throwing caution to the wind

windi matsukara // former princess of the kingdom of galar pokemon: corvisquire, gossifleur

[tokidaprimeape]

corviknightprincess​:

 loyalty between a Pokemon and their owner always fascinated Windi. She had heard some of the relationships between the competitors at the castle and their Pokemon weren’t always positive. It seemed like this stranger cared for his Pokemon at the very least, and it was amicable. 

“Sure,” she said, somewhat relieved it wasn’t on her to try and kick the male out of her camp. She was going to have to move soon for fear of being found again, but that was something she would worry about tomorrow. “I’m sure Corvisquire has already found your Primeape.” 

She tossed a small crossbody bag on and stood up, stretching a bit while Gossifleur hopped from where it was over two both humans. “It was this way,” she said. 

- 

A few minutes later, they arrived at the scene, and Windi looked up to see Corvisquire leading the way back from the other direction. Luxio appeared from up the hill, too, alongside a Primeape. 

She whistled, and Corvisquire flew faster, landing on her shoulder. “Good job, Corvisquire,” she said, reaching into her bag and offering it a Pokemon treat. It chirped happily. 

       When Tokida saw he Primeape, he sprinted over to it. It didn’t look hurt, but rather dejected. “Thank you guys so much for finding Primeape!” he said, patting his Pokemon on their heads. He moved his attention right back to Primeape. “What’s wrong buddy? What happened?”

       “Primeape Prime…” it said, sadly, looking to the ground.

       “You tried to catch that Scyther again and couldn’t find it?” he chuckled. “Don’t worry about that, I’m just happy to find you in one piece.” He gave his Pokemon a hug.

       “I know what can cheer you up,” he said, looking over at the girl. “Maybe we could get you some of these berries that she gave me. They were delicious and would make you feel a lot better.” He shot the girl a smile, hoping she’d be down for it.

[corviknightprincess]

Windi felt a bit bad for the Primeape, especially when his determined eyes went glossy. She knew what it was like to work so hard at something, and still fail. Except, she didn’t really have anyone like his trainer as a support system. She parted her lips whenever the stranger made the proposition, but she couldn’t say no. If it was anyone else other than a Pokemon, she would have held her ground.

“Luckily, I brought some,” she said, smiling down at the Primeape, who head to her. She held an assortment of berries in her palm and offered it to the Primeape, who took them happily. 

“I’m glad at least you’ve got some brains and weren’t clumsy like your... trainer,” she said, chuckling. 

Still wearing her hood, Windi looked over at the stranger then and gave a half-smile, knowing this was the time to say goodbye. It had been so long since she had met someone else who wasn’t a merchant. In another life, maybe they could have been friends, but she wasn’t in the business of making those. 

Regardless, she held out a hand for him to shake. “I guess this is goodbye.” 

[tokidaprimeape]

corviknightprincess​:

She indulged in some of the berries herself, since it was close to the afternoon and she hadn’t had a proper meal yet. She half-thought about what to have for dinner; it might have meant hunting a Skwovet or perhaps picking some Applins. She mused on his question with a snicker.

“I guess you’ll find out soon enough if I really did heal you,” she joked, looking over at him, “or poisoned you.” It was a way to dodge the question, but only lasted a bit. Windi was never good at keeping herself a closed book; she always had to get the thoughts in her head out one way or another.

“I’m traveling myself,” she said. It was at least partly true, she thought, as she  reached up to run her fingers through her hair. A breeze blew and gave her respite from the humid air. “I could ask the same about you, you know. If I had to guess… you were probably chasing some wild Pokemon and it got the best of you.”

       Tokida got hung up on her saying “or poisoned” for a moment before realizing it was a joke.  You could never be too careful in the woods, with strange things having happened in the Galar region, but usually someone looking to poison strangers wouldn’t have such a nice little camp set up.

