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"Good god, Kyle. You can't just bust open the door like that. We're trying to prove them we're friendly, not that we're the FBI busting down their door."[break][break]

She rubs her temples in exasperation because she can't remember how she was coerced into volunteering for this job. Children were petulant and annoying, they always wanted the snacks she had in her hand and she wasn't particularly good at sharing.[break][break]

Stormy had given Kyle a call asking for assistance, mostly because she didn't trust that she could handle it by herself, but also because she had originally been confident that Kyle could handle children. Perhaps she'd made a mistake.[break][break]

The real truth was that, when Kyle had burst the door open, Stormy had been the one most startled. Her heart was still thumping as she worked to relax herself. She was now looking forlornly at the trashed bag of veggie sticks she had had ripped from her hands. It had been the only thing to appease them and they were content up until they realised her snack wasn't sugary or sweet.[break][break]

So they'd stamped and stomped and probably peed on the bag of gross veggie sticks.[break][break]

"This seems fine to you?"

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Stormy sighs, shrugging at Kyle's comment and smirk. It makes her feel slightly better that he's at least a little proud of how well she's held down the house so far.[break][break]

Just watching these children act like spoiled, bratty wild animals makes her wince and wonder if she, at some point, had acted at all similar. If she had, she wished someone had punted her sooner.[break][break]

Kyle's loud tone startles her for a moment and she glances back at him with wide eyes, mildly impressed and surprised that he had such aggression in him. For as long as she'd known him, he'd been a sweetheart, laidback and easy to get along with.[break][break]

The children drop what they're fighting over, also startled by the sudden change in voice. It's likely they hadn't even really noticed another adult had arrived.[break][break]

Stormy stifles a giggle at Kyle's almost slip-up and attempt to cover himself up. However, the children instead begin to point fingers at each other and lay blame - but what blame? why were they suddenly so defensive? against each other.[break][break]

"Alright, alright. That's enough. It's time for bed, I think. Let's go, let's go."[break][break]

She claps her hands and plucks one of the children up into her arms despite it's fussing and crying.

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The child fusses in her arms, but gives her the telltale whine and puckered lip, his bottom lip jutting out as his left hand rubs angrily at his tired eyes. The boys are exhausted, that much is for certain. Try as they might, as hard as they kick, their feeble attempts to stay awake are growing weaker and weaker.[break][break]

Stormy produces a sympathetic smile even, leaning her cheek upon the boys head as he reluctantly leans against her collarbone. With a heavy sigh, he seems to have given up his fight and is now quietly fighting the sleep that drags his eyelids closed.[break][break]

Kyle's question falls on deaf ears for the most part, and Stormy begins to sway back and forth very gently while thinking about if she'd been given instructions for how to get the boys to fall asleep.[break][break]

"I think you have to sing to them. Another reason I called you. Their mother specifically said it has to be a man's voice because their father always sings them to sleep. Well - she has a recording usually but she apologized because the boys broke it last night. So, it's up to you. She has the lyrics written down over on the counter there."[break][break]

With one hand, she points to the sheet of paper across the living room before quickly placing it back under the dozing child.[break][break]

She then makes her way to their shared bedroom to begin tucking them into bed, to which, of course, they begin begging for their father to sing.

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Stormy feels for him, truly. But the instructions were clear and the children were restless and complaintive. It had to be done - he had to sing them to sleep.[break][break]

And, despite his discomfort and the severe lack of musical instruction, Kyle performed beautifully. Even she couldn't help but smile at him, finding her own sense of peace at his lovely little melody. It's unfamiliar to her and she's intrigued by where he heard it, but she remains quiet until the kids fall asleep and they exit the room.[break][break]

It's evident in the way Kyle's eyes glance at her, half-lidded and irritated, that he is not at all pleased with this outcome. Stormy quietly closes the door behind her, fingers leaving the doorknob slowly as she took a breath and sighed.[break][break]

She smiles at him thoughtfully before gesturing for them to make their way to the kitchen. Before he moves past her, however, Stormy reaches out and twines her pinky finger with his, giving him a sympathetic tug before promptly letting go.[break][break]

"Thank you, Kyle. Honestly? Your voice is beautiful. I really thought you'd butcher that but you didn't. Tickle me impressed. Now c'mon, I'll make you something quick for supper since you've worked so hard. You've earned it."

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One by one, Stormy opens up each cupboard containing snacks and goodies. Nothing really catches her eye until she closes the last one a crack and notices the tell-tale look of a box of cookies and cream poptarts. With a gasp, she snags a silver package from the container and opens them onto a plate, pushing it into the microwave to heat up.[break][break]


"I haven't seen these things in years, oh my god."[break][break]

She's mostly whispering to herself, but she glances over her shoulder to smile at Kyle, who sits waiting for her to bring him snacks.[break][break]

One the tarts are piping hot and oozing, she slides them into the middle and leaves to get ahold of various other snacks and munchies. She shrugs as she sits down, breaking off a corner of the one poptart and sighing blissfully as she leans back into her chair.[break][break]

"I gave up trying to be creative - I'm no cook. I'm a forager and scavenger at heart. Hope this works for you, friend."[break][break]

Meanwhile she continues to pick at the slices pieces of apple, the crackers and cheese, literally anything she could have found in the fridge and cabinets of the parents pantry. [break][break]

Her feet dangle from the chair and she eventually leans on one arm, hand buried in her hair as she lounges across the counter to watch Kyle.[break][break]

"So? What's new with you, other than your impeccable shower singing abilities?"

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Stormy watches him quietly as he nibbles on the end of the poptart and she drums her fingers against the table, snapping off more and more pieces. [break][break]


She frowns at Kyle's lack of news, her bottom lip jutting a bit while she made a feeble attempt at reading his expression to see if there is, perhaps, something noteworthy that he's just holding back from her.[break][break]


"Hmm.. you'd think being part of the elite four is exciting. I'm sure the League asks you and the other three to take on bigger assignments. I'm a little envious."[break][break]


Though she then thinks a little harder about it and concludes that, perhaps, because of Rocket's absence, maybe there wasn't anything for the elite four to handle. She frowns a little bit more.[break][break]

But then Kyle is leaning his chin on the counter and she can't help but smile at how peculiar he is, but how adorable.[break][break]

"Am I? That wasn't my intention, really. Everything is a little.. boring, I guess."[break][break]

She's unsure if he's aware of the events that occurred between her and Alexander, but she's also not sure she's willing to cross that conversation bridge again. She's had enough of people telling her she deserves to be alone or that Alex wasn't good enough for her. The back and forth accusations for and against her were exhausting.

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"Mmm, yes. That's what I've been doing when I'm not busy in Lavaridge. It's been a bit more complicated without my ranger partner, but."[break][break]

But she was strong by herself as well, is what she wanted to say. It was just more comforting knowing someone had her back.[break][break]

Stormy smiles at him as he comments on how nice it is to just be able to laze around. She can't really find that same comfort, having spent the last few weeks moping and lazing after dealing with her breakup. It had made her feel sick and useless and she despised it.[break][break]

At the mention of avatars, Stormy grows quieter. She had witnessed Senri Harada become the avatar of Articuno. She had recently learned that Cait was the avatar of Celebi, and Balder the avatar of Solgaleo. Even her brother had acquired a legendary Pokemon, which, while unsurprising given his strength, was still a shock to her.[break][break]

"I want to protect the region any way that I can. Should a legendary choose me, it would be an honor."[break][break]

She hesitates, unsure if she wants to voice her research into locating Moltres. She trusted Kyle, but she wasn't generally the type to open herself up to even her closest friends. The only person who knew about her mission was Cait.