“Yep!” A wide, dumb grin pulled at his mouth. It was the same, but different. Elevated. Sort of, even if they hadn’t pinned it down. But the attachment was there all the same. Unyielding. It put ideas in his head. A want to make plans, future ones.[break][break]

Though it probably was unexpected of him, Wren too found himself swayed by envy easily where Levy was considered. He’d grown good at hiding, but it always existed, nauseating and disconcerting. He shrugged a little at his…friend’s? words. “I dunno, I don’t think about it, really.”[break][break]

Wren smiled against his lips, and his arms slipped up from the lapels of Levy’s jacket to curl around his neck instead. He had to stretch up to his toes to do so, but he managed all the same. With a laugh, he rubbed their chilly noses together. His attention was only pulled away by Juno, who darted forward to BITE at a maractus. Pulling a ball from his pocket he tossed it at the two before the leafeon found herself stuck with a mouthful of needles.[break][break]

Then his arm drifted back up to its original perch. “Sooo…” he drew the word out in preemptive subject shift. He stepped back a little, hands settling up on Levy’s shoulders instead as he got a better look at him. Unlike the first time, the nervousness he felt over having something to share was also muddled with excitement.[break][break]

Because this was a good thing, right? He hoped so.[break][break]

“What if I told you…I applied for a transfer to Petalburg’s branch?” And maybe a promotion too, but one thing at a time, and even then he didn’t know if he’d get it. Or the transfer.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"]

Levy Alinsky     [break]
poison/bug/grass // catching maractus!

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-leafeon"]

Even with their need to return to the ground sooner rather than later for a break, they were still able to get the work done in far less time with the help of the two oversized bugs. Wren couldn’t imagine trying to move all those squirtle with just the two of them.[break][break]

“I can tell! He’s really well trained,” Wren answered as he removed his own earplugs and slid off of the yanmega’s back. His feet felt a little wobbly on the ground after being in the air for so long, but he steadied himself with a hand at the large bug’s side. “You know, I never had thought about it, but I might just have to now!” Bug-types had always sort of been more Levy Alinsky’s thing than his own, but after managing to ride the yanmega with surprising ease, Wren found himself far more curious.[break][break]

He laughed– “Yeah, I guess being short has at least some perks apparently.” At only 5’6, he supposed that made things a bit more advantageous. His attention shifted, though, to the little group of squirtles, expression brightening up in delight at their showy display of thanks. “That’s so cute!” Within moments, his phone was out to snap a photo of the heart before it was gone. Then he smiled at Shalin. “Sounds like a good plan. I could eat.” Who knew flying would make him work up an appetite?

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"]

Shalin Nariya   [break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-leafeon"]

Sure, despite the fun and the laughter, it was making his stomach feel a little topsy-turvy. But Wren didn’t mind it much. Somehow, he felt a little more adept to the air. Wasn’t that interesting? Plus, it really helped that despite Flit’s antics, the yanmega was great at navigating with little instructions.[break][break]

True to his guess, the squirtle tottled forward, leading them straight to the group. While Shalin and Queen Zing got the rest back on their feet, Wren looped around on Flit’s back, looking for any stragglers that had split off like the first half. One by one, he was able to flip the last few back onto their feet with Juno and Basil’s help. “Excellent work, you guys!” Also quick to praise the team before they rounded back to the group.[break][break]

“Only a few more! I think that must be all of the group.” Wren pointed over to where his two pokemon on the ground were ushering the small group of squirtle back toward the others. “Guess we should get them to the lake.” He patted the back of Flit’s back. “He’s really good at this!”

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"]

Shalin Nariya   [break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-leafeon"]

[attr="class","icon"]

“Okay..” And he does try to block the song and ignore it, as Levy says. But it’s difficult to shut out entirely. Something about that makes his nerves all jittery and anxious. Like there’s more to it than just some tune that might get stuck in his head. He can’t put his finger on it, though. He watches quietly as Paxton’s klingklang examines the structure. Glance darting over to Luka, “I think I can understand that. Especially with this melody. Like a music box, maybe? Or one of those clocks that plays a song on the hour.” Whatever the missing parts might actually be, he can tell when she’s just as affected by the song as he is.[break][break]

As the volume of the melody swelled louder in the wake of the wall opening up, Wren stills. For a moment, he thinks maybe it’s nothing. That it’s only a momentary lapse, but his prior apprehension fades. Pushed out by an onslaught of emotions that wash over him and nearly bowl him over. The hand twined through Levy’s squeezes tighter, and it’s the sort of wistful ache he remembers feeling as a teenager. That cloying, ultra-tender sort of affection that veers into melancholic.[break][break]

Suddenly, it’s like he can’t believe Levy is holding his hand and he stares down at the link. Confused, flustered. His heart speeds up (or is it matching the cadence of the strange melody,) and though it brings Luka to befuddled tears, he can feel his face redden with mingled, fluttery elation and embarrassment. Maybe Levy is just humoring him? That achy longing thrums harder against his ribs.[break][break]

