World Tree MUSH

Before Ash went to visit Anna, before he did much in way of reshuffling or exploring. He gave Miwa a ride home. The trip itself wasn't that long, but long enough for a movie Ordis projected across one of the large screens that usually acted as window to the outside world in Ash's lounge area.

However eventually Alola would be reached and Ash would hug Miwa as soon as she was back at 'her' beach. "Home again. How's it feel to be back?"

Miwa hasn't really seen many movies that she can recall. It was something she and her cast mates seldom had time for in her old life, though she does remember watching some kind of romantic comedy during the off season, before she had evolved into Primarina, while sitting in the lap of one of the dancers in the troupe. 

     She enjoyed watching the movie with Ash though, it was nice, and it made the trip back to Alola seem to go more quickly. Now that they are back and Miwa watches from the window as her beach grows larger as they approach, she smiles back at Ash and nods. "The Mushroom Kingdom was nice, but it does feel great to be back home. You like it here too, don't you?"

Ash smiled in spite of himself. "I could say something like 'anywhere you are'... which is true enough," He looked out at the Ocean before putting a hand on Miwa's back. "Thing is? This really is a nice pace. COlorful and cheerful without... well.." He wasn't sure how to articulate his fears and unease over Peach's rule over a kingdom of essentially worshipful clones.

"I like this place." Seemingly though not enough to stay still for more than a few days though. "So... your take on how things went down?" He wanted and valued Miwa's honesty, especially in the face of him not exactly being a good people person. He was eithr cluelss, or high handed. Neithr approach gave goodresults, and he knew it.

Miwa grins at Ash's comment about anywhere she is, but she had picked up on something while she was there too, and though she couldn't put a finger on it, she had an idea of where Ash was going about the Mushroom Kingdom. "You're such a romantic." She says with a chuckle, leaning over for a quick kiss on the cheek. 

 She then looks back out the window as she begins to speak. "As for my take? You mean on that meeting with Wolf? I'm not sure I agree with the methods, but it does sound what Wolf and company are setting up there will help people more than hurt them, so I'll let that slide. Panther is quite the interesting character I must say though. Not at all what I expected from the few times I've seen him before.

ash leanedagainst Miwa, hugging her gently. "I meant more about Us," He leanedagianst the Premarina as he spoke. "I'm always away either because taking jobs, or just plain exploring. You've toldme you quit theroad life because you want stability, and here isa wonderful place for that." Even what passedfor local crime really mostly amounted to either kids that fluncked out of pokemon trials, or more likely white colalr crimes that had no real physical component to them. "Plus I'm familair wit hthe trope of 'grlfriend sees signifigant other hanging around another girl that has qualities she lacks and starts questioning everything." Even if Ash wasn't socially wise, or savvy to many of the one liners and refrencesMirage would throw at his head, that is a thing that he kept seeing across worlds and cultures wherever he went asa popular source of drama.

"She's cute, smart, and I think I'm learning from her... if only by the fact we butt heads often enough for boutsof self-reflection to kick in asa result." Ash chuclkled in spite of himself. "However nice looking as she is? No. I think I'd rather stick to the ship I've got thanks. I just don't know if i'm doing the right thing so you get your fair share."

Miwa falls quiet for a bit as she takes a moment to ponder all that Ash just said to her. Maybe initially the quiet and stability she gained when she set up her own private home off the coast here seemed like what she wanted at first, but further experience has taught her that there was something bigger, something deeper that she really wanted. "Well, maybe that was a nice bonus that came with taking on the quieter life of not being a full time traveling performer, but I think really, the true reason I did it was because I wanted freedom. Freedom to do what I want, go where I want, and... be with who I want." She grins and looks up at Ash at the last part, hugging him back. 

 "Panther gave me some great advise, but I think the main take away is that if our relationship is going to work, we need to both work on it, and if it requires some compromises, they should me mutual. I love performing for others, so much that I honestly don't care if I'm paid for it. I don't think I'd ever want to give that up, though maybe it doesn't have to be my profession. On the other hand, I've grown a lot stronger since I first met you, and I know not all worlds are as nice as mine, and that the bad from one can and has spilled over into others. So if the two of us being a couple and having time with each other means I travel with you sometimes and help with your contracts to make this tree of worlds a better, more stable place, that's fine too, just promise me it won't consume our entire waking lives." She says with a dry chuckle.

