide open.
Jasper was sportsmanlike and let Gene get back to his feet, but he was quicker and he went for a solid jab right at Gene's scar. It was the perfect target. He felt a small jolt of electricity crawl up his arm, leaving it tingling and numb. What on earth? He didn't think he hit him that hard.
Gene's eyes widened, flashing a bright yellow as Jasper struck his scar. His mouth stretched wide in a gasp or a cry but nothing came out, his body suddenly frozen in pain as if even the mere act of inhaling would feel like a knife in his gut. Jasper's punch seemed to move through him, a surge of electricity following the veins carved out of his chest and trailing straight to his heart.
For a moment time seemed to slow, his vision fading as gruff voices of shady Sanlow smugglers filled his ears, his brother yelling his name but it was cut off. The air around him was humid, drops of ocean water misting against his skin and the sound of waves splashing against the dock.
It lasted but a fraction of a second as Gene crumpled to the floor, unconscious but eyes still stretched wide and unmoving, the light of his yellow pupils fading.
Jasper shook his hand trying to regain its feeling, while he noticed Gene just smack back down to the ground. He looked lifeless, and for a moment, Jasper had a stroke of panic. "Gene?" He asked softly. "Gene." He seemed to shout a little louder. He didn't even use a move, so why did he feel a shock? He knelt down by Gene and shook his shoulder. He was truly afraid by the look on his face that he'd just sent Gene into his next life. "Lee! Go get help!"
Lee stands frozen with his jaw slightly parted, not entirely sure what he just witnessed nor how to react. Chewy, who has been sitting absentmindedly chewing on Lee's tail, looks up for the first time. No reaction.
Grimshaw had been watching them since they walked in, even if his presence went unnoticed. He leaned back against the post he was standing beside, his usually tied back hair was pulled up into a training bun. He wore no shirt and simple flexible fabric pants. His hands and feet both were bound in black training tape, a wooden sword tucked to his side. His scared body on full display, not that he cared much. His tail swayed back and forth as he watched them, judging their movement. From the sloppy footing to the lackluster strikes. If they were in battle, these fools would not live to see the end of that day.
Beside him was Fiona, her wings tucked behind her, all four of them now, as she noticed them. She had wanted to run over, but Grimshaw and stopped her from doing so. She also watched them. She was wearing a cropped top, training pants like Grim’s, her own training sword, and her hands and feet bound in the same style as Grimshaw’s. She side glanced at Grim, seeing just calculating gaze upon the others. Oh great… She leaned her head to one side, the halo that hovered over her tilted as well.
Well, up until Jasper took his best shot as rushing Gene to his next next life.
“Pathetic”, Grimshaw said dismissively.
“Not the time Grimshaw”, she said sharply as she walked over to the mat. “You know Jasper, this isn’t really how I imagined seeing you again”, she said as she knelt down beside Gene. Her two sets of wings unfurled, the tips of them longer than previously, and looking as if they had been dipped in gold. The halo over her basked her in almost a permanent angelic light.
Jasper sat up and leaned back on his calves, completely in shock with what was happening. He hadn't heard Grim or Fi the whole time, and seeing Fi before him all of a sudden, in all of her ethereal and otherworldly beauty, was unbelievable. "Fi..." He could only stare in wonder at her new form and the circumstances of their meeting. He wondered what she was doing here looking like an absolute angel.
Are you even real? Am I still dreaming? He'd adopted the move of Rest in place of Attract, and dealing with the side effects of the TM had been rough. His sense of time was so warped, and it was a good thing he hadn't had any missions of great importance. He wanted to reach out and touch her, make sure she was real, but he didn't want to distract her from Gene's critical state. He looked down at Gene's hollow eyes while his heartbeat swelled into his throat.
Fiona looked over Gene's body, or at least, what she could reasonable see. She used some life drew to heal what minimal physical injuries he had. She checked his back, seeing his scar and recognizing it as such a mark as Arius had. So, Gene was also a reborn ghost? That made things... complicated.
