Completely Lost, Mildly Confused (open)

[Krystal]

After bidding Professor Hawthorne farewell and pausing to rearrange the items in her backpack so that everything was in its proper place, Kat suddenly realized that she was now on her own in the big city.

Well, she wasn't exactly alone; she had Vulpix, but for now the creature was safely ensconced within her pokeball. She had taken the time to look over the caresheet she had been given, and it seemed fairly straightforward. She had appropriate food already packed away, but there were stores that sold special pokemon food, stocking up on supplies was her next priority., it seemed.

She certainly wasn't prepared to cope with all the people who were out on the street on this bright, clear day.

She wondered how the city could afford to support all these people. They seemed to be oozing out of the cracks in the walls! Everywhere she looked, people and pokemon were mingling. She felt distinctly out of place here, and oddly exposed. How could they stand all the noise? All the activity?

She thought about calling Vulpix out of her pokeball, but what if someone stepped on her? What if she ran away and Kat couldn't catch up to her? What if she got into trouble?

Are you kidding, Kat? Didn't you read the part of the caresheet where it said that pokemon are generally loyal to their trainers unless they're mistreated?

Well, there was that...

"Priorities, Kat..." she murmured to herself. First, she would find a store where she could purchase some necessities, and then worry about whether or not her Vulpix would charge off into the unknown and leave her alone if she let her out.

[Mutt]

What a day. River felt like a new parent with a baby. Not that he was complaining, necissarily. That was just the way it seemed. His Vulpix, who he'd named Valuk, had gone from keeping his distance from River to being practically attacked at his hip. Not that he could blame him. The pokemon was a shy, anxious thing, and now he was out in the city rather than safe in the lab. River had kept him in his pokeball for the most part, but had finally let him out, knowing he had to help the fellow get over his anxeity.

Right now he was seated at a diner, in one of those cute outdoor tables with a huge umbrella. At least he'd discovered one thing about him, he thought to himself. Valuk loved sushi. He wasn't big on it himself, but he'd ordered a little for a quick lunch and Valuk had taken to it immediately and seemed to help him calm down.

With the sushi giving him a little break from comforting his otherwise anxious and frightened Vulpix, he pulled his journal out of his pack and started sketching a picture of the pokemon. Under the sketch he started writing about his day thus far and about his new pokemon. A fun battle between a couple of trainers arose and sent Valuk wriggling into River's backpack laying open on the table. "Hey, it's okay, buddy." River said softly, gently scratching behind Valuk's ears.

[Krystal]

The sun seemed harsh on Kat's skin before long. She had neglected to take into account that the trees sheltered Wetherseed from the worst the sun had to offer, for the most part.

"It's so hot, she murmured to herself, looking around for shade.

She heard a commotion to her right and turned just in time to notice two pokemon battling in the street, their trainers goading them on. The sight was so alien to her. People in Wetherseed cooperated with pokemon for the most part, not set them against each other. The exception to this rule was the gym, of course. Kat had never set foot inside the gym, let alone climbed the tree that housed it.

She quickly crossed to the other side of the street, walking towards a series of tables with brightly coloured umbrellas. Any of them would have provided adequate shade, but the one that drew her eye was occupied by a single man...

...a single man and a Vulpix.

She approached cautiously, not wanting to spook the creature, who seemed to be currently trying to burrow into his trainer's backpack. "E-Excuse me," she said, biting her lip. "I noticed you...have a Vulpix as well, is it...safe to let them out of their pokeballs in such a populated area?

[Mutt]

River hadn't taken the heat and sun into account either, and was sure he'd be sunburned by the day's end. Sighing, he rubbed his nose and pulled his cigarettes from his pocket. He'd managed to keep from them since last night, but that was pushing it. It wasn't like he was trying to quit, afterall. Pulling one out, he stuck it in his mouth, gently patting Valuk on the rump as the little guy managed to curl up in the backpack and peered out nervously. His little nose twitched wildly as he took in the sights.

Searching for his lighter, he nudged the last piece of sushi over to where Valuk could comfortably reach it, before pulling out the desired lighter and attempting to light his cigarette. At this rate he was never going to get a smoke, though, as a young woman walked up and spoke to him. Squinting against the sunlight and placing a hand above his eyes to try and shield out some of the sun, he looked up at her.

Safe to let out Vulpix' here? Perhaps it hadn't been the smartest idea with his particular Vulpix, but he'd had to gain a bond with it sometime. Glancing at his Valuk, he shrugged and looked back over at her. "Dunno. Depends on the Vulpix, I guess." he placed the lighter down and took the cigarette out of his mouth to talk better, holding it lazily between two fingers. "I probably could've picked a better spot, but really, where else you gonna let it out unless you feel like walking out to the edge of town." he finished, leaning back in his chair. He wasn't going to light a cigarette around her, not unless he knew it wasn't gonna bother her.

Valuk sniffed anxiously, looking up at the girl and trying to inch further back into the pack. River sighed, gently rubbing his head. "Maybe our Vulpix' would get along. It'd be nice to find some way to calm him down." he said, considering putting the little fellow back into his ball, wondering if maybe he'd put the poor thing through enough.

[Krystal]

Kat bit her lip. "Maybe..." she conceded. At least, if her Vulpix bolted, someone would be around to help her capture her again. She took the single pokeball that was attached her belt and examined it. How had Professor Hawthorne done it?

Oh, that's right! She pressed the button in the center of it, and the next thing she knew, Vulpix was there, sniffing the ground. Kat felt like she was seeing her for the first time again.

"Hello there, beautiful," she said softly, and the creature looked up at her with unblinking green eyes for a moment before turning her attention to the table. Kat watched on anxiously as she sniffed around the man's chair, as if looking for something.
"I should warn you, she's--" before she could finish her statement, her Vulpix had managed to climb onto the table and begin prodding the man's backpack.
"--fearless. Hey! Stop that!" She exclaimed, but Vulpix seemed to pay her no heed, pausing to sniff the other Vulpix before yipping excitedly and enthusiastically licking his face.

Kat blinked. "Um..." She bit her lip. "I guess she can be a bit...overwhelming..." At least she hadn't attacked the other pokemon, that was a blessing in itself.