       “I know my Primeape was chasing a Scyther, but he wasn’t able to keep up,” he sad, feeling a bit better and able to move some more. “But I don’t really know what was happening before I fell. I don’t even remember the fall, actually. I don’t know if Primeape fell as well or what.” Even if Primeape hadn’t fallen, Tokida knew that it would’ve come after him down the hill.

       Tokida discovered he was feeling good enough to move, and for the first time since he fell, he stood up. “Thanks for those berries, they worked like a charm,” he said. “Maybe you can show me where you found me. I bet the Pokemon are near there and we can see if they found anything.”

[corviknightprincess]

The lasting loyalty between a Pokemon and their owner always fascinated Windi. She had heard some of the relationships between the competitors at the castle and their Pokemon weren’t always positive. It seemed like this stranger cared for his Pokemon at the very least, and it was amicable. 

“Sure,” she said, somewhat relieved it wasn’t on her to try and kick the male out of her camp. She was going to have to move soon for fear of being found again, but that was something she would worry about tomorrow. “I’m sure Corvisquire has already found your Primeape.” 

She tossed a small crossbody bag on and stood up, stretching a bit while Gossifleur hopped from where it was over two both humans. “It was this way,” she said. 

- 

A few minutes later, they arrived at the scene, and Windi looked up to see Corvisquire leading the way back from the other direction. Luxio appeared from up the hill, too, alongside a Primeape. 

She whistled, and Corvisquire flew faster, landing on her shoulder. “Good job, Corvisquire,” she said, reaching into her bag and offering it a Pokemon treat. It chirped happily. 

[tokidaprimeape]

corviknightprincess​:

She watched as he pulled out some Poke Balls from his belt. She had seen competitors come to the castle before and even watched a few matches for herself, but honestly, the world of it all never interested her much. Windi had never kept Corvisquire in a Poke Ball and yet he was still very much her Pokemon. She supposed it was something she never could understand, having ownership over something that seemed like it wanted to be free. Maybe it was because she herself felt like she wouldn’t have lasted in a situation where she felt like she was in chains. It explained a lot. 

She realized she’d been lost in thought for a second and only snapped to it when Luxio had appeared out of his ball. He gave her a soft mew and she gave it a half-hearted smile. “Well, sure, I–” she was about to stand up from where she sat cross-legged, but looked at the stranger across from her firmly. “I think Corvisquire should be able to lead him over there, actually. It’s best that I stay here with you.” 

She didn’t want to say it, but she was worried the guy was some sort of bandit. Sure, Windi didn’t have much for him to steal, but depending on where he was from or who he was, he could recognize her and take her for ransom. She cleared her throat and put up the hood of her cloak, reaching over to her knapsack to pull out a second canteen. 

“Here,” she said, giving it and some of the berries she’d picked earlier to him. She kept her head down innocuously, not wanting to be recognized. “The more you eat, the faster you’ll recover and be able to get up again.” 

       When he saw the berries, his stomach growled. He’d been in the forest for some time, and just now got around to noticing he was hungry. He reached his arms out to grab the berries despite the pain, and he quickly began to munch on them. “Thank you,” he managed to say between bites.

       As he ate, he looked around the camp. It was surely a strange place for someone like her to be staying. There were plenty of people who lived out in the woods, so stumbling across someone wasn’t strange, but usually the people out here were men.

       “What’re you doing out here anyway?” he asked after finishing the last of the berries. “Are you some kind of witch or something, healing lost travelers in the woods?”

[corviknightprincess]

She indulged in some of the berries herself, since it was close to the afternoon and she hadn’t had a proper meal yet. She half-thought about what to have for dinner; it might have meant hunting a Skwovet or perhaps picking some Applins. She mused on his question with a snicker.

“I guess you’ll find out soon enough if I really did heal you,” she joked, looking over at him, “or poisoned you.” It was a way to dodge the question, but only lasted a bit. Windi was never good at keeping herself a closed book; she always had to get the thoughts in her head out one way or another.

