For all of the strength in ollie morales’s grasp, Wren echoes back to the best of his ability. He’s definitely nowhere near as strong as Ollie, but he makes up for it in enthusiasm.[break][break]

Juno twitches her ears at the captain, and Wren smiles a bit at the exchange, though is eager to get right to the task at hand. “Oh! Awesome, I’m glad it all came through alright.”[break][break]

In all honesty, he had been a bit uncertain as to whether or not he’d filled everything out correctly in the first place.[break][break]

Nearly tripping over his feet, Wren scrambles to keep up, pushing through the doors just behind Ollie. “Well,” he starts with a sheepish laugh, “I was at a job fair at school, and it sort of just seemed..right? Does that make sense? It’s probably kinda weird to go on a gut feeling, but I guess I wanted to see if it wasn’t just in my head.”

[break][break]

+ ollie morales         | m: commitment: act i

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Wren scoffed playfully, a hand lifting to press against his own chest. “Plants are not boring! They’re colorful, and they have so many little complexities! It’s very interesting to study their different properties, thank you very much.” Spacey as he tended to be, Wren could get into very complicated discussion about the biology and structure of plant life, and the benefits held when tended to property. And that wasn’t even starting on plant-life pokemon, either. Which was a whole different can of worms.[break][break]

Still, he was fond of the fact that Levy humored his rambling. It was probably a bit the same when Levy talked about the symbolism and meanings of certain texts that went right over Wren’s head. Even if he was nowhere near as chatty as Wren, he was still a constant in his life, and Wren didn’t really enjoy the fact that he was about to disrupt that.[break][break]

“Oh, I didn’t realize you had penciled in some lamenting. I can always just go by myself then,” he teased. Despite the suggestion, he was still tugging Lev along, not meaning it one bit. “And yeah! It was killer, I just couldn’t find the time…” But Wren couldn’t find the time most days. How did he expect to handle ranger duties on top of that? He might need to buy an actual planner.[break][break]

The question shook him loose of his thoughts, and Wren startled slightly, like a guilty kid getting caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to. The guilt flared brighter, but he shook his head quickly. “Yeah! I’m fine! It’s all good, I just…remembered I have a paper due sooner than I thought, that’s all. It’s cool.” His grin felt a little too forced though when he looked up at Levy with a thumbs up.[break][break]

He maybe started walking a bit faster to get to the boba shop. Suddenly, it felt like he was on the cusp of getting called out, because he was pretty sure there was no way Levy was going to buy it. They knew each other too well. “Actually! I have something for you, but you gotta wait ‘til we’re there.”[break][break]

It felt a bit cheap to use the eevee as a distraction tool for the heftier news he was avoiding. But Wren, pathetically, was afraid of how upset Levy might be from this. If he could cushion the reaction, he would. That was selfish, it was so selfish. But he’d planned to give the gift anyway, so…maybe it could be useful too?


[break][break]

+ Levy Alinsky | cuties :c

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Wren listens to the best of his ability, but there's so many voices flying back and forth that the pace becomes more and more difficult to follow. Some are heated, some are steady. He watches with mild alarm as paxton concordas chimes in and everything sort of implodes afterward. When the head ranger cuts in again, there's still a question that lingers at the front of his mind. They've been assured the devices aren't destructive, but that doesn't quite settle the curiosity he has. It won't stop him from helping, or following orders, but a clearer picture would be nice, he thinks.[break][break]

He looks over to Laurence Anderson , hand lifting slightly. He's not exactly in a spot yet where he feels he can just talk openly in the middle of a meeting, so raising his hand would help right, yes? "Um, I was just-" The questions dies quietly when things take another turn and a pie is being vaulted across the room.[break][break]

Wren openly gawks at the scene, mouth hanging open as words devolve into shouts. But! He'll try again. "I was wondering if-" Again, more baked goods go flying en masse, and this time he's not so lucky to be avoided. It's not aimed at him, he's pretty sure. (After all, he doesn't know Calliope Marks , or like, anyone fighting, but still.) Yet warm crust and filling splats against the side of his head, and after a moment of pause, Wren blinks himself back into movement, and can definitely taste apple and cinnamon. His mouth clicks shut.[break][break]

He's not about to try and see if the third time's the charm.[break][break]

