#ambcrly

Her words hit him like a hammer to a nail, even if he didn't potentially agree with her. The way her eyes watered, the passion she had for kindness and what power it had for people. He looks at her with a blank expression at first, as if to decide what to say to her.

How could he explain his reasoning without giving away too much information? He rarely knew her, but at the same time he wanted to understand. To know exactly why she was feeling what she was feeling. Quietly, almost without noise, Steven reaches into his pocket and pulls out a neat clean tissue. He had to right this, even if he himself didn't feel the same way.

"I apologize for upsetting you." His tone quiet, smooth and hushed, the silver Champion closes his eyes for a moment. "Kindness... does something to people when it isn't used correctly." His thoughts immediately went to Lysandre, and how their kindness made him into the bitter man he was. "I'm not saying it's not important. It is, but I think... the best way to go about it is to understand."

“It’s a lot easier to follow a pokémon down-wind, bringing your breath in-sync with theirs to make your movements undetectable.” 

 He’s remarkably skilled with his hands, having already unraveled the used bandages and disposing of them in a waste pouch he’d been keeping in his backpack. When he pulls them out again, he’s holding antibiotic spray, and he mumbles a warning about a the sting before giving it two even coats. The bleeding slows, a sheen coating giving him enough time to properly wrap new bandage around the wound. It’s a short process - he’s entirely quiet as he works, but when he’s done he looks up at with a smile. 

If she was asked about how she knew, well, she wouldn’t have a definite answer. It was kind of a vague conversation opener. She didn’t expect to be right on the money. 

The Growlithe is new - definitely not a Grass type but type diversity is a good thing. She herself still sometimes considered branching out, but that would involve coming to terms with the PC system, plus she always did gravitate towards a select few anyway. 

“Celadon, huh?” Celadon was where Rocket had one of their HQs right? She knew they still had the game corner. And with cops like Shou - Shou was great but he kind of...Amberly wasn’t someone he’d let bunk at his place. And that other guy...But she can’t put fear back in Amberly’s life over something not even 100% certain. After all, she managed to avoid most run ins with Rocket and she willingly hung out with Grunts. 

She took a sip of her vanilla chai. “That’s great.” Was it weird, maybe, that Noir wasn’t present when the Growlithe was? Her hand still went for the Pokeball out of reflex but she didn’t dare push the button, especially with her head gloriously empty of other persons for once. 

It was a strange feeling.

“If he’s in prison, maybe just stop dwelling on him entirely. Easier said than done, I know. As for me - I guess I’ve just been busy? Oh, I went to Alola! That was an experience. But mostly work, recovering from the end of the holidays - friend of mine got in a truck crash a while back, so - ...” 

There came that horrible, sinking nausea again, starting from her core and clawing its way up until she felt it burning in her throat. She swallowed it back down with more tea. 

“Well ain’t you a cute one?”

“ NOTHIN’ ‘MPORT’NT. “

         “  He’s not going to bite.  “

     Of all your Pokémon, Agni was far from the most likely to sink his teeth into anything that wasn’t food or a toy. A terrifically trained beast, he was. Look at him, sitting so prim & proper. Well, struggling to contain his excitement, but he’s trying his hardest to look like the proud Arcanine you’ve raised him to be.

why are you so embarrassing oh my god we’re out in public STOP

        “  He ─ hey, shut up! She’s a growing baby!          She needs to know that she’s special, or else she          won’t have any confidence when she gets strong          enough to battle!  “

     A pause ‘fore you turn your attention back onto coddling the Wooper in your arms.