2024-03-12: Hot Springs Hatching! Say Hello to Whelpwisher!

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  • Log: Hot Spring Hatching! Say Hello to Whelpwisher!
  • Cast: Damian Tamaoka, Sable Aomori, Chase, Nina Chiyome, Timu Guado
  • Where: Cinnabar Island - Harbortown
  • Date: March 12, 2024
  • Summary: Damian accidentally ends up inspiring a group trip to a Cinnabar hot springs while trying to do something nice for his pokemon. And while there, the long-awaited hatching of his pokemon egg finally occurs!
=======================<* Cinnabar Island - Harbortown *>=======================

Cinnabar Island is a small island in central Kanto. A large, but dormant volcano is on the west side of town and dominates views of the island. Harbortown is a small settlement on the island, which is a charming seaside town. It is sometimes visited by vacationers, but not especially commonly. The town largely gets by on fishing and several scientific stations nearby, which study Energy Nede's remaining ocean. The streets are often quiet, and people are friendly here. The most common visitors are Trainers, and the hotels and restaurants frequently cater to them.

BGM: Pokemon Let's Go Eevee & Pikachu! - Cinnabar Island - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5t-gIYniAM

<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.

One of the many nice benefits of Energy Nede's social infrastructure is the abundance of public transportation that's available. Maglev things are very handy (and even if you're not really supposed to rely on them for a Journey, all of the routes are very well maintained and imminently walkable.) But it's another form of transportation that rules the day today: a ferry! Specifically, a ferry to Cinnabar Island.

Damian's pokemon have been working really hard for him (and he's been working really hard for them, too!), and he wanted to do something nice for all of them. And the consensus among his pokemon seemed to be... a trip to a hot spring. Not Damian's first choice of outing, but... well, he could put up with it for the sake of his pokemon.

He'd even mentioned it on PokeLive, asking for recommendations, and somehow from there they'd ended up with a group trip to the hot spring. It still feels surprising that he knows so many people now, but... he's not about to complain.

The hotspring itself is very nice, well-situated to give a nice view of the area and some nice amenities outside of the hotspring area itself to cool down.

Damian's switched to a pair of purple swim trunks, but has elected to also wear a plain white t-shirt. He's not actually getting in the water, but he is sitting on the water's edge with his feet in, and letting his other pokemon enjoy the water.

Purri is fully in the water, purring contentedly as she sits upright, letting herself sink in and enjoy all of that warmth. Pixi has elected not to go in the water directly--fire type and all--but she's curled up on a very warm rock that juts out of the water, treating it like a giant heating pad. Silci is with her, and Mypsy...

Well, Mypsy is in her Nest Ball, but it's on the ground right next to Damian, with his phone. She had a big day of seeing people recently, and she's not quite ready for a crowd this big.

And the last member of Damian's poke-entourage is, of course, the mysterious Egg he's been carrying around. Damian's made a little nest out of some warm towels and has it nestled in there all nice and snug. Eggs deserve to enjoy the heat, too. 

<Pose Tracker> Sable Aomori has posed.

Sable Aomori grew up in Cinnabar; she's very familiar with it. She knows this particular spring well, even. And it's not a bad opportunity to go back and see her dad...

But she showed up with a little bundle in addition to her Pokeballs. She's wearing a blue one-piece with her hair up, out of the water. She looks a little different without her makeup, but is still recognizably herself. And--

Ulpi, her Piplup, moves along with her. He's having an easier time with all the water, even if it's very WARM which is unusual for him. However...

able steps the rest of the way in, and extends the bundle to Damian.

"This is a swim shirt," she says. "It's designed to protect your skin in the water. It's mostly for surfing and other sports..."

"But since you don't like to take your shirt off to get in the water, it's made for you."

Ulpi begins to lounge. 

<Pose Tracker> Chase has posed.

After what happened with the Dunsparce Spa, Chase figures he owes it to his own Pokemon to let them have a more relaxing day without Team Rocket appearing to make a mess of things. And, well, Chase seems to be, ever so slowly, making friends that aren't Elaine. A friend, at least?

At least Pokemon like Ulpi are familiar.

He's not one for getting into the water either, staying dressed in his dark shirt and shorts, but forgoing his hat and jacket. And shoes, naturally. His Ponyta remains pressed up against him, enjoying the ambient heat but not the idea of water.

His Nidoran is testing the water one toe claw at a time before second guessing himself and retreating to the safety of Chase's lap by forcefully nudging his arms up.

Pikachu is doing laps. In a hot spring. "Pipipipipi~." At least she seems to be enjoying herself.

Trying to his best to manage an anxious Nidoran in his arms, Chase looks over to Damian egg and towel nest with bright eyed interest. He's yet to see a Trainer caring for an egg along the journey.

<Pose Tracker> Nina Chiyome has posed.

It should be no surprise that Nina is also rather familiar with the island. She probably even knows the spring! Not nearly as well as her friend admittedly. Nina's more likely to know escape routes in other towns really. Don't worry about it though.
 