"You seemed to have just winded him to the point of knocking him out. He will be fine.", she assured Jasper, looking up at him. "Then again, I never really suspected Gene to be a hardcore sparring type, and your match seemed rather one sided"
The man of words never failed to always seem to lose them when she was around. He let out a breath that was trapped in his lungs. It was one thing to knock someone out, but seeing Gene's eyes open was freaky. He went ahead and closed them, putting Gene into a more peaceful state. "What would I do without you?" He smiled gently at Fi with sad eyes. He'd always wanted to protect her, but she was always the one there for him, ever since his own injuries at the dojo in Treasure Town.
She pulled Gene closer to her, lifting him and letting his head sit on her lap, her wings laying around Gene gently. He seemed to be breathing fine enough, but she was concerned. Was this going to be...another coma like situation that Arius had? She hoped not. But, she also knew his status, and Arius's, was something to protect. She looked at Jasper. Even from you my love...
She gave a smile, "Who knows. Lucky for you, you don't have to find out right?"
Grimshaw walked over after collecting their bags. "I assume your cutting training short?", he said to Fiona.
"For now", Fiona conformed.
Jasper looked up at Grim with a furrowed brow, flicking his tail angrily. "Obviously. Why would we continue with a fellow man down like this?" Grim sure did have some nerve. Even though he barely knew Gene, he wasn't going for such a knock out. He flexed his fingers feeling their sensation return.
Jasper looked over to where Lee and Chewy had been, and it seems they either followed orders now unheeded or got scared off by the matter. He sighed, feeling terrible about what kind of impression he had made on the new face.
"Well considering you're the one to cause it, your actually caring for your 'fellow man' remains to be seen. Sloppy work on your party can serious hurt someone else.", Grimshaw said simply.
Fiona hit him in the leg with one of her wings. "Be nice."
"I assure you I am."
Jasper grit his teeth, hating that Grim was right. He refused to admit it. He got up suddenly and grabbed his belongings. There was no use for him here, why stay? No need to bring any more trouble than he already had. "I'll see you around Fi." He said solemnly. Between Rest and leaderly duties he felt it was hard to get even the littlest time with her. You deserve better.
"Jasper", she said in a sad voice. She could see his silent pain, and if Gene was not occupying her lap, she would have jumped up to grab onto him.
"Running? I took you for many things, but a coward was not one. No, you did this and it is your responsibility to ensure this one", he pointed down at Gene, "doesn't have any long term damage. Isn't that the 'leaderly' thing to do?" Grim's tone was harsh, almost like a parent scolding a child who broke a vase and tried to blame it on something else. A straight cutting through the bullshit sort of tone.
Jasper whipped back around. "What can I possibly do Grim? Carry him? I think you can manage that just fine by the way you're always trying to knock me down. It isn't that I don't want to help, but that my guilt is my heaviest burden." He stared back into Grim's emerald eyes with fury.
"Guilt is a mental block, a hindrance, a disease of the mind. But running off like a scolded child is nothing more than highlighting your cowardice to consequences. If he needs carried it should be you to do so. If he needs medical care you are to foot the bill and if he never forgives you that is a burden you must bare tell your own end. It doesn't matter if it is doing this, or taking a life. Buckling under consequences makes those that follow you have no faith. No resolve. Or perhaps, being a leader in this guild is just a title handed down to anyone who wants to be a starry eyed explorer? I expected better, perhaps I expected to much.", Grimshaw didn't talk much, but leadership was one of his passionate speaking points. He had been the leader of island security for years, his men followed him without question, and respected him. He earned it. And he had seen so many pokemon with terrible leader skills, it made him sick.
Jasper was taken aback by Grim's words. If he wasn't here, he'd have jumped into action himself like he wanted, but because their relationship was not in best standing, and the history they all had together, he only wished to leave his presence. But he came back slowly and quietly, passing Grim without a glance and scooping Gene out of Fiona's lap. "Let's go." He said quietly. Gene wasn't really all that heavy, but he was certainly weighed down by the heaviness of Jasper's own heart.
Fiona got up and followed after Jasper, putting a gentle hand on his back. "He'll be okay Jasper", she said softly to him.
Grimshaw collected their things and followed them, he handed Fiona her shoes, which she changed into quickly. He just walked without them, not caring about the gravel beneath his feet.