Memories Of Yesterday and Today

Shortly after Irene arrived, a girl of about fourteen came walking up, alongside a Gardevoir that looked far more human than normal, both in physical features and in mannerisms. The girl smiled at Irene brightly, holding out her hand. "Hi, I'm Azumi Itou, and this is Shaya Harley. We were told you might need our help with communicating with an injured Arcanine?"

Irene had partly zoned out thinking while she waited due to thinking, but before long Azumi snapped the older girl back to the present. Blinking once, Irene offered a hand. "I'm Irene Tanaka, nice to meet you both. Um..not sure what is normally done here but I would like to help, so yes. There was these people using them in fights to the death for their entertainment." Irene's normally gentle voice had a notable edge of anger to it. One of the few things she regreted was the man in question to get away but she didn't want to think about it right now.

Considering she had never see a Gardevoir, Irene wasn't sure Shaya was even a Pokemon at first and thought she was just another one of the many humanoid races running around. "I don't want to sound rude, but are you a Gardevoir? I've never seen one before.."

Azumi seemed visibly disturbed by the news of fights to the death, as did Shaya, who seemed even more disturbed by it, and for good reason. When Irene spoke to her, however, she blinked, and then smiled. Irene would then hear a soft voice in her mind. 'Yes, I am. My adoptive father was a Pokemon Breeder, a very prominent one. His life's work was to create a more human-like Gardevoir. I was the result. I was sort of raised as part of the family after that. That... was a long time ago, though...' She frowned, then shook her head, before holding out her hand. She only had three fingers on each hand, one acting as a thumb, so it was more like the other four fingers had fused into two. Still, her hands seemed just as functional as anyone elses.

Irene nodded to that a bit slowly, thinking. A breeder? She always wondered if most Pokemon were intelligent as people but always received mixed results. From Shaya, and from what she's seen thus far of Shaya..she really didn't know. It did make her more cautious of what exactly the point of capturing something that had a minds and feelings of their own. She asked Azumi that later but for now..

"Do you know where the Arcanine is? I'm ready to try to talk to her."

Azumi blinked. "I assumed it was here, Care Ward 7. That's why we are here, right?" She opened the door and, sure enough, there was the Arcanine, laying in something like a large padded area of floor, much like a bed on the floor. It seemed to be a lot better than before, aside from a bit of scarring around it's front legs where it had been bound. It turned wary eyes on the newcomers, though at least seemed curious about Irene and Shaya.

Irene approached with the others after them, the Arcanine was pretty large now that she had time to look at them more up close. They seemed cautious of them but not hostile so that was a good thing for a start. The young Sif turned to Shaya. "Let me know when you form a link so I can talk to her, but its best to ask her first if that's okay. I don't want to betray her trust or treat her like she's stupid."

Shaya nodded, and slowly moved closer, keeping eye contact with the Arcanine. After a long moment, Shaya moved even closer, gently petting the Arcanine's head. 'It's established, she said it's okay, since she recognizes you saved her.'

Irene was grateful for that before she turned to the Arcanine. She thought of how to approach, but thought of starting off simple and going from there. "My name is Irene, is it all right if I have your name?" She wasn't sure how it worked in Pokemon culture. But, she could assume logically from things she observed that a few things had to work. If beings were intelligent, then a culture of some kind would be established. That meant names. After all, if mentioned 'Sif' then that was just the race and wouldn't refer to anyone specific, so with that in mind Pokemon had to have names of their own. She never got why some trainers Pokemon didn't seem to have names and just their race..it sounded demeaning in a way to her.

The Arcanine cocked it's head. 'Name? Do not have a name. Am simply myself. Have no trainer, no name.' Shaya glanced at Irene.

'Wild pokemon rarely have names until they have bonded with a trainer. All are intelligent enough to understand human speech to a degree, but it is rare that they can speak it. It is not until forming a bond with a trainer that they become better able to understand human speech. I don't think you yet understand the bond between Pokemon and Trainer. It is symbiotic. Each learns from the other, and become linked. Those bonds are hard to break, even if they wanted to... you seem to have a negative opinion of trainers in general. That's unfortunate... you just don't understand yet. You will though...' She smiled, directing her attention back to the Arcanine.

"Hm.." Irene wasn't sure what to say what Shaya said, but decided questions could wait until she was finished talking with the Arcanine. "The nurse mentioned how you don't eat the berries that were suppose to help you. Is it because you think they might of put something in it or something else?" She was sure it was the first, but could be wrong.

The Arcanine growled a bit. 'Why trust food from strange people? Strange people hurt me.' Azumi looked to the berries, and picked up a few. She handed one to Shaya, and the rest to Irene.