 Nina is, herself wearing a purple one piece with what looks decidedy like blowback from spraypaint. Don't worry about that either. This is a good place to lay low right?
 
 Poppy is lounging near one of the warmed up rocks. The quilava seems content to doze there. BB is sprawled on top of her. Because warm. Mavs is the one that happened to jump in the water though. The sneasel is creeping around with just the one red ear visible along with her nose. She's a gremlin, she's up to something. Maybe.
 
 Still, the trainer seems happy enough. She's only got a few scrapes and bruises today! Kinda. She's also just.. stretching out before getting in. Like she's treating it as an endurance thing.
 
 Then she just.. hops in. And about hops out before sinking in again and enduring it! She might be mumbling under her breath. All in seems to be her thing as a whole though! 

<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.

    Timu, whom has become One Of the Kids despite being a Visitor, is happy enough to come along on that outing to a hot spring. She's conscious about herself, briefly, considering that she sticks out like a sore thumb compared to the others. The soul-searching doesn't take long - after all, they're all her friends... and she just has to channel the energy of her friend Rille, whom has all but owned her other-ness in the eyes of a less kind society both far and close to here.
 
     Her Pokemon are out with her! Fuecoco is a Fire-type but has no particular grudge against the soothing spa waters - spa waters are a place of universal truce, as it were, a near-universal truth - and there's Moteray who is not currently flying in all sorts of weird and aimless directions because it is *that chill*.
 
     Hestrol is in the background, especially soothed for what they went through just before meeting Timu, though the two aren't in visual range of one another. (Also, Hestrol is a big one! They'll be okay.)
 
     There is a new one here - someone who does not inspire relaxation or ease looking at them, but there's Hooligre, just sitting down in the spa with hands on their knees and just keeping to himself with a towel on his head. It's something of an unspoken them. Let him chill, he'll be chill. (They're not uncommon when the Rockets come by, so the staff are well aware of their particular behavioral trends.)
 
     Timu is wearing loose-fitting clothing, up to and including a swim shirt. She smiles along and nods with SAble's gift to Damian while the thought is being shared.
 
     "I know what it's like to be self-conscious about that sort of thing," she says. She looks to Damian's eyes briefly to see their striking appearance, but doesn't linger with it as she folds her hands over her chest and lounges away the minut--
 
     Until Nina just acts as a big ball of youtfhul energy nearby, where she flinches and holds up an arm. 

<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.

Because of all of the steam from the hot springs, for very practical reasons Damian's left his glasses behind with the rest of his stuff in the locker. But that means his eyes aren't hidden behind them, or obscured by the light, and it's clear to see...

His eyes are very pale, and unusually silver.

Damian blinks a little as Sable hands him a bundle, and he carefully unfolds it to reveal... a swim shirt. He listens, as Sable explains, smiling shyly. "Y-you remembered..." he says quietly, a little bit in awe. "Th-thanks, Sable."

It would indeed be terrible if anybody from Team Rocket was present at this spa today...

Damian lets out a soft "awwww" as Rivii tries, but ultimately does not take to the water, but Phwee doing laps is also a cute sight. He catches Chase's interest in the egg and picks up his phone type out a message and explain.

<found it in my backpack one morning when I was camping>
<not sure what it is yet>
<thought it deserved to enjoy the hot spring too>

Nina is here too, and her pokemon are out--though Damian is secretly thankful her Frosslass hasn't made an appearance yet... though he would try to endure, if she wanted to come out. (But maybe ice types don't like hot springs anyway?) "Th-thanks a-an interesting p-pattern on your swimsuit," he comments, innocently. He giggles a little as she just jumps right in and almost seems to back out for a moment before going for it again.

He's glad Timu made the trip, and he does, indeed, consider her One of the Kids--she's only a couple years older than him, and she's undertaking the Journey, taking to befriendly pokemon quite well... and even their friendly battle was a pretty close one that came down to one final clash of blows. He's glad to see all of her pokemon enjoying themselves, though Hooligre... is a bit concerning... but if he's content to be left alone, Damian can handle that.

He looks up to Timu as she says she understands being self-conscious. He nods a little--he can understand why she might feel self-conscious surrounded by others not like her, though... they've talked, and there's reasons she might have felt self-conscious with her own kind, too, in a way that hits close to home for him. "W-well, I'm glad you're h-here, with us..."

"I-I'll be right back." He picks up his phone and Mypsy's pokeball, taking them with him as he heads back to the changing area... then comes back a few moments later with the swim shirt on. He sets his belongings down on the ground once more, and then slowly starts to lower himself into the water.

He's poking and tugging at the shirt a little. "Mmm... n-not bad..." 

<Pose Tracker> Sable Aomori has posed.

Sable is blunt as a rule, but doesn't tend to call people out for physical characteristics. Thus, she says nothing about Damian's eyes, though she does make eye contact staring for an uncomfortable two seconds.

