#bara tag

It had taken a month. One long, impatient month. 

But after the man had nearly forgotten that he'd even had a discussion with the region's Professor he was struck with shock as he stared down at the little pokeball that was held out for him by one of Birch's associates. 

"You're...sure this wasn't any trouble?" Tango's eyes flicked up from the red and white ball to the scientist that seemed overly chipper with his task. Truly Tango hadn't even known delivery was an option but seeing as how he had few ways of getting to Littleroot and one of Birch's co-workers was making the trip across the region to Lilycove things just happened to pan out.

"No trouble at all! It's more exciting to do these sorts of things in person than through a Pokemon Center anyway, wouldn't you agree?"

"Can't argue that." Tango's voice trailed off as anxiety and excitement bubbled in him. Carefully he took the pokeball and turned it over in his hands. 

"...Is...there something wrong?"

Tango stiffened and he shook his head quickly, "No! Not at all! I'm just...really new to this." He laughed quietly and waved off the man's concern. "I hope the pokemon likes me."

"Oh he's very sweet, I'm sure you'll have no problems. But just in case things don't work out I'm always willing to take him back to Birch. After he spoke to you for a while he thought this little guy might be the right sort of fit though." He relaxed his posture and leaned against the wall in Tango's loft, making sure to keep close. Though it wasn't long before he noticed a small floating pig enter the scene. "Oh! A munna!" 

Tango turned his head and looked at the yawning pokemon as she slowly made her way into the room. "That's Mahou. She was a surprise gift and kinda the reason I wanted to get into the whole trainer thing." He focus went back to the new pokemon as the scientist fussed over seeing something so different. Mahou seemed to drink in the attention at least.

So whatever was in the ball had been picked for him? He hoped he hadn't given Birch the wrong impression and that he had a good sense of intuition, otherwise things could get ugly fast. The tattooed man felt far safer knowing that Mahou had roused should such sour things occur. 

"Well here goes nothing..."

With a flash of red light the pokemon was released. Tango blinked away the spots that formed in his eyes, he was still horribly unused to the brightness that pokeballs gave off as their energy was released. As his vision came to he was left staring down at a blue...something. He wasn't sure what it was.

"Mudkip!" The pokemon chirped and stared up at Tango with what he swore were sparkles in his eyes. The little mudfish's crest was pushed forward, rather than sitting straight on his head and little pale blue spots dotted his hide and ran up his legs like little socks. He was a stocky little thing and looked like maybe one day all that baby fat would grow into muscle once he was trained up. 

"Oh my god he has a pompadour!" The redhead flapped his wrists in excitement and scooted closer to the edge of the couch to gently pet at the pokemon that sat on his coffee table. The smooth little...whatever pokemon it was...nudged his head into the welcoming hand and nuzzled warmly. "Oh noooo he's so cute."

"Like him?" The scientist spoke up and turned his eyes from the notes he was taking on the sleepy Munna.

"Yeeeesssss!" The new trainer's voice hitched in his throat. This was it. He was starting to understand the feeling that people got with pokemon. He felt a close bond with Mahou and loved the little pig dearly, but having another pokemon now made it all the more clear to him that this was the feeling people and pokemon got when a partnership was formed. His heart fluttered at what he now considered his new family member.