"Here..." As she said this, Shaya made a point of eating one of the berries, smiling at the Arcanine.

Irene glanced at the others, getting a cue of sorts to also eat the fruit. One other thing she and the Arcanine had in common was being cautious about food they didn't know where it had come from. Though, despite all the things Irene had gone through a part of herself couldn't help but be a bit trusting, it was just how she was.

Taking one of the random berries from the bowl, she gently offered one for the Arcanine after Shaya demonstrated it was 'safe' to eat but it was up to her.

The Arcanine's eyes flicked between Shaya, and the berry Irene was offering. After a long moment, the Arcanine leaned down and gently took the offered berry in it's mouth, eating it.

Irene slowly smiled at this, and after a moment but unsure hesitantly reached out to gently pet the Arcanine on the head.

The Arcanine, after a moment, bowed it's head a bit and pushed into her hand, giving her permission to continue. Azumi was struggling to contain her happiness at the scene. "You know... this is just my opinion, but maybe you two should consider being partners? Well, unless she wants to go back to the wild... you should ask though." At this, the Arcanine looked Irene in the eyes silently.

Irene wasn't sure, she was silent for a moment addressing the Arcanine. She never had a 'partner' before but for the idea appealed to her a great deal for some reason already. Irene had just met the Arcanine but even so. 'What do you want to do? Would you like to be partners, or would you like to go back home in the wild?'

The Arcanine looked at her for a long moment. 'Are you new trainer? Have other partners?'

"I am. My partner is a Umberon." Irene clarified a bit. She was thinking of something. Though she had just met the Arcanine, there was the very real chance of her being in danger if the people from the lab came after her again and found them. She didn't want to put them in that kind of danger, but how best to explain it? Azumi definitely didn't need to know..no need to put her in any danger she seemed like a nice human.

The Arcanine seemed to be thinking, then glanced at Shaya, who was looking at Irene with a bit of shock. The mental connection had caused that thought of Irene's to transfer to them both. 'You have hard life, but you are kind. Will go with you.'

'I won't tell Azumi.... she'd be determined to help you, but I don't think she's ready for that kind of danger... not yet, anyway.'

Irene was clearly taken back, not expecting the link to 'share' like it had been not just seconds ago, it meant Shaya and the Arcanine had witnesses some of her memories. Irene wasn't sure what to feel about that, but it was all right.

'..All right. If you're sure then welcome to the group with the rest of us. I want to wait until you're recovered.' Irene was thinking for a moment before addressing Shaya again and Azumi this time as well. "..I would like to meet some of your other partners some time Azumi. Shaya said about me having a bad impression of trainers and their Pokemon..so I would like to see a bit more myself." Of course it was safer to not mental link when talking to Azumi because she didn't want her involved if she could help it.

Azumi blinked, startled, but nodded. "Oh, of course! Um, aside from Shaya here who is more traveling with me and helping me out than anything, there is Asim, Rayld, Ophelia, and Ignius. If you want to go outside, I can introduce you to them. They are in the small park behind the center, running around and relaxing. Oh, and when you see Asim, he's a little upset right now. He lost a fight, and is a little sulky about it. I told him it was best to let Shaya handle that Medicham, but he can be so stubborn sometimes..." She sighed. "Anyway, I'll meet you outside, you should officially introduce yourself to your new partner first! And I think she could use a name, don't you? Think it over, and when you have a name, see if she likes it, kay? Shaya, do you mind helping them talk a bit longer?"

'Of course not, Azumi. I will see you soon.'

Irene wasn't sure about a name, she had never named anything really that was important. A name for a person--and that's what she considered the Arcanine in her mind humanoid or not deserved to be a fitting one they liked.

"How about Acira for a name?" Irene asked them finally. "I'm not sure if you like it, but we can keep thinking of things until one fits."

The Arcanine seemed to think on it for a long moment, then nodded her head, and Irene would feel a sense of the Arcanine being pleased. 'Acira is my name. I like, but must rest now.' Shaya smiled, and turned to Irene.

'Acira is a beautiful name. We should let her rest right now. And if you need to, I'm sure Azumi can give you a few spare Pokeballs... maybe a Luxury Ball? Acira certainly deserves to be pampered.'

"Get some rest, I'll see you later." Irene had gently patted her on the head one final time before turning her attention to Shaya. "Can you buy those or are they special? I know it sounds strange, but I want to buy it myself if they aren't too expensive. Either way, let's go meet the rest of your friends."

Shaya paused. 'If I recall... hm... how much money do you have?'