ohmyarceus | DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT (for Team Rocket's glory)

Goldenrod; Breeding Center

[It's volunteer day at the breeding center-- because what's life without a little community service? Honestly, Peko isn't here for the volunteering, since she isn't sure the baby pokémon will let her anywhere near. But she Is close enough to watch, eyeing the newly hatched pokémon with a stare so intense it'd be easy to believe she's angry.

But if your character doesn't ant to drag her in on the fun, don't worry; a breeder employed by the center is quick to bring her over, mistaking her for a shier volunteer. It's then that Peko seems a bit distressed, speaking more hesitantly and with widened eyes.]

I...Wait, I don't think I should--

[She attempts in vain to dissuade the employee, but the breeder runs off to grab one of the babies for Peko to watch over, leaving the red-eyed teen stammering and looking around.

She can't just upset a baby pokémon in front of everyone oh gosh WHAT'S SHE GONNA DO]

[There's really only one conclusion someone can come up with when they see a red-eyed teenager holding a baby Pokemon and not absolutely falling in love with it. Concerned, Komasan can't help but approach from behind, a Leavanny following him who doesn't look nearly as worried. In fact, she smiles past the stranger and right at the baby. What a cute baby.]

You're not gonna eat it, are you, z-zura?

[Because that's probably the opposite of what the breeders had in mind for today.]

A-ah-- what?!

[Caught off guard by the absurdity of the suggestion, Peko holds the baby eevee closer, protectively. Who would eat a pokémon?!]

...No, I'm not.

[~~Well the meat has to come from somewhe—~~ There's a small sigh of relief, oh thank goodness.]

H-Heh, with the way you were just standing there, I was getting kinda scared, zura...

[But at least she's hugging it now. I mean, who can just hold an eevee and not hug it? Practically criminal.

...Unless she's just not used to them.]

Do you have one? Ah...an eevee, zura?

[ Peko's behavior reminds Nanami of her own, back on the island when Hinata had taken her to the ranch to pet the animals. She was hesitant to actually touch the cow, but the fact that Hinata was willing to take her there to help her overcome her fear gave her enough courage to reach out and pet it. By Nanami's logic, that's the kind of support that Peko needs to overcome her fear, so she has no problem with providing it...or attempting to provide it, anyway. Sometimes her efforts aren't as successful as she wants them to be, but it's the thought that counts, right? ]

...Hey, Pekoyama-san, maybe...you should try petting it a little. I mean...Pokémon are kinda like animals, and...animals don't really mind being touched all that much. [ She's basically restating her revelation from her ranch experience. A+ advice by Chiaki Nanami. ] So, it's okay if you pet it...I think.

[Peko's shoulders tense a bit, and she looks Nanami's way. What Nanami's saying makes sense for any normal person, but....!]

I--

[Pause, stop, rephrase.]

I'm worried... Animals are fearful of those they see as warriors.

[She casts her eyes down as though disappointed by that fact, though she does little else to indicate it.]

Mm... [ She frowns gently and glances down at the baby Pokémon, as if trying to figure out what its reaction would be in her head. She wasn't good at gauging others' reactions, but...an animal should be slightly less difficult than a human, right? ] But...you're not a warrior, right, Pekoyama-san?

[ She returns her gaze to Peko and smiles. It's not one of her signature sleepy ones, but instead it's a lot brighter. ]

The only reason you had to fight was because...your circumstances called for you to protect Kuzuryuu-kun, right? This place is much safer than Jabberwock Island...so there's no need to protect him. [ And no one here knows that he's heir to the infamous Kuzuryuu Clan either, so he's not vulnerable to assassination attempts like he was before. Of course, Nanami knows that Peko isn't going to give up protecting Kuzuryuu just like that, so she adds: ] ...Ah, I mean...there's no need to protect him as vigilantly. You should be able to do the things that you want to do, too...I think.

[ She returns her gaze to the Pokémon. ] Besides...I don't think this Pokémon would consider you as a warrior. No, I feel confident enough that it won't, but...if you're still not convinced, maybe petting it together will help...?

[It's been a long time since he's snickered quite like this and even longer since it's been at her, but Kuzuryuu can't fucking help it, she looks so freaked out.]

Hehheh. Ganbare, Peko.

[He makes no move to help whatsoever, comfortable leaning against the wall where the breeder had dragged her off to help out. One look at him, and they'd skittered off with Peko, terrified. As they should be.]

Edited (Casually second-guesses icon a million times) 2016-07-29 17:21 (UTC)

[But Peko looks back over her shoulder, eyes still wide with worry.]

Kuzuryuu-kun--!

[Sure this is going to end in some upset pokémon, Peko turns her gaze worriedly to the pen of eevee the breeder is leading her toward. Why this. Why now. They're so beautiful and fluffy and they are going to cry]

[Holy shit her face, how is he not supposed to laugh?]

All right, all right.

[He makes a show of heaving a heavy sigh, but he pushes off the wall and trudges after her, loyal Poochyena trotting at his heels, alert. Only because she called him Kuzuryuu-kun, like they were really classmates, like they could start over. He owes her that much.]

Don't be so freaked out. You get along fine with Kobun, yeah?

[Maybe because Kobun is a microchipped, maltreated goddamn murder machine of a Poochyena who doesn't afraid of anything, but hey. Who's to say these fluffy little bunnydogs aren't the same?]

Edited 2016-07-29 18:18 (UTC)

[Kuzuryuu is finding it funny, but all Peko can seem to think of is the imminent scene to be made when an eevee starts crying in fear in her arms. Later, when she isn't preoccupied, she will remember that he came to her when she called. Right now she's thinking about the fact he isn't explaining to the breeder that she is a weapon and that animals are quite scared of her and she admires it and hates it all at once.

