Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Anytime old dude." He said with a youthful smirk. "Im pretty sure her name was Pachi, but i like Smoshi better so im gonna call her that." he said closing his eyes to try and pull together what few words she spoke during the struggle.

"Her vocabulary could use some work. she barley said two sentences." he remembered. "she mocked us by asking if we were really trying and whether it was funny or sad." TK scowled. Which coming from his was adorable.

"I dunno what she meant. i was pretty awesome jumping around all over the place. My style of Capoeira couldn't have been better today." he said matter-of-factly. "Some time after Sal came back from where ever she was portel'd to, we were able to demolish the stage and N even scored a direct hit on Her apparently!" He paused from dramatic effect.

"I didn't see cause after the stage collapsed i got buried under some ruble. But man, you should'a seen how mad Sal was. Do you know how scary she can be when mad!?" Tk played out a frightful shudder.

"But anyway's, after that we paired up and were supposed to cover each other's back but Robby's back is like huge so i couldn't stop it when he was Portale'd on top of Sal... Oh! But before that happened Smoshi reappeared and got the message 'You have him? Still alive?' And she said something like 'Harmony has the mark' and im pretty sure she was talking to more than one person cause not long after that the rest of her little click popped up." when he repeated what Smoshi said he used a deep manly voice.

Tk suprised himself by how easy it was ro retell the events, but also by how easy it was to talk to Agent Einatz. Before coming to Unova talking to strange people, adults mainly, was something that Tk did not enjoy. Sure he was as brave as any kid playing hero, but when it came to verbal communication with other people, he just did not excel. Hiba, his Mother, and Kari. Those where the three people he could talk freely with.

Now? there was Henrietta, Salieri, Wayne, N, Robby, Luka The gym leader's he's fought, Random people's he's met like the three dancer brother's back in Castelia (Marcelo, Fernando, & Antonio), The Cop he helped and who gave him the two police baton's - Steven. Maybe this whole adventure is giving him more than he set out to get.

"So that's what happened." he finished. feeling a lot better after telling it and getting it off his chest. He turned to look at Jump, His silver spiky lock shifting as he did. "So?"

Tk was about to make a retort at how most of them are self tought and was doing the governments job to begin with but then Jump began gloating about his Skill's in Capoeira.

Tk knew and opportunity when he saw one.

Tk returned Jumps Grin in equal force. "Really? i dunno, you don't look the type. I thought it was a style reserved for like... the young and able?" He pulled his mouth into and apologetic smile but his eye's issued an un-spoken challenge.

Agent Einatz saw the video footage so he knew what Takamaru could do, but what about him? If he's as good as he says he is, Tk would throw out what pride he had and beg him to teach him. Self teaching himself just wasn't working anymore.

"Prove it." Then the challenge became spoken.

Battle Institute

“Wow, thanks!”

The Youngster picked up his Swadloon, freshly healed thanks to a green haired man’s magical glowing hands. N stood up and coughed. A little blood trickled down his nose. “Mister, are you okay?”

His flat expression remained the same. N grabbed a tissue from the box on the counter and dabbed away at the blood. I exceeded my current capacity for healing, and I still haven’t found that Pawniard. “I’m fine. Don’t let your pokemon get in anymore battles, or it’ll get hurt again.”

“Uh-huh.” The Youngster walked away, rolling his eyes at the suggestion. N slowly made his way down the hall, scanning around for Liuye Dao. There had been so many pokemon injured by random pokemon battles in the city that he couldn’t help but heal as many as he could. Because of it, he wouldn’t be able to heal Liuye until later.

N finally found Salieri’s pokemon sitting on a bench by themselves. “How is he doing?”

Salem perked up her head. She remembered N from way back in Striaton City. [He’s okay for now, but he has to go home.]

“I see.” N took a seat on the bench next to Chen Zhen, who exchanged a glance with Wukong. People talking to pokemon? Bizarre, like that Interpol Agent. “That’s probably for the best. He needs a good environment to recover in. Away from these meaningless fights.”