“I’m traveling myself,” she said. It was at least partly true, she thought, as she  reached up to run her fingers through her hair. A breeze blew and gave her respite from the humid air. “I could ask the same about you, you know. If I had to guess... you were probably chasing some wild Pokemon and it got the best of you.”

[tokidaprimeape]

corviknightprincess​:

The male was in a panic, understandably so, but Windi didn’t take kindly to the way he talked to her when it was clear that she was trying to help him. She remained calm either way, though wasn’t shy to respond in a snippy tone. “You fell down a hill just a few minutes ago,” she said. Then, she remembered how she had to haul him from where he fell over to her camp, which wasn’t an easy task. Corvisquire had to pull on his shirt with his beak, and Gossifleur did her best to push his calf along. Her annoyance shone through. “You should be grateful I didn’t leave you there.” 

She sighed, bringing her hand up to her face for a second, before looking back down at him. “I’m not sure where your Primeape is. I didn’t see a Pokemon with you when you fell,” she said. Then, she mumbled, “At least one of you is smart enough not to be so clumsy.” 

She reached over and peeled the herb off of his arm, and handed him some cloth to bandage it up with. “You should be healing just fine if you wrap it up,” she said. “If you want, I can show you where you fell and you can try to find your Primeape that way.” 

Corvisquire chirped in agreement, looking to the right, where they all had come from. 

       For someone trying to help me, she certainly doesn’t have the best attitude, he thought. He took the cloth from her without looking at her and angrily started to wrap his arm up. Why a random girl in the woods was healing him, he didn’t know, but he also didn’t remember falling. But, he must’ve hit his head or something.

       “I’d love to look for him,” he said, struggling to sit up, “but I can’t really move much.” After a moment of struggling, he managed to get finally himself into a sitting position. He looked to his belt to see his Poke Balls were still there, so he might be able to get Luxio and Farfetch’d to help.

       “Are you sure you didn’t see it?” he said, undoing the balls from his belt. He twisted the knob on them and allowed his two Pokemon to release. “If not, could you take these two over where we fell? Luxio has a good nose and might be able to find it on its own.”

[corviknightprincess]

She watched as he pulled out some Poke Balls from his belt. She had seen competitors come to the castle before and even watched a few matches for herself, but honestly, the world of it all never interested her much. Windi had never kept Corvisquire in a Poke Ball and yet he was still very much her Pokemon. She supposed it was something she never could understand, having ownership over something that seemed like it wanted to be free. Maybe it was because she herself felt like she wouldn’t have lasted in a situation where she felt like she was in chains. It explained a lot. 

She realized she’d been lost in thought for a second and only snapped to it when Luxio had appeared out of his ball. He gave her a soft mew and she gave it a half-hearted smile. “Well, sure, I--” she was about to stand up from where she sat cross-legged, but looked at the stranger across from her firmly. “I think Corvisquire should be able to lead him over there, actually. It’s best that I stay here with you.” 

She didn’t want to say it, but she was worried the guy was some sort of bandit. Sure, Windi didn’t have much for him to steal, but depending on where he was from or who he was, he could recognize her and take her for ransom. She cleared her throat and put up the hood of her cloak, reaching over to her knapsack to pull out a second canteen. 

“Here,” she said, giving it and some of the berries she’d picked earlier to him. She kept her head down innocuously, not wanting to be recognized. “The more you eat, the faster you’ll recover and be able to get up again.” 

[tokidaprimeape]

corviknightprincess​:

Dewpiders and Araquanids emerged from the creek, pitter-pattering over to Windi as she worked to gather some berries after the rainfall. It was spring; the ground was wet but the flowers were blooming anew for the year, which meant more food for her and all of the other Pokémon around. Winter was harsh– especially considering it had taken place during her first couple months of exile– but it felt good to leave it all behind now. 

She had adjusted as well as she could as a nomad. Of course, it’s different– gone are the plush pillows and bedsheets she crashed into after a long day in the castle, and in their place is a crochety tarp and the bag she used to carry her things in as a pillow. But she was doing well. Whenever Wooloo visited, it would let her sleep on its wool like a pillow, and the Shinotiics were kind enough to illuminate her surroundings when the twigs were too wet to create a fire. 

