( closed ) the journey starts today

[rotomphone]

Who: Raihan and Aerith
What: Raihan has offered his Gym Leader expertise to Aerith, who is looking to start her pidgey-cat-rabbit through its first training gauntlet. Surely, everything will go as intended.
Where: Mortis Lake and its surrounding area
When: Some time in January!
Content Warnings: Nothing, hopefully?!

[ once Aerith had expressed an interest in training the creature she'd tamed in a manner similar to a Pokémon, there was no way Raihan could deny the opportunity to flex his knowledge and help out a friend. though his team still couldn't use their proper attacks, he's been keeping them in shape enough to have crafted a few training regimes that he thinks might fit the bill for helping the Pidgey hybrid get a bit stronger. he's asked Aerith to meet him at the banks of Mortis Lake while the trees are in their bare phase, giving them plenty of time and space to work with. with a hand on its usual resting position on his hip, he gives them a pointed, but encouraging look. ]

Alright, we're officially in session! Ready to give it your all?

[ it's an open question meant for both Mireille and Aerith. progress won't be made unless both the creature and its Trainer are on the same wavelength, after all! ]

Comments

[anciently]

She does! [ Aerith seems pleased and proud of Mireille, beaming as the sort-of Pokémon stands on Raihan's arm. ] I guess I should figured she'd like that... The pose, I mean. She is a bird...

[ And birds love to perch, right?

The brunette catches the bag when the Trainer tosses it, nodding as she removes a bit of the stuff. Mireille, sensing another snack opportunity, hops a bit toward it and then onto Aerith's own arm as she offers it. ]

Ah! [ She would clap, if she didn't have a bird-rabbit on her limb. ] Great job, Mireille! You're a natural!

[ At following basic commands! Or something. Either way, both Aerith and her Pokémon look content at this point, with the former admiring the latter as she continues her meal. ]

You really have a knack for all this. Who would've thought? [ Aerith asks of Raihan, turning to him with a playful wink. Of course, she's always known he's an accomplished Trainer, but seeing him handle a stranger's Pokémon really highlights his skilled touch with the creatures. ]

[rotomphone]

That was a lucky guess on my part. [ he flashes a quick smirk. ] I figured if she's got at least part of a bird brain in her, the instinct would be there somewhere...

[ he has much more experience with training dragons than feathered birds, but being a Gym Leader means that you should have at least a basic understanding of the types that you'll be facing as opponents on the pitch. if there's anything Leon taught him over their years of matches, it's that preparation and knowledge are keys to victory.

his smile takes on a more genuine tone, happy to see her enthusiasm with the results. it's another reminder that this just isn't the norm for many of the people he's found himself in this world with, but he's just as happy to share the experience as he would with any other rookie trainer. ]

Are you saying you doubted the great Raihan's talents? I'm wounded! [ he narrows his eyes teasingly, stepping back to let her and Mireille bond for a moment. ] Well, it looks to me like you two trust each other. That's a first step and then some - be proud!

[anciently]

True. I guess they're not so different from some of the animals I know from home after all...

[ She doesn't spend a lot of time with animals of any kind, considering she's usually either with plants, or people, but Aerith really is happy for the opportunity to get to this (sort-of) animal, at least, and to learn more about it from Raihan and the other trainers.

His lamentation has her plant her free hand on her hips, grinning at him with a dubious expression. ]

I would never! I was just surprised: that's all. [ There's a light chuckle as she observes Mireille again, and as the creature peers back, cocking its head curiously. ] There's no way I could doubt all your knowledge with what you've told me so far!

[ He's displayed time and time again that he's an absolute expert at these things, both to a complete novice like Aerith and scores of trainers from his own world, too. ]

[rotomphone]

The way I see it, it's all about finding what we're familiar with and keeping an open mind. We're gonna get thrown for a loop either way, but I say every bit of prep counts.