Sal emerged from Liuye’s room, and N stood up. She stopped in her tracks: Sal was surprised by N’s presence. “Salem told me what’s going on. I’m sorry you have to leave your friend.”

She nodded slowly looked away. Wordlessly, she returned her pokemon. “I didn’t mean to yell at you before.”
“Alright.”

She nodded again. “Why, uh, why are you here?”

He looked over his shoulder. There were several pokemon in that hallway he had healed. Only basic bruises, sustained from an average rookie’s pokemon battle. Things that could be taken care of by the facility’s equipment. But he had to give what he could.

“I came to help.”

Sal released a short, bitter laugh. “Of course you are…everyone’s so keen on playing hero all of the sudden.”

N narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m not playing.” And then his eyes widened as he looked past the Battle Girl. “Salieri.”

Sal spun around.

Liuye was dragging himself down the hallway by his IV stand, using it as support. Faint footprints of blood lingered behind him. He creaked his head up, eyes filled with tears, to look at the shocked Salieri.

[Please don’t throw me away, Master Salieri!]

Her mouth was agape. That high pitched, metallic sound was unfamiliar. It was then that she truly realized she had never heard Liuye speak before. She looked back to N. “Translate for him,” she commanded.

N gulped. The sight of the battered Pawniard weighed heavy on his heart. If there was something he could do to increase his Aura so he could help him, he would. For now, all he could do was translate. “Please don’t throw me away, Master Salieri.”

[This body…is a curse,] he lamented. [I can’t protect your dreams without my blades…and because of them…I can never…ahh…hold you and tell you it will all be okay, to protect your feelings. I could never hold anyone…and I was okay with that, because in the end you would have…hic…everything you wanted. But now…]

Liuye buried his head in his hands and fell to his knees. [Ugh. Look at me! Too weak to stand! If I can’t be your sword, then I am useless to you!]

Even though N still translated, now he had to look away. Watching the once stoic Pawniard break down was too much for him to see. [This is my nightmare…gah… I am…dead weight. I know this. But being a part of your team…hic…has been my pride and joy! Forgive my failure, Master Salieri!]

He collapsed into a bow before her, putting his head on the ground. [Please don’t leave me behind! I can’t live with myself this way!]

Salieri blinked at her Pawniard. Her throat felt dry, watching him sob like that. N tipped the brim of his hat down and folded his arms.

She walked over to him. “Have you been…calling me ‘Master’…since I’ve known you?”

Liuye struggled to nod. Her lips quivered, her hands clenched into fists, and her nostrils flared.

“Never call me that again!”

She lunged down. Liuye prepared to get reprimanded.

Instead, he felt his rib blades dig slightly into her stomach when she kneeled down and hugged him, embracing his broken body lightly in her arms. He froze up.

She reeled him in to rest his head on her chest. “I’m not sending you home because I’m your trainer. I’m sending you home because I am your friend, and I made a terrible mistake and you had to pay for it.”

Tiny drops of her blood fell to the floor, mixing in with his tears. Liuye couldn’t see her face, but her voice sounded shaky. “And I don’t know how I can ever make it up to you otherwise, because I can’t bear to see you hurting this badly. Oh god…Liuye, I am so sorry. I’m the one who needs to be forgiven…”

He sobbed freely again. “I told her…I’d make her pay a hundred times over. And when I do, you’ll be there too. And we’ll do it together.”

Sal leaned back and tipped up Liuye’s chin so she could look him in the eyes. She gave him a warm smile. “Liuye Dao, you have never done wrong by me in your life. Especially not now.”

He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and nodded.

Two nurses came down the hall, preparing to reprimand their patient for leaving his room in his condition. But N held out an arm to stop them from getting closer, and they obliged when they saw Salieri giving Liuye the only hug he’d ever had.

Sal looked over his shoulder and nodded at the nurses. She stood up and blinked rapidly. “I’ll call you when I can. Please take care of yourself…I want you to come back to me, real soon.”

Liuye breathed heavily. And then he stood up, giving her a proud salute. Salieri returned in kind.

The nurses stepped forward and helped Liuye back to his room. Salieri watched him go until the door closed.

