World Tree MUSH

Alola! a wonderful region, lots of beaches!, lots of sun!. Unfortunately, for folks not used to it, the place can get a bit warm, and given it's potential vacation location status, getting proper rooms might be a bit expensive for long stays!. Fortunately, Luke is used to camping, and wanting to avoid crowds, he decided to make his temporary home base on one of the foresty routes near a city. In fact, he was taking the chance to do a bit of pokemon training, spending time with his less... combat ready pokemon, a kitten, a big black cat with a bell on it's tail, and a weird panda wearing some kind of costume. (people familiar with some myths might guess, chinese/japanese chi vampire). They were eating snacks before the practice properly begins.

Gonta is good with the heat, so this is fine. Speaking of beaches, he's also found, from his first time visiting a beach, that he really likes the feel of sand. Sand like this is a bit different than mud and dirt. It feels a lot nicer on the feet dry OR wet. He's just having a look around when, oh more pokemon! Seems he has a lot of luck thus far with meeting pokemon on beaches. These guys are up to something so he doesn't want to just barge over or anything. He kind of squats down to do some scribbling in his note book and offers a little wave from his distance away.

It's hot all right -- TOO hot! It wasn't ever NEARLY this hot in Kira! Asato's abandoned most of his clothes in a tree for now, having obtained a pair of swimming trunks from God only knows where. They're blue with a thick black horizontal stripe across the legs, and actually accommodate his tail. Currently he's lounging around in a tree, not too far from where Luke and his Pokemon are snacking in preparation for training.

Asato is currently grooming his ears and tail after taking a dip in the nearby water to cool off. Saltwater, y'know... does a number on hair. And on fur, too. He's a little easier to see now that he's not actively trying to hide. Also a little easier to detect, since the tree makes rustling sounds as he shifts around to deal with grooming his tail.

Though he IS kind of showing off the impressive flexibility that cats are known for, since by 'grooming', that means licking. The base of his tail needs groomed too, see. And he can actually reach it. Cats are liquid, after all.

    Actually, is not that busy, beyond making sure the trio of inexperienced pokemon eat!, and making sure that Dynamo, a big, round thunder tiger, is handling the heat fine, flopped under some shade and seemingly napping. All in all, they don't seem to notice Gonta approaching at first, busy eating what seem to be pastries, until the tree noises!. At that, the black cat perks it's ears and meows at Luke, tail making some soft chimes, before the boy turns around and returns the wave, "Hi!". Amusingly, the electric tiger is actually napping beneath Asato, ears twitching at the noises around it.

Gonta smiles as Luke waves back. He keeps scribbling in his book a little more before peering curiously at the sound of the rustling. Oh! "Hello Asato," he calls with an upward wave. He already knows this guy! He's still in his usual suit this time though, rather than running around in his loincloth like last time.

The chiming noises get Asato's attention, and he shifts around to crouch on the branch, to look down and see what's going on. He notes the Pokemon, Luke, and then Gonta when he calls out. And he smiles brightly, seeing two people he knows! Not including the Pokemon, of course.

He waves, and then starts to climb down the tree. On the way down, he notices the electric tiger-ball, and makes sure not to step on him! Once he's on the ground safely, he greets both, "Hello." It's quiet, but he always speaks quietly. The happy smile on his face is more indicative of his mental state than his words.

Luke Gray smiles and waves again to Gonta, curious about the large, suit wearing person, "You can come closer, don't worry." he perhaps wonders if the big guy was nervous about interrupting something. He was about to greet Asato back, when he sees the pair knows eachother already!. "Hey Asato, wanted to get snacks as well?, was about to do some light training with these pokemon." he says, pointing at the group. 
    The thunderball tiger continues to nap, thankfully!. The other pokemon get curious of the visitors, the big, black cat with a bell slowly padding towards Asato, meowing again, it had a rather pleasant 'voice', sniffing curiously, tail swishing slowly, chiming as it moved. Gonta meanwhile, is approached by the small panda, it waves one paw and grins, showing those little fangs, and twitching the oversized puffball of a tail. It seems impressed at how big Gonta is, and speaks to him!, well, speaks in 'pokemon'. So others hear 'Pan, shi!' and a mix of such. Gonta might be able to hear a question of 'are you a human?'.

