[center][color=9efbb6][h1]Valen[/h1][/color] [@PlatinumSkink] [/center] [hr] After Qwerty's training, Valen once again trekked to the pokemon center for some much needed refreshing. After Qwerty was healed promptly, Valen opted to take a nap in a waiting room. He couldn't help it-- his nerves and the anxiousness of the upcoming event had been wearing away at him all day, despite his best efforts to stay positive. He and Qwerty had been productive enough, but that hadn't helped his mindset. Even after waking up, he took a few minutes to lay in bed and breathe.[color=9efbb6][i] It's okay. You're prepared. Qwerty's got this. You'll be okay. [/i][/color] They had trained pretty hard, hadn't they? Afterwards, when the sun was past setting and the day began to settle into evening, Valen and Qwerty made their way to the old, dilapidated house where the teacher was. [color=9efbb6]"Should we knock?" [/color]Valen asked Qwerty. Doubtless, their client would probably hear them dealing with the pokemon that were causing him trouble. Concerned, Valen didn't want to scare their client with the ruckus they would undoubtedly start. Qwerty bumped Valen impatiently, nudging the sharp planes of her beak against his shoulder. Whatever he needed to do, he needed to hurry up! There were things to do! [color=9efbb6]"Um,"[/color] Valen knocked on the door. [color=9efbb6]"We're gonna start, um, tackling our objective now,"[/color] he called, trying to sound professional instead. If the man did acknowledge Valen, then Valen would smile politely, bow his head, then say he was off to do the job, complete with hurrying to the back of the house to get started. A few stars dotted the sky now and soon enough, the culprits were found. Looking very much like black sheets of cloth suspended in midair, they were creatures that Valen realized from his reading at the library. [color=9efbb6][i]"Shuppet... Ghost types!"[/i][/color] ‘Shuppet~!’ One of them was happily tackling the breaker, for some reason, knocking it with Knock Off. ‘Shup-shup!’ Another one was just looking happy floating about the noise. ‘Shuuppet.’ The third was floating around, peeking through windows and hiding in the eaves occasionally. Valen stepped forward, shoes crunching too loudly on the dead leaves and crisp grass. [color=9efbb6]"Okay, we're gonna move in on 'em and surprise 'em with a sneak attack."[/color] His legs were shaking, his heart was racing. Their first [i]wild[/i] pokemon battle. It was real, here, happening now. Qwerty, on the other hand, was beginning to have opposite feelings as saw the Shuppet. Did they know what they were doing was wrong? The other two weren't even doing anything! This wasn't training. How could she attack pokemon who didn't attack her? And she was fortunate enough to have a trainer. What kind of guidance or care did these most likely wild Shuppet have? [color=9efbb6]"Use-"[/color] Valen was cut off by Qwerty ramming into him. Stumbling back, Valen rubbed his shoulder where she'd knocked him with her bill. [color=9efbb6]"Qwerty..!"[/color] His jaw was dropped open. [color=9efbb6]"What'd you do that for?"[/color] "Kre kre!" Qwerty responded, clearly annoyed. She jabbed towards the Shuppet impatiently, then a melancholy look softened her features. "Kre." She looked at Valen, pointing to herself, then the Shuppet. [color=9efbb6]"I..."[/color] Valen shifted himself up, hands on one knee. [color=9efbb6]"You don't want to attack them?"[/color] Qwerty shook her head. [color=9efbb6]"Why?"[/color] She made a whimpering noise. [color=9efbb6]"What's wrong? Are you hurting?"[/color] She shook her head once more, looking down and then back at the Shuppet. [color=9efbb6]"They look pretty goofy, huh?"[/color] Valen tried to comfort Qwerty. [color=9efbb6]"It's okay."[/color] He studied the Shuppet. What about them was freaking Qwerty out, he wondered. They looked so natural and in their element, cute even. [i][color=9efbb6]They look like they're having fun. Does Qwerty feel bad?[/color][/i] He tilted his head. [color=9efbb6][i]I feel kinda bad just thinking of sneaking up on them now. They're like kids. Maybe they are. You wouldn't just ambush a bunch of kids if you saw them playing with something they weren't supposed to. Kids don't really know. Maybe the Shuppet don't know...[/i][/color] [color=9efbb6]"Well I don't exactly know what's bugging you,"[/color] Valen knelt down to stroke Qwerty. [color=9efbb6]"But can we talk to the Shuppet? Are you cool with that? I guess I can understand why you wouldn't wanna go up and attack them. It's scary."[/color] As Valen had been talking, Qwerty had been nodding her head, eyes bright, but then quickly shook it close to when his words came to their end. [color=9efbb6]"Hmm... Do you feel bad for them, too? They don't seem like they mean to be mean. Those other two just look like they're there for the ride, even. It just... seems rude?"[/color] Valen laughed sheepishly. Qwerty was nodding. The human had eventually picked it up after all. Valen exhaled. [color=9efbb6]"Well, new plan. I guess we could start talking first, see where it goes from there. If they start attacking, you'd still have to defend yourself, but at that point I think it's okay to battle and drive 'em off. Right?"[/color] "Kre," Qwerty agreed. Valen crossed his arms.[color=9efbb6] "Well, let's see what they have to say. Which one do we go up to... I guess the troublemaker, right? The other two are just hanging around."[/color] Qwerty analyzed the situation, concluding that Valen's plan was acceptable. [color=9efbb6]"Alright. Geez I hope it doesn't attack. Get ready just in case, okay Qwerty? Also, I think it's better if you talk to them. I feel like you'd be able to get your point across better."[/color] Qwerty nodded. Taking one last moment to gather his courage, Valen and Qwerty strode over to the breakerbox, where the Shuppet was. Qwerty began to earnestly talk to the Shuppet. In her own series of quacks, she introduced herself, then asked the Shuppet to please stop bothering the poor human inside the house with their banging on his breakerbox or other equipment. Who knew if it would work or backfire? Valen was about to find out. [hr] [hider=Pokemon] [center] Qwerty the Porygon lvl 9 [img]https://img.pokemondb.net/sprites/x-y/normal/porygon.png[/IMG] Ability: Trace [ Sharpen, Tackle, Conversion, Conversion2, Psybeam ] [/center] [/hider] [hider=Inventory] 1500p Potion x1 [/hider] [hider=Actions] went to pokemon center, qwerty wanted to try to reason thinsg out with the shuppet instead of attacking them straight away [/hider]