Continuation of this play time with wonderful Pokemon and @hylianwerewolf right here:
Adelha decides to sit herself in the grass next to Silver as the Pokemon mingle. Champagne looks elated to be giving silly little taps to Feraligatr's head. With Denny saying, "There he goes with the silly. Champagne tends to enjoy drumming on everything. Despite being mute, he makes enough noise to compare to a Loudred."
Growlithe is very happy to zoom after the ball and bring it back right away. Looking overjoyed to have a new friend to play with. With Darcy being very careful as she helps Crobat get a face bath. The water has some herbs in it to make it smell refreshing. T.K. is apparently having a warm discussion with the other Gengar about something. Only pausing when one of the Growlithe decides to scamper over and then slip and faceplant into the grass. So T.K. floats that Growlithe back onto her feet for her to yip and start running around again.
The lady hums to sound thoughtful. Her words warm and hinting at amusement. "If such is a shared desire, you both will make it into reality. My own starter friend was a very spunky Pikachu. Her name is Hermoine. She's a Raichu now and tends to not move about much. Old age means arthritis. So she doesn't move about much until I give her a daily treatment of herbal medicine and lots of orange juice. She loves orange juice the most and tended to steal oranges out of my backpack when we were on the road."
A few of the Growlithe decide to chase each other around the yard. Yipping and growling in play to look like they are having way too much fun. Even going so far as to run laps around Alakazam.
Such silly little Pokemon they are.
Feraligatr actually seemed to enjoy the drumming, which actually felt more like a gentle massage against its thick hide... Which made a rather distinctive sound when tapped. It seemed both of them benefited from this, which made Silver huff a laugh. He took in the rest of the activities his team were engaged in with a small smile, though it faltered a bit when he listened to what Adelha had to say.
"I suppose you're right."
Silver thought about that for a moment; He had failed in his quest to become the Champion, beaten at every turn by Ethan. Even after he had gained the title, the redhead had challenged him time and again... Only to once again taste defeat. He has left Johto partially to find new places to train and better himself and his team, but somewhere deep down, he knew he wouldn't be able to beat the Johto Champion. Regardless, he continued to throw the ball for the Growlithe.
"My first Pokémon was Totodile... Because my rival chose Cyndaquil, and I desperately wanted to beat him. I never managed to, though... Even after all these years."
He had actually settled down for a while, living as a more typical Trainer would; His job at the Daycare had provided him with the income he needed in lieu of battles, and he had been content... For a time. Eventually, the thrill of battling had called to him again, and he had set out with his team in search of stronger opponents to learn from. He was determined to visit every region in the world in his search... And if he came across any Team Rocket activity and took them down a peg as well, all the better.
The Pokemon continue to play and talk amongst themselves as Adelha watches the group. Listening as Silver speaks to look very thoughtful. One of the Growlithe choosing to wander over and just flop into her lap for a rest. So Adelha uses both her gloved hands to pet the Growlithe and comb her fingers through that messy fur. Making the Growlithe wag her tail to look elated. While Adelha hums a sound of amusement before she decides to speak. "Defeat is a hard lesson in it of itself. Yet it offers many chances to learn and grow. Yet I see you have chosen to endure despite defeat. This is a very good thing, Silver. It means you have a bright future ahead. Even if it's not the future you first expected."
Champagne continues the drumming with a smile and happy wiggles. The odd sounds having the Fairy smile as he enjoys the play time. Adelha watches this with a look of pure love and joy. Her smile brighter than before. "My journey was one of self growth. I wanted to know myself better and make myself into the best version possible. I looked at Gym Badges and battles as means to temper myself and my team. Who I viewed more like friends and family. Hermoine proved to be spunky and wild. She didn't like listening at first. Bit me on occasion whenever she got herself hurt and I was treating her. Yet we grew and she learned that her stubborn nature was holding her back. She learned patience and kindness. We found more joy together once she stopped acting out and chose instead to follow my lead. Now she is a big sister to all my Pokemon and the ones living here."
Adelha hums to then chuckle when the Grolwithe in her lap rolls herself over to get tummy rubs. So Adelha obliges as she smiles bright. "This place is a safe haven to nurture as much as protect. This includes teaching and learning to better ones self. If this appeals to you, I would offer you a place here as my student. You would help with chores. Mostly wrangling energetic little Pokemon that don't want to take naps or get into a bathtub. While also battling the more ferocious of the Pokemon that decide to cause trouble. Or defending the Pokemon here from any threats from the mainland. Team Rocket has showed up several times over the past few years. Thankfully, they were dealt with swiftly and turned over to the mainland authorities on counts of trespassing and vandalism of private property."
Denny gives a long grumpy growl to then float back over and say a few things openly. "We never did get that payment from Giovani to replace the trees their Pokemon destroyed. I did send another invoice notice to all involved. But I doubt we're going to get them to pay it. Makes me so gosh darned mad. Those trees were just getting to full grown." Adelha sighs to simply state, "Let the anger fade away. Those trees could have been felled by a random lightning strike. It simply happened. We must learn to let such go and make do with the fallout. The little ones got to play in the mud when we dug up the tree stumps. We also had extra lumber for a bit. We may also enjoy the fact more legal paperwork for Team Rocket as a company means more headaches for their workers to handle as a byproduct. Take the small wins when you can."