Gonta nods at the pokemon "Gonta is Gonta Gokuhara," he greets, "Gonta is exploring to learn more for his school. They want to know all about these different places that are around us now." He closes his book and stands back up, since he's been allowed to come over.

"I don't want to eat all your food," Asato replies to Luke's question. It's true, Asato hears only permutations of 'pan' and 'shi' when the not-vampire panda speaks. However, he has another way of speaking, which he displays when the bellkitty comes over. He sits down, looks at the bellkitty, and closes his eyes. Just for a moment. A slow-blink -- that's a feline greeting, and a gesture of trust. What better way can a predator species show its trust in another being than to take its eyes off said other being, right?

However, Asato does note the interaction between Gonta and the not-vampire panda. "...You understand?" he asks, tilting his head. He doesn't. He understands the Pokemon better by paying attention to their body language -- they do act much like animals from Sisa (and from a lot of other places he's been), and he knows animal body language.

    Luke smiles and nods to Gonta at the greeting, "You... understand him?" he asks, smiling, "I kinda get the gist of what he says after spending time with him... I guess it kinda happens with pokemon." he says, and adds, "Ah, same goal as me!... well, after I am done exploring this region, I might go to other worlds." he says softly, making sure there is room.
    Pangshi seems shocked at the appropiate, correct answer, he clearly didn't expect a random human to understand him!. It is a bit cute to see the shock on the small panda, who quickly walks besides Gonta, looking at him curiously, and offering a proper greeting, nothing special, just presenting himself as Pangshi and such. He aska about the book too!.
     The small kitten yawns and stretches, sitting up and glancing at the approaching strangers, casually grooming his snout and offering a simple 'hit' outloud. Meanwhile, the black bellcat returns the greeting, nodding slightly and moving closer, pacing around Asato, and gently bumping it's head to the cat person, brushing against his side, purring softly, again, a surprisingly musical noise. "Hey Berurun, don't think you can evade training today, just keep that in mind." Luke warns, chuckling a bit. "If you want to learn about pokemon, I can try to offer a bit of help." he adds, smiling to Gonta.

Gonta nods a little to the question from the others. "It seems like Gonta can understand some pokemon but not others...or maybe the wild pokemon were just too shy to speak to Gonta..." the large boy replies as he comes over, "But Gonta understands Pangshi." "The book? That's Gonta's note book where he's sketching pictures and writing things about what he's seen." He'd open the book back up, showing a drawing he made of the other pokemon he'd met so far. Luke's offer gets a smile. "Gonta has two other people speaking to him about Pokemon as well. Pokemon seem popular!"

Asato notes, "I've been going to different worlds too. Sometimes I have to be careful. Because of my ears and tail." He reaches up and rubs at an ear. Yeah, a catboy might be weird in some worlds. Meanwhile, the bellkitty is greeting Asato, so he leans down to do the same from where he now sits, attempting a gentle headbutt with his forehead. Just the part right above the bridge of his nose, not enough to push the Pokemon over.

Gonta's theory makes sense. "People are scary," he states. "It's easier to run away." Hard to tell if he's speaking from experience, or from the POV of a wild animal. As for their popularity? "Cute. And it's lonely." What? He's kind of thinking faster than his mouth can speak the things he's thinking.

