another adventure

"… Our roommate… uh…" How could he say this without looking like a loser? Well, there really wasn’t any way to say it like that, and wouldn’t she be able to tell if he was lying? God. He huffed, irritation and embarrassment abound as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked away.

"He lit me on fire."

He could have sworn there was an odd silence for just a moment before she went to explain about her… Pokey man? What? He blinked, partially thankful for the topic-change but also growing more and more confused.

"Woah, woah, woah! Pokémon? N’wait… ya said Hoenn, right? What country’s that in? … They just hand out animals? Hey, I want one…" He wouldn’t lie. Having a fire-breathing chicken would be pretty cool. 

Even so, the behemoth nodded before he would comply. He began peeling off his gloves and offering his hands to the younger, all while being mindful of the little chick that ran around them - it could be pretty bad if someone as big as him stepped on a little thing like that.

    The revelation was more than enough to stun the girl back in to silence as she carefully pressed the oozing halves down on her partner's wounds. Had she not been wondering as to why on earth their roommate set Joseph on fire, she would have marveled at the sheer size difference between their hands. Toro, picking up on Sapphire's fledgling distress, quieted down and separated herself from the two humans.

   Hang on, he was asking more questions! Time to put a somewhat cheery expression back on. "To beginning trainers, yeah!" The girl was certain that her father would happily provide Joseph with a starter. A slow pang of uncertainty began to work it's way in to the girl's heart. Would she ever get to see her father again?

   Just keep talking and don't think about it. "And it's pretty much it's own region, there's water on all sides so you usually have to get there by boat or by travelling on a pokémon that won't get tired out by the journey. It's south-west to Johto." Joseph probably doesn't know where that is either, but hey.

{His expression was glared daggers dripping with poison. She’d really decided to take up his time with such an inane question?

Well, whatever. As much as he’d wish he;d had something better to do, he didn’t. Maybe he’d bite just this once.}

— “Shouldn’t I be asking you that? Or maybe you should be asking a vet… That bird looks half roasted.”

{Haha oh god he thinks he’s funny or something. At least now he knew who to hit up if he had a craving for chicken. It was a good thing he could keep himself amused with bad jokes or he’d be pretty bored all the time since this is how he’d tended to treat potential friends!

    "Buddy, Toro's the healthiest Torchic yer gonna see in this place," she quipped while delicately preening the three feathers atop her partner's head. Introductions hadn't even been exchanged yet Nishi was already grating on Sapphire's nerves. She knew better than to let her budding irritation show, however. The feeling that he was dangerous was one that just couldn't be shaken. Instead, she decided to try something else.

       Languid gait carried him into yonder recreation hall,        granted freedom by its broad scope to look about at        his leisure. Though he noted her presence overhead,        he didn’t advocate idle chatter— until she drew attention        unto herself by her own effort. Initially, there was no        acknowledgment on his part, nothing seen in        squandering vocables until necessitated.

       He yielded in time, once learning the area had nothing        to offer.

    Of course, it just so happened that his search of the area had concluded before she could finish savoring her baked treat. The redhead's question confused her a bit. Was he asking if she was new? Requesting that she introduce herself? At least it was easy to pass thinking it over as simply being polite -- in contradiction to her earlier actions, amusingly enough -- and not talking with her mouth full.

    “Do you know of a way to do so?”

"Yeah. Most people just call me JoJo fer short. I mean, ya can if ya want, but. Y’know." In fact… did he know a single person who didn’t call him that? … Weird, but… that was besides the point. The point now was that he would be stuck with this girl for as long as he was here. There didn’t seem to be any threats, but if she couldn’t hold her own, then he would have to make a note to protect her, for both of their sake.

"C’mon, now, don’t be apologizin’. I mean, I already gave ya a lil’ hell, earlier…" He remembered the burns inflicted on him by that douchebag, Jeeves. A huff, accompanied with a small seed of anger at the thought of it. He would distract himself, however, leaning in closer just to get a look at that strange little bird. Curiosity abound, his lips parted in awe as he watched the little thing breath fire.

    The burning sensation that the girl had felt when canvasing the area had certainly been alarming; she had almost been certain that it was a side effect of the brands on their wrists and not because of Joseph's actions. It must've been rather unpleasant when she had taken her gloves off to investigate and later gone digging through the plant life in the nearby forest for plants to make in to a salve. At least she had help for that part.

    "Yea, that's her name! And she's a Torchic, a Pokémon native to m' home region of Hoenn. It's one of the species that's handed out by professors, like my dad, to new trainers when they start their journey." An obligatory explanation, of course. Right now Sapphire was concerned about something else. "Toro'd never hurt a person unless they did somethin' real bad, so you're safe." 

    An affirming chirp from the fire-type sounded as the brunette set her partner down - after which Toro promptly began to circle Joseph and Sapphire held out her hands expectantly. "Lemme see your hands, I got somethin' for you."

    The forest search had been difficult but provided reward; aloe vera, as well as a few other herbs that Sapphire would surely use later. Plump leaves were pulled from the pouch that rested at her waist and promptly cut in half by sharp nails one really wouldn't expect to see on a teenage girl.

Joseph, himself, was a bit anxious to get this supposedly fated meeting underway. He couldn’t help but wonder what this girl would be all about. Was she hot? Smart? Stupid as hell? Well, her brains didn’t really matter. As long as she was cute… Hah. They’d fall in love like a fucked up fairy tail and live… sort of happily ever after. That was his plan, anyways, until he would bump into the girl just in front of their door.

He… was a little disappointed. She seemed more of a sporty type than a bombshell. Not his type at all! Even still, he blinked, taking in the sight of the girl who would supposedly change his life, her lack of height meaning nothing much to him at all. Everyone was shorter than he was, after all.

She didn’t… seem too bad… shit. Should he say something? The bird that would apparently start yelling at them would kickstart him into a forced introduction.

    He seemed nice enough at least, at which the girl quickly brightened up with a smile despite her own anxiety about the whole affair. "Yeah, that'd be me! I don't really mind if ya call me Saph, is there anythin' I should be callin' you besides Joseph?"

    As apologetic she may have been for the intrusive emotions that she had imposed upon her partner, the feeling was quickly escorted out by a sense of pride and joy. It was too bad that he didn't have the slightest idea about Pokémon, but at least she could teach him about them!

    "Sorry about that, it wouldn't be happening if I had any choice about it," she laughed while holding the little Torchic higher for Joseph to see. "Anyway, this here's Toro! She's my partner and we've been through a whole buncha stuff together."