"You said it to me," she says, as if that explains her remembering it all on its own.

Ulpi turns to Phwee and waves--before looking around for an interesting rock and waddling over to present it to the othher Pokemon. He will not be outdone for that day...!

Poor Nidoran.

She doesn't say anything to Nina at the moment because she came with Nina in the first place. She is used to her antics. Though she does make a frown as Nina splashes near her. Rude...

She smiles at Timu, though, and at the Hooligre, even. "Hello," she says to both. To be self-conscious...

"I hope that you don't feel like you have to be with us," Sable says.

But Damian indeed goes off to see, and...

While he's gone, Sable brings out her Dratini, Artan, as well. The Dragon-type curls around a big rock.

But once he's back, "I'm glad," she tells him. "I like the water and springs a lot..."

"So I wanted you to have the chance to try without being uncomfortable." 

<Pose Tracker> Chase has posed.

Pikachu waves cheerily to her Piplup rock rival! Upon seeing the stone, her ears shoot up and she blitzes through the water, joining him to admire the stone. "Pikapi!" She points at it, mouth wide in amazement.

Like Timu, Chase flinches a little at Nina's spa hopping, but is at ease as soon as he realizes he's not in splash zone territory.

A number of events have been eroding Chase's general skepticism of Visitors, not the least of which is seeing what Filgaia is like, and also the number of times they have genuinely sought to help. Timu may well have saved his life, but in her case, it's more that there's something particular reflected in her relationship with her Pokemon... It helps that Damian vouches for her, too.

Everyone's Pokemon gets a moment of Chase's attention. Each with their unique personality on display in this moment of relaxation instead of more familiar battling. Trainers choosing Pokemon, and Pokemon choosing Trainers... sometimes the answer is clear, obvious, and simple. Other times, not so much.

Thankfully(?), this makes Chase completely oblivious to strange eyes and other discomforts. At least until their spoken aloud. He glances to the swim shirt, trying to commit that to memory before... phone communication!

Chase perks up and pulls his feet from the water, cross legged and holding his phone. His eyes boggle a little at the response. Just in Damian's backpack...?

<right inside??>
<mysterious...>
<but ive heard eggs like warm places and pkmn>

As he types that out, he pauses, glancing to Ponyta. Ponyta blows air through its lips and stands up, stepping over nearer the egg and then lying back down. But does a Flame Body aura even work if no one's walking around...

Dratini comes out and Chase stares at it openly a moment before trying to admire it more from his peripheral vision, as would be less disconcerting. 

<Pose Tracker> Nina Chiyome has posed.

Nina's response to 'Rude' is immediate and obvious. There's a splash of water (Low! Aimed for her legs) Immediately. Then she sticks her tongue out. "Wasn't rude. I didn't cannonball or anything." She also didn't just hop in fully either clearly.
 
 She begins to wade after her sneasel, arms raised in a 'gonna getcha' vibe and the pokemon just.. spits some water at her and paddles off with her in chase. This is as good a time as any to get something light hearted in right?
 
 She does pause as she passes Timu and Damian though, glancing up. "Hey you two match now." The shirts. Not the other parts. She doesn't comment on the self-conscious part. She does hold a thumbs up though, "Looks comfy enough." While the errant thoughts don't matter to her, she also doesn't really seem to worry about the eyes or overall shapes either. Part of that probably washes past her. Or she just... disregards it. Hard to tell with her.
 
 The Froslass in question isn't near the springs. She's back in the room. Watching dramas with tea. She is an ice ghost and all!
 
 As for the pattern, Nina seems genuinely confused and holds her arms out and looks down, then back and then around. "Oh damn." She clearly hadn't meant to do that.
 
 She does give Chase a wry look too. "Oh it wasn't that bad!" She huffs a bit. "Overreacting.." muttermutter 

<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.

    "N-No... it's fine," Timu replies to Sable, as she comes down from the excitement of Nina probably drinking the deepest of youthful delusions of invincibility most of anyone.
     Hooligre looks over to Sable at the greeting with a side-eye, a snort of acknowledgement of indeterminate levels of friendliness, and returns to chilling out.
 
     "Fuuuuuueeee~" Fuecoco sighs with contentment.
 
     "Mooote," Moteray coos over to Artan by that rock. It looks like a very comfortable rock.
 
     "It was," she asides to Nina as she deflects from her choice of behavior, starting to relax again into the water as she eyes Chase's Pokemon just living up life and doing their thing, whatever it may be, as Ponyta comes close to warm the egg.
 
     She watches the quiet young man tap away at their phone with certain intensity and surprise. Some moments later, she gets her phone - distinctive striped case (three red, one cyan) - and starts trying to type with her hands. (This is a challenge, because these phones are not made for Guado hands. Guado hands are for climbing things.)
 
     /<hello>
 
     She struggles to think of something of substance to say within the capacity of her texting speed (given the need to be careful). 

<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.

