[One of Shoka's favorite pastimes in Bottlecap Bay is Pokémon-watching, and one of her favorite spots for Pokémon-watching, naturally, is the Questboard. With boisterous crowds all but guaranteed in the morning and various meetings held there all through the rest of the day, hanging around the Questboard is usually a sure-fire way to cure her of her boredom, at least for a little while. Sometimes a squabble will break out between two teams over the same quest (always entertaining), or she'll catch a glimpse of an entirely new Pokémon species to catalogue in her mental Bestiary. Other times, she may even work up the will to snatch up a quest herself, or just see something interesting enough to investigate closer—as is the case today.
Today, there is a Lopunny at the board, and he's taking every quest description from the day's list... only to hand them out to passing Pokémon like flyers. In the time she spends watching him, Shoka doesn't see him actually keep a single one. She does, however, notice that he's eerily familiar to her.
Curiosity eventually gets the better of her. She Shadow Sneaks her way over, appearing soundlessly beside him as if out of thin air.]
You do know that handing quests out to other Pokémon isn't gonna earn you any points, right?
[By now, in the few weeks that they've been trapped in this new world together, it's likely become a sort of routine to check up on one another. Despite his almost-too-friendly nature, Neige is too much of a go-getter to be considered clingy, never demanding to overstay his welcome--but it's hard not to want to at least keep from straying too far from the only other person from Twisted Wonderland.
It made it easier that the two had been recruited to the same guild. With Neige having the advantage of wings to help him make his way through the Canopy, and with their individual rooms not having, well, much in the way of walls, he does as he so often has made it his practice--
Neige lands to perch on one of the low walls, his first order of business after waking up and flying from his own room.]
[Cater's been dreaming so much lately. there's a bit more time to dream with less of a schedule than Heartlabyul permitted under Riddle's rule, though not too much more. even still, Cater's been preferring them. in his dreams he's not some strange curvy bunny, though lately more and more he seems to remember in his dreams being addressed by a dark-haired prince who reaches out a hand and says—
Good morning, apparently, in this case. ah, sleep was nice while it lasted. Cater stretches a paw out from under an ear and sighs, rolling onto his stomach and burying his face in the soft leaves of the nest. those big lop ears of his cover his face and muffle his voice when he whistfully hums;]
Sure is morning, isn't it..~
[in a sleepy sing-song. man. he really would like to keep going and avoiding his reality a little while longer, but with his eyes closed, it really is just Neige talking to him, isn't it?
well, it's that with his eyes open too, but Neige is a bird and he himself is a bunny. it changes the whole thing.
[Despite his chipper, energetic tone upon greeting him, Neige doesn't rush Cater up from his makeshift bed of leaves. You look comfortable doesn't seem like an appropriate thing to say when they were certainly both still missing their beds back home, so instead, he says:]
It sounds like you were having a good dream.
[And he wishes he didn't have to wake him from it...but if Neige hadn't done it himself, it still would've happened. Ultimately, no matter how good or bad a dream, one always woke up from it.]
Edited (I just like this phrasing better) Date: 2026-03-08 08:38 am (UTC)
[and yet, this is one they haven't woken up from yet, have they? Cater peeks his eye out from under his ear, finally stretching out and sitting up on his arms, nice and slow.]
It was pretty nice.
Just a dream, though.
[though he's not quite at one hundred percent Peppy Cater yet, he puts on his best morning smile for his kouhai, which is a little easier because the dude is a fuckin bird orb. Seven, he is cute.]
[Neige flutters over, landing down beside him and fixing him with those hopeful bird eyes of his. So cute.]
Would you like to join me for breakfast?
[There's no sense of urgency in the ask--the settled way that Neige sits with his wings around him giving the impression that he's more than happy to take as much time as Cater might need to wake up further. After all, it was a bit more effort for the poor rabbit to get to the main "office" where they served meals for the guild members.]
That's a little bit of a bummer, huh? I guess we both got some trade-offs in this whole thing.
[Neige can still fly, and Cater still has hands. Paws. Whatever. He gives a good natured laugh--and purely out of instinct more than anything else flies up to sit between Cater's massive ears. The swablu need to be a hat is a powerful thing.]
I've heard some people--pokemon?--talk about something called evolution. Maybe if I become a bigger bird sometime, I'll be able to carry you!