     Luke tilts his head a bit, "Yeah... usually wild pokemon seem a bit uneasy sometimes, unless they think you are a pokemon trainer and want to fight you, or you are doing something to provoke them." he finally says, smiling to Gonta and offering him what seems like some kind of jelly filled pastry. "Oh yes, pokemon and pokemon battles are likely the most popular things for most folks in this world." he says with a grin. Pangshi seems to corroborate Luke's talk, especially the 'wanting to fight' and 'be captured'. It's a bit odd. 
    The black cat returns the gesture, seems fairly limber and stable even at the headbutt, the tail chiming as it swishes a few times, and paws at it's own ear, before glancing back at Luke, huh, this human has ears and a tail. Like Dynamo did in the past, this cat seems intrigued of the appendage, watching it attentively, while swishing it's own. The mention of Lonely gets Luke's attention back to the cat person, "Lonely?"

Gonta peers curiously at the pastry and smells at it. "Hnn? Gonta met a pokemon named Miwa who is a singer, he didn't know much of anything about this fighting and capturing part of it yet." He frowns thoughtfully, considering Luke and Pangshi's words. "But if the pokemon like it too, Gonta doesn't think it's a problem," he decides before looking to Asato, "The pokemon is lonely or the trainer is lonely?"

Swish, swish, swish goes the tail on the ground, swaying placidly. It seems like a perfectly normal feline tail, attached to Asato's body in the proper place a feline tail is supposed to be attached. Asato frowns a bit at Luke's request for elaboration -- it's a thoughtful frown, though, not a displeased one. He pauses to note Gonta's words, tilting his head. "Being captured... that's good?" He seems not too terribly convinced at that.

And then he goes back to his previous statement, when Gonta too seems perplexed by it. He frowns once more, trying to think of how best to explain it. He speaks more slowly now, to try and get more of his thoughts out in a cognizant sentence. "Traveling... by yourself. ...It's lonely... without someone else. Maybe... Pokemon get lonely too."

     Luke nods at the mention of that name, "Miwa is rather nice, I admit pokemon able to comunicate so... easily with humans are rare." he says, smiling a bit more. He reaches to pet the tiny kitten next to him, "They seem to like it, they like getting stronger and having friends and adventuring." he says softly. He glances at the little cat. "Hey, Meowsy, let's see if your aim gets better." he says, reaching around to put a 'target', which is basically a pillow with a drawn face, a bit away from the cat. "Try to hit it with a coin.". The kitten stretches, seems to produce a small coin from thin air, and swats it at the pillow, it barely reaches it. "Ok, at least that is going towards teh target, good work!". 
    Pangshi seems just trying to wrap his head at Asato, and Gonta being so different from Luke, nodding at the words from his trainer and talking about wanting to become big and strong, like Gonta.
    The Berurun seems convinced after a moment, and perhaps just to be playful, sways that bell tailtip right in front of Asato, making sure it chimes, just trying to lighten the mood a bit, and nodding as she asks, stretching a bit.Certainly the catboy's question gets a sigh from Luke, "Oh, yes... I don't know how things might be if I didn't have Dynamo with me to help me and keep me company, or any of my pokemon... I mean I wanted to travel adn become the best trainer, but I care a lot about their friendship... being alone during all this time... that sounds terrible."

Gonta ahs and nods in understanding at Asato's explanation. "That makes sense, yeah..." Gonta agrees, "Ahhh, but Gonta is big cause he grew up in the wild, most humans don't do that...it sounds like maybe it is different for pokemon too." His attention back on Asato he answers, "Gonta thinks it wouldn't be good normally, but if the pokemon want to be captured, Gonta doesn't see a problem..."

Asato notes Luke's mention of Miwa with a tilt of his head. This is a person he doesn't know. But then he notices something else about the mention of this person. "...Miwa is a Pokemon? But can talk?" He hasn't seen one that could talk. At least, not properly. Meowsy starts flinging coins -- somehow -- and Asato blinks. He shifts around to turn onto his side on the ground, to examine Meowsy more closely. But on his side, in a way that the tiny cat might find less threatening.