Purri lets out an extra big purr as Damian sinks into the water next to her, leaning against his side to nuzzle affectionately. Damian smiles and gives her a side hug, letting himself relax a little.

Damian is, perhaps, used to some amount of 'awkward' behaviors from others--though Sable staring at him in the eyes for that long does make him blush and avert his gaze. He can guess what she finds so interesting, but... is glad she's not bringing it up just yet.

He also seems to accept her explanation of remembering at face value, too. "I-I really app-appreciate it, Sable... I w-wish I'd thought of it sooner..."

Damian is glad to see all the various pokemon enjoying themselves, not just his. He nods to Chase when he replies, reaching behind him to grab his phone. (It's waterproof, it's fine.)

<yeah, i opened it up and there it was>
<i wasnt sure if i could take care of it>
<but I really wanted to>
<and i never got the chance back home>

He smiles, as Fuu gets up and silently lays down next to the egg. "Th-thanks..."

Nina seems to be having fun chasing her Sneasel around, and Damian is glad to see it. He blinks a little as Nina says that he and Timu match, looking over to the Guado girl. "O-oh, yeah! S-similar s-swim shirts... Th-that's nice." He seems genuine in that, because what 14-year old boy doens't want to be told he looks similar to one of his female friends.

He tilts his head a little as Nina finally notices the spraypaint blowback on her swimsuit. "Is s-something wrong, Nina...? I th-think it looks cool..."

Damian smiles as Timu tries to type out a text message, and answers her in kind, very fast and accurate with his own typing.

<hi!!>
<if your phone is hard for you to use>

Here he hesitates for a moment. Joy has one, but... it's also needed for some of her health issues. It's difficult to recommend to others, and he's not sure how Timu's own senses would take to it.. But here goes nothing.

<maybe get a Rotom phone?>

Pixi has her tails curled loosely around Silci so they can share warmth, bot otherwise the two seem to be content to lay in relative silence and comfort.

Meanwhile, the egg, which has been plenty silent and still for the time that Damian has been in possession of it... suddenly starts to shift back and forth. Like something is moving around inside of it. 

<Pose Tracker> Sable Aomori has posed.

After a pleased, "raaaa," at Moteray, Artan notices that he's being WATCHED and opens his eyes, peering over at Chase--and then smoothly uncurls from around the rock and glides across the water towards where Chase is. "Tiii..."

He curls around a new, closer rock.

Piplup meanwhile puffs up cheerfully when Pikachu appreciates the stone. "Pip!!" he declares proudly.

But Timu says it's fine, and Hooligre seems in good spirits. Fuecoco, too! Sable nods, after a moment.

Then, to Damian, "Most people don't know you can wear special shirts. For swimming. But I grew up here, so I know."

"Nina's confused because she realized that her crimes might be obvious," Sable says smoothly, with a nod.

But then--

Hmmm.

"...Your Egg is moving," Sable notices.

Sable doesn't try to get closer to Chase. He's fine where he is probably. If he wanted to talk he'd talk! 

<Pose Tracker> Chase has posed.

Pikachu squishes her cheeks in happiness at Piplup's delightful find. "Chaaaaa...!" Then she looks around and picks up a rock of her own to show him. "Pika!" It's... entirely possible she's taking this whole thing far less seriously. But her amazement is genuine...

Dratini is closer! Chase glances from the corner of his eye and smiles again. That's a rare Pokemon... And not always the easiest to raise.

It's entirely possible Chase is having trouble recognizing Nina because Froslass isn't present. Who's being rude now! He presses his lips together to hide a smile as Sneasel has its own way of dealing with its trainer, but then he is directly addressed.

Chase, frankly, stares, stunned. As if requesting help in how he's supposed to react to that, he points to himself, looking over the others blankly. Was he overreacting...?

Timu makes use of her phone, and Chase is alert all over again with an expression approaching a smile. But his brow pinches as he notes the difficulty she has. Memories from five minutes ago are prickling. Self-consciousness...

<hi>
<it's ok if you talk>

Will that make her more self-conscious? His brow furrows deeper.

<it's ok to be slow too tho>

Chase certainly is, at times. Nidoran, from his place on Chase's lap, paws at Chase's phone. He has a special message for Timu.

<kfkfdkdjdjlv>

Beautiful.

Fuu the Ponyta merely glares down at Damian's gratitude, fire in its hellish eyes. Don't mind it, this Ponyta just has resting demon face. But perhaps it makes Chase's subdued smile look lighter by comparison as he admires the egg.

<don't worry>
<you'll take good care of it>
<tell me when it hatches?>

Except the egg is... already moving? Pikachu reacts to this before Chase does, dropping her rock in excited shock and trying to grab Piplup by a flipper to drag closer. "Pika!"

<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.

    The Dratini zips, and the Moteray sees the place vacated to go visit Chase. The little flying ray flits a little closer, wondering if maybe they can claim the rock. It's theirs, now.
 
