[X] My Assistant

[Living Arrow]

All characters for this roleplay have been decided so do not join in if you are not one of them. All bunnying of PCs and related Partners has been permitted by all owners participating.

He didn’t realise he was staring at his reflection for quite some time. It had first started with a casual admiration of a sexy pair of loafers but had ended with his impression of a vain statue. Quickly straightening and sorting his hair with a cursory flick of his wrist, Darryn Kellor turned back to the bustling streets of Petropolis.

It had been some time since he and his friends had arrived in the city for the second time, for Tuesday it was her third, but he remembered the tang of exhaust in the air and energy of city life well. In fact, it was deeper than a memory. It was almost like a sense of belonging. Sure, Darryn liked the great outdoors like most people but you couldn’t beat a good city. His old haunts in Celadon were completely dwarfed by this gargantuan town with its many appropriately-named skyscrapers. He drank in the experience like a wonderful drug. Lady coughed.

<Prince Darryn, these fumes are sticking to my fur… It. Is… Loathsome.> Lady tentatively sniffed at her own tails, turning up her nose with distaste and frowning at her master. He laughed.

“Oh, Lady – it’s not that bad! These fumes are the smell of fame, fortune!” He assured her.

<Then it seems I have been pursuing the wrong dream. Poverty and a complete lack of recognition suit me absolutely fine.> She snorted.

“That’s not what you’ll be saying tomorrow.” He reminded her, turning to gaze across the street. “Because Ribbon number two is coming our way.” The Petropolis Contest Hall, large as a stadium and very grandly presented in sweeping cascades of glass and black iron as an unfolding rose loomed before them. That was why they had gone on that particular shopping spree – to get a closer look at where they would be competing.

<Will the Ribbon smell as much as my tails? If so, I shan’t be wearing it.>

“Oh, give over, Lady!”

***

It didn’t take Darryn much longer to give up on finding any other accessories for his Pokemon. True, there were plenty on offer in a city the size of Petropolis but they came with an equally increased price tag. It didn’t make sense to buy everything new so Darryn decided to go with the old favourites, only picking out a new piece for November. It was her turn to perform in the all-important Appeal, afterall.

Back at the Pokemon Center, Darryn was pleased to see that all of the others were there. Their recent adventures coming to Petropolis from Mt. Carello, flying back up Mt. Carello for a Trainers retreat only to come all the way back down again had been tiring for them all.

A lot of thing had happened and Darryn had met a lot of people. Not least, his old friend Pan Gibbs who had been at the Retreat at Castle Vonmoto. Seeing her again had allowed Darryn to relive all the fun they had back at the Pokemon Academy in Celadon City and remember the colourful history that had given them such a strong friendship before he had moved to Furoh. He hoped to see her again soon - they had contact numbers for each other now and he had an address for her employers in Petropolis should he want to write.

Then there had been the small teen named Joey. Darryn had bonded quickly with the fellow trainer but they still knew very little about each other. Meeting up with him again would be cool but who knew where in Furoh he was headed next?

Even so, after all they had done, the little squad of four were determined to brush off and move on. Darryn had Ribbons on the brain and Jaima was so fired up for his next Badge he seemed ready to erupt (the polar opposite of the Jaima who had arrived in Petropolis the first time, desperate to make sure Tuesday was going to be okay). And then there was Tuesday, still brimming with that Researcher quality that simply had to be admired. And finally there was Meiko… who was clutching a piece of paper in her hands so tightly that it was crumpling at the edges. An open and completely crazed grin was planted on her face.

Glee was washing off of her in waves and rather contentedly, Darryn lapped them up with his Empathic self. She caught sight of him as he entered, laden with bags, and immediately thrust her hand aloft.

“Pokeathlon has come to Furoh! Pokeathlon!!!!!”

“Er, whatever it is, you’ve got a week.” Darryn rolled his eyes after spotting the date on the flier.

Meiko’s grin turned to confusion as she turned the flier back to herself with wide eyes.

“Whaaaaat?!”