The breeder lifts one of the eevees, seems startled when Fuyuhiko joins Peko, and proceeds to hold it out for Peko to take, urging her-- and Peko reaches out timidly, looking over her shoulder to Kuzuryuu.]

[Kuzuryuu gives the breeder a baleful eye, then snorts and tries to talk Peko through it.]

Remember, they're warriors, too. All right? See, it's--

[The little Eevee starts to squirm and cry as soon as it's handed off. Kuzuryuu freezes, then steps forward with his arms outstretched.]

Hey, here, I got it, shit, give it to me.

[Peko turns to Fuyuhiko almost mechanically, ushering the already-fleeing eevee into her friend's arms. Then, hurriedly, she turns to the breeder to apologize. Though the breeder seems quite apologetic herself, Peko gives a grateful (but disappointed) glance to Fuyuhiko.]

...It was to be expected. They're young.

[ It's fine (つД`)ノ]

You're making me look bad, you little shit. Man the fuck up, would you?

[He mutters it into the Eevee's ear, holding it up against his shoulder, stroking its back to calm it down.]

Come on, Peko, the little pissant just hasn't gotten used to you yet. Here, try crouching and hold your hand out. And be patient, all right?

[He crouches himself so the baby's not so far from the ground but not so much lower than Peko, either.]

Think...I don't know, gentle thoughts or something.

[At first Peko hesitates, taken aback by Fuyuhiko's insistence on making this work. But with his reassurance-- well, she can't refuse him when he's being gentle.

Peko crouches in front of him, holding her hand out for the eevee to survey.]

Hey--

[The Eevee whimpers and tries to burrow into Kuzuryuu's chest. He makes a noise like an aggravated garbage disposal, tries to sort the kit out, and finally just lets it bury its face in his shirt, looking embarrassed and frustrated.

He mumbles something, then mumbles it only slightly louder:]

Pet me.

[Peko withdraws her hand at first when eevee recoils, but her gaze doesn't falter; she's too confused by Fuyuhiko's insistence. He's being encouraging, and hell if it isn't endearing despite the disappointment of eevee's fear.

When he asks her to pet him, her brows raise-- but she can put together what his plans are, and doesn't question him. She trusts him enough to at least try.

Raising her hand, Peko gently passes it through Kuzuryuu's shorn hair, her eyes softening. It's easy to be gentle to him-- she always has been.]

[He tolerates the touch, odd as it is, somehow. He doesn't know how he doesn't just spontaneously explode from repressed who-even-knows-what, frustration and embarrassment and indignation at being treated as anything less than a fully-fledged adult yakuza, even if it's only on the surface that it looks like she might be patting him patronizingly, even if he's the one who told her to.

Also, it's. It's Peko. Running her fingers through the barely-there shield of his hair. Fuckfuckffuckfuck. He clears his throat and pries the Eevee just far enough from him that he can address it face to face.]

There. See? T--totally harmless, she's just gonna pet you like that. Not so fuckin' scary now, right? Let him see your hand, Peko.

[The Eevee, nervous but calmed somewhat, turns to look at Peko, tiny nose twitching.]

[Peko's hand would linger if Fuyuhiko hadn't pulled away, but since he did, Peko is able to feign that it was all nothing. Nothing, nothing like she isn't clinging to the memory of his warmth in her hand.

Closing that palm in her lap, she reaches forward with the other, offering eevee a finger to sniff and letting just a hint of a smile into her eyes, hoping bocchan has done right.]

Right...

[Timidly, warily, the Eevee leans towards Peko's finger, sniff sniff sniff. It's still not totally settled, but in the end, it sticks out a tiny, pink tongue and licks her fingertip. Kuzuryuu wrinkles his face.]

Ugh, disgusting. Fucking baby spit. Peko, do you need a handkerchief, or...?

[but despite Fuyuhiko's disgust, Peko seems... absolutely charmed. Her face flushed pink and her eyes all soft, one can almost see a smile on her face. It's more that her lips are pressed together and one corner of her mouth tugs to the side, as if she's trying not to smile without meaning to. She starts petting the eevee's head with the finger it licked, and her eyes flick up to meet Fuyuhiko's, filled with the tiniest spark of hope and a bigger spark of awe.

Who cares about baby spit?]

[Ah.]

Oi.

[He looks for the employee who dragged Peko over here in the first place.]

These guys are up for adoption, yeah? Or will be pretty soon?

[As the employee hurries to answer Kuzuryuu (because hell if she's not going to answer this loud child as soon as she can), Peko bats her lashes a few times like some doe-eyed anime, looking away from the little beast for a moment. She isn't stupid, she knows what Kuzuryuu's getting at, but the part of her that would normally protest and assure him this isn't necessary stays quiet for once.

Because the softness on her friend's face, the gentleness of a gesture like that... it reminds her of the way he used to be, and she can't get herself to stop him.

The employee lets him know that yes, of course these guys are up for adoption, and Peko remembers that maybe she should say something, but instead seems to manage only a hesitant "ah..."]

Hey, I didn't say I was asking for you. I got my own reasons, all right?

[It's not like I'm doing this for you, b-boke!!

He gives the Eevee a scritch or two behind the ears of his own, so he doesn't have to meet Peko's gaze.]

I think I recognize this kind. They got the potential to grow up into all sorts of different characters, so I got a purely battle-related interest, see?

DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT (for Team Rocket's glory)

TEST DRIVE MEME

Pekoyama Peko | SDR2

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slams in here

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In some nebulous future time after their doubtlessly EMOTIONAL reunion

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I'm so sorry about how one-sided this conversation is

Okay but that was cute I'm dead you killed me

i'd say sorry but i'm not

I know you're not

You're never sorry

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