     "...Hooo." Hooligre stirs, looking at the scene (that is largely imagined), rising up from the water and ambling a bit closer. Moteray looks up as the shadow looms over them...
 
     "Oh, Hooligre," Timu looks over her shoulder moments after finishing the text, "what's wrong...?"
 
     "ooli~" He grumbles, disapprovingly down to Moteray. Moteray shivers and takes off.
 
     "What're you doing?" Timu asks.
 
     "Hoo!" Hooligre snorts, picks up the rock, and ambles along closer to where Artan's found a new place to relax closer to Chase.
 
     Hooligre sets the rock down nearby, gestures to it with wide hands, and ambles back off into the water. That's Artan's rock. He can respect when someone finds a place they can call their own. Just like him. Like the place he was just at, before. THat's his spot, now.
 
     "...I think... he felt like he didn't want that rock to be stolen," she tries to parse the behavior.
 
     ...
 
     Moteray flits closer to Timu, whom reaches up and strokes him with the underside of her hand as she looks back to the suggestion from... Damian.
 
     There's the invitation that it's OK for her to talk, if she needs to, and also... whatever that word is.
 
     "All right... if it's okay, I'll talk," she says, as Moteray relaxes closer to her. Fuecoco's presence is muted in the moment.
 
     Until the egg moves, and Sable calls out that detail.
 
     "Fue?" Fuecoco rouses. Is an egg hatching? He navigates the spa waters towards where they're starting to hatch. 

<Pose Tracker> Nina Chiyome has posed.

"Ain't a crime here." Yet. She probably wouldn't do it here anyway, too many people recognize her and islands are notoriously bad to try and evade after all. The better question is where she DID use this swimsuit to do crimes against bland architecture.
 
 She gives Timu a glance and leans forward, "Next time I'll cannonball so there's an excuse for it!" That's probably a promise if she remembers!
 
 As for Damian's response, she clearly was just thinking the shirts and any other implications good or bad were right past her head. Didn't even occur to her! The sneasel surfaces near the group and shakes herself off vigorously. She is definitely Nina's and definitely still a gremlin. "Mavs knock it off-" she starts. Then frowns and gives the others a dirty look. It's different! Totally different.
 
 As for Chase, said Froslass is still chilling out, almost literally!
 
 As for Sable calling her out she mutters, "You were the lookout, don't act innocent!" and then adds in a louder tone, "Now who's being rude" It's in good fun though.
 
 There's a moment's hesitation though when said friend points out the egg is hatching. She wades over and leans against the edge of the pool to watch! "Don't get to see this that often" She admits. It's cute of course, who doesn't want to see baby pokemon right?
 
 The sneasel has wandered over towards the main group and is clearly looking with some curiousity. Poppy in the meantime just hiccups a purplish flame which causes BB to stir. It's a spring, they clearly wanted to relax too!
 
 Also, Chase's question is met with her opening her arms to the whole group! She laughs, then quiets up and leans in to watch an egg again. 

<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.

Damian is enjoying taking in all the pokemon friends (and non-pokemon friends!) and he perks up when he finally notices Artan, who came out while he was changing shirts. "O-ooh, a dratini... H-hi there..."

He nods to Sable, when she explains that she knows because she grew up here. "Th-that makes sense..." He sinks into the water a little bit more. "I-I like the water... I-I just..." More quietly he finishes, "... taking my shirt off for it."

He blinks a bit as Sable explains about Nina, and suddenly bolts upright. "C-c-crimes!? Wh-what..." He looks between Nina and Sable, very concerned now, and not sure if Sable is joking. She doesn't seem like the joking sort...

Chase seems stunned by accusations of overreacting, and Damian shakes his head a little. He doesn't think Chase overreacted, at least.

<she moved really fast and splashed a little>
<it's okay if you didnt want to get wet>

Damian flinches a little at that intense stare from Fuu and looks away. That's... okay. It's helping, and that's fine.

<i will!>

Damian blinks as Hooligre suddenly rises... and then moves the rock for Artan, albeit in a perhaps somewhat intimidating way. Hooligre didn't want Artan's rock to be stolen, Timu suggests...

He can understand that, a little bit. It feels so easy to be particular about some things, sometimes... even if you don't think they'll make sense to other people.

And Nina, instead of completely denying it... implicates Sable. He looks back towards her, and really doesn't look like he knows how to react to that. Shock? Probably. A weird sort of insane curiosity, to know that he might not be the only criminal in the group? Definitely.

In a tiny voice he asks, "Wh-what did you two do...?"

But then his attention is stolen as Sable calls out the moving egg, and as the various trainers and pokemon take notice. His head snaps over to it as he sits up with a jolt. "R-really!?" Maybe that Flame Body was just what it needed! He's not careful as he rushes to get out of the water, snatching up Mypsy's pokeball to bring her closer. "P-Purri! P-Pixi! Silci!"