And suddenly there is a bell tail being swayed in front of him! Asato reaches up from his position on the ground, to gently bat at the little bell, to see if it's just for decoration, or if the sound is really coming from the bell on the tail. Of course he's going to do it more than once, unless he's stopped. It's fascinating!

Eventually though, Gonta's words will get his attention. And he nods, shifting to look up at the group properly from where he's sprawled on his side. "...Gonta can hunt very well," he adds, remembering that hunting trip. It was fun! He does frown a bit at the mention of being captured. But... "They would run away if they were really unhappy," he reasons. "And Luke's Pokemon look happy being with him."

    Luke nods, "Yes, she is a pokemon, a famous singer of the region actually, perhaps you heard the name but didn't know more?" he asks, "She says she learned from practice and trying from a long time, but her kind is good at singing and vocalizing, guess that helped.". As Gonta talks more, he nods, "I treat my pokemon like friends, and they respect and obey me in turn." he says.
    The batting of that tail makes it make a bell noise, seems quite real!, and if anything, it just amused the dark type cat, twitching that tail slowly, trying to 'dodge' the batting of the hand, making more chiming noises, and glancing at Meowsy's progress. The kitten sits up, tries to measure the target, and tries again, another small coin launched with a swipe of a small paw, this time flying properly and 'hitting' the target with a soft bump, letting out a happy 'Meow!' as the 'attack' lands, while Luke cheers. Pangshi nods a few times, and glances as Luke, 'He is nice, even if he is helpless' the small ghost type says playfully.

Gonta nods in reply to Asato's thoughts. "If both are happy then, capturing should be ok..." he murmurs, "Gonta would think they would run away if they were unhappy, yes." Pangshi's words get a head tilt. "It seems good for such a cub though..."

Asato headtilts at Luke's explanation of who Miwa is. "I know the name. Can Pokemon be singers?" A very different world than his own indeed. "Is Miwa a sanga?" Sanga? He didn't just say 'singer' there, he said a different word entirely.

There is a game of bell chase happening! Though when Meowsy makes the target, Asato smiles broadly. "Good," Asato offers in congratulations. He does mention, though, "...I travel alone." Frown.

But he also nods to Gonta's words. "So. Pet? Guardian beast?"

    Pangshi chuckles as Gonta speaks, and making sure Luke is not looking at him, shakes his head and stage whispers 'I mean't my trainer', not like said human might understand him of course. Luke seems busy petting the kitten and giving it a little bit of food, "Try again!.". The kitten focuses and begins tossing a couple coins at once, trying to show off to the visitors perhaps, and hits!. It seems surprised it landed, blinking a few times, and puffing it's chest, sitting up proudly. The bellcat just snickers and bats at Asato's tail once, slowly moving to see how far Asato can chase the bell!, meowing softly in encouragement. The question of pet or guardian causes Luke to pay attention to Asato, "I like to say, Friend... but different people think different things, I think Guardian beast certainly applies.". A pause and he rubs his chin, "Sanga? what does that mean?".

Gonta nods toward Asato. "Gonta thinks it soundds like friend too, like how Gonta is with bugs...he catches bugs sometimes. Mostly he just talks to them and lets them go though." As Pangshi explains himself he chuckles a little. "Why helpless though?"

Asato seems to mentally digest what Luke says about the Pokemon, with a thoughtful nod. And then the question of 'sanga'. "A singer. But..." He pauses, and sits up, to think properly. When he speaks, it's slow again. "...A singer. But they can... make a touga stronger." Pause. "I'm a touga. A... warrior. Sometimes... they don't sing. Sometimes they... hurt themselves. But Konoe... Konoe can make music in here." He places his hand on his chest. "Konoe makes music inside him. Without singing. ...I hear it, when he lets me... then it makes me stronger."

Probably not that great an explanation, but he did try!

