Practice Makes Perfect [Jasper]

[Endre Arthmael]

ENDRE

In the meantime, Emrik had quite taken to punching, kicking, scratching, biting, and even slapping. "Ah- Emrik," Endre tried interjecting, but the Pancham wasn't listening much either now. And just like that, their organized turn-based sparring match had degenerated into two small Pokemon tumbling around on the ground tussling like toddlers.

"Emrik?" Endre asked again. It gained no reaction. After about ten more seconds of watching the flurry of fur, Endre looked up to Jasper. "At least they're wearing each other out, I suppose..." And.. technically it was still a fight, so.. it counted as some sort of practice, right?

[Jasper Stone]

W-what even….Jasper was at a loss for words watching the strange mesh of punching, kicking, and rolling that had transpired in the last few seconds, and briefly once again he tried an “Aura,” but to no avail as it seemed she was more content to tumble about than truly battle. Feeling eyes on him, Jasper looked up to meet Endre’s gaze, and a brief attempt at a smile was given. It faltered about halfway up his face into something less comfortable than intended, but oh well. “I suppose,” he agreed glancing down again as Aura let out an unexpectedly loud yip at colliding with the ground briefly. She stayed there for less than a second before continuing her obscure onslaught.

As time ticked on, rather than stand and watch, Jasper slowly but surely ebbed around the tumbling duo and ended up moving to stand near Endre before finally sitting down under the tree watching this surprisingly long fight continue. They just… didn’t stop did they? Either that or maybe he was just getting old and didn’t have the energy of something that young. And they’re pokemon… Yes, there was that. “Hopefully they don’t end up taking a twenty minute nap and recharging again…” Jasper didn’t realize he’d spoken aloud at first until after the fact and paused to glance and Endre as if he were talking to him rather than just… to himself out loud.

[Endre Arthmael]

ENDRE

Endre shrugged and sat back down upon seeing Jasper had. At his friend's comment, he chuckled lightly. "I agree.." he said, soft and sincere. "Napping for less than an hour at a time is a fate I wouldn't wish on anyone." ... He was entirely serious. Not one single detail about his expression or tone or anything could be discerned to indicate it might be a joke. Sighing, he brushed a bit of his long platinum hair out of his face.

Eyes surveying the square again, he once again found a distinct lack of the Anorith he was allegedly to be helping with. "....Jasper," he said after a while, sounding less sure of himself than usual. "Am I too old to start training..?" It wasn't a question about the both of them. Just Endre. Jasper was a few years younger still, but aside from that he had been a trainer most of his life. This wasn't a new experience for him. He'd just.. been off the bike for a little while, and the new one was a bit different than his old one. Refamiliarizing with basics and learning little differences would each take some time, but overall it was still riding a bike. Endre felt more like an old man trying to learn for the first time next to a bunch of pre-schoolers. ..All right, so he might be exaggerating the age gap just a bit, but still. It was very unusual for Endre to worry about much of anything, so the fact that he even said anything..

In the meantime, the Pokemon continued their scuffle. Occasionally Emrik would stop a minute to catch his breath, usually as Aurora did the same. Every so often he'd stop when she didn't, and he'd take a punch for his recklessness, but the same went for her about as often. Both of them were looking pretty ragged, that was for sure.

[Jasper Stone]

Though some would have regarded Endre with humor even with his serious demeanor and tone, Jasper had long since come to understand such words were not a joke. Ever still- the thought that he had been misinterpreted to a small degree, or maybe Endre had understood and chose to take it a different way, earned a soft yet audible exhale, not quite a snort. Glancing back to the sparring, Jasper was about to speak again when his name followed by the question caused purple eyes to glance sideways regarding the muscular man with a surprised look. Too old to start training? He’d never considered that a possibility, but before he said the obvious ‘no’ that was forming on his lips, Jasper stopped to really consider it.

Well, he supposed age to start training for the first time was a bit of a factor. Children were often given pokemon because they could grow up alongside those pokemon- or so Jasper had come to realize years down the line through Nova. There were certain milestones that a child and his pokemon could pass together and grow from together that didn’t quite make sense for adults. Also children tended to have more energy and more drive to train than most adults he’d seen. However, that didn’t really mean that one was ever too old to start training, did it?