N approached her from behind and put a hand on her shoulder. There wasn’t much for him to say. And if there was, he didn’t know what it was.

Countless times, he had sorted through the equations that dictated the relationships between pokemon and trainer. And never before had he encountered this one. Comforting humans was new to him. Their feelings…are variables I had never counted on before.

“Are you okay?”

As soon as he asked, Salieri spun away and brushed past him, briskly walking out of the Battle Institute and back into the streets of Nimbasa without giving him so much as a look.

N watched her go sadly. I think that means no.

"Hrm? Teach? You?"

Jump rubbed his chin. Although having someone worship him at his feet was kind of nice, he didn't really want to do any teaching. Cause that was work. And he already had a job.

Then again, it's not like the kid was a total noob. It could actually be fun, having someone to play capoeira with. After all, it was just as much of a game as it was a martial art.

Besides, the kid was willing to call him the god of youthfulness. No one had ever called him a god before. He kind of liked it.

"What's your name, kid?" Jump asked as he whipped out the pad and pen again and started to scrawl once more.

The Melancholy

Henrietta's Pokemon weren't injured. Well, there were minor injuries at best anyways. Melty was mostly tired, and that was pretty much the worst of it. Henrietta was in much worse condition, but she didn't show it, even as she walked through the front door of her house, even as she let her Pokemon out to roam and she started making some food.

Macaroni and cheese, the pot big enough for everyone to have some. Except Melty, Henrietta knew his secret now. He fed off of life force, and hers would be plenty enough to sustain him. That's what she told herself.

Her actions were mechanical, every consideration was from instinct, memory, when she was making the food. It helped that the process was simple enough. Her expression wasn't worn one way or another, she just looked 'there'. Eye lids lower than usual because of exhaustion, mouth slightly agape, feet stepping through instinct. They did not drag, but they did not raise either, she stepped like she was taught in kendo, slight jumps in motion pivoting her in one direction or another.

And the sum of it was that she was tired. Which was why she didn't hear the knocking at her door.

***

All but Melty had gathered around the door. Melty was resting someplace unseen, and one could only hope that he didn't intend to take advantage of the battle institutes large sum of people.

Darumi tried first, but his legs did not give him the balance he needed to open the door, though he could grab the handle. The result was he leaned back against it. Frowning, he tried to shimmy the door handle but turning his weight sideways. The result was he freaked from falling and released the door handle to catch himself.

After the laughter ceased and Darumi hung his head in shame Bastion walked up to the door handle. Clearly, though, he was too short to reach the handle. Frowning, he turned to the others.

Frate raised an appendage to show it was impossible and Socant shook his head as well.

[I got it,] Bastion said and he motioned Darumi over. [Kneel down and I'll grab it.]

[Great idea!] Darumi said with his large grin and he knelt before the door handle as Bastion struggled to climb on top of him. Frate approached and nudged him up using an appendage and then Darumi rose himself to let Bastion reach the handle.

But his tiny little hands couldn't get a grip on it. Frowning, he turned back toward the group. Examining them for a moment, he had an [Aha!] moment. [Web my hands, that way they'll stick to the handle ad I can turn it.]

[Alright,] Socant said as he expertly released the webbing, coating Bastion's hands in the stuff. He turned and latched the sticky hands onto the handle before turning the door, and then he pulled as Darumi began to back up.

Revealing nothing. Whoever had been knocking had left.

[Agh!] Bastion cried in frustration and he leaned back to roll away from Darumi, forgetting he was stuck to the handle. Darumi moved to peak out the door and saw nobody.

As he pushed the door to close it, Bastion swung from his head, still stuck to the handle and a foot caught itself between door and frame.

"Henrietta?" It was Azucena, peaking inside. "I kept calling to you, but you didn't seem to noti-oh." Her eyes were on the Pokemon staring up at her. "Is she home?"

Darumi nodded.

"Can I come in?" The words were slower, drawn out from the awkwardness of getting permission from a Pokemon.

Darumi nodded again.