Hunkering down in his seat, he'll wait this out. For a moment, he looks over ollie morales , question hanging on the tip of his tongue. We were given our tasks, can we go? but he refrains and tries to wipe bits of pie from his head. Juno, sensing the potential of a snack, wiggles free from his back and nibbles at the remnants of the tin, which had fallen down by his chair.[break][break]

After a beat, he looks across the table to boruta maher again, despite having not personally addressed him yet. "Does this usually happen?"[break][break]

+ would like to ask Laurence Anderson a question, but then there's uh. pie.[break]

+ is mostly just watching, though asks boruta maher a question[break]

+ kinda wants to ask ollie morales if they can like, go or something, but keeps it quiet[break]

+ collecting x1 green shard

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Wren pulled his own dour expression at that, shaking his head. “Are they though? It’s a whole lotta words…I can’t keep up!” Which was funny coming from someone who almost never stopped talking. Still, he liked to listen when Levy actually spoke. There was something gratifying about the way he seemed to open up for Wren, which was a rarity in and of itself. He leaned a bit on the other from the effort of keeping himself upright and not toppling them both over, failing to notice the way color bloomed over Levy’s face at the prolonged contact.[break][break]

He laughed, nose wrinkling. “Well obviously I wanna hang out, Lev. Why else would I ask?” Relinquishing his wrangling hold on the other, Wren settled back on his flat feet. Though he was quick to make sure that one arm stayed looped around Levy’s so that he could effectively drag him along–even if he could walk for himself just fine. He was always moving at a quick pace. So it seemed like this was the best way to make sure they didn’t get separated in the slight crowd.[break][break]

“What do you wanna do? Get a burger? Go to that bookstore you like? Oh! We could get boba tea! I haven’t had any in like, soooo long. It’s a little unheard of.” And really, for Wren, ‘soooo long’ constituted about a week in total. But between his course work and traveling out to Evergrande to get a tour of the area, he’d been both a little busy and strapped for cash.[break][break]

The sudden thought of Evergrande made something in the pit of his stomach sink just a little, and the brightness of his smile dimmed a bit when he remembered that he’d have to tell Levy. The sooner the better. But…he could put it off just a bit longer. The pokeball in his backpack suddenly felt about a hundred pounds heavy. Like he was carrying an anvil and not a tiny little thing. Not realizing how his thoughts actually made him go a bit quiet for once.
[break][break]

+ Levy Alinsky | cuties :c

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

It’s hard to miss Josh Devlin when he approaches, both because of the greeting and because of the regal-looking ninetails he’s astride. Despite his uncertainty in all of this, Wren nods and flashes the other a thumbs up. “Yep! That’s me. Glad to meet you!”[break][break]

There’s a gentle nudge in his mind, and then the communication flows. Unused to telepathy, Wren startles a bit before his eyes widen with obvious curiosity as he watches Mystic. “Nice to meet you too, hope this all goes well!” he answers aloud, a small smile settling on his face before his glances drifts back up to Josh where he remains in place.[break][break]

“I, uh, guess I didn’t think about…rides,” he confesses sheepishly. It’s never been a thought at the front of his mind, given that all of his pokemon thus far are too small, or aren’t built for speed in favor of other traits. This doesn’t seem to be an issue, though, because one by one the gym leader’s team is released. Once they have all been presented, Wren gives them all an awkward little wave. “You have an impressive team! But that’s probably why you’re in the position that you are!”[break][break]

He only has three of his own along with him, and for the time being, he releases the two additional if they’re doing introductions. “This is Juno,” he points to the eevee who’s crawled free of his bag to drape on his shoulder. Then he directs to the Poliwhirl and Psyduck who settle in place beside him. “Then Grover, and Winston, respectively.” It feels a little paltry in comparison, but Wren is proud of the pokemon he has, and is quick to remind himself that he is, after all, just starting out.[break][break]

As Josh speaks, Wren’s recollection turns back to the mission and he sombers up a bit, “I appreciate that. And also the loaner.” He hums a bit in thought, quiet as his brows knit together. “Time is of the essence then, I guess?”