Well medically speaking… Jasper stopped at that thought. If he considered it from the doctor’s standpoint, there was indeed a lot wrong with someone older taking up pokemon training. One could get injured easier and not recover as quickly as he could in youth- but then again Endre was not… the average man for certain. A part of Jasper was pretty sure he’d get about as many injuries as he did when younger regardless… due to …habits? Was that the word? Jasper wasn’t sure what to consider physically fighting pokemon. So if that wasn’t quite a factor, then he couldn’t quite justify Endre not being a trainer- and besides, though training was not main focus, Jasper was more than aware he needed to at least put some time and effort into making Aura stronger- if only to deal with what was on the road. Oh yes, and to see if he could figure out some use for her aura.

“No,” was the word that finally escaped from Jasper before the slate haired man gave a head shake. “I don’t believe anyone’s too old to start pokemon training as long as they have the will to do so.” He was satisfied with his answer… for the most part. Glancing back to see his Riolu pausing to pant before continuing the small brawl, Jasper pressed his lips together. “It will probably take quite a bit of effort,” he noted giving a surprisingly small shrug. It took effort to train anyways, so that should have been of no surprise.

[Endre Arthmael]

ENDRE

Endre half-laughed at that last bit. "Yes.." he exhaled. "I suppose that it will." Pewter eyes set on their partners, who seemed like they were starting to at last run out of steam. Such energy..

This was nice, though. Nice that they could use all that energy on something so- at least to their onlookers- so silly. Nice that society in this world had advanced to the point that even if their race as a whole was constantly fighting for survival, individuals didn't have to- not every day. As long as they'd get back up and get back to work, people and their Pokemon could take time to relax, to be silly, to catch up with old friends.

This thought brought Endre's eyes to the doctor's face. He'd grown into such a weathered man, but in his tired features Endre could still see the little kid he'd worked with building some of the very buildings surrounding them now. In fact.. that was the roof Endre nearly fell off of that time, wasn't it? Or was that the one another block down.. The civilian shops and housing looking so much alike did nothing to help memories that already blurred together.

Back to the doctor, who indeed had changed so much from that boy he'd known.. Eyes that had once been filled with such wonder had since known so much trauma- such was in his line of work, but even outside of that. But Endre was certain he could still see some hope gleaming in them, even if they weren't directed at him right this moment. He was also quite certain that he had not been staring just a little too long.

An arm moved up and draped around the younger man's shoulders then. "Thank you, Jasper.. for always looking out for me.."

[Jasper Stone]

Aurora spent just a little too much time catching her breath this time around, and somewhere in the back of her mind, she was even a little sleepy maybe- but she was going to win! Forcing herself up, the Riolu wobbled a little before throwing a punch at Emrik only to find her full body going with the punch colliding with the Pancham in a more falling format than any tackle. Jasper bit the inside of his mouth wondering if it was better to stop her now before she completely fell out or left her finish.

Though he’d taken to rearing his siblings in the absence of a constant parental presence in years past, he had not raised a young pokemon in years, and back then, he hadn’t really thought of how much he pushed Nova. Lips pressed together a bit harder than before, and Jasper had to repress the urge to fidget uncomfortably. If he’d done a better job of care back then through life, would Nova have still been around? Such questioning thoughts still plagued him and threatened to never be answered. Regardless…I won’t let that happen to her.. his heart resounded on the matter even if he couldn’t foresee future events. He would do what he could to ensure she didn’t wear out …somehow.

Maybe even get a team. The thought had hit him before, though more in guilt than in that moment of clarity. In accusing words his heart had tormented him about making Nova do all of the fighting and not having realized it would put so much pressure on his pokemon. However, right then and there it was the answer to his question. He’d fill up a team and balance out. Even if it meant more mouths to feed, if it kept Aurora from wearing out as quickly as Nova had, Jasper wouldn’t think twice of doing so. A small smile came briefly to his features. There was hope.

Endre’s movement drew Jasper’s gaze back. “Welcome,” was the simple reply followed briefly by a pause as Jasper glanced back at Aurora again his smile unwavering, however. “You do the same for me.” It wasn’t a question or even a forced statement but a comment posed as if he were regarding the weather or a simple truth. “Even if you fight bears and make my end of the deal a bit harder,” a chuckle escaped from Jasper, and even his tone had made it clear it was a joke- especially since bear animals weren’t the issue out there in the wilderness- which on second thought might have been a little worse but oh well.

[Endre Arthmael]

ENDRE

Emrik tumbled with Aura when she fell into him, and he felt rather uncomfortable with the position in which they had ended up. He scrambled away, and managed to push him back up once more, and another time after that when they collided again, but with the next time, he just sort of.. fell out. He wasn't unconscious yet. So.. he hadn't lost yet, right? He was just.. out of energy.. If one considered a loss being unable to battle.. would he have let Endre down? ...Wait, where was Aurora?