"Part of why I wanted you to meet Wolf's group was they do offer a lot of non-combat roles or at least connections." He smiled at Miwa and hmmed toughtfully. "Most of what I do right now is what i'd wager to be low-priority stuff for Wolf, but it gives me enough money to dowhat I want so it's a good way to keep going until home pops up."

He reached across Miwa's back to pat her arm along wit hthe associated flipper. "My thought process was maybe i scale back the whole fighty shooty thing if it's getting overly much and if a world a job's on looks interesting try setting up a spot to do a weekend show. I mean ther'es gotta be a lot of other folk like you that just enjoy music for its own sake and would kinda want to see what other worlds have to offer." Plus market these flash concerts right and you could make a decent amount of money even at fair rates based on Miwa being exotic. It'd take more planning and legwork, but- "I mean hey the upside of travel is spotting places that might be fun to set up shop at for a month or so and do something big, wow an audiance, and brighten things up a bit."

Miwa nods, agreeing with this idea. "Sure, that actually sounds pretty fun! I mean, I don't hate travel or anything, I actually like seeing new worlds and the different sorts of people there. By the time I left the Kailani troupe though, I'd seen most of my own world, and the travel had lost a lot of it's appeal. Also, I wouldn't be against getting my flippers wet with some lighter combaty kind of jobs with the two of us tackling them together, but if you'd rather move away from them, that's fine too. I'm not here to dictate how you do your job, I just want to help, and be around you more."

Ash gave Miwa a nod. "To be honest most jobs I take are pretty boring. Escort a person or shipment. Maybe go take some pictures." A shrug. "I'm only a contract freelancer, so not someone they'd trust with core thingsthey're taking priority on." He was fine with that to be honest. IT was nice to not /NEED/ to constantly fight.

"I mean yea some of the things I get hav e been interesting." Ash shrugged. "Point is it isn't high speed most of the time." Granted he hadn't really askedfor anything flashy since he wanted to establish that he could berelied on, doubly so now after his prior dust-up. "Could see if wolf has anything you ad I could get our feet wet on though."

He squeeze-hugged Miwa. "I should start coming here mor too. I've noticed trainersgetting more interested in the wider worlds, so maybe i could help prepare them for 'what happens if you wind up accientilly in the deep end.'"

Miwa chuckles a bit at the admission that many of Ash's jobs are boring. "Well, maybe having some company along would make them less boring, assuming having me around wouldn't be too distracting." She teases a bit as she opens the hatch to the outside world and makes her way down to the beach, smiling as she feels the warm Alolan sun on her skin. "In all seriousness, I guess we can just start exploring our options and see what we can do together. As for helping the trainers here who are thinking of exploring other worlds, yes, at the very least helping them understand that in a real fight, people aren't going to just fight their Pokemon and leave the trainer alone..."

Ash followed miwa down the lander's ramp and watched as the craft floated up, and then shimmered into invisibility before flying off. "I don't want to scare these kids." Ash admitted after he sunk his toes in the warm sand. "I just want people going out to understand the risks involved." Then his expression grew thoughtful. "Then you've got the pokemon themselves. A lot of what you do is impressive, and youv'e said you've gotten stronger." Brief memories of him trying to brute force block shooting a jet of water strong enough to punch through metal. "For me my fear is 'what happens if little trainer Billy goesfrom talking about hwo comfortable his shorts are, to 'oh no that guy just shot my pikachu in the face." He had disturingly violent mental images of what weapons like his could do to pokemon that weren't specifically of the 'living tank' variety.

"Like you... I know you Miwa. I've seen you and trust you to handle yourself, but I'd still be afrade even in a sparring match SHOOTING you would... be... ... bad." He shuddered involentarily. "I don't know what kind of hits you can take and i'm not sure how to find out beyond the obvious."

Miwa nods, her expression suddenly turning more serious along with the subject matter Ash is talking about. "That's true too, some Pokemon are really tough, but definitely there are many that, while being capable more or less shrugging off a strong blast of water, or a bolt of lightning, could probably be killed by a well placed bullet. Guns aren't really something you see much in this world. Getting this point across to young trainers though will certainly require a delicate touch." She offers her theory on the concept, then pauses a moment for thought before continuing.

 "As for me, well, I'm more resistant to what are referred to as 'Special Attacks' than more physical attacks, which I guess is sort of like saying I'm resistant to magic, but probably can't take a normal attack much better than an average human. I actually have been shot at, by a Digimon, in Bewul's world, and it did break the skin, fortunately it only grazed me. I don't know how different an effect a real bullet would have, but I don't know if I'm willing to have someone shoot me in one of my flippers to find out."

