Baranofl & Deedee the Ranger PMD RP

Kangaskhan nodded slowly in understanding. "I can see that would be disorientating," she agreed gently. "Don't worry, dear; you'll catch up in no time. It's been a while since my adventuring days, but I assure you that you're a lot stronger than you seem to believe you are." In a mock whisper, she added, "Vera forgot how to walk before I found her, actually, so I believe you're a few steps ahead."

"Good okay let's go, moving right along!" Vera shouted over Kangaskhan, dragging Blake off the floor and pushing him away up the sturdy wooden stairs. "I'll show him his room, thanks Madame Kangaskhan!" She added hurriedly, finally relenting when they were at the top of the stairs.

The top floor was significantly smaller and more attic-like. Above, a glass roof showed the sky, and Vera recalled with fondness the early days of her arrival, when she would get up in the middle of the night to watch the stars or the rain. The hall was almost circular, with three doors - one directly across, one to their left, and one to their right, each made of intricate wood which was extremely tall, likely to fit Kangaskhan's stature. Vera led them to the room directly across, pushing it open with little effort.

The room was sparsely furnished. A large pile of hay sat in the back corner, and while it was clearly a bed, it was equally as clear that nobody had used it in a long time; no impressions were left upon it to evidence someone having been there in the nights before. A small window cast fading light onto the ground, carved in a loopy circle into the wall itself. A small table and chair were set up in a corner, and a large mat with an exotic design made in rich blues and striking purples was laid out across the floor.

"So," Vera turned to Blake hopefully. "What do you think?"

 

Vera paused. "You're right, actually, only the hay's been replaced. Kangaskhan's son is in a rescue team, see, so he lives abroad," Vera explained. "Kangaskhan built this room for him back when he was just a baby. Don't worry about it," She waved it off. Following in after him, she continued, "Hopefully, once we get started as a rescue team, we'll either be able to bunk down in the Guild itself, or have enough Poké to buy or build a place of our own. A base, if you will." She eyed the window, which showed the darkening sky, only the slight edges of sunlight visible. In the morning, it would surely give them a perfect view of the sunrise.

"Anyways - we should get some sleep, it's been a long day," Vera commented. "I'll be in my room, the one on the left from here, if you need me. Sleep tight!"

And with that, Vera walked out, closing the door behind her.

 

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The next morning, Vera was awake early, up helping Kangaskhan with sorting the inventory. With the innumerable rescue teams which came to her for help, they had to be up before the sun rose. Stacking away a set of scarves, she finally decided to voice what was on her mind.

"Madame Kangaskhan," Vera asked, finally dropping the collection of colourful fabrics with a thump. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing?"

"What do you mean, dearie?" Madame Kangaskhan asked, pausing from carrying a huge box of oran berries from her stock.

Vera sat down next to the scarves contemplatively. "I mean, am I doing the right thing going into guildwork?" she offered vaguely. "I told Blake that it would be the fastest way to find the truth about what happened to us. And - and, well-"

"It is," Kangaskhan replied without a shadow of doubt, but a great deal of amusement. "Vera, we've had this conversation before, dearie. This town may be lovely, but you've been here a year, and you haven't found anything until that young lad turned up yesterday. I don't doubt that you'll find more if you go out into the world." she smiled. "I'll miss you, but I know what this means to you - and I'm always here if you need me."

Vera was just about to reply when a loud THUMP resonated upstairs.

 

Kangaskhan laughed lightly. "Don't worry about it, dear. It was ancient anyways," she waved it off. "Now - you said yesterday you needed to learn how to defend yourself, yes? If you did, then come out into the field when you're ready to start." Giving Blake a bright smile, Kangaskhan trotted outside, leaving Vera and Blake to watch the shop.

"I'll catch up with you," Vera decided. "I still have some stock to sort."

 

"Type isn't everything, dearie," Kangaskhan replied smoothly, stepping out the back into an open field. The grass was razed down to the roots, leaving only dry ground, and scattered all over were training dummies which were in various states of disrepair. "I might have to fix these," Kangaskhan mumbled, before visibly brushing it off and turning to Blake.

"First," she announced, "we're training you to move, dearie. Some Pokémon think only of what attacks they can use; not me. We won't be using any attacks until you can run twenty laps around without breaking a sweat."

She got an evil grin on her face.

"Twenty laps around the village, that is."

Hurrying away with surprising speed, she called, "I'll be with you the whole way, dear. Hop to it!"

 

Kangaskhan laughed cheerfully, but agreed to his point, reaching into her bag for an oran berry. Handing it to him, she commented cheerfully, "You'll get used to it with practice!" She nodded. "You did brilliantly for your first time going. When you're finished lying on the ground, dearie, we can head back home and let Vera take a well-deserved break from running the shop."

 

Madame Kangaskhan, when Blake caught up to her, was busy talking firmly to a large, serpentine Pokémon. Despite being outwardly calm, it was clear from the volume she was speaking at and the way her large, heavy tail flicked irritably from side to side that she was not feeling charitable.

"I'm certain I needn't remind you that what I do is none of your business, Serperior," Madame Kangaskhan said, bordering on a hiss more suited to the grassy Pokémon in front of her. "And if I hear you suggesting it again, I will make good on my promise. Is that clear?"

"Of course," Serperior replied, flicking her tail in lazy calculation.A few Pokémon nearby made a subtle effort to dodge the pair in the street. Her next words were lost as Vera hurried over and quietly pulled Blake away before he could protest.

Hiding behind the house in the training field, Vera let out a sigh of relief and started considering what prank supplies she had available.

 

"The Serperior Madame Kangaskhan was talking to," Vera's tone took on a dangerous quality, "is a very... controlling and insular personality. I don't like her." Checking to make sure nobody was listening in, she continued, "On paper, Ms. Selvela is the leader of a rescue team called the Twined Serpents. But off the books..." she gestured back to where the distant sound of Kangaskhan's firm tones and the subconscious hiss of Ms. Selvela's words battled for dominance. "...she does everything she can to control what's going on around here. I don't know what she's after, but that she has to hide it is a pretty good reason to distrust her, I think."

Rising with surprising energy, she began to walk towards the back entrance. "You're free to stay out of it if you want," she offered, "but I'm going to find out what's going on - and get some revenge in the meantime. I promise it'll be mostly harmless." Trotting off, she muttered, "'Suspicious outsider' my foot, I've lived here longer than she has! Who does she think she is?"

 

"Don't worry," Vera waved him off, putting some depth into her stride as she stormed to her room. "It's not like I haven't done this before." Opening the door, she stepped into organized chaos. A board filled with paper and pins was stuck to the far wall. Her hay bed was stuffed into one corner, and sitting in a haphazard heap on a small desk of her own was a collection of objects, ranging from a fairly normal but pretty rock to what appeared to be a flower crown of all things.

"So," she turned to Blake, who was still standing in the doorway, a creepy gleam in her eyes. "Do you think setting her on fire would be okay? Or would it be better to slowly unnerve her?"