Endre half-smiled at Jasper's initial response. He wasn't sure how true he felt it was, but he was never one to argue such things. It didn't matter whether or not he thought he did well; if someone appreciated something he'd done, he wasn't about to tell them that their perception was wrong or their opinion invalid. Tiny, everyday courtesies could sometimes make the biggest difference to people without the ones offering those courtesies ever knowing. So gratitude was always valid, because the one offering it always knew the affects others had had on one's life better than they did.

The follow-up brought a chuckle from Endre as well, however. "Yes, I suppose so. Lucky for me you're so patient." Heh. Patient. Doctor puns. "Though lucky for you, hopefully that little one is the only bear I'll be dealing with for at least a few weeks." After all, they had to clean up this mess around here, and Endre wanted to make sure Emrik was strong enough before heading off.

Glancing over to his partner, he gave a rather more sympathetic chuckle. "Looks like the little guy finally gave out."

[Jasper Stone]

Where was Aurora? The Riolu was sprawled out on her stomach with her front paws extended forwards and her back paws extended back. The only movements her body was making were the huffs of breath that rocked her form as she tried to force herself back up this last time. After a little even that too was too much work and she settled a little into a more relaxed breathing pattern substituting the work for what was supposed to be a leer towards Emrik but turned into a pouting stare.

Jasper missed the pun though the comment that Emrik would be the only bear actually settled well inside. Glancing back to the sparring ma— that wasn’t a sparring match anymore, Jasper gave a leveled sigh his features not derailing at least. “Looks like they both hit their limit,” he noted briefly fishing out his pocket watch to stare down at the face. It had been a good while as far as battles went- which meant they were both well matched, both appearing to have a decent amount of stamina for being baby pokemon. Well… technically Aura was technically the only baby pokemon- but hatchling, yes that was the word.

After a moment Jasper set up on knee and slowly forced himself to stand, the cracking in his joints not coming as all that much of a surprise to him but still something he wanted to avoid if he could. Brushing off his scrub pants, Jasper glanced back at Endre. “I think I’d better get her home- maybe rest for a while before the kids trickle in.” –the kids, of course, being his siblings who may not have actually been children anymore, but regardless. Steps were taken as Jasper closed the distance between himself and his Riolu before the doctor came to a stop. Bending down and sliding arms under her before lifting and transitioning her around as if he were holding a baby instead, Jasper glanced down for a moment only to find a disdained expression on Aurora’s features.

It took him a minute to really realize why she was pouting, and after a moment, a laugh escaped from him. “Maybe you’ll get to battle another day. How does that sound?” he asked only to receive a “Olu” answer that he wasn’t quite sure what to make of.

[Endre Arthmael]

ENDRE

Endre smiled as Jasper mentioned his 'kids'. It was amazing they all still lived together- or at least had last he heard, and that seemed to remain the implication now. Knowing the good doctor's view of the younglings with whom he'd grown up, Endre wondered briefly what the poor man would do when one of the so-called children finally did move out or, heaven forbid, got married. Though he supposed it was possible none ever would- (look at him, at 42)- if made less likely the more of them there were.

"Rest is always a good idea," Endre didn't quite jest. He was searching for Emrik's PokeBall to recall his friend and allow him to rest there when he noticed Jasper picking up Riolu. The way he held her.. It was very endearing, but he had to hold back a laugh; that was so very typical Jasper, wasn't it? Aside from that, though, it made him reconsider. The Trainer's Inn wasn't too far away, so he supposed the PokeBall was a little unnecessary at the time. Very well. He went to Emrik's side then and picked up the Pancham, holding him against his shoulder with one hand rather than cradling as the other trainer did. "I'll see you around then, Jasper," he said pleasantly.

As the man turned, Emrik leered raggedly over his shoulder, panting softly. 'Next time,' he hissed sharply to the Riolu. 'Next time I'll show you what I'm really made of.'

[Jasper Stone]

Jasper gave a nod taking a step and turning. “See you soon,” he replied, though when ‘soon’ was was anyone’s guess. Just as he’d started to walk, Aurora looped past Jasper’s arm leering back at Emrik- her lips scrunched together in her not quite intentional pout. “Made of fluff,” she retorted before the strain on her neck became too much and she shifted a little to lean more on Jasper again as the man continued back home.