Maoja rode up to the scene with shivering limbs and a curious excitement in her bones. Thank goodness Ride knew how to figure out destination instructions. Otherwise, she'd have to figure it out all on her own. That would be its own adventure worthy of its own tale. For now, she'd be perfectly content with a Wooloo.

This is a much more exciting thing to share with everyone at work anyway, she considered as Ride slowly skid to a halt. Like her, everyone enjoyed stories that involved cute Pokémon. Especially if you pulled it out a few seconds later. She'd be the talk of the day, and there's no way her boss could get on her case if they got to pet such a soft little thing!

But first, she had to obtain the Wooloo. That's where Jack came in. Sure, his message didn't come in from the way she predicted it would. But she got the message, and that's what really mattered. Thankfully, she knew it was the right place because she could hear the man doing his thing from a country mile away.

Once Ride finally stopped, she carefully got off and patted her on the head, "Thanks for that, Ride!"

A giggle escaped her lips. Oh, I am too good sometimes.

Maoja led herself to the noise, nearly oblivious to her surroundings that would've surely sent her to the ground. That's what the Cyclizar was for, though. She nudged her to the side when the fence to the park came up, and off the right side of the sidewalk as opposed to the opposite side.

"Hey, Jack! Been a hot minute, how you've been?" She waved in his general direction, only known by the strange dance of the blobs at his feet. "Sounds like you've got your hands full!"

---

Jack Napier

“Sure is! This here is my… my–hehe,” Maoja couldn’t contain her giggle. The Cyclizar rolled her eyes at the trainer, but she pushed on. “My Ride! Cause her name is– is– I call her Ride!”

Ride headbutted her trainer in the back of the knee, which cut off her laughter in a moment’s notice. “Oh come on! It’s all in good fun.”

“But yeah, I got her from some doctors-slash-government officials. Don’t want legally blind people out freely on the road,” she leaned against the fence and pulled down her sunglasses, showing off her eyes from the top of the frames. “Not fun for anyone involved.”

It was almost impossible to see, but there were faint scars of… something, around her eye sockets. Before Jack had a chance to look, though, she backed up and put her thick, black shades back properly on her face. “But enough about me. I got your message, so I figured I’d get here safely and in style!”

Without Frank, she added mentally. He hadn’t been nearly as enthusiastic as the rest of them had been when the news came. To be entirely fair, very little got him excited. But it did mean she needed another Pokémon to accompany her. Wouldn’t be fair to bore a good friend with something they didn’t enjoy.

That and I had no idea how to get here.

“So,” she peered over the fence, towards the two shapes that gyrated in the short distance, “what do you got there? I think that one’s a... Wooloo… and the other is…” Maoja squinted. 

---

Jack Napier

“That’s what I’m saying!” Maoja nudged Jack on the shoulder. Ride once again nudged her trainer in response. She rubbed the Pokémon’s head warmly, and then hopped the fence in one clean jump. Her legs missed the top of the fence by mere inches, but she made it over all the same. The Cyclizar followed with a similarly smooth jump.

Still got it. The girl bent down in front of the yellow mass and immediately reached out her hand to pet the small canine. “How can such a sweet little thing be useless? She’s just, y’know… goooooood at other things! Like asking for treats.”

Can’t blame her. I’d do the same in her shoes. Paws? Feet.

Ride the Cyclizar wasted no time either. As the Yamper stopped for a brief moment, the long dragon took on the mantle of Wooloo chaser. Not that it mattered– she caught up with Lis in mere moments, around two seconds after it began. Her fangs gently sank into her wool and lifted her high off the ground.

And then… Ride tossed her to the side, right towards Maoja. The fluffy creature bounced right off her leg and got a startle out of her. “Woah, what the– Ride, what are you doing? You shouldn’t be throwing Lis around like that!”

A low purr rumbled from its throat, and its throat sac puffed out to full size. “Don’t pout with me, girl. Please.”

---

Jack Napier

“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry for Ride’s behavior.” Maoja quickly stood up and walked over to where the white ball of softness shook. She wasted no time and quickly rolled the Pokemon to the side, until Lis’ feet were properly underneath her. Her cheeks were flush red, and she quickly turned to the direction of Ride.