Even if her life will never be the same, she liked the change; she was getting used to being alone. 

“Would you like some?” Windi smiled down at her Rookidee, who perched on her shoulder after having his morning flight. She offered him the pecha berry in her hand. A soft rustle indicated Gossifleur, who wasn’t necessarily her Pokemon but became a companion recently, was hopping over. She offered a pecha berry to it, too. 

And of course, one for herself. The sweet pecha berry juice burst in her mouth and aided her parched throat. She would have to seek a wandering trader soon, for she was running out of supplies and town was a few days’ trek away. She could only disguise herself so much in a cloak before people began to realize she was the one formerly known as Princess. 

She sighed, taking a stingy sip from her canteen before beginning to walk back towards her camp. “Come on, now,” she said, calling for her two Pokémon to follow. As soon as she took a step, she heard a rustle coming from the left, looking up at the hill covered by trees with furrowed brows. When she heard that someone– or something– was tumbling down her way, her eyes widened and she quickly moved to the side. 

It was a… man? 

-

She brought the stranger to camp. He’d been knocked out from the fall. Windi wasn’t sure how long he had been rolling for, but either way, it must’ve hurt if it was enough to knock him out. She had laid him down on top of her tarp and asked Gossifleur to bring back whatever healing herbs it could find. 

Windi rolled up the stranger’s sleeve, where he had been gashed a bit on his arm probably from a snapped branch. She retrieved a healing herb from Gossifleur and used a little bit of water to moisten it. She pressed the herb as flat as she could against the wound, and it felt cold underneath her palm and over the stranger’s skin. If anything, this would sting and wake him up. 

       “OW!” Tokida yelled, jerking his arm. He had awoken suddenly after feeling pain, though he didn’t even remember falling asleep. It was day time, but he didn’t even remember what had happened. His last memory was a rustling sound in a bush.

       He looked to his arm to see that the pain was coming from a girl, one he had never seen before. He tried to stand up to get away from the stranger, but as he started to move, a pain shot through his entire body. He fell back to the ground, causing even more pain.

       He laid there in pain for a moment, and as he did, the girl didn’t do anything. He didn’t know who she was or how she was causing the pain in his arm before, but she didn’t seem like much of a threat.

       “Who are you?” he asked, then looked around. “And where am I? And where is Primeape? And why does my entire body HURT?”

[corviknightprincess]

The male was in a panic, understandably so, but Windi didn’t take kindly to the way he talked to her when it was clear that she was trying to help him. She remained calm either way, though wasn’t shy to respond in a snippy tone. “You fell down a hill just a few minutes ago,” she said. Then, she remembered how she had to haul him from where he fell over to her camp, which wasn’t an easy task. Corvisquire had to pull on his shirt with his beak, and Gossifleur did her best to push his calf along. Her annoyance shone through. “You should be grateful I didn’t leave you there.” 

She sighed, bringing her hand up to her face for a second, before looking back down at him. “I’m not sure where your Primeape is. I didn’t see a Pokemon with you when you fell,” she said. Then, she mumbled, “At least one of you is smart enough not to be so clumsy.” 

She reached over and peeled the herb off of his arm, and handed him some cloth to bandage it up with. “You should be healing just fine if you wrap it up,” she said. “If you want, I can show you where you fell and you can try to find your Primeape that way.” 

Corvisquire chirped in agreement, looking to the right, where they all had come from. 

[tokidaprimeape]

Falling In

@corviknightprincess

        “Primape, go after it!” Tokida called out. After a nod, his Primeape shot off into the dense underbrush of the forest after a Scyther. Tokida tried his best to keep up, but there was no way he could match the speed of his Pokemon, especially when it was this determined to catch what it was after.

