[attr="class","icon"]

"woah. is that a wattrel?"[break][break]

his disbelief and joy are evident on his face as he approaches, not quite stumbling but also not quite walking straight. it's clear he's had a few drinks. it should be even more clear by how he's gushing over this bird in a random ass bar he can't even spell nor say.[break][break]

"it's so cute. i've never seen one in person before."

[attr="class","bottom"]lam logan[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

Lam’s head snaps up from his phone at the question, green eyes scanning the surrounding space for the source.[break][break]

When he lands on who he assumes asked, a wide grin stretches across his face. “Hell yeah, man! Hands down, one of the best flying-types to come out of paldea.”[break][break]

Well, kilowattrel he means, and it’s just his own opinion. But he’s buzzing a bit too— both from nerves over being ditched in such a busy place, and from the beer he’s downed a bit too fast.[break][break]

Also he doesn’t know much about the paldea patch to his dex. He’s only looked at what he can find on the avians, and the other few he’s found and caught. Nerd. Still, he stretches out his arm so that the wattrel can hop down to his forearm, looking at Matias with a sideways tilt of her head.[break][break]

“This is Pomelo. She’s chill.” And playing DD a bit.[break][break]

He has yet to notice the terrifying worm by Matias’ leg, courtesy of the crowds.

[attr="class","bottom"]MATIAS SILPH [break]

[attr="class","icon"]

"true, true."[break][break]

to be fair, there aren't that many flying-types that come out of paldea, so matias has no issues agreeing there if only for the sake of being friendly.[break][break]

he offers the wattrel a wave as it hops down onto the man's arm.[break][break]

"hello, pomelo. this is red gummy worm."[break][break]

the orthworm rises, standing up only to fall splat against the side of the bar, perhaps craving a taste of it due to its EARTH EATER trait. it doesn't even look at them yet, eyes seemingly glazed over.[break][break]

"it's an orthworm from paldea too!"

[attr="class","bottom"]lam logan[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

Lam eyes the orthworm, green eyes round with a mixture of morbid curiosity and slight horror. “Dude..Is it, like, okay…” he asks as it splats against the bar. Is it…drooling??[break][break]

Pomelo looks like she wants to gobble it up like a common caterpie, though it far outsizes her.[break][break]

“Rad name though, uhhhh…fitting.” It’s actually something that Lam can latch onto—all of his Pokémon are named after some food or another. Often dubbed in a stoned, giggly haze, but that is besides the point.[break][break]

“Are you scouting out paldean variants too?” Granted, it’s something Lam didn’t wholly realize he’d started doing until he realized he had now had multiple.[break][break]

More than that, he’s just glad someone in here is talking to him unlike his ghoster friend.

[attr="class","bottom"]MATIAS SILPH [break]

[attr="class","icon"]

the stranger's horrific disposition is missed as matias is too busy gushing over his orthworm. he brings a hand down to pat its head, rubbing it as one would a pupper. orthworm closes its eyes in delight.[break][break]

"thanks! isn't it just adorable?"[break][break]

reaching for a treat in his pocket, he holds it over the orthworm, then lifts it higher and higher which makes it follow. eventually, its legs extend out of its body, latching to the bar.[break][break]

"i am, yep. i've yet to run into a wattrel but i'm hoping i do soon."[break][break]

still smiling, he looks over at the stranger and introduces himself.[break][break]

"i'm matias."

[attr="class","bottom"]lam logan[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

He takes the moment to knock back the rest of his beer, and considers getting another as he watches the other man treat the big ol’ worm like an overgrown doggo. Maybe it has its endearing traits, but he wouldn’t necessarily call it…[break][break]

“Yeah, man! Super adorable.” Lam shoots the little worm a finger gun, though the arms are kind…weird. Maybe it knows how to play dead like a pupper might. Or shake..paw?[break][break]

Pomelo, deciding she’s uninterested after all, hops back up to his shoulder and nibbles at his hair affectionately.[break][break]

“She was out on Route 110, so maybe you’ll strike gold there. What else have you found?”[break][break]

Lam grins back, lopsided and easy. Maybe if he wasn’t a bit buzzed already he would’ve recognized Matias sooner. He’s been doing his tentative gym challenge research, after all.[break][break]

He lets it rest, not wanting to make a fuss or be an annoyance, though there’s still a flicker of recognition in the green of his hazy eyes. “Lam,” he greets in return, “nice to meetcha.”