He also thinks about Gonta's words. "Gonta can talk to bugs too?" Yes, he's referring to Gonta by his name, wile aiming it AT Gonta. It's sort of like the opposite of Gonta's own third-person person-ness. Asato's more a... second-person person, maybe?

Luke Gray looks around at Gonta and Pangshi as he hears that, "Helpless?, what?". Pangshi just chuckles again and tries to point at the human, 'He is small and has no attacks or anything, needs to be kept safe.' says the small ghost panda, as if it was a clear and simple concept. Luke's attention goes to what Asato says, tilting his head a bit, "I think I might understand what you mean.", "I know some pokemon can... make other pokemon stronger, much, much stronger." he replies, "with some preparation, I am hoping that black cat might learn to do that in time.". The later bit about singing without singing gets a nod, even if he is not completely sure about the meaning, "He makes you stronger... I am not sure Miwa can do that as an ability... but I am sure she can motivate people."

    The black cat perks as it hears the idea it might be a Singa, and attempts to sing something!, while the chiming tail seems to keep a good tempo, and it had a nice voice a moment ago... calling the noises it makes singing is... closer might be yowling and meowling. Luke struggles to politely get it to go quiet. "Need to practice more."

Gonta nods in reply to Asato's question. "Gonta talks to animals, yes," he replies, "Gonta learned it from being in the wild." He tilts his head at Asato's explanation. "Gonta thinks he understands too...like...when someone can feel things...um....outward...make you feel them without speaking them? Gonta mostly only knows that with things like blood lust though...."

"Ahhh, ok," the wild haired boy replies to Pangshi, "You'll work hard to protect him though right?" With Luke questioning it, he looks thoughtful and hesitant. "Umm...Pangshi was...er...he says you are nice?"

"Konoe... made music... and light," Asato recalls. He has a fond look, and there's a smile on his face. The mention of 'music and light' probably instantly pegs it as a magical ability, though, whatever else is going on there. Though as the bellkitty starts to 'sing', Asato's ears fold back. Not in an angry way, but that 'aw geez' way that cats do. And he nods to Luke's words of needing more practice, raising a hand to rub at an ear. "Lots more." If only Konoe was here to show them what Asato meant!

Asato tilts his head at Gonta's explanation. "No. But also yes." Confusing cat. "Hard to explain." He also headtilts at the 'explanation' of what Pangshi is saying. "Was it hard to explain?" he asks. He can't think of any other reason why Gonta would be hesitant to convey that. Fortunately he's also not very good at How To People, so he doesn't get what's going on.

Luke Gray narrows his eyes at the explanation and chuckles, "I am sure that must be the gist of it." Luke might have an idea of what the panda might have said, but takes it in good humour anyway, and offers the cat a treat to continue th e'make sure it does not sing again soon' plan. "Yeah, i am sure you will do a great job." he says, petting the Berurun a bit. The cat grins adn takes the snack, purring contently and nodding to Asato, perhaps even winking at the cat person as it devours the treats, was it just a scheme to get more food?. Pangshi chuckles and leans against the wild haired boy.

Gonta pats at Pangshi as he is leaned against. "Yes Pangshi likes you, but...is just...er...worried about your lack of having any attacks," Gonta decides that is the best way to word it, "So Pangshi should protect you." A nod is given to Asato. "Gonta is a gentlman, so he can't lie, but he doesn't want to say something rude either...."

Once the 'singing' stops, Asato's ears return to their normal position. He notes the wink from the bellkitty, and tilts his head. If it is a scheme, he doesn't seem to catch the idea of what was going on. He isn't stupid, he just wouldn't do that. He'd just ask for food.

Asato considers Gonta's relaying of Pangshi's concerns. Blinks. Looking at Luke. "...I could teach Luke how to fight?" Again, aiming a second-person reference toward the person he's talking about. And then there's Gonta's talk of being a gentleman. Which gets a confused headtilt. He's probably not familiar with the word. Particularly given he's a lot like how Gonta used to be -- not quite 'domesticated'.