[one of Cater's big fluffy brows tilts as he contemplates that, remarking with amusement;]
That'd have to be a pretty big bird, bud.
[he pulls his knees to his chest and crosses his arms over them, resting his head in the palm of one hand]
Besides, what am I gonna do without my favorite hat? It's about as much fashion as I can get, around here.
[ugh, it's too early in the morning to make stupid jokes like that. Cater leans back onto his palms to stretch out his legs, and then starts getting to his feet.]
[Stupid joke or not, Neige can't help but laugh--Cater really always has some kind of quip up his seelve, doesn't he? Oh, he bets that Cater makes Vil laugh all the time! Well, on the inside, maybe.]
Well, in the meantime, I'll happily take on the mantle of fashion statement.
[Not that Neige likely weighs more than, like, basically nothing, but he'll still take to the air again once Cater's at a point where he's really gotta put his arms and legs to work--not wanting to give him any extra burden in the process.]
I wonder what's for breakfast today.
[...]
Do you think that it's inappropriate for me to eat eggs, now?
Couple of my schoolmates might think you're cooler for it,
[Leona'd probably have some cool carnivore line about it. he can't imagine that guy hanging out with a bunch of cute critters, though. not because it's impossible, but because it kinda makes him miss school again to go imagining that kind of stuff...
man, he never knows what to do with his hands like this. no phone, no pockets, nothin'. for now he kind of... awkwardly crosses them.]
Come to think of it, do they have, like, chickens, here?
Now that you mention it...I'm not sure that I've really seen any regular animals...
[Do they even exist in this world? Would...would any meat or even certain plant-based dishes come directly from their Pokemon counterparts? Oh...Neige's not sure how he feels about it. At least not while actively being one.]
That's a little disquieting...maybe certain questions are better left unanswered.
[he's not ready to be looked at like a piece of meat in that way... and how could he look at another pokemon again if he ate wooloo diablo?
...well, maybe he still could, but it'd be a little fucked up.
as they approach the wall of vines, though ,Cater starts to stretch his arms out and take longer strides, even stretching out his hamstrings as they go.]
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Date: 2026-03-05 06:17 am (UTC)Today, there is a Lopunny at the board, and he's taking every quest description from the day's list... only to hand them out to passing Pokémon like flyers. In the time she spends watching him, Shoka doesn't see him actually keep a single one. She does, however, notice that he's eerily familiar to her.
Curiosity eventually gets the better of her. She Shadow Sneaks her way over, appearing soundlessly beside him as if out of thin air.]
You do know that handing quests out to other Pokémon isn't gonna earn you any points, right?
no subject
Date: 2026-03-08 08:03 am (UTC)Whoa, you scared me there! I totally thought you were someone else...
[that was like... way too Lilia for him. man, that's one part he doesn't miss about the guy... right? he definitely doesn't miss that.
anyway, he did catch her question, though, and—]
But— heyyy, I'm just utilizing my strengths! Getting acquainted with the whole questing thing!
There's all different kinds of ways to get experience.
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Date: 2026-03-14 06:47 am (UTC)[She sounds utterly unconvinced. She tilts her disguise-head at him, cupping a ghostly hand expectantly around one ear.]
And what experience are you getting right now, exactly?
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Date: 2026-04-10 07:05 am (UTC)[among other things, but he can tell from her voice she's not the type who'll accept a straight-up lie easily.]
Best to know who the over-achievers are before you get roped into things, riiiight~?
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Date: 2026-04-12 05:57 am (UTC)So you can avoid them? Or so you know whose coattails you can ride?
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Date: 2026-04-12 09:43 pm (UTC)C'mon. Do I like the kind of guy who wouldn't give it an honest effort?
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Date: 2026-03-08 07:20 am (UTC)It made it easier that the two had been recruited to the same guild. With Neige having the advantage of wings to help him make his way through the Canopy, and with their individual rooms not having, well, much in the way of walls, he does as he so often has made it his practice--
Neige lands to perch on one of the low walls, his first order of business after waking up and flying from his own room.]
Good morning, Cater!