“Ride, please be gentle with the smaller Pokémon! Wooloo roll, but not like that,” she gently scolded the Cyclizar. What is with her? Is she feeling upset or something?

Ride felt anything but. Her chest sac expanded and contracted rapidly, and she snorted alongside the motion. The closest thing a Cyclizar could get to a chuckle, she did a quick circle in place before she walked up to Maoja and rubbed her face against her trainer's leg. One she saw rather clearly, because Ride shoved her face into Maoja. A gentle face, full of emotion and misty eyes.

Aww… oh, how can I stay mad at a face like that! The trainer pat the creature on the head and turned back to Jack. “I don’t think she meant any harm, just playing! But I’ll stay on guard for any more mischievous behavior.”

With that, she turned her attention back to the Yamper. Yet another cute as heck Pokemon, all for her to enjoy! But… she’s not why I’m here.

“So, Jack, you said you had a Wooloo for me, right? But…” Maoja quickly looked around. A mostly futile effort. If there was one present, but they stood perfectly still, the odds of her seeing them were next to none. She looked back to Jack with a grin plastered on her face. “Are you hiding it? If so, I probably won’t find it!”

Ride let out a short bark-like noise, and quickly scurried off. First, she shoved her nose into the thin layer of snow. Then into a distant tree. And then another patch of snow, on the prowl for a second Wooloo. Her search wasn’t fruitful in the slightest, no matter how many blades of grass she nibbled or how much snow she shoveled down her mouth.

What was going on?

---

Jack Napier

Huh?

Maoja could only guess what happened, but Ride figured it out rather fast. She ran up to the second Wooloo, the one clearly from the wild, and gave it a few tentative sniffs. Earthy, like wet snow and mud. A few berries were stuck deep in the wool, which she happily stuck her face in to collect.

“Ride, what’d you find?” Maoja asked. She started to walk over to the commotion, a Wooloo bleating as a Cyclizar invaded its personal space, and considered the newcomer. Yep, can’t tell them apart for Jack!

However, she approached the one Ride harassed and gently nudhged her back. “Come on, give… Lis? Some room?”

This one wasn’t Lis. This little one didn’t have a collar, much like the one right next to her (after she gave that one a feel around the neck. So, this was the Wooloo Jack had promised? Why did it smell so dirty? Like a sack of potatoes, and just as rough-feeling. The wool felt like the steel variety.

“Oh, Jack, this is pretty cool! But… you couldn’t have given them a bath or anything? A good ol’ spit shine? Poor thing,” she rubbed the top of the wild Wooloo’s head. It leaned into the hand and bleated softly into her glove.

Guess I’ll get to figure out how to give a Wooloo a bath… that’ll be fun! I think.

---

Jack Napier

The berries either rolled into Maoja’s leg or went straight past her without a second thought. She could hear the soft crinkle of grass as they did so, but she only saw one or two within arms reach. “Sorry, not very good at catching things!”

Oh well, she shrugged mentally. There were berries, and there was water. During winter. This didn’t seem like a good idea, but she trusted Jack enough to know what he was doing. Thus, she took the first Oran berry and offered it up to the Wooloo. They gave it a loud sniff or three, then took a timid bite.

“Woo!” They took a second bite, much longer and stronger than the first. Maoja giggled and set it down on the ground in front of them.

“Don’t worry, ya little goofball,” she rubbed their head as they finished up the berry. “We’ll take good care of you!”

I will, anyway. Water soaked into their surroundings without any rhyme or reason. That Water-type must’ve been of the gung-ho variety, as Ride got absolutely Soaked in the crossfire. She crouched down and violently shook her body free of the water, which only made the matters worse. Some of it got onto Maoja, and she shivered.

But, somehow, the Wooloo did get covered in water too. They shook in place, and Maoja continued to comfort the creature and give them berries. “It’s okay, don’t be afraid! We’ll get you nice and clean and good as new!”

---

Jack Napier