Azucena stepped inside, opening the door in the process and a thud followed by a squeak caused her to jump and check the door. Bastion still hung there. "Oh! I'm sorry," she said, kneeling down to inspect the door handle. "Here, let me..." her words trailed off as she worked with the webbing to help Bastion get his hands free.

After about a minute he was and he thanked her for the help, not that she could understand the words but his meaning was conveyed. "You're welcome," she said and she looked toward the kitchen as the sound of bowls being placed on the counter caught her attention. "She's in there?" Bastion nodded.

"Thanks." Azucena waved as she left the Pokemon behind with a wave.

***

Henrietta jumped when she felt the hand on her shoulder. "Henrietta?"

"Azucena?" Henrietta asked as she was brought back to reality.

"I've been trying to get your attention for a while," she said as Henrietta turned to fully face her, a bowl of macaroni in her hands.

"S-sorry," Henrietta said, she sounded tired. More then that, she looked tired now too.

"You're not okay." There was no point in asking, Azucena could see it, she could hear it. She took the bowl from Henrietta's hands, which got her some protesting but Henrietta was clearly too tired to resist that. Setting it on the counter Azucena took her hand and lead her to the table where she made her sit. "I'll handle this, you just sit back and relax."

Henrietta could only nod and slump against the table, her arms resting first followed by her head. She watched Azucena gather the bowls of macaroni and give them out to the suddenly excited Pokemon.

She didn't hurt anymore, her crystals were part subconsciously at work. They responded well to pain, and the broken rib had a crystal brace on it, helping her body to mend, the cuts and gashes she'd received from Kelt were also covered and healing.

Maybe it was because of this that Henrietta, when she buried her face in her arms, groaned about needing more clothes instead of about anything else. She'd been going through them as they were ruined, and there was all the clothing Melty had burned. By now she was pretty much grabbing what little she had left in her closet and wearing that. If things continued on like this?

Henrietta groaned again, she didn't want to think about it.

By the time Azucena came back with her bowl Henrietta had gotten on to more important business. Using the chatroom, she sent this message to everybody in it;

Henrietta Avalite: meeting at my place today, we have things to discuss

"Whose that to?"

"My friends," Henrietta said groggily. Azucena smiled.

"Those guys that were fighting with you? I met one of them, she's pretty mean."

"Salieri," Henrietta said as Azucena took her hand and led her to sit on the floor, placing the bowl between her legs and sitting behind her, one leg on either side. "She's mad at me."

"Yeah, I got that," Azucena said. Henrietta, who hadn't resisted anything, began to eat her macaroni as Azucena began to press fingers into her back, giving it a massage. "Let me know if it hurts at all, okay?"

Henrietta didn't answer, instead she kept eating. This went on for a few minutes, slow bites in the silence of the house, little moans breaking the silence when Azucena's fingers removed a knot in Henrietta's back. As time passed eventually Henrietta began to lean back, relaxing against Azucena and eventually she fell asleep.

Azucena didn't move, except to take the bowl from Henrietta. "I'm sure you won't mind," she whispered and she began to eat.

Robby had noticed the whole problem of what was going on against that woman before, near the end of the fight. She was pretty much stronger than all of them. Physically, not just with that power. It wasn't like he specifically wanted to jump in front of trains or whatever it was that they had done, but he did know that the Lillipup girl would probably do it again. Then get her bones broken. Because that seemed to be how she rolled.

He wasn't really that injured, actually he wasn't more than dirty from that hole he'd fallen into. His pokemon were, mostly, just tired, from what he could tell. Even Fried wasn't too bad off, considering how he looked. Tired, but he'd heal.

The obese lad now stood in town, at last testing what he'd gained. That power that he had, which only worked forwards and backwards, really. Away from him and towards. Like a magnet or something. Reject and pull. That seemed like a good way to call it.

He stepped back from a rock he'd been testing, nodding slowly. The objects reacted based on weight. As if he were actually pushing them, maybe? The lad started trying to focus on what that meant, exactly, but was interrupted in the next moment, when the chatroom gave him a message.

It was from the meal-ticket squad. Specifically the Lillipup Girl.