[break][break]

+ Josh Devlin | m: prevent

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Wren snaps to attention when he hears his name called, and he meets the greeting with a wide, beaming grin pasted across his face. Eyes bright with enthusiasm (and mild relief that he does not have to ask everyone and their mother in the building where ollie morales is.)[break][break]

“Yep! That’s me–Wren!” There’s a nudge at his ankle and suddenly he remembers that his eevee was trailing his heels this whole time. How silly of him. “Oh, and this is Juno.” His eyes catch on the aipom seated comfortably on the other man’s shoulder, grin somehow getting even wider as he offers his hand out for it to high five.[break][break]

“Nice to meetcha, Pickles!” His hand then drops to shake Ollie’s own–enthusiastically so (maybe too eagerly?) as his cheek’s redden. “And you too, obviously! I mean, why else would I be here?” A laugh bubbles up, and though he might sound anxious, he’s not. Not fully, even if it’s a little daunting. [break][break]

It’s more that Wren talks as soon as the words enter his head more often than not–excitedly going on when given the opportunity, and sometimes it just gets ahead of him. That’s all.[break][break]

“Oh, that’s a relief though. I’m not really very formal either,” he says with a puffed out sigh, shoulders slumping casually. “Yeah! It wasn’t so bad. Bit of a hike from Slateport, but easy enough.”

[break][break]

+ ollie morales         | m: commitment: act i

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Wren's eyes are round as he listens to the challenge ollie morales poses, then slowly looks toward boruta maher across the table. "Maybe...you think he'd buy it?" It's probably a dumb idea- trying to convince another captain that there's a bit more to the brownies. But before he can either make the attempt, or just introduce himself, he's pulled back into his chatter with paxton concordas . Maybe he'll give it a go in a minute, but also only if he can get Ollie to bail him out if the joke goes awry. "Is that nice?" he asks Paxton, head tilting. His eyes go bright with an enthusiastic nod. "Oh, yes! It's a lot, but I'm trying to keep up. I was in classes over in Slateport, but I'll be heading out to Ever Grande soon to really get more into everything and-"[break][break]



The scraping of Ollie's chair, and his call for attention cuts Wren's babbling short. Despite his scattered behavior, he listens as attentively as he can manage- trying to put faces to the names announced, and clapping along with the rest for the promotions given. It would do him well to retain everything he hears, but Wren is fairly certain he won't get it all immediately. At some point, an envelope is placed in his hands and he holds it curiously as Laurence Anderson takes over the meeting. For the most part, he's coming into everything fresh, but even he doesn't fail to notice the tension that suddenly begins to thicken the room as Fortree comes into talks.[break][break]



Rather than speak to something he barely has a grasp on, Wren sits in silence with a small frown. Looking toward ollie morales with a questioning look as to what they'll do from the Ever Grande end.



[break][break]

+ belated post is belated[break]

+ is skeptical about ollie morales 's suggestion that he try to hoodwink boruta maher specifically [break]

+ continues conversation with paxton concordas , tho hushes for the announcement and cheers along for annalise henderson and Guillermo Marceliño [break]

+ acts like he knows wtf is going on

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

THE FOOL

wren rourke

Wren isn’t sure why he’s been tasked with this. Well, he’s understands the technicalities of it–it’s a tip off to a smuggling deal on the fringes of Slateport, and they need someone to help one of the gym leaders in the area put a halt to the operation before it can really get off the ground. He understands that. He just doesn’t get why him. It’s not like he’s ever helped in this sort of situation before. And really, it feels a bit outside of the scope of his duties as a trainee ranger. He’s still so green it’s embarrassing at moments when he struggles to keep up with some of the littlest obligations between his mandatory duty hours and his classes.[break][break]

It must be because he’s still in the city finishing up some of his courses before heading up to Ever Grande. That, and the taskforce in Slateport must really be strapped for numbers–all wrapped up overseeing their own projects and operations. It’s the only thing that makes sense in his mind as he reasons with himself on the way to the subway stop he’s meant to meet his partner for the evening. Josh Devlin , he’s been informed from the quick debrief, is the Mauville gym leader, and he’s going to be in charge of their proceedings. Wren is more than okay with this. He is not about to argue over leadership when he doesn’t even know if he’s fully capable of stopping a whole person from doing what they want to do.[break][break]

He doesn’t consider himself particularly clever, or even all that speedy. But he’s here to help, right? So that’s what he has to keep in mind instead of the negatives. If he has the determination, he can do this. He totally can, right? Right. As he waits, Juno pops her head free of his backpack, wiggling in indication that she means to hop free. “Nah, Juno. Just stay in there, okay? I’ve got some of the others with me. I don’t need you getting hurt because I mess up or something.” His hand reaches back to scratch at her ears and the eevee nips at his fingers in a stubborn huff.

[break][break]

+ Josh Devlin | m: prevent

[attr="class","pokeclass"]