[ confident as he may be, Raihan is aware enough that he's leagues away from knowing anything about this world or what's in it. still, being able to pick out a few things and make inferences at least gives the feeling of some surface-level control and understanding. it's about all they can work with in this world, and it's keeping him grounded. hopefully the sentiment can help Aerith too, if she finds herself needing it. ]

Glad to hear it! [ he grins. ] But you're catching on fast, so I can't take all the credit. Let's keep going, yeah?

[ the next bit of "training" is fairly light, mostly gauging what sort of agility Mireille has at her disposal. he takes them through a few simple training drills that he goes through with newly-hatched dragons that are just learning the ins and outs of their wings, helping Aerith with the concepts of basic commands with positive reinforcement from the mushroom jerky. once they've managed to complete a trick with Mireille catching a piece of jerky in midair, it feels like a good stopping point. ]

Brilliant effort, both of you! [ he's smiling widely, perhaps with a bit of pride. ] I think you're well on your way to becoming proper partners.

[anciently]

Absolutely! That's all we can really do, right?

[ It's a great perspective to have no matter where you are and what your situation is. She flashes him a big smile in return, pleased to be among other positive thinkers, her own attitude bolstered by what Raihan says. ]

Okay, let's go! [ He's proven again to be a capable teacher as he guides them through the next segment of training, ending with a triumphant midair catch and a cheer of affirmation from Aerith, on the ground. ]

Nice work, Mireille! You deserve every bit of those treats! [ Mireille herself certainly seems pleased, puffing her feathers a bit as she lands on Aerith's arm. The brunette looks back to Raihan with a confident grin and a thumbs-up. ] Happy to hear you see that, o wonderful teacher! Mireille and I both can't wait for our next session! We'll make sure to train really hard in the meantime so we don't let you down.

[ As if sensing the need for input, Mireille chirps. ]

[rotomphone]

[ unless the void gives them a reason to be thinking about things negatively, this is how Raihan has chosen to go about it. he's easygoing to begin with, but he's taking extra care to keep a cool head in this strange world. panicking won't do anyone any good, which leaves rolling with the punches each day as his next best bet. ]

Your praise humbles the great Raihan! [ as if. his smile hasn't dimmed a bit, both in response to her praise and genuine satisfaction with their momentum. ] Not that I think you two could let me down in the first place. You've got the right attitude, so I know the effort will follow suit. Just remember that training's a long-term thing; make sure you're moving at your own pace, alright?

[ as a Gym Leader that's mentored handfuls of Trainers in the past, it's important to remember that everyone has different goals with different roadmaps for how to reach them. what he wants to help Aerith establish with Mireille is a bond rather than teaching her how to battle - he'd be more than happy to do so if she expresses the desire, but this should come first. ]

And to reward your progress, I've got something for you two.

[anciently]

Okay! Don't worry: we'll work hard without pushing it too much. Right, Mireille?

[ This time, the chimera is occupied pecking at something, but Aerith smiles anyway, nodding as if in response. ]

Huh? A reward? [ Mireille had already gotten a bunch of snacks, so her owner tilts her head curiously, studying their mentor. ] You didn't have to do anything like that!

[ It's...very sweet, though. Aerith waits patiently, smile softening as she does. ]

[rotomphone]

[ he nods, happy to see that at least Aerith is in agreement. he's sure Mireille is as well, even if she's a bit scatterbrained about the whole thing. he sees potential in them, and that's what's important at the end of the day! ]

'Course I did! And it's nothing big, so don't worry.

[ he reaches into his pocket and takes out a cutely-patterned capsule-like device, about the size of a ping pong ball. when he presses the button in its middle, it suddenly grows to the size of a baseball in his hand. he steps closer to her, holding it out in offer. ]

We call these Poké Balls where I'm from. They're basically like portable houses to keep your Pokémon safe while you're out and about, but they're also a way to show that you're partners.

[ his smile has softened, from a wide grin into something more genuine. it's an honest gesture; no grandstanding about it this time around. ]

She doesn't have to go into it if she doesn't want to, but I at least figured it'd be a cool keepsake for your first step as a Trainer.