[attr="class","bottom"]MATIAS SILPH [break]

[attr="class","icon"]

orthworm attempts to return the finger gun but really ends up looking like it's just pointing at lam instead which might be far worse.[break][break]

"route 110 huh? i'll check it out next."[break][break]

as for what he's found, he pulls out his pokdex and quickly scrolls to the paldea section.[break][break]

"quite a few, actually! here, have a look."[break][break]

he offers lam the pokedex, then waves down the bartender to order them another round of drinks.[break][break]

"what are you drinking?"

[attr="class","bottom"]lam logan[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

“Hasn’t let me down yet! It’s a go to spot.” Mostly because it’s close to home and also rife with flying-types, but still.[break][break]

Lam stares back at orthworm as it points. Its tiny eyes stare into his soul. It’s definitely unnerving, but the little guy’s got the spirit, right? So he tries to smile back at it, though it might look more like a wince.[break][break]

Just briefly.[break][break]

“Oh shit! I thought I was doing well, but you’ve got me beat by a long shot,” he remarks, a little awestruck as he scrolls through the filled in entries.[break][break]

He’d offer his own back, but it probably looks paltry in comparison. Maybe if he asks.[break][break]

He glances up from his perusal with a sheepish grin. “Oh, just PBR. Cheap stuff.”

[attr="class","bottom"]MATIAS SILPH [break]

[attr="class","icon"]

"ha! i'm out and about a lot so that helps."[break][break]

he spends a good amount of his day just roaming around the wilderness looking for paldean pokemon, which explains why he might be ahead of some. if lam were to hit "back" on the pokedex he'd see how the rest of his pokedex has been filled out. every species caught.[break][break]

"what's pbr? peanut butter...ranch?"[break][break]

either way, matias orders them another round of not so cheap stuff. whiskey, neat, for the both of them.

[attr="class","bottom"]lam logan[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

“You’re lucky, then!” he can only get out when he’s not working at the gallery. Not that his job nets him all that much, but…if he can get the pokeballs and also eat, that’s all that matters.[break][break]

His free time was already largely spent outside anyway, so win-win. Though not in this cold quite so much.[break][break]

Lam does, indeed, hit back and his eyes instantly go round. “Woah…yeah, you’ve got me way beat. But I’m just starting, so there’s a learning curve, yeah?” he says as he hands the dex back. He decides to offer his own out after all, just on the paldean section.[break][break]

“Definitely puny in comparison, but I think I’ve found a few unique ones.” At least, a couple he hadn’t seen yet on Matias’ screen.[break][break]

His eyes flick up to the other’s, expression immediately twisting in distaste, though he laughs again, “Dude, what? No way, that sounds awful. It’s just a really cheap beer. Not exactly rolling in it.”[break][break]

Which is why he eyes the offered whiskey need with surprise, “Oh, woah. Thanks, you didn’t have to.” This is gonna go right to his head. Literally. He’s a lightweight.

[attr="class","bottom"]MATIAS SILPH [break]

[attr="class","icon"]

"oh yeah. take your time, enjoy the journey."[break][break]

he'd done so as well until arriving in hoenn. for whatever reason, his quest to finish his pokedex started shortly after that. maybe it's the craziness of the region.[break][break]

pocketing his own and taking lam's, he scrolls through the paldean section, wonder etching across his features as he does so.[break][break]

"wow! you've got plenty. i'm jealous."[break][break]

he closes it and hands it back before reaching for his drink.[break][break]

"don't mention it. now, cheers," he raises his glass, "to paldean pokemon and filling our pokedex."

[attr="class","bottom"]lam logan[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

“Well, I’ve definitely taken my sweet time getting started so why start to rush now?”[break][break]

The counter to what he feels is minimal makes him perk up. “Yeah? You think?” He sounds a bit like an excited twelve year-old, probably.[break][break]

To counter his nerves, he takes a swig of his drink and tries not to cough it back up as it burns on the way down.[break][break]

Definitely not used to top shelf whiskey.[break][break]

Though, the other is being encouraging, so what is there to be nervous about, really? Grinning, he tips his glass in response. “Cheers to that, for sure! May we snag all the good finds.” Who knows, maybe they’ll bump into each other at some point along the way.

[attr="class","bottom"]MATIAS SILPH [break]

[attr="class","icon"]

whiskey is really all matias ever drinks, top shelf or otherwise. it was easier to lug around a bottle of one as opposed to cans of beer when out in the wilderness of kanto. plus, the kick was really needed at times.[break][break]

"i'm looking forward to it."[break][break]

he downs his whiskey far easier than lam does.[break][break]

"and, hey, i'm sure i'll run into you out there. if so, i call dibs on the first paldean pokemon we see."

[attr="class","bottom"]lam logan[break]