Sometimes even the most active of people needed moments to sit in the grass and watch the clouds. Bicycle laying down on the grass beside the pond, Angelo is stretched out on his back, arms behind his head acting as a temporary pillow. He’s got to head into Oldale Town within an hour to pick up a parcel, a reminder have been sent to his old flip-phone, but he figures he has a little more time to appreciate the Hoenn skies and the way the leaves, tinged with yellow and orange, were beginning to get caught up in the wind above his head.

Sitting by his side, plucking small daises and attempting to weave them together with stubby hands, his Cleffa was caught in her bubble of attempting to create a chain with the sparse few flowers that remained. It was on Lyra’s third attempt when Angelo was coerced into giving her a hand, easily pressure by the sight of watery eyes and a pitiful whimper.

Needing another daisy, the Cleffa pattered off over the grass to locate one by the edge of the pond, leaving Angelo to remain on his back as he tied a knot in two stems above his head. She’s back quicker than he expects and when he sits up to see why Lyra has returned empty handed, Angelo notes that a Growlithe has appeared at the water edge, urging his timid pokemon to admit defeat before attempting to go close to the daisies sprouting near fire puppy. “Come on, they're not that scary,” picking himself up Angelo, followed by the little fairy behind his heels, approaches the edge of the pond and the pokemon-trainer pair who had just appeared, clearly taking a break from their jog.

“Morning,” he greets with a small smile as he approaches, crouching down near the water edge to pick around the grass.

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As he crouches, Angelo watches as the Growlithe breaks into a chorus of excited yips, leaving him smiling with a hand reaching out that stops between them, just out of reach, for the pokemon to sniff. He can feel Lyra’s little paw pressing against his leg for support as she shyly peeks out, half hidden behind her trainer and looking nervous despite the one she clung to looking the opposite of worried in the face of the fire puppy. I really should start trying to get her more confident, he thinks, as the little star squeaks in response to a particular bounce brings the Growlithe an inch closer.

So he does, when the Growlithe is brought back to his trainers side with a brief order, the fire puppy hopping back to her side, obediently but still with a jitter, Angelo presses a reassuring palm against the back of his Cleffa, encouraging her to step out of his shadow. “Ah, don’t worry about it, Lyra’s just a little shy,” he smiles, his palm gently resting on her head to ruffle the candyfloss pink curl, Lyra poking her little hands together and staring at the grass in a show of meekness. “No harm done. She could honestly do with being exposed to more energetic pokemon. You've done us a favour, really.” It didn’t bother him that her apology was a little cookie-cutter, her monotone response still met by a small, easy going curve of his lips as he looked up at her while remaining kneeled in the grass.

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Angelo happily lets the Growlithe sniff his hand, even pressing both his hands on either side of his fluffy face to give the excited pup some ruffles of his fur, before standing in every intention of leaving Lyra to try and make a friend. Leaving him with the task of attempting small talk with its trainer.

“Thanks,” he starts with a nod towards her Growlithe and his Cleffa, who although shyly, seemed to be goaded into playing a little round of chase. She didn’t have any other pokemon in his team for her to play with who was similar in size, so getting her to come out of her shell was something that Angelo was keen to do whenever they came across a type like Growlithe, making the most out of every opportunity to socialise. “It’s a big help. Though... I’m not holding you up or anything, am I?” With a smile, he brushes a bit of puppy slobber off his palms and onto his jeans, noting her jogging gear and that she may not be finished with her routine.

There’s a glint of silver floating towards them through the trees and, upon seeing a familiar shape, Angelo holds up a palm in casual apology before walking away a few meters to make an attempt to catch the Magneton with a pokeball, calling over his shoulder with a, “just tell me when you need me to get lost, I don't mind!”

Failure or not he’d stroll back towards the woman to resume, figuring it would be a little awkward for him to return back to his bike to sit alone, when their pokemon were starting to play a little round of tag.

attempting capture of magneton

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