Ash nodde slowly. "I can see if Ordis can put together something that'd be less lethal. Gel rounds or... Something." Ash pondered the problem becausehe did want to see how Miwa had grown, but atthe same time his mind flashed to carrying miwa to the poke-center after putting a lot of bullets into her. 

As a more pleasant thought he smiled, "Anyway... Is there anything you'd like for your home? It's got a wonderfu view but it feels a bit... sparse." A shrug as he looked out in the direction of 'miwa's' island. "I mean... Stuff isn't a substitute for being around, but at the same time helping you make your home more comfortable wouldbea fn project to pitch in on."

"That would be good. Would be nice to have the chance to go all out against your warframe and see how I do, without feeling like you have to either not give it your all back, or risk seriously injuring me, or worse..." Miwa responds before the welcome change of subject. "Hmm, yeah, my home could use some upgrades sure... Maybe some entertainment, like a TV and something to listen to music on? Some places to sit and eat for company might be nice too, along with a way of bringing things inside without going underwater. There is an opening above that lets light in, but otherwise I don't know of a way in besides the underwater entrance."

Ash hmmmed softly. "I mean i have money to maybe pay some guys to look your placeover to try doingsome improvements, but doing anysort of work would be expnensive, and Wolf's outfit doesn't do building... I don't think." He wouldn't trust them with the proverbial keys to Miwa's home even fi they did. Then he laughed softly as a thought occoredto him, "Steel Meridian'd love a nice little beach home project, but you'dprobably end up with a fortress." His head shook at the mental image of some ugly bulbous structure that was perfectly defensable, but was most definitively not in harmony with the rest of everything on the island. "You know anyone that builds?"

Miwa nods. "That might be nice. I don't know who Steel Meridian is, but yeah, I think the grotto has enough built in defenses for my needs. As it stands right now few know it's even there unless I showed them, and even then, the only way in without mountain climbing equipment is underwater. I don't personally have connections with any builders, but I've seen one around different spots in Alola, they use Machoke for the heavy lifting, which is not uncommon on this world. Sometimes you also see Timburr and Gurdurr, but they aren't found in Alola, so only the bigger companies tend to pay to bring them in from other regions."

Ash mmed thoughtfully. Leaving it to local muscle probablywould be a good idea. "Ordis could use the lander for material transport, but probably for the best if we try keeping it mostly local since they'd know how to work with island quirks.... and make sure you have a home that respects the land." He hated the idea of some monstrosity, or worse... a boring box replace what was there. "All that takes money though..." There was a hint of mischif to his tone.

Miwa nods again as Ash agrees to the thought of letting local crews do the work. "For something like this, the'd probably bring in the materials and the workers on a boat, and go from there. But yeah, it would cost some money, and while I'm not exactly scraping the bottom of the barrel after my last concert, I'm not super wealthy either. I think I'm catching something in your tone though, that you have some sort of idea to make some more money."

"Bit of a long term project. It'd be fun to have a goal other than 'maybe home will show up at some point.'" He laid back, relaxing against hte warm sand in spite of the mess it was making of his hair. "I dunno though maybe i"m just trying to throw myself into something so I don't feel all drift-y." A shrug before streaching his arms out and making a mess of the sand i nthe process. "Maybe I'm just overthinking it all and I should do this because it feels nice to do."

Miwa moves to lay down next to Ash, also enjoying the feel of the warm sand against her skin as she looks up into the sky to catch a family of Altaria and Swablu flying above them, smiling at the sight of the cute yet majestic birds with their cloud-like wings. "On the other hand, if you're planning on spending more time here, I'd be willing to relocate a bit. I certainly wasn't planning for finding a boyfriend when I chose that home, let alone one without flippers." She offers with a smirk as she glances back at Ash. "I'm sure we could find or build a place near the water, where there will be more room for both of us. But that would of course require even more money."

"We'll see," Ash reached over to stroke miwa's snout as more thoughts swirled in his head. "It's entirely possible Raven working with me will cause a breakthrough. Other tenno have demonstrated.... Interesting uses of Void energy. I'd hate you to leave your home behind anyway. It's got a lot of potential and I like the idea of you having a place that is wholly your own. Y'know?

Miwa chuckles a bit and nods. As Ash strokes her snout she reaches over with a flipper and strokes his chest a bit. "Well, as long as you don't mind it being a little on the small side and getting a little wet on the way in. I'm certainly happy to stay where I'm at. Was just tossing out the idea in case it would make things easier in the long run."