Pixi uncurls and hops back over with a nimble leap, but it's Purri who stands (on two legs, no less) and moves to pick up Silci and move her closer, then moves to sit right by Damian as he kneels down in front of the egg.

The phone is out and recording video as the egg continues to shake. More shaking, and then it glows a bright white...

And in a flash, there is what looks to be a little teddy bear with a bright pink bow crouched there where the egg used to be. Damian holds his breath as he watches...

The newly-hatched pokemon suddenly springs up to a standing position, and slowly looks up at Damian, right into his eyes...

And with some legs that extend like they were coiled up springs, she leaps at Damian, arms outstretched to hug at his neck. She actually manages to swing all the way around by his neck before coming to a rest in front. "Whelp! Whelp whelpwisher!"

Damian can't help but laugh, reaching up to hug the pokemon tight. "H-hey there. I'm s-so glad to finally meet you!" 

<Pose Tracker> Sable Aomori has posed.

Gremlin!!

But Sable nods firmly when Nina responds to her callout. "I have no idea," she says, but she does seem to be having fun with it, too. It's hard to tell because she's not very expressive, but Nina at least will notice. So when Damian asks, Sable says simply: "Paint." That is her answer. ...It may not be very illuminating.

The Dratini, meanwhile, apprecaites this smile. Artan in fact though--notices Hooligre's stirring. He peers over to Hooligre as he approaches, and... Hmmm.

"...Tii," he answers, and curls up around the original rock now that it's been moved. He seems to appreciate Hooligre's logic somehow. He does look back at Damian again with a pleased sort of expression, though.

Piplup instead looks at the new rock--"Pip!!" And it is a good rock...

"Don't worry," Sable says to Chase--but Piplup when the Egg starts to shake iss dragged over by Pikachu!! "Lup!" he says in surprise, and peers at the Egg thoughtfully.

But as it starts to hatch--

Sable marvels. The glow, the flash, the--%r"...It's..."

She smiles. "It's cute...!" 

<Pose Tracker> Chase has posed.

Chase watches as Hooligre and Moteray have what seems to be a discussion concerning the rock. A rock that... Hooligre returns to Dratini. Artan. Chase blinks, then smiles.

<territorial on others' behalf>
<that's cute>

...And telling, Chase thinks. Timu's Hooligre is the kind of Pokemon who thinks it's important to find a place where one is comfortable, and to defend it for others. And Hooligre chooses Timu, too. Piplup's competitive spirit, Sneasel's impish manner, Purri's devotion...

It's Pikachu that seems like she doesn't fit. But Pikachu chose him anyway.

Chase peers at Damian's message, then glances back at Nina. Hmm. He'll take Damian's word on this, especially since it seems like Sable is about to back him up. There's talk of crime though, and Chase turns his head. Something... something about the swimsuit? He glances to Nina's, then unfocuses into space with his thoughts. Paint crimes...?

But something exciting is happening!!

Pikachu stops a short distance away, not wanting to crowd the egg, but wanting to watch. Chase, too, doesn't move from where he is, but sits up straighter, with Nidoran's gaze equally locked on the egg. Even Ponyta deigns to witness the birth of a new Pokemon. Light flashes, and fades, and...

"Piii Pikachu!" Pikachu greets and cheers, leaping in the air and pumping a paw upward.

Chase carefully aims his phone and snaps a photo as Whelpwisher leaps into Damian's arms, making it impossible for Damian to do any further recording.

<Pose Tracker> Nina Chiyome has posed.

"Creativity." That's her crime. That's what she's sticking with and nominally she'd say you can't prove it, but she has evidence on! (It was arts and crafts. Prove it!)
 
 The reaction does get a curious look towards Damian though. Scowling for a moment, "Wait what's that reaction for? Do I look like I'm guilty of anything bad?" She probably shouldn't deliver that straight a line to anyone, but what will you do.
 
 There's suddenly a teddybear though, interrupting her thoughts and she smiles, settling back in the water watchign the bouncy thing ring around Damian. Then she scratches the back of her head and wonders just how that egg had gotten there after all. She'd been thinking it might be something else. A snake or something? Oh well, that's a later problem.
 
 Chase's look is given a wry look. Then she slowly sinks back into the water. "Hey!" She starts, having guessed something wrong probably! She won't admit she's not guilty of what she's thinking. Hasn't happened here!
 
 "I.. stolen rocks?" She finally glances away from the Whelpwisher and towards the big ogre hefting rocks about. She's not sure she understands, but she's also only been watching the people mostly. And occasionally a sneasel trying to get into trouble as it tries to sneak past the group so she can jump back in the water for.. something. She's not worried about the egg hatch, she saw it, she's seen it, it's a good distraction! (Probably no surprise Nina gets along with her so well.)
 
 Nina herself does climb out of the water and.. almost shakes herself off just as a joke before deciding better of it. Instead she grabs a towel, then her phone and takes a few pictures. She'll probably post them under her normal profile handle. And maybe send a few to Damian later if she has any that have good angles or lighting! 

