With the past few weeks behind them, Duvet Ranch had once again assumed a state of normalcy. Instead of Pokemon rushing between tents to deliver medicine, or to treat injured Pokemon or people alike, the Pokemon on the Ranch were roaming around at their leisure. Overhead, one could see different dragons racing in the skies above the ranch. A Flygon was leading the pack, though in a burst of Extreme Speed, a Dragonite managed to overtake the lead.

A small group of Audino could be spotted playing with a Cufant, the giggles of the pink creatues showing that at least the Audino were having a good time. Though if one were to get a closer look, the Cufant was enjoying himself as well.

Most pertinently, an Arcanine would spot a woman and her Rapidash riding along a dirt road that ran parallel to the property. Excitedly, the Arcanine rushed over to the edge of the property to greet the duo. But rather than greeting them with any sort of hostility, or being territorial, the Arcanine would let out a friendly bark, attempting to greet the human, and the Rapidash. If Cait were to look into the eyes of the Arcanine, she would see that the dog was clearly friendly, and youthful in a way that befitted a Growlithe more than an Arcanine.

"Rufus, what's going on?", called out a voice that would be all too familiar to Cait.

Rufus would turn to greet his master, rushing up to meet him halfway, before offering to give him a ride over. With a chuckle, Thomas climbed onto the back of his Arcanine, who ran back over to the edge of the property.

"Cait? What brings you here?", Thomas inquired, surprised to see the former Gym Leader here, of all places.

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tags: cait alfric
notes: tl;dr

Thomas eased up, and began to smile. It was good to see her outside of a more formal, or official setting. Despite having managed to meet her early on, back when he was an Agent of the International Police, the woman had left an impression on him. It was unfortunate that the two hadn't been able to spend time in a more relaxed setting after that meeting. But given everything that went on in Hoenn, such luxuries were few and far between.

"You as well.", he responded to her in kind. "And please, call me Thomas.", he'd tell her.

It was true, the way Thomas was dressed befitted the location. The clothing was worn and shabby, but extremely well suited for such labor. A thick button-up shirt, with the neckline of a white t-shirt visible under the open collar. Dirt-smattered blue jeans. And brown boots with dirt and mud caked on them. Before he could respond to her question, she would quickly correctly guess that he owned the place. "Guilty as charged.", he'd reply.

"After my resignation from the International Police, I moved out of Rustboro, and here to Verdanturf. The property itself required some renovation, but that wasn't too much of an issue. One advantage of the time I spent with the International Police was that they payed extremely well.", Thomas elaborated, with a chuckle.

And even if he didn't have the savings to purchase the Ranch itself, he could've gotten the help of his family to fund the place.

"So what's been going on since your retirement, if you don't mind me asking?", he'd inquire.

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tags: cait alfric
notes: tl;dr

Thomas noticed the woman's hands tightening around the reigns of the Rapidash. But rather than point this out, the Kalosian would instead continue to go along with the conversation. "That's good to hear. I'm sure your Pokemon love having all that land to roam freely on.", he would tell her. Then again, it all depended on what sort of environment they were made for. But then, he was sure Cait took care of them all.

"An associates degree? What's your field?", he inquired. "And that's wonderful. If you don't mind me asking, have you found anyone to start that family with?", he'd inquire. As far as he knew, she either found someone she wanted to start a family with, or was going to be looking. Either way, he only wished her the best.

"It's funny, because I was never really raised around farmland. Up until moving here, I've spent most of my life in cities. My only regret is not doing this sooner, to tell you the truth.", he'd tell her, with a chuckle. Despite his upbringing, he took to this life rather quickly, and surprisingly well at that. Perhaps it was the change of scenery that helped, perhaps it was the fact that having a large property where his Pokemon could roam freely that made it all worth it.

"How have you been taking the transition from Mauville to Fortree?", he inquired.

---

tags: cait alfric
notes: tl;dr

"I see.", Thomas told her. "Is this lucky individual someone I would know?", he'd inquire, entertaining the conversation further. He was sure that Senon, the man he ran into in the Rusturf Tunnel a few months back, didn't tell Cait of their encounter. If she was aware of their meeting, it would take him by surprise. Sure, they ran into one another at the funeral, but again, circumstances kept the two men from interacting properly.

"Late thirties or forties? No room for pursuing it in your twenties?", he jested. To hear her talk about going for it so late, compared to the likes of the others, who seemed to just go for it, despite being in their twenties, was surprising. But then, if she were focusing on her education, and her future, he didn't blame her. "All joking aside, you'd make a great Councilwoman.", he'd tell her.

"If I live long enough to turn old and gray.", he remarked, a dry chuckle escaping him. When she brought up mates, he did frown a bit. "I did have someone, a lovely woman by the name of Jasmine. Of course, I screwed up through my constant risk taking, and she couldn't take it. She didn't want to watch me drive myself into an early grave.", he would tell her somberly.

Though that was now well into the past. Now, he had someone else who might be his. Someone he could spend his life with, if she didn't mind the Ranch life.

Thomas watched over as a Delibird flock flew into the field. The icy birds would begin to distribute Presents to all the Pokemon on the Ranch, including the Audino horde, who happily greeted them. The sight was enough to lift his spirits from what he described earlier.

---

tags: cait alfric
notes: Present prompt

"Sounds familiar. Think I encountered him in the Rusturf Tunnel sometime before the League Meeting.", he'd tell her.

As she mused on Kim and Fernando being in their twenties, Thomas couldn't help but ask himself how they did it. With Hoenn the way it was now, being in the center of all the insanity going on in the world, they were surely going to age themselves doing this. Sure, it was good that they were stepping up, even if he naturally questioned their motives for doing so, but doing it so young was going to fuck them up, surely.

"It is what it is. I just hope that she finds someone who can make her happy. Succeed where I failed her.", he'd tell her. In truth, he was addicted to the danger that he put himself into. Ever since he was a teenager, getting into brawls with street gangs brought him a thrill he couldn't match with any sort of safe activity. This would translate into going against the Harmonia Foundation in Unova, which lead him to joining the International Police, then transferring to Hoenn.

No matter how many times he wound up on death's doorstep, he always came back for more. He feared that he wouldn't allow himself to settle down in the end. It wasn't his own end that scared him, but it was what would happen to those he left behind. Would they be safe without him? Would his enemies come after them as well?

"To be honest, I can barely stand the business world. I don't think I'd really mesh well with politics at all.", he'd confide with her. While he stepped up to spearhead Benoit Armaments' philanthropic efforts in Hoenn, the activities that came with it, such as the events and dinners he'd have to attend, grated on him. In all honesty, he was much happier doing grunt work with the workers who were restoring the dilapidated buildings.

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tags: cait alfric
notes: tl;dr