( 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

[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.