<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.

    The taller, older teenaged girl seems to shrink at Nina's suggestion about cannonballing. "Um... I'd rather you not," but too late, she'll forget at a critical moment...! In the future.
 
     But yes. Egg! Egg, is hatching.
 
     Fuecoco's the one of Timu's group that comes close to watch the hatching, as Moteray stays near Timu, Hooligre just wants to chill in their spot (though he's watching), and Hestrol is... somewhere else. Not a bad 'somewhere else,' they just can't come see it for themselves. (Also if they somehow took flight into the sky, an entire dreamy island might disappear... wait. No, that's something else.)
 
     The egg shakes apart, there's that glow, and then...
 
     A tiny toy bear - Timu's seen a handful of those about Filgaia and Energy Nede alike, she's never been sure of the significance - but she's gasping and covering her mouth with excitement in watching a new friend go forth and-- she stops for a moment as they leap around and swing about his neck with a moment of serious concern with another gasp.
 
     It fades, soon enough.
 
     Timu doesn't think to use her phone to capture the moment, though the concept of using Spheres to record and capture memories and things are commonplace in Spira, but her eyes are starting to water once the initial shock of the Whelpwisher's first moments in life fade.
 
     Moteray takes off to flit overhead and do a cute little flip of 'hello' to the newborn Pokemon, while Hooligre just looks back towards the empty space he's staring into once the moment passes. He's not aware of what Chase has to share about him and his thoughts about it, as Fuecoco leaps up and down a little and waves their stubby arms in hello.
 
     Timu looks over her shoulder to see that Hooligre's just sitting there. She once again rises up from the water and moves closer to his side.
 
     "...No matter how dreadful things might be," she says to him, "it seems like a new life is always welcome." That Whelpwisher is being born to a world where the Ten Wise Men can show up and ruin everything at any moment. What comes after all that, though...
 
     She eyes that Sneasel for a moment, before sitting back down in the water a short ways away from her Hooligre friend, who doesn't react one way or another. (This is a good thing.)
 
     "I'm glad everyone was here for it," she shares. 

<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.

Of all the horrible crimes against Nedianity or Pokemon that Damian might have imagined...

Paint was not one of them.

There's a confused stare as Damian tries to parse that out, briefly. "Wha...?" But... he forgets about all of that for time being, though. There are new baby pokemon afoot!

Sable declres Whelpwisher cute, and Damian smiles at her. "Y-yeah!" He looks down to her giggling a little as she hugs tighter around his neck. "A-and cuddly!"

Damian would disagree that Pikachu doesn't fit--he thinks Chase and Pikachu are very good together, and if a pokemon chooses her trainer... then that's where they belong.

Purri gives Phwee a pleased purr, and an excited, "Purr, purr loin!" She's exicted too!

The phone is still recording video, since Damian half-dropped/half-put his phone down really quickly when Whelpwisher jumped into his arms, so right now it's mostly recording everybody arounding around overhead. He does turn and try to pose so that both him and Whelpwisher are visible in the shot, though.

Nina gets a somewhat confused glance as she asks what that look is for. "S-Sable said... you were d-doing crimes...?" Why wouldn't he look askance at someone who did bad things, apparently. (He wouldn't blame anyone for looking at him that way, as much as it might hurt.) "... P-paint crimes...?"

Whelpwisher is very light, and Damian doesn't seem to experience any discomfort, at the very least.

Damian smiles and gives whelpwisher another hug. "W-well, let m-me introduce you to everyone... I'm Damian, and I f-found you in my backpack. Th-this is Purri, she's b-bbeen my friend f-forever.."

Purri strolls forward and offers a nuzzle with an inquisitive, "Purrr!" She'll be looking out for the new little Whelpwisher!

Whelpwisher squeaks happily and lets go of Damian's neck to give Purri a hug, then bounds over to Pixi and Silci to give them hugs too. "Th-that's Pixi and Silci," continues Damian. "A-and there's Mypsy, b-but you'll have to meet her later..."

"A-and here's Sable, Ulpi, Artan, Chase..." And he proceeds to introduce everyone to Whelpwisher, because that's just proper matters, right? Whelpwisher seems excited to make all the new introductions, using her coiled-spring leg jump to bounce around the place from introduction to introduction.

Whelpwisher bounds closer to Fuecoc and gives him a cheerful wave right up close, giving a cheerful "Wish!" for a fellow newly-hatched pokemon. She then bounds high up right next to Moteray to give them a wave and a cheerful greeting too. Hestrol gets a wave at a distance, one arm extending up and up and up, stretching out to be very long to make sure Hestrol can see it from all the way over there. They then bound over in Hoolgire's direction--

But Purri has a quick, "Purr! Purrloin!" for her, and Whelpwisher stops, seems to reconsider, and goes around getting familiar with everyone else.

Timu is glad everyone was here to see it... "Y-yeah, me too..." He picks up his phone and starts taking a proper video as he keeps making introductions. "W-what would be a good name..." 