But it makes no sense. They are sort of past this point, aren’t they? Not to mention, he should still be wary. He should still feel a degree of fear from the unknown and apprehension over the rows of silent volcanion.[break][break]

Instead, he feels none of this. His gaze shifts up toward Levy and then he leans against him, arms tangling together more as his head leans on his shoulder. Not a care in the world from this these weird, displaced emotions, Wren exhales no more than a wistful sigh. Fully ignorant to his surroundings because suddenly it’s all so rose tinted. Wow. [break][break]

tldr; prompt 04 fulfilled / wren experiences pining for levy

[attr="class","bottom"]Levy Alinsky luka chêne paxton concordas [break]

So Shalin had been there too. Obviously the event had left as much of an impact on her as it had on Wren. Maybe more so, even. He hummed in thought, brows knitting together as he tried to piece it all back together. “I do think I remember seeing one at some point, but after a while, I was too far removed from, er, the terrain to see the sky.” Meaning he’d fallen in the sinkhole and had only been paying attention to what had laid beneath them. “I’m not much of an expert in megas either…but I hope you’re able to figure it out! There must be something.”[break][break]

The distant, lingering buzz doesn’t bother Wren one bit. If anything, it reminded him of his childhood– hours spent running around and exploring Petalburg Wood in the summertime. Though, it was a little jarring, having Flit twist and turn around in the air. But at the same time it drew bursts of laughter from Wren. It was almost like being pulled around in a roller coaster cart. “I’m still impressed,” he commends the giant insect, after his trainer chides the independent actions. It was definitely a strange sensation, but fun.[break][break]

When the two bug-types clashed wings, Wren grimaced, face pulling in distress. Hopefully that hadn’t hurt them too terribly. The sensation of their wings tangling had all of the effect of a box fan being knocked on its side while running.[break][break]

Wren and Flit descended after Shalin, drifting back toward the ground, he watched as the massive beedrill handled the squirrel with care. Despite its prior fear, the squirtle chimed its appreciation once it had been righted. “Do you think the rest are nearby?” he asked, looking over at Shalin. “Maybe this one will lead us to the rest!”

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"]

Shalin Nariya   [break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-leafeon"]

“Oh yeah? It’s a wonder I haven’t seen you then. I basically grew up exploring them.” With Levy Alinsky, who he still can’t find. But that’s a thought he pushes out of mind for the moment.[break][break]

Perhaps that should also raise some flags about Elijah, given the fact that he’s never run into him. But at the same time, he’s been in Evergrande the last several months training. So it would make sense, and it’s something that Wren easily explains away. No serial killer scale here.[break][break]

“I don’t disagree. I think flora can be used to promote a lot of good.” All that good, holistic stuff, y’know? He watches Elijah handle the planter, head tilting in curiosity. Though his temporary quiet is quick to fade.[break][break]

He shifts in place, and normally that would be a foot-to-foot movement, but given the cast he’s in all he ends up doing is clunking it against a large terracotta planter holding a massive aloe plant. But the noisy tonk is quickly drowned out by his enthusiasm. “Really? That would be so cool! I mean, I don’t know what you do exactly. But it sounds like it would be a lot more fun than just learning theory without the hands-on aspect, y’know?”[break][break]

Maybe that’s an inconvenience to the other? But then again, why would he offer if he didn’t want to help? Wren was awfully busy with a lot of ranger stuff, but at the same time…he wanted to be able to use what he learned in the field too. It feels like a win-win that way. And way more functional and productive than the combat the region has been subjected to.[break][break]

At least, that’s his opinion, anyway.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"]

elijah gardner [break]
mission / repeat for wren

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-salandit"]

“Oh yeah! That’s a good point! That’s sort of interesting, you know? I never would’ve thought of doing all this traveling and training for school, but it makes me sort of envious,” he admits with a laugh. He would’ve much preferred being out and about in the wild rather than sitting through chemistry class. It was a good idea, in fairness– why hadn’t other regions adopted the same idea? Especially with so many younger people striking out on their own to train.[break][break]

Thoughts for a later time, he supposed. Wren wiped his hands off with a napkin as he finished up his own sandwich. Any crumbs left behind were brushed away and the space neatened up. “Nothing wrong with that! I hope she feels completely better soon!”[break][break]

“Sure thing - I should probably get back to helping out myself! Thanks for humoring me,” he replied, laughing again. “Safe travels to you!” He watched as the galvantula guided Hideo away, smile fixed on his face, before poking his own leafeon to rouse her where she’d dozed off. “C’mon Juno, we’ve still got stuff to do. It was a nice break, though, huh?”

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"]

Hideo Kino      [break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-leafeon"]