---

It is very thankful for Eris Halla that he doesn't recognize her with her new hair. If Chu-e did, he would probably have hugged her so hard she snapped in half before trying to suplex her. It didn't matter that some Rotom with a message or that Wright (whose ass was getting a KICKING) had some pretty words. He wanted Eris so he knew she was safe.

Of course, his public persona of Ji-Hoon Ki didn't have these worries, so when Chu-e rolled up looking like he bathed in a strawberry patch it was probably a sight to see.

"Hey there! You my next opponent?" He hadn't paid attention to the name, just to the lot he was supposed to meet up with this person at.

A pokeball was tossed out, a Dedenne landing on the sand with a squeak.

---

- Chu-e's Outfit
- Chu-e is using his civilian name: 'Ji-Hoon Ki'

There is a moment where Chu-e is nothing but confused. As far as he knows he's never fathered a child; his gay ass had never been inside of a woman carnally. After a moment it clicks, though, eyes wide an persona dropping for a moment.

"Eris!" Is hissed out, quick, in surprise. Before the girl can get too far away he's pulled her back in for his own hug. She's pressed tight against his bony frame, practically squeezing her in two. After he lets her go he at last takes her hands, kneeling down and getting grit on his knee to be more on her level. If Eris Halla looks closely, she would catch a prick or two of tears in the corners of his eyes. Chu-e was many things nowadays- one of them, he would openly admit, was kind of a crybaby. He looked at it as being in touch with his emotion, which was perfectly normal.

"We can worry about the battle in a minute... I'm so glad you're okay. When Wright and your Rotom got back without you I almost flipped... Are you alright? What happened?"

Meanwhile, Squeaks wasn't the least bit intimidated by the excitable Yamper. If anything, it just encouraged her to get closer and try to get on the corgi-pokemon's back to ride like a steed.

_WupsF0l

"Your injuries...." His eyes trail down to her arms and hands. Chu-e couldn't get over how small she looked to him in that moment. Just a fragile little thing. And he had let her get hurt. Even if Eris Halla didn't see it that way, Chu-e did. He was the adult that was supposed to be responsible for her and he had allowed her to go on a dangerous mission. If it hadn't been for whoever had helped her out...

"Who hurt you? Who tried to bother you? I'll find them for you, Eris. Do whatever you want with them."

Someone had hurt her and by the Flames of Ho-Oh they would pay for what they had done.

Yet, at the end of the day, Chu-e was mostly glad that she was still alive and standing in front of him.

"After the tournament we can go get you a new cell phone, okay? Together. Then we can stop by the market and get you a fancy phone case." Even if he was angry at the situation, at himself, the only thing he could do now was try and make it better for Eris.

Reaching into his pocket, Chu-e offered her one of his burner phones- it was ugly and basic but it would get the job done. This one had the number of most of the higher ups of Rocket. Cillian Quinn, THEO BECKETT, Emma Wolfe, Killian Decker, Remiel Calcifet, Lulu Flint, Miles Sharp, oscar clayton, and even Walsh himself... if, for some reason, Eris wanted to message them on their own burners, she could. Also, for the sake of some OOC shenanigans.

"I'll need that back later, but you keep it for now we can both make it home tonight, okay?"

The puppy pokemon likes to play rough? Well, Squeaks can also Play Rough. She was smaller but the Yamper seemed to be younger.

There is a softness when he watches Eris Halla. He knows she's getting into mischief and someone would probably grouse at him later for allowing her to use that phone... but he can't bring himself to say anything. Any grousing will be worth it. Besides, Walsh didn't see nearly enough cute pictures of his cats.

A tinkling caught his attention and Chu-e turned to see a little ice cream stall set up nearby.

"Hey, wanna get some ice cream?" Today was a day to indulge since he was going to be out all day. He'd already drank a metric ton of Dr. Pika (Caffeine Free). May as well indulge a little more.

Sparks fly as Squeaks Nuzzles back, a small chittering noise to show she accepted the affection. The price- be her steed! Again, the mouse pokemon tried to hop up on the back of the Yamper. Her legs were very short and she was very small, so it would be a lot harder for her to travel all the way over to the ice cream stand.

Chu-e squeezes Eris Halla's hand lightly, giving her a smile before he let out a soft puff of laughter.

"You can get whatever you want." If she wanted a sixteen scoop cone to try every flavor, he would gladly indulge her. Summer only came around once a year and she was young. She deserved to have these happy memories. "I hope they have those frozen, chocolate dipped bananas on a stick. I love those." Plus he was lactose intolerant. Didn't want to shit his pants today.

But, at her comment, he did glance back at where Squeaks was trying to boss around the Yamper.

"She lives in a house full of cats. Think she's gotta be the boss."

"I have some grapes in the freezer at home." He had been dying from the heat lately. Sometimes a popsicle just wasn't enough. You needed something to sink your teeth into.

While Eris Halla orders, Chu-e takes a moment to ponder what he wants. He can't have ice cream so it makes it hard... thankfully, they do a dairy-free option.

"Watermelon shaved ice, please." He offers over the cash and gets their treats. Even makes sure to grab a few extra napkins for when they inevitably get these all over themselves. There's a bench nearby that's in the shade so he plops his ass down.

"My cats are pretty wild." But he loved them.

"She might like my dogs. They're mostly outside, though." Just because Chu-e was a cat lover didn't mean he hated dogs or anything.

"You should sometime. Beepin, my Zoroark, she stays outside mostly. She loves kids, too. This one kid, his name's Hideo Kino, we've met a few times... she always drools on him. It's cute." Would she do the same thing for Eris Halla? Probably.

A spoonful of his own treat is nibbled on. His appetite was doing better, mildly, so it didn't feel like such a chore to get it down.

"You like to press flowers? My mom used to do that. If you need anything for it, I'll pick it up for you." He thinks his mom used to just use heavy books but his memory is hazy at best. Mostly, Chu-e just remembers the delicate flowers and how she would be so gentle with them.