<Pose Tracker> Chase has posed.

It seems Chase isn't the only one unsure about how to take Nina. Clearly what Chase needs to do regarding Nina is consider how Nina's Pokemon handle Nina.

Everyone's attention is on welcoming Whelpwisher into the world now. Chase smiles, watching how happy Whelpwisher is to be here, and how happy Damian is to be here with Whelpwisher. But then his attention is caught briefly by Timu comforting Hooligre. No matter how dreadful things may be...

...That's right. They have to find a way to fight the disasters that have come to Nede for Pokemon like Whelpwisher.

Pikachu races up to Chase, hopping and chattering excitedly. Chase smiles and places his hand on her head for her to nuzzle excitedly up into before she returns to admiring the newborn Pokemon. As Damian introduces the two of them, Pikachu whirls around.

"Piii Pikachu pi Chachu~!" she sings, then nuzzles Whelpwisher. Chase carefully, but confidently, offers his hand, finishing the gesture to gently pat Whelpwisher's head if the signals are right, or withdrawing to give Whelpwisher space. It's a new world with so much to hear, see, and smell, after all.

As Whelpwisher goes to the others, he and Pikachu look at one another, smiling, and she crawls into his lap to snuggle him and Nidoran at once. "Piiiika."

<Pose Tracker> Timu Guado has posed.

    The welcome tour begins in earnest.
 
     "Coco~" Fuecoco nods vigorously and waves along to Whelpwisher's greeting, as Moteray floats about in... directions, though eventually the calm, tranquil nature of the spa will calm them down.
 
     "Strooooooo--" That's Hestrol in the background, saying hello. Or, saying anything at all.
 
     Hooligre's not looking the newly hatched Pokemon in the eyes right now, and it's maybe for the best not to get too close - but he was there to watch the hatching, so there's that. Timu does look to the little bear Pokemon, lowering her head in a bowing motion despite being seated in the water.
 
     From there, Timu thinks to use her phone and start to record the little teddy bear go around and meet everyone, with another look up to Chase, Sable, and Nina. If only Spira could look at the new life ahead of it with the same excitement as everyone here seems to be able to.
 
     Even after however long this entire society's existed, it feels like there's so much life here. 

<Pose Tracker> Damian Tamaoka has posed.

Whelpwisher will happily share a nuzzle with Chase's Pikachu, and throw her arms around her for a hug with an excited, "Wisher! Wish wisher!" Then she looks at Chae's offer of a hand and, for just a moment, takes a few careful steps towards it instead of immediately bounding over... and then nuzzles that hand too, and gives Chase's wrist a hug.

Luckily, Whelpwisher does heed Purri's warning--Purri seems to be an old hand at the 'taking care of young creatures' game, be it a Nedian child or a pokemon. But Whelpwisher does stare in wonder at Timu. She... well, kind of looks like she might be some kind of pokemon herself, but she can clearly talk. "Whelp..." But that doesn't matter. Whelpwisher bounces closer and returns the bow in a somewhat exaggerated manner before standing upright, waving, and springing away again.

Damian's giggling as he follows Whelpwisher's enthusiastic movements all around as the newly-hatched pokemon explores the new surroundings. There is a start when she bounds into the hot water and lets out a startled 'Whelp!'-- but it's Pixi who rushes over and extends a tail out for the Whelpwisher to latch on to, then lifts her out and sets her on the safe guard.

There's a quiet, but reassuring "Vul" from her. It's okay, she can try the water again later by easing into it.

"Wh-Whelpwisher," Damian calls, waving her over.

Pixi nudges the teddy bear along, and Whelpwisher bounds over to Damian in several easy leaps. "Wiiish?" she asks curiously.

Why was it Pixi who made the save, and not Purri? Because Purri darted off while Damian was making interruptions--and she's coming back now with a very special item: a pokeball!

"Purr!" exclaims Purri as she gives it to Damian, who smiles and pets her head.

"Th-thank you, Purri," he says, then looks to Whelpwisher. "I th-think I th-thought of a name, if you'd like to hear it...?"

Whelpwisher bounces up and down in place, excitedly (and that's a little bit literal, with her legs stretching and deforming as they do.) "Wish! Wisher!"

"H-how about... Rishi?"

The teddy bear pokemon takes a moment to think it over, and then nods excitedly. "Whelp! Whelpwisher!"

Damian smiles, and then holds up the pokeball. "Th-then... Rishi it is." He starts to throw it, but Rishi is one step ahead of him.

She reaches out with an extending arm right as the ball leaves Damian's hand, booping it with a paw rather than wait the extra half a second or so. Rishi sucked inside in a flash of red light, and the pokeball falls to the ground. The capture light immediately turns green, and Damian quickly scoops the pokeball up and hugs it to his chest.

"D-don't worry... I'm gonna take r-really good care of you, Rishi. W-welcome to the party."

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