Seems the nice lady does have a vindictive side to her.
"Your student, huh?"
Silver looked very thoughtful, looking away and staying silent for a few minutes. All of the benefits definitely sounded good to him... And he really had no specific destination in mind when he had set out from Johto.
"... Sounds good to me."
The mere mention of Team Rocket and Giovanni, however, was enough to put a scowl on the young Trainer's face; His eyes were filled with suppressed rage. Clearly, this young man had some history with the criminal organization.
"Don't worry. If Team Rocket ever shows their face here again... I'll deal with them myself. I'm more than strong enough to send them packing."
Adelha looks very assured of Silver's strength. A hum escaping her lips. But before she might say anything, a rather loud cry is heard in the distance. Which has T.K. immediately zoom off towards the noise. Adelha looks concerned to soon stand as the Growlithe give yips of alarm. With Denny saying, "That sounded like someone got hurt."
Sure enough, T.K. floats back with a very distressed Snubbull. The little one crying his eyes out for there to be a very bad looking cut on the bottom of his foot. Making the Growlithe gather around in a protective circle as Adelha heaves a long sigh of air. "It would seem I will need an extra pair of hands already. Since this little scamp likes to bite when he gets a bath or a booster shot."
T.K. nods to then look a tad miffed when the Snubbull tries biting one of T.K.'s shadow appendages that are keeping the hurt Pokemon aloft. Soft wails of pain coming from the Snubbull as Adelha takes out a mini first aide kit from the pocket of her dress. "See? Which means I will have to have someone hold him in place as someone else keeps him from biting and or chewing. I suspect he decided to explore around one of the greenhouses and a pane of glass broke. Darling little pups. Go and see if that is the case." Four of the Growlithe bark to then head off towards the greenhouses. Yipping for other Pokemon to be aware of the possible danger. With Champagne looking very worried as the Snubbull starts crying buckets of tears. Poor thing.
"Don't worry. I've got this."
Silver immediately leaped into action, firmly but gently restraining the poor Snubbull; Clearly his experience from working at the Goldenrod Day Care was coming in handy here. He'd had to perform similar tasks when some of the Pokémon being cared for there got a little too rowdy.
"Settle down... You're okay. It hurts now, but we're going to fix it. You have to be strong."
Even though his expression did not change from the stoic mask he always seemed to wear, the young man clearly cared for the Pokémon in his arms. Throughout his journey, he had learned to love all Pokémon, regardless of their strength... And now it had become second nature to him.
After all... For a long time... All he'd ever had were his Pokémon.
The Snubbull gives a grumpy growl at being told to stay still. Tears still falling as Adelha opens the first aide kit. While T.K. uses that shadow paw so Silver doesn't get nibbled on. Adelha is able to give the little Snubbull words in a foreign dialect that is lilted but warm. First using a kind of red glue paste on the cut. Snubbull wiggles his foot in agitation. But then he calms down to just sniffle and grump. Making Adelha hum as she gets to work with the stitches. "Good little grumpy one. I know very well it's not fun. Especially when the cut is on your foot."
Denny floats close to Silver to watch and then give a happy sound. "Wow. I guess Silver really did work at a day care before. Took charge like a pro. I vote he does the next round of brushings for the furry ones. Might even want to have his Alakazam help with levitating brushes through fur." Adelha chuckles to then heave a long sigh of air. "Brushing all the little wiggling waifs tends to be a chore. Despite many of them adoring ear rubs and tummy tickles. Half of them try to weasel out of brushing half way through to go play in mud puddles or bushes."
Champagne floats over to just flop gently onto Silver's head and tap his little arms to Silver's head. The wiggling from the little Fairy making his collar jingle with every tap. While Adelha finishes with the stitching to bandage Snubbull's foot and then put a sock on it. "And done. We will have to ask a Ghost or Psychic friend to help you move about for a bit. Means you get to float through life for a bit." Denny and T.K. roll their eyes at the pun for the Snubbull to do the stoic stare of not amused.
The redhead really didn't mind the growling and grumpiness; He knew he would probably be much the same in that position. Especially since he hated accepting help when he needed it... Even if he was getting better about that (not that he had much of a choice, as Ethan and Kris were relentless).
"I can handle brushings. It's just another task I used to handle at the Day Care. I'm good at wrangling the ones that resist."
Like most other things he said, the Trainer said this matter-of-factly, his expression unchanging. Even as he spoke, he remained fully focused on his task, not once letting go until he was absolutely certain that the treatment was finished. He didn't react to Adelha's pun, only nodding once.
"My Alakazam can handle that. He has outstanding control of his telekinetic abilities."
He let Champagne do as he pleased, even as he stood and crossed his arms over his chest; He would never admit it, but the taps were actually quite pleasant.
... Even before his father had abandoned him, Silver had grown up without much in the way of affection or physical touch. Most of the time, Giovanni seemed as though he wanted nothing to do with him.