[Time to rise and shine for another day.]
no subject
Date: 2026-03-08 08:00 am (UTC)Good morning, apparently, in this case. ah, sleep was nice while it lasted. Cater stretches a paw out from under an ear and sighs, rolling onto his stomach and burying his face in the soft leaves of the nest. those big lop ears of his cover his face and muffle his voice when he whistfully hums;]
Sure is morning, isn't it..~
[in a sleepy sing-song. man. he really would like to keep going and avoiding his reality a little while longer, but with his eyes closed, it really is just Neige talking to him, isn't it?
well, it's that with his eyes open too, but Neige is a bird and he himself is a bunny. it changes the whole thing.
no subject
Date: 2026-03-08 08:37 am (UTC)It sounds like you were having a good dream.
[And he wishes he didn't have to wake him from it...but if Neige hadn't done it himself, it still would've happened. Ultimately, no matter how good or bad a dream, one always woke up from it.]
no subject
Date: 2026-03-08 08:49 am (UTC)It was pretty nice.
Just a dream, though.
[though he's not quite at one hundred percent Peppy Cater yet, he puts on his best morning smile for his kouhai, which is a little easier because the dude is a fuckin bird orb. Seven, he is cute.]
no subject
Date: 2026-03-08 09:37 am (UTC)[Neige flutters over, landing down beside him and fixing him with those hopeful bird eyes of his. So cute.]
Would you like to join me for breakfast?
[There's no sense of urgency in the ask--the settled way that Neige sits with his wings around him giving the impression that he's more than happy to take as much time as Cater might need to wake up further. After all, it was a bit more effort for the poor rabbit to get to the main "office" where they served meals for the guild members.]
no subject
Date: 2026-03-08 09:47 am (UTC)Maaan, I used to be able to fly, too...
[he laments, rolling on to his back and giving a pitiful, overacted sigh.]
You know I'd love to, man.
Not gonna get any closer the longer I lay here, anyway.
[he looks back over his shoulder at Neige with a smile, but then finally sits up to yawn and stretch.]
no subject
Date: 2026-03-20 05:45 am (UTC)[Neige can still fly, and Cater still has hands. Paws. Whatever. He gives a good natured laugh--and purely out of instinct more than anything else flies up to sit between Cater's massive ears. The swablu need to be a hat is a powerful thing.]
I've heard some people--pokemon?--talk about something called evolution. Maybe if I become a bigger bird sometime, I'll be able to carry you!
no subject
Date: 2026-03-20 06:17 am (UTC)That'd have to be a pretty big bird, bud.
[he pulls his knees to his chest and crosses his arms over them, resting his head in the palm of one hand]
Besides, what am I gonna do without my favorite hat? It's about as much fashion as I can get, around here.
[ugh, it's too early in the morning to make stupid jokes like that. Cater leans back onto his palms to stretch out his legs, and then starts getting to his feet.]
no subject
Date: 2026-03-20 06:30 am (UTC)Well, in the meantime, I'll happily take on the mantle of fashion statement.
[Not that Neige likely weighs more than, like, basically nothing, but he'll still take to the air again once Cater's at a point where he's really gotta put his arms and legs to work--not wanting to give him any extra burden in the process.]
I wonder what's for breakfast today.
[...]
Do you think that it's inappropriate for me to eat eggs, now?
[Maybe he has some attempts at jokes, too.]
no subject
Date: 2026-03-20 06:39 am (UTC)Couple of my schoolmates might think you're cooler for it,
[Leona'd probably have some cool carnivore line about it. he can't imagine that guy hanging out with a bunch of cute critters, though. not because it's impossible, but because it kinda makes him miss school again to go imagining that kind of stuff...
man, he never knows what to do with his hands like this. no phone, no pockets, nothin'. for now he kind of... awkwardly crosses them.]
Come to think of it, do they have, like, chickens, here?
no subject
Date: 2026-04-17 06:01 am (UTC)[Do they even exist in this world? Would...would any meat or even certain plant-based dishes come directly from their Pokemon counterparts? Oh...Neige's not sure how he feels about it. At least not while actively being one.]
That's a little disquieting...maybe certain questions are better left unanswered.
no subject
Date: 2026-04-17 07:10 am (UTC)[he's not ready to be looked at like a piece of meat in that way... and how could he look at another pokemon again if he ate wooloo diablo?
...well, maybe he still could, but it'd be a little fucked up.
as they approach the wall of vines, though ,Cater starts to stretch his arms out and take longer strides, even stretching out his hamstrings as they go.]
Time for mad hops, I guess.
Out of school, but I still can't escape P.E....