       Tokida had been handling Pokemon for nearly a year at this point, and had gotten quite good at battling. He was one of the top battlers in all of Stow-on-Side, his hometown. In just a matter of weeks, there would be the largest competition of the year to see who was the best in all of Galar, and though the Pokemon he owned were victorious more often than not, he still wanted to add more power. Scyther was a perfect choice.

       A win in the tournament would mean a celebration with the king of Galar, and that was an opportunity anyone could hope for. Tokida wasn’t from a place of high-standing, and becoming friends with the king would get him the ins in any way he could imagine. There were others who were more experienced, but he didn’t think there was anyone more determined.

       After about 30 seconds, Tokida had completely lost track of his Pokemon. He could hear grunts in the distance, but there was no way he would catch up to Primeape. Tired, he sat down to rest, knowing Primeape would come find him.

       Only three minutes passed by before Primape slowly walked through the brush with a defeated look in his eyes. “Oh buddy, don’t worry about that one. We’ll find another,” he said, standing up and patting the Pokemon on its head. Primeape smiled at this affection. He caught it as a Mankey as a child after finding a Poke Ball in the woods, and since then had grown a strong bond.

       While Tokida was getting ready to head back into town, there was a rustling sound coming from the bushes. Tokida didn’t pay it much attention, but Primeape sprang into action, likely thinking it was the Scyther. “Wait, Primeape, stop!” he shouted, but it was too late. Primeape once again had taken off.

       Tokida jumped through the bush to go after it, but after getting through it he found a steep hill, and Primeape was already sliding down it. He wasn’t able to get his balance back, and he began to slide down the hillside. He dropped about 60 feet before crashing into a tree next to Primeape.

[corviknightprincess]

Dewpiders and Araquanids emerged from the creek, pitter-pattering over to Windi as she worked to gather some berries after the rainfall. It was spring; the ground was wet but the flowers were blooming anew for the year, which meant more food for her and all of the other Pokémon around. Winter was harsh-- especially considering it had taken place during her first couple months of exile-- but it felt good to leave it all behind now. 

She had adjusted as well as she could as a nomad. Of course, it’s different-- gone are the plush pillows and bedsheets she crashed into after a long day in the castle, and in their place is a crochety tarp and the bag she used to carry her things in as a pillow. But she was doing well. Whenever Wooloo visited, it would let her sleep on its wool like a pillow, and the Shinotiics were kind enough to illuminate her surroundings when the twigs were too wet to create a fire. 

Even if her life will never be the same, she liked the change; she was getting used to being alone. 

“Would you like some?” Windi smiled down at her Rookidee, who perched on her shoulder after having his morning flight. She offered him the pecha berry in her hand. A soft rustle indicated Gossifleur, who wasn’t necessarily her Pokemon but became a companion recently, was hopping over. She offered a pecha berry to it, too. 

And of course, one for herself. The sweet pecha berry juice burst in her mouth and aided her parched throat. She would have to seek a wandering trader soon, for she was running out of supplies and town was a few days’ trek away. She could only disguise herself so much in a cloak before people began to realize she was the one formerly known as Princess. 

She sighed, taking a stingy sip from her canteen before beginning to walk back towards her camp. “Come on, now,” she said, calling for her two Pokémon to follow. As soon as she took a step, she heard a rustle coming from the left, looking up at the hill covered by trees with furrowed brows. When she heard that someone-- or something-- was tumbling down her way, her eyes widened and she quickly moved to the side. 

It was a... man? 

-

She brought the stranger to camp. He’d been knocked out from the fall. Windi wasn’t sure how long he had been rolling for, but either way, it must’ve hurt if it was enough to knock him out. She had laid him down on top of her tarp and asked Gossifleur to bring back whatever healing herbs it could find. 

Windi rolled up the stranger’s sleeve, where he had been gashed a bit on his arm probably from a snapped branch. She retrieved a healing herb from Gossifleur and used a little bit of water to moisten it. She pressed the herb as flat as she could against the wound, and it felt cold underneath her palm and over the stranger’s skin. If anything, this would sting and wake him up. 

[akutakawa]

Kihal Toghrul